EastEnders trailer reveals evil Gray's final showdown on new BBC set

Fans may have noticed an on-air nod to the development on Monday night, as Martin Fowler (James Bye) was seen opening the episode by telling Sharon Watts (Letitia Dean) "it looks just the same as the old one!" He may have been referring to her new coat, but we all knew it was a fitting line to mark the first episode showcasing the refurbished set.

In the behind-the-scenes exclusive, actor Natalie Cassidy takes us on a tour of the newly-built Albert Square, which has been replicated to look identical to all the trademark buildings. There are now gardens on the set, as well as a new Chinese restaurant that she joked her alter ego Sonia Fowler will be a fan of.

It's clear Cassidy is very impressed with the results of the revamp, as she calls the team "outstanding".

Series Production Manager Rona McKendrick also appeared, having been with EastEnders for 30 years. "Back then, the old lot was made basically of wood and plastic," she explained. "We've now got this new space, which is made of real brick; it's really solid, it's really safe. It looks shiny and new, but it's been broken down by the scenic artists."

Cassidy took up the story again, praising the work involved in making the set look as authentic as possible. "You can see how aged it looks, when it's brand new. It is incredible."

McKendrick added that the first scenes on the new lot "involve a long journey of Gray escaping the police" in a week-long night shoot.

Star Shona McGarty, who plays Whitney Dean, was seen in between takes during the lengthy shoot. Shona explained: "When you come onto set it feels exactly the same, but everything's sort of more... a lot wider, you can drive a car through, which is really cool. They've done a brilliant, brilliant job."

The clip went on to tease the culmination of Gray's final showdown as he was seen running across the Square. Star Toby-Alexander Smith, who has played the villain since 2019, also shared a few words about filming on the new lot.

"It does feel really exciting, there's definitely a new energy, a very fresh energy. Ironically it doesn't feel very new because they've just done such a good job of making it look like the old lot. So not a lot has changed in that sense, but just how it feels and the energy of everyone working on it, it's very exciting."

The clip shows Gray climbing onto a rooftop in an effort to escape the authorities, and the actor revealed that he planned to do as many of his own stunts as possible. It's a compelling slice of what we can expect from upcoming episodes. Smith added that he knows viewers have been waiting for his character's downfall for a long time – and so has he! "It is nice to be shooting these final scenes, it feels pretty epic and I feel like [Gray's] going out in pretty spectacular fashion."

With the net finally closing in on Gray, it looks like one way or another, his crimes will be exposed by the end of this week.

Visit our dedicated EastEnders page for all the latest news, interviews and spoilers. If you’re looking for more to watch check out our TV Guide or our dedicated Soaps hub.

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