Lee Carter

[Perdita]

EastEnders newcomer Lee Carter will come under suspicion of killing Lucy Beale after the pair have a brief fling.

As previously reported, Lucy is to die in mysterious circumstances in a plot that will make several characters suspects.

Viewers will be introduced to Mick and Linda's son Lee next week when he arrives in Walford from Afghanistan.

However, Lee will will find himself attracting police attention after sleeping with Lucy (Hetti Bywater) prior to her death.

Danny-Boy Hatchard, who plays Lee, said to the Radio Times: "He's been in Afghanistan surrounded by a load of blokes, comes home and sees a nice bit of skirt.

"He likes Lucy, goes in bold and gets what he wants. They form a nice little bond together and then she goes and gets murdered!"

He continued: "It's a difficult one for Lee, bless him - he comes back thinking he's going to be escaping all this high drama and then his girlfriend gets killed. It's all a bit too much for him, to be honest."

Speaking about the possibility of Lee being involved in Lucy's demise, Hatchard added: "The likelihood is - and potentially the way they're going to run it - is that Lee is a suspect.

"Whether he's the killer, I don't know. And nobody knows. The way the writers are working is very clever."

[Perdita]

EastEnders fans can expect more intrigue involving the Carter clan next week as Mick and Linda's eldest son Lee hides a secret after joining Albert Square.

Lee has been away serving as a soldier in Afghanistan, but after a few days back with his family, it soon becomes clear that he doesn't want to go back to the army.

Digital Spy recently chatted to Danny-Boy Hatchard, who plays Lee, to get the lowdown on Walford's latest newcomer.

How does it feel to have joined the cast?
"It's such an honour to join such an amazing show and be part of a great family. Even now I'm still trying to get to grips with it. When I'm doing scenes with the other actors I'm thinking, 'Oh God, it was only a couple of months ago that I was watching you on my telly!' To now be working with them is mad!"

Was it a long audition process?
"It was quite short, actually - I don't know why! I'd like to think that they made the decision quite quickly! (Laughs.) I went in for one audition after being sent a script. It was a nice script and I was glad about that, because in the past I've been to auditions where the scripts haven't really given me something I can work with, which can be frustrating.

"With EastEnders, they gave me two audition scenes that I could really stick my teeth into. I made sure that I knew the scenes really well, so I could go off-script in the audition and I also tried to come in with some new ideas. I wanted to bring an interesting take on Lee."

What happened next?
"After the audition, they recalled me to do a scene with Danny Dyer. Kellie Bright was there too. When I found out that they'd both be there, I knew that I definitely had to go in and give it my all. I knew straight away that me and Danny would get on, because we're from the same place and he's like one of my own.

"I walked in there and we did get on really well. Me and Danny chucked a bit of banter each other's way and had a bit of a giggle, and then we did the scene together. I'd like to think that we did the scene quite well and we had good chemistry, because it worked out. You can only do your best, but it was nice to finally be right for something."

What can the fans expect from Lee?
"Cheekiness! He's got a lot of front, he's a ladies' man and he loves his family. Lee also likes to be centre of attention and make people laugh - he's the type of person to draw a crowd. He's also quite competitive, so when he has a game of pool, he has to make sure that he wins!

"Lee's main priority when he comes back is getting his way about with the ladies, because obviously he's been deprived of that since he's been in the army."

In your first week on screen, it's clear straight away that Lee is hiding a secret about why he doesn't want to return to the army. Were you pleased with his introductory storyline?
"Yes, I was very pleased. In the same way it was with the auditions, it was really nice to get my teeth stuck into something. As actors, we all love to be part of something which will really get the audience thinking. To represent the boys out in Afghanistan is an honour. It's magical to be able to do something like this, so I'm thoroughly, thoroughly enjoying it."

Did you do any research into the army and life out in Afghanistan?
"I did, but there's only so much research you can do. You can only watch so many YouTube clips and read so many articles online. I really wanted to experience it first-hand and have the opportunity to ask the boys some questions about what it's like out there, so that way I could hear some real truths from them.

"The EastEnders team arranged with the MOD for me to go to the barracks and I learnt about weapons and bombs and searching for IEDs [improvised explosive devices]. They also did a full-on role-play session for me, where a boy got injured and I had to drag him back to the medics. I was also able to ask the boys some quite personal questions which they were very open about answering, because obviously they want me to do a good job of representing them.

"This really helped me to develop Lee's character much more, because there's an edge to these boys after they've seen things that people can only begin to imagine."

Lee's plans fall apart when Mick catches him preparing to abscond with the help of Stan.
© BBC
Lee doesn't want to return to the army

Lee also sleeps with Lucy Beale shortly after joining Walford. Is this just a one-off?
"Well, it could have developed into something more if Lucy didn't get murdered! (Laughs.)"

Have the producers given you much of an idea of the long-term plans for Lee?
"All I know at the moment is all of the scenes that I've shot so far. I'm sure EastEnders have plans for me, but I don't know what they are! As long as it's entertaining for an audience, that's the main thing and you've got to have faith in what they're doing.

"Everything so far has revolved around Lee coming back to his family and the reasons why he's back…"

Who have you shared most of your screen time with so far?
"So far I've been filming a lot of scenes with the other Carters - especially with Mick. It would be nice to have more scenes with his brother and sister, just to see their relationships blossom a little bit more. I'd love some scenes with Dot Cotton too!"

You had great success on stage in Beautiful Thing, but this is your first TV role. How have you found making that transition?
"It's honestly crazy! When you're in drama school, you're honestly just another number and when you're in an acting class, it all just seems a bit surreal until you get out there and actually experience it for yourself. My first job was Beautiful Thing, so it was great that it was such a success. I worked with fantastic people and an amazing director.

"After Beautiful Thing, I really wanted to make sure that my next project was a step up from that. I can't think of anything better than coming into EastEnders - I'm truly overwhelmed. I honestly thought that I'd find it difficult to make that step up."

Will you watch your first episode when it goes out?
"I will be watching! I haven't really thought about it in terms of plans, but I think my mum and dad will probably want to be with me when I watch it. I'm probably going to organise something where we watch it together."

[Perdita]

EastEnders newcomer Lee Carter faces the police in Friday night's episode (April 25) as the investigation into Lucy Beale's death continues.

Lee (Danny-Boy Hatchard) is due to return to the army, but before he goes, he agrees to speak to the police about his connection to Lucy.

When asked about his whereabouts on the night of Lucy's demise, Lee insists that he was at Ronnie and Roxy Mitchell's housewarming party all night. This comes as a big surprise to his sister Nancy, who knows that he is lying.

Lee is also asked to provide his clothes from the night of Lucy's death, as well as giving a DNA sample.

Viewers know that Lee and Lucy had a short-lived relationship before the recent tragedy, but could he really have played a part in what happened?

Lee is asked to provide a DNA sample
© BBC
Lee is asked to provide a DNA sample

EastEnders airs these scenes on Friday (April 25) at 8pm on BBC One.

[sarah c]

posters are up on the tube etc showing six suspects, with the tag line - one of them is a murderer? or there's a murderer amoungst them....?

the six are: denise, sharon, Ian, Mick, lauren....and the one woman I have forgotten!! :-)

[Perdita]

Lee Carter finds himself back at the centre of the Lucy Beale murder mystery when he returns to EastEnders next week.

As previously reported, Lee (Danny-Boy Hatchard) arrives back in Walford after Mick arranges for him to return from Afghanistan in time for Linda's birthday party at the Queen Vic.

Mick tells Lee he wants to wrap him up as a present for Linda's birthday
© BBC
Mick tells Lee his plan

Although it's a happy homecoming for Lee, he ends up drinking a little too much at Linda's celebration - which loosens his tongue towards the end of the night.

As the Carters are preparing for bed after the bash, Mick (Danny Dyer) is shocked to hear Lee drunkenly mumbling about how he did something stupid connected to Lucy.

Lee pulls his dad aside and makes a confession about the night Lucy was murdered
© BBC
Lee pulls his dad aside and makes a confession

The next morning, suspicion grows among the Carters over Lee's strange behaviour when he is nowhere to be found following his confession.

Once a sheepish Lee finally returns home, he tells his family the truth about what he knows regarding the night of Lucy's murder - and what he has to say shocks everyone…

Lee tells Mick and Linda the truth about what he knows about the night Lucy was murdered.
© BBC
Lee tells Mick and Linda the truth

EastEnders airs these scenes on Thursday, July 10 at 7.30pm and Friday, July 11 at 8pm on BBC One.

[tammyy2j]

Lee Carter will try to reunite with Whitney Dean in upcoming episodes.

Fans know that Lee (Danny-Boy Hatchard) previously pursued Whitney during his first visit to Albert Square earlier this year, but he later left her heartbroken by sleeping with Lucy Beale.

Over the next fortnight, viewers will see Lee try his luck with Whitney (Shona McGarty) all over again, but she rejects him as she is apprehensive following his previous behaviour.

However, when Lee consults his aunt Tina for some advice on women, it's clear that he won't be giving up on Whitney so easily.

The plot looks set to develop further over the coming weeks as Shona McGarty, who plays Whitney, has previously confirmed a new "intense" romance storyline for her character.

She also recently told Digital Spy: "It's someone you've seen her with briefly before. It's going to be very passionate and it's going to be different to any other relationship that she's ever had. Whitney's growing up now and she's finding out who she is."

Whitney and Lucy's tension over Lee made her a possible suspect in Lucy's murder earlier this year, but the focus of the whodunnit mystery has since shifted to other characters on the Square.

[tammyy2j]

.

[tammyy2j]

Danny-Boy Hatchard has signed a new deal that will keep him in Walford for another year

[Perdita]

EastEnders bosses are planning a long-running depression storyline for show regular Lee Carter.

The BBC soap has teamed up with Mind while working on the plot, which will begin on screen next month.

Future episodes of EastEnders will see Lee start to lose focus as he struggles to cope with everyday life.

Lee's sister Nancy (Maddy Hill) will be the first person close to him who notices that something is wrong.

Although Lee does reluctantly open up to Nancy, he decides to continue hiding his troubles from his parents Mick (Danny Dyer) and Linda (Kellie Bright) - fearful of worrying them following their turbulent year.

Danny-Boy Hatchard, who plays Lee, commented: "This is not a subject that only a handful of people can relate to. It's something that at some point most people in their lives will experience on different levels."

EastEnders has previously been praised for its portrayal of other mental health storylines for characters including Jean Slater and Stacey Branning.

A spokesperson for Mind added: "We have a long history of working with EastEnders and are grateful that they are keen once again to tackle mental health in front of such a large audience.

"Mental health problems are very common, affecting around one in four people, and depression is one of the most common conditions. For some viewers, a dramatic portrayal is the first time they may be exposed to mental health problems and when done well soaps can be a tremendous tool in raising awareness, challenging attitudes and helping to dispel myths.

"In research we carried out last year, we even discovered that 25% of respondents had sought professional help for their own mental health after seeing a soap character with similar issues."

[parkerman]

If it's good enough for Steve McDonald.....