Eastenders General News Thread

[Perdita]

Cheryl Fergison would like to see her EastEnders character date Coronation Street's anorak Roy Cropper.

The actress, who plays Heather Trott in the BBC soap, reckons they would make a good match.

"I think they'd be brilliant - as long as Heather doesn't go anywhere near John Stape, it'll be fine, he is bad news!" she told Inside Soap.

But there's one obstacle - Roy's wife Hayley (Julie Hesmondhalgh).

"It would be interesting to see how his wife Hayley would take it, though. If there was a fight between them, Heather would just sit on her!" joked the 47-year-old.

She added: "I think Heather and Hayley would get on quite well actually. I can imagine them sitting down for a chin wag."


PA

[Perdita]

Hayley Tamaddon has revealed she'd like to appear in EastEnders.

The former Emmerdale actress, who was crowned queen of the ice after winning Dancing On Ice last year, has set her sights on a role in Albert Square.

"I'd love to be in EastEnders - but they don't have many northerners in that show," she told Inside Soap.

"It's like everyone who lives in Walford has to be from the East End of London. I think it's about time they got a family from up north moving in. I'd love to be a part of that!"

Hayley - whose alter-ego Delilah Dingle left the Dales in 2007 - still gets mistaken for being on the ITV soap.

"People seem to think I'm still in Emmerdale for some reason, and I have to tell them that I haven't been on set for over three years," she continued.

She still watches the soap though.

"The show's really great at the moment, and I've loved all of Danny Miller's stuff as Aaron. But it does make me sad that I'm not part of the Dingle family any more," she added.


PA

[Perdita]

EastEnders star Laurie Brett has told how her Albert Square co-stars have been showering her with gifts and advice as she prepares to become a mother.

The actress - who plays childless Jane Beale - is to become a mother for the first time at the age of 40 with her child due in May.

She tells Hello! magazine: "I keep arriving at my dressing room to find that Steve McFadden (hard man Phil Mitchell) has left all sort of gifts outside my door, including a beautiful crib.

"He's been like Santa," she said as she spoke about her pregnancy for the first time.

Brett, whose long-standing character Jane is unable to have a baby, said she has been receiving pregnancy advice from Jo Joyner - mother to twins in real life. Linda Henry (Shirley Carter) and Cheryl Fergison (who plays Heather Trott) have also promised to take her on a shopping spree.

Brett was planning to keep quiet about her pregnancy in the early days, but co-star Adam Woodyatt - her on-screen husband Ian Beale - realised.

"He said, 'you're pregnant, aren't you?' It's not surprising that he knew as we spend more time with each other than we do with our partners. I had suddenly become very sensitive to certain smells and I wasn't going out for cigarette breaks."

She and boyfriend Johnny Milroy - whom she began dating last year - were not actively trying for a child, although both are delighted and Brett had become broody.

"I thought I would be very sad if it didn't happen. I felt as though something was missing from my life, and Johnny really listened and understood that."

The full interview is in the new edition of Hello! magazine out now.


PA

[Perdita]

TV viewers believe that BBC soap EastEnders portrays entrepreneurial characters in a poor light, according to new research commissioned by the government.

A study published today by the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS) shows that business-based programmes like Dragon's Den and The Apprentice have promoted "more positive social values towards entrepreneurship".

However, The Guardian reports that half of the viewers who took part in the study believed that EastEnders was a show which depicted entrepreneurial figures negatively. Walford's longest-serving character Ian Beale (Adam Woodyatt) is among those who have tried their hand at various businesses on Albert Square.

Meanwhile, only a third of respondents said that Coronation Street painted entrepreneurs in a negative light.

Business and enterprise minister Mark Prisk said that he was pleased by the overall findings of the study, which showed that TV programmes are making people think more positively about entrepreneurs.

He commented: "The media has such an important role to play in creating a positive image around entrepreneurship and starting your own business. It is very encouraging to see such a dramatic shift in recent years. And I hope this trend continues.

"The government is focused relentlessly on supporting growth across our economy. Backing and encouraging new enterprises to start up, and small businesses to grow, will deliver new jobs and transform our economy.

"We need to inspire the next generation of entrepreneurs, showing them the ambitions they can realise in business. The media can play a crucial role in this."


DS

[Perdita]

Laurie Brett is turning to unusual methods to disguise her growing baby bump from 'EastEnders' viewers.

The actress plays cafe worker Jane Beale - who is married to Walford wimp Ian (Adam Woodyat) - in the BBC One soap, and as her alter-ego is unable to conceive after being shot in the stomach by her husband's evil stepson, show bosses are coming up with creative ways to hide Laurie's changing shape.

She explained: "I have to find novel ways of hiding the bump. It's been quite fun thinking of ways to do that. One involves a feather boa."

Laurie - who is due to give birth in May - also revealed her co-star Adam realised almost immediately that she was pregnant, as he knows her so well.

She said: "I didn't tell him, he told me. He said, 'You're pregnant aren't you?' It's not surprising that he knew as we spend more time with each other than we do with our partners. I had suddenly become very sensitive to certain smells, and wasn't going out for cigarette breaks."

Adam is not the only co-star who is excited for Laurie, and while the female members of the cast have been supportive, she admitted she has been surprised by Steve McFadden - who plays hardman Phil Mitchell - showing his soft side.

She said: "Jo Joyner (Tanya Branning) has been giving me advice and Linda Henry (Shirley Carter) and Cheryl Fergison (Heather Trott) want to take me out shopping.

"I keep arriving at my dressing room to find that Steve McFadden has left all sorts of gifts outside my door including a beautiful crib. He's been like Santa."

(C) BANG Media International

[alan45]

Same old stories among the rows on EastEnders

★NEW hope at EastEnders after Fat Boy exclaimed: “I have died.” Wishful thinking. Unfortunately, Arthur had “died and gone to heaven” after seeing a bevy of beauties on the square.There wasn’t much new to report in Walford – Kat and Alfie have split up for the 100th time, Ian and Jane have fallen out for the 10,000th time and Ronnie Mitchell has scowled for the millionth time. So, business as usual then.

[Perdita]

Same old stories among the rows on EastEnders

★NEW hope at EastEnders after Fat Boy exclaimed: “I have died.” Wishful thinking. Unfortunately, Arthur had “died and gone to heaven” after seeing a bevy of beauties on the square.There wasn’t much new to report in Walford – Kat and Alfie have split up for the 100th time, Ian and Jane have fallen out for the 10,000th time and Ronnie Mitchell has scowled for the millionth time. So, business as usual then.

[alan45]

Matt Lucas has revealed that he would love a role in EastEnders.

The comedian told the Radio Times that he would relish the opportunity to join the Walford dynasty, admitting that it would put his acting skills to the test.

Lucas said: "I'd love to play the youngest Mitchell brother in EastEnders, but I would have to learn how to talk really quietly and menacingly."

He joked: "Failing that, [I'd play] Pat Butcher's long-lost sister Nat, who would obviously also have a penchant for bleached hair, big earrings and leopard print."

The Come Fly With Me star also admitted that he is unable to watch himself on screen.

"If I am flicking through the channels and a repeat of Little Britain is on BBC Three, I flick right on," he said.

[Perdita]

Ex-EastEnders actress Hannah Waterman is five months pregnant with her first child.

The 35-year-old, who played Laura Beale on the BBC soap between 2000 and 2004, was photographed by the Sunday Mirror sporting a sizeable baby bump on a London street yesterday.

Waterman, who split with former EastEnders co-star Ricky Groves in January 2010 after three years of marriage, has yet to reveal the identity of the child's father.

A source commented: "This may come as a bit of a shock to a lot of people but Hannah is absolutely thrilled. She is 35 now and feels it is the perfect time to start a family. Everyone who knows her is sure she's going to be a great mum."

Waterman and Groves tied the knot in 2006, but separated shortly after her highly-publicised two-and-a-half stone weight-loss.

Waterman adamantly denied reports that her new slimline figure had contributed to the collapse of her marriage.

[alan45]

Patsy Palmer has predicted that her EastEnders character Bianca Butcher would be a changed woman if she ever returned to Walford.

Bianca is currently in prison after attacking womaniser Connor Stanley in the climax to his love triangle storyline with her adopted daughter Whitney Dean (Shona McGarty) and mother Carol (Lindsey Coulson).

Off-screen, meanwhile, Palmer made a swift departure from the soap in December as she gave birth to her fourth child Bertie almost a month before he was due. The actress is now out of contract with EastEnders but has confirmed that she would not rule out a future comeback.

Speaking to Take It Easy about her most recent stint as Bianca, Palmer commented: "It was quite nice playing an older, wiser Bianca. Now she's in prison, I'm sure she'll come out and be a different person, so if I do go back it'll be a new challenge."

Asked whether she does intend to return to EastEnders, she replied: "I really don't know at the moment because everything is about the baby. If I do go back, it won't be for at least 12 months, but they've left the door open for me. I'm really grateful for that because I do enjoy my job.

"I'm lucky to be in a position where if I didn't enjoy it, I wouldn't have to go. I don't just do it for the money. My husband works so I could be a stay-at-home mum."

Palmer's screen husband Sid Owen (Ricky Butcher) is also currently on a break from EastEnders but has not yet departed screens.