Exclusive: Q&A with Bryan Kirkwood
Charlotte recently caught up with Executive Producer Bryan Kirkwood to ask him some quickfire questions about the show.
Having been at EastEnders for a while now, how have you found the experience of working on the show?
The last year has been an immensely rewarding experience, with plenty of highs and a few lows!
What has been your favourite storyline over the past 12 months?
I'm not being controversial when I say that the Kat & Ronnie baby swap story remains very dear to my heart. I acknowledge that some of the audience found some elements a tough watch, however for me it delivered an un-missable plot with best-ever performances from Sam, Jessie, Shane and Scott.
A number of new characters will be making their debut over the summer. Are you able to tell us anything about them?
Tyler and Anthony will be joining their dad, Eddie. They will bring a much-needed shot of youthful testosterone to the show. They're fun, full of energy, and are great additions to the younger cast. Polly Perkins has joined us to play Dot's long-lost half-sister, Rose, and her arrival heralds the next chapter in Dot's time on the show. And I can't wait to have Nicola Stapleton back as Mandy, who will be like a hurricane blowing through Albert Square.
Many of the show's characters in recent years have been strong women (such as Ronnie, Stacey, Tanya & Zainab). There aren't so many commanding male characters, Max and Phil aside. With the arrival of Eddie Moon & his two boys will we see a change in direction on this front?
I think this is a fair point, for me EE is the male-est of the soaps, and with fantastic men like Grant and Den in the past, I really think it's time to redress the balance. Steve John Shepherd is doing brilliant work as Michael, and Eddie, Tyler and Anthony bring more blokey energy to the show.
With Zoe Lucker leaving later in the year, do you wish she had been used more?
It's fair to acknowledge that Zoe has been under-used, but we will see Vanessa come into her own over the coming months.
In a recent interview with Inside Soap, you revealed that Ann Mitchell will be reprising her role as Cora Cross. Can you tell us any more about this?
With the loss of Barbara Windsor, I was keen to find a new matriarch for the show, and Ann Mitchell is a dream booking. I've always been a fan of her work, and with the storyline we've got planned, we'll wonder how we ever did without Cora.
Some viewers have been concerned over the loss of Peter and Lucy Beale from the show and what this means for the future of the Beale family. Do you have any plans for Ian in their continued absence?
For me, Ian remains one of our most important characters, and he's got a huge new story coming soon, which gives him an exciting new direction. Without giving too much away, the Beale family will continue to be at the heart of EastEnders.
We've recently seen Christian and Syed become engaged and looking into the idea of adoption. In a recent interview you revealed that there were plans to make them central to the show, can you tell us more on this?
Christian & Syed are in an exciting place right now. We, the audience, know that Amira's out there, but does she have his child? We've enjoyed talking about this recently, so keep watching.
Finally, with the announcement Coronation Street are planning more weeks with episodes running in the 9pm slot and given your experience with Hollyoaks Later, would you ever consider doing a post watershed edition of EastEnders where more risky material could be shown?
No, we'd never take EastEnders post-watershed. It's established in its time-slot, and personally I wouldn't want to risk alienating any of the audience.
Comments
Bryan Kirkwood
I hate what he`s done to EastEnders especially the awful baby-swap that he`s so proud of. Kat & Alfie should never have been brought back & the same goes for Ricky & Bianca but I don`t know if that was down to him. That could have been the previous useless EP Diederick Santer. There have been some great EPs these two aren`t amngst them, BK is the worst.
Is there any chance of him being fired any time soon? He`s not up to the job of being EP at EastEnders.
Wow, such a lovely comment
Wow, such a lovely comment I'm following. Someone calling for a man to lose his job? Wow.
Anyway, I think Bryan's done a fine job at straightening up the mess Santer left the show in after the awful live episode. I look forward to seeing where the show goes from here, especially with Ian's story... PLEASE be Kathy!!!
Kathy's dead!!
Kathy's dead!!
is amira returning????
is amira returning????
yeaah
yeaah
Why the harsh words for
Why the harsh words for Bryan? I think he is doing a great job and yes, i was a tad wary of him when he started, but i think he is doing a GREAT job now with the show. The characterisation is great and the storylines are solid. He's doing a great job.
is bryan kirkwood bringing
is bryan kirkwood bringing back amira for cryed?
i think she is coming back
i think she is coming back yea
Autographs
Hi Bryan
I wanted to ask you. Someone has told me that if a actor in the show gets a autograph reqst from a fan they r only allowed to send the fan a autograph if they get your permission, they have to sign it in front off you also.
Is this true?
Cheers
What a ridiculous question!
What a ridiculous question!
ronnie
hi
i would just like to say i am so angry with the writers of eastenders what you have done to ronnie is sick to give her danielle back and take her away within seconds and the same with james is horrable dont you have hearts she has been throught enought and yet again you give her more heart ache with michael setting her up for these things she did nothing wrong ok she took tommy by mistake she is was grieveing you took james away from her you have given the toughest time on eastenders and it isnt fair you gave a monster of a father archie and all this heart ache the poor woman ronnie is my faviroute charcter i she will be sadly missed and i hope she dosent go to prison but knowing you lot you will be evil and you will send her away dosent she deserve happyness with her lovely husband jack i think so what you have done to her i am apolyed to watch the show and if i am honest after she is gone i dont think i will beecause without her the show is nothing
TANYA'S RED BAG
I LOVE TANYAS BIG RED BAG, ANYONE KNOW WHERE SHE GOT IT?
Try New Look. They get a lot
Try New Look. They get a lot of their stuff from their.
good website
good website
Acting
Hi,
You proberly get asked this alot but I'm sixteen years of age struggling with my acting career? Eastenders has always been the heart of our household, All watching it religiously all year round (espeically at christmas) and it has always amazed me with its great, strong and emotional storylines and i have always made a goal to myself that one day i will appear on the iconic show one day. I was just wondering if you could possibly forward me through email about catsing/auditions, if someone like me who if 100% focused on drama and everything about it and your interested let me asap you would be a great help. if not help with how to get far in the acting world as you are such a asset in the business it would be massivly helpfull.
thankyou if you could help (fingers crossed)
Josh
Acting
Josh,
This question comes up a lot and everyone would love the opputunity to be on Eastenders or anything on TV to be honest.
Unfortunately most television programmes such as Eastenders find their cast members through agents that the actors or actressess, and a lot of them also attended drama schools such as Sylvia Young, The Brits or Stagecoach.
I would reccomend visit the drama school websites and seeing if it's something you are passionate about as funding is a huge part in this.
I would advise you not to pay to audition or an agent as 9 times out of 10 these are scams.
Don't give up on your ambition, dreams do come true. (Trust me)
All The Best,
Hetti
i just wanted to ask, does
i just wanted to ask, does anyone know how to get an eastenders autograph, and if you do how long does it take to get back to you?
Recieving an autograph from EE.
Hey,
Unfortunately BBC cast are extremely busy to send personal autographs to fans.
Bring back real characters !!!
I think too many characters on Eastenders are now superficial. Syed and Christian first, their storyline goes nowhere. This gay plot about adoption and marriage is useless and so badly played, it doesn't add anything new to the show. For me it's like a personal message producers or writers of this show try to broadcast for gay rights !!!
The new Moons can't act, Anthony is the worst with this very irritating voice.
Jean Slater is lost on the show now but her interaction withStacey was great before
Max Branning has always been irritating and again his storylines always come back to this addiction for sex no matter which partner it can be.
I do miss Peggy, Stacey, Bradley, Sean or even Jake Moon or a real baddie on the square! Come on ! Bring back a real baddie like Johnny Allen, these were good times !
I do beg to differ. I see it
I do beg to differ. I see it as a serious matter of "Family Honor" and the dreadful consequences this gay relationship. In Saudi Arabia Syed might well be excuted ot lashed within an inch of his life!
great interview thanks
great interview thanks
Get rid of this new breed of loser characters!
EastEnders has been ruined by all these stupid new characters! Bring back the good old ones that had some substance. All these new young brats are downright irritating. The Christian/Syed storyline is boring.
Now I hear Pat is leaving. That is a travesty! I don't blame her, being stuck with the storylines she's been given.
The Billy, Julie and the bad girl granddaughter is too much to bear.
Zoe Lucker Traversty!
Zoe Lucker and the character of Vanessa, slow burning as it has been, has played out very well, the explosive reaction tonight from Vanessa made Zoe the stand out performance for me.
As a life long fan, I URGE you not to get rid of Zoe Lucker, the character is fascinating, and has so much more to give than some of the other frankly, awful new additions....Tyler Moon??
Bryan Kirkwood...start listening to fan opinion...read Digital Spy forums where hundredddddddds of people commenting on tonights affair reveal ep are flabberghasted you could waste such n oppurtunity to develop a character!!
Bryan has done a good job, but there are far too many episodes in between the fantastic stuff like tonights that are total drivel...like monday the 8th...terrrrible!
Love the show, always have, but I'm worried, as the other night I actually looked at me phone for the time and when I saw it had 10 minutes to go I was annoyed!
Tonight was a stonker! KEEEP VANESSA!!!
How do we actually get in touch with them @ Eastenders throughthe web?
:O))
new and old chracters
gring back a baddie would be a great idea with nasty nick gone we would need a new one pretty soon i reckon it could be sean slater he did leave the show in 2008 but he did'nt die
new storyline that Jay Mitchell to be in love with bad girl Lola pearce that Abi branning dosent like she does fancie Jay but after the break up Jay is to get a new life with Lola That leaves Abi to find someone new i reckon it will be craig moon
is there any chance stacey
is there any chance stacey and sean will be back miss em loads and would love to seee a stacey/ ryan reunion plus please bring back sean
EastEnders does a good job
EastEnders does a really good job and i think it is time that people do take note of the storylines and the issues that they are showing because it can help you.
I am a massive fan of the show and i'm really proud of the work they put into it. The storyline involving Stacey on Christmas was amazing and it was a really good epsode.
Shona Mcgarty (Whitney) does a brilliant job. I'm not saying this because my brother knew her but seriously she does and i think that she could be the next Stacey Slater.
I can not wait for Beanca to come out of prison and see what she has been upto
I think Bryan does a amazing job and this is completly diffrent to Hollyoaks and Coronation Street and it must be hard not to make EastEnders like Hollyoaks or Coronation Street. And he done it.
Well Done EastEnders!!!!
From
Jordan Smith
Bryan
Well I think Bryan is wonderful !!! He 's doing a fantastic job Love him
brian u shud bring back
brian u shud bring back Stacey Slater to eastenders
BRING BACK SEAN SLATER
Rob Kazinsky was a brilliant Sean Slater, is there any chance of him coming back?
ryan and stacy
i think you should bring back ryan and stacy.there story line was grate and it mad me cry.i all so think you should bringg her back because it would get wright up jannines nose i really done like her she is a proopper bi**h.
I also think the story line
I also think the story line about kat and ronnie and the babys was wrong and really out of order.
tanya
tan really is a darling annd i really fell sorry for her. my best mate went though that and it realy is not nice i really dont think she should go thought t on her own.evey gal needs her mum.i think she should tell her mum so she will have someone there for her.
New Faces
Hi Bryan
I was just wondering if you would ever think of opening up auditions for people like me who would love to be in Eastenders just like the x factor but for up and coming actors you never know what you might come across and for us who like to be someone else their just isn't anything out there for us where to we begin we just need someone in the know, could you please consider it as I am out of work and would love the opportunity to audition for you I've been told I'm pretty good and can cry easily without any help I've had plenty of expierence there.
Kind Regards
Heather Adams (tink)
No - they never do that. If
No - they never do that. If you want a chance you will have to apply to agencies, those which EastEnders contact for castings. You'd have to beat off professional actors that have trained for years, so you may have to be more than "pretty good", unless you are a very strong natural talent (even most of these will train for a long time). If you enjoy acting, why not take part in something not on national television - amateur clubs - if you are determined, hard-working and lucky you could end up doing some work one day.
SUZIE BRANNING
Thanks for bringing some great actors to Eastenders such as Polly Perkins and Ann Mitchell.
However, I would really love to see Maggie o'Neill reprise her role as Suzy Branning, she was fantastic. Maybe Samantha Womack leaving would leave the door open for her.
Moreover, PLEASE GIVE PAT THE SEND OFF SHE DESERVES!!! It would be so nice to see a happy departure for a character that has become integrated with modern British culture.
Overall, well done for bringing some long deserved humour to the show.
cannot bear saeed and
cannot bear saeed and christian
Christmas Party
I was wondering if there was plan to have a Christmas Party this year agian now Shane Richie is back.
Just like the ones that you guys had in 2003-2004.
Loving tanya storyline as it
Christmas
don't let Phil Mitchell be killed off at Christmas eastenders would not be the same whit out him you need to bring more Mitchell family in.
tanya is the best thing about
tanya is the best thing about eastenders
Acting
I have really enjoyed EE when DAN and Angie was around, also sharon and Grant, great preformers and bring out the emotions in the charachter very well, However I must say that EE has not been as good since they have gradually gone................I dont feel that bringing in the Monn Brothers, has done any JUSTICE to EE, They can not act and ppl say give them a chance............well i have but i dont feel that these to boys can ACT. Do sumat good for a change and GET RID OF EM, what a waste of time. MAYB we can bring back some of the old skook EE charachters like sharon, grant and stacey. PLEASE. I can stand the MOON brothers they annoy me.
Acting
I have really enjoyed EE when DAN and Angie were around, also sharon and Grant, great actors as they could bring out the emotions in the charachter very well, However I must say that EE has not been as good since they have gradually gone................I dont feel that bringing in the Moon Brothers, has done any JUSTICE to EE, They can not act and ppl say give them a chance............well i have but i dont feel that these two boys can ACT. Do sumat good for a change and GET RID OF EM, what a waste of time. MAYB we can bring back some of the old skool EE charachters like sharon, grant and stacey back. PLEASE. what were you thinking signing them two up, they do not know how to act. These two are a discrace to the youth and bring out no such thing as a blokey feel to the show. GET more like a phil and Grant bond thats what u call blokey that will put all the spices u need to lift the show.
On a positive note STEVE JOHN SHEPARD IS A FANTASTIC CHARACHTER.
Muslim culture in Eastenders.
Please excuse my dreadful name spelling. The Masoud storyling is truly terrifying indeed. Zanaibs treatment at the hands of her new husband is all too true for the thousands of women who, once married become the property of the man. This happens in so many Islamic countries through the world and alas, here in Britian too. These women need urgent help and support now. Eastenders has done a great service in highlighting this cultural and religious outrage.
BRING BACK KATE WILLIAMS
With Pat gone now. Some strong femail characters are needed. Please bring back the excellent character actress Kate Williams. She was great as Liz Turner.
beg to differ on characters
After reading through all the comments, I would like to know if communities similar to our beloved, fictional Walford continue to have the same residents over a 30 year period or if new blood moves in. Calling for old characters to return seems ludicrous. Just watch reruns if you miss them so badly. Not everyone has been watching since 1984. When Mandy appeared outside the strip club, I felt completely in the dark since I've been watching for only ten years. Instead bring in new, strong characters who draw in new viewers while keeping the old. The whole Zainab/Dr. Kahn story certainly kept me glued. I must agree that the Christian and Syed has gone on, and on and on.
Also, I know accents play a big part on the British culture. You can certainly have the wrong one and be looked down upon by others. Same here in the US. When I hear a Southern twang; especially on a male, I have been conditioned to think, "Stupid person coming." However, if you want your comments to be taken seriously by the producer of EE, use the language correctly and proofread when you are done!
Anyway, just saying. Now you can kindly reply or nastily as many are want to do. Just proofread before publishing. TY.
It has been an interesting
It has been an interesting article very well written as well.
Kredyt mieszkaniowyEpisodes from previous years
When will all the previous episodes of EastEnders be posted back to the website? Because it says they've been removed? Like the ones from years 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005 etc. If not, where can I watch them? And will there be any boxsets released with episodes?
Sadie-Rose Clifford
Hello
I live in Harrogate, North Yorkishire. In our local community we have a little girl called Sadie-Rose Clifford, she is 2yrs old and has Neuroblastoma an aggressive form of child cancer. The entire community both Harrogate and Knarsborough are teaming together to try and raise £250,000 for Sadie to receive treatment in America. We are holding a huge event in my Department Store called Beales which throughout the day will include Face Painting, Beauty Treatments, Famous Faces, Raffles, Tombolas, Singers and Dancers.
acting career
you were talking about getting involved with a agncey to get in to eastenders. what happens if you have a agncey and being invovled in a musical theatre. and you have plenty of experince on the tv. what more do you have to do to get in to eastenders?
East Enders
What is happening ? The story line with Derek Branning is just ridiculous. Why is everyone so scared of him !!! Very silly story line with everyone being bossed about by a so called ganster. Get real make the story line more believable. At the moment it is boring and very predictable. Also the characters seem to have very short memories!! This week when Jack was so upset about loosing Amy.... for godsake she is only living two doors away not going to Austrailia.
Why is everyone so upset for Jack..... he did the same to Roxy two weeks before hand.
Get real make it more interesting . Give the characthers a bit of spirit to stand up for themselves.
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