Anger as Downton’s first Scouser is portrayed as a thief

DOWNTON Abbey fans have criticised producers for portraying the first Liverpudlian to appear in the period drama as a thief and a cheat.

Viewers accused ITV of negative stereotyping by making the scheming chambermaid Rita Bevan a Scouser.

Miss Bevan appeared within the first few minutes of the opening episode of the sixth and final series on Sunday.

She quickly makes the reason for her arrival clear – to blackmail Lady Mary, threatening to reveal the aristocrat’s dirty weekend at a Liverpool hotel with Viscount Gillingham, which was screened in the last series. Bevan, who demands £1,000, is played as forceful, stroppy and – eventually – the loser, which some viewers said were also lazy Scouse stereotypes.

The depiction of Bevan, pictured, has created a storm on social media after the series began. Viewer Courtney asked: ‘Coincidental that the thief is Scouse?’

Liverpudlian fan Paul Smith was so disgusted he wrote to producers to complain, adding: ‘Can I ask why the scouse girl on sunday was a thief. If that’s all you think scousers are your a disgrace (sic). Ruined the show 4 me.’

Colin Leonard, also from Liverpool, said the negative stereotyping had made him switch off.

Fellow Scouser Claire Cassidy tweeted: ‘First ever scouser on #DowntonAbbey portrayed as a thief! Brilliant, good to know the stereotype existed in the 30s too.’

Writing for The Independent, Jane Merrick said she was ‘enraged’, adding: ‘Why is it generally that Scousers are portrayed as thieving lowlifes?’

She also had a gentle dig at Miss Burley’s accent, writing: ‘Very few people from outside Liverpool can pull off a decent Scouse accent. Even those of us who have left our home town find it difficult to tune ourselves back in.’