View Full Version : EE announces 'E20' cast!
'EastEnders' announces 'E20' cast
http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/soaps/s2/eastenders/news/a188405/eastenders-announces-e20-cast.html
The Characters - http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/soaps/s2/eastenders/scoop/a188403/eastenders-e20-the-characters.html
EastEnders bosses have expressed their delight after the soap's spinoff E20 was nominated for a Webby Award.
The internet programme is in the running for the 'Best Online Drama' prize at the ceremony, which yesterday announced the nominees for its 15th annual show.
Webbys honour excellence on the internet each year, including websites, interactive advertising, online film and video.
EastEnders: E20 made its debut in January 2010, launching a 12-part series which had over 3.3 million requests across the EastEnders website, BBC iPlayer and BBC red button service.
The show is thought to have built on this success with its second run last September, while the third series is due to begin filming in May.
Speaking of E20's Webby nod, producer Deborah Sathe commented: "I am so proud of what we have achieved with EastEnders: E20, and to be nominated for a Webby proves how far the series has come.
"I am so excited that we are on the brink of filming our third series, after having such fun making the first two. I can't wait for the audience to meet the latest batch of characters and watch the new kids rock the Square."
The Webbys are now open to a public vote via the ceremony's official website. Winners will be announced on May 3.
DS
EastEnders bosses have today unveiled the three main cast members who will star in the third series of the soap's online spinoff E20.
Sophie Colquhoun and Samuell Benta have been cast as troubled Ava and Donnie respectively, while Modupe Adeye has taken on the role of Faith, who is the younger sister of established character Mercy Chubb.
As the new series begins, viewers will see runaways Ava and Donnie descend on Albert Square after their bus crashes outside Walford. The pair soon bump into Faith, who has been kicked out by grandmother Grace Olubunmi (Ellen Thomas) after being caught getting intimate with a boy in her bedroom.
The drama begins when Ava, Donnie and Faith form an unlikely gang and search for a place to hide. However, things turn from bad to worse when the law catches up with the trio.
http://i1.cdnds.net/11/25/550w_soaps_eastenders_e20_faith_donnie_ava_1.jpg
From left to right: Ava, Faith and Donnie
EastEnders: E20's return follows the success of the previous two series, which secured the show a prestigious Webby Award for 'Best Online Drama'.
Speaking of the new signings, EastEnders' executive producer Bryan Kirkwood commented: "The cast of E20 series three are fantastic - vibrant, exciting and talented newcomers who are set to make the next series of E20 the best yet."
E20 producer Deborah Sathe added: "Following our international award success, I am very excited to be filming our third series of E20. We have a brilliant new cast, some cracking storylines and our new E20 gang really give Walford a run for their money. E20 has come a long way since it started and I am excited about the audience watching series three!"
Young actress Eliza Newman also appears in the series as Donnie's younger sister Riley, while actor Sam Phillips is to appear as care worker Richard. Additionally, Emaa Hussen and Tosin Cole reprise their roles as series two characters Naz and Sol.
Meanwhile, former EastEnders actress Emer Kenny (Zsa Zsa Carter) returned to the E20 writing team for the new series, joined by Charlie G. Hawkins (Darren Miller), Himesh Patel (Tamwar Masood) and Arinze Kene (Connor Stanley).
Series three has been developed by BBC Learning and will address issues in the PSHE curriculum including family breakdown, bullying and teen sex.
EastEnders: E20 returns for its new 15-part series on September 20. Each 10-minute episode will transmit on the EastEnders website and on BBC Three.EastEnders bosses have now officially announced the three main cast members who will star in the third series of EastEnders: E20.
The latest run of the online spinoff will centre around new characters Ava, Faith and Donnie, who form unlikely friendships as they come together on Albert Square in the autumn.
http://i1.cdnds.net/11/25/550w_soaps_eastenders_e20_faith_donnie_ava_2.jpg
Here's a handy guide revealing some more details about the new characters…
Name: Ava
Played by: Sophie Colquhoun
Character info: Ava is a closed book and she can look after herself. Although she's been spending time in the care system, people think she's stuck up and she comes across as certain, definite and even hard. But underneath that cool and brittle façade, Ava has a secret past which she is constantly trying to get away from. Will it follow her to Albert Square?
Sophie says: "Whoever thought working could be so much fun! It has been an amazing experience."
Sophie has previously appeared in a number of film and TV productions including Channel 4's 'The IT Crowd'.
Name: Donnie
Played by: Samuell Benta
Character info: Donnie has spent most of his childhood in care as his mum is gone and his dad is in prison. He's a boy of few words, but it'd be a mistake to get on the wrong side of him as he's got a temper. All Donnie wants is to get out of the system and look after his little sister Riley. However, when he meets Ava, something inside him changes - suddenly Riley isn't the only one he wants to care for…
Samuell says: "I'm loving every minute of working on E20! It has been great filming on Albert Square! It's smaller in reality than on TV!"
Samuell has appeared in 'The Bill', 'Silent Witness', 'The Cut' and 'Hotel Babylon'.
Name: Faith
Played by: Modupe Adeye
Character info: Faith is Mercy Chubb's younger sister. Grace sent her to Nigeria to get back on the straight and narrow, but she is back and worse than ever! Faith can be an incredible amount of fun and excitement, and she has a cheekiness that charms most people. But she's not nearly as bright as she thinks she is - she can sometimes be reckless and downright dangerous. When Faith runs into Donnie and Ava, she sees it as her chance to cause even more mischief!
Modupe says: "I have really enjoyed working on set with all the E20 cast. It has been an absolutely great experience."
EastEnders: E20 is Modupe's first professional acting project.
As well as the three main stars, Donnie's sister Riley and care worker Richard appear as supporting characters.
Name: Richard
Played by: Sam Phillips
Character info: Richard is a care worker. He has come straight out of university and is filled with plenty of trendy attitudes towards care. On the surface he's terrific, if occasionally a little condescending. Although he talks the talk, he thinks of the kids in care as either good or bad - and he thinks the bad ones are not worth the effort. He takes a shine to Ava when he meets her, but Richard has a sinister side to him and will go to any lengths to get what he wants…
Sam says: "It's a huge pleasure to be a part of the third series of E20. Both cast and crew are working hard to give its audience something real and relevant - plus everyone's so friendly which makes the job ten times easier!"
Richard has previously appeared in 'My Family', 'Hotel Trubble' and 'The Bill'.
Name: Riley
Played by: Eliza Newman
Character info: Riley is Donnie's younger sister. She's 14 and has lived in care since she was 6. She wants Donnie to take her away from all of this, but knows not to hassle him or get his temper up. Riley knows how the care system works but she hates it. She's moved to a new care home but is getting badly bullied. She turns to Donnie for help but things don't go to plan, leaving them both in a horrifying situation…
Eliza says: "It has been amazing and such good fun especially working with Fatboy (Ricky Norwood) - he is a really nice guy. One of the best experiences of my life."
Day and time to be confirmed BBC THREE
www.bbc.co.uk/e20
Following on from the huge success of the first two series, EastEnders – E20 is back for a third series beginning online on 20 September and broadcast on BBC Three on Fridays at 8.30pm. The third series focuses on three brand new characters: Donnie, Ava and Faith.
Viewers meet Donnie and Ava as they pack up their belongings after their care worker tells them they are moving into temporary accommodation. However, on the way, their minibus crashes and they both flee the scene leaving the bus driver and care worker behind, injured.
Donnie and Ava come across a derelict 3 Albert Square and decide to stay there. Faith, who has been kicked out by her grandmother Grace after being caught in bed with Fat Boy, sees them and invites herself to join, and so begins the unlikely threesome's adventures on Albert Square.
In need of food and money, they set out to try and scam some of Walford's local residents, including Kim and Masood, but things don't go to plan and they end up back at square one. To everyone's surprise Faith is the one to come up with the goods, but when the group arrive back at the house they realise that Janine Malloy has discovered their hiding place.
WILD teen Faith Olubunmi hits Walford hell-bent on making trouble.
The party animal – Mercy’s sister – was sent to Nigeria by their grandmother Grace to sort out her wayward
behaviour.
But Faith, right, shocks her gran when she jets home with big plans to shake up the Square.
She also has an eye for the men and immediately sets her sights on her sister’s old flame Fatboy, even though Faith knows their history.
The cheeky youngster even tells him he picked the wrong sister.
A source said: “Grace sent Faith to Nigeria to get back on the straight and narrow but she’s back and worse than
ever.
“Faith is on a one-woman mission to cause trouble and will stop at nothing to get her own way.
“She is sassy, bold and bad – and will certainly get Walford talking.
“Faith is the exact opposite of Mercy – wearing skimpy clothes, partying and wanting to cause trouble.
“She is keen to impress the men of Walford and quickly tries it on with Fatboy – even though she knows he used
to go out with her sister.
“She even has the audacity to imply he went with the wrong sister, which will obviously cause all sorts of problems in the Olubunmi family.
“Will Grace be able to cope with this troublesome teen, or will she throw her out and send her back to Nigeria again?”
Faith can be seen in EastEnders for a couple of weeks before she move across to E20 – the online spin-off show.
Catch the action on the EastEnders’ website on September 20, along with the three-episode omnibus on BBC3 on Fridays.
And watch out for naughty Faith’s arrival in Albert Square a week on Tuesday on BBC1
Episode 20th Sept
Donnie and Ava pack up their belongings after being told that they are moving into temporary accommodation. However, on their way, the minibus crashes.
With the bus driver and care worker injured, they decide to seize the opportunity and quickly flee the scene. Donnie and Ava end up in Walford and while searching for a place to stay, they come across a derelict 3 Albert Square.
Faith, who has been kicked out by her grandmother Grace after being caught in bed with Fatboy, soon sees Donnie and Ava. Needing a place to stay, she invites herself to join.
However, it isn't long until Faith over-steps the mark and Ava threatens her, warning Faith to keep her nose out of her business - what is she hiding?
22nd September
In need of food and money, the trio come up with a plan to scam some of Walford's local residents.
Donnie tries his luck at pulling a fast one on Kim, but she isn't one to give up without a fight and chases him through Albert Square!
Meanwhile, Ava tries her luck scamming Masood but her conscience gets the better of her and she can't go through with it.
Just when they think their luck is out, Faith surprises them all by managing to steal from the chip shop, and the group run back into 3 Albert Square. But then there is a knock at the door - have they been discovered?
23rd september
The trio try to hide, but it isn't long until they are discovered by a suspicious Janine, who threatens to report them for trespassing. However, they lie, claiming they are part of David Cameron's 'Big Society Campaign for Troubled Teens' and are here to help Walford.
Faith soon lands them in it by saying they'll be distributing free soup at the market later that day. Janine, smelling a rat, eventually realises that the campaign doesn't exist and immediately goes to find them. Taking the money they have been collecting for their 'charity', she pockets it herself.
Faith donates the soup to a homeless man but while he eats it, she slyly steals his bottle of vodka. When they arrive back to 3 Albert Square, Faith starts drinking the vodka and it becomes clear that she has taken a shine to Donnie.
However, Donnie is preoccupied with a voicemail that he has just received from a mysterious girl asking where he is hiding - who is she?
Faith is very like Denise's sister Kim
Friday 7 October
8.30-9.00pm BBC THREE
www.bbc.co.uk/eastenders/e20
It's the morning after the night before and Ava is shocked when she sees Donnie emerge half naked from Faith's room, in this week's omnibus of EastEnders – E20. Ava walks off hurt, realising they have slept together.
Zainab wakes up to a ruined Square: she knew those kids were trouble. She takes photographs of the damage caused and threatens to call the police but Richard manages to persuade her to give them another chance if they clean up their mess. After helping clean, an upset Ava confides in Richard, but she misreads the signs and kisses him and, although at first he pulls away, he changes his mind and kisses her back.
The next morning, the trio head to clean The Vic where Phil puts them through their paces. Riley arrives in need of help from Donnie but leaves realising that he is more interested in talking to Ava. What Donnie doesn't know is that Talia, who has been bullying Riley, is waiting for her outside...
That night as Ava and Richard cook dinner Donnie watches and realises that something is going on. The next morning, while cleaning at the Argee Bhajee, Ava blurts out that she can help Donnie to learn to read. Donnie is humiliated by this as Faith overhears. Faith offers to help teach him and, upset with Ava, Donnie accepts.
Faith comments on the fact that Ava appears to be Richard's favourite and the pair start to fight and end up making a mess again. Richard arrives just in time to defend them to Zainab.
EastEnders: E20 launches its third series today, kicking off a new run of action and drama when runaways Ava (Sophie Colquhoun) and Donnie (Samuell Benta) descend on Albert Square and meet rebellious Faith Olubunmi, who hit screens on the main soap last week.
In her first ever EastEnders interview, here Modupe Adeyeye - who plays Faith - chats to Digital Spy about her outrageous character and what fans can expect from E20 this year.
How did your role in EastEnders and E20 come about?
"I first heard about the role of Faith towards the beginning of the year. The audition process was really long - there were six rounds, so with every round they were cutting people down and there were over 350 people who auditioned for this part. Towards the end of the audition process I met Samuell and then right at the end, I met Sophie. We'd all been in the same room auditioning, but obviously we didn't know that we'd be the cast members at the time!"
How did you find the experience of joining such a massive show?
"I've done some acting work in the past, but this is my biggest role so far. It was great! It was quite weird going on set because I'm used to watching it on TV but when you see it in real life, it looks a lot different. It's surreal! It felt really nice though, as everyone was really welcoming and the vibes were really good."
Were you a big fan of EastEnders before you joined the show?
"Yeah, I was! It was strange because EastEnders is my favourite soap, so I couldn't believe that I was joining it!"
Faith is the only one of the trio who's appearing in both EastEnders and E20. Was that a nice opportunity for you?
"It was really, really, really great! I think it was a good opportunity as Faith is in EastEnders and it leads into E20, so it builds up the buzz for what's going to happen in E20. I think it was a really smart thing to do, as the viewers are going on a journey with the story and it takes them into E20. So even though Faith then comes out of EastEnders, she goes into E20 and you see a lot more of what happens - the grittier side."
What were the main differences between working on EastEnders and E20?
"I think E20 is less restricted when it comes to certain things, for example with the slang that you can use. Because E20 has a different audience to EastEnders, there's certain things that you can say on E20 but you couldn't say on EastEnders."
How do you describe the character of Faith to people?
"Faith is rebellious and she's loud. She's a diva, basically! She always wants her own way and she exaggerates about everything. It's always all about her - it's all about Faith!"
Why is she so different from her sister Mercy?
"Faith was sent to Nigeria and was at a boarding school that was very posh, so she just didn't get the same freedom as Mercy and because of that Faith acts out and is a bit out of control."
Storyline-wise, how does Faith get along with Ava?
"Faith and Ava are two completely different people - they are so not alike! So that already is a reason for them not to get along, and it's very difficult for them to agree on things. They have different morals."
What about Faith and Donnie?
"Faith really likes Donnie. I think Donnie would like Faith too, but she gives away everything on a plate. She doesn't let you find anything out about her or keep anything back, she just puts it all out there."
Faith has a bit of a crush on Donnie, but she also has a thing with Fatboy. Who do you think is the best match for her?
"I'd say Fatboy, because even though she brushes him off, Fatboy actually cares about Faith and wants to take care of her. But with Donnie, he's more interested in Ava, because she keeps things back and lets you find them in her. I think Donnie likes that a lot more."
What kind of a journey does Faith go on over the course of E20?
"Faith's main storyline is that she wants to get back to Grace's house - she really wishes she could get back there. She soon realises that she wants to be living with someone who she loves, and someone who loves her too. Faith is a girl who really craves love, but she just doesn't know how to go about it. As Faith's journey goes on, things get a lot harder for her and she realises that she needs her grandma."
As Faith has been in EastEnders as well as E20, how long will we see her on screen for?
"I've finished my filming with EastEnders now, so I'm not sure what's going to happen next. Hopefully she could return in the future."
What's next for you?
"I act, but I also sing, I write songs and I do a bit of modelling, too. This is what I really want to do, so I'm really pushing myself, trying to get higher and higher. I hope there's some more exciting things to come!"
EastEnders star Modupe Adeyeye has predicted that Fatboy Chubb could be a good match for her character Faith Olubunmi.
Faith was recently seen making a move on Fatboy (Ricky Norwood) on the main soap and they will continue to share scenes on the new series of EastEnders: E20, which launched yesterday.
EastEnders: E20 also sees Faith develop a crush on troubled Donnie Lester (Samuell Benta) while hiding out with him and Ava Bourne (Sophie Colquhoun) on Albert Square.
Adeyeye told Digital Spy: "Faith really likes Donnie. I think Donnie would like Faith too, but she gives away everything on a plate. She doesn't let you find anything out about her or keep anything back, she just puts it all out there."
Asked to name the better match for Faith, she replied: "I'd say Fatboy, because even though she brushes him off, Fatboy actually cares about Faith and wants to take care of her. But with Donnie, he's more interested in Ava, because she keeps things back and lets you find them in her. I think Donnie likes that a lot more."
Adeyeye also warned that there could be more tense scenes ahead between Faith and Ava after they got off on the wrong foot in yesterday's episode.
"Faith and Ava are two completely different people - they are so not alike," she said. "So that already is a reason for them not to get along, and it's very difficult for them to agree on things. They have different morals."
EastEnders: E20 bosses are releasing new episodes online each Tuesday, Thursday and Friday for the next five weeks.
As EastEnders: E20 returned for its third series earlier this week, viewers saw troubled runaway Ava Bourne seek refuge in Albert Square along with Donnie Lester (Samuell Benta) and Faith Olubunmi (Modupe Adeyeye).
While Ava seemed to share an understanding with Donnie, she was less pleased to be spending time with Faith and it soon became clear that she was hiding secrets from her past.
Ahead of episode two going live later today, Digital Spy recently caught up with Sophie Colquhoun - who plays Ava - to hear more about her mysterious character.
How did your role in EastEnders: E20 come about?
"I've always known about E20 and I've always thought it was really, really brilliant. It's always looked like something that's fun and really great for young people. I heard about the audition from my agent so I went along and it was pretty hardcore, to be honest! But the audition went really well, I got a recall and then it was a yes the following day. It was so exciting."
How did working on E20 compare to your previous acting jobs?
"Well, I left drama school about a year ago now and since then I've mainly been doing little bits of comedy. I've done The Inbetweeners Movie, The IT Crowd, Rev and a new show called Fresh Meat. So being on E20 was amazing because it was completely different from the work that I've done in the past. E20 meant going somewhere that was so emotionally demanding and playing someone who is so far from myself, yet I could relate to her at the same time."
Did that mean you learned a lot from the experience?
"Yes, it's been amazing how playing such high-intensity drama has influenced me when I'm playing comedy, and vice versa, as the comedy also influenced the dramatic side of things in E20. It was also wonderful to throw myself into something where you have the complete journey of the character, rather than having just a tiny bit in one episode of a TV series."
How do you describe your character Ava to people?
"Ava is a beautiful character to play. She's a slow-burner character in the series, so when we first meet her, she's very quiet and she keeps everything bottled up inside her. Ava also has an aura of mystery around her, as you just don't know what's going on with her and what her story is. She just doesn't let anything go, but as the series progresses, she opens up more and more and you realise what a brave, determined young woman she is. She's so absolutely determined to make something of herself."
We've heard that there may be some feelings between Ava and Donnie in the series. Why do they have such a connection?
"I think Donnie understands Ava in a way that no-one else possibly can. They've both grown up in fairly hostile environments and it's been really, really tough for them. I think that can be really hard to appreciate when you haven't been part of it, but Donnie and Ava really understand each other. It's really not something that's spoken about much or explained, but there's a chemistry between them and Donnie has an overwhelming sense of protectiveness when it comes to Ava. Also, Ava just wants to be loved and she soaks up the strength that he surrounds himself with."
Things between Ava and Faith seem a bit more strained. Why is that?
"I think it's because there's a lot of jealousy there. Ava sees Faith as someone who is able to say what she feels, and Ava is longing to be that fun, extrovert character who's not ashamed to be who she is. I think that Ava often hides herself, while Faith is a lot more comfortable. There's a sense of resentment and a sense of regret with Ava, because she knows she's not like Faith. Also, Faith is one of those characters who's not particularly sensitive, while Ava is very, very sensitive."
Could they become closer as the series goes on?
"Well, they both come from very different backgrounds and although they actually overlap in so many ways, it's difficult for them to recognise that. It's only towards the end of the series when they've been through a journey together that they realise how much they love and respect each other. The bond that forms between them is probably something that they'll never break."
Friday 14 October
8.30-9.00pm BBC THREE
www.bbc.co.uk/eastenders/e20
A Walford Gazette reporter and photographer arrive to report on young people – Donnie, Faith and Ava – helping the community, in this week's omnibus of EastEnders – E20.
Zainab and Richard act smug in front of the reporter, thinking they will get a positive story, until Donnie comes round the corner rolling Faith around in a Zorb...
Faith flirts with Donnie again but is rejected and she storms off in search of love, calling Fatboy to the Argee Bhajee where she tries to seduce him. Later, she searches for Olivia Bryan on the internet and discovers the truth about Ava's past...
Richard and Ava have dinner alone. Afterwards, Richard sees Ava back to her room and, after a goodnight kiss on the bed, Richard begins to take things further, even after Ava asks him to stop...
The next morning an upset Ava wipes last night's make-up off her face. Richard is cold with her and Donnie comments that she is obviously not Richard's favourite any more.
The three are made to clean the café and tensions between Ava and Faith remain fraught. Ava snaps and accidently injures Faith with a scraper. Richard comes by and instructs Ava to apologise. Donnie overhears the conversation and guesses something is up but Richard buys his silence by offering Donnie a letter of recommendation from Social Services.
Faith decides to get her own back on Ava by calling the Walford Gazette and tells them all about Olivia Bryan. Ava apologises to Faith and bursts into tears. Ava tells Faith what happened with Richard and Donnie overhears the whole conversation and then storms off to find Richard.
He punches Richard – disgusted by what he has done – and Faith calls the police.
When journalists arrive at 3 Albert Square for the scoop on Olivia Bryan, Faith realises her mistake and tries to fob them off but they won't go away. She eventually resorts to hosing them down with water but ends up soaking the new care worker, Theresa.
When they arrive home from the police station, Ava decides to confide in Donnie and tells him about her past.
For our final EastEnders: E20 cast member interview, Digital Spy recently caught up with actor Samuell Benta to hear more about his character Donnie Lester.
Earlier this week, fans of the online spinoff saw Donnie arrive on Albert Square and begin hiding out at Number 3 alongside Faith Olubunmi (Modupe Adeyeye) and Ava Bourne (Sophie Colquhoun).
Since then, Donnie has caused trouble on the Square by stealing from the Minute Mart - leading to a showdown with EastEnders regular Kim Fox.
Here, Samuell chats to us about what else we can expect from Donnie as the series continues.
How did your role in EastEnders: E20 come about?
"I first heard about this role in March of this year, when my agent gave me a call, said there was an audition and told me about the part of Donnie. The first stage of the audition was held at the Theatre Royal Stratford East, and it was quite an intensive audition process.
"I had to go through five or six rounds of auditions and I had to keep going back up to Elstree, because the producer wanted to make sure that the actors chosen would all gel together. It was the most intensive audition process out of everything that I've done."
You've appeared in a number of shows in the past, including The Bill and Silent Witness. How did E20 compare to your previous acting work?
"I must say that E20 is probably one of the best acting jobs that I've had. It was so, so busy when we were filming. The crew were so nice, kind, polite and helpful - especially the main EastEnders cast because they make appearances in E20 and it was really nice to gel with them. It helped to give us an idea of what things are like on the main show."
Were there any cast members who were particularly supportive?
"Nina Wadia, who plays Zainab, was very, very supportive. Ricky Norwood who plays Fatboy has also been incredibly supportive throughout all the series of E20, because he's been in them all. Nina and Ricky were the ones who I interacted with the most because I had scenes with them."
How do you describe your character Donnie to people?
"Donnie is a 17-year-old who's just come out of a care home. He's been through various care homes and had various care workers coming into his life, but he's pretty much not lived up to their standards. Donnie is very silent, but at the same time, he's got a temper."
What else can you tell us about Donnie?
"Donnie has a little sister called Riley, and he's trying his best to get custody of her. Obviously he's underage, but he just wants to grow up with his sister because his dad's in prison and his mum has gone AWOL, so it's really up to him to be that positive role model for his little sister."
How does Donnie get along with Ava?
"Donnie has an interest in Ava, because she comes from a similar background to him. Throughout the show, their relationship is a bit of a rollercoaster but he really likes her."
How about Donnie and Faith?
"With Faith, Donnie starts out not liking her. The relationship between Faith and Donnie develops and gets a bit better, but he's still conditioned in his ways when it comes to trust. Donnie finds it very, very hard to trust people so they have to prove themselves to him first."
Were you an EastEnders fan before you became involved in E20?
"Yeah, I've grown up watching EastEnders, much like a lot of people. I remember when I was in primary school and I was watching Phil Mitchell, but I never actually thought that the time would come when I'd be on set acting in a scene with him! It's crazy."
Had you watched E20 beforehand too?
"Yes, I had. I think it was my little brother who first told me about E20, so that's how I knew about it. He was 18 at the time, and it was the first series with Fatboy, Mercy, Zsa Zsa and Leon. I watched it and it was good, and then I watched the second one which was completely different and that was very, very exciting too."
How does this series of E20 compare to the previous ones?
"I've watched all of our series now and I know that this is going to be the best E20 series that there's been. It's by far the most different because it's a lot darker and it touches on a lot more issues that disadvantaged youths go through, which is very, very good."
E20 is also being studied in schools this year, isn't it?
"Yes, E20 has joined with BBC Learning for this series and I know that students in secondary schools are going to be studying the show in their PSHE classes, because it fits in with the curriculum. So a lot of teenagers are going to be studying this show and I think it's well worth them watching it.
"It's great because many of the teenagers will already be watching the main EastEnders. When I was in school, I certainly didn't get to watch EastEnders in the classroom, so it's definitely a highlight!"
As the show is being studied in the classroom, what can young people take from it?
"I love the producer's vision for this and I know that one of her aims is for E20 to be a platform for young talent, and also for it to help young people out there who are going through issues. Hopefully it will help them to come out of their shell and express what they're going through, or speak about situations that may be bothering them at the moment."
Do you think E20 is just for EastEnders' younger fans or is it open to all ages?
"E20 should be open to all ages. From what I know about the current viewers of EastEnders, there's a really wide range of people who watch - all the way from primary school children to older people.
"In terms of E20, especially this series, I think it will attract not just youths but adults as well, because it is entertaining. Not only that, but I think it would be very good for adults to watch, because maybe they could understand their children and what they may be going through a bit more."
As we've seen with Fatboy, E20 characters can sometimes move over to the main show. Would you like that to happen with Donnie?
"Well, there's definitely a possibility of it. I would love to move over to the main show but I don't make those decisions - it comes from higher up!"
What's next for you?
"At the moment, I'm writing and producing my own sitcom which is called All About the McKenzies, and I'm looking to push this show online. I've got huge, huge aims for this show, as I would love it to be a worldwide phenomenon. I've been inspired by a lot of US sitcoms like Fresh Prince of Bell Air, Everybody Hates Chris and My Wife and Kids, so I've wanted to put a British take on that because we've not really had that here."
Friday 21 October
8.30-9.00pm BBC THREE
www.bbc.co.uk/eastenders/e20
Dot arrives and invites the group to the Community Centre for a concert, in this week's omnibus of EastEnders – E20. The group decide to go to help Ava take her mind off things. Faith distracts the journalists that have been standing outside the door wanting to speak to Ava, so that Donnie and Ava can escape without being caught.
Elsewhere, Talia and her gang bully Riley on the Tube before ripping off her earring. They chase her around Albert Square as she desperately tries to find Donnie.
Riley runs in to the Community Centre and Ava and Donnie spot her. Donnie is horrified to discover his sister in such a state and is determined to find out who did this to her.
Riley goes back with the pair to 3 Albert Square, but Theresa tells them that Riley has to leave as it is against the rules for her to be there. She leaves but the others follow her and find her in the launderette. On her way, Faith bumps into Fatboy and takes the time to apologise for her behaviour towards him.
Talia and her gang confront Donnie, Riley, Ava and Faith and a chase ensues. Talia's gang have a knife – Riley picks it up and, in a desperate attempt to protect her brother, stabs Talia.
Donnie, Ava and Riley flee the scene; Donnie, wanting to protect his sister, gets rid of the knife. Ava tries to push them to confess, telling them that she has learnt from her mistakes in the past and Riley should too but Donnie is unsure what to do.
Grace, frantic with worry, thinking that Faith has been injured, is relieved when Faith turns up unharmed.
Donnie, Ava and Riley return to the scene of the crime. Donnie looks at his little sister and then at the police car... what will he do?
EastEnders: E20 has enjoyed another successful year with its third series concentrating on the trials and tribulations of newcomers Ava, Donnie and Faith.
With fans about to watch the final E20 instalment online and on BBC Three, Digital Spy recently caught up with EastEnders actor Himesh Patel for a chat about his work on this year's series.
Himesh penned episode two of E20 alongside recently-departed cast member Charlie G Hawkins (Darren Miller). Here, Himesh reflects on the experience and also discusses recent events on the main show.
How did your involvement in this year's E20 come about?
"Charlie G Hawkins and I are great friends in real life and we were both incredibly keen to write something together. We thought a great start would be E20, so we approached [producer] Deborah Sathe and she led the way. It was great to have the support of people the whole way - at EastEnders, people really applaud creativity."
You wrote episode two, which was quite early days in the series. Did that mean you had slightly more freedom as you didn't have much in-series backstory to think about?
"The new characters come to Walford with a lot of interesting backstory, so we had that at our disposal. However, in terms of continuity we did have some freedom. With the early position of our episode, Charlie and I did discuss trying to foreshadow events that would take place later in the series."
As you've wanted to do a writing project with Charlie for a long time, was it nice to finally get that opportunity here?
"It was a great experience and I believe it's brought us closer together as friends. It's definitely not the last thing we'll do together. We hope to return to E20 if Series 4 is given the go-ahead and we also have a few ideas for our own projects."
Did you go online to see any of the feedback for your episode after it had aired?
"I haven't yet seen any online reaction, however people have mentioned this series as a whole has been getting great reactions and great viewing figures, so that's fantastic news."
Did you have a favourite character to write for out of Ava, Faith and Donnie?
"In terms of fun dialogue it has to be Faith, but it's fun to write for the others too. When we had a character as loud and extroverted as Faith, we needed to make sure that Donnie and Ava weren't drowned out."
Did you get any useful advice from former EastEnders star Emer Kenny (Zsa Zsa), who has now worked on three series of E20?
"Following her time on EastEnders, Emer is a great friend of ours so we knew where to go if we needed advice. It was also important to have a dialogue with her for continuity, because her episode comes directly after ours."
E20 has a big team of writers and obviously the producer Deborah Sathe too. With that in mind, how much freedom were you given to put your own stamp on your episode?
"The great thing about this experience has been the learning curve. Charlie and I wrote four drafts of our episode and throughout these drafts, it was a process of meeting with producers Deborah and Peter and striking that balance between our ideas and their ideas. They were incredibly accommodating and understand of where we were coming from and we are incredibly thankful to them for that. We had to learn to put some of our ideas to one side because on something like E20, it's about the style and substance of the show as a whole and not just one episode."
Your episode featured some characters from the main show, like Masood and Kim. How did you decide who to include?
"We had to look at who was available to be involved in E20, as a lot of the actors had prior commitments to the main show. When we heard Tameka was free, it was imperative we had her in our episode! Kim is a joy to write for and it was also very interesting to write for Masood and we were thrilled with how Nitin brought it to life. However, we were conscious not to include people just for the sake of it. E20 is primarily about the new characters, it's just a plus that we can use iconic characters from the main show."
Last week it was announced that E20 has already had 1.2 million views for this series. What's your reaction to that news?
"It's fantastic news and a lot of credit goes to the hard work of all the people involved, from the producers, to our team of writers, to the cast and the crew. All these people have worked very hard on the show, so for it to be getting such great viewing figures is fantastic. It's also a very exciting sign for online content. I think online shows are going from strength to strength and it's great to see E20 at the forefront."
A lot of fans have been saying that they'd like some of the new characters to cross over into the main show. Do you think they have the potential for that?
"I think they could give it a go - we have success stories from the first series, especially with the brilliant Ricky Norwood as Fatboy. However there's also the appeal of E20 being a separate entity from the main show, so it's up to the producers. I certainly wouldn't be against the idea."
On a separate note, were you and Meryl Fernandes pleased to win the Inside Soap Award for Best Wedding recently?
"Incredibly pleased, there was lot of hard work from everyone behind those episodes, so for the viewers to make it their Best Wedding is brilliant."
Whatever happens with Yusef, do you think Tamwar and Afia's relationship is strong enough to last? Or could this Yusef scenario tear them apart in the long-run?
"Every couple goes through problems. We both really hope it doesn't tear them apart."
What's it like to have Preeya Kalidas back on set at the moment?
"It's almost as if she never left, she got back into the rhythm of things so well. I haven't had an awful lot of scenes with her, but when I do we mainly end up in fits of laughter, which can sometimes be a hindrance…"
You went to see Nina Wadia's new film Four last week. Would you recommend it?
"I would definitely recommend it, if you like British film, black comedy and thrillers. Even if you don't, this is the film that will turn you! It's very clever, very well acted and Nina and her husband put a lot of hard work into it. Go watch it!"
As Charlie G. Hawkins is such a good friend of yours has life on set felt any different since he left EastEnders?
"It does, I can't just go to his dressing room when I'm bored in-between scenes and I don't have anyone to play pool with anymore! However I talk to him almost every day, so it's not too bad. He made a very brave decision and I know he's going on to do brilliant things."
EastEnders: E20's third series can still be watched in full on the show's official website.
Powered by vBulletin® Version 4.2.3 Copyright © 2024 vBulletin Solutions, Inc. All rights reserved.