Bonnie Langford on channelling EastEnders icons for Les Misérables Arena tour

"The truth is it’s a lot more fun playing a nasty person, and they're rather outrageous," she said, referring to herself and her partner in crime Gavin Lee. "I call them cockroach people because they’re always there, they survive no matter what."

She continued: "I’m working with the little girls playing Cosette, and I keep having to say sorry because I’m so horrible, but it is rather enjoyable. I’m definitely finding a different part of myself.

"Everyone else in the cast sounds so beautiful and has got these gorgeous voices, but I don’t have to, I get to sound awful! I mean, talk about liberating."

With a career mostly known for bubblier characters like Mel Bush, we wondered who Langford would be drawing on for a wicked part like this.

She answered: "The only thing I can compare her to is someone from EastEnders. I do channel my inner Peggy Mitchell, because she’s not afraid to day anything. Or I suppose I should say my inner Carmel. Although Carmel was slightly nicer than that, but she definitely said a few things she shouldn’t have – as do we all!"

Langford, of course, played Carmel Kazemi in EastEnders from 2015 to 2018, the mother of market trader Kush Kazemi (Davood Ghadami) who later left Walford to move to Dubai.

When speaking about a possible return to the soap earlier this year she said: "You never know. Carmel has got a grandson, Arthur, still there, and has a lot of history and a lot of friends, but you just don't know, so you never say never!"

For now however, Langford is enjoying her time back on the stage. Earlier this year, in preparation for the tour, she took her Madame Thérnardier to the West End and performed with the regular cast at the Sondheim Theatre.

We asked how she felt stepping out onto the stage of yet another iconic musical. "Everyone assumed I already knew it!" she laughed. "It's such a huge part of the musical establishment, but when I was young it wasn't written yet and I actually remember it opening in London for the first time. So I didn't feel quite up to speed."

She added: "I'm so glad I did it though, because I am part of that history now."

Langford also teased that this new tour would be "different to anything that anyone has ever seen".

She said: "I mean, it's literally expanding theatre into arenas, so the whole thing is just huge. You'll still get the story and the intimacy of theatre, but the scale of it is huge.

"There's about 65 people on stage and a massive set, plus the lighting and sound is going to be incredible, so it should be really powerful."

Buy Les Misérables Arena Spectacular tickets at Ticketmaster

When and where can I see Bonnie Langford in Les Misérables?

You can see Bonnie Langford on all the UK dates for the Les Misérables Arena tour, these are:

• 19th – 28th Sep 2024 – Belfast, SSE Arena
• 3rd – 6th Oct 2024 – Glasgow, OVO Hydro
• 10th – 13th Oct 2024 – Sheffield, Utilita Arena
• 17th – 20th Oct 2024 – Aberdeen, P&J Live
• 26th – 29th Dec 2024 – Manchester, AO Arena
• 2nd – 5th Jan 2025 – Newcastle, Utilita Arena

How to get Les Misérables Arena Spectacular tickets

Tickets are available on Ticketmaster starting from £36.50. However, as the sale went live back in February, there is low availability across some of the dates, so you may want to snap up a seat while you've got the chance.

Buy Les Misérables Arena Spectacular tickets at Ticketmaster

For more West End news and reviews, here's our Why Am I So Single? review, Mawaan Rizwan on Rocky Horror and the best West End shows.