The Murder EastEnders Revealed


The Murder

Similar Content

Browse content similar to The Murder. Check below for episodes and series from the same categories and more!

Transcript


LineFromTo

'Walford is reeling from a shocking crime.'

0:00:020:00:05

Heather's dead, all right?

0:00:050:00:07

-No!

-This will never, never go away!

0:00:070:00:11

'It's one of the most unexpected tragedies in EastEnders history.'

0:00:110:00:15

No! No! Heather!

0:00:150:00:17

'An innocent woman, a mother and a bride-to-be days away from her dream end

0:00:170:00:24

'has been murdered in cold blood by one of the people who loved her the most.

0:00:240:00:29

'The cover-up has already started

0:00:290:00:31

'and tonight we take a closer look at how a troubled teen

0:00:310:00:34

'came to end the life of one of the most loved characters the Square has ever known.'

0:00:340:00:40

# Well, I guess it would be nice

0:00:420:00:45

# If I could touch your body

0:00:450:00:47

# I know not everybody

0:00:470:00:49

# Has got a body like you #

0:00:490:00:53

-And action!

-There's always going to be Hev and Shirl.

0:00:530:00:57

'For the last four and a half years, Heather Trott has been bringing bags of colour and fun to Walford.'

0:00:570:01:02

Heather is a wonderful character. She's loveable, she's kind

0:01:020:01:06

and warm-hearted and she'd give people her last penny, literally.

0:01:060:01:11

These are for you and Mr Branning to say happy anniversary for yesterday.

0:01:110:01:14

She's bubbly, she's silly, very childish.

0:01:140:01:18

# Cos I've got to have faith, faith, faith #

0:01:180:01:21

Ow!

0:01:210:01:22

-There's not a bad bone in her body.

-Heather is as hard as a marshmallow.

0:01:220:01:26

She is the ray of sunshine for Albert Square.

0:01:260:01:29

Understated, classic but simple.

0:01:290:01:32

'Heather first hit our screens in typically memorable fashion.'

0:01:320:01:36

My first time being seen was at Shirley's party.

0:01:360:01:40

'Er, actually, it wasn't.

0:01:400:01:42

'Cheryl did appear in EastEnders

0:01:420:01:44

'two years before as a prison cellmate of Mo.'

0:01:440:01:47

-Some lairy cow, thinks she runs this place.

-'Anyway, back to the party.'

0:01:470:01:51

-I remember there being some good-looking, burly men.

-'Really?'

0:01:510:01:55

And then, at one point, a fight breaks out.

0:01:550:01:57

I whacked this guy like some sort of old lady.

0:01:580:02:03

I just whacked this guy and joined in this fight.

0:02:030:02:05

And I remember thinking, "God, this is crazy! I've literally been thrown in the deep end. Wow!"

0:02:050:02:12

'When Hev first came in, she immediately formed part of one of the most memorable double acts.'

0:02:120:02:17

-Heather and Shirl!

-A right pair of dozy slappers!

0:02:170:02:21

They were just epic. I love them together.

0:02:210:02:24

BOTH: # If you're gonna do it, do it right...

0:02:240:02:27

-It's almost like a love affair they have.

-You shouldn't be doing that in here.

0:02:270:02:32

They have adventures and they are classic go-getter girls.

0:02:320:02:37

-Watch out, Walford.

-They're made for each other.

0:02:370:02:39

-What are mates for?

-You're a mate, Shirl. You're the best.

0:02:390:02:42

-They had their up and downs.

-You lying, cheating, back-stabbing cow!

0:02:420:02:47

They argued, but it's Heather and Shirl to the end.

0:02:470:02:49

-It's just me and you.

-Come again?

0:02:490:02:53

She was introduced as a very broad comedy character,

0:02:530:02:56

instantly successful,

0:02:560:02:58

people immediately knew who she was and what she represented in the show.

0:02:580:03:02

She was this kind of fat girl

0:03:020:03:04

-who just ate her way through everything.

-Doughnut, please.

0:03:040:03:08

There was quite a stereotypical "whatever fat people do".

0:03:080:03:12

-When are we stopping for lunch?

-We don't eat until later.

0:03:120:03:15

Oh. Sorry about this.

0:03:150:03:18

The whole thing was quite jokey.

0:03:180:03:20

-We'll have to use the food fund.

-The what?

0:03:200:03:23

I always keep a backup for an emergency kebab or two.

0:03:230:03:26

'And there's one food she just couldn't get enough of.'

0:03:260:03:29

-Cheese.

-Cheese.

-Cheese.

0:03:290:03:31

-Did you know there's over 700 different varieties?

-Really?

0:03:310:03:34

Just wave a bit of cheese in front of her and she'd come crawling.

0:03:340:03:37

-I love it.

-You love it?

0:03:370:03:40

Ooh, it's better than sex.

0:03:400:03:43

Fired for eating Edam at the cheese counter.

0:03:430:03:45

-I was hungry.

-They sacked you for that?

0:03:450:03:47

She must have some fantastic dreams.

0:03:470:03:49

SHE SNORES

0:03:490:03:51

'But it wasn't just cheese that Hev was obsessed with.'

0:03:510:03:54

She likes a hair band for some strange reason.

0:03:540:03:57

Hev has got the worst collection of hair bands I've ever seen.

0:03:570:04:00

You can't have Hev without a hair band. It's like fish and chips. Can't have one without the other.

0:04:000:04:05

'There was also her impeccable manners.'

0:04:050:04:07

Yes, Mrs Trueman. Hello, Mrs Branning. I don't think there's time for that, Mrs Pat Evans!

0:04:070:04:12

-I'm so excited. Every time I think about it, I swear a bit of pee comes out!

-Oh, Heather!

-Sorry.

0:04:120:04:18

'She was never far from a microphone.'

0:04:180:04:20

# I can't give

0:04:200:04:23

'Yep, we're all thinking the same thing, Shirl.

0:04:230:04:26

'But more importantly, of course, her obsession with Georgios Kyriacos Panayiotou,

0:04:260:04:31

-'AKA...'

-George Michael.

0:04:310:04:33

# Club Tropicana, drinks are free #

0:04:330:04:38

She adored him and fancied the pants off him.

0:04:380:04:40

Just think, his sweaty foot was in that.

0:04:400:04:42

And believed wholly that she was in Club Tropicana.

0:04:420:04:47

Every song George has ever written is etched on my heart, Hazel. Every word written is in here.

0:04:470:04:52

She loves George so much that she broke into his house.

0:04:520:04:55

And when she gave birth to her baby,

0:04:570:05:00

-there was only ever one choice for a name.

-George Michael Trott.

0:05:000:05:04

Her dream man would be a George Michael lookalike.

0:05:040:05:06

# Well, I guess it would be nice

0:05:060:05:09

# If I could touch your body

0:05:090:05:11

'Blimey, George has let himself go!

0:05:110:05:14

'Heather was initially only written as a guest character

0:05:140:05:17

'but after proving popular with audiences, she moved into Albert Square for good.'

0:05:170:05:21

The public took to her immediately.

0:05:210:05:24

Cheryl's brought a lot of humanity and warmth to her.

0:05:240:05:27

With EastEnders, it takes about three months to bed a character in,

0:05:270:05:31

and I think she managed to do it in about a month.

0:05:310:05:34

Characters have to be established, but I wanted viewers to see more of her, not just her eating.

0:05:340:05:40

It could've been a one-dimensional role,

0:05:400:05:42

but Cheryl brought so many different layers to Heather.

0:05:420:05:45

-I don't think there's anybody that could play Heather like Cheryl does.

-That's good! Lovely!

-Hold it there.

0:05:450:05:51

Hello. Welcome to the place I've been living for the last four and a half years. Come on in.

0:05:530:05:59

Let me should you round my boudoir.

0:05:590:06:02

I have... Let's start off with a prop. And it's me and George.

0:06:020:06:07

Up here is my kind of sanctuary, I guess.

0:06:070:06:10

I use it to play guitar, write songs and chill out.

0:06:100:06:14

SHE PLAYS "FAITH"

0:06:140:06:18

# Well, I guess it would be nice

0:06:180:06:20

# If I could touch your body

0:06:200:06:22

# I know not everybody #

0:06:220:06:25

Oh, no, that's the wrong key! That's embarrassing! Can we start again?

0:06:250:06:29

My little boudoir of people.

0:06:290:06:32

This is definitely a home from home. This is where I spend a lot of my time

0:06:320:06:36

if I'm not downstairs playing with the other gang.

0:06:360:06:39

This is a collection of...Heather's handbags. They go with her headbands.

0:06:390:06:45

They don't go with anything, really. Nothing goes with anything.

0:06:450:06:49

Do you like those? I think I've only worn these once.

0:06:490:06:52

These ones are probably what I will wear today

0:06:520:06:55

as I think I may have a bed scene, ooh!

0:06:550:06:57

Today is the start of Heather's demise block.

0:06:570:07:02

It's a little bit weird.

0:07:020:07:04

I've got a lot today. I don't think I do any crying today, so that's quite good.

0:07:040:07:09

It's just a friend, that's all.

0:07:090:07:11

He's in trouble, he's in big trouble.

0:07:110:07:13

I think Heather has become more three-dimensional as time has gone on.

0:07:130:07:17

Hev's character has progressed into responsibility.

0:07:170:07:22

The single mum, having to support her child.

0:07:220:07:25

-BABY WHIMPERS

-Please, George, just give Mummy a couple of minutes, eh?

0:07:250:07:31

Lots of tragic things have happened to Heather.

0:07:310:07:35

'She got poisoned by her boiler.'

0:07:350:07:37

-What's wrong? Is she OK?

-She's breathing.

0:07:370:07:40

-'She lost her flat.'

-I just wondered if you've got room for two little uns.

-No.

0:07:400:07:44

-'She got the sack.'

-Go home now. And don't bother coming back!

0:07:440:07:49

-'And she was always skint.'

-I swear, I'll pay you back as soon as I could.

-No.

0:07:490:07:53

I'm am not going to lend you the money.

0:07:530:07:55

-Ooh.

-'Finally, and above all else, was her endless quest for Mr Right.'

0:07:560:08:01

-Get yourself a fella.

-Oh, cos it's as easy as that.

0:08:010:08:04

-It ain't that hard.

-It is for me.

0:08:040:08:07

Hev has been pretty unlucky in love I would say.

0:08:070:08:09

My name's Heather.

0:08:090:08:12

She's had her tribulations with men.

0:08:120:08:15

All she wanted was that happily ever after.

0:08:150:08:17

All she wanted was a good guy to come along and fall in love with her.

0:08:170:08:21

'And after years of trying, it seemed that hapless Hev's dream had finally come true

0:08:210:08:26

'in the burly shape of Andrew.'

0:08:260:08:29

I was wondering, is there any chance you, erm, you might want to spend Christmas with me?

0:08:290:08:35

On paper, perfect. And they are such sweethearts together.

0:08:350:08:40

And he would've taken care of her for the rest of her life.

0:08:400:08:43

I've been rooting for Hev to get a decent fella

0:08:430:08:47

and to find happiness for years

0:08:470:08:49

and it's so close, it was so good, it was going to happen.

0:08:490:08:52

Just why have the swines done this to our poor Hev?

0:08:520:08:56

'Yes, sadly Hev's demise signalled the end of a famous comedic character.

0:08:560:09:01

'But she's not the only hapless, hopeless, loveable loser

0:09:010:09:04

'that we've loved, laughed with and lost.'

0:09:040:09:07

Comical characters are important because they're the light to the dark.

0:09:070:09:11

We can't all be kidnappers and murderers.

0:09:110:09:13

It's nice to see someone mess up. It's a bit of relief.

0:09:130:09:16

You think, "I'm not the only one who does things like that."

0:09:160:09:19

There's a tradition for comic characters in the show.

0:09:190:09:22

The loveable loser that you just go, "Oh, what a chump".

0:09:220:09:25

You've got Billy Mitchell, Ricky Butcher, Lofty.

0:09:250:09:29

They lift it up and bring the light among us, and that contrast is what we need.

0:09:290:09:33

I don't do that so much.

0:09:330:09:36

-I'm going to rip your head off your shoulders!

-'You don't say!'

0:09:360:09:39

If it was all doom and gloom, by the time you hit the "duv-duvs"

0:09:390:09:42

you'd slash your wrists. You wouldn't be able to take it.

0:09:420:09:45

'It's not quite that bad, but with that in mind,

0:09:450:09:48

'we've selected our top three loveable losers who just couldn't get anything right.

0:09:480:09:53

'In at number three, it's Gary Hobbs.'

0:09:540:09:57

Gary had a great comic double act with Minty.

0:09:570:10:00

They bounced off each other brilliantly,

0:10:000:10:02

and as a comic character, he was the eternal optimist.

0:10:020:10:05

-How do I look?

-Pigging awful, but there's nothing you can do about that.

0:10:050:10:08

Gary thought he was a hit with the ladies,

0:10:080:10:11

-but it never worked out like that.

-They wrote him a bit foppish.

0:10:110:10:14

Promise me that you'll be gentle with me, won't you?

0:10:140:10:17

He loved football, he loved boozing, he loved a laugh.

0:10:170:10:21

Happy-go-lucky, jack the lad.

0:10:210:10:23

Constantly chasing after these women that were far too bright and beautiful for him.

0:10:230:10:27

All right, girls, who wants to be Santa's little helper?

0:10:270:10:30

'Er, no, you're all right, mate.'

0:10:300:10:32

Gary was after Dawn because, you know, Kara Tointon, really.

0:10:320:10:36

Let's face it. That was a hard day at the office, that was.

0:10:360:10:39

Kissing FHM's number 22 top 100.

0:10:390:10:41

-I got it wrong a few times, as well. Not on purpose, mind.

-Punching above his weight, definitely.

0:10:410:10:46

-Maybe another little rub would help.

-Yeah, we can give it a try.

0:10:460:10:50

But in a rarity in this show, they finally got together and sailed away into the distance.

0:10:500:10:55

I remember watching it and it was lovely.

0:10:550:10:58

Lovely girl.

0:10:580:11:00

'A worthy runner-up is the man with the wild shirts and even wilder hair,

0:11:020:11:06

'90s style icon Nigel Bates.'

0:11:060:11:08

Nigel is the male equivalent to Heather.

0:11:080:11:12

He's kind of a soft-centred guy, but he'd always get let down.

0:11:120:11:16

He was hapless, wasn't he, really?

0:11:160:11:18

I think Nigel and Heather would've been a classic, classic pair.

0:11:180:11:24

-All this seems a bit over the top, doesn't it?

-'No.'

0:11:240:11:26

-They wore the same clothes!

-Nigel was kind, he had a heart of gold.

0:11:260:11:30

He was an underdog for so many years that I think when he finally got his happy ending,

0:11:300:11:34

we all thought it was completely deserved.

0:11:340:11:37

-And the winner is...Nigel!

-ALL CHEER

0:11:370:11:41

'Sorry, Dot, but he isn't.

0:11:410:11:44

'Because our greatest, loveable, most-losery loser

0:11:440:11:47

'was a no-brainer, much like him, really. Barry Evans!'

0:11:470:11:52

-CHEERING

-Yeah!

0:11:520:11:55

If you walked in a pub and Barry was there, you'd think,

0:11:550:11:58

"I'll have a nice hour, a few jars with Barry."

0:11:580:12:00

As long as you didn't have to go home with him.

0:12:000:12:02

What size do you reckon that is?

0:12:020:12:04

Everyone loves that sort of vulnerable fool.

0:12:040:12:08

Oh, he just couldn't get anything right.

0:12:080:12:10

I've got my secret weapon.

0:12:100:12:12

No, no, no, it's elasticated waist.

0:12:120:12:15

He couldn't help it. Bless him. He tried.

0:12:150:12:17

-He was a bit clumsy, wasn't he?

-I remember his wedding when he had the white suit and towels on,

0:12:180:12:24

-with the car, getting splashed on.

-There was this feeling that Barry was just an affable clown.

0:12:240:12:29

He couldn't even go for a walk on his honeymoon without falling off a cliff.

0:12:290:12:34

Barry is just the biggest chump in Albert Square, isn't he?

0:12:360:12:40

I thought it would be great. I'll join EastEnders and get paid for sitting in a cafe all day.

0:12:400:12:45

It's ironic, cos now all I do is sit in a cafe all day.

0:12:450:12:49

'Hev will certainly be remembered amongst those greats

0:12:500:12:54

'and a big reason for that will owe a lot to the friendship and double act with her best mate Shirley.'

0:12:540:12:59

# Sisters are doing it for themselves

0:12:590:13:03

They've known each other since they were 16.

0:13:030:13:05

-1987. Me and you down the Hippodrome, eh?

-I can still remember the moves.

0:13:050:13:10

Heather and Shirley was genius because they're two characters completely different

0:13:100:13:17

who somehow have come together.

0:13:170:13:19

-Just you and me now, girl.

-They complement each other.

0:13:190:13:23

Who's got the best friend in the world, eh?

0:13:230:13:25

Care for each other, love each other and they will do anything for each other.

0:13:250:13:30

Is this all for me?

0:13:300:13:32

They are the absolute odd couple.

0:13:320:13:34

SHIRLEY BELCHES

0:13:340:13:36

HEATHER BREAKS WIND

0:13:360:13:38

'Oh, classy!'

0:13:380:13:40

They are just poles apart.

0:13:400:13:42

Me and you, Shirl, we're like Thelma and Louise.

0:13:420:13:45

Didn't they drive off the top of a cliff?

0:13:450:13:47

That's why it works, because opposites attract. That's why it's just such a good mixture.

0:13:470:13:52

-I want what you've got.

-What, nice legs and a cheery disposition?

0:13:520:13:55

-'And a Rod Stewart hairdo?'

-Shirl is quite spiky.

0:13:550:14:00

Heather can give her the sort of warmer side.

0:14:000:14:03

-Stop gassing and get on with it, then.

-She means please. Pretty please.

0:14:030:14:07

Heather gave Shirley that sort of unquestioning,

0:14:070:14:10

non-judgemental type of friend that we'd all like to have.

0:14:100:14:14

Each brings out the best in each other.

0:14:140:14:16

Heather will bring out the best in Shirley because she's a brazen character

0:14:160:14:20

and maybe Heather can sort of calm her down and bring out that nicer side,

0:14:200:14:24

but also Shirley will try and stick up for her mate.

0:14:240:14:27

Nobody messes with Hev because of Shirley.

0:14:270:14:31

-What did you say?

-It's all right, Shirl, leave it.

-Give him this one from me.

0:14:310:14:35

'That friendship wasn't just confined to when the cameras were rolling.'

0:14:360:14:42

Linda and Cheryl off-camera are inseparable, just the same way they are on set.

0:14:420:14:46

It's like finding a bit of a soul mate, really.

0:14:460:14:49

We just immediately, and I'm not just saying it, clicked.

0:14:490:14:52

Aww! This is my mate!

0:14:520:14:54

They just adore each other. They'll be mates forever.

0:14:540:14:58

We've got very naughty laughs and we've got very naughty minds

0:14:580:15:01

and we're kind of very mischievous girls.

0:15:010:15:05

-It's all going to be different, Shev and Hirl...

-Shev and Hirl?

-THEY LAUGH

0:15:050:15:09

It's always good fun, always a laugh, there's always something happening.

0:15:090:15:12

They're really close mates. So I think it's going to be a killer, tearing them apart.

0:15:120:15:17

'What kept us glued to the screens, though, was wondering what they'd get up to next.'

0:15:170:15:22

They love to go off on a good old jaunt.

0:15:220:15:24

I'm not sitting in the back again. That made me feel sick.

0:15:240:15:27

The first memorable adventure was the trip to Brighton.

0:15:270:15:30

-We've got to go to Brighton.

-She was after Gary.

0:15:300:15:33

-I take it this is Gary Hobbs.

-Heather had fallen in love with Gary almost overnight.

0:15:330:15:37

-I think I love him.

-Nothing would stop her.

0:15:370:15:39

-I've got to find Gary!

-Calm down, who made you boss?

-Sorry, I just love him.

0:15:390:15:44

The stuff in Brighton was great. It was our first road trip.

0:15:440:15:47

-Gary Hobbs, get ready for the night of your life!

-ENGINE SPLUTTERS

0:15:470:15:51

That's when you really saw coming to the front

0:15:510:15:55

how caring she was for taking her to Brighton to meet Gary.

0:15:550:15:58

-He could be anywhere!

-She even nicked Pat's car to get her there.

0:15:580:16:01

Oi! That's my car!

0:16:010:16:05

And how protective Shirley was of her.

0:16:050:16:08

# I can't live

0:16:080:16:10

Hev was in a karaoke bar singing and she was quite sad because she couldn't find Gary.

0:16:100:16:15

-Are you going to let me buy you a drink?

-A young man starts to chat her up. Heather is very flattered

0:16:160:16:22

and Shirl is watching from the sidelines with those eyes and he kisses Heather.

0:16:220:16:29

I pulled the pig! The master does it again! I told you I would!

0:16:290:16:33

It was a dare. It was a bet that he could kiss Heather.

0:16:330:16:36

And this is where you see Shirley turn into the Incredible Hulk.

0:16:360:16:41

-You want some?

-And literally just go for him like a ton of bricks

0:16:410:16:46

and be completely protective of Heather,

0:16:460:16:51

who is absolutely devastated and distraught and has run off.

0:16:510:16:54

Shirley finds Heather crying on the pier.

0:16:540:16:58

Come on, let me take you back where you belong.

0:16:580:17:00

I think, for both characters, we saw a side of them we'd never seen before.

0:17:000:17:04

Shirley got to be a parent and we got to see the vulnerable side of Heather.

0:17:040:17:08

'This was just a sign of things to come

0:17:080:17:11

'as Hev's love for the Wham! front man led them to another one of their most memorable misadventures.'

0:17:110:17:17

Ohh! I'm nearly there, Shirl!

0:17:170:17:20

Climbing the wall to get into George Michael's house was comedy genius.

0:17:200:17:23

-You can get...

-Aghhh!

0:17:230:17:26

-Hev?

-It was just so daft, but then it was so Heather. For her, it was her finest moment.

0:17:270:17:33

-Was it him?

-Oh. Oh, I didn't see.

0:17:340:17:38

Breaking into George Michael's house was our idea, actually, cos we did go round there one night

0:17:380:17:43

and knock on his door. Well, I knocked on his door and ran away and left her standing on the doorstep.

0:17:430:17:49

We came back and told the writers what we did and that's consequently how they got that episode in.

0:17:490:17:54

It's George's bins!

0:17:540:17:57

I'm sure George Michael must be a Hev fan.

0:18:030:18:06

'And, of course, who could forget the infamous trip to Southend?'

0:18:060:18:11

Southend 2011!

0:18:110:18:13

My Hev/Shirl moment that just made me laugh out loud was the lesbian convention.

0:18:130:18:17

-It's a little bit different.

-Different?

0:18:170:18:21

-You brought me here as your lesbian lover?

-No, no, it's not like that.

0:18:210:18:26

-It's just a technicality.

-Consider yourself dumped.

0:18:260:18:29

It was great that Heather had Shirley over for once, you know?

0:18:290:18:33

Showed she wasn't so silly after all.

0:18:330:18:36

I'm sorry, but this is the couples' welcome dinner.

0:18:360:18:38

Yeah, but, erm, we just had our first row.

0:18:380:18:41

There was just this glorious moment, Heather's said to Andrew, "We're not really lesbians".

0:18:410:18:46

I didn't think you was. Not that you can tell.

0:18:460:18:49

Then the door opens, Bonnie Tyler does her sounds and Shirley comes strutting through the door.

0:18:490:18:54

I think it was one of the most magic moments.

0:18:580:19:01

Like you said, you can't tell.

0:19:010:19:04

It's just fantastic, that whole episode!

0:19:040:19:07

'Antics aside, there was always the ages old girly issue that they could never agree on.'

0:19:070:19:13

There's Heather and Shirley and then there's men.

0:19:130:19:17

-You and Shirley have the right idea.

-How do you mean?

-You've got each other, you don't need a bloke.

0:19:170:19:22

Men have always got in the way of Hev and Shirl's relationship.

0:19:220:19:26

Men to Heather and Shirley meant something different.

0:19:260:19:29

For Heather, finding a man would be her absolute salvation and the dream ending.

0:19:290:19:34

The problem with the man of your dreams, Hev, is where he lives.

0:19:340:19:37

In your dreams! Out there in the real world, he don't exist.

0:19:370:19:41

'What? He better had do!'

0:19:410:19:43

For Shirley, it was just another one that was probably going to wreck her life.

0:19:430:19:47

-The only time a man's ever told me I was beautiful is if he's guilty or he wants something.

-Not this time.

0:19:470:19:54

I get annoyed when she meets a bloke because I think they'll take the piss out of her.

0:19:540:19:58

'Yeah, that's one way to deal with blokes.'

0:19:590:20:02

Now, I think it's about time you apologised.

0:20:020:20:05

Whenever Shirley's busy with a boyfriend,

0:20:050:20:07

Heather tends to be dumped and dismissed

0:20:070:20:12

only to be picked up the next time Shirley's feeling a bit lonely.

0:20:120:20:16

'This was never truer than when Shirley decided to move in and help a drug-addicted Phil

0:20:160:20:20

'instead of keeping hold of their flat, leaving poor old Hev homeless.'

0:20:200:20:24

The time that Shirley chose Phil over Heather,

0:20:240:20:28

I think Heather was really hurt by this, cos she needed her mate more than anything.

0:20:280:20:33

We were doing this together. Two months, that's what you said.

0:20:330:20:37

That must have been very hard for Shirley.

0:20:370:20:40

Heather just sees it as complete betrayal.

0:20:400:20:43

We don't stand a chance, do we?

0:20:430:20:46

He's always going to come first every time.

0:20:460:20:48

Shirley's just brutally honest with Heather

0:20:480:20:51

and tells her that the most important thing in her life is Phil.

0:20:510:20:56

-He needs me.

-We need you, Shirl!

0:20:560:20:59

What about what I need?

0:20:590:21:02

I ain't George's mum and I ain't yours!

0:21:040:21:07

It's time you stood on your own two feet and grew up!

0:21:090:21:11

That was quite a poignant part of their relationship

0:21:110:21:15

and I think it took her a little bit of time to kind of resurrect again.

0:21:150:21:19

They'd have these blazing rows where you'd think,

0:21:210:21:25

"That's it, it's all over".

0:21:250:21:27

-It's always the same. Some bloke comes along and I get pushed into the back drawer!

-That ain't true.

0:21:270:21:32

Often you will see Shirley being quite horrible to Heather because she wants her to be more confident,

0:21:320:21:38

more ballsy, stand up for herself, don't let people tread on you, because that's Shirley's motto.

0:21:380:21:43

They'll always be together. That friendship's always there.

0:21:430:21:47

-I'm sorry, Hev.

-SHE WEEPS

0:21:470:21:51

They're always there to help each other out, no matter what the circumstances.

0:21:520:21:56

It would've always been Hev and Shirl, even if she got married to Andrew.

0:21:560:22:00

It would've always been Hev and Shirl. Different when they were with their own partners,

0:22:000:22:06

but very much the same when they were together.

0:22:060:22:09

'Well, we'll never know now, cos it was all ripped away from them with one fatal blow

0:22:090:22:13

'delivered by one of Walford's youngest every criminals. So where did it all go wrong for Ben?'

0:22:130:22:20

There's a very twisted, messed-up little boy.

0:22:210:22:25

Ben, he's been cursed from the second he was born.

0:22:250:22:28

He got meningitis before he'd even reached six months old.

0:22:280:22:31

His mum died tragically in South Africa.

0:22:310:22:34

-Kathy's dead.

-Which brought him back to England to live with his estranged father.

0:22:340:22:38

-He's got an uncle like Ian Beale!

-'Actually his half-brother.'

0:22:380:22:41

He's got an uncle called Ian Beale!

0:22:410:22:43

'Still his half-brother, but we get the point, it's Ian Beale.'

0:22:430:22:47

Stella abusing him at, like, 12.

0:22:470:22:50

Only for her to kill herself.

0:22:510:22:54

And then Ben was left kind of trapped with a drunken and drug-addicted Phil.

0:22:570:23:03

Hello, mate! All right?

0:23:030:23:06

-Shy little boy, easily bullied.

-I thought the Mitchells were meant to be hard.

0:23:060:23:12

Loved dance and Billy Elliot.

0:23:120:23:14

'Well, hang on, what's wrong with that?

0:23:140:23:17

'Oh, yeah, of course.'

0:23:170:23:19

It's quite clear how Ben has arrived to be this very confused and complex young man today.

0:23:190:23:25

'Well, fair enough, if you are a semi-orphaned, abused, half-brother of Ian Beale

0:23:250:23:29

-'forced to live in Walford with Phil Mitchell as a father.'

-Phil!

0:23:290:23:32

'Yep, that's going to do some long-lasting damage.'

0:23:320:23:36

We've seen Phil urge him to stand up for himself for years.

0:23:360:23:39

He says something to you again, you slap him,

0:23:390:23:42

straight in, no messing around.

0:23:420:23:44

And when Ben finally did, he attacked Jordan.

0:23:440:23:48

'No, not that Jordan.

0:23:480:23:50

'Yes, that's the one.'

0:23:500:23:52

Wimp. You think telling on me will make anything change?

0:23:520:23:56

Running to your dad like a big baby? You're going to get it twice as bad now.

0:23:560:23:59

You need slapping down!

0:24:030:24:05

Phil says stick up for yourself, he hits someone with a hammer. He takes things a bit too far.

0:24:050:24:11

'Technically a spanner. Thought he was meant to be a mechanic.

0:24:110:24:15

'Anyway, this was no laughing matter for Ben, because the consequences of his first crime were disastrous.'

0:24:150:24:21

I sentence you to a 15-month detention and training order.

0:24:210:24:24

-What?

-Escort the prisoner to the cells.

0:24:240:24:27

For a shy, confused kid like Ben, getting sent down was the worst thing.

0:24:270:24:31

He couldn't stand up for himself in school, so how will he cope inside?

0:24:310:24:35

-We understand each other?

-'It seemed not particularly well.'

0:24:350:24:39

Some bad things happened to him in there

0:24:390:24:42

and Ben blames Phil for being in there, so the bad things that happen to him in there are Phil's fault.

0:24:420:24:47

'When Ben came out of the detention centre,

0:24:470:24:51

'it was immediately clear that his time inside had changed him.'

0:24:510:24:54

-He did look very different, yeah. He grew up a lot.

-SHE LAUGHS

0:24:540:24:58

We saw a much darker character on a very different path.

0:24:580:25:02

Ben comes back from juvie.

0:25:020:25:05

He walks into Phil's house and there's the whole family round

0:25:050:25:09

and they're toasting Jay cos it's his initiation into the Mitchell clan.

0:25:090:25:13

You are now officially part of the Mitchell family.

0:25:130:25:16

-So if you'd all like to raise your glasses to Jay Mitchell!

-ALL: Jay Mitchell.

-Cheers.

0:25:170:25:22

Well, isn't this cosy?

0:25:220:25:26

Ben was very upset when he found that Jay was very much in the fold of Phil's arms, as it were.

0:25:260:25:31

Don't get used to it. You'll be out soon.

0:25:310:25:34

-Oh, and you're going to make me?

-I'll find a way.

-Course you will.

0:25:340:25:38

That's a promise.

0:25:380:25:42

Ben should be the one getting the homecoming, the toast.

0:25:420:25:44

It should be "To Ben" to "To Jay".

0:25:440:25:47

And I think that sets the tone.

0:25:470:25:50

I want him to be proud of me.

0:25:500:25:52

I want to show him I'm as good as Jay.

0:25:520:25:57

Jay's the son that Phil always wanted.

0:25:570:25:59

Go on, my son! And again! Come on!

0:25:590:26:03

-He's a natural.

-Of course he is, he's a Mitchell.

0:26:030:26:07

He wants his dad's approval, he wants his dad to pat him on the head and go,

0:26:070:26:10

"Well done, son, I'm proud of you. You're one of us. You're a Mitchell."

0:26:100:26:15

I need to learn how to box, show my dad I'm not going to be pushed around any more.

0:26:150:26:20

-Keep your fists up at all times. Keep your eyes on me.

-That's what I'm doing.

0:26:200:26:24

Don't just look at my gloves. Look at my eyes.

0:26:240:26:27

'And it was during his efforts to toughen up that viewers finally got confirmation

0:26:270:26:31

'of what everyone had suspected all along.'

0:26:310:26:34

When Ben finally came out to Phil, I don't think it was any surprise at all.

0:26:370:26:42

Dad, I'm... I'm gay.

0:26:420:26:44

He was a completely different child to the son that Phil wanted and expected.

0:26:440:26:51

Phil's confused by him. It's a difficult thing for Phil to get his head around.

0:26:510:26:55

And he's uncomfortable and unhappy about him being gay.

0:26:550:26:59

He's never been the man that his dad wanted in his eyes.

0:27:010:27:05

He's not a Mitchell. He's not a man's man.

0:27:050:27:08

'He may not have had the Mitchell brawn, but he certainly had the brain to challenge his father.'

0:27:080:27:14

There was a very important line that Phil responded to Ben, which was,

0:27:140:27:18

"You'll never be Mitchell enough for me."

0:27:180:27:20

And the whole stalking storyline was Ben's attempt to show his dad that he can be Mitchell enough.

0:27:200:27:27

'Phil starts to receive letters, messages and photographs,

0:27:270:27:30

'all related to his past crimes.

0:27:300:27:32

'And, of course, as he doesn't have a lot of friends in the Square, he suspects pretty much everyone.'

0:27:320:27:38

Ben conducted a campaign of psychological warfare

0:27:380:27:41

-with all the letters and cuttings.

-ENGINE STARTS

0:27:410:27:47

So he's worried and stressed Phil out as much as he possibly could.

0:27:470:27:52

How far will you go to make his life a misery?

0:27:520:27:55

It's been a long time coming, Shirl.

0:27:550:27:58

Depending on which side of the bed he gets out of,

0:27:580:28:00

he either wants his dad to suffer or he wants his dad's approval.

0:28:000:28:04

'After a seemingly harmless public humiliation...'

0:28:040:28:07

THEY LAUGH

0:28:070:28:10

Come on, get out of the car, let a proper driver have a go. Come on.

0:28:100:28:13

'..Ben had finally had enough

0:28:150:28:17

'and as a result, he lied to Marsden about Phil murdering Stella.'

0:28:170:28:21

He was going to kill Stella. Make amends for what she did to me.

0:28:210:28:25

It just takes things further than a normal person would take them.

0:28:250:28:29

He told her to jump.

0:28:290:28:31

Otherwise he'd push her.

0:28:330:28:35

'It wasn't long before Phil found out the shocking truth.'

0:28:350:28:39

This should clear things up.

0:28:390:28:42

-It was you? You?

-Yeah. And I loved every minute of it!

0:28:420:28:45

Phil was arrested for murder and looked like he was going to go down for a long time.

0:28:450:28:50

I'm arresting you on suspicion of the murder of Stella Crawford.

0:28:500:28:53

'After years of trying to prove himself to his dad,

0:28:530:28:56

'it seemed Ben had finally turned to the dark side.'

0:28:560:28:59

So, what do you reckon then, Dad?

0:28:590:29:02

You proud of me?

0:29:020:29:04

Am I enough of a Mitchell for you now?

0:29:040:29:07

'Ben would not have become a murderer without a victim, though,

0:29:090:29:12

'and Hev's grizzly end began with a celebration at Walford's hottest and only night spot, R&R's.'

0:29:120:29:19

# Tay-tay-tay-tay...

0:29:190:29:21

It's Heather's hen night, so there's a few twists and turns going on.

0:29:210:29:25

-We have a bit of a dance, don't we?

-Yeah.

0:29:250:29:27

# Never gonna be respectable

0:29:270:29:30

We're very good, aren't we? I think we're naturally talented.

0:29:300:29:33

# We keep the pressure on every night

0:29:350:29:38

Cheryl's been fiddling about with the stripper on set.

0:29:380:29:42

-Aghh!

-SHE LAUGHS

0:29:420:29:45

-I have not been fiddling!

-And now she's positively...

0:29:450:29:47

-THEY LAUGH

-..weak.

0:29:470:29:51

'The girls then had to...tackle what was one of Hev and Shirley's most poignant and sad moments together.'

0:29:510:29:58

I forgot to give you something.

0:29:580:30:00

-'Hang on!'

-If you don't like it, you can take it back.

0:30:020:30:05

'No, give it back, give it back! Chuck it in the bin! Tell her you hate it!'

0:30:050:30:09

-I love it.

-'Oh, no.'

-Just before she gets killed, they're arguing.

0:30:090:30:13

I love him.

0:30:130:30:15

And if you can't accept that then you're going to have to find yourself another best mate.

0:30:170:30:22

Shirley again makes Heather make a choice.

0:30:220:30:26

You walk away now and we're finished.

0:30:260:30:28

And Heather makes the right choice, she makes the choice of being with Andrew.

0:30:290:30:33

'Murder weapon in hand, Hev was now ready to start her new life with Andrew.'

0:30:330:30:38

-And let's turn over.

-'And the cameras were ready to roll on Cheryl's last few scenes.'

0:30:380:30:43

That's gorgeous! Yeah, yeah.

0:30:430:30:45

I'm filming stuff that is basically the lead up to her demise.

0:30:450:30:50

I'm not thinking about it being the last block.

0:30:500:30:52

But if I do, I get a little bit sad about it.

0:30:520:30:55

Hev, just before she gets killed, is in a very, very happy place.

0:30:550:30:59

I love him, he loves me, we are happy family.

0:30:590:31:03

-Morning, Mrs Cotton.

-Ohh!

0:31:030:31:06

Things start to just get better and better and better

0:31:060:31:09

and they're getting closer and closer and you can see the love blossoming.

0:31:090:31:13

I love the shot on one at the end, that's great.

0:31:130:31:15

And you think this is it, it's all going to happen.

0:31:150:31:18

She's going to go and elope with Andrew.

0:31:180:31:21

But just before she's about to go, she finds out

0:31:210:31:24

that Ben has lied to the police about his dad.

0:31:240:31:28

-Why would you do that?

-It's not important!

-He's your dad.

-Forget it.

0:31:280:31:32

-You've said it now!

-You don't understand what he'll do to me.

-But it's not right!

0:31:320:31:37

'However, the coppers were tipped off about Ben's lies by none other than Ian Beale.'

0:31:370:31:42

-Someone's said something, haven't they?

-'Yeah, Ian Beale.'

0:31:420:31:45

New information has come to light.

0:31:450:31:47

Ian turns out to be Phil's saviour.

0:31:470:31:49

He won't be taking him to the Vic and buying him a bottle of champagne, that's for sure.

0:31:490:31:55

This family finally has something to celebrate.

0:31:550:31:58

'That's EastEnders speak for "something horrible is about to happen".'

0:31:580:32:02

Ben has wrongly assumed that Heather has grassed him up to the police

0:32:020:32:06

for spilling on Phil. In actual fact, it's Ian. But that's what takes Ben round.

0:32:060:32:11

Phil is going to kill you. Have you thought about that?

0:32:110:32:14

I'm talking to you.

0:32:140:32:16

He's fuming. He's going to go and have it out with her.

0:32:160:32:19

Ben. Ben!

0:32:190:32:22

'That kid has definitely turned chicken jalfrezi.

0:32:230:32:27

'But what is it about Walford that pushes people to the edge?

0:32:270:32:30

'Maybe that there's only one pub? Whatever it is, Ben is by no means the first to overstep the line.

0:32:300:32:35

'So let's look back at some of the most infamous residents that just took things too far.'

0:32:350:32:40

The psychopaths bring an element of tension and fear to the Square.

0:32:400:32:44

At times you like them and at times you're like, "Urgh".

0:32:440:32:47

As a writer, it's great to tease the audience.

0:32:470:32:50

That they know that something bad is going to happen.

0:32:500:32:53

Always leave you on the edge of your chair, "Ooh, what's going to happen next?"

0:32:530:32:58

'There have been some memorable marble-losers over the years.

0:32:580:33:02

'But we've whittled it down to our top three.

0:33:020:33:04

'And we start with arguably the maddest female

0:33:050:33:08

'to ever walk the streets of E20,

0:33:080:33:10

'bonkers baby-snatcher Dr May Wright.'

0:33:100:33:13

She was desperate to have a child, Dawn, who'd had a relationship with her husband, was pregnant

0:33:130:33:18

-and she thought, "That's my child now".

-'Oh, right. She was going to adopt the kid. That's nice.'

0:33:180:33:23

-'Hm. Maybe that's not what she had in mind.'

-She should never have been yours!

0:33:250:33:30

There was a scene where the door opened and she just went, "Hello, Dawn".

0:33:300:33:35

-Hello, Dawn.

-You thought, "Oh, God, what's going to happen?"

0:33:350:33:38

There's something about doctors in the Square. Dr May, she was a bad 'un trying to steal babies.

0:33:380:33:43

I can't just leave her, can I, to this life?

0:33:430:33:46

She should've listened to her own health practices, cos when she lit that cigarette...

0:33:460:33:51

There you go. Smoking - bad for you.

0:33:530:33:56

'Just missing out on the top spot, it's serial-murdering man of God

0:33:570:34:01

'Lucas Johnson.'

0:34:010:34:03

The barmy vicar's downfall was the affair with Trina.

0:34:030:34:06

'Ooh, this is a steamy situation he needs to get out of.'

0:34:060:34:09

'OK, that's probably a bit extreme.'

0:34:110:34:13

A preacher who kills.

0:34:130:34:16

Only God can set you free.

0:34:160:34:18

He was absolutely split down the middle in terms of good and bad.

0:34:180:34:22

-We can cleanse our sins together.

-Get off!

-I'm offering you salvation!

0:34:220:34:27

-Do you understand?

-'Doesn't look like it.'

-Now get down on your knees and pray.

0:34:270:34:32

I just wanted to get it right.

0:34:320:34:35

Now, if I can just hide that body long enough, then I can have a happy family.

0:34:350:34:39

If I could just kill her and bury her, then I'll have a happy family.

0:34:390:34:44

Will be done.

0:34:440:34:46

And then it just all started crashing in on the poor fella and, oh!

0:34:460:34:50

'Yeah, I don't think murder's the best way to sort out your domestic problems.'

0:34:500:34:54

He killed Sugar the dog! That's when I completely lost it with him.

0:34:540:34:58

How can you kill that dog, into the canal? Rotter!

0:34:580:35:02

-The psycho that stands out...

-'Is Nick Cotton? Trevor? Sean Slater?'

0:35:020:35:07

..for me would be Archie.

0:35:070:35:09

'I always knew he had good taste,

0:35:090:35:11

'because our number one didn't take things too far sometimes,

0:35:110:35:15

'but all the time. It's evil personified - Archie Mitchell.'

0:35:150:35:19

He done some horrible stuff. You know, really dark, dark stuff.

0:35:190:35:23

You just look into his eyes and you go, "I don't want to go there".

0:35:230:35:26

It was great to watch. You never knew what he was going to do next.

0:35:260:35:29

-Hello?

-'Cue evil-sounding cat.'

-CAT MEOWS

0:35:300:35:33

-I know girls like you.

-Mm, I bet you do.

-Only one thing keeps your mouth shut.

0:35:350:35:40

He seemed to enjoy upsetting people. He seemed to enjoy upsetting his own child.

0:35:400:35:46

The girl is dead, dead and buried, rotting in the ground, and it's down to you!

0:35:490:35:54

The horrible things he did to Ronnie

0:35:540:35:56

and the way he manipulated Roxy, it was incredible.

0:35:560:36:00

-He was just so inherently evil.

-I'll kiss your gravestone when you're dead.

0:36:000:36:04

Just a sick individual. Just a sick man.

0:36:060:36:08

'What made Ben's crime all the more shocking, though,

0:36:080:36:11

'is that unlike any of that lot, his victim had once upon a time been one of his few friends.'

0:36:110:36:16

Heather and Ben are similar. Both been bullied,

0:36:170:36:21

both have had pretty bad upbringings.

0:36:210:36:24

-Where's the things I wanted?

-I got peckish.

0:36:240:36:27

-You might as well finish them, you fat, ugly pig.

-Hey!

-Shut up!

0:36:270:36:32

Her parents didn't give her love.

0:36:320:36:34

I just have to take one look at her and I'm depressed.

0:36:340:36:37

Definitely Heather saw a bit of her in Ben, struggling with life.

0:36:370:36:42

-You have to live your dream.

-I wish Dad thought that.

-My mum was the same.

0:36:420:36:46

But we can't let our parents hold us back! Good luck.

0:36:460:36:50

And Heather being the nice girl she is wanted to look after him.

0:36:500:36:53

Whatever they take from you, whatever they do to you,

0:36:530:36:57

they can never take away who you are or what you are.

0:36:570:37:00

You just remember that and you'll get through it.

0:37:010:37:04

They were both victims of bullying and they found solace in each other.

0:37:040:37:07

The first time they met, they bonded over their passion for musicals.

0:37:070:37:11

-Bugsy Malone!

-We did that at my drama club! My Name Is Tallulah!

0:37:110:37:15

-You were Tallulah?

-No, I was crowd. But I wanted to be.

0:37:150:37:21

They found in each other companionship.

0:37:210:37:23

Heather wanted to be protective of Ben because she knew that's what he was like.

0:37:230:37:27

Ben knew what Heather was going through on occasions

0:37:270:37:31

because he's been through it himself in his short life.

0:37:310:37:34

So they always had a very close friendship.

0:37:340:37:37

She's always protected him, always took him home to watch movies.

0:37:370:37:41

-Can we rent a DVD?

-Yeah, why not?

0:37:410:37:44

You know, she's always been there for him.

0:37:440:37:47

'However, Ben's experiences in prison transformed their friendship.'

0:37:470:37:52

Ben! I heard you were back!

0:37:520:37:54

Aren't you going to give me a welcome home cuddle?

0:37:540:37:57

He's tried to frame her, all sorts, but she's still there for him, even after lettergate.

0:37:590:38:04

And Hev. She's supposed to be your friend and you put her in the frame.

0:38:040:38:09

Hasn't she suffered enough?

0:38:090:38:11

When Ben made up Kevin68, she kind of forgave him.

0:38:110:38:15

I don't think that Kevin68 was such a bad bloke after all.

0:38:150:38:20

He was just...misunderstood, yeah?

0:38:200:38:23

Hev always thinks that there's something in everyone to be saved.

0:38:230:38:28

She wants to help this boy. He's been through a lot.

0:38:280:38:30

Please let it all blow over.

0:38:300:38:33

How could you do this, Ben? I've never stood up to anyone before.

0:38:330:38:37

And if I can do it, Ben, you know, you can, too.

0:38:370:38:41

Heather and Ben were actually so alike and they were good friends

0:38:410:38:45

and actually, Heather could've been Ben's saviour.

0:38:450:38:48

We used to watch musicals. We used to eat cake mix from a bowl,

0:38:480:38:52

hide in the laundrette till the world went away. What happened to you, Ben?

0:38:520:38:56

What happened to the little boy I loved, eh?

0:38:560:38:59

I don't think Heather would've ever thought that Ben would hurt her, let alone kill her.

0:38:590:39:04

'Ben wasn't the only man in her life to turn on her. No, men were always a problem for Hev

0:39:040:39:09

'and she spent most of her time desperately trying to find the man of her dreams.'

0:39:090:39:14

Just introduce me to someone desperate.

0:39:140:39:17

The antics we get up to has a lot to do with Hev wanting to find a bloke.

0:39:170:39:20

-No-one ever fancies me.

-Oh, Gordon Bennett!

0:39:200:39:23

And it's usually blokes she knows she can't have.

0:39:260:39:29

I suppose a snog's out of the question.

0:39:290:39:31

She is just terrible with men.

0:39:310:39:34

-What if I end up on my own stinking of cats?

-It ain't looking good, Hev.

0:39:340:39:37

'The first of her lost causes was one of our loveable losers, Gary Hobbs.'

0:39:370:39:42

Heather when we first met her was just desperately in love with Gary.

0:39:420:39:46

I've got to warn you, I get a bit tipsy at weddings and anything goes.

0:39:460:39:49

They did end up in bed together one night after a party.

0:39:490:39:52

I don't think anything happened, but I don't think Gary remembered.

0:39:540:39:58

-Did you let him polish your silver?

-A lady doesn't kiss and tell.

0:39:580:40:01

-Nothing happened.

-Great. That's great.

0:40:010:40:04

-'That wasn't the end of it.'

-She started following him around.

0:40:040:40:07

You've been following me about.

0:40:070:40:09

Gary didn't like that cos he was following Dawn at the time.

0:40:090:40:12

Gary loves Dawn. Heather loves Gary. It's complicated.

0:40:120:40:16

So it was like a stalker being stalked, if that makes sense.

0:40:160:40:19

'Being Hev, she figured she needed a secret plan.

0:40:190:40:22

-'And that was to get Minty and Gary's mum Hazel...'

-Someone call?

-'..to enter a wedding competition.'

0:40:220:40:28

-Is there something wrong with my hearing?

-'It's simple, Minty was engaged to Gary's mum,

0:40:280:40:33

'so Gary became the best man. Hazel is friends with Hev and makes her one of the bridesmaids.'

0:40:330:40:37

-I'm sorry, you've lost me.

-'What's not to understand?'

0:40:370:40:40

Just got to win the competition, get his best mate hitched,

0:40:400:40:44

persuade the fiancee you're number one bridesmaid and jump in bed with the best man.

0:40:440:40:48

-How could it possibly fail?

-Do you really think it'll work?

0:40:480:40:51

-No.

-'Of course it didn't.

0:40:510:40:54

'But in a strange twist of fate, it did lead Hev straight into the arms of her next love.

0:40:540:40:58

'Minty. Hazel and Minty reached the final of the wedding competition...'

0:40:580:41:03

-We're now finalists.

-'..but their relationship had fallen apart.'

-Hazel!

0:41:030:41:07

-'But Hev stepped in and pretended to be Hazel.'

-I'm Hazel.

-'As you would, to win the prize money...'

0:41:090:41:15

-BOTH CHEER

-'..and become Minty's wife.'

0:41:150:41:19

APPLAUSE

0:41:190:41:21

'But it wasn't quite happily ever after.'

0:41:240:41:26

Minty grew to love her in a way that was not the kind of love that Heather wanted.

0:41:260:41:33

Oh, what would I do without you?

0:41:330:41:37

He did love her and she definitely loved him, but it was kind of like a brother and sister love.

0:41:370:41:43

In a way, Minty and Heather should have worked

0:41:430:41:46

because they were both so similar to each other.

0:41:460:41:49

The wedding should've been the glorious end of them getting together

0:41:490:41:53

but this is soap life, it doesn't work like that.

0:41:530:41:55

They even went on honeymoon together and nothing happened.

0:41:550:41:58

I think the giraffes got more action than them.

0:41:580:42:01

She thought she'd got a man, and it was cruel to learn that he didn't love her, he wasn't interested.

0:42:010:42:07

-Please, don't leave!

-Oh, Minty, will you grow yourself a pair? He doesn't love you back, babe.

0:42:070:42:13

He held a candle for Sam and Heather found out.

0:42:130:42:17

I think you should probably just get up and leave.

0:42:170:42:21

I liked Minty, I used to like him but he treated Heather appallingly. Don't like Minty, I've gone off him.

0:42:210:42:26

'It's so sad when a marriage where the bride pretended to be someone else for money doesn't work out.

0:42:260:42:32

'Anyway, the next fella on Hev's list would have monumental consequences,

0:42:320:42:36

'and it all kicked off with a simple bit of rubbish.'

0:42:360:42:39

Heather had a lucky yoghurt pot lid that she had taken from George Michael's bins.

0:42:390:42:43

Do you think he licked it?

0:42:430:42:45

Heather laminated it and put it round her neck.

0:42:450:42:48

'Armed with this memento, the girls go on yet another night in search of a bloke.'

0:42:480:42:52

She found a man. And he was absolutely gorgeous.

0:42:520:42:56

-You've got gorgeous eyes, do you know that?

-'But all was not as it seemed.'

0:42:560:43:00

Shirley paid him. She didn't think you could do it on your own.

0:43:000:43:03

I'm sorry, Hev, it's all a lie.

0:43:030:43:06

There was a few slaps.

0:43:060:43:09

How could you do this to me?

0:43:090:43:11

Hev runs off to the unisex loos.

0:43:110:43:13

Hev!

0:43:130:43:15

And then it turned out to be somebody genuinely chatting her up.

0:43:150:43:18

-You got my money?

-What, you mean you're the...

-Escort, yeah.

0:43:180:43:22

I don't believe this.

0:43:220:43:24

Heather, she's having a little cry,

0:43:240:43:27

and suddenly from nowhere under the toilet comes a yoghurt pot lid.

0:43:270:43:32

It turns out that somebody was keen to comfort Heather that evening.

0:43:320:43:38

'Oh, I see where this is going.

0:43:380:43:41

'Yeah, thought so, those kebabs... Ah.

0:43:410:43:45

'So Hev was left alone with a new man in her life.

0:43:450:43:48

'So it's time to play who's the daddy?

0:43:480:43:51

'The violent recovering alcoholic, but who doesn't love a bad boy?

0:43:510:43:55

'The loveable softie who broke your heart, time for a second chance perhaps?

0:43:550:44:00

'The scrawny teenager? But you know what they say about the toy boys.

0:44:000:44:04

'Or the fellow loveable loser? Sounds like the perfect soul mate.'

0:44:040:44:08

George...this is your dad.

0:44:080:44:13

-'Oh.'

-Of all the people, it turns out to be Darren Miller.

0:44:130:44:19

Heather would've loved Darren to be involved in George's life

0:44:190:44:23

but I think she knew that it was a no-go.

0:44:230:44:26

Baby George in Hev's life is everything.

0:44:260:44:30

She couldn't function without him. She loves the bones off of him.

0:44:300:44:34

And he's the best thing that ever happened to her.

0:44:340:44:37

All of Heather's life, all she's ever wanted is for somebody to love her.

0:44:370:44:42

And when baby George came onto the scene, that's her unconditional love.

0:44:420:44:46

She had to grow up. She had to become responsible.

0:44:460:44:50

-BABY CRIES

-Mummy's here, George. Mummy's here.

0:44:500:44:54

Having baby George and becoming a mother made Heather a much more rounded character,

0:44:540:44:59

and much more believable.

0:44:590:45:02

She couldn't carry on doing the karaoke cheese jokes for the rest of her life.

0:45:020:45:06

That's why a lot of people can relate to Heather, because she is doing the real thing.

0:45:060:45:12

She's a single woman with a baby. Father's not interested.

0:45:120:45:17

Nobody else is interested, so it's just the two of them against the world, really.

0:45:170:45:22

I'm sorry, darling, I know you're hungry.

0:45:220:45:25

I think it just helped us fall in love with her.

0:45:250:45:27

It's what Heather needed. And all she needed to make the picture perfect was the husband.

0:45:270:45:33

'Now with baby in tow, Hev is even more determined to find love.

0:45:330:45:37

'So where better to find it than on the internet?'

0:45:370:45:40

-I've joined up.

-No, you ain't. You are not going to find love online.

0:45:400:45:45

-'But against all the odds, she did...'

-Shirl! Someone clicked on me!

0:45:450:45:48

-'..in the shape of a man who went by the name of Kevin68.'

-Oh, he sounds lovely.

0:45:480:45:53

Heather, being as soft as she is, instantly fell in love with this character.

0:45:530:45:57

Oh, look, he's missing me. That's good. I'm missing him.

0:45:570:46:02

Being Heather, she wanted to find the man, so she physically went looking for him.

0:46:020:46:07

Are you Kevin68?

0:46:080:46:11

-You're not Kevin68?

-No, I'm Kevin Flynn.

0:46:110:46:14

She was going to meet him.

0:46:140:46:16

-Then suddenly got a text saying he was dead.

-SHE LAUGHS

0:46:160:46:21

It's with great sadness that I inform you that Kevin was killed last week in a motor accident.

0:46:210:46:26

'Distraught by losing the love of a man she never met,

0:46:260:46:28

'Shirley throws a little party to cheer Hev up.'

0:46:280:46:32

-To Hev.

-'But this is EastEnders, so we know how this is going to end... badly.'

0:46:320:46:37

-I bet he didn't even exist.

-Shut up!

-He was tender and he was warm

0:46:370:46:40

-and he was gentle and...

-Give me a break.

-Stop it!

0:46:400:46:43

Phil finds this ridiculous, it's humorous as far as he's concerned.

0:46:430:46:47

-He was my boyfriend and I loved him.

-Stop it!

-And he died, Phil, he died!

0:46:470:46:51

-He didn't exist, did he?

-He did! It was me!

0:46:510:46:55

Ben admits, because he then feels bad that Heather is in this state, that he did it.

0:46:550:47:02

You?

0:47:020:47:04

I'm Kevin68. It was me.

0:47:060:47:10

'There's only so much heartbreak a person can take.

0:47:100:47:13

'And Heather finally met her man in the most unexpected of places.

0:47:130:47:16

'Time to go back to Southend and that 80s lesbian convention.'

0:47:160:47:21

She thought it was an 80s music convention.

0:47:210:47:23

And Andrew was a bouncer there.

0:47:230:47:26

-Do you love Hazell Dean?

-I can't say I remember her.

0:47:260:47:31

He gets to like Heather cos she does this silly Hazell Dean dance across the floor to him.

0:47:310:47:36

And he can see the little cheeky smile, and thinks, "She's a bit of a one".

0:47:360:47:40

She didn't trust him.

0:47:400:47:42

-If you wanted, we could go to the fairground.

-We've got memorabilia to look at.

0:47:420:47:46

Yeah, but we could do that later.

0:47:460:47:49

Thought he was pulling the rug over her eyes.

0:47:490:47:51

You hurt her and I'll break your legs.

0:47:510:47:54

'But Andrew was not to be put off that easily and followed Hev back to Walford.'

0:47:540:47:58

-All right?

-Andrew.

0:47:590:48:04

It was a spark for both of them.

0:48:040:48:06

It wasn't her just getting infatuated with him. He really liked her.

0:48:060:48:11

-I've never met anyone like her before.

-Well, Heather is certainly a one-off.

0:48:110:48:15

She couldn't believe it and it built up.

0:48:150:48:17

'Unlike any of the other men in the past,

0:48:170:48:20

'this time it wasn't Hev doing the chasing.'

0:48:200:48:23

I'm staying around.

0:48:230:48:25

He did have a heart of gold. I think he genuinely loves Heather

0:48:250:48:29

and it's the first person that has genuinely loved Heather Trott.

0:48:290:48:34

Andrew put a love heart in some chips for Heather.

0:48:340:48:38

And he was probably the first man that's come along in Heather's life

0:48:380:48:41

that said he will fight for her, he'll defend her, he loves her,

0:48:410:48:45

and told her all the things she desperately wanted to hear.

0:48:450:48:48

I felt them.

0:48:480:48:50

Butterflies.

0:48:500:48:52

When Andrew says, "I love you," he means it, he's sincere. After time, she knew that.

0:48:520:48:58

And for the very first time, she found real love.

0:48:580:49:00

I love you.

0:49:000:49:02

'Who said fairytales couldn't come true? Finally our beloved Hev got what she'd always wanted.'

0:49:020:49:08

Heather, will you marry me?

0:49:080:49:11

Yes!

0:49:110:49:13

The marriage between Hev and Andrew would've worked beautifully.

0:49:130:49:17

And they would've been the happiest people on the Square.

0:49:170:49:20

Here's a man who's finally telling her everything she ever dreamed of,

0:49:200:49:23

saying he wants to love her, giving her the big wedding of her dreams. What's the worst that could happen?

0:49:230:49:30

'She could get killed. And it wouldn't be the first time, either.'

0:49:300:49:33

EastEnders loves its shock exits.

0:49:330:49:35

That keeps you on you toes, you never know what's coming next.

0:49:350:49:39

I always remember Tiffany, when she got run over, all of a sudden Frank come round.

0:49:390:49:43

TYRES SCREECH

0:49:430:49:45

Dropped my drink. It was all over the shop.

0:49:470:49:50

Jamie Mitchell's death was a tragedy.

0:49:500:49:52

You could almost hear the teenagers crying at Christmas when that happened.

0:49:530:49:58

No! No! Oh, Jamie, no!

0:49:580:50:01

I remember Billy Jackson's demise and that was very sad.

0:50:010:50:06

That was a shock to the audience because all the time, for a long time in that episode, he was dead.

0:50:060:50:13

Archie was the last biggy. Wonderful character, wonderful actor, then bam!

0:50:150:50:21

You know, if you're going to go, go like that.

0:50:210:50:24

This is going to be one of the biggest shock deaths EastEnders has had.

0:50:240:50:27

'She's not wrong, and when Hev went, she certainly went out with a bang

0:50:270:50:32

'on what was to be a memorable day on set.'

0:50:320:50:34

Today we're going to kill Cheryl Fergison.

0:50:340:50:37

You couldn't keep it shut, could you!

0:50:370:50:40

Getting a great storyline like the murder of Hev is marvellous.

0:50:400:50:46

And this will be the actual... to the end.

0:50:470:50:52

That's what I'm after, yeah.

0:50:520:50:54

Normally Hev is quite light. So this is quite dark.

0:50:540:50:57

Hev's death scene was quite difficult to shoot.

0:50:570:51:00

There's a lot of geometry involved in the visualisation,

0:51:000:51:06

as well as emotional behaviour from the characters.

0:51:060:51:10

I had a stunt coordinator and the way you shoot these things

0:51:100:51:15

is always to get the camera so people travel past the camera,

0:51:150:51:21

leaving the expression on somebody else's face.

0:51:210:51:25

-'Rehearsals over, it was time to record soap history.'

-And action.

0:51:250:51:29

-You told her, didn't you?

-I didn't know what else to do!

0:51:290:51:32

You've got no idea what he's going to do to me.

0:51:320:51:34

Ben comes round to confront Heather. It turns into this argument in Heather's flat.

0:51:340:51:39

-We'll talk to him, make him understand.

-You were supposed to be on my side!

-Calm down!

0:51:390:51:44

Heather's innocent. She's done nothing wrong.

0:51:440:51:46

-I can't stay here, not now!

-I'm really sorry about this, Heather.

0:51:460:51:50

Ben just completely and utterly goes off his rail and demands money.

0:51:500:51:53

Mandy said Dot gave you money for the wedding.

0:51:530:51:56

Ben is rifling through her handbag and he's shouting.

0:51:560:51:59

-Come on, we're going.

-Get off me! Just tell me where it is!

0:51:590:52:03

I haven't got it, I swear to you!

0:52:030:52:05

Then suddenly Ben loses it, he completely loses the plot.

0:52:050:52:09

-Don't touch me!

-Ben!

-Get off me!

-Ben!

0:52:090:52:13

And I go down like a sack of spuds.

0:52:170:52:19

And...that's it.

0:52:190:52:24

The murder of Heather starts an enormous storyline that will rumble on for quite some time.

0:52:240:52:29

When Phil comes out of prison, the first thing he wants to do is go and find his son

0:52:290:52:34

and give it to him, he's just going to really tell him.

0:52:340:52:38

What he comes across is a horrific scene of Ben standing over Heather's body.

0:52:410:52:46

-In that moment, Phil makes a choice.

-Help me!

0:52:460:52:50

And in true Mitchell fashion, Phil makes the decision to protect his son

0:52:500:52:54

-in the worst possible circumstances.

-Heather?

0:52:540:52:58

It doesn't matter that he's killed a person, or that he's grassed Phil up,

0:52:580:53:02

at the end of the day he's family, he's his son.

0:53:020:53:04

Cheryl decided to play the corpse because she knew how much that meant to us,

0:53:040:53:10

and how much we would relate to seeing her there.

0:53:100:53:14

It was like a radio player, I could hear Phil, I could hear Shirley screaming and bellowing,

0:53:140:53:19

I could hear Jay, I could hear Ben.

0:53:190:53:23

You just knew it was the end. It was the most weirdest, oddest, oddest feeling.

0:53:230:53:28

A change of story direction is called a reversal of expectation,

0:53:280:53:33

and Hev's death is a major reversal of expectation.

0:53:330:53:38

God only knows what's going to come of this because he's already implicating

0:53:390:53:44

Jay, himself,

0:53:440:53:47

Andrew, Billy, the police are investigating all sorts of avenues.

0:53:470:53:53

When Shirley finds out, there's going to be a nuclear reaction.

0:53:530:53:57

And, of course, what Ben's responsible for

0:53:570:54:00

is going to shape that family and that character for many years to come.

0:54:000:54:04

You've got the aftermath, who's going to get blamed? Is someone going to go to prison? No-one knows.

0:54:040:54:10

Phil always wanted Ben to be a Mitchell and now he's got what he wanted in the worst possible fashion.

0:54:100:54:15

So Phil is going to regret ever saying those words to his son.

0:54:150:54:18

No-one had to tell me that I was in a big storyline in this one

0:54:180:54:22

because it's number ten on the Richter scale of storylines.

0:54:220:54:26

It would've been great for Heather to have got the prize,

0:54:260:54:30

to have had a really loving relationship.

0:54:300:54:34

Heather, I love you! Please!

0:54:340:54:37

The sad thing for Andrew is he's not only devastated by the death,

0:54:370:54:41

he's now bang in the frame for it, so he's got it coming all angles.

0:54:410:54:46

What's going to happen to Shirley? You have to wait and see.

0:54:460:54:49

But for me, it's going to be... it's going to be very hard without her, yeah.

0:54:490:54:54

Yeah.

0:54:540:54:56

That is the scene complete. That's Cheryl's last scene with us. Thank you, Cheryl.

0:54:560:55:00

'After 381 episodes, EastEnders finally said goodbye to Cheryl, and, of course, Heather Trott.'

0:55:000:55:07

Don't be strangers, please, don't be strangers.

0:55:070:55:11

It's only a telephone. And come and see me in my Winnebago in Downton.

0:55:110:55:16

LAUGHTER

0:55:160:55:19

My time on EastEnders has been emotional and it has been a happy time.

0:55:190:55:24

It's been probably the best time I've ever had.

0:55:240:55:27

# Pretty pretty please

0:55:270:55:29

# Don't you ever ever feel

0:55:290:55:32

# Like you're less than

0:55:320:55:35

# Less than perfect

0:55:350:55:38

I don't think we'll ever see anyone quite like Heather again.

0:55:380:55:41

I've just really loved playing Heather and it's been a big part of my life for a long time.

0:55:410:55:46

She's been fantastic, charming to work with, absolutely professional.

0:55:460:55:51

Working with Cheryl has been an absolute blinder.

0:55:510:55:54

What the audience are going to miss is the smile that she puts on their faces.

0:55:540:55:59

They broke the mould when they made her.

0:55:590:56:01

I'll certainly miss Cheryl's laughter, I'll certainly miss her cuddles.

0:56:010:56:06

Sometimes you get some sad losses, and this is one of them.

0:56:060:56:11

I'm going to miss everything about Cheryl, everything.

0:56:110:56:14

My life on set with Cheryl Fergison has been incredible.

0:56:140:56:18

Sorry, can you cut?

0:56:190:56:21

I think I might just chain myself to the security gate,

0:56:220:56:26

or even, I don't know if it's been done before, but I might squat in my dressing room.

0:56:260:56:30

Subtitles by Red Bee Media Ltd

0:56:320:56:36

Download Subtitles

SRT

ASS