Dont think Lauren and Joey are anyone's favourite charactersQuote:
Originally Posted by Brucie
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Dont think Lauren and Joey are anyone's favourite charactersQuote:
Originally Posted by Brucie
A writer and producer on EastEnders has claimed that the source of all of the soap's storylines can be found in the Bible.
Jennifer Robins is a former series producer and current storyliner on the show, and made the comments to an audience of media executives and religious leaders at the BBC's 'Re:Think' conference.
The Telegraph reports that Robins told the crowd: "The prototype of every EastEnders story can be traced back to one source: David and Goliath, Daniel in the Lions' Den, Samson and Delilah, Sodom and Gomorrah, the fall, all the Bible stories."
She also argued that "EastEnders slays all before it when it is moral to its core", before continuing: "Like the parables it offers hope and a morality where the good are rewarded and the bad punished either by death, rapid exit or karmically bound forever on a wheel of fire.
"Despite the twists and turns of the plotlines all our conclusions are essentially moral: good triumphs, evils is punished and the value of human life is asserted."
She cited storylines involving paedophila, assisted suicide and sham marriages as evidence that the soap was essentially a "morality play", and dismissed the idea that the programme had been tawdry, sensationalist and immoral.
Robins added that all plotlines were subject to intense research and consultation, particularly those involving religion.
When a theologian brought up the storyline of Lucas Johnson, an insane pastor who strangled his love rival, and pointedly asked how it fit into Robins's "Judeo-Christian discourse", she replied that the storyline was "before her time", and admitted that in 27 years of broadcasting there have been some "howlers".
The 'Re:Think' conference was held in Salford and organised by the team behind programmes such as Songs of Praise. Other guest speakers this year included Speakers included BBC journalist Jeremy Bowen, the Chief Rabbi Lord Jonathan Sacks and professor Richard Dawkins.
EastEnders actor has Adam Woodyatt has revealed that he is a fan of Bollywood celebrity Shah Rukh Khan. WHO???? :searchme:
The soap star met Khan earlier this week at 'An Evening With Shah Rukh Khan' in Manchester.
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© WENN
"Meeting @iamsrk later, wonder if he fancies playing in a Charity Football Match," Woodyatt - who is organising a series of celebrity matches - told his Twitter followers.
Woodyatt later posted an image of himself with the Indian actor.
Other stars attending the SRK event included England cricketer Sajid Mahmood and former Arsenal and Everton footballer Kevin Campbell.
Khan is reported to have revealed how much he loves the city and that he is a fan of Manchester United.
The gala dinner took place on September 20.
I love love love love love love BOLLYWOOD...and SRK,,,i travel with at least 8 movies when I am in America,,
Michelle Ryan has admitted that she does not feel tempted to return to EastEnders in the near future.
The Zoe Slater actress revealed that she has recently started watching Friday's late-night omnibuses while preparing for her new theatre role.
"I hadn't watched it for years before this tour for Cabaret," Ryan told Metro.
"I've been staying in B&Bs, and I've found myself watching the omnibus a couple of times recently."
Ryan conceded that viewing the BBC soap has not persuaded her to make a comeback.
"There's something comforting about it, but it didn't rekindle any desire in me to go back," the 28-year-old added.
The Cockneys vs Zombies star, whose time on EastEnders lasted five years between 2000 and 2005, said earlier this year that she has become "nostalgic" about the Albert Square serial.
Her character Zoe left Walford after her fake pregnancy scheme with 'Dirty' Den (Leslie Grantham) - an attempt to keep her relationship going with boyfriend Dennis (Nigel Harman) - became wider knowledge, and Chrissie (Tracy-Ann Oberman) tried to implicate Zoe in Den's murder before she left the Square.
Steve McFadden has strongly hinted that he intends to stick with EastEnders for a long time.
The 53-year-old actor, who has been a cast member on the show since 1990, praised writers for refreshing his character Phil Mitchell with exciting storylines.
McFadden told Kent News: "EastEnders keeps me so busy - that is where I'm at and I can't see that changing too soon."
The star - promoting his Aladdin pantomime role - continued: "There's nothing that has quite got the punch of an EastEnders script.
"I think I have a few big ones coming up, but I don't know what they are. I just have them as they come each week.
"I don't really look into the future because they keep me well occupied and weaved in stories, so I don't poke around. I just open the scripts, roll my sleeves up and crack into it when it happens."
McFadden will return to the forefront of the Albert Square soap when his alter ego proposes to ex Sharon on New Year's Day.
Read more: http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/soaps/s2...#ixzz2Fh7tKpBA
Gillian Taylforth has revealed that EastEnders bosses wanted her to return to the soap.
The Celebrity Big Brother star, who left the house on Friday (January 18), was told by one producer that they regard killing off Kathy Beale six years ago as the biggest mistake in the show's history.
Kathy was last seen on-screen in 2000, but died in an off-screen car crash in 2006.
"I was at an EastEnders party [in 2011] and I had a scriptwriter saying they wanted me to go back," Taylforth told the Daily Star Sunday.
"They were asking if I could think of any way Kathy could return even though she's been killed off. They said they'd thought of loads of ideas about how it could work but wanted my input.
"They said because viewers didn't see me die that there are ways round it. Another idea I heard was that Kathy could have a twin.
"Even one of the executive *producers John Yorke told me that killing off Kathy was the biggest mistake they've ever made."
She added: "If the EastEnders storyline was good and I could make a dramatic return I would go for it. I still get fans calling me Kathy all the time. It's actually really nice."
A show spokesman explained that while Kathy was "a great character", there are *currently no plans to bring her back in the immediate future.
Death is not the end of a character in EE. She can always return with some daft excuse of a storyline
EastEnders star Laila Morse has spoken for the first time about her turmoil with her son.
The Mo Harris actress reveals in her new autobiography, being serialised this week in The Mirror, that she has funded Gerry's long-time drug addiction in the past.
"When he got on to heroin he turned to crime to feed his habit, but I visited him in prison," she writes. "And when he was out I'd drive him to his dealers and give him money for his next fix because I couldn't see him in agony.
"God, the things I've done. I hated it, hated it! But I did it often, and probably still would, because the alternative is getting a knock on the door to say my boy's been nicked again... or he's dead from a dodgy deal.
"I still couldn't stop his descent into self-destruction though. I was often consumed by guilt - thinking it had to be my fault Gerry had gone off the rails."
The 67-year-old added: "But I was very young and naive when I had him and, yes, I was so madly in love that, too often, I put my relationship first. It's too late for regrets now but I can't help feeling that I didn't do enough for my children.
"If I had my life to live over again I'd do things differently, be a better mother."
Just A Mo: My Story by Laila Morse will be released in book stores on January 31.
EastEnders star Laila Morse has admitted that she was "bloody petrified" with nerves when she first joined the soap.
The actress has been playing the role of Mo Harris since 2000 and opens up about Albert Square life in her new autobiography Just A Mo, which is being serialised in The Mirror this week.
Reflecting on her early days at EastEnders, Morse wrote: "My first scene was with Pam St Clement, who played Pat Butcher, but my stomach was flipping over like a live kipper and it passed in a haze. A couple of weeks later, a TV critic said I acted like a lump of cardboard. I daresay he was right! I was bloody petrified.
"It was three years before I started to feel comfortable on set. But I made a load of new friends - Derek Martin, Gillian Wright, Laurie Brett, Shane Richie and Jessie Wallace.
"June Brown, who plays Dot, is lovely. You can't get a word in - she chats like there's no tomorrow - but she's a great storyteller. And I loved Wendy Richard."
However, the 67-year-old added that while she still "loves" EastEnders and "really enjoys" playing Mo, she barely knows many of her newer co-stars.
She said: "I keep to myself much more than I used to. I've seen so many people go, and a lot of us don't know each other. I preferred it when I was first there.
"But I blame the smoking ban stopping us meeting for a fag in the green room! We were all friends and gelled back then. Now we're in our individual rooms like pigeonholes. When it's time to go on set, you just get a phone call to your room. Often we only come out when we're going on set or for something to drink."
Just A Mo: My Story by Laila Morse will be released on January 31.
EastEnders were forced to cancel outdoor filming after a knife-wielding gang turned on the cast and crew.
Actress Patsy Palmer, 40, who plays Bianca Butcher, and 16-year-old James Ford – screen son Liam – were shooting scenes in a park when the boys were heard yelling: “We’ll cut you.”
The teenagers, some in hoodies and one with his face partly covered, hurled snowballs at onlookers before turning on the crew of the BBC1 soap.
The gang – at least seven-strong – heckled the cast and bragged about carrying knives. Security staff moved in but backed off as tension worsened. A lit firework was allegedly thrown at the vacated set.
Crew planned two days filming at Graham Park in Colin*dale, north London, but cut the stint short after the hostile encounter on Monday.
A source said: “A lot of locals came to see the shoot and most were really excited. But by mid-afternoon a pack of teenagers, a few in hoodies, began causing trouble. At first they were just messing around and throwing snowballs at people watching.
“Then it turned nasty. They began to heckle the security staff and crew trying to film. They were shouting expletives and saying they wanted to have a fight. They also said they had knives and would cut up the crew.”
Security got the situation under control – then the atmosphere again turned more aggressive. The source added: “It was clearly a group of bored lads who wanted to cause trouble.
“The cast and crew weren’t bothered at first and kept filming – but then packed up. Late in the day the boys lit a firework and aimed it at the set.”
EastEnders said: “We always get a lot of attention on location. All situations are monitored, as safety of cast and crew is our priority.”
It came days after former EastEnders star Michelle Collins, 51 – now in Coro*nation Street – told of her terror as drunken teenagers screamed abuse at her on a London Tube train.
The People
EastEnders star Shona McGarty has denied claims that she is close to quitting the soap.
A newspaper report today (January 27) suggested that the 21-year-old is ready to bow out as Whitney Dean as she hopes to pursue a music career.
McGarty, who has played Whitney since 2008, was said to have already spoken to show bosses about the possibility of leaving.
However, the actress dismissed the report by telling Digital Spy today: "I'm very happy at EastEnders and have no current plans to leave."
McGarty has often spoken about her passion for music in interviews. She was also praised for her live rendition of 'A Change Is Gonna Come' on Children in Need last year.
However, viewers will see a new EastEnders storyline begin for Whitney in a few days' time as her boyfriend Tyler Moon (Tony Discipline) proposes to her, keen to show his commitment to their future as a couple.
EastEnders continues on Monday (January 28) at 8pm on BBC One.
Kara Tointon has revealed that she almost quit acting after leaving EastEnders.
The actress, who played Walford's Dawn Swann from 2005 to 2009, admitted she struggled to find work initially after leaving the soap.
The Yorkshire Evening Post quotes Tointon as saying: "I have had a fantastic couple of years and yet there was a point after EastEnders that I strongly considered giving up on acting and resorting to my plan B, training to be an interior designer.
"At that point, I started to think it wasn't going to happen for me.
"After you've been in a soap, people can assume you can't do anything else, because you're associated with your TV character.
"It can be demoralising, going to audition after audition and getting rejected, and you have to be pretty strong to carry on in this business."
Tointon's post-EastEnders projects have included a role in The Sweeney and the lead role in a West End production of Pygmalion.
She also fronted Kara Tointon: Don't Call Me Stupid, a programme about dyslexia, and took part in Strictly Come Dancing, where she met partner Artem Chigvintsev.
Is she still Artem Chigvintsev's partner off SCD ???
Lord Alan Sugar has criticised BBC soap EastEnders, accusing the show of product placement.
The Amstrad businessman and star of the BBC's Apprentice spoke of his annoyance of a long shot of a Nokia phone on Tuesday's episode.
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Phil Mitchell with phone
The phone was seen in a close-up shot for ten seconds while Phil Mitchell (Steve McFadden) lay unconscious in the car garage.
The soap had several other mobile phones in the show - including Apple's iPhone - but the brandings were not as visible as the Nokia.
EastEnders actress Danielle Harold - who plays Lola Pearce in the soap - laughed back to Sugar's comments: "Hahaha!!"
One follower wrote: "Not that you would ever use product placement? Amstrad phones in Apprentice?"
Sugar replied: "Correct, ******."
A BBC spokesman denied Sugar's comments, telling The Sun: "EastEnders never gives any one brand undue prominence, in line with BBC guidelines.
"If a product is featured there will always be a range of different brands also featured - as was the case in Tuesday's episode, when Phil, Max and Sharon's mobiles were all seen on screen."
Lord Sugar recently confirmed that Young Apprentice has not been renewed for a new series by the BBC.
EastEnders legend June Brown has revealed that she wanted to be a doctor in her younger years.
The actress, best known for playing Walford favourite Dot Branning, gave up on her dream as she was daunted by the training involved.
Brown, 86, told The Sun: "In my early days I might have liked to have done something with medicine. I think I would have quite liked to have been a doctor. But I decided not to stick with it because of the long training."
She continued: "I wouldn't have had the confidence to trust myself as a doctor. As soon as somebody questions me, I wonder if I'm wrong. I don't have an enormous amount of confidence.
"We weren't instilled with confidence as children, and we were told you should be seen and not heard."
Brown is now back on screen in EastEnders after a six-month break, but will also be appearing in an episode of BBC Two sitcom Heading Out later this month, playing a character named Sozzie.
She said: "I always like to play characters that are different to Dot. Sozzie is the complete opposite in every way.
"She speaks very loudly because her hearing isn't particularly good and she's a little fond of the drink. Not only that, but she's also, unfortunately, going slightly demented! It gave me freedom to be larger than life."
Actress Shona McGarty is reportedly planning to enter the recording studio.
The soap star - who plays Whitney Dean - has been given studio time by Florence + the Machine manager Mairead Nash, according to The Sun.
"I'm always writing and singing my own songs, so I am going into the studio to record some of them," McGarty is quoted as saying.
McGarty worked in amateur musical theatre before joining the soap in 2008, and performed Sam Cooke's 'A Change Is Gonna Come' on BBC's Children in Need fundraiser last November.
Sources close to the actress have claimed that she would consider quitting EastEnders if she was given a recording contract.
"You know she's in the room because unless she is talking to you, she's singing away to herself," one insider said. "People liked her performance on Children in Need, so who knows?"
However, McGarty added: "It isn't anything official, [the songs] are just for my own personal use. I have no plans to leave EastEnders."
Martine McCutcheon, Anita Dobson, Sean Maguire and Sid Owen are among other EastEnders stars who attempted a singing career following or during their time on the soap.
I often wondered if they had any success ????? Sid Owen ????????? I had no idea he was into SINGING,, I do not know any of the others so,,, can any one enlighten me ???? THANKS :-D
Danniella Westbrook kidnapped by gunmen and raped as punishment after failing to pay drug debt
The actress was held for three days in a grimy flat where she was subjected to a series of hellish sex assaults by three thugs
EastEnders star Danniella Westbrook was kidnapped at gunpoint and raped by a gang of drug dealers after failing to pay a £5,000 cocaine debt, the Sunday People has revealed .
The actress was held for three days in a grimy flat where she was subjected to a series of hellish sex assaults by three thugs.
Their evil behaviour was a punishment for not being able to pay for the Class A drug that had almost killed her.
Danniella, who had just quit the BBC1 soap in which she played Sam Mitchell, was addicted to cocaine at the time of the horrific ordeal.
A source close to the star said last night: “It was nothing short of hell on earth for Danniella. It was the lowest point of her life. She was distraught but had no way of paying the money.
“Looking back, she can’t believe she let something like that happen.”
Danniella, 39, has waived her right to lifetime anonymity as a victim of a sexual attack so she can reveal the shocking truth about the scariest time of her life.
The actress, now a born-again Christian, was terrified when the gang arrived on the doorstep of her luxury riverside apartment near London’s landmark Tower Bridge in 1994.
The three drug dealers, furious that she hadn’t paid them, held a gun to her head and marched her into a waiting car which sped to Stockwell, south London.
There she spent three days being abused as a sex slave to the evil gang.
They told her they were punishing her and teaching her a lesson for not honouring her debt.
When they eventually let the traumatised star go free, she had to walk miles home.
Despite dating former East 17 singer Brian Harvey at the time, Danniella kept the horrendous assault a secret.
She only revealed the ordeal to close family last month after she sat down to write her forthcoming book.
Danniella will reveal the shocking details of the attack in her autobiography Faith, Hope and Clarity which will be published next month.
The source said: “Danniella had never been so frightened. She couldn’t believe what was happening.
“It is the worst incident that happened throughout the period when she was hooked on drugs. When she looks back and thinks about what happened, it fills her with horror.
“She was petrified as she was taken away. She didn’t know where she would end up.
“She owed £5,000 and had no way of paying the money back. She had quit EastEnders the year before and was just getting by earning a far smaller wage doing other acting work.”
At the time Danniella was appearing with Timothy Spall in ITV’s Frank Stubbs Promotes, a comedy about a ticket tout.
The source said: “With her drug addiction having spiralled out of control, her debts were mounting up.
“The gang wanted what they were owed. While she was relieved when they finally freed her she was still frightened.
“She had to walk back home having been abused for days without any money or phone to contact anyone. She had never felt that sort of humiliation before, she was numb and felt disgusting.
“She couldn’t believe what had happened but at the time she was so hooked on drugs that she just accepted it and moved on.
“She was not at all proud of how her life was at the time. She often felt suicidal and attempted to kill herself. She was in a bad, bad place.”
Danniella, now married to businessman Kevin Jenkins, 45, felt she couldn’t tell anyone about the attack.
She didn’t tell police as she feared she would be in trouble herself for using the illegal drug.
The source added: “When Danniella sat down to write her second book last year, she didn’t have any intention of revealing the ordeal but then decided the truth had to come out.
“She has always been very honest about her past as a drug addict and wanted to tell of the depths of her despair.
“She is not at all proud of the cocaine chapter in her life but she’s proud of getting through it and is happier than ever now she has come out the other side.
“Kevin and Danniella’s mum Sue were both incredibly shocked about what happened and couldn’t believe she’d never told them about the kidnap or the rape. She only told them a month ago.
“She felt shamed for a long time. But now she’s getting everything out in the open once and for all.
“She’s proof you can reach the lowest depths and come back and turn your life around.”
Danniella’s heartbreaking revelation will be just one shocking story in the book the star is self-publishing next month.
It is her second autobiography. Her first, The Other Side of Nowhere, was published in 2006 and went to No1 in the bestsellers list.
In her new book she will also lift the lid on her struggles with bipolar disorder and how her family nearly fell apart when Kevin lost his fortune as his business went under.
Danniella will also recount the crazy millionaire lifestyle they lived and how she’s found Jesus and got her life back on track.
The source added: “You thought Danniella had revealed everything but this latest book is the star laid bare.
“No subject is out of bounds and she’s laid every card there is on the table. It will shock people but it will also inspire those struggling with drugs to turn their lives around.”
Danniella’s drugs battle ended 12 years ago when she became clean for the first time since she was 14.
She was a teenager when she first snorted cocaine in a club in London’s West End.
After landing the EastEnders role of Sam Mitchell in 1990 alongside Ross Kemp and Steve McFadden as brothers Grant and Phil, she became hooked.
She would spend £400 a day on the drug, and now estimates she blew a total of £250,000 on her addiction.
Her weight dropped to just six stone and she attempted suicide several times.
She needed her nose rebuilt after the drug eroded her septum, leaving one gaping hole instead of nostrils.
In 2002 she underwent a four-hour operation to rebuild it.
She also revealed she snorted cocaine throughout her pregnancy with son Kai, now 15.
Danniella, who starred on I’m A Celebrity...Get Me Out Of Here in 2003 and Dancing On Ice in 2010, said: “I had so many rock bottoms.
“I tried to overdose a few times with paracetamol and Night Nurse. It was a feeble cry for help.”
Danniella’s cocaine days ended in 2001 when husband Kevin put her into rehab at the Promises clinic in Arizona after she stole from him to fund her addiction.
At the time she was three months pregnant with daughter Jody B, now 11.
She said: “He just put me on a plane to Arizona. I was so drugged up I didn’t know what was happening.”
Danniella now lives in an Essex village with her family after returning to the UK from California.
The family moved to the States in 2009 after selling their Kent mansion following the credit crunch.
In America she found God and will now never go back to drugs.
She and Kevin were introduced to the Sanctuary Church in Westminster, California.
Danniella said: “I have given my life to the Lord. The first time I came to this church I felt something so spiritual and amazing I wanted to cry.
“After a few visits I found myself walking up to the altar to ask the Lord for forgiveness for my sins. It was an incredible experience.”
Danniella is one of the most recognisable faces from EastEnders after starring on the soap on and off between 1990 and 2010.
She quit in 1993 to pursue other projects but was asked back two years later. In 1996 she was axed for her off-screen antics and poor time-keeping but was asked back in 1999 and sacked again a year later.
She returned for the third time in 2009 for two stints and finally left for good in 2010.
Last night Danniella declined to comment on her new autobiography and what it reveals.
Sunday People
Jessie Wallace has denied claims that she is engaged.
Rumours began circulating that the actress, who plays Kat Moon in the BBC One soap, was to marry Tim Arnold after she was recently spotted with a ring on her finger.
Sources suggested as early as last July that she was ready to marry the musician as she had "fallen so in love".
However, a spokesperson for Wallace told The Mirror that she isn't yet engaged.
She has been dating Arnold for 11 months after meeting him through his godmother June Brown, who plays Dot Cotton in EastEnders.
Wallace was previously engaged to Vince Morse, but cancelled the wedding just hours before it was due to begin after discovering that he had sent explicit messages to an ex.
congrats to ee for winning the bafta :)
EastEnders bosses have denied claims that Denise Van Outen is in talks to join the soap.
A report in The Mirror today (May 23) suggests that the actress is being lined up to play a glamorous new landlady for the Queen Vic.
However, an EastEnders spokesperson this morning told Digital Spy that there is "absolutely no truth" in the rumours.
Van Outen has often been linked to EastEnders over the years, and has always said that she is open to the idea of joining Walford.
Speaking last year, she explained: "I'd never rule it out, I'd love to do it [and] pull a few pints! You never know, if they'd have me!"
Van Outen is currently hosting a weekly radio show on Magic each Saturday.
EastEnders star Gillian Wright has revealed that she would love her character Jean Slater to be reunited with her daughter Stacey.
Stacey left Walford two and a half years ago in a desperate attempt to cover up the murder of Archie Mitchell.
However, Wright believes there is unfinished business between Jean and her daughter.
Speaking to Inside Soap, she said: "I'd love for Jean to be reunited with her daughter Stacey and her granddaughter Lily, even if it were just for one day.
"Lacey [Turner] and I are still in touch, and as actresses we have a very special relationship.
"It all ended very suddenly with Stacey's hasty exit, so I think there's a lot more to be explored between her and Jean."
The family of former EastEnders actor Paul Bhattacharjee have appealed for help in the search to find him after he went missing last week.
It is thought that the actor, who played the role of Masood's brother Inzamam in the BBC soap on and off from 2008 until 2010, went missing after leaving the Royal Court Theatre last week.
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Paul Bhattacharjee
© Rex Features / Dan Wooller
Paul Bhattacharjee
The Evening Standard quotes Bhattacharjee's son as saying: "Dad, wherever you are please, please get in contact. We want to know that you are okay and if anyone has seen or heard from him in the last few days please get in contact.
"Please, we are just worried sick. It's completely out of character. He was doing well in his career and everything seemed to be going okay. I just don't know what has happened."
Stephen Fry took to Twitter to rally support to find the actor, retweeting a post from actress Natalie Dew, which read: "Please read and RT. A wonderful actor and lovely man has gone missing.
The actor has also had roles in James Bond and The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel.
Anyone with information on Paul's whereabouts is urged to call the police non-emergency line on 101 or Missing People on 116 000.
Former EastEnders actor Paul Bhattacharjee has been found dead.
Bhattacharjee - who played the role of Masood's brother Inzamam in the BBC soap on and off from 2008 until 2010 - went missing last week, with his family appealing for help in the search to find him.
He had last been seen on July 10, leaving rehearsals at the Royal Court Theatre in London's Sloane Square and heading towards a Tube station. Friends said that he seemed in a good mood, and he sent a text message to his girlfriend later that evening.
Scotland Yard was informed this morning (July 17) by officers in Sussex that the body of a man matching Bhattacharjee's description had been found last Friday (July 12) near cliffs at Splash Point in Seaford, East Sussex.
The body has now been formally identified and his next of kin informed. The death is not being treated as suspicious.
Those appealing for help to find Bhattacharjee - who also had roles in Casino Royale and The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel - included Stephen Fry, who had retweeted a post from actress Natalie Dew stating: "Please read and RT. A wonderful actor and lovely man has gone missing."
RIP
EastEnders star Laila Morse has been declared as bankrupt.
The actress, who has played Mo Harris in the soap since 2000, filed a petition under both her stage name and real name - Maureen Bass - earlier this month.
Morse opened up previous money worries in her autobiography Just A Mo and discussed her tough battle to help her son Gerry who had a long-term addiction to heroin.
The bankruptcy order was issued on August 9, with the legal announcement printed in The London Gazette last week.
Morse's EastEnders contract was not renewed last year, and she now only appears in the soap as a guest character.
Former EastEnders star Martine McCutcheon was also declared as bankrupt back in February.
EastEnders star Laila Morse has been declared as bankrupt.
The actress, who has played Mo Harris in the soap since 2000, filed a petition under both her stage name and real name - Maureen Bass - earlier this month.
Morse opened up previous money worries in her autobiography Just A Mo and discussed her tough battle to help her son Gerry who had a long-term addiction to heroin.
The bankruptcy order was issued on August 9, with the legal announcement printed in The London Gazette last week.
Morse's EastEnders contract was not renewed last year, and she now only appears in the soap as a guest character.
Former EastEnders star Martine McCutcheon was also declared as bankrupt back in February.
Gutted that Mo is now only a guest character,Spoiler:
I read in The Sun that Laila Morse was on £80,000 a year at EastEnders. I thought it'd have been more than that, given the salaries that some of the actors are on, her popularity and how long she has been in it.
It's been nearly three years since Thomas Law made his departure as Peter Beale in EastEnders, but life away from soapland has been far from quiet for him as he has worked on stage, film and music projects.
Most recently, the 20-year-old has appeared in science-fiction comedy movie The World's End among a cast which included Simon Pegg, Nick Frost and Martin Freeman.
Digital Spy caught up with Thomas this week to hear about life after EastEnders and his future career plans.
What have you been up to since leaving EastEnders?
"The past three years have been really exciting, and very varied. I've worked with some incredible people in theatre, television and film as well as developing my music with my band, but the highlight has to be working with Simon Pegg, Nick Frost and [director] Edgar Wright on The World's End."
How did the film role come about?
"I play the younger version of Simon Pegg's character Gary King. The audition process was unlike anything I've been through before. The scripts were obviously highly confidential, so there was a lot of improvisation during the casting session with the boys who play the young Nick Frost, Eddie Marsan, Paddy Considine and Martin Freeman.
"I had to go through a nerve wracking three rounds of auditions, but I was absolutely thrilled when I finally got the call from my agent to say I landed the part. It was definitely worth it!"
As it was quite different from the work you've done in the past, was it a good learning experience?
"Being surrounded by actors and a director of that level was an amazing experience, and I learned so much from the process. We had a lot of fun on the shoot, running round the pubs of Newton Haven with the likes of Simon and Nick, but when it's time to work they really knuckle down and you understand how carefully crafted everything is, even when they look like they're just having a laugh."
For those who don't know, what is the film about and how does your character fit into it?
"Gary King is a young lad who has just finished his exams and sets himself the challenge of completing an epic pub crawl called The Golden Mile with his four best mates. Needless to say the night doesn't go as planned!
"20 years later that evening is still the highlight of Gary's life, even though the rest of his friends have moved on and made proper lives for themselves, so he rounds up the old gang and convinces them to tackle the Golden Mile once again, and finish it this time."
What kind of feedback have you had for the film? Have your fans been pleased to see you on screen again?
"The feedback and reviews have been overwhelmingly positive, and I've had such a great response from fans through Twitter. I was such a big fan of Simon, Nick and Edgar before being part of the film so I felt pretty confident that it would come out well, but the final cut was better than I could have imagined."
Are you hoping that The World's End will open the door for you to appear in more film projects?
"Absolutely. Things are already looking pretty exciting and there are various projects kicking around at the moment. I've no doubt that being a part of The World's End has helped with that and I am really looking forward to the next project."
We know that you're also passionate about singing. Is this just a hobby, or is it something that you're pursuing more seriously as a career?
"I love singing and playing with my band, and have performed in musicals on stage. At the moment that's on the back-burner, but if there was ever an opportunity to do that professionally alongside the acting, then I'd definitely look into that. It's a shame that it's not more common over here, as it seems to be quite popular to do both in the States."
You also did a production of Peter Pan in late 2010. Would you be up for doing more theatre and stage work?
"Yes, definitely. Peter Pan was such a fantastic experience - it can be pretty nerve-wracking being in front of a live audience, but it gives you such a buzz. I'd love the opportunity to get my teeth into some more theatre."
After being in one of Britain's biggest soaps, do people still recognise you for your role as Peter Beale?
"Yes, and I've always found that funny. As a soap star you end up being brought into people's living room so they come to feel they know you. So at times their reaction to seeing you on the street can be like bumping into a friend - it's surprising but familiar!"
Your EastEnders exit surprised many fans at the time. Was it your choice to leave, or did the producers decide to write out Peter?
"It was a mutual decision. I felt it was time to move on and develop my career in other directions, and they agreed that the character had run its course for the time being."
Three years on, EastEnders have brought back Peter with a new actor in the role. Was any approach made for you to come back?
"There was some discussion about it, but we felt it just wasn't the right time for me to go back."
Is your time at EastEnders something you still look back fondly on, and do you ever catch up with the show?
"Of course - EastEnders completely changed my life and I made some brilliant friends. I don't have much time to watch television at the moment, but I do like to check in on the show from time to time and see how everyone's doing, and I always watch out to see how they do at the awards. It has been a huge part of my life and I am very grateful to have been part of such an influential show."
Recently we've seen a lot of actors go from one soap to another. Would you consider being in a soap again?
"If the opportunity came up I'd definitely consider it. Working on a soap is a really fun experience – it's so fast paced compared to other types of filming, and being on set day in, day out creates a real family atmosphere. So I can understand why actors move from one soap to another - it's a great way of getting consistent work."
We noticed on Twitter that you took part in some charity football recently, so is this also something you'd like to do more of?
"Yes I love football, and I've been playing a lot recently for a charity called 'Once Upon A Smile' which was started in 2010 by Danny Miller and Daniel Jillings. We play all over the place against other teams willing to help raise money for charity. I'm also a keen golfer - I'm actually much better at that than football! So I'm fortunate to play a lot of golf for a charity called Sparks."
EastEnders star Scott Maslen has reportedly made plans to move to Hollywood.
The soap actor has allegedly set up meetings with film bosses to embark on an action movie career, according to The Mirror.
Maslen will leave the BBC One soap as Jack Branning after six years in the coming weeks.
He is said to have worked with celebrity fitness expert Jon Trevor in order to get into shape for upcoming auditions in Los Angeles.
He also reportedly has signed with a US agent, and will move there permanently with his family if he manages to get roles.
Scott Maslen has filmed his final scenes in EastEnders, and will remain on the soap for the next five weeks.
Maslen has won the 'Sexiest Male' prize at the British Soap Awards for the past four years. He was also named 'Best Actor' at the ceremony in 2010.
Morrisssey has revealed that he almost played Dot Cotton's son Nick in EastEnders.
The singer recalled in his recently-published autobiography that he was approached to play Dot Cotton's 'so far unmentioned son' at the height of The Smiths' fame.
"I would arrive unexpectedly in Albert Square and cause births, deaths and factory fires every time I open my mouth," he wrote.
Morrissey also went on to reveal that he was offered a role on Emmerdale, saying: "The most fascinating aspect of both offers is that somebody somewhere thought it a good idea".
The book also reveals that Morrissey persistently asked the producers of Coronation Street to make him a writer on the show, offering them a plot 'wherein young take on old as a jukebox is tested in the Rovers Return'.
Actor John Altman eventually took on the role of Dot's son Nick Cotton. He appeared intermittently in the soap between 1985 and 2009.
Read more: http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/soaps/s2...#ixzz2iLkkx8Mx
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EastEnders bosses have today (October 29) confirmed some key behind-the-scenes changes as the BBC soap enters a new era.
Following the arrival of Dominic Treadwell-Collins as executive producer, Digital Spy can exclusively reveal that there have been new appointments and promotions within the show's senior team.
Alison Davis has recently taken on the post of Series Producer at EastEnders, while Alexander Lamb has been named as the programme's new Story Producer.
Davis already has strong ties to EastEnders as she started her career as a script editor on the show. She later secured senior positions on a number of other dramas, including Family Affairs, The Bill, Casualty, HolbyBlue and the award-winning legal drama North Square.
This is the third time that Davis has returned to EastEnders. Her previous stints on the soap have seen her work on a number of acclaimed storylines, including Joe Wicks's schizophrenia, Grant and Tiffany's relationship, and the love affair between Cindy Beale and David Wicks - which culminated in Cindy hiring a hitman to shoot Ian.
Lamb also has history with EastEnders as he joined the programme in 2006 as a Story Editor after a previous stint as a storyliner on Emmerdale. He was later promoted to the post of Story Associate at the Walford drama.
Lamb is credited with helping to create the Masood family and Heather Trott, devising the return of Bianca with the Whitney and Tony paedophile storyline, and also working on the twists and turns in Ian Beale's stalker plot.
He has been away from EastEnders over the past year, during which time he worked as a script producer and producer on Waterloo Road.
Digital Spy can also reveal that Simon Ashdown will be stepping down from his position as EastEnders' Series Consultant at the end of the year to focus on other BBC drama projects.
Show bosses are not planning to replace Ashdown in the role. Instead, a group of core writers - including some new and returning faces - will be led by Treadwell-Collins and his team.
Finally, highly-established members of the EastEnders production team have been promoted, with Sharon Batten now working as Senior Producer and Manpreet Dosanjh as Script Producer.
EastEnders bosses have today (October 29) confirmed some key behind-the-scenes changes as the BBC soap enters a new era.
Following the arrival of Dominic Treadwell-Collins as executive producer, Digital Spy can exclusively reveal that there have been new appointments and promotions within the show's senior team.
Alison Davis has recently taken on the post of Series Producer at EastEnders, while Alexander Lamb has been named as the programme's new Story Producer.
Davis already has strong ties to EastEnders as she started her career as a script editor on the show. She later secured senior positions on a number of other dramas, including Family Affairs, The Bill, Casualty, HolbyBlue and the award-winning legal drama North Square.
This is the third time that Davis has returned to EastEnders. Her previous stints on the soap have seen her work on a number of acclaimed storylines, including Joe Wicks's schizophrenia, Grant and Tiffany's relationship, and the love affair between Cindy Beale and David Wicks - which culminated in Cindy hiring a hitman to shoot Ian.
Lamb also has history with EastEnders as he joined the programme in 2006 as a Story Editor after a previous stint as a storyliner on Emmerdale. He was later promoted to the post of Story Associate at the Walford drama.
Lamb is credited with helping to create the Masood family and Heather Trott, devising the return of Bianca with the Whitney and Tony paedophile storyline, and also working on the twists and turns in Ian Beale's stalker plot.
He has been away from EastEnders over the past year, during which time he worked as a script producer and producer on Waterloo Road.
Digital Spy can also reveal that Simon Ashdown will be stepping down from his position as EastEnders' Series Consultant at the end of the year to focus on other BBC drama projects.
Show bosses are not planning to replace Ashdown in the role. Instead, a group of core writers - including some new and returning faces - will be led by Treadwell-Collins and his team.
Finally, highly-established members of the EastEnders production team have been promoted, with Sharon Batten now working as Senior Producer and Manpreet Dosanjh as Script Producer.
EastEnders producer Dominic Treadwell-Collins has said that the show must reflect the modern world and the changes in East London over the last few years.
Viewers have recently seen Sharon Rickman (Letitia Dean) announce her plans to open up a wine bar and this will tie in with plans to reflect areas likes Shoreditch.
Treadwell-Collins said to the Radio Times: "It should feel more like London. It's been frozen in aspic for too long.
"Sharon said recently that she's looking to be a landlady. As a result you'll see the edges of Shoreditch creeping into EastEnders.
"It's got to reflect the modern world."
Treadwell-Collins also said that he is happy to see the return of familiar faces, such as Stacey Branning, as well as new characters.
He said: "It's good to have one foot in the past while looking to the future.
"My idea is to make the show feel fresh with the Carters, but also a bit nostalgic by bringing back characters we love."
Former EastEnders actress Edna Doré has died at the age of 92.
The star - best known for playing Mo Butcher on the BBC soap - passed away peacefully at her home in Sussex on Friday (April 11).
RIP
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When and on what channel is the omnibus edition now aired please?
It's on tonight on BBC1 at 11.55 pm :)Quote:
Originally Posted by Perdita
Need to invest in iPlayer ... dog walks are at EastEnder time, very difficult for me to catch an episode. Wish they put the omnibus on during weekend afternoon, 11.55pm is 1am for me, never going to see it at that time lol
You can watch them on youtube instead :)Quote:
Originally Posted by Perdita