Bianca Butcher to dump Terry Spraggan

Bianca Butcher reaches a heartbreaking decision next week as she tells her partner Terry Spraggan that she can't be with him anymore.

Bianca (Patsy Palmer) ends her relationship with Terry (Terry Alderton) after realising that she is going through too much to be involved in a relationship at the moment.

The first sign of trouble arises when Terry comforts Bianca's stepdaughter Whitney Dean (Shona McGarty) over her embarrassing attempt to kiss Johnny Carter.

While Terry is just being caring, Bianca completely misreads the situation when she walks in and spots them looking cosy. Exploding with anger, Bianca throws Terry out of her house - still haunted by what happened with Tony.
Bianca quickly realises that she has made a terrible mistake and eventually manages to reconcile with Terry, but their reunion doesn't last for long when the family receive more bad news.

When Bianca and her sister Sonia receive their gene test results, it's confirmed that one of them does have the faulty BRCA gene.

While we can't confirm which of Carol's daughters gets the news, it's this situation that pushes Bianca to end things with Terry…

EastEnders airs these scenes on Monday, April 7 at 8pm and Tuesday, April 8 at 7.30pm on BBC One.

SPOILER! Jay and Abi face new romance crisis!

Jay Brown comes close to cheating on his girlfriend Abi Branning again next week.

Jay (Jamie Borthwick) is tempted to betray Abi after their relationship comes under more strain.

A new problem for the young couple crops up when Abi (Lorna Fitzgerald) receives a conditional offer from a university in Liverpool, suggesting that her future could lie away from Walford.

Phil Mitchell (Steve McFadden) is quick to warn Jay that long-distance relationships never work, but Abi shocks her boyfriend by suggesting that he could come with her.

Jay is left feeling even worse when Abi cancels plans with him in order to enjoy a family night as her brother Oscar is paying a visit.

Feeling snubbed, Jay grows close to Lola Pearce (Danielle Harold) again and even gets involved in the young mum's relationship troubles, rowing with her boyfriend Peter Beale.

When Lola flees from the argument, Jay chases after her and almost kisses her.

As Lola runs away again, this is the moment that she is knocked down by Ronnie Mitchell in the road at the exact spot where Danielle was killed…

EastEnders airs Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays on BBC One.

SPOILERS! Lee Carter arrives with a secret!

EastEnders airs more drama for the Carter clan next week as the arrival of Mick and Linda's eldest son Lee causes a stir.

While the whole family are delighted to have the young soldier back from Afghanistan, it soon becomes clear that he is hiding a secret.

Things start off well for Lee as he reconnects with each member of his family - which includes putting his younger brother Johnny (Sam Strike) at ease by revealing that he always knew about Johnny's sexuality.

Lee also has some luck with the ladies as he catches Lucy Beale's eye and ends up having a one-night stand with her.

Despite the happy homecoming, Mick (Danny Dyer) and Linda (Kellie Bright) are quick to realise that Lee is concealing something from them - and that Stan knows much more than he's letting on.

Mick's worst fears are later realised when he catches his son preparing to abscond with help from Stan (Timothy West).

Although Lee is initially reluctant to be honest with his father, he eventually breaks down and comes clean. Why doesn't Lee want to return to the army?

As announced in January, actor Danny-Boy Hatchard has been cast as Lee following his successful stint in the 20th anniversary revival of Jonathan Harvey's Beautiful Thing in the West End.

Hatchard said earlier this year: "I'm incredibly excited to be a part of EastEnders, a show that my family and I have watched for years.

"It's an honour to have the chance to share the camera with such talented actors and I can't wait to get cracking and join the Carter family."

EastEnders airs Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays on BBC One.

Ronnie to sleep with Charlie Cotton

newcomer Charlie Cotton gets close to Ronnie Mitchell next week.

Charlie (Declan Bennett) offers comfort to Ronnie after she experiences another traumatic week on Albert Square.

The latest trouble for Ronnie (Samantha Womack) kicks off when her sister Roxy starts dating market inspector Aleks Shirov.

Worried that the relationship will spark trouble for Roxy, controlling Ronnie tries her best to come between them. However, her efforts backfire when Roxy resists her interference and a rift develops between the siblings.

Ronnie is also left horrified when she accidentally knocks down Lola Pearce in a dramatic car accident.

Charlie tries his best to console Ronnie as she confides in him about recent events and they soon end up in bed together…

EastEnders airs these scenes on Friday, April 11 at 8pm on BBC One.

Danny Dyer to take break for EastEnders?

Danny Dyer has revealed he wants EastEnders bosses to allow him to take a break from the soap.

The actor, who plays Queen Vic boss Mick Carter, has told he still wants to have a movie career.

So he is hoping that he can do both soap and movies in the future by getting time off from EastEnders.

He said: "So long as EastEnders allows it, I can flit out, go do a movie, come back to Mick Carter."

But he assured fans: "At the moment Mick's in my heart and I want to see where we can go with it."

Danny also revealed how he's pleased with the reaction he's had from fans, especially after the scenes in which his screen son, Johnny, comes out gay.

Some claimed the scenes helped them come out to their own parents.

Speaking to Attitude magazine, Danny said: "I've never had that before. I've had people come up to me after Human Traffic and go, 'I took my first E because of you', or 'I head-butted someone because I watch Football Factory.'

"I've never had anything like that - really heartfelt."

Ricky Norwood to meet with BBC over cannabis video

Ricky Norwood will meet with the BBC after reportedly being videoed smoking cannabis.

The 28-year-old actor, who plays Arthur 'Fatboy' Chubb in the soap, was also seen performing a sex act while naked on Skype, and will discuss the incident with
bosses next week.

A spokeswoman for the show said of Norwood: "We will be meeting with Ricky early next week to discuss this matter.

"We are unable to comment any further at this stage."

The video, more than eight minutes long, is thought to have been filmed recently and was captured on Skype by a woman that Norwood met online, reports The Sun.

Norwood recently revealed that he expects the soap to win more awards as the work of new executive producer Dominic Treadwell-Collins continues to come through.

He explained at the time: "I guarantee you this time next year, the favourite for the awards will be EastEnders. I think Dominic's doing a great job. He's got some great ideas and he's got a fresh new vision.

"I'm really excited actually about what is going to be coming up for Fats and for the show. There is going to be something for everybody. It's just the beginning."

Johnny and Whitney Kiss again!

 New EastEnders pictures have been released showing the moment that Whitney Dean makes a big mistake by kissing Johnny Carter.

Whitney (Shona McGarty) makes a move on Johnny during Lauren Branning's birthday celebrations, despite being well aware that he is gay.

The storyline begins when Johnny (Sam Strike) sneaks Albert Square's younger residents into Sharon Rickman's new bar for Lauren's birthday party, after their original plan falls through.

As everyone gets tipsy, Peter Beale manages to offend Whitney, and Johnny once again proves himself to be a loyal friend when he supports her.

However, when Whitney misreads the signals, she pulls Johnny in for a kiss and is left humiliated when he rejects her.

In the aftermath of her mistake, Whitney realises that she will always want more than friendship from Johnny even though she has no chance with him.

Taking some advice from Johnny's aunt Tina, Whitney decides to end their friendship - leaving him crushed.

EastEnders airs these scenes on Tuesday, April 1 at 7.30pm on BBC One.

Danny Dyer teases his first EastEnders fight scene

Danny Dyer has spoken about his first fight scene in EastEnders.

The actor - who plays Queen Vic landlord Mick Carter in the BBC soap - told Radio 1's Nick Grimshaw that he was filming his first set of punches today (March 28).

"It's a good day today because I knock someone's spark out," he told the breakfast show host.

"I can't tell you who unfortunately, but it's the first time I get to swing a dig.

"I'm in order as well," he added. "They deserve it!"
"It's one clump... and obviously it's a geezer; I wouldn't hit a woman," explained Dyer.

"He goes right over. You know, it's going to be a long day, but there'll be plenty of clumping."

The actor - who first appeared in the soap last December - recently admitted that he was frustrated that "posh boy" Benedict Cumberbatch never has problems getting taken seriously, especially when it comes to theatre work.

"I play working class people, and I get mocked for it," he told Woman magazine.

"I'm stereotyped, he's not. I've done plays at the National Theatre, come off stage and gone into the bar and I ain't got nothing in common with those people."

Jossa: 'I want Lauren to be a serial killer!'

Jacqueline Jossa decided she wants her character, Lauren Branning, to become a Walford serial killer.

And the actress hopes that her first two victims are Lauren's friend Lucy Beale and ex-boyfriend Jake Stone.

Lucy is set to be killed of in the coming weeks and Jacqueline admits that the identity of her killer is a hot topic of discussion backstage, but she hope's it's her.

She said: "Everyone keeps saying I'm the favourite to kill Lucy but no one has a clue. She could turn into this raging murderer!"

And talking about Jamie Lomas' exit as Jake, she teased: "I don't know how he goes but I've got a little bit of an inking. Maybe Lauren will do him in, too!"

Jacqueline also revealed how the cast are taking bets on who the murderer is backstage.

Speaking to the Sun, she explained: "Everyone keeps asking each other and we are all putting bets on who we think it will be.

"I've been looking at all the scripts trying to get clues. But there are so many. But then you think, 'Oh no, it can't be them' so I've got no idea.

"The writers aren't letting anything out of the bag."

Could Jacqueline be onto something when it comes to Lauren being Lucy's killer? After all, she has previously revealed she's got a big storyline in the pipeline.

Shane Richie signs up for new panto role

Shane Richie has signed up for another Christmas pantomime role.

The actor, best known for playing Walford's Alfie Moon, will take the lead part in Dick Whittington at the Wycombe Swan theatre in Buckinghamshire.

Richie previously starred as Buttons in Cinderella at the same venue last Christmas.

"Audiences in Wycombe loved Shane's unique and very funny performance as Buttons last year, and he clearly loved being here," said Simon Stallworthy, theatre director at the Wycombe Swan.

"He has a real warmth as a performer and establishes a great relationship with the audience. He's one of the top pantomime performers in the country and we are thrilled to be welcoming him back to the Swan this year.

"It will be a real treat and a chance for those that couldn't get tickets to see an actor and comedian at the top of his game in action."

Dick Whittington will run from December 13, 2014 to January 4, 2015. Tickets are already available via the Wycombe Swan's website.

Shane Richie: 'I want Babs back'

Shane Richie has said that he hopes Barbara Windsor will return to EastEnders.

The 50-year-old actor, who plays Alfie Moon in the BBC One soap, said that he believes there is "a real buzz" on the show at the moment, and that he would like Peggy Mitchell back.

Speaking to Soaplife magazine, Richie praised current executive producer Dominic Treadwell-Collins for bringing back old characters including Stacey Branning, Sonia Fowler and Jane Beale.

"There's a real buzz here now," Richie said. "Dominic Treadwell-Collins wants to tap into characters with history, so you might be seeing some old faces.

"That's good for me because when I walk down the corridor at work, I'm the only one I recognise. I'm hoping Babs [Barbara Windsor], who played Peggy Mitchell, will come back."
The actress left the show in September 2010 after first appearing in 1991, although she made a brief return in September last year.

Meanwhile, speaking about his own career, Richie also revealed a desire to go back to comedy.

"I'm thinking about returning to stand-up," he said. "I keep getting asked to do Live at the Apollo. I love the idea but it keeps me awake at night."

It was also recently confirmed that Libby Fox would be returning to Albert Square.

EastEnders cast bring us selfie heaven!

Out in the sun, the EastEnders cast showed us all how life can be enjoyable in Albert Square.

 

With their best selfie faces on (as you do!), the likes of Jacqueline Jossa, Jake Wood and others took a few pictures of their day at work earlier this week.

 

And this is the first time in a while such a big number of cast members have been spotted together. What could they be upto? Hmmm....

 

Well. According to our insiders, the cast were out in the middle of the square 'filming promotional stuff' (their words, not ours!) for the show.

 

We have a sneaky feeling the filming could be linked to the big Lucy Beale storyline.

 

Anyhow, let's take our investigative hat off for a second and enjoy these outdoor snaps. Look at the pout on Ben Hardy, James Forde and Jacqueline! Just gorgeous!

 

It's almost like they're all really famous people, with their fancy pics. Oh wait, they are!

 

But this is just too much for us to cope with, we may need an ice cream to cool down with...

 

So, who do you think has the best selfie face? Comments below please!

Hanging out with... Maddy Hill and Sam Strike

Maddy Hill and Sam Strike have a laugh between takes in these unseen behind-the-scenes pictures.

 

We don't know about you but the Carter family are definitely one of our favourites on the square and as they continue to grow in numbers, we're falling more in love with them.

 

Former Queen Vic landlords Kat and Alfie are a thing of the past and secret affairs are *so* last year!

 

Yes, because when you've got cheeky Johnny (Strike) and Nancy (Hill) causing mischief, who cares about which latest fella has gotten into bed with Kat!

 

The on-screen brother and sister get on like a house on fire but the love doesn't stop when the cameras go off. EastEnders actors Maddy Hill and Sam Strike are a great duo off-screen too.

 

To prove it, these images show them screaming for... well, for the sake of screaming. Or perhaps they were having a screaming contest? In which case, Maddy most likely won! Gosh, the gob on her!

 

Meanwhile, Sam, who celebrated his birthday in January, should just stick to what he's good at.

 

Looking hot. *drools*

 

You'll be seeing a lot more of teen Johnny as he's got himself a job at Sharon's new bar.

 

And with Lee Carter on the way, The Queen Vic isn't about to quieten down anytime soon.

Dyer: 'I get stereotyped unlike posh boy Cumberbatch'

Danny Dyer has hit out at "snobbery" within showbiz circles and said that he struggles with "playing the game".

The EastEnders actor revealed that he feels stars such as Benedict Cumberbatch are taken more seriously than him, despite his acting background.

He told Woman magazine: "You've got actors like Benedict Cumberbatch - a great actor, but he's a posh boy playing posh boys. He does it well, and he doesn't get mocked for that.

"I play working class people, and I get mocked for it. I'm stereotyped, he's not. I've done plays at the National Theatre, come off stage and gone into the bar and I ain't got nothing in common with those people.

"When it comes to playing the game, I'm rubbish. The middle-class actors are better prepped at working the system, because they've got more in common with the decision makers."

Dyer, who plays Queen Vic landlord Mick Carter in EastEnders, also revealed that the show's bosses have asked him to tone down his remarks on Twitter now that he is working for the BBC.
He said: "I sat down with the producers of EastEnders and the Twitter thing was one of their main worries. But they have to understand that they've brought me into the show for my brand and there's a side effect of that.

"They're taking a risk with me and that's what's going to make it exciting. It's tough landing as high profile [a job] as EastEnders because I have to be me but dumbed down, and I don't do that very well."

Dyer's magazine interview today sparked one tabloid report which suggested that he was already in trouble with 'hostile' show bosses over his Twitter persona, but an EastEnders spokesperson told Digital Spy that there is no truth in the claims.

Producers previously publicly supported the actor after he hit back at homophobic remarks on Twitter surrounding his on-screen son's sexuality storyline.

Lola Pearce to be run over by Ronnie Mitchell in car crash

Lola Pearce will be left fighting for her life after being run over by Ronnie Mitchell, in an upcoming episode.

Lola, played by Danielle Harold, is rushed to hospital after Ronnie (Samantha Womack) accidentally knocks her down in the middle of Albert Square.
Ronnie drives off in a rage following a fight with her sister Roxy Mitchell (Rita Simons).

Fans will have to wait to find out if Lola survives the car crash.

Ronnie has always been fond of Lola and so will naturally be devastated about what happens.

This comes just a few weeks after Lola's baby daughter Lexi was snatched by Ronnie's enemies in the late Carl White's family, although Lola isn't aware of this.

Sharon Rickman's new bar opens

Sharon Rickman opens her new bar next week.

 

Sharon (Letitia Dean) recently announced she is to launch her own business in Walford.

 

In upcoming scenes, the residents of Albert Square will turn up for the opening of Sharon's brand new bar.

 

Excited about the opening of their new establishment, Sharon and Phil (Steve McFadden) celebrate. As the pair share a kiss, will this be a new beginning for them as a couple?

 

On the night, Bianca Butcher (Patsy Palmer) enjoys the free drinks. A drunken Bianca spills a drink on Whitney and it's not long before she creates a scene.

 

When Phil looks over to see Bianca in a state, he is not happy. However, a quick-witted Sharon dives in and tries to cool Phil down.

 

Meanwhile, the Carter family arrive at the opening to support Johhny (Sam Strike) who has landed a job working behind the bar. But will things work out for Johnny?

 

These scenes air on Tuesday 1 April at 7.30pm and Friday 4 April at 8pm on BBC One.

 

 

Laurie Brett on Lucy death: 'Expect total devastation'

Laurie Brett has promised that there are "brilliant" scenes ahead on the soap as Lucy Beale's death storyline kicks off.

Cast and crew have recently been busy filming the early stages of the emotional storyline, which will see Lucy die in mysterious circumstances.

The plot will see Lucy's father Ian (Adam Woodyatt) take centre stage as he struggles to come to terms with the tragic loss of his daughter, while the grief of Brett's character Jane will also be explored.

Brett told Inside Soap: "All I can say is that there are some really brilliant scripts, and Adam Woodyatt's performance is outstanding. I think the nation should prepare themselves for total devastation.

"There are scenes being filmed that, if they don't make you cry, you must have a heart of stone. People need to order Kleenex in bulk!"

On Jane's reaction, she added: "Don't forget, Jane brought up Lucy as her own daughter. I think she will be there for Ian, but I'm not too sure how much room Jane will have to be that rock. She's going to be grieving as well."

Jane has been back on EastEnders on and off since making a shock return in January. However, Brett is still committed to filming the next series of BBC One's Waterloo Road, on which she plays Christine Mulgrew.

Discussing her commitments and the chances of Jane dating Masood Ahmed, Brett said: "Jane can't stay long, because I have to go back to Waterloo Road! But in terms of Masood, I think he and Jane worked best when they were just friends.

"Their story was originally based on the 1970s sitcom Butterflies, where there were two people who should be together, but weren't. I found that more interesting - I don't think Jane should go backwards."

Carol Jackson faces new trauma

Carol Jackson deals with her worst nightmare next week when her hair begins to drop out.

           

Carol (Lindsey Coulson) was diagnosed with breast cancer earlier this year.

           

Since her diagnosis, the matriarch has started chemotherapy in an attempt to get better. Next week, Carol will discover that she is losing hair - how will she react?

 

Fans will also know that Carol has the faulty BRCA2 gene, meaning her daughters are in danger.

 

It has been speculated that either Bianca or Sonia is to have the cancer gene, which could be passed down to their children too.

 

EastEnders bosses are currently remaining tight-lipped with regards to this particular storyline.

 

Speaking on the future of this plot, Executive producer Dominic Treadwell-Collins said: "She [Bianca or Sonia] reacts very differently to her mother.

 

"We don't want to scaremonger, we want to show every little moment of a woman going through this and the way it affects her children, brothers, sisters and parents."

 

Meanwhile, Coulson who plays Carol, commented on her character's journing: "The viewers will see it warts and all. Chemo is a toxic poison and you are not going to look great. People need to see that Carol is losing her hair. I'm for as much authenticity as possible."

 

This scene will air on Monday 31 March at 8pm on BBC One.

James Alexandrou to star in Othello on West End

James Alexandrou is to star in an upcoming West End production of Othello.

The former EastEnders actor will play Iago in the Grassroots Shakespeare London production from April 2-26.
Grassroots will be the only company performing in the West End for William Shakespeare's 450th birthday on April 26. It will be staged at London's Leicester Square Theatre.

Alexandrou is best known for playing Martin Fowler in EastEnders, and has previously performed alongside Harold Pinter.

Regular Grassroots ensemble members Boris Mitkov (Cassio) and Emily Jane Kerr (Emilia) will also star.

Nari Blair-Mangat will play Othello, while the cast is completed by Annabel Bates as Desdemona, Jim Conway as Brabantio, James Law as the Duke of Venice, John McLear as Lodovico, Christian Bart-Gitten as Herald, Helena Doughty as Bianca and Adam Blampied as Roderigo.

Blair-Mangat was nominated for the Ian Charleson Award for his role in Kenneth Branagh's Macbeth, which transfers to Broadway in June.
James Alexandrou said: "I'm honoured to be playing Iago for Grassroots. To be using their Original Practices approach seems a fitting way to celebrate Shakespeare's birthday."

Grassroots recently completed a sell-out Christmas rep season and a further season at the Old Red Lion Theatre.

Back in 2011, Alexandrou told Digital Spy that he was not interested in a return to EastEnders. His on-screen partner Sonia (Natalie Cassidy) recently came back to Albert Square.

Declan Bennett: 'I don't want Charlie to take after Nick'

Declan Bennett has said that he hopes his character Charlie Cotton doesn't take after his villainous father Nick.

The actor made his debut as Charlie earlier this month when he turned up on Dot's doorstep as she received the news that her son Nick had died.

Charlie has been trying to help Dot come to terms with her loss, but viewers have been left wondering what his true motives are.

Speaking about the plot on Lorraine today (March 25), Bennett said: "All I can say is keep watching this week and you will find out.

"We are going to have to wait and see. I don't want to take after my dad too much but that is the whole flip to the story.

"Is he there to look after his grandma and take care of her, or is he going to be going down a slightly darker route?"
Speaking about working with June Brown, who plays Dot, Bennett said: "She's an absolute legend and one of the funniest people I have ever met in my entire life.

"She's amazing - it's pure joy. We go and sit in her dressing room and drink tea and eat biscuits. She tells me about her diet and what she does with her days. She's incredible."

Bennett also revealed that EastEnders is his first proper television role after coming from a theatre background.
He said: "It's the first TV thing I have ever done. I have done a couple of little movies but it's the first big TV show I have ever done. It's so different from being on stage.

"On stage you tell an entire story from start to finish and there is an audience of a thousand people a night and you are doing the same thing eight times a week.

"Then when it was transferred to being on TV, stories on soaps never end. There is no beginning and no end - you are always in the middle of it and obviously there is no audience, so it is totally different."

Timothy West on Stan's return: 'He offends everyone'

EastEnders delves back into the Carter family's history next week as Stan comes to stay at the Queen Vic.

The storyline kicks off when Tina discovers that Stan has been in hospital and invites her father to recuperate at the pub. While Tina is optimistic over the arrangement, it's not long before Stan causes tensions by showing his true colours…

Here, Timothy West - who plays Stan - reveals what fans can expect from his character's return to screens.

How would you describe Stan - cantankerous, malevolent or lonely?"Malevolent is a bit strong. He does disagreeable things. He's certainly lonely, though he wouldn't admit that to a soul. He's getting towards the end of his life and he has very few friends because he doesn't go out very much, so he wants to be reconnected with his family.

"It's a very fractured relationship but Stan wants to be a member of the family. He wants to be the head of the family. He sees himself as the 'pater familias' in the Victorian sense. He's the head of the family and therefore deserves respect and consideration and should be the first person that the rest of the family consider.

"The rest of the family don't see it in that way, of course, and his behaviour doesn't incline them to see it that way, but that's what he really feels should happen."

The Carter family's backstory is being slowly explored rather than revealed straight away. Have you enjoyed that?
"I think that's very good and it was very surprising to me. When you do a play you know the whole story of the play before you come to rehearsals. Here, you're constantly being surprised by a new development that you didn't necessarily think was part of your character's make up. You're learning all the time, which is fascinating."

What was it like to start filming in The Vic for the first time?
"I've now done several scenes in The Vic. Although because I've been injured with a broken ankle, they've wonderfully written in an accident for Stan, which has enabled Mick to feel he has to bring him to The Vic to recuperate, but of course he's been shunted upstairs.

"Stan's got his own bed in the lounge which is a nuisance for the rest of the family, but it installs him quite well. Although he's thrown out quite a few times, but he gets back in."

What's the reason in the storyline for Stan being in hospital?"It's the same that what actually happened to me in reality - a broken ankle. Whether he has had surgery or not, I don't know, but we first see him in hospital. He's been in for a few days, so I think he has had the same surgery as I have. Having your ankle pinned means he has got to spend quite a lot of time in plaster, and eventually, he will be able to hobble about."

Once Stan moves in with the Carters, he soon shows his true colours over a family dinner. What happens?
"He manages to offend everyone because he hasn't got any kind of social tact at all. In fact, if he was confronted about not having any social tact, he would ask what social tact was and why it was necessary.

"There are members of the family that he finds more congenial than others. He likes Johnny but can't really cope with the fact he is gay, but after an initial, very rude couple of outbursts about both Tina and Johnny being gay, he warms to them both."

How does Mick react to Stan's behaviour?
"I think he blames Stan very much for things that have gone wrong to him - as well as things that he doesn't know about, things that he is confused about and things he's unhappy about. It's all so complicated. We're finding out more and more about the past history."

Do you hope that Stan's children and grandchildren will soften towards him, or do you quite like the brittleness?"No, I don't like the brittleness. I assume the brittleness has to be there in such a relationship but Stan enjoys the warmth. When Tina is kind to him, he likes that. He would like them, in a word, to be a very warm, respectful family, on his terms."

Are there any characters that you would like to share some scenes with, excluding the Carters?
"I'm afraid I'm still very ignorant about a lot of the rest of the characters, as when I get a chunk of script I just go through the scenes that happen in our family. I mean I watch EastEnders, and I am fascinated by the different stories but I don't get involved - but I have enormous respect for June Brown."

Whitney Dean cuts ties with Johnny

Johnny Carter is left disappointed next week as Whitney Dean ends their friendship.

The pair's close bond becomes strained after they have a misunderstanding during Lauren Branning's birthday party.

Lauren's celebration takes place at Sharon Rickman's new bar, as Johnny (Sam Strike) offers it up as a private party venue after landing a job there.

The night initially goes well, but when Peter Beale manages to upset Whitney (Shona McGarty), she allows her feelings for Johnny to come to the surface again and kisses him.

Although the pair later try to fix their friendship, it's clear that Whitney will always want more from Johnny, despite knowing that he is gay.

When Whitney takes on board some advice from Johnny's aunt Tina, she leaves him crushed by insisting that they can't be friends anymore.

Whitney isn't the only Albert Square resident giving Johnny a hard time, as he also has to face Sharon's wrath when she finds out about the secret party at her bar.

When Sharon (Letitia Dean) fires Johnny for his betrayal, he is left with a tough task on his hands to win back her trust.

EastEnders airs these scenes on Tuesday, April 1 and Thursday, April 3 at 7.30pm on BBC One.

Lucy Beale to hide secret in build-up to death

The build-up to Lucy Beale's death sees her hiding a secret on EastEnders next week.

Lucy, played by Hetti Bywater, isn't her usual self when Albert Square's younger residents gather to celebrate Lauren Branning's birthday.

Lauren (Jacqueline Jossa) soon becomes convinced that Lucy is keeping quiet over a secret relationship with Jake Stone, and even searches through her friend's phone for confirmation.

When Lucy catches Lauren snooping, she convinces her that nothing is going on with Jake (Jamie Lomas) - but it's clear that she is hiding something.

Later, after a mysterious phone call, Lucy's behaviour makes it obvious that she would rather be somewhere else than celebrating with Lauren.

When Lucy puts a dampener on Lauren's big night by rowing with Whitney Dean, it gives her the perfect opportunity to leave and head off to meet someone.

At the same time, Jake is busy preparing a meal for two at home. Could this be connected, or is it a red herring?
EastEnders confirmed plans to kill off Lucy last month. The mystery story will begin at Easter and run until the soap's 30th anniversary in February 2015.

A show statement recently teased: "No one knows exactly what happened to Lucy on the night she died, except very few people - even the person responsible for her death.

"Ian will start to question how well he really knew his daughter, as secrets spill out after her death. But one Walford resident has a very dark secret about what really happened the night Lucy died - and viewers will be left guessing for the rest of the year... What killed Lucy Beale?"

EastEnders airs Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays on BBC One.

Stacey Branning makes shock Archie confession

Stacey Branning has handed herself in to the police over Archie Mitchell's murder.

The shock storyline twist took place in Monday night's episode (March 24), just when it seemed like Stacey was in the clear.

The latest visit to Walford saw Stacey finally able to come out of hiding, as Janine Butcher had kept her promise and withdrawn false claims about being stabbed by her.

Unfortunately, Stacey soon realised that she was right to be hesitant over returning to Albert Square, as some of the locals like Roxy Mitchell (Rita Simons) failed to give her a warm welcome back.

When Stacey later had a heart-to-heart with Dot Branning, it hit home that her late husband Bradley paid the ultimate price for her sins.

Haunted by her guilt, Stacey called the police and finally made things right by confessing that she was responsible for Archie's demise at Christmas 2009.

Stacey appears on screen again in Tuesday's episode (March 25), which explores the aftermath of her big decision.