Danny Dyer says EastEnders character who dies on 35th anniversary was "a real shock"
The BBC One soap is looking to "get a message across" by killing off a major player
EastEnders will kill off a major character in its upcoming 35th anniversary episodes and the identity of the victim was "a real shock" to the cast, according to Mick Carter actor Danny Dyer.
Dyer told RadioTimes.com that the anniversary instalments are "massive" and "some of the best episodes [EastEnders has] ever filmed".
Next month, the BBC One soap will mark three-and-a-half decades on-screen with a plot that sees a river boat party descend into disaster, leading to the death of a significant player in Albert Square.
"It was a real shock to everyone, honestly," Dyer said of the victim's identity, speaking on the red carpet at the National Television Awards 2020.
"It's really powerful stuff, and we're trying to get a message across, and sometimes when you do that, you've really got to go full throttle with it."
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Speaking previously about the surprise death to RadioTimes.com, Ben Mitchell actor Max Bowden said: “It could be any of us! The great thing about the 35th is that literally everybody in EastEnders is involved.
"So many stories interlink, our producers Kate Oates and Jon Sen have done that really well and brought everything together to make a real pinnacle moment.”
Who will lose their life? Phil Mitchell? Whitney Dean? Ian Beale? Martin Fowler? Maybe even Mick himself?
Dyer, of course, wouldn't be drawn... though we've only got a few short weeks to wait until we find out. The wait is killing us...
Interview by Flora Carr
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Authors
Morgan Jeffery is the Digital Editor for Radio Times, overseeing all editorial output across the brand's digital platforms. He was previously TV Editor at Digital Spy and has featured as a TV expert on BBC Breakfast, BBC Radio 5 Live and Sky Atlantic.