"EastEnders Live" is a live episode of the British television soap opera EastEnders, broadcast on BBC One on 19 February 2010. It was also simulcast to Irish viewers on RTÉ One. The episode was commissioned as part of the show's 25th anniversary celebrations, and was the first EastEnders episode to be broadcast live. It was the series' 3,952nd episode, and was written by Simon Ashdown, directed by Clive Arnold and produced by Diederick Santer. The episode concludes a "Whodunit" storyline "Who Killed Archie?", about the murder of Archie Mitchell (Larry Lamb), revealing his killer to be Stacey Branning (Lacey Turner). It also sees the exit of Charlie Clements as Stacey's husband Bradley Branning, who dies after falling from the roof of The Queen Victoria public house.
Turner only learned that Stacey was Archie's killer half an hour before the episode aired, in a bid by the production team to maintain the storyline's secrecy. 51 EastEnders cast members appeared in the episode, with several expressing trepidation about performing live prior to the broadcast. Cast members had two weeks to rehearse the episode, with one rehearsal filmed in case of any serious problems during transmission. When Turner fell ill with the flu on the day of broadcast, it was feared the producers might need to use the pre-recorded tape, but in the event she recovered enough to appear.
"EastEnders Live" was Santer's final episode as EastEnders executive producer. He expressed his pleasure with the episode, despite several errors during transmission, including mis-delivered lines and some problems with sound and camera shots. Viewers gambled on the identity of the killer, with bookmakers Ladbrokes experiencing record levels of gambling on a television series, and William Hill taking £500,000, surpassing the amount placed on the outcome of Dallas Who shot J.R.? storyline in 1980. The episode was watched by 19.9 million cumulative viewers, becoming the most watched show of the year to date. EastEnders Live: The Aftermath, a documentary which followed the episode on BBC Three, was seen by 4.54 million viewers, drawing the station's highest ever ratings. "EastEnders Live" received mixed reviews from critics. It was described as "a triumph" by Shane Donaghey of The Belfast Telegraph, praised by Tom Sutcliffe of The Independent for including stunt work, and commended for Clements and Turner's acting by Tim Teeman of The Times. In contrast, however, The Guardian Nancy Banks-Smith felt that viewers would be "incredulous" with the episode's outcome, and Cate Devine of The Herald criticised problems with lighting and sound effects.
Plot In the wake of their second wedding, husband Bradley Branning (Charlie Clements) and his wife Stacey Slater (Lacey Turner) prepare to flee Walford - with Bradley urged to do so by his father Max Branning (Jake Wood) and uncle Jack Branning (Scott Maslen) after becoming the prime suspect in the police investigation of the murder of local pub landlord Archie Mitchell (Larry Lamb) on Christmas Day 2009. Max distracts the police while Bradley and Stacey attempt to escape from Albert Square. Elsewhere, Archie's youngest daughter Roxy Mitchell (Rita Simons) suspects that her sister Ronnie Mitchell (Samantha Womack) is the murderer. She accuses Ronnie, who tells her that their father raped Stacey, and thereupon reveals that he did the same to her when she was a child. Ronnie and Roxy's cousin Phil (Steve McFadden) ransacks the home of his stepson Ian Beale (Adam Woodyatt), believing that Ian has in his possession a cufflink which would implicate him in Archie's murder. He exits without finding it, leaving Ian and their elderly neighbour Dot Branning (June Brown) to watch an old videotape of their family and friends from the past 25 years - reminiscing about the past.
Phil's mother Peggy (Barbara Windsor) is accused by her stepdaughter, Janine Butcher (Charlie Brooks), of attempting to frame her for the murder. As Janine prepares to flee Walford, Peggy finds Roxy and Ronnie fighting. She tells the girls that she too was present the night Archie was killed, arriving to find him injured but alive, however left without calling for medical help. Outside, Bradley and Stacey are about to take a taxi to St Pancras railway station when Bradley realises he has forgotten their passports at home. He tells Stacey to wait while he collects them, but is spotted by the police. A chase ensues, and Bradley climbs onto the roof of The Queen Victoria pub in an attempt to escape. He shouts for Stacey to run before losing his footing and falling from the roof to his death as the residents look on in horror. A distressed Stacey is comforted by Max, and confesses that she is the one who killed Archie.
Cast and characters
Nitin Ganatra as Masood Ahmed Adam Woodyatt as Ian Beale Laurie Brett as Jane Beale Melissa Suffield as Lucy Beale Thomas Law as Peter Beale David Proud as Adam Best Lorna Fitzgerald as Abi Branning Charlie Clements as Bradley Branning June Brown as Dot Branning Scott Maslen as Jack Branning Jake Wood as Max Branning Madeline Duggan as Lauren Branning Lacey Turner as Stacey Branning Patsy Palmer as Bianca Butcher Charlie Brooks as Janine Butcher James Forde as Liam Butcher Sid Owen as Ricky Butcher Maisie Smith as Tiffany Butcher Jamie Borthwick as Jay Brown Linda Henry as Shirley Carter Emer Kenny as Zsa Zsa Carter John Partridge as Christian Clarke Shona McGarty as Whitney Dean Pam St Clement as Pat Evans Ricky Norwood as Fatboy Tiana Benjamin as Chelsea Fox Jamie Treacher as DC Wayne Hughes Devon Anderson as Billie Jackson Lindsey Coulson as Carol Jackson Diane Parish as Denise Johnson Michael-Joel David Stuart as Jordan Johnson Don Gilet as Lucas Johnson Neil McDermott as Ryan Malloy Sophie Stanton as DCI Jill Marsden Preeya Kalidas as Amira Masood Marc Elliott as Syed Masood Himesh Patel as Tamwar Masood Nina Wadia as Zainab Masood Charlie G. Hawkins as Darren Miller Charlie Jones as Ben Mitchell Perry Fenwick as Billy Mitchell Barbara Windsor as Peggy Mitchell Steve McFadden as Phil Mitchell Samantha Womack as Ronnie Mitchell Rita Simons as Roxy Mitchell Cliff Parisi as Minty Peterson Derek Martin as Charlie Slater Gillian Wright as Jean Slater Sam Attwater as Leon Small Simone James as Becca Swanson Cheryl Fergison as Heather Trott
Production
Origins
On 15 September 2009, the BBC announced plans to broadcast the first ever live episode of EastEnders, to celebrate the show's 25th anniversary. The air date was set for 19 February 2010, with the episode to be broadcast from the BBC Elstree Centre in Borehamwood. EastEnders executive producer Diederick Santer initially refrained from discussing the episode's plot, but commented that it would resolve a "big storyline" which would "keep the audience (as well as the cast and crew) guessing until the very last moment." EastEnders storylines saw Archie Mitchell, landlord of The Queen Victoria public house murdered on Christmas Day 2009, with many characters considered potential suspects in the crime. Santer confirmed that the killer would be revealed in the live episode, and that their identity would be kept secret until the night of broadcast, even from the cast member playing them. Another aspect of the episode is the remarriage of characters Bianca Jackson (Patsy Palmer) and Ricky Butcher (Sid Owen). Santer deemed it the "soap wedding of the year—and perhaps the soap wedding of the decade", commenting that playing the romance against the "thriller" of the "whodunnit" storyline provided a balance he hoped audiences would be "gripped by and satisfied with."
Cast In November 2009, actor Charlie Clements, announced that he would be leaving the soap in 2010. It was rumoured that Bradley would be seen to commit suicide during the live episode, but this was refuted by an EastEnders spokesperson. Bradley made his last appearance in the live episode, urged to flee Walford by his father Max and uncle Jack (Scott Maslen) after becoming the prime suspect in the investigation into Archie's murder. Bradley's motive for murder came from the discovery that Archie raped his partner Stacey. In an interview with daytime television show This Morning, Clements stated it was possible that Bradley was responsible, but was unsure whether he "[had] it in him", though felt that it would be "quite historical to go down as the one who killed Archie Mitchell". In the event, Bradley exited the soap by falling to his death from the roof of The Queen Victoria public house during the live episode. Immediately after filming, Clements stated that he was "drained", referring to his character's death as "a big way to go out."
In total, 51 EastEnders cast members were involved in the live broadcast. Several cast members expressed trepidation at the prospect of the live episode. Before details of the episode's plot were confirmed, Turner hoped that she would not be involved in it, deeming herself "awful" at performing live, unable to even deliver speeches. Neil McDermott feared that he would lose his composure and laugh during the broadcast, while Palmer hoped that the episode would not turn into a pantomime, commenting: "I hope we're a bit more professional than that." Simons stated that she was looking forward to the challenge the episode presented, though she would be happier once she had seen the script. Clements denied any apprehension, likening the performance to acting in theatre, and Nina Wadia stated that she was "really looking forward to it", enjoying experiences with an "adrenaline rush." Once the script was released, Wadia was "disappointed yet relieved" to learn she did not have a speaking role, explaining: "You want to be in it, but not to mess it up." She expected to feel "uncomfortable" during the broadcast, as the episode is set the day before her character Zainab Masood gives birth, necessitating the wearing of a body suit with a large "baby bump" sewn in.
Rehearsals The EastEnders cast and crew had two weeks to rehearse the episode prior to its live transmission. The script was issued on the afternoon of 5 February 2010, written by series consultant and lead show writer Simon Ashdown. The first read-through took place on 8 February 2010, though producers held back the part of the script revealing Archie's true killer. Eight different possible endings were rehearsed, with Santer reiterating that the actor playing the killer would only be told so on the night of broadcast. He revealed that the actor playing the killer would be informed of their actions at 7:30 pm on 19 February, 30 minutes before the episode's transmission, with their reaction filmed for the documentary EastEnders Live: The Aftermath, which aired on BBC Three immediately after "EastEnders Live" was broadcast, narrated by Lamb's son George.
Santer explained that the killer "may be revealed to the audience rather than the Square", preserving secrecy as the crew began filming episodes to be transmitted after the live broadcast. Actress Charlie Brooks, who plays Archie's former lover Janine Butcher, found the secrecy difficult to work with, explaining: "In the episodes to be shown afterwards, you’re being told to look or speak a certain way, but not why." Santer confirmed that the cast found the episode challenging, stating: "They are as desperate to know who did it as the viewers", though believed they were all capable of coping with the pressure of the live episode. He explained that the cast typically film scenes in one take anyway, and observed that several EastEnders actors had formerly appeared in live broadcasts for other series. Cast members had just two dress rehearsals in advance of the live episode, and only one read-through of the entire episode.
Directing