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00:04EastEnders, one of Britain's best-loved soaps.
00:07It's always been evolving, it's always been pushing it.
00:11We've been given access to Albert Square to take a look at how the show is celebrating its 40th birthday.
00:18Can we ever do this game?
00:19Over the last four decades, we've heard some classic lines.
00:23Get out of my pub!
00:24You ain't my mother!
00:25Doing niche.
00:26Oh, I say.
00:27And seen dramatic cliffhangers.
00:34Who would actually move to Walford? There's a chance you could be murdered or kidnapped.
00:39He's alive!
00:43Over the years, Walford's residents haven't had it easy.
00:47A psychiatrist or a psychotherapist would have a field day with Cindy.
00:51And as the show celebrates its ruby anniversary, that's no different.
00:55Hello, bruv.
00:55With a live and interactive episode sure to cause some drama.
01:00We speak to some of Walford's longest-serving residents as we go behind the scenes of EastEnders.
01:09Albert Square, an iconic landmark and nobody knows it better than this man.
01:15You've owned most of the street, haven't you?
01:17I've owned most of it.
01:18I've lived in most of it.
01:19I've been hung with something and a lot of it.
01:21Adam Woodyott has been in EastEnders since the first episode back in 1985.
01:29Hey, Pops.
01:30What are you doing here?
01:31Come and get me dinner, mate.
01:32He's agreed to give me a tour of one of London's most famous squares.
01:36All right.
01:37Here we are.
01:38Thanks, Mum.
01:39You keep me and your mother now in first then, sir.
01:41I'll leave it out.
01:42Dad, I'm playing Mark on the machines.
01:43That money's meant to pay for your dinner.
01:45You're playing with me own money.
01:48Where are we?
01:49Where are we?
01:51Weatherfield.
01:51No.
01:52No.
01:53We're in Warford's.
01:54And possibly my favourite settler, Kath.
01:57Why isn't you like so much about this?
01:59I've just got lots of memories of stuff in there that we did.
02:02And you could always do something.
02:05I used to cook in there.
02:08When all the bits of gas and stuff were working, five to one, I'd actually make lunch.
02:17Ian also had this as Bill's Market.
02:21Oh, and I forgot, we also, back over there, you had Ian Bill Finance over there.
02:26Oh, yeah?
02:27Yeah, that was over there.
02:28How many jobs have you had?
02:30Oh, too many.
02:32Possibly my least favourite set.
02:34I'm probably going to get in trouble with the boss for saying that.
02:36Why?
02:37Just one minute.
02:37Technically, it's a real pain to shoot in it.
02:41The sound booms can't move, so they end up being stationary.
02:44So that's one problem.
02:46We've got to shoot off through the window, so we can't shoot this way.
02:50It looks great.
02:51You got punched in there recently?
02:53I've been punched everywhere.
02:55And I've been punched by most people.
02:58It's probably easier to list the people who haven't punched me.
03:01Everyone's had a pop.
03:04I've got a pop.
03:05Hey!
03:07Hey, mate, it's out of the front.
03:09Phil, what are you doing?
03:11His character, Ian Beale, has had every kind of storyline thrown at him, from homelessness
03:16to heartbreak.
03:17I've got nothing left!
03:21I've got nothing left!
03:24I've got nothing left!
03:24I must get sent something to do with that on a daily basis.
03:31Do you know what?
03:32I pulled somebody up in a supermarket, because they came up.
03:36I've got nothing left!
03:38I've got nothing left!
03:39I've got nothing left!
03:39I went, you do realise that scene was about my dead daughter?
03:43He went, no, no, no, it's because you've got no money left!
03:45You've got no money left!
03:45I went, no!
03:47It was about his daughter.
03:50Oh.
03:52Sorry.
03:53Do you have some people come up and ask you to do it?
03:55They do, but it doesn't usually get a very good response out of me.
04:01For the 40th anniversary, would you do a special one?
04:04No.
04:05I've got nothing left.
04:06I know, but when I start to feel trapped...
04:09Ian has certainly had a lot of dramatic moments.
04:12He was even shot by a hitman hired by his wife, Cindy.
04:17Are we in a wheelchair?
04:21That's very memorable, because I was also very heavily pregnant at that point.
04:25Eight months pregnant.
04:27And Cindy did try to stop the hitman, but there were no mobile phones in those days.
04:31So she did go to the call box to try and kind of say,
04:35no, no, please don't do it, but they didn't answer.
04:37Cindy Beale, played by Michelle Collins, returned to the square in 2023
04:42after leaving in the late 90s.
04:45I originally went up for the part of Punk Mary.
04:48Oh, yeah.
04:49And I didn't get that. It was called E8 in those days.
04:52And then I, three years or so later, there was this part of Cindy who worked on a hat stall.
04:58It was for 11 episodes.
05:01And I obviously stayed. I enjoyed it.
05:04You must have been around to that thing somehow.
05:06Yeah, but we'll probably end up with the title again.
05:07Come on, Simon.
05:09See you, Wixie.
05:10How much do you like Cindy?
05:14I'm not sure I'd want her to be my best friend, put it that way.
05:17Cindy doesn't have many friends either.
05:19But I do kind of enjoy playing her because I never quite know where it's going to go.
05:23And every actor loves a challenge and some are playing a character that's quite complex.
05:29And, yeah, unpredictable. She's certainly unpredictable.
05:34A psychiatrist or a psychotherapist would have a field day with Cindy.
05:40Is Colin anywhere? Oh, there he is. I've been hanging about for it. How are you, buddy?
05:44This is where you're working at the moment.
05:45This is where I am at the moment.
05:46And it's funny because as we're not using it at the moment, it becomes a storeroom.
05:51So if I was to take you in there, it's just full of rubbish at the moment.
05:54Mate, you didn't hear that from me, OK?
05:55Hey, so Alfie did it, didn't he?
05:56Yeah. No snow, though, is there, mate?
05:58Yeah, yeah, yeah. Sorry about that.
06:00Shane Ritchie joined EastEnders in 2002.
06:03His character Alfie Moon is best known for his cheeky, chappy demeanour
06:08and on-and-off-again relationship with Cat Slater.
06:12I mean, I was really fortunate when they created Alfie
06:15because there was a lot of alpha males.
06:16And when I came in, it was kind of loosely based.
06:19Certainly the moons were based on the trotters.
06:21Ned! What are you doing here?
06:23Oh, hello, puppet. How are you, darling?
06:27Give us a kiss, you old devil!
06:30Tony Jordan, who created the family,
06:31and he was a big fan of John Sullivan, who created Only Fools and Horses.
06:36So he wanted to create a family similar.
06:37So you had Alfie Spencer and Nana Moon.
06:40So when Alfie came in, like I said, there was a lot of alpha males.
06:42Martin Kemp had just gone, Ross Kemp was still in the show,
06:44and all these big, like obviously Phil Mitchell.
06:46But when Alfie came in,
06:48here was a guy that just looked after his nan and his brother.
06:50And I think it was all about timing.
06:54Daddy said your name again, on telling.
06:56EastEnders have planned a bumper celebration for their 40th.
06:59The run-up has been full of nostalgia.
07:02Oh, look, there's Pauline.
07:03Is that our banana?
07:04Smiling for once.
07:06Not for long.
07:07And lots of characters have made their way back to the square.
07:14When they call you prawny?
07:16Shrimpy, but that'll do.
07:17You can leave your own, son.
07:18Yeah, I'm prawny.
07:20Bianca.
07:23Dad.
07:24I loved Michael French coming back, who played David Wicks.
07:27I loved working with Michael.
07:28He's such a great actor.
07:29And Cindy and David had such a great chemistry together.
07:34It's great to see Ross back.
07:35It's great to see these old faces.
07:37It really is.
07:38We might want to see a friendly face.
07:44Hello, bruv.
07:45We were speculating amongst ourselves for months and months.
07:49Would he do it or not?
07:50Would he do it?
07:51And yeah, it's been great having him back in.
07:53Will he manage to get a documentary out of it?
07:55So that probably helped, yeah.
07:57Yeah, he has got a documentary out of it, yeah.
07:58I am coming for you, Ian.
08:00One of the episodes is broadcast live,
08:03which of course comes with a whole host of challenges.
08:07Even if you've done a lot of theatre,
08:09which I have and a lot of people have,
08:11I think there's nothing like a live episode.
08:14Because, at least in the theatre,
08:15if you draw you can make something up
08:17or you just say the wrong,
08:18whereas in a live, no.
08:19I think people are very, very nervous.
08:22But I think there's a lot of rehearsal going on
08:24and I think it's...
08:26I just hope people won't be watching
08:28to see who messes up.
08:29I've done a few lives,
08:30and so have some of the cast,
08:31but it's a lot of the ones that have never done a live.
08:33Some of the new characters that have come in the show
08:36over the last couple of years
08:37and I see them walking around
08:38and there's an air of anticipation
08:40and nerves and all that.
08:41Worry.
08:42Worry and pleasure.
08:43And I keep getting...
08:44Shane, please don't head-lib.
08:45Shane, please don't...
08:46Just don't improvise.
08:47Just stick to the script, Shane.
08:48I'm going, alright.
08:49Okay, I will do.
08:50It's going to go wrong for someone, isn't it?
08:52You know what?
08:52That's my biggest fear call,
08:53is that people are going to tune in
08:54maybe to see something go wrong,
08:56and in all the ones we've done over the years
08:57there's some famous ones
08:58where you can go and check them out.
08:59Oh no, I'm not here for the wedding.
09:01This blooper from the 30th anniversary
09:03hit the headlines
09:04when an actor referred to Ian Beale
09:06by the wrong name.
09:07I couldn't miss a big day, could I?
09:10Even if it does mean
09:10bumping into the bold ginger one.
09:13How's Adam?
09:18We all felt for Jug.
09:19You've got to think how she felt.
09:20Look, whenever anybody mentions a live now,
09:23that's what gets mentioned.
09:26She can't escape from it.
09:27I remember she came into,
09:28because we're all in different studios,
09:30and Jo's come in
09:30and she's shaken up.
09:34Really, really shaken up.
09:34We're all sort of looking at her
09:35and going, what's the matter?
09:36What's the matter?
09:37And she just went,
09:38you'll find out.
09:39Any one of us,
09:40any one of us could get it wrong.
09:44And it's the pressure of it.
09:46The crew could get something wrong.
09:48We could get something wrong.
09:51This is the first time EastEnders
09:54have allowed the audience
09:55to cast their vote on a storyline,
09:57deciding which man Denise Fox ends up with.
10:04It was really mad.
10:05We've known about that now for months.
10:07And when they said,
10:08I don't know if it's like a pressure red button.
10:10We're not sure I think you've got to go on a website.
10:12We're all like, how's this done?
10:13No one's ever done it before.
10:14EastEnders seems to constantly have its finger on the pulse
10:18of what's happening technology-wise.
10:20And for the audience at home to go,
10:22no, I'm not sure about this,
10:23just press that.
10:24It's always done stuff that other people haven't.
10:30Whether it's with the storylines or with production,
10:33it's always been evolving.
10:35It's always been pushing it.
10:37But we've had so many storylines
10:39that have highlighted things
10:41and shown it to people and informed them
10:45without trying to be too preachy.
10:48We've tried to make it part of reality.
10:51This ain't some big love story, you and him.
10:53It's wrong.
10:54Why, because he's yours?
10:55No, because you're a child.
10:57EastEnders certainly has always pushed boundaries
10:59with its storylines.
11:01This kiss on the forehead was the first ever
11:04between two men on a soap
11:05and caused a record number of complaints.
11:08And Mark Fowler's HIV diagnosis
11:10raised awareness
11:11when it was watched by millions.
11:13What they call...
11:16HIV?
11:19Format-wise, there have been spin-offs
11:21with Kat and Alfie...
11:27...and another which was a web series
11:29focusing on the younger characters.
11:32And Dot Cotton's monologue episode
11:35earned June Brown a BAFTA nomination
11:38for Best Actress.
11:39Hello, Jim.
11:41It's me, Dorothy.
11:44The first ever live episode
11:46was made for the 25th anniversary.
11:49And more recently,
11:51there were episodes created
11:52specifically for TikTok.
11:54I think it's kind of genius
11:57and I think they're very...
11:58You know, Chris, particularly the producer,
11:59is very good at coming up with kind of different ideas
12:03and to attract probably younger audiences.
12:06You know, you have to kind of give people
12:07kind of what they want.
12:08And TV, as we know, is all changing.
12:11So, I think the interactive idea is great.
12:17Now, people might not know your name,
12:19but they might recognise your face.
12:21Explain.
12:22I'm Jane.
12:24I'm Jane.
12:24And I've played Tracy for 40 years.
12:27We'll shut her around, please, Tracy,
12:28and make it straighter.
12:29Even though Tracy is mostly a background character,
12:32she's well-known and well-loved by fans
12:35and has been in it from the very beginning.
12:38I have brought the clip of you
12:40in the very, very first episode.
12:43No!
12:4340 years ago.
12:44You can talk us through this.
12:46Yeah.
12:48Oh, my gosh.
12:48That's me on the left.
12:49With the hood up?
12:51Yeah, with the hood up.
12:51And then he steals a flower and it pops.
12:53Yeah.
12:53Yeah, yeah, yeah.
12:54Oi.
12:55Oi.
12:55There you are, first episode. Oi.
12:57There you go.
12:58She's most well-known for working
13:00behind the bar in the Queen Vic.
13:02Don't even think about it.
13:03Ever kicked anyone out of it?
13:05No.
13:06She wouldn't dare kick anyone out,
13:07but she's been there behind people
13:10that have kicked people out.
13:12Off touch.
13:13There have certainly been some fiery landlords
13:15and ladies in the past four decades.
13:17You get out of my pub right now.
13:20Get out of my pub.
13:21Get out of my pub.
13:24Get out of my pub.
13:25Get out of my pub.
13:26Get out of my pub.
13:27Out.
13:27Of.
13:28My.
13:29Pub.
13:30Um.
13:31Get out of my pub!
13:34No, I… mean it.
13:4040 years of his standards, can you believe it?
13:44I know, I started here when I was 11.
13:46Why has it lasted 40 years?
13:48I think because it's been cutting-edge drama for a long time
13:51and some of the issues it's dealt with over the years, it's drama.
13:58So some things are exaggerated, of course,
14:02and you've only got like half an hour to tell a story.
14:04And I think it's at its best when it is dealing with sensitive subjects
14:12and, of course, with the BBC and EastEnders,
14:16we've got a whole team behind the scenes that will do their research
14:20and that's the strength of the show.
14:22But also, the flip side of that is some, I mean, who would move to Walford?
14:27Let's be honest, Colin.
14:28Who would actually move to Walford?
14:30There's a chance you could be murdered or kidnapped.
14:32Divorce rates.
14:33Divorce rates high or thrown off the building.
14:35You know, prices have dropped.
14:42How long can it keep going?
14:45I reckon we've got about another year.
14:47No, I know.
14:48I reckon.
14:49No, as long as we still have the best exec producers,
14:52the best writers, the best story editors, the best producers,
14:57costume, wardrobe, make, everybody.
14:59I think we can just keep going as long as we want it to, you know.
15:03And hopefully it'll just, you know, there'll be new stories,
15:07new characters coming.
15:10And I think the future is really exciting.
15:12There's going to be a lot of changes happening on EastEnders.
15:16There's going to be a lot of changes, but all for the better.
15:22I just think it's an amazing programme.
15:24And it sounds really, you know, but genuinely,
15:28the programme means a lot to me.
15:31The people that I work with are incredible.
15:34And it's just, it's like nothing else.
15:36And it just keeps being amazing and tackling all sorts of incredibly important issues.
15:45If you'd have asked 16-year-old me if I thought I'd still be here 40 years later
15:50at the age of 56, no, I wouldn't, I didn't think I'd get,
15:56I'd get through the first 18 months.
15:59But no, I'm still here.
16:01We've moved it.
16:02It's changed a lot.
16:05Landscape, the TV's changed.
16:07But it's still, it's still the heartbeat of the BBC's schedule.
16:14And it's still delivering what the audience wants.
16:18And I think this 40th anniversary is,
16:21it's up there with some of the best stuff we've done.
16:24It's, it's pretty spectacular.
16:26So there we have it.
16:28Happy 40th birthday, EastEnders.
16:31Now.
16:32Get out of my pub.