Jane eyes up another Mitchell bruv
Jane Collins, EastEnders’ stoic butterer of bread rolls, is set to have her Phil of the Mitchell brothers. Just a few short weeks ago, Jane was whipping off her blouse and pulling Grant into a half-nelson at every opportunity - but now the cockney caff queen is set to get up close and personal with Phil in a top-secret storyline.
On-set insiders say the pair have been busy shooting scenes together, although BBC bosses are trying to keep the details hush-hush. A mole told the Daily Star: "An affair may just be too predictable. Jane and Phil may be growing closer for other, more important reasons."
So, the big question is, will Jane abandon her J-cloths and settle for a life polishing Phil’s head? Or will Ian uncover her deceit and force her to seek fulfilment in a new range of microwaveable saveloys? Ooh, we can hardly stand the suspense.
Source: Daily Star
Enders Jane's tough Beale
THE joke's on Jane Beale in EastEnders this week.
Easy-going Jane (Laurie Brett) has her work cut out for her when she tries her stand up material at The Vic's comedy night.
Jane, who is married to moany Ian Beale (Adam Woodyatt), finds her home crowd very hard to please and her set doesn't go as she's planned.
The wannabe comedienne, who was given a wad of cash to get a new frock from Ian, gets off to a shaky start in the pub with Heather bellowing that she's heard better jokes at a funeral.
Luckily, things get a bit better when Jane drops in some jokes about hubby Ian and his performance in bed.
Watch Jane's comic turn Tuesday November 4, 7.30pm, BBC One.
Jane Beale (Laurie Brett)
EastEnders reintroduces Jane Beale with a bang next week as she returns to Walford with the news that Bobby is missing.
Jane drops the bombshell on her ex-husband Ian as she turns up on the Square unexpectedly.
Although Bobby is later found safe and well, it's clear that he has been struggling much more than Jane thought when he is caught with a folder full of press cuttings about Lucy's murder.
Here, Laurie Brett - who plays Jane - chats about her return to EastEnders and why her character is here to stay.
What is Jane's mood like when she returns?
"Jane is frantic because Bobby has gone missing. She is all the way up in Birmingham and he has pretended that he is emailing Ian in London, so she assumes that her little boy is up in London somewhere."
When Bobby is finally found, we discover that he's been trying to investigate Lucy's murder himself! Why is he so fixated on it?
"It's not elaborated on, but I tried to play it as a fault of Jane's. She took Bobby away when the funeral was going on because Ian was in such a bad place. She has always felt bad about taking him, even though he is her adoptive son. When they find a folder with press cuttings that Bobby has been gathering, Jane admits that Bobby tried to talk to her about the murder but she wasn't ready.
"Jane just thought Bobby was busy playing on his Xbox, but he was collaborating the evidence and getting obsessive. She feels highly responsible for that and his angst. Bobby is also being bullied quite badly in Birmingham, because of being the brother of a murdered woman. So all of that is Jane's doing, really, even though she took him away for the best intentions."
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A frantic Jane tells Ian that Bobby is missing
© BBC
A frantic Jane tells Ian that Bobby is missing
What kind of relationship has Jane had with Ian while she's been away?
"Since Jane left from the funeral, they have kept in contact off screen because of Bobby. That's as two separated people who have a child - nothing else going on."
What are Jane's feelings for Ian?
"I think they never stopped loving each other, but there was too much water under the bridge for stuff to be fixed. I've been there myself - you love somebody but just too much stuff has happened and you can't get past that. It was always circumstantial what happened with them, apart from her sleeping with Grant - she was pushed to that!
"It has never gone away. Even Jane and Ian sleeping together through grief earlier this year wouldn't have happened if there weren't feelings there. I don't think their feelings for each other are light, they are quite deep."
Jane is also involved when Lucy's missing purse and phone are dug up by Denise next week. How does she feel about that?
"It's a minefield. Jane is going to stay, so obviously she is involved in all of that. It is something highly significant and they don't know what to do about it all."
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Denise shows Ian and Jane Lucy's belongings
© BBC
Denise shows Ian and Jane Lucy's belongings
Where does Jane live when she returns?
"The Beales' place of course! At this point Jane is not working. She has decided to come back and look for somewhere to live with her and Bobby nearby. Jane and Ian do have a row, where Jane ends up telling him that she knows about Rainie. She tells Ian that if he thinks she is going to come back and sleep with him, he is sick! She storms off to have a word with Sharon, but Phil is there instead.
"Jane and Phil end up sitting down and having a chat. As much as they have had their ups and downs, Phil and Jane have always strangely understood each other. Phil says, 'Don't be a hypocrite. I have two words for you - my brother. Why are you here if you don't feel anything?'
"Phil is the one who asks the straight questions - why is she there if she doesn't care? After that, Jane decides to plot there at the Beales' while she finds somewhere, but she is not in Ian's bed."
What kind of dynamic can we expect between Jane and Masood?
"Jane goes and confides in Masood and he says she can stay with him, but he's quite playful. They have always been friends but Jane is like, 'No, naughty!' There is always something sweet and attractive about them, but it was always the Butterflies story that was supposed to go on - I felt it was a shame to make it something more. It should have been two people that sit in the park and talk. I would love to see that come back."
Will Jane still have friendships on the Square?
"Jane has always had semi-relationships with people on the Square because of working in the caff. I have said before that Jane is every woman with the two kids and feckless husband - I know many of them. She was always with Tanya and I miss that - on the lash to Bananarama! Maybe there is scope to have friendships. She has known Sharon since 2004 when she came in and also Sonia historically - she helped her get her daughter back, so perhaps we will explore that."
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Bobby returns home to a delighted Ian and Jane
© BBC
Bobby returns home to a delighted Ian and Jane
How do you feel about the recent short odds on Jane being Lucy's killer?
"I was quite excited. I have no idea why she would do it, but even though she is motiveless, if it is something that has gone wrong then anybody is possible to have done that. If it is Jane I can't wait to see how it came to be her. At the stage we are filming at, it could be any of us really. [Executive producer] Dominic always said when it is revealed everyone will go 'Ah', so yes it could be me."
Who is your money on?
"Four or five people. I have stopped trying to work it out. Adam on the other hand has not! With the things we are finding out, you think one thing and then think another."
How do you feel about the show's upcoming live week?
"Terrified. I have not done theatre for over 10 years. With the 25th anniversary live episode I only had a tiny bit, but sometimes that is worse - you are waiting for your bit and thinking 'What if you screw it up?' If I have a bit more this time it will be terrifying, but really exciting. I just hope I don't bump into the furniture and swear!"
What's it been like to work with Adam again?
"We bounce off each other so easily. We had that from my screen test - it just clicks and I know what he is going to do. It is quite a one-off working relationship. Adam makes it easy and is such a generous actor - he doesn't ever hog the camera. My mum used to say when I first started the show, 'They must really like you in EastEnders because they keep ending scenes on you.' I'd say, 'That is because Adam walks away so they have to!'
"We love doing the emotional stuff. We love doing the stuff that almost borders on sitcom, throwaway scenes that are family life. We are campaigning at the moment to have the thermostat reinstalled in the living room, as he would walk in and turn it down and Jane would walk in and turn it up. Nobody would notice that but it happens in my house. Little things like that make it real.
"That's what makes people believe you are a real family - that's what makes a viewer invest and that's what makes it kitchen sink drama."
How does it feel to be back?
"It feels like I have never been away. I started on September 8 and the first week was a shock. It is lovely because everybody was pleased to see me I think, and it is nice to be back in London."
Will you stay on the show?
"Even if I am the murderer, nobody said that I can't stay. I don't think I will be going anywhere in the next year or two and I know there is quite a lot of stuff ahead."