EastEnders recently celebrated its 40th anniversary

BBC’S EastEnders has captivated audiences for decades and recently celebrated an astonishing 40 years on screen. With intense drama, unexpected love triangles and ongoing feuds, is it any wonder the soap has been reeling in fans for decades.

But while the drama on-screen has always been a focal point of the show, recent reports suggest that the real-life rivalries behind the scenes are proving just as explosive. From long-standing feuds between cast members to secret relationships spilling over into public view, the atmosphere on set seems to be anything but calm.

Here’s a look at some of the most talked-about behind-the-scenes incidents that have made headlines recently, reports Plymouth Live.

Danielle Harold and Jamie Borthwick

The EastEnders cast is currently reportedly caught up in a hidden rivalry after Jamie Borthwick unfollowed his former co-star, Danielle Harold, on social media.

Danielle, who portrayed Lola Pearce, was Jamie’s on-screen wife until 2023, when her character passed away from a brain tumour. Off-screen, they shared a close friendship and often attended events together.

This tension follows reports that Danielle had secretly been in a relationship with fellow co-star Max Bowden for several years. The situation raised eyebrows when both Jamie and Danielle unfollowed each other on Instagram last week.

An insider told Daily Mail: “Danielle and Max dated for a number of years. Of course, it was known among the EastEnders cast and everyone thought they were sweet together.

“Their relationship hasn’t ended on the best terms, and they have even unfollowed each other on Instagram. There are a lot of emotions after they were friends, colleagues, and romantically involved for such a long time.”

According to reports, the situation was further complicated by Max publicly dating another co-star Shona McGarty.

Danny Dyer and Steve McFadden

Back in 2017, The Sun reported that Danny Dyer had reportedly had a falling out with his EastEnders co-stars.

Danny Dyer as Mick Carter (Image: BBC/Jack Barnes/Kieron McCarron)

Tensions had allegedly been brewing between him and Steve McFadden, who plays Phil Mitchell, leading to a behind-the-scenes feud that caused a rift among the cast.

The Sun also reported that Danny had issues with Ross Kemp, who portrays Phil’s brother Grant. An insider revealed that there’d been a “huge amount of tension” between Danny, who played Mick Carter, and Steve’s Phil Mitchell.

Steve McFadden and Michael Greco

Michael Greco, 54, who portrayed Beppe di Marco on EastEnders from 1998 to 2002, has opened up about a real-life incident involving Steve McFadden.

Greco was part of the Di Marco family, who were introduced as rivals to the notorious Mitchell family. Alongside Beppe, his character was joined by his brother Gianni, played by Marc Bannerman.

Steve McFadden as Phil Mitchell (Image: PA)

In February 2025, more than 20 years later, Michael revealed that the rivalry between the Di Marcos and the Mitchells had actually become rather real.

Speaking on Suffolk Sound Radio, he explained: “When I was doing a scene with my on-screen brother Gianni played by Marc Bannerman, we were filming with the Mitchell brothers, and Gianni improvised and spat on the floor, and Steve went mental, effing and jeffing, I thought he was going to hit Marc, he went crazy.

“I was looking at my script thinking, I don’t think that was in the script and the director had to come over and tell Steve to calm down.”

Cheryl Fergison in EastEnders snub

Cheryl Fergison, who portrayed the iconic Heather Trott, publicly expressed disappointment over her exclusion from EastEnders’ 40th anniversary celebrations.

Cheryl Fergison, who portrayed the iconic Heather Trott

In a heartfelt Instagram video, Cheryl, whose character was killed off, appealed to TV executives for new opportunities, revealing her current financial struggles and desire to return to acting. She emphasised her passion for performance and her optimism for future roles.

In a separate interview, Cheryl discussed how cast members often sense when their characters are being written out. She shared that missed meetings with producers typically signal upcoming changes. Reflecting on her own departure, Cheryl noted that the absence of scheduled meetings was a clear indicator of her character’s exit.

EastEnders airs Mondays-Thursdays at 7:30pm on BBC One.