Latest news with #Walford
Metro
7 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Metro
EastEnders star confirms she will be back after taking a break
EastEnders actress Ellie Dadd has confirmed she will be returning to Albert Square after taking a short break from the soap to star in a festive pantomime. The 20-year-old, best known for her role as Amy Mitchell, will be stepping into the spotlight this Christmas as Belle in Beauty and the Beast at Fairfield Halls in Croydon. Theatre is nothing new for Ellie, who began performing in pantomimes at just six years old. Before becoming a familiar face in EastEnders, she built an impressive stage career, including a run in the West End production of Matilda the Musical, where she played Amanda Thripp. Her early stage experience laid the foundation for her strong on-screen presence and emotional depth as an actress. Taking on the lead role in a Christmas panto is something of a homecoming for Ellie, who has spoken about her love of live theatre and the energy it brings. The production is set to run through the Christmas season, and Ellie's role as Belle is expected to be a highlight of the show. Despite her temporary absence from EastEnders, fans of the long-running soap can rest assured that Ellie will be back. She has made it clear that her time away from Walford is only a short break and that she will resume filming once the pantomime season wraps. Since taking over the role of Amy Mitchell in 2022, Ellie has become a key part of the show, tackling some of the most hard-hitting teen storylines in recent years. Her portrayal of Amy, particularly in storylines involving self-harm and mental health, received praise from viewers and critics alike, and even earned her a nomination for Best Young Performer at the Soap Awards in 2024. More Trending Outside of her role in EastEnders, Ellie has made a name for herself through other screen appearances, including a guest spot on Silent Witness in 2020 and her debut in the 2013 short film Lipstick. She trained at the prestigious D&B Academy of Performing Arts in Bromley, which also produced EastEnders alumni Tilly Keeper and Zack Morris. In fact, Ellie was stunned to discover that her former classmates were also part of the soap when she joined the cast. A full circle to be working alongside people she trained with as a child. Ellie has also built strong friendships with her younger EastEnders co-stars, including Bobby Brazier, who plays Freddie Slater. Their off-screen bond adds to the authentic chemistry that viewers see on screen, and it's clear that Ellie has become an integral part of the soap's younger generation View More » As she prepares to dazzle audiences on stage this winter, Ellie Dadd continues to show just how versatile and committed she is as a performer. Whether she's taking on heavy-hitting soap storylines or singing and dancing in front of a live audience, she brings warmth, energy, and depth to every role. Her fans can look forward to seeing her shine in Beauty and the Beast this Christmas, and then right back in the thick of the drama in Walford in the new year. MORE: Emmerdale casts Slow Horses and EastEnders star as newcomer 'sends shockwaves' MORE: Hollyoaks star marries boyfriend as they share loved up pictures MORE: Emmerdale's Beth Cordingly shares powerful message after 'crying eyes out for five hours'
Daily Mirror
18 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Mirror
EastEnders fans stunned as soap icon returns to TV leaving them 'obsessed'
Soap fans were thrilled by the unexpected return of EastEnders star Cheryl Fergison to TV screens after she opened up on her financial struggles since leaving Walford A fan-favourite EastEnders made an unexpected return to TV, leaving viewers thrilled. Cheryl Fergison, who played the iconic Heather Trott on the BBC soap, has been open about her lack of work in recent years. The actress revealed her financial struggles after leaving the soap in 2012, and shared how she got help from a foodbank as well as EastEnders legend Dame Barbara Windsor. Following the challenging time, Cheryl has made a comeback to the small screen. She shocked viewers when she rocked up in BBC Two's comedy series Mandy. The actress made a guest appearance in the show, which is written by Diane Morgan. It follows the goings on of permanently out-of-work Mandy Carter and her best friend Lola. Mandy was forced to attend a restart scheme at her local job centre, where she encountered an unimpressed Stella, played by Cheryl. Stella only said one worked to Mandy, as she called her "dirty". Cheryl's fans were thrilled by her return to screens as one said: "Obsessed with Cheryl 'two words' Fergison. She did a cracking job." Another added: "Congrats Cheryl!" Someone else commented: "Can we talk about the amount of cameos in Mandy cuz what do u mean Cheryl Fergison and Martin Lewis casually popped up within the first ep of series 4?" A fourth declared: "Ar Cheryl is in the new season of Mandy." While on EastEnders, Cheryl racked up a huge fan following until her character was sensationally killed off. Ben Mitchell smacked her over the head with a picture frame, causing her to hit her head on the way to the floor. Life after the soap hasn't been quite so straightforward, with Cheryl opening up on her struggles earlier this year. She revealed she had turned to a food bank for help and was relying on benefits. In order to try and make ends meet, Cheryl settled for far smaller jobs including opening a Chinese takeaway in Cleveleys earlier this year. The actress told 'My health is good, but my finances will take a long time to recover. Until I have steady work, I'm not rich or comfortable—I'm just surviving. "I've been saying yes to everything for no money, but I need to start valuing my work and asking for fair pay. Even my agent insists on it.' She added: 'Still, I'll never give in. I want to keep singing. If people criticise me for singing in small restaurants, so be it. At the end of the day, I'm an entertainer. Community has always been important to me, and I'll perform no matter the crowd.' Once at the top of her game as a primetime BBC star, Cheryl fell into dire straits after she was conned out of a 'humungous' amount of money. She said on This Morning: 'There is a circumstance that started this, which I can't talk about at this moment in time, but it started to spiral. "The only way I can say it is I was conned out of a humongous amount of money. That led to the cancer thing and everything spiralled. I was robbing Peter to pay Paul. I ended up having to sell my house. Now I am living up north and renting."
Daily Mail
a day ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Karen Pirie viewers open-mouthed as EastEnders star pops up in ITV detective drama with VERY different look
Karen Pirie viewers have been left open-mouthed after a EastEnders star popped up in a new ITV detective drama with a distinctly different look. The second series of Karen Pirie, a series based on Val McDermid's Inspector Karen Pirie, fit our screens earlier this month. The show originally aired its first series on ITV in September 2022. It stars Lauren Lyle as DS/DI Karen Pirie, Chris Jenks as DC /DS Jason Murray, Zach Mywatt as DS Phil Parhatka and Rakhee Thakrar as Bel Richmond. ITVX's official synopsis reads: 'The relentless Scottish DI returns with a baffling new cold case. 'Can she crack the infamous 80s disappearance of an oil heiress and her son? BAFTA-winning drama starring Lauren Lyle.' And some have just realised where they recognise Dr. River Wilde from, the character who is Karen's best pal and professor of forensic anthropology and archaeology. Dr. River is played by actress Emer Kenny, 35, who has previously played a number of other roles in various TV shows. But many will remember her taking on the role of Zsa Zsa Carter in EastEnders in 2010. One said on the EastEnders Facebook fan page: 'Emer Kenny who played Zsa Zsa Carter is in the new ITV show Karen Pirie.' 'I thought it was her!' 'Same here I recognised her from somewhere.' The former soap star starred in 56 episodes and also appeared in the first and second series of EastEnders: E20. Her alter-ego is the daughter of Tina Carter (Luisa Bradshaw-White) and Mark Reynolds. She turned up in Walford and caused a scene after she kissed Peter Beale (Thomas Law) at a party in front of Lauren Branning (Jacqueline Jossa). Zsa Zsa then appears in E20, where her relationship with Leon Small (Sam Attwater) plays out and decides to move to France in her van because of the drama. Not only that, she's also been a screen writer for the BBC soap for three episodes, with one in 2012, another in 2013 and another the following year. One of Emer's first roles was playing Gail in Coming Down the Mountain. She later played Kate in Freefall, Rebecca in Lesbian Vampire Killers and Joan Bartlett in Eric and Ernie. Between 2012 and 2014 she played Danielle Reeves in Pramface. She also played Hope in Beaver Falls, Rachel in Badults and Izzy in Siblings. Emer took on the role of Penelope Windermere between 2017 and 2021. Most recently she's appeared in The Duchess and The Curse. The actress has also done a lot of writing over the years for various TV shows. Some include EastEnders, Doctors, Holby City, Harlots, Save Me, Karen Pirie and The Curse. Emer is married to TV presenter Rick Edwards, 46 and the couple share one son. The pair tied the knot in 2016, but met three years prior at a Jessie Cave show, with Rick proposing just six weeks later. Earlier this week ITV viewers dubbed Karen Pirie 'the new Line Of Duty ' and binged through episodes. The show is produced by World Productions, the same company behind other hits including Bodyguard and Line Of Duty. Sunday's episode saw Detective Karen investigate a challenging kidnapping case when a man's body is found. The remaining episodes of the new season will air each Sunday evening on ITV1, and will be available to stream on ITVX. The new season of Karen Pirie was well-received by some fans who took to social media to rave. One posted on X: 'Enjoyable first episode of the new series, so intriguing I immediately binge-watched the other two on ITVX!' Another chimed in: 'I thought #KarenPirie was excellent TV, looking forward to next Sunday.' Someone else said: '35 minutes in and I'm hooked. This is brilliant #KarenPirie.' 'Feel like I've been waiting a lifetime for this new series of #KarenPirie,' one fan posted. 'The new Line of Duty I think!' someone else said, according to WalesOnline. Another reportedly added: 'Watched the first three episodes already! So good.' 'Tried watching #KarenPirie but really don't care about any character past or present. Boring drama by numbers.' The new season of Karen Pirie was well-received by some fans who took to social media to rave, though not everyone was so impressed The Mail's Christoper Stevens rated the drama an impressive five out of five stars. He described the story line and various 'plots as deep and dark as a coal mine shaft'. 'The characters aren't merely well drawn — they're alive, constantly seeking to understand and learn more about each other,' the critic gushed. Karen Pirie airs on ITV1 on Sundays at 8pm and streams on ITVX.
The Irish Sun
a day ago
- Entertainment
- The Irish Sun
EastEnders cancelled TONIGHT as sports schedule chaos hits the soaps again
EASTENDERS is cancelled tonight due to a schedule shake-up with sports fixtures. Fans of the BBC soap usually tune in to watch at 7.30pm on Monday through Thursday. Advertisement 4 EastEnders will be off viewers' screens for tonight Credit: BBC 4 The BBC soap's schedule has been disrupted by sports fixtures Credit: BBC 4 Recent episodes have seen Karen Henthorn return as Julie Bates Credit: BBC However, tonight viewers will not able to check in on the residents of Albert Square. BBC One is showing coverage of the Germany vs Spain Women's UEFA Euro semi-final. Match of the Day begins at 7.30pm and will be airing until 10.10pm tonight. It will be followed by the BBC News at 10 bulletin. Advertisement Read more on EastEnders Four episodes a week of the long-running soap opera are shown on terrestrial TV. However, extended sports coverage has meant that bosses were forced to make sweeping changes to the schedule. Previously, On Monday, dedicated fans instead received a double bill of EastEnders. Advertisement Most read in Soaps Spoiler These instalments saw much-loved Nigel Bates return to Walford - after he previously left in emotional scenes. Played by Paul Bradley, the 90s favourite EastEnders legend makes a shock return just days after quitting Walford It was soon revealed Nigel is next few months. A concerned Jay Brown contacted Nigel's wife, Julie (Karen Henthorn) - who'd had no idea where he was. Advertisement Karen reprised her role following more than two decades away - and a brief voice cameo earlier this year. After an emotional farewell, Julie took Nigel from Walford, intending to return to their home in Scotland . Darkest soap storylines Over the years the likes of EastEnders, Emmerdale and Coronation Street have all tried to try outdo each other with their outlandish plots in a bid to keep us tuning in each week. But here are some of the darkest that had fans in shock... EastEnders: Tony grooming Whitney (2008-2009) - Tony King first appeared in Albert Square in 2008 as the boyfriend of Bianca, played by Emmerdale: Holly's drug addiction and shock death (2010-2016) - In 2010, Hollyoaks: Luke's rape (2000) - Actor Coronation Street: Evil Richard Hillman (2001-2003) - Just a mere mention of 'Richard Hillman' is enough to send a shiver down the spines of soap fans. He is often ranked one of the However, things took a frightening turn when he ran off during the journey. With the couple back in Albert Square, Phil proposed that all three live together - to help Nigel. Advertisement But will they all be able to co-exist under one roof? EastEnders airs on BBC One and iPlayer. 4 Oscar Branning also recently returned to Albert Square Credit: BBC
Scottish Sun
a day ago
- Entertainment
- Scottish Sun
EastEnders cancelled TONIGHT as sports schedule chaos hits the soaps again
Scroll down to find out how the schedule has changed schedule shake-up EastEnders cancelled TONIGHT as sports schedule chaos hits the soaps again Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) EASTENDERS is cancelled tonight due to a schedule shake-up with sports fixtures. Fans of the BBC soap usually tune in to watch at 7.30pm on Monday through Thursday. Sign up for the Entertainment newsletter Sign up 4 EastEnders will be off viewers' screens for tonight Credit: BBC 4 The BBC soap's schedule has been disrupted by sports fixtures Credit: BBC 4 Recent episodes have seen Karen Henthorn return as Julie Bates Credit: BBC However, tonight viewers will not able to check in on the residents of Albert Square. BBC One is showing coverage of the Germany vs Spain Women's UEFA Euro semi-final. Match of the Day begins at 7.30pm and will be airing until 10.10pm tonight. It will be followed by the BBC News at 10 bulletin. Four episodes a week of the long-running soap opera are shown on terrestrial TV. However, extended sports coverage has meant that bosses were forced to make sweeping changes to the schedule. Previously, EastEnders episodes were shown to viewers early on iPlayer due to coverage of the 2025 Wimbledon tennis tournament. On Monday, dedicated fans instead received a double bill of EastEnders. These instalments saw much-loved Nigel Bates return to Walford - after he previously left in emotional scenes. Played by Paul Bradley, the 90s favourite returned to the square last year after a 26-year absence. EastEnders legend makes a shock return just days after quitting Walford It was soon revealed Nigel is battling early onset dementia - with childhood friend Phil Mitchell taking care of him over the next few months. A concerned Jay Brown contacted Nigel's wife, Julie (Karen Henthorn) - who'd had no idea where he was. Karen reprised her role following more than two decades away - and a brief voice cameo earlier this year. After an emotional farewell, Julie took Nigel from Walford, intending to return to their home in Scotland. Darkest soap storylines Over the years the likes of EastEnders, Emmerdale and Coronation Street have all tried to try outdo each other with their outlandish plots in a bid to keep us tuning in each week. But here are some of the darkest that had fans in shock... EastEnders: Tony grooming Whitney (2008-2009) - Tony King first appeared in Albert Square in 2008 as the boyfriend of Bianca, played by Patsy Palmer. But it was quickly revealed he was a paedophile who had been grooming vulnerable Whitney, Bianca's adopted stepdaughter from a previous relationship, since she was 12. The shocking storyline attracted more than 200 complaints within a week of it beginning. Whitney waited until her 16th birthday to reveal the truth to a horrified Bianca, who called the police. Emmerdale: Holly's drug addiction and shock death (2010-2016) - In 2010, Holly Barton (played by Sophie Powles) became Emmerdale's first teenage drug addict. The shocking storyline saw her taking cocaine on a night out before developing a deadly heroin habit. Parents John and Moira desperately tried to help get their daughter clean but when Holly returned in 2016, following a four-year absence, she quickly relapsed. Fans were left stunned and heartbroken when distraught Moira found Holly dead in her bed from a heroin overdose. Hollyoaks: Luke's rape (2000) - Actor Gary Lucy was just 17 when he took on this groundbreaking storyline, which saw his character Luke Morgan become soap's first male rape victim. Luke had endured a long-running bullying campaign by football rival Mark Gibbs - who raped him after Luke stood up to him. Luke was left suicidal following the brutal attack, before opening up to his brother Adam. Gibbs was sentenced to eight years in prison. Gary won the Best Actor gong at the British Soap Awards in 2000 for his performance. Coronation Street: Evil Richard Hillman (2001-2003) - Just a mere mention of 'Richard Hillman' is enough to send a shiver down the spines of soap fans. He is often ranked one of the most evil soap villains and it's not hard to see why. The smooth-talking financial adviser bashed his ex-wife Patricia over the head with a shovel. In a bid to keep his mother-in-law Audrey quiet, he set fire to her house. And when Maxine caught him trying to murder Emily Bishop, he took a crowbar to her head. He made his exit from the cobbles in 2003 when he drove Gail Platt, played by Helen Worth, and her family into the canal. They survived, but he didn't. However, things took a frightening turn when he ran off during the journey. With the couple back in Albert Square, Phil proposed that all three live together - to help Nigel. But will they all be able to co-exist under one roof? EastEnders airs on BBC One and iPlayer.
