Eastenders [News, Spoilers and Discussion]

BROWNE51

Silvio.Dante wrote: »

This show would be dead in the water if it weren't for the Masoods. They're keeping it watchbable on their own.

Could not agree more,Jar Jar Binks,Ronnie & Roxy,the ever pathetic Billy,Pat&Peggy dating thing....absolute rubbish for prime time....long live the Masoods.

Silvio.Dante

BROWNE51 wrote: »

Could not agree more,Jar Jar Binks,Ronnie & Roxy,the ever pathetic Billy,Pat&Peggy dating thing....absolute rubbish for prime time....long live the Masoods.

Is tonight Syed's suicide attempt?

angel01

Ben and Lauren to leave Eastenders:

http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/soaps/s2/eastenders/news/a218856/two-more-to-leave-eastenders.html

Wonder how they will write especially Ben out of the show

zimovain

Delighted the milkey bar kid is gone.

Silvio.Dante

Which one is Lauren? The older or younger sister? No one has ever mentioned Ben's hearing aids. Are they part of the character or does the actor need them.

GERMAN ROCKS

greenie wrote: »

Lol and have him the proud owner of the Vic!! I'd say there would have been some funny scenes if they'd gone that way.
I had a feeling that would happen with Honey...guess there are a lot more 'money worry' storylines down the road for him & us then:(

would jack or honey have any houses or money which they would leave to billy and kids to let him live happily ever after

angel01

Silvio.Dante wrote: »

Which one is Lauren? The older or younger sister? No one has ever mentioned Ben's hearing aids. Are they part of the character or does the actor need them.

They are part of the character, it was explained when he first came into the show. He had meningitus (sp) as a baby which left him partially deaf.

Lauren is the older girl (the one who dated Peter)

angel01

GERMAN ROCKS wrote: »

would jack or honey have any houses or money which they would leave to billy and kids to let him live happily ever after

None that would be in Walford

JP Liz V1

The only way Ben could exit is if he dies or leaves for boarding *coughs* dance school since all his family live in Walford

Silvio.Dante

angel01 wrote: »

They are part of the character, it was explained when he first came into the show. He had meningitus (sp) as a baby which left him partially deaf.

Lauren is the older girl (the one who dated Peter)

Ah, ok. The younger sister has more potential as an actress and could/should be in the soap for a very long time to come. I'd missed that about Ben. Maybe Ben runs away and joins Glee

Epicurus

JP Liz V1 wrote: »

The only way Ben could exit is if he dies or leaves for boarding *coughs* dance school since all his family live in Walford

There's Grant. Peggy will be gone soon enough as well, perhaps they're linked in some way.

angel01

She looks a good character to join the show:

http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/soaps/s2/eastenders/news/a218999/vanessas-daughter-cast-in-eastenders.html

JP Liz V1

Ben attacks Jordan and also hurts Louise so maybe he is taken off Phil and put into a home or foster care and thats also how he leaves

greenie

Silvio.Dante wrote: »

Maybe Ben runs away and joins Glee

:D
Silvio you made me laugh!!

Also Starring LeVar Burton

Nominations for the 2010 boards.ie Soap Awards is now open... Make sure Eastenders gets nominated by casting your nominations in this thread: http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2055907935

angel01

Zza Zza and Leon to be written out later this year:

http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/soaps/s2/eastenders/news/a219224/leon-zsa-zsa-to-leave-eastenders.html

Silvio.Dante

angel01 wrote: »

Zza Zza and Leon to be written out later this year:

http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/soaps/s2/eastenders/news/a219224/leon-zsa-zsa-to-leave-eastenders.html

Crikey. No one's safe it would appear...:(

angel01

Denise's sister to come back into Eastenders

http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/soaps/s2/eastenders/news/a219222/tameka-empson-returns-to-eastenders.html

angel01

Silvio.Dante wrote: »

Crikey. No one's safe it would appear...:(

Seems so :(

Shazanne

What's EastEnders E20? I nver heard of it until I read the link above

angel01

Shazanne wrote: »

What's EastEnders E20? I nver heard of it until I read the link above

Its a spinoff show that was originally shown on the internet and is now being shown on BBC3

Zza Zza, Leon, Fatboy and (mercy who isnt in it yet) were all from E20.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/EastEnders:_E20

Tabnabs

Ben's exit from EE has been leaked onto youtube

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=blStKdtZu1g

JP Liz V1

Actress and comedienne Tameka Empson returns to EastEnders next month, show bosses have confirmed.

The 33-year-old reprises her role as Denise Fox's outlandish sister Kim, who is expected to "cause mayhem" with the locals as she settles into life on Albert Square.

Beneath her "viscous and bubbly" exterior lies a "vulnerable creature with low self-esteem". Her comeback fails to impress her brother-in-law Lucas (Don Gilet) who is desperate for her to leave almost as soon as she arrives.

Empson last appeared as Kim at the end of 2009 when she and her alcoholic boyfriend Dexter (Robbie Gee) turned up to Denise and Lucas's wedding in November.

When Dexter fails to return with her, Denise is left wondering where he is and it soon transpires that Kim is running away from something - or someone.

Speaking of her return, Empson said: "I'm really thrilled and excited to be returning to EastEnders. I've always loved the show and working with such fantastic actors makes the whole experience even sweeter."

She added: "Kim Fox is such a great character to play and gives me scope to do things I usually wouldn't get away with."

Executive producer Bryan Kirkwood commented: "I'm a huge fan of Tameka. She is a real talent and will bring a fresh, funny and exciting new flavour to the show."

Silvio.Dante

angel01 wrote: »

Its a spinoff show that was originally shown on the internet and is now being shown on BBC3

Zza Zza, Leon, Fatboy and (mercy who isnt in it yet) were all from E20.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/EastEnders:_E20

I'd never heard of it either. Have you watched any episodes Angel..?

JP Liz V1

During his three-year tenure at Hollyoaks, Bryan Kirkwood created some of the most memorable storylines and characters in the soap's history. Following the success of the McDean phenomenon, he announced his decision to stand down from the role as the show's leading producer in order to pursue other projects. He remained with production house Lime Pictures to head up E4 spinoff Later, which featured the British Soap Award-winning parachute death. Earlier this year, he succeeded Diederick Santer as executive producer of EastEnders - a job he's eyed for years. Here, in his first interview since taking helm of the Good Ship Walford, Bryan speaks about his plans for the BBC serial, Zöe Lucker's casting, Lisa Fowler's whistlestop return and Barbara Windsor's "epic" departure as we enter into a new era of EastEnders.

Firstly, congratulations on EastEnders' success at the British Soap Awards!
"What a night! I'm so chuffed for Diederick and the team. It's a brilliant send-off for him as he leaves the BBC to pursue his own projects but it really raises the stakes for me next year…"

How does it feel to take over a soap that has been doing so well recently?
"It's exciting, yet respectfully intimidating. Like any show, there's always an opportunity to move on to the next chapter - the next burst of energy. Diederick and the team did the best job over the last three years, culminating in the Soap Award-winning spectacular live episode. It feels like the right time to be taking over."

How different a ship is it to helm compared with Hollyoaks?
"There are loads of similarities and at the same time, plenty of differences. They're both large-volume serial dramas and I have the same large pile of scripts that never gets any smaller. And of course, there's a large and varied cast. The similarities are pretty clear. However, the scrutiny on EastEnders is immense - far greater than Hollyoaks. There's a huge sense of responsibility on EastEnders, too, what with the size of the audience and their age range."

How has everyone adapted to your arrival?
"Everyone's been really welcoming. I didn't know what to expect from a show that has such a large and well-established cast that's full of people with many years more experience than me. I can honestly say that they've been a joy to work with. They've really responded well to my plans and I'm so excited to be working alongside such an amazing team."

What was your first week like?
"It was surreal, I'll admit that! I had a handover week with Diederick and I shadowed his diary in the crossover. Then it was just me. It's quite an extraordinary situation to have people like Barbara Windsor, June Brown and Pam St. Clement queuing up outside your office to see you. I've watched these people on television all my life and I'm a massive fan, but you have to overcome that and realise that you have a job to do - that kicked in very quickly!"

Had you been on the Square beforehand?
"Diederick gave me a tour of the exterior set some weeks previously and the obvious thing that everyone says it that 'it's really small'. It's brilliant, though. It's like having a massive train set to play with."

What's your overall vision for the show?
"The obvious fear is that I'm going to turn EastEnders into Hollyoaks - but that's not going to happen. Quite the contrary. I feel the storytelling tactics on Hollyoaks - like the dream sequences and flashbacks - work brilliantly because that's how it was originally conceived. In contrast, my approach to EastEnders is to make it as real as possible. It must exist in reality. Over the course of 25 years of story, the sense of it being a real place with real people has occasionally been lost. I'd like to retrieve that and ensure that sense of reality runs through every story."

Did you set yourself any personal goals for your producership?
"I want to continue the successful storytelling that Diederick has established. His legacy is a show that tells big, satisfying, talked-about stories. That's what I like doing best and I'd be more than happy if we can continue that over the next few years."

When does your first episode air?
"It's June 7. Diederick and I share the executive producer credit for two weeks."

Is there anything in those episodes that marks your arrival?
"In the first episode, there are a handful of arrivals. That wasn't part of the plan, but it was quite nice that all these people turn up, bringing a burst of fresh energy with them. We have Zöe Lucker's first appearance as Vanessa Gold. There's Kim Fox reappearing, played by Tameka Empson. And we also have Ellen Thomas who plays Mercy's Nigerian grandmother Grace, too. So it feels like it's the start of a new chapter."

How did the recent spate of axings come about?
"EastEnders has a huge cast and I think it's imperative to keep things moving in the right direction. Every couple of years, soaps have to look at who's performing well; who's come to the end of their story; and which families need rebooting. Most of the time, it has nothing to do with performance and it all comes down to refreshing a show as a whole. Unfortunately, that means some hard decisions have to be made and it's a horrible process for everyone to go through."

Were you disappointed when Lacey Turner expressed her intention to leave?
"I'm naturally disappointed that Lacey's going. Diederick had brought me in on her intentions some months ago, so I knew it was on the cards. I wish her the best of luck, though. She's one of the most talented young actresses on British television and she's had a huge five years here, so I completely respect her reasons for wanting to move on. I'd welcome her back with open arms, but for now, it's about sending her out in the best way possible and finding the next actress to fill Lacey's shoes. When characters like Stacey leave, it gives you the opportunity to tell a brilliant story."

Is it quite a burden to be the producer responsible for Barbara Windsor's exit?
"It's not a burden - it's a massive honour! My first big story that I got my teeth into was Peggy's exit. Over the course of 15 years, she's become the quintessential matriarch of the show. We can't get it wrong and I'm really excited about it."

What feel does her exit have? Would you rule out returnees?
"All I'll say about Peggy's exit is that it's both epic and poignant. As for returnees, I wouldn't rule it out."

Kat and Alfie were your first signings - how did the idea of their return come about?
"At around the time I started in my handover capacity, Diederick, John [Yorke] and I got together to talk about Barbara's exit and the massive hole she'll leave at the heart of the programme. We talked about who - currently and in the show's history - could fill that gap. Nobody can come close to filling that Barbara-shaped hole, though. So we quickly came to the conclusion that Kat and Alfie, as two other extremely popular characters, were right for a comeback.

"We've talked at length about Kat and Aflie: Where have they been? Are they still together? Are they still in America? Have they been in touch with the family? Rest assured, all of those questions - and more - will be answered when they return. It's been so exciting to be talking about two amazing characters and to fill that five-year gap."

Did you arrive at EastEnders with Zöe Lucker in mind for a role?
"There were no preconceived ideas. It all came about when Simon Ashdown - who I enjoy working with enormously - pitched the idea of a new character, Vanessa Gold, as a Zöe Lucker-type. So we approached Zöe and we were just delighted when she said yes.

"Vanessa brings a different flavour to the show. She's very strong-minded, but she's quite a positive character. EastEnders has a lot of very strong, feisty, shouty women and it's great fun - Shirley, Bianca, Carol, Zainab, Denise, the list goes on. We wanted Vanessa to come in with a different energy and although she doesn't suffer fools gladly, she has a real sense of herself. She knows that she's likely to rub women up the wrong way and she knows what she wants. But she doesn't intimidate or use bullyboy tactics. She's clever, interesting and she might just have a secret…

"She's a force of nature with Max. With Jo Joyner on maternity leave, we needed a story for him and we now have another fantastic actress for him to work opposite. Vanessa also comes with her daughter Jodie Gold, who's played by a talented new young actress called Kylie Babbington. I'm really excited about her - she's a ray of sunshine."

Where did the idea of Lisa's return come from?
"We have Louise back on screen and it felt that it was an obvious opportunity to approach Lucy Benjamin and ask her to return to help that story along. Lisa was part of one of the biggest storylines in soap history, so I'm intrigued to see how her return affects the people who she has connections with - Peggy and Phil. I'm really happy with the reasons for her return…"

Are there any plans to introduce any new sets? Or use sets a little more than they're being used currently?
"The external set - the Square, Bridge Street, Turpin Road - is an amazing one to work with. I don't think we're enjoying the space as much as we could do. I think it could reflect a typical London suburb a little better and I also think that we could make it a more workable area. Coronation Street has the factory and Emmerdale have taken steps to replicate that but what we have on here is a thriving, busy and buzzing East-End market, so I'd like to see much more of that. We'll be using the external sets a lot more to showcase what the show's known for - and to take it back to its roots."

Here, however, Bryan teases what's to come for some of your favourite Walford characters.

What's in store for Lucas?
"The Lucas story has been bubbling away for a year or two now and like any big, murderous storylines, it has to reach a conclusion at some point. I'm delighted by what we have coming up. The stakes are raised in a really surprising way and all the actors are responding so well to it. All I'll say is, whatever you think the outcome of this storyline will be - think again. Expect the unexpected…"

Are you a fan of Christian and Syed?
"Absolutely. The actors have done an outstanding job. It's a storyline that I've inherited but some of the first episodes I watched as producer were the big reveal with Amira's exit and Syed's suicide attempt. It's stunning material and beautifully played by all concerned. I'm thrilled that I have all the actors involved in this story in the show."

Do you want Christian and Syed to be together?
"After the story we've told, I wouldn't want to disappoint viewers who have waited so patiently. We have a story beyond where we are now - it's far from the end of these characters."

Phil and Shirley
"I love Phil and I love Shirley and we've got big plans for them…"

Will we be seeing Tina Carter this year?
"No plans at the minute, but we know she's there…"

What about Tanya's boyfriend Gregg?
"Jo Joyner will be returning from maternity leave fairly shortly. She's done one day with us for one episode and her full-time return will follow a little later in the year. We have talked about Gregg and what he would bring to the programme, what he'd mean to the story and what he means to Max…"

Janine and Ryan
"They're such an exciting couple to tell stories about. They don't seem to have any boundaries and are both the product of neglectful childhoods. There's lots of fun, dramatic and surprising material coming their way…"

Are you going to stop playing ping pong with Ronnie and Jack?
"I think it's time that Ronnie and Jack grew up, realise what they mean to each other and make a decision about their future. You'll just have to wait and see what they decide…"

EastEnders has a lot of powerhouse female characters but not as many strong males. Is this something you hope to rectify?
"It's a fair observation that we might not have as many strong men as we need. We often have a fun conversation about which of the female characters would win in a fight with each other and I don't think we can have the same discussion about the men. It's something we're certainly aware of and we're working on."

Coming from Hollyoaks, you know how to handle younger storylines - will you be realigning the younger cast?
"The E20 kids had a massive job and responsibility to seamlessly fit into the makeup of the main show and I don't think that's been as successful as it could have been. That said, I think there are some cracking actors in that gang and I'm looking forward to working with them and making the audience fall in love with them.

"We will be saying goodbye to Leon and Zsa Zsa and from there, we'll be looking at the relationships among the younger characters to see who works best with who."

Epicurus

In one of this episodes Zainab had a picture of herself, Masood, Tamwar and Kamil. She then told Masood that this is her family now

Whatever her own reasons for wanting Syed out of that picture; has she forgotten about Shabnam or has she also been banished from the family

the_monkey

NAsty nasty thing that Xenab said.

So I guess when Jane finds out about Iain she'll leave him and get with Masood ?

Silvio.Dante

Epicurus wrote: »

In one of this episodes Zainab had a picture of herself, Masood, Tamwar and Kamil. She then told Masood that this is her family now

Whatever her own reasons for wanting Syed out of that picture; has she forgotten about Shabnam or has she also been banished from the family

Excellent point. As far as I can remember Shabs was enjoying her social life a little too much than a good Muslim girl should so she went back to Pakistan with the blessing of her parents...

JP Liz V1

Zainab is a one horrible biatch

Epicurus

Silvio.Dante wrote: »

Excellent point. As far as I can remember Shabs was enjoying her social life a little too much than a good Muslim girl should so she went back to Pakistan with the blessing of her parents...

Thanks Silvio; couldn't remember where she had gotten to. They should try and bring her back with a few children.

On a related note; Patsy Palmer (Bianca) is set to appear on today Afternoon Show

http://www.rte.ie/arts/2010/0514/theafternoonshow.html

MS.MONEYPENNY

the_monkey wrote: »

So I guess when Jane finds out about Iain she'll leave him and get with Masood ?

Im lost ... must have missed it somewhere?... but what did Ian do?:(

Busi_Girl08

Ian helped Lucy get an abortion, and they lied and told her she miscarried.

MS.MONEYPENNY

Busi_Girl08 wrote: »

Ian helped Lucy get an abortion, and they lied and told her she miscarried.

Ah ok....I didn't miss it so...Thanks:)

Shazanne

I disagree somewhat about the character of Zainab being a bitch (don't shoot me!) Ok - she can be hard to the point of brutal but, boy, she plays it well! Can you just imagine all that s--t going on in your life and, add to that, she is from a different culture to many of us, which makes it all the more difficult. I think EE are doing a great job with the culture thing and its giving us an insight into how other cultures/religions think and act. I find the whole thing fascinating:D

radha

Shazanne wrote: »

I think EE are doing a great job with the culture thing and its giving us an insight into how other cultures/religions think and act.

Not according to this, they ain't

http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=230637867299&v=info&ref=share

ToniTuddle

radha wrote: »

Not according to this, they ain't

http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=230637867299&v=info&ref=share

That facebook crowd can go and be quiet :pac:

How do they know that there is not ONE pakistani (sp-meh!) called Tamwar. Bloody hell.

They aint going to get the correct amount of actors of the right decent...desent.......(ya know what I mean!) to play the parts. Maybe none applied and they had to make do. Maybe they did apply but were crap.

Either way for someone who doesn't know anything about such cultures at least it is a way to find out some things about their beliefs and maybe not what bracelets they are wearing!

That was all directed at the dudes on facebook not you

Poor ole Z has definitely had a nervous breakdown. I would not be leaving the baby with her anytime soon.

She actually burned her own wedding/family album of precious photos that can probably never be replaced??? :eek:

Did Christian think...oh look there is Sayid he is joking with his brother so he is fine....feic it I'll carry on with my life...??
Someone who attempt to kill themselves may be able to communicate with folks in a normal manner after but there are still feicing issues there!

But then he has been fluffed about for months. Maybe he deserves a nice dinner with pub lad Alex.

And for the LOVE of God. Can Roxy cop on to Danny already :mad:

Epicurus

ToniTuddle wrote: »

She actually burned her own wedding/family album of precious photos that can probably never be replaced??? :eek:

This bit intrigued me. I would have thought Zainab would have been the last person to initiate any sort of fire given her past history with fires; being burnt in Pakistan for having an affair with Masood whilst she was married to someone else

ToniTuddle

Epicurus wrote: »

This bit intrigued me. I would have thought Zainab would have been the last person to initiate any sort of fire given her past history with fires; being burnt in Pakistan for having an affair with Masood whilst she was married to someone else

Wow! I never knew that bit??

I knew she had an affair with Masood and that his brother then thought of her as a "fallen" woman and though he could have her anytime he wished.

Never realised she was punished over there.

He kicked her out before he seriously better chuck her out on the streets again and NOT let her take the baby.

Epicurus

ToniTuddle wrote: »

Wow! I never knew that bit??

I knew she had an affair with Masood and that his brother then thought of her as a "fallen" woman and though he could have her anytime he wished.

Never realised she was punished over there.

He kicked her out before he seriously better chuck her out on the streets again and NOT let her take the baby.

She was burnt in a fire for bringing shame on the family. Much like Syed has.

That scene of where he kicked out out and she on the ground in the rain was one of the more powerful scenes recently. Nina Wadia is certainly a fantastic actress.

Where is this Ben and Louise storyline going?

ToniTuddle

Epicurus wrote: »

She was burnt in a fire for bringing shame on the family. Much like Syed has.

That scene of where he kicked out out and she on the ground in the rain was one of the more powerful scenes recently. Nina Wadia is certainly a fantastic actress.

Where is this Ben and Louise storyline going?

Yeah they are brilliant characters. I'm only watching it again thanks to them. Been a long time since I ran to the telly to watch a soap so they are doing a good job

Thought they are going to try and turn Ben into the bully now or something along those lines?
Plus isn't her mum coming back in for an episode or has that already happened?

No matter what I really wish they would sort out this Lucas situation I know he is going to kill again but hopefully that will be it and everything will come crashing down!

And they BETTER reveal to the folks on albert square that not only did he kill Owen but that he killed the flippin dog too!! I want reactions :pac:

greenie

radha wrote: »

Not according to this, they ain't

http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=230637867299&v=info&ref=share

I can actually understand why they're so annoyed. There is a lot of history between India & Pakistan and one of worst insults ever is mistaking an Indian for a Pakistani & vice versa. Obviously for whatever reason EE hired Indians to play this Pakistani family..they can't change that now but I'm really surprised they didn't research Pakistani culture too well. To get simple things such as clothing and rituals wrong, I mean wouldn't that be the first thing you'd research? I actually thought the Masoods were Indian for the longest time. I think EE are lucky there hasn't been more of an uproar about this.

angel01

Looks like there is no end in sight for Lucas :eek:

http://www.dailystar.co.uk/gameon/view/135425/EASTENDERS-Lucas-flips-over-Jordan-s-coma-scare/

Silvio.Dante

angel01 wrote: »

Looks like there is no end in sight for Lucas :eek:

http://www.dailystar.co.uk/gameon/view/135425/EASTENDERS-Lucas-flips-over-Jordan-s-coma-scare/

Poor Lucas... All he's ever wanted is a quiet life with Denise...:D

angel01

Silvio.Dante wrote: »

Poor Lucas... All he's ever wanted is a quiet life with Denise...:D

and he even tries to kill her off :eek::eek:

Ann22

I can't understand why Phil hasn't called the police. If that was my child that hadn't turned up for school I'd be panic stricken.

Shazanne

Really glad that Ben kid's character is leaving - he creeps me out! If that child that plays him ever wants to get another role in a TV series I'd advise him to get off the Square double quick - imagine being stereotyped as Ben for life:eek:

greenie

Silvio.Dante wrote: »

Poor Lucas... All he's ever wanted is a quiet life with Denise...:D

Lol! ffs how many people does a guy have to kill round here to get some peace & quiet...jeez:D

Funky Kingston

Shazanne wrote: »

Really glad that Ben kid's character is leaving - he creeps me out! If that child that plays him ever wants to get another role in a TV series I'd advise him to get off the Square double quick - imagine being stereotyped as Ben for life:eek:

So true , get out Ben quick ! How do they get rid of him though... does Louise attack him with a hot spoon ??:D

angel01

Ann22 wrote: »

I can't understand why Phil hasn't called the police. If that was my child that hadn't turned up for school I'd be panic stricken.

Because he thought that would harm his residency appeal and with his background and losing your kid, that wouldn't look good :eek:

greenie

God the scenes between Phil & Lucas...no word of Phil leaving otherwise he'd be definitely on Lucas's list!