An excellent example of a regional character in recent years is Gemma Collins, whose accent and appearance have marked her out as the archetypical “Essex Girl”; a slur that she successfully ...

In fact, the lecturer, who is from east London and grew up in Essex, says she herself has changed the way she talks. "I've modified my accent down a lot," she says. "I've had people call in on ...

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The Welsh accent came out on top, with 38% of respondents finding it relaxing, followed by Yorkshire and Cornish accents. But Essex came 15th on the list (out of 15). The popularity of the Welsh ...

Dr Cole, a lecturer at the University of Essex, says there is a "hierarchy of accents" in the UK, with accents from industrialised urban areas like Glasgow and Birmingham often seen as low status.

Students at Westcliff High School for Girls have appeared on The One Show to discuss the pressures they feel due to the negative stereotypes linked to the Essex accent. On Tuesday night ...