EastEnders stars to recreate Are You Being Served?

TV stars including EastEnder June Brown are taking to the shop floor to create a real-life version of sitcom Are You Being Served? in memory of late television favourite Wendy Richard, it was announced today.

Richard, who died last February from cancer at the age of 65, was a huge hit as Miss Brahms in the BBC1 classic which first aired in the 1970s.

Now Nicholas Smith, who played Mr Rumbold in the show, together with Brown and fellow Albert Square star Natalie Cassidy, will help out at a charity sale at London store Selfridges.

They will see designer outfits and accessories owned by the late actress, who went on to star for many years as EastEnder Pauline Fowler.

You Are Being Served Again will see the department store on Oxford Street go back in time on Tuesday January 19 to recreate the old-fashioned atmosphere of the hit show. Outfits collected by Richard from designers including Chanel, YSL and Gucci will be sold off.

Smith will be taking a demotion from his days in the show, in which he played a floor manager rather than one of the serving staff. But he will join the others to call "I'm free" - the famous catchphrase of late actor John Inman in the series - as they help raise money for The Lady Taverners charity, helping young people with special needs to take part in sports.

Richard's husband John Burns said: "It will be great to see Wendy's belongings at Selfridges in support of such a cause.

"I decided this would be a great way for Wendy to help The Lady Taverners. Wendy considered Selfridges her corner shop and would have been thrilled with the Are You Being Served? theme."

Mirror

A charity sale of clothes belonging to the late EastEnders actress Wendy Richard has gone ahead in London today.

As expected, a section of high street store Selfridges was revamped with a special Are You Being Served? theme for the event. Richard played Miss Brahms on the BBC sitcom between 1972 and 1985.

The star's former EastEnders colleagues Natalie Cassidy (Sonia Fowler), June Brown (Dot Branning), Laila Morse (Mo Harris) and Ricky Groves (Garry Hobbs) were among those helping to serve customers today. Are You Being Served? actor Nicholas Smith, best known for playing Mr Rumbold in the show, also took part.

Cassidy, who dressed as Miss Brahms for the occasion, told BBC News: "To have this sale of Wendy's stuff here at her favourite store for charity is a big old thing to have achieved. She was a very stylish lady - the clothes are very, very reasonable - it's a steal."

Proceeds from the sale are to be donated to The Lady Taverners charity, which helps children with special needs to take part in sports.

Richard passed away in February 2009 following a battle with cancer. She was 65.

DS


Can't believe she has been gone for nearly a year already :(