0:00:02 > 0:00:05'Walford is reeling from a shocking crime.'
0:00:05 > 0:00:07Heather's dead, all right?
0:00:07 > 0:00:11- No!- This will never, never go away!
0:00:11 > 0:00:15'It's one of the most unexpected tragedies in EastEnders history.'
0:00:15 > 0:00:17No! No! Heather!
0:00:17 > 0:00:24'An innocent woman, a mother and a bride-to-be days away from her dream end
0:00:24 > 0:00:29'has been murdered in cold blood by one of the people who loved her the most.
0:00:29 > 0:00:31'The cover-up has already started
0:00:31 > 0:00:34'and tonight we take a closer look at how a troubled teen
0:00:34 > 0:00:40'came to end the life of one of the most loved characters the Square has ever known.'
0:00:42 > 0:00:45# Well, I guess it would be nice
0:00:45 > 0:00:47# If I could touch your body
0:00:47 > 0:00:49# I know not everybody
0:00:49 > 0:00:53# Has got a body like you #
0:00:53 > 0:00:57- And action!- There's always going to be Hev and Shirl.
0:00:57 > 0:01:02'For the last four and a half years, Heather Trott has been bringing bags of colour and fun to Walford.'
0:01:02 > 0:01:06Heather is a wonderful character. She's loveable, she's kind
0:01:06 > 0:01:11and warm-hearted and she'd give people her last penny, literally.
0:01:11 > 0:01:14These are for you and Mr Branning to say happy anniversary for yesterday.
0:01:14 > 0:01:18She's bubbly, she's silly, very childish.
0:01:18 > 0:01:21# Cos I've got to have faith, faith, faith #
0:01:21 > 0:01:22Ow!
0:01:22 > 0:01:26- There's not a bad bone in her body. - Heather is as hard as a marshmallow.
0:01:26 > 0:01:29She is the ray of sunshine for Albert Square.
0:01:29 > 0:01:32Understated, classic but simple.
0:01:32 > 0:01:36'Heather first hit our screens in typically memorable fashion.'
0:01:36 > 0:01:40My first time being seen was at Shirley's party.
0:01:40 > 0:01:42'Er, actually, it wasn't.
0:01:42 > 0:01:44'Cheryl did appear in EastEnders
0:01:44 > 0:01:47'two years before as a prison cellmate of Mo.'
0:01:47 > 0:01:51- Some lairy cow, thinks she runs this place.- 'Anyway, back to the party.'
0:01:51 > 0:01:55- I remember there being some good-looking, burly men.- 'Really?'
0:01:55 > 0:01:57And then, at one point, a fight breaks out.
0:01:58 > 0:02:03I whacked this guy like some sort of old lady.
0:02:03 > 0:02:05I just whacked this guy and joined in this fight.
0:02:05 > 0:02:12And I remember thinking, "God, this is crazy! I've literally been thrown in the deep end. Wow!"
0:02:12 > 0:02:17'When Hev first came in, she immediately formed part of one of the most memorable double acts.'
0:02:17 > 0:02:21- Heather and Shirl! - A right pair of dozy slappers!
0:02:21 > 0:02:24They were just epic. I love them together.
0:02:24 > 0:02:27BOTH: # If you're gonna do it, do it right...
0:02:27 > 0:02:32- It's almost like a love affair they have. - You shouldn't be doing that in here.
0:02:32 > 0:02:37They have adventures and they are classic go-getter girls.
0:02:37 > 0:02:39- Watch out, Walford. - They're made for each other.
0:02:39 > 0:02:42- What are mates for?- You're a mate, Shirl. You're the best.
0:02:42 > 0:02:47- They had their up and downs.- You lying, cheating, back-stabbing cow!
0:02:47 > 0:02:49They argued, but it's Heather and Shirl to the end.
0:02:49 > 0:02:53- It's just me and you.- Come again?
0:02:53 > 0:02:56She was introduced as a very broad comedy character,
0:02:56 > 0:02:58instantly successful,
0:02:58 > 0:03:02people immediately knew who she was and what she represented in the show.
0:03:02 > 0:03:04She was this kind of fat girl
0:03:04 > 0:03:08- who just ate her way through everything.- Doughnut, please.
0:03:08 > 0:03:12There was quite a stereotypical "whatever fat people do".
0:03:12 > 0:03:15- When are we stopping for lunch? - We don't eat until later.
0:03:15 > 0:03:18Oh. Sorry about this.
0:03:18 > 0:03:20The whole thing was quite jokey.
0:03:20 > 0:03:23- We'll have to use the food fund. - The what?
0:03:23 > 0:03:26I always keep a backup for an emergency kebab or two.
0:03:26 > 0:03:29'And there's one food she just couldn't get enough of.'
0:03:29 > 0:03:31- Cheese.- Cheese.- Cheese.
0:03:31 > 0:03:34- Did you know there's over 700 different varieties?- Really?
0:03:34 > 0:03:37Just wave a bit of cheese in front of her and she'd come crawling.
0:03:37 > 0:03:40- I love it.- You love it?
0:03:40 > 0:03:43Ooh, it's better than sex.
0:03:43 > 0:03:45Fired for eating Edam at the cheese counter.
0:03:45 > 0:03:47- I was hungry. - They sacked you for that?
0:03:47 > 0:03:49She must have some fantastic dreams.
0:03:49 > 0:03:51SHE SNORES
0:03:51 > 0:03:54'But it wasn't just cheese that Hev was obsessed with.'
0:03:54 > 0:03:57She likes a hair band for some strange reason.
0:03:57 > 0:04:00Hev has got the worst collection of hair bands I've ever seen.
0:04:00 > 0:04:05You can't have Hev without a hair band. It's like fish and chips. Can't have one without the other.
0:04:05 > 0:04:07'There was also her impeccable manners.'
0:04:07 > 0:04:12Yes, Mrs Trueman. Hello, Mrs Branning. I don't think there's time for that, Mrs Pat Evans!
0:04:12 > 0:04:18- I'm so excited. Every time I think about it, I swear a bit of pee comes out!- Oh, Heather!- Sorry.
0:04:18 > 0:04:20'She was never far from a microphone.'
0:04:20 > 0:04:23# I can't give
0:04:23 > 0:04:26'Yep, we're all thinking the same thing, Shirl.
0:04:26 > 0:04:31'But more importantly, of course, her obsession with Georgios Kyriacos Panayiotou,
0:04:31 > 0:04:33- 'AKA...'- George Michael.
0:04:33 > 0:04:38# Club Tropicana, drinks are free #
0:04:38 > 0:04:40She adored him and fancied the pants off him.
0:04:40 > 0:04:42Just think, his sweaty foot was in that.
0:04:42 > 0:04:47And believed wholly that she was in Club Tropicana.
0:04:47 > 0:04:52Every song George has ever written is etched on my heart, Hazel. Every word written is in here.
0:04:52 > 0:04:55She loves George so much that she broke into his house.
0:04:57 > 0:05:00And when she gave birth to her baby,
0:05:00 > 0:05:04- there was only ever one choice for a name.- George Michael Trott.
0:05:04 > 0:05:06Her dream man would be a George Michael lookalike.
0:05:06 > 0:05:09# Well, I guess it would be nice
0:05:09 > 0:05:11# If I could touch your body
0:05:11 > 0:05:14'Blimey, George has let himself go!
0:05:14 > 0:05:17'Heather was initially only written as a guest character
0:05:17 > 0:05:21'but after proving popular with audiences, she moved into Albert Square for good.'
0:05:21 > 0:05:24The public took to her immediately.
0:05:24 > 0:05:27Cheryl's brought a lot of humanity and warmth to her.
0:05:27 > 0:05:31With EastEnders, it takes about three months to bed a character in,
0:05:31 > 0:05:34and I think she managed to do it in about a month.
0:05:34 > 0:05:40Characters have to be established, but I wanted viewers to see more of her, not just her eating.
0:05:40 > 0:05:42It could've been a one-dimensional role,
0:05:42 > 0:05:45but Cheryl brought so many different layers to Heather.
0:05:45 > 0:05:51- I don't think there's anybody that could play Heather like Cheryl does. - That's good! Lovely!- Hold it there.
0:05:53 > 0:05:59Hello. Welcome to the place I've been living for the last four and a half years. Come on in.
0:05:59 > 0:06:02Let me should you round my boudoir.
0:06:02 > 0:06:07I have... Let's start off with a prop. And it's me and George.
0:06:07 > 0:06:10Up here is my kind of sanctuary, I guess.
0:06:10 > 0:06:14I use it to play guitar, write songs and chill out.
0:06:14 > 0:06:18SHE PLAYS "FAITH"
0:06:18 > 0:06:20# Well, I guess it would be nice
0:06:20 > 0:06:22# If I could touch your body
0:06:22 > 0:06:25# I know not everybody #
0:06:25 > 0:06:29Oh, no, that's the wrong key! That's embarrassing! Can we start again?
0:06:29 > 0:06:32My little boudoir of people.
0:06:32 > 0:06:36This is definitely a home from home. This is where I spend a lot of my time
0:06:36 > 0:06:39if I'm not downstairs playing with the other gang.
0:06:39 > 0:06:45This is a collection of...Heather's handbags. They go with her headbands.
0:06:45 > 0:06:49They don't go with anything, really. Nothing goes with anything.
0:06:49 > 0:06:52Do you like those? I think I've only worn these once.
0:06:52 > 0:06:55These ones are probably what I will wear today
0:06:55 > 0:06:57as I think I may have a bed scene, ooh!
0:06:57 > 0:07:02Today is the start of Heather's demise block.
0:07:02 > 0:07:04It's a little bit weird.
0:07:04 > 0:07:09I've got a lot today. I don't think I do any crying today, so that's quite good.
0:07:09 > 0:07:11It's just a friend, that's all.
0:07:11 > 0:07:13He's in trouble, he's in big trouble.
0:07:13 > 0:07:17I think Heather has become more three-dimensional as time has gone on.
0:07:17 > 0:07:22Hev's character has progressed into responsibility.
0:07:22 > 0:07:25The single mum, having to support her child.
0:07:25 > 0:07:31- BABY WHIMPERS - Please, George, just give Mummy a couple of minutes, eh?
0:07:31 > 0:07:35Lots of tragic things have happened to Heather.
0:07:35 > 0:07:37'She got poisoned by her boiler.'
0:07:37 > 0:07:40- What's wrong? Is she OK? - She's breathing.
0:07:40 > 0:07:44- 'She lost her flat.' - I just wondered if you've got room for two little uns.- No.
0:07:44 > 0:07:49- 'She got the sack.'- Go home now. And don't bother coming back!
0:07:49 > 0:07:53- 'And she was always skint.' - I swear, I'll pay you back as soon as I could.- No.
0:07:53 > 0:07:55I'm am not going to lend you the money.
0:07:56 > 0:08:01- Ooh.- 'Finally, and above all else, was her endless quest for Mr Right.'
0:08:01 > 0:08:04- Get yourself a fella. - Oh, cos it's as easy as that.
0:08:04 > 0:08:07- It ain't that hard.- It is for me.
0:08:07 > 0:08:09Hev has been pretty unlucky in love I would say.
0:08:09 > 0:08:12My name's Heather.
0:08:12 > 0:08:15She's had her tribulations with men.
0:08:15 > 0:08:17All she wanted was that happily ever after.
0:08:17 > 0:08:21All she wanted was a good guy to come along and fall in love with her.
0:08:21 > 0:08:26'And after years of trying, it seemed that hapless Hev's dream had finally come true
0:08:26 > 0:08:29'in the burly shape of Andrew.'
0:08:29 > 0:08:35I was wondering, is there any chance you, erm, you might want to spend Christmas with me?
0:08:35 > 0:08:40On paper, perfect. And they are such sweethearts together.
0:08:40 > 0:08:43And he would've taken care of her for the rest of her life.
0:08:43 > 0:08:47I've been rooting for Hev to get a decent fella
0:08:47 > 0:08:49and to find happiness for years
0:08:49 > 0:08:52and it's so close, it was so good, it was going to happen.
0:08:52 > 0:08:56Just why have the swines done this to our poor Hev?
0:08:56 > 0:09:01'Yes, sadly Hev's demise signalled the end of a famous comedic character.
0:09:01 > 0:09:04'But she's not the only hapless, hopeless, loveable loser
0:09:04 > 0:09:07'that we've loved, laughed with and lost.'
0:09:07 > 0:09:11Comical characters are important because they're the light to the dark.
0:09:11 > 0:09:13We can't all be kidnappers and murderers.
0:09:13 > 0:09:16It's nice to see someone mess up. It's a bit of relief.
0:09:16 > 0:09:19You think, "I'm not the only one who does things like that."
0:09:19 > 0:09:22There's a tradition for comic characters in the show.
0:09:22 > 0:09:25The loveable loser that you just go, "Oh, what a chump".
0:09:25 > 0:09:29You've got Billy Mitchell, Ricky Butcher, Lofty.
0:09:29 > 0:09:33They lift it up and bring the light among us, and that contrast is what we need.
0:09:33 > 0:09:36I don't do that so much.
0:09:36 > 0:09:39- I'm going to rip your head off your shoulders!- 'You don't say!'
0:09:39 > 0:09:42If it was all doom and gloom, by the time you hit the "duv-duvs"
0:09:42 > 0:09:45you'd slash your wrists. You wouldn't be able to take it.
0:09:45 > 0:09:48'It's not quite that bad, but with that in mind,
0:09:48 > 0:09:53'we've selected our top three loveable losers who just couldn't get anything right.
0:09:54 > 0:09:57'In at number three, it's Gary Hobbs.'
0:09:57 > 0:10:00Gary had a great comic double act with Minty.
0:10:00 > 0:10:02They bounced off each other brilliantly,
0:10:02 > 0:10:05and as a comic character, he was the eternal optimist.
0:10:05 > 0:10:08- How do I look? - Pigging awful, but there's nothing you can do about that.
0:10:08 > 0:10:11Gary thought he was a hit with the ladies,
0:10:11 > 0:10:14- but it never worked out like that. - They wrote him a bit foppish.
0:10:14 > 0:10:17Promise me that you'll be gentle with me, won't you?
0:10:17 > 0:10:21He loved football, he loved boozing, he loved a laugh.
0:10:21 > 0:10:23Happy-go-lucky, jack the lad.
0:10:23 > 0:10:27Constantly chasing after these women that were far too bright and beautiful for him.
0:10:27 > 0:10:30All right, girls, who wants to be Santa's little helper?
0:10:30 > 0:10:32'Er, no, you're all right, mate.'
0:10:32 > 0:10:36Gary was after Dawn because, you know, Kara Tointon, really.
0:10:36 > 0:10:39Let's face it. That was a hard day at the office, that was.
0:10:39 > 0:10:41Kissing FHM's number 22 top 100.
0:10:41 > 0:10:46- I got it wrong a few times, as well. Not on purpose, mind.- Punching above his weight, definitely.
0:10:46 > 0:10:50- Maybe another little rub would help. - Yeah, we can give it a try.
0:10:50 > 0:10:55But in a rarity in this show, they finally got together and sailed away into the distance.
0:10:55 > 0:10:58I remember watching it and it was lovely.
0:10:58 > 0:11:00Lovely girl.
0:11:02 > 0:11:06'A worthy runner-up is the man with the wild shirts and even wilder hair,
0:11:06 > 0:11:08'90s style icon Nigel Bates.'
0:11:08 > 0:11:12Nigel is the male equivalent to Heather.
0:11:12 > 0:11:16He's kind of a soft-centred guy, but he'd always get let down.
0:11:16 > 0:11:18He was hapless, wasn't he, really?
0:11:18 > 0:11:24I think Nigel and Heather would've been a classic, classic pair.
0:11:24 > 0:11:26- All this seems a bit over the top, doesn't it?- 'No.'
0:11:26 > 0:11:30- They wore the same clothes!- Nigel was kind, he had a heart of gold.
0:11:30 > 0:11:34He was an underdog for so many years that I think when he finally got his happy ending,
0:11:34 > 0:11:37we all thought it was completely deserved.
0:11:37 > 0:11:41- And the winner is...Nigel! - ALL CHEER
0:11:41 > 0:11:44'Sorry, Dot, but he isn't.
0:11:44 > 0:11:47'Because our greatest, loveable, most-losery loser
0:11:47 > 0:11:52'was a no-brainer, much like him, really. Barry Evans!'
0:11:52 > 0:11:55- CHEERING - Yeah!
0:11:55 > 0:11:58If you walked in a pub and Barry was there, you'd think,
0:11:58 > 0:12:00"I'll have a nice hour, a few jars with Barry."
0:12:00 > 0:12:02As long as you didn't have to go home with him.
0:12:02 > 0:12:04What size do you reckon that is?
0:12:04 > 0:12:08Everyone loves that sort of vulnerable fool.
0:12:08 > 0:12:10Oh, he just couldn't get anything right.
0:12:10 > 0:12:12I've got my secret weapon.
0:12:12 > 0:12:15No, no, no, it's elasticated waist.
0:12:15 > 0:12:17He couldn't help it. Bless him. He tried.
0:12:18 > 0:12:24- He was a bit clumsy, wasn't he? - I remember his wedding when he had the white suit and towels on,
0:12:24 > 0:12:29- with the car, getting splashed on. - There was this feeling that Barry was just an affable clown.
0:12:29 > 0:12:34He couldn't even go for a walk on his honeymoon without falling off a cliff.
0:12:36 > 0:12:40Barry is just the biggest chump in Albert Square, isn't he?
0:12:40 > 0:12:45I thought it would be great. I'll join EastEnders and get paid for sitting in a cafe all day.
0:12:45 > 0:12:49It's ironic, cos now all I do is sit in a cafe all day.
0:12:50 > 0:12:54'Hev will certainly be remembered amongst those greats
0:12:54 > 0:12:59'and a big reason for that will owe a lot to the friendship and double act with her best mate Shirley.'
0:12:59 > 0:13:03# Sisters are doing it for themselves
0:13:03 > 0:13:05They've known each other since they were 16.
0:13:05 > 0:13:10- 1987. Me and you down the Hippodrome, eh? - I can still remember the moves.
0:13:10 > 0:13:17Heather and Shirley was genius because they're two characters completely different
0:13:17 > 0:13:19who somehow have come together.
0:13:19 > 0:13:23- Just you and me now, girl. - They complement each other.
0:13:23 > 0:13:25Who's got the best friend in the world, eh?
0:13:25 > 0:13:30Care for each other, love each other and they will do anything for each other.
0:13:30 > 0:13:32Is this all for me?
0:13:32 > 0:13:34They are the absolute odd couple.
0:13:34 > 0:13:36SHIRLEY BELCHES
0:13:36 > 0:13:38HEATHER BREAKS WIND
0:13:38 > 0:13:40'Oh, classy!'
0:13:40 > 0:13:42They are just poles apart.
0:13:42 > 0:13:45Me and you, Shirl, we're like Thelma and Louise.
0:13:45 > 0:13:47Didn't they drive off the top of a cliff?
0:13:47 > 0:13:52That's why it works, because opposites attract. That's why it's just such a good mixture.
0:13:52 > 0:13:55- I want what you've got.- What, nice legs and a cheery disposition?
0:13:55 > 0:14:00- 'And a Rod Stewart hairdo?' - Shirl is quite spiky.
0:14:00 > 0:14:03Heather can give her the sort of warmer side.
0:14:03 > 0:14:07- Stop gassing and get on with it, then. - She means please. Pretty please.
0:14:07 > 0:14:10Heather gave Shirley that sort of unquestioning,
0:14:10 > 0:14:14non-judgemental type of friend that we'd all like to have.
0:14:14 > 0:14:16Each brings out the best in each other.
0:14:16 > 0:14:20Heather will bring out the best in Shirley because she's a brazen character
0:14:20 > 0:14:24and maybe Heather can sort of calm her down and bring out that nicer side,
0:14:24 > 0:14:27but also Shirley will try and stick up for her mate.
0:14:27 > 0:14:31Nobody messes with Hev because of Shirley.
0:14:31 > 0:14:35- What did you say? - It's all right, Shirl, leave it. - Give him this one from me.
0:14:36 > 0:14:42'That friendship wasn't just confined to when the cameras were rolling.'
0:14:42 > 0:14:46Linda and Cheryl off-camera are inseparable, just the same way they are on set.
0:14:46 > 0:14:49It's like finding a bit of a soul mate, really.
0:14:49 > 0:14:52We just immediately, and I'm not just saying it, clicked.
0:14:52 > 0:14:54Aww! This is my mate!
0:14:54 > 0:14:58They just adore each other. They'll be mates forever.
0:14:58 > 0:15:01We've got very naughty laughs and we've got very naughty minds
0:15:01 > 0:15:05and we're kind of very mischievous girls.
0:15:05 > 0:15:09- It's all going to be different, Shev and Hirl...- Shev and Hirl? - THEY LAUGH
0:15:09 > 0:15:12It's always good fun, always a laugh, there's always something happening.
0:15:12 > 0:15:17They're really close mates. So I think it's going to be a killer, tearing them apart.
0:15:17 > 0:15:22'What kept us glued to the screens, though, was wondering what they'd get up to next.'
0:15:22 > 0:15:24They love to go off on a good old jaunt.
0:15:24 > 0:15:27I'm not sitting in the back again. That made me feel sick.
0:15:27 > 0:15:30The first memorable adventure was the trip to Brighton.
0:15:30 > 0:15:33- We've got to go to Brighton. - She was after Gary.
0:15:33 > 0:15:37- I take it this is Gary Hobbs. - Heather had fallen in love with Gary almost overnight.
0:15:37 > 0:15:39- I think I love him. - Nothing would stop her.
0:15:39 > 0:15:44- I've got to find Gary! - Calm down, who made you boss? - Sorry, I just love him.
0:15:44 > 0:15:47The stuff in Brighton was great. It was our first road trip.
0:15:47 > 0:15:51- Gary Hobbs, get ready for the night of your life! - ENGINE SPLUTTERS
0:15:51 > 0:15:55That's when you really saw coming to the front
0:15:55 > 0:15:58how caring she was for taking her to Brighton to meet Gary.
0:15:58 > 0:16:01- He could be anywhere!- She even nicked Pat's car to get her there.
0:16:01 > 0:16:05Oi! That's my car!
0:16:05 > 0:16:08And how protective Shirley was of her.
0:16:08 > 0:16:10# I can't live
0:16:10 > 0:16:15Hev was in a karaoke bar singing and she was quite sad because she couldn't find Gary.
0:16:16 > 0:16:22- Are you going to let me buy you a drink?- A young man starts to chat her up. Heather is very flattered
0:16:22 > 0:16:29and Shirl is watching from the sidelines with those eyes and he kisses Heather.
0:16:29 > 0:16:33I pulled the pig! The master does it again! I told you I would!
0:16:33 > 0:16:36It was a dare. It was a bet that he could kiss Heather.
0:16:36 > 0:16:41And this is where you see Shirley turn into the Incredible Hulk.
0:16:41 > 0:16:46- You want some?- And literally just go for him like a ton of bricks
0:16:46 > 0:16:51and be completely protective of Heather,
0:16:51 > 0:16:54who is absolutely devastated and distraught and has run off.
0:16:54 > 0:16:58Shirley finds Heather crying on the pier.
0:16:58 > 0:17:00Come on, let me take you back where you belong.
0:17:00 > 0:17:04I think, for both characters, we saw a side of them we'd never seen before.
0:17:04 > 0:17:08Shirley got to be a parent and we got to see the vulnerable side of Heather.
0:17:08 > 0:17:11'This was just a sign of things to come
0:17:11 > 0:17:17'as Hev's love for the Wham! front man led them to another one of their most memorable misadventures.'
0:17:17 > 0:17:20Ohh! I'm nearly there, Shirl!
0:17:20 > 0:17:23Climbing the wall to get into George Michael's house was comedy genius.
0:17:23 > 0:17:26- You can get...- Aghhh!
0:17:27 > 0:17:33- Hev?- It was just so daft, but then it was so Heather. For her, it was her finest moment.
0:17:34 > 0:17:38- Was it him?- Oh. Oh, I didn't see.
0:17:38 > 0:17:43Breaking into George Michael's house was our idea, actually, cos we did go round there one night
0:17:43 > 0:17:49and knock on his door. Well, I knocked on his door and ran away and left her standing on the doorstep.
0:17:49 > 0:17:54We came back and told the writers what we did and that's consequently how they got that episode in.
0:17:54 > 0:17:57It's George's bins!
0:18:03 > 0:18:06I'm sure George Michael must be a Hev fan.
0:18:06 > 0:18:11'And, of course, who could forget the infamous trip to Southend?'
0:18:11 > 0:18:13Southend 2011!
0:18:13 > 0:18:17My Hev/Shirl moment that just made me laugh out loud was the lesbian convention.
0:18:17 > 0:18:21- It's a little bit different. - Different?
0:18:21 > 0:18:26- You brought me here as your lesbian lover?- No, no, it's not like that.
0:18:26 > 0:18:29- It's just a technicality. - Consider yourself dumped.
0:18:29 > 0:18:33It was great that Heather had Shirley over for once, you know?
0:18:33 > 0:18:36Showed she wasn't so silly after all.
0:18:36 > 0:18:38I'm sorry, but this is the couples' welcome dinner.
0:18:38 > 0:18:41Yeah, but, erm, we just had our first row.
0:18:41 > 0:18:46There was just this glorious moment, Heather's said to Andrew, "We're not really lesbians".
0:18:46 > 0:18:49I didn't think you was. Not that you can tell.
0:18:49 > 0:18:54Then the door opens, Bonnie Tyler does her sounds and Shirley comes strutting through the door.
0:18:58 > 0:19:01I think it was one of the most magic moments.
0:19:01 > 0:19:04Like you said, you can't tell.
0:19:04 > 0:19:07It's just fantastic, that whole episode!
0:19:07 > 0:19:13'Antics aside, there was always the ages old girly issue that they could never agree on.'
0:19:13 > 0:19:17There's Heather and Shirley and then there's men.
0:19:17 > 0:19:22- You and Shirley have the right idea. - How do you mean?- You've got each other, you don't need a bloke.
0:19:22 > 0:19:26Men have always got in the way of Hev and Shirl's relationship.
0:19:26 > 0:19:29Men to Heather and Shirley meant something different.
0:19:29 > 0:19:34For Heather, finding a man would be her absolute salvation and the dream ending.
0:19:34 > 0:19:37The problem with the man of your dreams, Hev, is where he lives.
0:19:37 > 0:19:41In your dreams! Out there in the real world, he don't exist.
0:19:41 > 0:19:43'What? He better had do!'
0:19:43 > 0:19:47For Shirley, it was just another one that was probably going to wreck her life.
0:19:47 > 0:19:54- The only time a man's ever told me I was beautiful is if he's guilty or he wants something.- Not this time.
0:19:54 > 0:19:58I get annoyed when she meets a bloke because I think they'll take the piss out of her.
0:19:59 > 0:20:02'Yeah, that's one way to deal with blokes.'
0:20:02 > 0:20:05Now, I think it's about time you apologised.
0:20:05 > 0:20:07Whenever Shirley's busy with a boyfriend,
0:20:07 > 0:20:12Heather tends to be dumped and dismissed
0:20:12 > 0:20:16only to be picked up the next time Shirley's feeling a bit lonely.
0:20:16 > 0:20:20'This was never truer than when Shirley decided to move in and help a drug-addicted Phil
0:20:20 > 0:20:24'instead of keeping hold of their flat, leaving poor old Hev homeless.'
0:20:24 > 0:20:28The time that Shirley chose Phil over Heather,
0:20:28 > 0:20:33I think Heather was really hurt by this, cos she needed her mate more than anything.
0:20:33 > 0:20:37We were doing this together. Two months, that's what you said.
0:20:37 > 0:20:40That must have been very hard for Shirley.
0:20:40 > 0:20:43Heather just sees it as complete betrayal.
0:20:43 > 0:20:46We don't stand a chance, do we?
0:20:46 > 0:20:48He's always going to come first every time.
0:20:48 > 0:20:51Shirley's just brutally honest with Heather
0:20:51 > 0:20:56and tells her that the most important thing in her life is Phil.
0:20:56 > 0:20:59- He needs me.- We need you, Shirl!
0:20:59 > 0:21:02What about what I need?
0:21:04 > 0:21:07I ain't George's mum and I ain't yours!
0:21:09 > 0:21:11It's time you stood on your own two feet and grew up!
0:21:11 > 0:21:15That was quite a poignant part of their relationship
0:21:15 > 0:21:19and I think it took her a little bit of time to kind of resurrect again.
0:21:21 > 0:21:25They'd have these blazing rows where you'd think,
0:21:25 > 0:21:27"That's it, it's all over".
0:21:27 > 0:21:32- It's always the same. Some bloke comes along and I get pushed into the back drawer!- That ain't true.
0:21:32 > 0:21:38Often you will see Shirley being quite horrible to Heather because she wants her to be more confident,
0:21:38 > 0:21:43more ballsy, stand up for herself, don't let people tread on you, because that's Shirley's motto.
0:21:43 > 0:21:47They'll always be together. That friendship's always there.
0:21:47 > 0:21:51- I'm sorry, Hev. - SHE WEEPS
0:21:52 > 0:21:56They're always there to help each other out, no matter what the circumstances.
0:21:56 > 0:22:00It would've always been Hev and Shirl, even if she got married to Andrew.
0:22:00 > 0:22:06It would've always been Hev and Shirl. Different when they were with their own partners,
0:22:06 > 0:22:09but very much the same when they were together.
0:22:09 > 0:22:13'Well, we'll never know now, cos it was all ripped away from them with one fatal blow
0:22:13 > 0:22:20'delivered by one of Walford's youngest every criminals. So where did it all go wrong for Ben?'
0:22:21 > 0:22:25There's a very twisted, messed-up little boy.
0:22:25 > 0:22:28Ben, he's been cursed from the second he was born.
0:22:28 > 0:22:31He got meningitis before he'd even reached six months old.
0:22:31 > 0:22:34His mum died tragically in South Africa.
0:22:34 > 0:22:38- Kathy's dead. - Which brought him back to England to live with his estranged father.
0:22:38 > 0:22:41- He's got an uncle like Ian Beale! - 'Actually his half-brother.'
0:22:41 > 0:22:43He's got an uncle called Ian Beale!
0:22:43 > 0:22:47'Still his half-brother, but we get the point, it's Ian Beale.'
0:22:47 > 0:22:50Stella abusing him at, like, 12.
0:22:51 > 0:22:54Only for her to kill herself.
0:22:57 > 0:23:03And then Ben was left kind of trapped with a drunken and drug-addicted Phil.
0:23:03 > 0:23:06Hello, mate! All right?
0:23:06 > 0:23:12- Shy little boy, easily bullied. - I thought the Mitchells were meant to be hard.
0:23:12 > 0:23:14Loved dance and Billy Elliot.
0:23:14 > 0:23:17'Well, hang on, what's wrong with that?
0:23:17 > 0:23:19'Oh, yeah, of course.'
0:23:19 > 0:23:25It's quite clear how Ben has arrived to be this very confused and complex young man today.
0:23:25 > 0:23:29'Well, fair enough, if you are a semi-orphaned, abused, half-brother of Ian Beale
0:23:29 > 0:23:32- 'forced to live in Walford with Phil Mitchell as a father.'- Phil!
0:23:32 > 0:23:36'Yep, that's going to do some long-lasting damage.'
0:23:36 > 0:23:39We've seen Phil urge him to stand up for himself for years.
0:23:39 > 0:23:42He says something to you again, you slap him,
0:23:42 > 0:23:44straight in, no messing around.
0:23:44 > 0:23:48And when Ben finally did, he attacked Jordan.
0:23:48 > 0:23:50'No, not that Jordan.
0:23:50 > 0:23:52'Yes, that's the one.'
0:23:52 > 0:23:56Wimp. You think telling on me will make anything change?
0:23:56 > 0:23:59Running to your dad like a big baby? You're going to get it twice as bad now.
0:24:03 > 0:24:05You need slapping down!
0:24:05 > 0:24:11Phil says stick up for yourself, he hits someone with a hammer. He takes things a bit too far.
0:24:11 > 0:24:15'Technically a spanner. Thought he was meant to be a mechanic.
0:24:15 > 0:24:21'Anyway, this was no laughing matter for Ben, because the consequences of his first crime were disastrous.'
0:24:21 > 0:24:24I sentence you to a 15-month detention and training order.
0:24:24 > 0:24:27- What? - Escort the prisoner to the cells.
0:24:27 > 0:24:31For a shy, confused kid like Ben, getting sent down was the worst thing.
0:24:31 > 0:24:35He couldn't stand up for himself in school, so how will he cope inside?
0:24:35 > 0:24:39- We understand each other? - 'It seemed not particularly well.'
0:24:39 > 0:24:42Some bad things happened to him in there
0:24:42 > 0:24:47and Ben blames Phil for being in there, so the bad things that happen to him in there are Phil's fault.
0:24:47 > 0:24:51'When Ben came out of the detention centre,
0:24:51 > 0:24:54'it was immediately clear that his time inside had changed him.'
0:24:54 > 0:24:58- He did look very different, yeah. He grew up a lot. - SHE LAUGHS
0:24:58 > 0:25:02We saw a much darker character on a very different path.
0:25:02 > 0:25:05Ben comes back from juvie.
0:25:05 > 0:25:09He walks into Phil's house and there's the whole family round
0:25:09 > 0:25:13and they're toasting Jay cos it's his initiation into the Mitchell clan.
0:25:13 > 0:25:16You are now officially part of the Mitchell family.
0:25:17 > 0:25:22- So if you'd all like to raise your glasses to Jay Mitchell! - ALL: Jay Mitchell.- Cheers.
0:25:22 > 0:25:26Well, isn't this cosy?
0:25:26 > 0:25:31Ben was very upset when he found that Jay was very much in the fold of Phil's arms, as it were.
0:25:31 > 0:25:34Don't get used to it. You'll be out soon.
0:25:34 > 0:25:38- Oh, and you're going to make me? - I'll find a way.- Course you will.
0:25:38 > 0:25:42That's a promise.
0:25:42 > 0:25:44Ben should be the one getting the homecoming, the toast.
0:25:44 > 0:25:47It should be "To Ben" to "To Jay".
0:25:47 > 0:25:50And I think that sets the tone.
0:25:50 > 0:25:52I want him to be proud of me.
0:25:52 > 0:25:57I want to show him I'm as good as Jay.
0:25:57 > 0:25:59Jay's the son that Phil always wanted.
0:25:59 > 0:26:03Go on, my son! And again! Come on!
0:26:03 > 0:26:07- He's a natural. - Of course he is, he's a Mitchell.
0:26:07 > 0:26:10He wants his dad's approval, he wants his dad to pat him on the head and go,
0:26:10 > 0:26:15"Well done, son, I'm proud of you. You're one of us. You're a Mitchell."
0:26:15 > 0:26:20I need to learn how to box, show my dad I'm not going to be pushed around any more.
0:26:20 > 0:26:24- Keep your fists up at all times. Keep your eyes on me. - That's what I'm doing.
0:26:24 > 0:26:27Don't just look at my gloves. Look at my eyes.
0:26:27 > 0:26:31'And it was during his efforts to toughen up that viewers finally got confirmation
0:26:31 > 0:26:34'of what everyone had suspected all along.'
0:26:37 > 0:26:42When Ben finally came out to Phil, I don't think it was any surprise at all.
0:26:42 > 0:26:44Dad, I'm... I'm gay.
0:26:44 > 0:26:51He was a completely different child to the son that Phil wanted and expected.
0:26:51 > 0:26:55Phil's confused by him. It's a difficult thing for Phil to get his head around.
0:26:55 > 0:26:59And he's uncomfortable and unhappy about him being gay.
0:27:01 > 0:27:05He's never been the man that his dad wanted in his eyes.
0:27:05 > 0:27:08He's not a Mitchell. He's not a man's man.
0:27:08 > 0:27:14'He may not have had the Mitchell brawn, but he certainly had the brain to challenge his father.'
0:27:14 > 0:27:18There was a very important line that Phil responded to Ben, which was,
0:27:18 > 0:27:20"You'll never be Mitchell enough for me."
0:27:20 > 0:27:27And the whole stalking storyline was Ben's attempt to show his dad that he can be Mitchell enough.
0:27:27 > 0:27:30'Phil starts to receive letters, messages and photographs,
0:27:30 > 0:27:32'all related to his past crimes.
0:27:32 > 0:27:38'And, of course, as he doesn't have a lot of friends in the Square, he suspects pretty much everyone.'
0:27:38 > 0:27:41Ben conducted a campaign of psychological warfare
0:27:41 > 0:27:47- with all the letters and cuttings. - ENGINE STARTS
0:27:47 > 0:27:52So he's worried and stressed Phil out as much as he possibly could.
0:27:52 > 0:27:55How far will you go to make his life a misery?
0:27:55 > 0:27:58It's been a long time coming, Shirl.
0:27:58 > 0:28:00Depending on which side of the bed he gets out of,
0:28:00 > 0:28:04he either wants his dad to suffer or he wants his dad's approval.
0:28:04 > 0:28:07'After a seemingly harmless public humiliation...'
0:28:07 > 0:28:10THEY LAUGH
0:28:10 > 0:28:13Come on, get out of the car, let a proper driver have a go. Come on.
0:28:15 > 0:28:17'..Ben had finally had enough
0:28:17 > 0:28:21'and as a result, he lied to Marsden about Phil murdering Stella.'
0:28:21 > 0:28:25He was going to kill Stella. Make amends for what she did to me.
0:28:25 > 0:28:29It just takes things further than a normal person would take them.
0:28:29 > 0:28:31He told her to jump.
0:28:33 > 0:28:35Otherwise he'd push her.
0:28:35 > 0:28:39'It wasn't long before Phil found out the shocking truth.'
0:28:39 > 0:28:42This should clear things up.
0:28:42 > 0:28:45- It was you? You? - Yeah. And I loved every minute of it!
0:28:45 > 0:28:50Phil was arrested for murder and looked like he was going to go down for a long time.
0:28:50 > 0:28:53I'm arresting you on suspicion of the murder of Stella Crawford.
0:28:53 > 0:28:56'After years of trying to prove himself to his dad,
0:28:56 > 0:28:59'it seemed Ben had finally turned to the dark side.'
0:28:59 > 0:29:02So, what do you reckon then, Dad?
0:29:02 > 0:29:04You proud of me?
0:29:04 > 0:29:07Am I enough of a Mitchell for you now?
0:29:09 > 0:29:12'Ben would not have become a murderer without a victim, though,
0:29:12 > 0:29:19'and Hev's grizzly end began with a celebration at Walford's hottest and only night spot, R&R's.'
0:29:19 > 0:29:21# Tay-tay-tay-tay...
0:29:21 > 0:29:25It's Heather's hen night, so there's a few twists and turns going on.
0:29:25 > 0:29:27- We have a bit of a dance, don't we? - Yeah.
0:29:27 > 0:29:30# Never gonna be respectable
0:29:30 > 0:29:33We're very good, aren't we? I think we're naturally talented.
0:29:35 > 0:29:38# We keep the pressure on every night
0:29:38 > 0:29:42Cheryl's been fiddling about with the stripper on set.
0:29:42 > 0:29:45- Aghh! - SHE LAUGHS
0:29:45 > 0:29:47- I have not been fiddling! - And now she's positively...
0:29:47 > 0:29:51- THEY LAUGH - ..weak.
0:29:51 > 0:29:58'The girls then had to...tackle what was one of Hev and Shirley's most poignant and sad moments together.'
0:29:58 > 0:30:00I forgot to give you something.
0:30:02 > 0:30:05- 'Hang on!'- If you don't like it, you can take it back.
0:30:05 > 0:30:09'No, give it back, give it back! Chuck it in the bin! Tell her you hate it!'
0:30:09 > 0:30:13- I love it.- 'Oh, no.'- Just before she gets killed, they're arguing.
0:30:13 > 0:30:15I love him.
0:30:17 > 0:30:22And if you can't accept that then you're going to have to find yourself another best mate.
0:30:22 > 0:30:26Shirley again makes Heather make a choice.
0:30:26 > 0:30:28You walk away now and we're finished.
0:30:29 > 0:30:33And Heather makes the right choice, she makes the choice of being with Andrew.
0:30:33 > 0:30:38'Murder weapon in hand, Hev was now ready to start her new life with Andrew.'
0:30:38 > 0:30:43- And let's turn over. - 'And the cameras were ready to roll on Cheryl's last few scenes.'
0:30:43 > 0:30:45That's gorgeous! Yeah, yeah.
0:30:45 > 0:30:50I'm filming stuff that is basically the lead up to her demise.
0:30:50 > 0:30:52I'm not thinking about it being the last block.
0:30:52 > 0:30:55But if I do, I get a little bit sad about it.
0:30:55 > 0:30:59Hev, just before she gets killed, is in a very, very happy place.
0:30:59 > 0:31:03I love him, he loves me, we are happy family.
0:31:03 > 0:31:06- Morning, Mrs Cotton.- Ohh!
0:31:06 > 0:31:09Things start to just get better and better and better
0:31:09 > 0:31:13and they're getting closer and closer and you can see the love blossoming.
0:31:13 > 0:31:15I love the shot on one at the end, that's great.
0:31:15 > 0:31:18And you think this is it, it's all going to happen.
0:31:18 > 0:31:21She's going to go and elope with Andrew.
0:31:21 > 0:31:24But just before she's about to go, she finds out
0:31:24 > 0:31:28that Ben has lied to the police about his dad.
0:31:28 > 0:31:32- Why would you do that?- It's not important!- He's your dad.- Forget it.
0:31:32 > 0:31:37- You've said it now!- You don't understand what he'll do to me. - But it's not right!
0:31:37 > 0:31:42'However, the coppers were tipped off about Ben's lies by none other than Ian Beale.'
0:31:42 > 0:31:45- Someone's said something, haven't they?- 'Yeah, Ian Beale.'
0:31:45 > 0:31:47New information has come to light.
0:31:47 > 0:31:49Ian turns out to be Phil's saviour.
0:31:49 > 0:31:55He won't be taking him to the Vic and buying him a bottle of champagne, that's for sure.
0:31:55 > 0:31:58This family finally has something to celebrate.
0:31:58 > 0:32:02'That's EastEnders speak for "something horrible is about to happen".'
0:32:02 > 0:32:06Ben has wrongly assumed that Heather has grassed him up to the police
0:32:06 > 0:32:11for spilling on Phil. In actual fact, it's Ian. But that's what takes Ben round.
0:32:11 > 0:32:14Phil is going to kill you. Have you thought about that?
0:32:14 > 0:32:16I'm talking to you.
0:32:16 > 0:32:19He's fuming. He's going to go and have it out with her.
0:32:19 > 0:32:22Ben. Ben!
0:32:23 > 0:32:27'That kid has definitely turned chicken jalfrezi.
0:32:27 > 0:32:30'But what is it about Walford that pushes people to the edge?
0:32:30 > 0:32:35'Maybe that there's only one pub? Whatever it is, Ben is by no means the first to overstep the line.
0:32:35 > 0:32:40'So let's look back at some of the most infamous residents that just took things too far.'
0:32:40 > 0:32:44The psychopaths bring an element of tension and fear to the Square.
0:32:44 > 0:32:47At times you like them and at times you're like, "Urgh".
0:32:47 > 0:32:50As a writer, it's great to tease the audience.
0:32:50 > 0:32:53That they know that something bad is going to happen.
0:32:53 > 0:32:58Always leave you on the edge of your chair, "Ooh, what's going to happen next?"
0:32:58 > 0:33:02'There have been some memorable marble-losers over the years.
0:33:02 > 0:33:04'But we've whittled it down to our top three.
0:33:05 > 0:33:08'And we start with arguably the maddest female
0:33:08 > 0:33:10'to ever walk the streets of E20,
0:33:10 > 0:33:13'bonkers baby-snatcher Dr May Wright.'
0:33:13 > 0:33:18She was desperate to have a child, Dawn, who'd had a relationship with her husband, was pregnant
0:33:18 > 0:33:23- and she thought, "That's my child now".- 'Oh, right. She was going to adopt the kid. That's nice.'
0:33:25 > 0:33:30- 'Hm. Maybe that's not what she had in mind.' - She should never have been yours!
0:33:30 > 0:33:35There was a scene where the door opened and she just went, "Hello, Dawn".
0:33:35 > 0:33:38- Hello, Dawn.- You thought, "Oh, God, what's going to happen?"
0:33:38 > 0:33:43There's something about doctors in the Square. Dr May, she was a bad 'un trying to steal babies.
0:33:43 > 0:33:46I can't just leave her, can I, to this life?
0:33:46 > 0:33:51She should've listened to her own health practices, cos when she lit that cigarette...
0:33:53 > 0:33:56There you go. Smoking - bad for you.
0:33:57 > 0:34:01'Just missing out on the top spot, it's serial-murdering man of God
0:34:01 > 0:34:03'Lucas Johnson.'
0:34:03 > 0:34:06The barmy vicar's downfall was the affair with Trina.
0:34:06 > 0:34:09'Ooh, this is a steamy situation he needs to get out of.'
0:34:11 > 0:34:13'OK, that's probably a bit extreme.'
0:34:13 > 0:34:16A preacher who kills.
0:34:16 > 0:34:18Only God can set you free.
0:34:18 > 0:34:22He was absolutely split down the middle in terms of good and bad.
0:34:22 > 0:34:27- We can cleanse our sins together. - Get off!- I'm offering you salvation!
0:34:27 > 0:34:32- Do you understand? - 'Doesn't look like it.' - Now get down on your knees and pray.
0:34:32 > 0:34:35I just wanted to get it right.
0:34:35 > 0:34:39Now, if I can just hide that body long enough, then I can have a happy family.
0:34:39 > 0:34:44If I could just kill her and bury her, then I'll have a happy family.
0:34:44 > 0:34:46Will be done.
0:34:46 > 0:34:50And then it just all started crashing in on the poor fella and, oh!
0:34:50 > 0:34:54'Yeah, I don't think murder's the best way to sort out your domestic problems.'
0:34:54 > 0:34:58He killed Sugar the dog! That's when I completely lost it with him.
0:34:58 > 0:35:02How can you kill that dog, into the canal? Rotter!
0:35:02 > 0:35:07- The psycho that stands out...- 'Is Nick Cotton? Trevor? Sean Slater?'
0:35:07 > 0:35:09..for me would be Archie.
0:35:09 > 0:35:11'I always knew he had good taste,
0:35:11 > 0:35:15'because our number one didn't take things too far sometimes,
0:35:15 > 0:35:19'but all the time. It's evil personified - Archie Mitchell.'
0:35:19 > 0:35:23He done some horrible stuff. You know, really dark, dark stuff.
0:35:23 > 0:35:26You just look into his eyes and you go, "I don't want to go there".
0:35:26 > 0:35:29It was great to watch. You never knew what he was going to do next.
0:35:30 > 0:35:33- Hello?- 'Cue evil-sounding cat.' - CAT MEOWS
0:35:35 > 0:35:40- I know girls like you. - Mm, I bet you do.- Only one thing keeps your mouth shut.
0:35:40 > 0:35:46He seemed to enjoy upsetting people. He seemed to enjoy upsetting his own child.
0:35:49 > 0:35:54The girl is dead, dead and buried, rotting in the ground, and it's down to you!
0:35:54 > 0:35:56The horrible things he did to Ronnie
0:35:56 > 0:36:00and the way he manipulated Roxy, it was incredible.
0:36:00 > 0:36:04- He was just so inherently evil. - I'll kiss your gravestone when you're dead.
0:36:06 > 0:36:08Just a sick individual. Just a sick man.
0:36:08 > 0:36:11'What made Ben's crime all the more shocking, though,
0:36:11 > 0:36:16'is that unlike any of that lot, his victim had once upon a time been one of his few friends.'
0:36:17 > 0:36:21Heather and Ben are similar. Both been bullied,
0:36:21 > 0:36:24both have had pretty bad upbringings.
0:36:24 > 0:36:27- Where's the things I wanted? - I got peckish.
0:36:27 > 0:36:32- You might as well finish them, you fat, ugly pig.- Hey!- Shut up!
0:36:32 > 0:36:34Her parents didn't give her love.
0:36:34 > 0:36:37I just have to take one look at her and I'm depressed.
0:36:37 > 0:36:42Definitely Heather saw a bit of her in Ben, struggling with life.
0:36:42 > 0:36:46- You have to live your dream. - I wish Dad thought that. - My mum was the same.
0:36:46 > 0:36:50But we can't let our parents hold us back! Good luck.
0:36:50 > 0:36:53And Heather being the nice girl she is wanted to look after him.
0:36:53 > 0:36:57Whatever they take from you, whatever they do to you,
0:36:57 > 0:37:00they can never take away who you are or what you are.
0:37:01 > 0:37:04You just remember that and you'll get through it.
0:37:04 > 0:37:07They were both victims of bullying and they found solace in each other.
0:37:07 > 0:37:11The first time they met, they bonded over their passion for musicals.
0:37:11 > 0:37:15- Bugsy Malone!- We did that at my drama club! My Name Is Tallulah!
0:37:15 > 0:37:21- You were Tallulah? - No, I was crowd. But I wanted to be.
0:37:21 > 0:37:23They found in each other companionship.
0:37:23 > 0:37:27Heather wanted to be protective of Ben because she knew that's what he was like.
0:37:27 > 0:37:31Ben knew what Heather was going through on occasions
0:37:31 > 0:37:34because he's been through it himself in his short life.
0:37:34 > 0:37:37So they always had a very close friendship.
0:37:37 > 0:37:41She's always protected him, always took him home to watch movies.
0:37:41 > 0:37:44- Can we rent a DVD?- Yeah, why not?
0:37:44 > 0:37:47You know, she's always been there for him.
0:37:47 > 0:37:52'However, Ben's experiences in prison transformed their friendship.'
0:37:52 > 0:37:54Ben! I heard you were back!
0:37:54 > 0:37:57Aren't you going to give me a welcome home cuddle?
0:37:59 > 0:38:04He's tried to frame her, all sorts, but she's still there for him, even after lettergate.
0:38:04 > 0:38:09And Hev. She's supposed to be your friend and you put her in the frame.
0:38:09 > 0:38:11Hasn't she suffered enough?
0:38:11 > 0:38:15When Ben made up Kevin68, she kind of forgave him.
0:38:15 > 0:38:20I don't think that Kevin68 was such a bad bloke after all.
0:38:20 > 0:38:23He was just...misunderstood, yeah?
0:38:23 > 0:38:28Hev always thinks that there's something in everyone to be saved.
0:38:28 > 0:38:30She wants to help this boy. He's been through a lot.
0:38:30 > 0:38:33Please let it all blow over.
0:38:33 > 0:38:37How could you do this, Ben? I've never stood up to anyone before.
0:38:37 > 0:38:41And if I can do it, Ben, you know, you can, too.
0:38:41 > 0:38:45Heather and Ben were actually so alike and they were good friends
0:38:45 > 0:38:48and actually, Heather could've been Ben's saviour.
0:38:48 > 0:38:52We used to watch musicals. We used to eat cake mix from a bowl,
0:38:52 > 0:38:56hide in the laundrette till the world went away. What happened to you, Ben?
0:38:56 > 0:38:59What happened to the little boy I loved, eh?
0:38:59 > 0:39:04I don't think Heather would've ever thought that Ben would hurt her, let alone kill her.
0:39:04 > 0:39:09'Ben wasn't the only man in her life to turn on her. No, men were always a problem for Hev
0:39:09 > 0:39:14'and she spent most of her time desperately trying to find the man of her dreams.'
0:39:14 > 0:39:17Just introduce me to someone desperate.
0:39:17 > 0:39:20The antics we get up to has a lot to do with Hev wanting to find a bloke.
0:39:20 > 0:39:23- No-one ever fancies me. - Oh, Gordon Bennett!
0:39:26 > 0:39:29And it's usually blokes she knows she can't have.
0:39:29 > 0:39:31I suppose a snog's out of the question.
0:39:31 > 0:39:34She is just terrible with men.
0:39:34 > 0:39:37- What if I end up on my own stinking of cats?- It ain't looking good, Hev.
0:39:37 > 0:39:42'The first of her lost causes was one of our loveable losers, Gary Hobbs.'
0:39:42 > 0:39:46Heather when we first met her was just desperately in love with Gary.
0:39:46 > 0:39:49I've got to warn you, I get a bit tipsy at weddings and anything goes.
0:39:49 > 0:39:52They did end up in bed together one night after a party.
0:39:54 > 0:39:58I don't think anything happened, but I don't think Gary remembered.
0:39:58 > 0:40:01- Did you let him polish your silver? - A lady doesn't kiss and tell.
0:40:01 > 0:40:04- Nothing happened. - Great. That's great.
0:40:04 > 0:40:07- 'That wasn't the end of it.' - She started following him around.
0:40:07 > 0:40:09You've been following me about.
0:40:09 > 0:40:12Gary didn't like that cos he was following Dawn at the time.
0:40:12 > 0:40:16Gary loves Dawn. Heather loves Gary. It's complicated.
0:40:16 > 0:40:19So it was like a stalker being stalked, if that makes sense.
0:40:19 > 0:40:22'Being Hev, she figured she needed a secret plan.
0:40:22 > 0:40:28- 'And that was to get Minty and Gary's mum Hazel...'- Someone call? - '..to enter a wedding competition.'
0:40:28 > 0:40:33- Is there something wrong with my hearing?- 'It's simple, Minty was engaged to Gary's mum,
0:40:33 > 0:40:37'so Gary became the best man. Hazel is friends with Hev and makes her one of the bridesmaids.'
0:40:37 > 0:40:40- I'm sorry, you've lost me. - 'What's not to understand?'
0:40:40 > 0:40:44Just got to win the competition, get his best mate hitched,
0:40:44 > 0:40:48persuade the fiancee you're number one bridesmaid and jump in bed with the best man.
0:40:48 > 0:40:51- How could it possibly fail? - Do you really think it'll work?
0:40:51 > 0:40:54- No.- 'Of course it didn't.
0:40:54 > 0:40:58'But in a strange twist of fate, it did lead Hev straight into the arms of her next love.
0:40:58 > 0:41:03'Minty. Hazel and Minty reached the final of the wedding competition...'
0:41:03 > 0:41:07- We're now finalists. - '..but their relationship had fallen apart.'- Hazel!
0:41:09 > 0:41:15- 'But Hev stepped in and pretended to be Hazel.'- I'm Hazel.- 'As you would, to win the prize money...'
0:41:15 > 0:41:19- BOTH CHEER - '..and become Minty's wife.'
0:41:19 > 0:41:21APPLAUSE
0:41:24 > 0:41:26'But it wasn't quite happily ever after.'
0:41:26 > 0:41:33Minty grew to love her in a way that was not the kind of love that Heather wanted.
0:41:33 > 0:41:37Oh, what would I do without you?
0:41:37 > 0:41:43He did love her and she definitely loved him, but it was kind of like a brother and sister love.
0:41:43 > 0:41:46In a way, Minty and Heather should have worked
0:41:46 > 0:41:49because they were both so similar to each other.
0:41:49 > 0:41:53The wedding should've been the glorious end of them getting together
0:41:53 > 0:41:55but this is soap life, it doesn't work like that.
0:41:55 > 0:41:58They even went on honeymoon together and nothing happened.
0:41:58 > 0:42:01I think the giraffes got more action than them.
0:42:01 > 0:42:07She thought she'd got a man, and it was cruel to learn that he didn't love her, he wasn't interested.
0:42:07 > 0:42:13- Please, don't leave!- Oh, Minty, will you grow yourself a pair? He doesn't love you back, babe.
0:42:13 > 0:42:17He held a candle for Sam and Heather found out.
0:42:17 > 0:42:21I think you should probably just get up and leave.
0:42:21 > 0:42:26I liked Minty, I used to like him but he treated Heather appallingly. Don't like Minty, I've gone off him.
0:42:26 > 0:42:32'It's so sad when a marriage where the bride pretended to be someone else for money doesn't work out.
0:42:32 > 0:42:36'Anyway, the next fella on Hev's list would have monumental consequences,
0:42:36 > 0:42:39'and it all kicked off with a simple bit of rubbish.'
0:42:39 > 0:42:43Heather had a lucky yoghurt pot lid that she had taken from George Michael's bins.
0:42:43 > 0:42:45Do you think he licked it?
0:42:45 > 0:42:48Heather laminated it and put it round her neck.
0:42:48 > 0:42:52'Armed with this memento, the girls go on yet another night in search of a bloke.'
0:42:52 > 0:42:56She found a man. And he was absolutely gorgeous.
0:42:56 > 0:43:00- You've got gorgeous eyes, do you know that?- 'But all was not as it seemed.'
0:43:00 > 0:43:03Shirley paid him. She didn't think you could do it on your own.
0:43:03 > 0:43:06I'm sorry, Hev, it's all a lie.
0:43:06 > 0:43:09There was a few slaps.
0:43:09 > 0:43:11How could you do this to me?
0:43:11 > 0:43:13Hev runs off to the unisex loos.
0:43:13 > 0:43:15Hev!
0:43:15 > 0:43:18And then it turned out to be somebody genuinely chatting her up.
0:43:18 > 0:43:22- You got my money?- What, you mean you're the...- Escort, yeah.
0:43:22 > 0:43:24I don't believe this.
0:43:24 > 0:43:27Heather, she's having a little cry,
0:43:27 > 0:43:32and suddenly from nowhere under the toilet comes a yoghurt pot lid.
0:43:32 > 0:43:38It turns out that somebody was keen to comfort Heather that evening.
0:43:38 > 0:43:41'Oh, I see where this is going.
0:43:41 > 0:43:45'Yeah, thought so, those kebabs... Ah.
0:43:45 > 0:43:48'So Hev was left alone with a new man in her life.
0:43:48 > 0:43:51'So it's time to play who's the daddy?
0:43:51 > 0:43:55'The violent recovering alcoholic, but who doesn't love a bad boy?
0:43:55 > 0:44:00'The loveable softie who broke your heart, time for a second chance perhaps?
0:44:00 > 0:44:04'The scrawny teenager? But you know what they say about the toy boys.
0:44:04 > 0:44:08'Or the fellow loveable loser? Sounds like the perfect soul mate.'
0:44:08 > 0:44:13George...this is your dad.
0:44:13 > 0:44:19- 'Oh.'- Of all the people, it turns out to be Darren Miller.
0:44:19 > 0:44:23Heather would've loved Darren to be involved in George's life
0:44:23 > 0:44:26but I think she knew that it was a no-go.
0:44:26 > 0:44:30Baby George in Hev's life is everything.
0:44:30 > 0:44:34She couldn't function without him. She loves the bones off of him.
0:44:34 > 0:44:37And he's the best thing that ever happened to her.
0:44:37 > 0:44:42All of Heather's life, all she's ever wanted is for somebody to love her.
0:44:42 > 0:44:46And when baby George came onto the scene, that's her unconditional love.
0:44:46 > 0:44:50She had to grow up. She had to become responsible.
0:44:50 > 0:44:54- BABY CRIES - Mummy's here, George. Mummy's here.
0:44:54 > 0:44:59Having baby George and becoming a mother made Heather a much more rounded character,
0:44:59 > 0:45:02and much more believable.
0:45:02 > 0:45:06She couldn't carry on doing the karaoke cheese jokes for the rest of her life.
0:45:06 > 0:45:12That's why a lot of people can relate to Heather, because she is doing the real thing.
0:45:12 > 0:45:17She's a single woman with a baby. Father's not interested.
0:45:17 > 0:45:22Nobody else is interested, so it's just the two of them against the world, really.
0:45:22 > 0:45:25I'm sorry, darling, I know you're hungry.
0:45:25 > 0:45:27I think it just helped us fall in love with her.
0:45:27 > 0:45:33It's what Heather needed. And all she needed to make the picture perfect was the husband.
0:45:33 > 0:45:37'Now with baby in tow, Hev is even more determined to find love.
0:45:37 > 0:45:40'So where better to find it than on the internet?'
0:45:40 > 0:45:45- I've joined up.- No, you ain't. You are not going to find love online.
0:45:45 > 0:45:48- 'But against all the odds, she did...' - Shirl! Someone clicked on me!
0:45:48 > 0:45:53- '..in the shape of a man who went by the name of Kevin68.' - Oh, he sounds lovely.
0:45:53 > 0:45:57Heather, being as soft as she is, instantly fell in love with this character.
0:45:57 > 0:46:02Oh, look, he's missing me. That's good. I'm missing him.
0:46:02 > 0:46:07Being Heather, she wanted to find the man, so she physically went looking for him.
0:46:08 > 0:46:11Are you Kevin68?
0:46:11 > 0:46:14- You're not Kevin68? - No, I'm Kevin Flynn.
0:46:14 > 0:46:16She was going to meet him.
0:46:16 > 0:46:21- Then suddenly got a text saying he was dead. - SHE LAUGHS
0:46:21 > 0:46:26It's with great sadness that I inform you that Kevin was killed last week in a motor accident.
0:46:26 > 0:46:28'Distraught by losing the love of a man she never met,
0:46:28 > 0:46:32'Shirley throws a little party to cheer Hev up.'
0:46:32 > 0:46:37- To Hev. - 'But this is EastEnders, so we know how this is going to end... badly.'
0:46:37 > 0:46:40- I bet he didn't even exist.- Shut up! - He was tender and he was warm
0:46:40 > 0:46:43- and he was gentle and... - Give me a break.- Stop it!
0:46:43 > 0:46:47Phil finds this ridiculous, it's humorous as far as he's concerned.
0:46:47 > 0:46:51- He was my boyfriend and I loved him. - Stop it!- And he died, Phil, he died!
0:46:51 > 0:46:55- He didn't exist, did he? - He did! It was me!
0:46:55 > 0:47:02Ben admits, because he then feels bad that Heather is in this state, that he did it.
0:47:02 > 0:47:04You?
0:47:06 > 0:47:10I'm Kevin68. It was me.
0:47:10 > 0:47:13'There's only so much heartbreak a person can take.
0:47:13 > 0:47:16'And Heather finally met her man in the most unexpected of places.
0:47:16 > 0:47:21'Time to go back to Southend and that 80s lesbian convention.'
0:47:21 > 0:47:23She thought it was an 80s music convention.
0:47:23 > 0:47:26And Andrew was a bouncer there.
0:47:26 > 0:47:31- Do you love Hazell Dean? - I can't say I remember her.
0:47:31 > 0:47:36He gets to like Heather cos she does this silly Hazell Dean dance across the floor to him.
0:47:36 > 0:47:40And he can see the little cheeky smile, and thinks, "She's a bit of a one".
0:47:40 > 0:47:42She didn't trust him.
0:47:42 > 0:47:46- If you wanted, we could go to the fairground. - We've got memorabilia to look at.
0:47:46 > 0:47:49Yeah, but we could do that later.
0:47:49 > 0:47:51Thought he was pulling the rug over her eyes.
0:47:51 > 0:47:54You hurt her and I'll break your legs.
0:47:54 > 0:47:58'But Andrew was not to be put off that easily and followed Hev back to Walford.'
0:47:59 > 0:48:04- All right?- Andrew.
0:48:04 > 0:48:06It was a spark for both of them.
0:48:06 > 0:48:11It wasn't her just getting infatuated with him. He really liked her.
0:48:11 > 0:48:15- I've never met anyone like her before.- Well, Heather is certainly a one-off.
0:48:15 > 0:48:17She couldn't believe it and it built up.
0:48:17 > 0:48:20'Unlike any of the other men in the past,
0:48:20 > 0:48:23'this time it wasn't Hev doing the chasing.'
0:48:23 > 0:48:25I'm staying around.
0:48:25 > 0:48:29He did have a heart of gold. I think he genuinely loves Heather
0:48:29 > 0:48:34and it's the first person that has genuinely loved Heather Trott.
0:48:34 > 0:48:38Andrew put a love heart in some chips for Heather.
0:48:38 > 0:48:41And he was probably the first man that's come along in Heather's life
0:48:41 > 0:48:45that said he will fight for her, he'll defend her, he loves her,
0:48:45 > 0:48:48and told her all the things she desperately wanted to hear.
0:48:48 > 0:48:50I felt them.
0:48:50 > 0:48:52Butterflies.
0:48:52 > 0:48:58When Andrew says, "I love you," he means it, he's sincere. After time, she knew that.
0:48:58 > 0:49:00And for the very first time, she found real love.
0:49:00 > 0:49:02I love you.
0:49:02 > 0:49:08'Who said fairytales couldn't come true? Finally our beloved Hev got what she'd always wanted.'
0:49:08 > 0:49:11Heather, will you marry me?
0:49:11 > 0:49:13Yes!
0:49:13 > 0:49:17The marriage between Hev and Andrew would've worked beautifully.
0:49:17 > 0:49:20And they would've been the happiest people on the Square.
0:49:20 > 0:49:23Here's a man who's finally telling her everything she ever dreamed of,
0:49:23 > 0:49:30saying he wants to love her, giving her the big wedding of her dreams. What's the worst that could happen?
0:49:30 > 0:49:33'She could get killed. And it wouldn't be the first time, either.'
0:49:33 > 0:49:35EastEnders loves its shock exits.
0:49:35 > 0:49:39That keeps you on you toes, you never know what's coming next.
0:49:39 > 0:49:43I always remember Tiffany, when she got run over, all of a sudden Frank come round.
0:49:43 > 0:49:45TYRES SCREECH
0:49:47 > 0:49:50Dropped my drink. It was all over the shop.
0:49:50 > 0:49:52Jamie Mitchell's death was a tragedy.
0:49:53 > 0:49:58You could almost hear the teenagers crying at Christmas when that happened.
0:49:58 > 0:50:01No! No! Oh, Jamie, no!
0:50:01 > 0:50:06I remember Billy Jackson's demise and that was very sad.
0:50:06 > 0:50:13That was a shock to the audience because all the time, for a long time in that episode, he was dead.
0:50:15 > 0:50:21Archie was the last biggy. Wonderful character, wonderful actor, then bam!
0:50:21 > 0:50:24You know, if you're going to go, go like that.
0:50:24 > 0:50:27This is going to be one of the biggest shock deaths EastEnders has had.
0:50:27 > 0:50:32'She's not wrong, and when Hev went, she certainly went out with a bang
0:50:32 > 0:50:34'on what was to be a memorable day on set.'
0:50:34 > 0:50:37Today we're going to kill Cheryl Fergison.
0:50:37 > 0:50:40You couldn't keep it shut, could you!
0:50:40 > 0:50:46Getting a great storyline like the murder of Hev is marvellous.
0:50:47 > 0:50:52And this will be the actual... to the end.
0:50:52 > 0:50:54That's what I'm after, yeah.
0:50:54 > 0:50:57Normally Hev is quite light. So this is quite dark.
0:50:57 > 0:51:00Hev's death scene was quite difficult to shoot.
0:51:00 > 0:51:06There's a lot of geometry involved in the visualisation,
0:51:06 > 0:51:10as well as emotional behaviour from the characters.
0:51:10 > 0:51:15I had a stunt coordinator and the way you shoot these things
0:51:15 > 0:51:21is always to get the camera so people travel past the camera,
0:51:21 > 0:51:25leaving the expression on somebody else's face.
0:51:25 > 0:51:29- 'Rehearsals over, it was time to record soap history.'- And action.
0:51:29 > 0:51:32- You told her, didn't you? - I didn't know what else to do!
0:51:32 > 0:51:34You've got no idea what he's going to do to me.
0:51:34 > 0:51:39Ben comes round to confront Heather. It turns into this argument in Heather's flat.
0:51:39 > 0:51:44- We'll talk to him, make him understand.- You were supposed to be on my side!- Calm down!
0:51:44 > 0:51:46Heather's innocent. She's done nothing wrong.
0:51:46 > 0:51:50- I can't stay here, not now!- I'm really sorry about this, Heather.
0:51:50 > 0:51:53Ben just completely and utterly goes off his rail and demands money.
0:51:53 > 0:51:56Mandy said Dot gave you money for the wedding.
0:51:56 > 0:51:59Ben is rifling through her handbag and he's shouting.
0:51:59 > 0:52:03- Come on, we're going.- Get off me! Just tell me where it is!
0:52:03 > 0:52:05I haven't got it, I swear to you!
0:52:05 > 0:52:09Then suddenly Ben loses it, he completely loses the plot.
0:52:09 > 0:52:13- Don't touch me!- Ben!- Get off me!- Ben!
0:52:17 > 0:52:19And I go down like a sack of spuds.
0:52:19 > 0:52:24And...that's it.
0:52:24 > 0:52:29The murder of Heather starts an enormous storyline that will rumble on for quite some time.
0:52:29 > 0:52:34When Phil comes out of prison, the first thing he wants to do is go and find his son
0:52:34 > 0:52:38and give it to him, he's just going to really tell him.
0:52:41 > 0:52:46What he comes across is a horrific scene of Ben standing over Heather's body.
0:52:46 > 0:52:50- In that moment, Phil makes a choice. - Help me!
0:52:50 > 0:52:54And in true Mitchell fashion, Phil makes the decision to protect his son
0:52:54 > 0:52:58- in the worst possible circumstances. - Heather?
0:52:58 > 0:53:02It doesn't matter that he's killed a person, or that he's grassed Phil up,
0:53:02 > 0:53:04at the end of the day he's family, he's his son.
0:53:04 > 0:53:10Cheryl decided to play the corpse because she knew how much that meant to us,
0:53:10 > 0:53:14and how much we would relate to seeing her there.
0:53:14 > 0:53:19It was like a radio player, I could hear Phil, I could hear Shirley screaming and bellowing,
0:53:19 > 0:53:23I could hear Jay, I could hear Ben.
0:53:23 > 0:53:28You just knew it was the end. It was the most weirdest, oddest, oddest feeling.
0:53:28 > 0:53:33A change of story direction is called a reversal of expectation,
0:53:33 > 0:53:38and Hev's death is a major reversal of expectation.
0:53:39 > 0:53:44God only knows what's going to come of this because he's already implicating
0:53:44 > 0:53:47Jay, himself,
0:53:47 > 0:53:53Andrew, Billy, the police are investigating all sorts of avenues.
0:53:53 > 0:53:57When Shirley finds out, there's going to be a nuclear reaction.
0:53:57 > 0:54:00And, of course, what Ben's responsible for
0:54:00 > 0:54:04is going to shape that family and that character for many years to come.
0:54:04 > 0:54:10You've got the aftermath, who's going to get blamed? Is someone going to go to prison? No-one knows.
0:54:10 > 0:54:15Phil always wanted Ben to be a Mitchell and now he's got what he wanted in the worst possible fashion.
0:54:15 > 0:54:18So Phil is going to regret ever saying those words to his son.
0:54:18 > 0:54:22No-one had to tell me that I was in a big storyline in this one
0:54:22 > 0:54:26because it's number ten on the Richter scale of storylines.
0:54:26 > 0:54:30It would've been great for Heather to have got the prize,
0:54:30 > 0:54:34to have had a really loving relationship.
0:54:34 > 0:54:37Heather, I love you! Please!
0:54:37 > 0:54:41The sad thing for Andrew is he's not only devastated by the death,
0:54:41 > 0:54:46he's now bang in the frame for it, so he's got it coming all angles.
0:54:46 > 0:54:49What's going to happen to Shirley? You have to wait and see.
0:54:49 > 0:54:54But for me, it's going to be... it's going to be very hard without her, yeah.
0:54:54 > 0:54:56Yeah.
0:54:56 > 0:55:00That is the scene complete. That's Cheryl's last scene with us. Thank you, Cheryl.
0:55:00 > 0:55:07'After 381 episodes, EastEnders finally said goodbye to Cheryl, and, of course, Heather Trott.'
0:55:07 > 0:55:11Don't be strangers, please, don't be strangers.
0:55:11 > 0:55:16It's only a telephone. And come and see me in my Winnebago in Downton.
0:55:16 > 0:55:19LAUGHTER
0:55:19 > 0:55:24My time on EastEnders has been emotional and it has been a happy time.
0:55:24 > 0:55:27It's been probably the best time I've ever had.
0:55:27 > 0:55:29# Pretty pretty please
0:55:29 > 0:55:32# Don't you ever ever feel
0:55:32 > 0:55:35# Like you're less than
0:55:35 > 0:55:38# Less than perfect
0:55:38 > 0:55:41I don't think we'll ever see anyone quite like Heather again.
0:55:41 > 0:55:46I've just really loved playing Heather and it's been a big part of my life for a long time.
0:55:46 > 0:55:51She's been fantastic, charming to work with, absolutely professional.
0:55:51 > 0:55:54Working with Cheryl has been an absolute blinder.
0:55:54 > 0:55:59What the audience are going to miss is the smile that she puts on their faces.
0:55:59 > 0:56:01They broke the mould when they made her.
0:56:01 > 0:56:06I'll certainly miss Cheryl's laughter, I'll certainly miss her cuddles.
0:56:06 > 0:56:11Sometimes you get some sad losses, and this is one of them.
0:56:11 > 0:56:14I'm going to miss everything about Cheryl, everything.
0:56:14 > 0:56:18My life on set with Cheryl Fergison has been incredible.
0:56:19 > 0:56:21Sorry, can you cut?
0:56:22 > 0:56:26I think I might just chain myself to the security gate,
0:56:26 > 0:56:30or even, I don't know if it's been done before, but I might squat in my dressing room.
0:56:32 > 0:56:36Subtitles by Red Bee Media Ltd