Linda Henry, who plays Shirley Carter in Eastenders, facing trial accused of hurling racial abuse outside Jamie Oliver's restaurant

The actress on the most ethnically diverse soap on television, set to face trial in February 2015 charged with racially aggravated harassment

The actress who plays Shirley Carter, Phil Mitchell’s former partner, on the most ethnically diverse soap on television, is facing trial charged with racially aggravated harassment.

Linda Henry, 51, denies hurling racial abuse at a person after she became embroiled in a heated row outside Jamie Oliver's chain restaurant Jamie's Italian in Greenwich, South London on 14 September.

The Eastenders star, who has been in the drama since 2006, said she is “horrified” by the allegations and is prepared to fight “tooth and nail” to clear her name, according to The Sun.

“She is determined to prove she is innocent of these deeply offensive claims,” a source close to Henry was quoted by the tabloid as saying.

The manager of Jamie’s Italian has insisted that none of his staff were involved in the incident.

Henry’s case is being heard under her married name Virilis.

She did not attend the hearing in person and her lawyer entered a ‘not guilty’ plea on her behalf

The manager of the restaurant has insisted none of his staff were involved.

Henry did not attend the hearing in person. She pleaded not guilty to the charges via her lawyer at South London’s Bexley magistrates court.

The trial is set to start on 11 February.

A spokesperson for the BBC and Eastenders is yet to respond to request for comment.

Ironically, Eastenders became a central talking point as the Commons debated the apparent lack of ethnic diversity opportunities at the BBC, and the lack of proportionate Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic (BAME) representation on TV over the summer.

Lenny Henry gives evidence about BBC diversity as part of a Commons inquiry into the future of the broadcaster

The vice-chairperson of the BBC Trust, Diane Coyle, declared the soap “almost twice as white” as the real East End of London.

However, Lenny Henry said that he felt Eastenders was “the best of the soaps” in terms of BAME representation.

He made the comments after an hour-long Q&A session at parliament with members of the Culture, Media and Sport committee, in which he gave evidence about the BBC as part of their inquiry into the future of the broadcaster.