alan45
05-04-2010, 04:46
EASTENDERS bosses have bent their rules to let Steve McFadden take time off from the soap at Christmas - to earn £160,000 as Captain Hook in panto.
The actor, 51 - who once went "dogging" wearing a wig from a Peter Pan panto - has been given special leave by BBC chiefs.
Normally the soap's stars are not allowed time off in the busy festive season.
But bosses agreed to give Steve six weeks off after it emerged he was considering leaving the show.
A source said: "The festive season is a massive time for soaps - and the Christmas Day and New Year's Day episodes are the biggest event of the soap year.
"But bosses are desperate to keep Steve on side as he will be the last senior Mitchell left, with Peggy doing a disappearing act."
Steve, who plays Walford alcoholic Phil Mitchell, has been lured back to the Christmas show after five years.
Tickets are already on sale for the panto in High Wycombe, Bucks, which runs from December 11 until January 9.
We revealed Steve was ready to quit alongside telly mum Barbara Windsor (Peggy Mitchell) when his contract ends in the summer.
But bosses insisted that Steve - the second longest-serving male after Ian Beale actor Adam Woodyatt - films until the end of November and is back in mid-January.
He found controversy during his last stint in panto in 2005 when his ex-girlfriend Angela Bostock revealed that he was addicted to having sex with strangers.
She told how he often wore one of the wigs from the Peter Pan stage show so that fellow "doggers" wouldn't recognise him as he enjoyed sordid sex sessions in his car.
At the time Angela said: "Steve was wearing a wig from the Peter Pan panto. It wasn't the one Hook wore, but the Mr Darling character."
Last night pantomime bosses said they were looking forward to working with Steve again.
Executive producer Jon Conway said: "We are delighted that Steve will lead the cast of Peter Pan."
Glad he has found something suited to his acting abilities
The actor, 51 - who once went "dogging" wearing a wig from a Peter Pan panto - has been given special leave by BBC chiefs.
Normally the soap's stars are not allowed time off in the busy festive season.
But bosses agreed to give Steve six weeks off after it emerged he was considering leaving the show.
A source said: "The festive season is a massive time for soaps - and the Christmas Day and New Year's Day episodes are the biggest event of the soap year.
"But bosses are desperate to keep Steve on side as he will be the last senior Mitchell left, with Peggy doing a disappearing act."
Steve, who plays Walford alcoholic Phil Mitchell, has been lured back to the Christmas show after five years.
Tickets are already on sale for the panto in High Wycombe, Bucks, which runs from December 11 until January 9.
We revealed Steve was ready to quit alongside telly mum Barbara Windsor (Peggy Mitchell) when his contract ends in the summer.
But bosses insisted that Steve - the second longest-serving male after Ian Beale actor Adam Woodyatt - films until the end of November and is back in mid-January.
He found controversy during his last stint in panto in 2005 when his ex-girlfriend Angela Bostock revealed that he was addicted to having sex with strangers.
She told how he often wore one of the wigs from the Peter Pan stage show so that fellow "doggers" wouldn't recognise him as he enjoyed sordid sex sessions in his car.
At the time Angela said: "Steve was wearing a wig from the Peter Pan panto. It wasn't the one Hook wore, but the Mr Darling character."
Last night pantomime bosses said they were looking forward to working with Steve again.
Executive producer Jon Conway said: "We are delighted that Steve will lead the cast of Peter Pan."
Glad he has found something suited to his acting abilities