EastEnders viewers were in for a surprise this week when Vicki Fowler made her big return to the soap after two decades away.
In a dramatic moment on Monday's episode (March 31), Vicki stepped foot into Albert Square once again to attend the funeral of her uncle, Martin Fowler. Accompanying her were her new beau, Ross, and his son Joel.
For those struggling to recall, Vicki is the product of teen mum Michelle Fowler's fling with the infamous Dirty Den Watts, and her existence has been marred by turbulence from the start. She left Walford back in 2004 and has reportedly been down under in Australia managing a bar with her longstanding partner, Spencer Moon.
Her sudden arrival back in Walford with a different partner certainly raised eyebrows, especially for Sharon, her sister, and Alfie, Spencer's brother, who had no inkling about this new turn in Vicki's life.
Yet, amidst the plot twists, what really caught the attention of viewers was something else entirely – her accent. Social media is full of EastEnders fans expressing their astonishment at her changed voice.
A viewer voiced their confusion on X, writing: "The fact cawfee queen Vicki is..... British. This is an injustice. We need an investigation. She should've been Australian."
To add further intrigue, they commented: "The fact Vicki was in Walford for the first nine years of her life, lived in America for the next nine years, moved back to Walford with an American accent, switched to a British accent for a few months, lived in Australia for the last 21 years and has come back British."
The recent on-screen gaffe has left viewers gobsmacked, prompting a flurry of comments pointing out the oversight. One viewer responded: "She's good at accents though that's the weird thing. Like, it's listed as her skills."
Another chimed in with: "Blame the actress who played Cawfee Vicki, she didn't wanna come back. Also the writers making her this way."
A third added their thoughts, saying: "Three actresses played the part as well."
Meanwhile, someone else offered a different take: "Do people really think that, as an adult, that developing an accent of a place you live isn't a given? Lol, it isn't."
They continued to dissect the character's linguistic journey, adding: "Vicki was an adult the second time she left Walford. She was never going to develop an Australian accent."
Yet another joined the conversation, stating: "Well after age 20, unless she had elocution lessons like she did to talk Brit, she isn't going to."
The role of Vicki is currently portrayed by Alice Haig, although it has been played by other actors previously. Emma Herry was the first to play Vicki from her birth in 1986 until 1988, followed by Samantha Leigh Martin from 1988 to 1995.
When Vicki made her comeback eight years later, Scarlett Alice Johnson took over from 2003 to 2004. For those curious about her American twang, it can be traced back to 1995 when Michelle and a nine-year-old Vicki departed Walford for a new chapter in America, leading to Vicki's return with an American accent years later.
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