EastEnders icons Pat St Clement and Anita Dobson will return to Albert Square as part of a behind the scenes special to celebrate the BBC soap’s 40th anniversary
Next month, EastEnders will be celebrating its 40th anniversary in style, with two soap legends making a return to Albert Square for a special behind-the-scenes documentary. The show, titled EastEnders: 40 Years on The Square, will be hosted by Ross Kemp, who fans will remember as Walford’s bad boy Grant Mitchell.
The documentary will feature appearances from soap icons Pat St Clement and Anita Dobson. Pat, 82, is best known for her role as Pat Butcher, which she played from 1986 until 2012, while Anita, 75, starred as Queen Vic landlady Angie Watts from the first episode in 1985 until 1988.
The hour-long special will revisit some of the most memorable storylines from the past 40 years of EastEnders, including groundbreaking moments such as the first kiss between two gay men, Mark Fowler’s HIV diagnosis, and the historical abuse storyline that centred around Kat Slater. During the documentary, Anita Dobson will reunite with her onscreen daughter Sharon, played by Letitia Dean, and other original cast members. Meanwhile, Gillian Taylforth and Adam Woodyatt will also share their memories of working on the series from the very beginning.
Ross Kemp, Albert Square alumni and presenter who’s returning as Grant to the beloved soap, talked about the privilege of hosting a documentary celebrating 40 years of EastEnders: “It was a privilege to be asked to present this documentary, celebrating 40 years of EastEnders. During the making of it I was constantly reminded of the impact EastEnders has, not only on the cast and everyone that works on the show, but also on the audience, as well as the effect it has had culturally in the United Kingdom,” reports the Mirror.
He continued, “It also gave me a wonderful opportunity to take a trip down memory lane with some of my dear friends – old and new – and celebrate this special anniversary, it was an absolute honour.”
Adding to the excitement, the documentary’s executive producer Joe Ingham shared his thoughts: “EastEnders has had a transformative effect on television audiences for forty years – myself included. It has been a privilege to work with the legend that is Ross Kemp and an honour to spend time in Walford, revealing a never before seen side of Albert Square, forging emotional family reunions, and exploring the impact its residents have and continue to have beyond E20.”
Ross Kemp is set to make a dramatic comeback to EastEnders as Grant Mitchell, eight years after his character was last seen in the Square. Although show bosses are tight-lipped about the circumstances surrounding Grant’s return, which is set to involve Phil and Nigel Bates, they’ve hinted that the scenes will be “explosive”.
Earlier this month, Ross shared a behind-the-scenes selfie, giving fans a sneak peek at his highly anticipated return. Beaming in the photo with the EastEnders crew, he simply wrote: “Team EastEnders.”
Grant has been living in Portugal since his departure in September 2016, following his mother Peggy Mitchell’s passing.
