ITV's gripping new drama The Thief, His Wife and the Canoe aired tonight.
In the first episode, viewers met John and Anne Darwin, a couple plagued by debt. Facing bankruptcy John decided to fake his own death using his canoe, much to the horror of his wife.
They successfully pulled it off and John went into hiding while Anne consoled her sons. However, some local viewers took issue with the accents of the characters.
READ MORE: ITV The Thief, His Wife and The Canoe: Where are Anne and John Darwin now?
John Darwin was born in Hartlepool, County Durham but attended De La Salle College in Salford. He and his wife Anne married in Blackhall between Horden and Hartlepool.
In tonight's episode, some viewers from Hartlepool felt the character's accents were Geordie and didn't represent the accent of people from Hartlepool.
Rosy tweeted: "#TheThiefHisWifeAndTheCanoe I love Monica Dolan and Eddie Marsan apart from their 'North East accents. I'll stick with it, as it's based on a true story and it looks like it'll still be a good programme."
Sarah said: "We definitely don’t talk like that in Hartlepool!"
Alison said: "Unless I am missing part of the story where they are originally from Newcastle, why are they talking in Geordie?! Seaton Carew is more Teesside than Tyneside!"
Mark tweeted: "I've never heard anyone from 'Aartlepool speak with a Geordie accent."
Chris said: "Not sure us Hartlepudlians sound so Geordie."
Lucy tweeted: "No one in Hartlepool talks like this…"
Adam said: "Everyone sound way to Geordie for Hartlepool."
Andrew tweeted: "I’m from Hartlepool, we don’t don’t sound like Geordies."
And David said: "Oof, that attempt at the Hartlepool accent is brutal."
Accents aside, many viewers loved the new drama. Alan tweeted: "So far so good #thethiefhiswifeandthecanoe."
James said: "#thethiefhiswifeandthecanoe is a magnificent piece of television - loving it!"
Ceris added: "Brilliant performances from @eddiemarsan @MonicaDolan."
And Kate said: "Both @eddiemarsan and @MonicaDolan are absolutely brilliant in #thethiefhiswifeandthecanoe - both such terrific actors."
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