Estuary English is a combination of Cockney, London (not the same as cockney)mixed with a bit of Aussie from the soaps and some Americanisms. It is a genuine and growing phenomenon and I call it that because its growth has been phenomenal. Its growth centre was probably southern Essex, on the north side of the Thames estuary, and jokes about Essex girls have been around for some time now. If you Google Essex girls I’m sure you’ll find some; they tend to be in the same vein as jokes about blondes. There are a number of websites that talk about Estuary English, but here’s one to start you off. Try it, its interesting.

http://www.ling.lancs.ac.uk/chimp/101/phonetics/estuary.htm

Prominent speakers of Estuary English include footballers, their wives and those low-level media personality lads and laddettes who are well known for being well known and whom we love to see flashing their bits and pieces in the tabloids. These exhibitionists of both sexes have become role models, mainly because they make so much money with so little apparent effort. That’s fine as far as the exhibitionism and the money goes, but gives a problem in the area of communication skills.