Life with Nat - EP93: Scraping the Barrel #16 - The Eastenders debrief

Episode Date: March 3, 2025

Nat and Marc are back behind the microphones with a big talk through the Eastenders Live episode and all the changes that Nat's departure from the show will bring. What's next for Nat? Watch this space! Please subscribe, follow, and leave a review. xxx You can find us in all places here; https://podfollow.com/lifewithnat/view INSTA: @natcass1 We're also on Facebook too: https://www.facebook.com/lifewithnatpod A 'Keep It Light Media' Production Sales, advertising, and general enquiries: [e-mail] SHOW INFO: Life with Nat - it’s me! Natalie Cassidy and I’ll be chatting away to family, friends and most importantly YOU. I want to pick people's brains on the subjects that I care about- whether that’s where all the odd socks go, weight and food or kids on phones. Each week I will be letting you into my life as i chat about my week, share my thoughts on the mundane happenings as well as the serious. I have grown up in the public eye and have never changed because of it. Life with Nat is the podcast for proper people. Come join the community. ♥️ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

With the FIZ loyalty program, you get rewarded just for having a mobile plan. You know, for texting and stuff. And if you're not getting rewards like extra data and dollars off with your mobile plan, you're not with FIZ. Switch today. Conditions apply. Details at fiz.ca. Well, well, well. Welcome to scraping the barrel. Welcome to life with Nat. I haven't actually recorded one of these for about 10 to 12 days, so it feels a little bit... what's the word? I was going to say squeaky. Squeaky?

What do I mean? Rusty. Sorry. I feel a bit rusty. You feel a bit rusty. Not squeaky. No. But Mark and I have had so many messages from many different people.

Firstly, I need to thank all of you. I reckon I had over 300 messages from the night before the live wishing me luck to after the live episode of East Enders telling me what you thought of it. There's been lots of devastation over Martin Fowler's death. I too concur. Very, very sad. But Mark and I had to come on and have a nag. Just about our time really on the live episode and what it meant to us, didn't we? Well, it seems the right thing to be doing really. I think so.

Considering we're both there. Yeah. And also I did do a little debrief off the telly, which was really lovely. I listened to it today. Oh, did you? Yes. Did you enjoy it? I did. So that was really good. But this is sort of a bit different because we can kind of delve into behind the scenes as well which I think everybody really likes to hear and I've said it before and I'll say it again but Mark

was camera supervisor for the whole of the week leading up to the live and the live so it will be really nice to hear what Mark's got to say as well. We were both extremely busy obviously over the last 10 days two weeks and I did want to start by saying how we both felt on the Friday after the live episode. It was funny wasn't it? Well explain how you felt. You messaged me, didn't you? Did I? Yes. You said, do you feel a bit sort of, right, I don't know, there's nothing going on? Yeah, I felt a bit down. Yeah. It's quite normal though. When, like, if I do a block of work, yeah, and it's really busy,

block of work. Yeah, and it's really busy then Normally the first day off after that Always do for us strange. You get into a routine. Well, I suppose for me Obviously EastEnders is a bit like a factory where you just keep going and you're doing the same thing each week and it can be Really really busy or you might have a couple of days, but really, you know, you're doing the same thing each week. So I kind of never have that come down. Whereas the live episode felt like a job on its own. Yeah. And you've rehearsed it over and over again. And you're with the same people. Exactly. Routine. Yeah. You go in, we had catering, go and get your food. Rare. You know, the normal sort of stuff.

Yeah. See the same people. It's very familiar, isn't it? It's nice. It's just like when a series comes to an end, it's the same feeling. Yeah, or a play in the past. Just feels like doing something different. Because I was involved in it for, I don't know.

When did you film the Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday? That was in... November in November and December. Yeah. Yeah. I mean, I listened to your offer telly. Yeah. And you were talking to Kelly. So bear in mind, all the interior stuff we did, like the following Tuesday, it was Christmas

Day. Yeah. It was right up until the Friday. Well, it was, it was actually the last day was all of my scenes. It was right up until the Friday. Well, it was actually the last day was all of my scenes. It was. With Patsy and Jackie were the last day, I think, which was the 21st of December. And the bath. Yeah, and the bath for me.

That was the last day. With Johnny. Yeah. It's quite a lot going on, wasn't it? Just before Christmas, there I was trying to do all my orders, sort out the decks and quite busy. The thing was for me, we had all of that stuff to do and also thinking about the live one. Yes. And obviously it all sort of related and so my involvement, I think I was asked back in,

it was a long time ago. When was it? August? September? Sort of August, September, yeah. So I was sort of thinking about it then and then obviously then, well, the beginning of this year, it was all just focusing on that. I do have to say that I have thought about time a lot in the last couple of days in terms of you build up to something for so long in your head.

Yeah. And then it just comes around and it's gone. Yeah. And you go, oh, that's gone now. Yeah. That won't happen again. No. Yeah. It's busy. And also, I guess everyone had a bit of anxiety about doing it and it was a big deal. And that's what Lacey said to you. You know, she was, this day just came round. How good was Lacey? Amazing. And James? It was brilliant. I've got to say, I mean, the performances were fantastic. Then you've got the energy because it's live.

You've got the adrenaline, haven't you? All of that stuff going on. I mean, it was a really great thing to be a part of. I've got a question for you. Yeah. So for our listeners, obviously we ran it quite a lot of times. Yeah, we did. Before it went out.

Yep. Was there ever a run through you watched which you preferred? No. To the live. No, I honestly think you could have done that another 50 times. Yep.

And you would have chosen the one that we did. One more full run through. Yeah. And I just don't, I think it would have been over rehearsed actually. We were ready, weren't we? Yeah. It's funny, you know, it's like I find that sometimes if I'm doing a, I don't know, it's hard to explain.

If I'm doing a shot that's fiddly or tricky, I hate to rehearse it and it'd be perfect. And then I have to do it again. I always... You want a bad dress rehearsal, don't you? Kind of. That's kind of what you say in the theatre. Yeah. If you, if you have a bit of a dodgy one, not bad, but a few things go wrong. You think, oh good.

Yeah. And I just had a feeling when we did that one night before I just thought I was gonna be fine now. Yeah. Just want to get ready to do it. It was a nice week though because we stayed up at the hotel didn't we near work. We did yeah. We had a couple of nights up there. Yeah.

Which I think was a good thing to do I was I'm in an arm in about it because I wanted to see the kids and obviously we went in a little bit later a couple of days, well I didn't work till one o'clock or whatever, but actually the hubbub of being at home and just doing normal stuff, I think it was so much to do for both of us. It was good to be away and concentrate. My favourite bit of the, I mean, it was obviously, to be honest with you, the sort of week and a bit of rehearsing was brilliant for me. Because all of a sudden, it's not just me and Lance, the director and talking about it. All of a sudden, you're joined with your team of people that you've put together. Yeah, yeah.

And all of the things that you envisaged and planned. What happened? All of a sudden, you look around and it's happening. Which is, it's happening, which is really odd. And you think, I imagine that would be like that. And so it all happens. But the stuff leading up to it,

you're the only person to answer for stuff. So if anyone's got a question about anything to do with how we're shooting it in terms of cameras, it's just me. You've got a new nickname. What's that spreadsheet? Yes. I did have one hell of a spreadsheet. To be honest, if I've got anything to show for that live episode, it's the skills on Excel.

Yeah. Because for reasons we won't even go into, it was a lot more complicated than it. Well, because of how we work at EastEnders and the equipment that we're familiar with it got quite complicated with how things were yeah we're allocated so in terms of choosing the cameras and where you wanted to be about six weeks ago you did say to me shall I be in the Vic kitchen with you? Didn't you? Not entirely true.

Very early on, you said you didn't want me to be anywhere near you. Yeah. So that's why I wasn't in there. I know. But after that, you did say, are you sure? Uh, that was before everything was. Yeah, that was good. That was a while ago. Yeah.

It's before I sort of wanting to tell people where they were. Where they were and that, yeah. So I just double checked with you and you seemed. I do think it was the while ago. Yeah. It's before I sort of wanted to tell people where they were. Where they were and that, yeah. So I just double checked with you and you seemed... I do think it was the best decision. Maybe. Because I think... I don't know, I just wanted to not... Because I think I would have been nervous for you as well as me

and it would have all been a bit much. So it was quite nice. Why would you have been nervous for me? Well, just because of all the work you've done and you want it to be good. And I don't know. The fun, as I was saying, the fun bit is the rehearsing. Yeah. It's brilliant. And the fun bit for you is the live.

Yeah. Because you're all ready to go. It's not for me. No. That's the most petrifying. But we do different jobs. I know. What I was going to say, saying about those two weeks, my favourite bit. Oh, yeah.

Was the evening on the Wednesday night where we all sat together. And what did we do? We watched the telly. We watched the telly. You even waited for me. We did and the hotel was so lovely that they put a big telly in a room, little private room, and some of the cast, Tamika, myself, Kitty, Jackie Jossa, Patsy, Aaron was there too and we all went

back and we watched the hour long episode and I think from the flashback really since Steve McFadden has started his mental health story and we had the flashback episode the week before, everything has just been brilliant. And I think it's a real accolade to the show that the people in it, immersed in it, rehearsing it, living, eating, breathing, sleeping it still want to go back and watch what they are doing. I think that's quite a big thing. Well, it was a good episode as well. I thought it was the best of the week. I was like, why have we got to do a live? It was

brilliant watching reactions to this. Obviously, I'd seen it. Yeah. Obviously, I'd recorded it. So, you know, all of that stuff is great. But it's just funny watching the reactions to these. It was weird for me because I'm watching the telly with the people in it sat next to me. But it was watching their reactions to it as fans, which is what you're saying. It was absolutely brilliant. I think I cried about six times on that Wednesday. Maybe that was emotion. A little bit of gin maybe.

And the reaction when Angie came in. Oh, maybe you kept that one quiet, didn't you? It's when I kept it quiet. Of course I'm not gonna tell you about it. It's unbelievable. I wouldn't have told anyone. That was absolutely the best thing. Brilliant. Brilliant. So happy to have uh... It is really good having a very very small secret because it doesn't come out. It's very good. Well, it didn't come out. It's very good. It didn't. No, it was. Well, who was it? Someone said, is that, is it real? I thought it was like super imposed from an old egg.

It's like AI or something. No, it was nice. I did feel sorry for her though. Why? Well, we were filming that in Studio C at Elstree, which sadly is now closed. I know. And a lot of history, a ridiculous amount of history. And it was where L.O.L.O. was filmed, wasn't it? I don't know about that. Oh, I thought it was L.O.L.O. L.O.L.O. was done at Elstree.

They I think it may have been in C. They built stage one for the market square for LoLo. Fine. That's how stage one started. Right. Okay. But when EastEnders moved to L Street, it went into C, which actually suggests to me

that it wasn't in C. Fine. LoLo. I don't know. Anyway, there's a very good website, TV Studio History, which gives you like a huge amount of information. Well, that's good to know. Really good. Run by a lighting director called Martin Kempton.

Oh, right. So if you are interested, search for TV Studio History and you can look at all of the history of all the studios at Elf Street and all over the country. Oh, that's really good. But no, so EastEnders started in C as we know because we watched that brilliant documentary shot in the 80s. There's been some brilliant things on, honestly, listen, if you're fans of the show and you want to go back and sort of have, you're still into it.

I know, you know, people are into it, but last week was rather special. But if you still fancy it on BBC iPlayer, there's some amazing documentaries, all of the secrets from the square that we filmed in Covid are on there. There's a fantastic documentary from Pam St Clement about Pat and Frank. Some really great stuff on there actually. So I felt quite sorry for Anita because the last time she'd been in Studio C, you know, in the 80s in EastEnders, very different time.

I mean, it was very different working on that show. Yeah, yeah. The way it was rehearsed, rehearsed during the days, you know, the day of rehearsing without cameras, then they'd do a camera rehearsal, do a recording in the evening and all that kind of stuff. And I just thought she's coming to this studio, which A, is about to be closed down, which is why they've used it.

Because they could make a mess and it didn't matter. Because obviously the sets have all been destroyed. Annihilated. So she's walked into the Vic. And it looks covered in dust. Dust, rubble. The dust wasn't dust dust. It was theatrical dust.

It was, it's still dusty. Well, I was wearing overalls. And I just thought, wow, she must think this has changed. I mean, obviously, in terms of the set, in terms of the studio even, I mean, the studio hasn't actually changed. It's probably identical to when she was last in there, just a lot older and needs a clean. But I just thought what a difference that must have been for

her. Wasn't it amazing that she wore her original costume? It was, yeah. I didn't know about that. It's amazing, isn't it? I tell you what, imagine having the same figure. Well, yeah. It's good that. Kept herself in shape, didn't she? Very much so. But I enjoyed that. Nice to have done it. It was really good. Talking of Anita's, you know I said about the hotel when we stayed

there? Oh yeah. Got a little message here. Good morning now, it's Anita from Norfolk. Just wanted to send a little quick message to say how lovely it was to unexpectedly meet you and Patsy at a hotel in Elstree over their 40th anniversary and live week. I've always been a massive EastEnders fan and now I'm a huge fan of the pod as well so it was amazing to meet you. So yeah, just wanted to say thank you for giving up some of your time to chat and have your pictures taken with me. It must

have been an exhausting and emotional week for you all. So it was very much appreciated. The episodes on the 40th and the live were outstanding. Amazing job. You all did, cast and crew. So yeah, looking forward to catching up with what's coming next in your future when you leave. Yeah, just will be following all you do. So just a massive, massive thank you again,

Nat. Loving the pods. Thanks. Bye. So Anita, I wandered into the hotel, absolutely exhausted on the Wednesday night. And this lovely lady, Anita was sat in the reception with her family and she said, Oh, I love your podcast. I've voice noted him before. I said that is so kind. Brilliant. So we had a picture and she was a fan of the show and spoke to all the people she was with and then they were there whilst we were there. So when we got up the day after the live, I said, we can't believe it. It was amazing. And they were just really lovely people to talk to. So I wanted to play that and say thank you for watching EastEnders and being a fan and being a fan of the pod. Lovely.

Sorry, what was that? Bluff. Well, actually I've just been watching a documentary with Barbara Windsor and Sid James was in it. Oh, so it was like, okay. Yep. Why was that? in it. Oh, so it was like, okay. Yeah. Why was that? Yeah, yeah, yeah. I'll do that again. Okay, fine.

It's really not attractive. No. No. Fine. Thanks for that. That's burnt into my... Someone asked me, good luck with the live tonight, Nat. You'll absolutely smash it. Which name would you choose for Sonia's baby? Which I thought was a really good question. No one really asked me that. I would have

gone for Julia myself. Julia Jackson. Julia Jackson sounds like a little rebel. Yeah. I think Tony Fowler would have been good. Yeah. So yeah, and what would you have chosen in terms of the Ravi or Jack storyline honestly? Yeah From the episode on Wednesday evening as a fan of the show. I couldn't make my mind up. Well, you're a politician Don't swerve the question as I said, I couldn't make my mind up. Well someone did because they voted. Well on their head be it. I can't believe you're not answering the question. I really am a fan of the show. Brilliant. And I like both people. Fascinating. I can't believe you're amazed. I would have gone for Jack in the end I think because of the family and because of the, yeah, the kids, the family. And I just think they're really good together. But I really liked Denise having a new lease

of life with Ravi. But I don't think it would have lasted. I think she would have done that for a month and gone, Oh, I really miss Jack. You never know, will you? We won't. No. I really miss Jack. Well, you'll never know, will you? We won't. No. But it is EastEnders. She's probably been raving in about six months' time.

So, who knows? I like that, the interactiveness. Very good idea of Chris's though. I thought it was very good actually. It was a very good idea. It just keeps people feeling that they're a part of the show. And I think in this day and age, with everything that happens on television, you don't want to turn it into a part of the show. And I think in this day and age, with everything that happens on television,

you don't want to turn it into some sort of reality show where it happens every week, but it made it the live element exciting. Yeah. Yeah. Cause you wouldn't have known it was live otherwise. Well, no, I suppose not. You wouldn't have known.

No. There was weird Chris coming down to the floor 15 minutes before. Yeah. Giving me the name. Brilliant. And then in my head I said, Julia, Julia, Julia, Julia. I did have it written on a bit of paper. Yeah, you could have gone a bit wrong there, couldn't you?

Imagine. You could have given, you made your own name up. Joni. You could have done anything. I mean, Joni's a bit like Julia and Tony together so I could have got really mixed up. Oh yeah. Yeah. I hadn't put two and two together there. There you go. Hi there, it is Becky here. I just wanted to say my goodness last night's episode of EastEnders was crazy and you did a fantastic job. It was just so moving and I like probably the

rest of the world is absolutely devastated that old Martin has come to an end and poor Stacey doesn't get her happy ever after. I know that obviously you're leaving, so I wish you lots of luck, but I'm really interested to find out what happens next. What happens to you and baby Julia? Is it Julia? I think so. But yes, absolutely amazing performance. You should be really proud of yourself.

Take care. Thank you very much. It's a funny one, isn't it? Cause watching it back, it was horrible watching it back. It wasn't like watching an episode that you've recorded and watching it on the telly. It was very different to watch it back the next day. Well, normally when you watch it back on the telly,

it's six to seven or eight weeks later. Yeah. Is that what you mean? Yeah, but I don't know why the feeling of it was a bit, I'm never embarrassed about watching myself on the telly. No. Couldn't give a shit. I enjoyed watching it.

It did make me laugh. I really loved the light side of it. Yeah, it's good. It was nice because of how sad it was that the three of us, the trio, we were a bit of light relief, which was nice. It was wonderful working with Jackie and Patsy. I couldn't wish for a better threesome really, to have a laugh with and it was great. Really good.

What's the problem now? I mean, just listening to you. Well, an eye stoop low. I've said, I've not said a word. No. No. It's the look that everyone can't see. The look of what?

When I said... No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, said... No, no, no, they're only to repeat things. Right, okay. Unbelievable actually. Anyway, here's Bex. Someone sensible.

Morning love. I woke up still thinking about last night's live. Honestly, you were all absolutely brilliant. It was incredible. The whole week has been incredible. My son, who doesn't normally watch EastEnders, has been on his edge of his seat with me this week. Because last week I went, you need to watch, mate.

You need to get into this this week. You're going to love it. Yeah, it was brilliant. You were all fantastic. He kept saying to me during the program, I keep forgetting this is live. I mean, that's just testament, isn't it? That is just, you know, I think my favorite line has

or favorite lines have come from Patsy Palmer, though. Blow like you used to blow that trumpet. I mean, she was fantastic. It was great to have a little bit of that comedy in with the tragedy that was going on around you guys. Yeah, absolutely brilliant. I hope that you are gonna have a rest today because I imagine that you're absolutely exhausted.

And then, you know, obviously that's without me mentioning the Kirsty Gallagher pod yesterday, which was brilliant as well. I'm now getting fully into Moons. Yeah, I'm gonna get a book and get into that. But yeah, well done, love. You're smashing it. And yeah, I hope you have a nice restful weekend with your family. Oh, thanks, love. Mark's rolling his eyes when you said you're getting into the moons. Got a bit of a...

Skeptic. Skeptic. I was just about to say cynic. Okay. Skeptic. Skeptic. I was just about to say cynic. OK. But that's not correct. There we go again with the words. I think there is a market for a bit of live drama on the telly. So do I. It's a shame that that is something that needs to happen. I think the the old fashioned play for today. Yeah. Live. They used to do them, didn't they?

Well, there was a time. When it was all live. Yes. Yeah. There was no way of recording it. But I think to rehearse something for a few weeks and put it out live, definitely a market for it. I won't be in it, but I'd like to watch it.

Fair enough. I don't want to go through that again. No thanks. It's too stressful. Really enjoyed it, but I don't think it's good for you. I don't, I don't think it's good for your heart. I don't think it's good for you. It depends how you condition yourself for it, I suppose.

Yeah, it's so nice. I'm too, I get too stressed. But you think about it, like, these days, as you know, things I do, there's a lot of theatre that's live on the telly. Or cinema. I know, but it is different. People go into a cinema to pay to watch a theatre show. Which they have to, because it's too bloody expensive

to go and watch theatre. Or you don't live in London. Yes. And you can get to watch a London production. Amazing. It's brilliant, but it's still not the same as EastEnders and mucking it up and it being on TikTok forever.

It's still not the same. That is the problem because it's a soap, there's a culture and people are waiting for you to fail. Fortunately, we all kept the ball in the air. Well, it's well rehearsed. Good cast, everyone knows what they're doing. Yeah. It was great.

But that is true of live television in general. I know it's not the same. It's not the same.'s not the same but it is still live television mmm which I don't like okay fine I mean I do I love it I'm just not very good at it. Well you like watching it? Love it. As we all do. Brilliant. But it's no it's good. Good couple of weeks darling wasn't it? What we got to do now? What are we up to? Well I'm working a little bit. Well I'm free of the square from today. And how do you feel about that?

I am very excited. Very excited for the future. Had a wonderful leave-in-do Friday which was nice. And yeah time for a rest rest time for a break and see what happens and what exciting projects have you got coming up well the Channel 4 dot comes out soon so that'll be good I think that's the first week of April no I mean stuff that's new for you to do now oh we want to know what are you doing oh yeah I can't really talk about anything but I know it's boring, I know it's so boring but yeah there's some nice things

going on. Good. And as soon as I can tell everybody I will. I look forward to that. Yeah. I'd like to know. There's a little announcement tomorrow actually. Oh is there? So keep your eyes peeled 07788 20 1919 let me know if you spot that tomorrow. There you go. I do feel like I'm slightly kept in the dark to your career now. Strange. Why? No idea what you're up to. That is absolute rubbish.

Not a clue. So you don't know about that? I'm not very good at charades. What's that? Forget it. Now go on. What are you doing? I can't say. Oh, I know what you were doing. Yeah. Is that a secret? Yeah, till tomorrow.

Tomorrow? Yeah. But you're not in the dark. I'm a little bit excited. I get excited and I message you everything that's going on. You do. That's the issue. It's everything that's going on and I'm never quite sure whether it's happening or not. No, that's true. Have you said yes to it? No to it? I don't know. I do feel quite odd going forward. I felt I was quite, I really did have quite a lot to think about in the last couple of months. Yeah.

And it is, I enjoyed it, I enjoyed the challenge of it. Mm. And it's a shame really, because obviously for me, I don't really have to do that very often. I know. And now it's sort of like, oh, what do I do now? I think you should pitch at live dramas. Pitch it? Monthly live drama.

But you wouldn't need, it still wouldn't, you wouldn't need to, it wouldn't be like what we did at all. Why not? You could never do that as a series. You'd have to really stream it back. It would be a play for today. It would be a play. But that already exists.

I'm talking about an actual drama. Be good that. Just talk to Steve McFadden. So what about what? Just doing dramas, one man shows or something live. Just put him on the telly because he's so good. Well he could do it honestly. Yeah. I think he's a bit busy though isn't he? Probably. I think he's in something at the moment which probably means he can't do anything honestly. I think he's a bit busy though, isn't he? I think he's in something at the moment, which probably means he can't do anything different. I know, but they could do Phil spin-offs, couldn't they? Live Phil's. You've got a bit of a tangent there. Phil Mitchell at midnight. Could do like a late night one. Be good. Yeah, it doesn't have to be just EastEnders related when you're thinking about this as

a concept. No, that's true. I was more thinking maybe, you know, like a little... Anna Maxwell-Martin and Daniel Mays doing a little something. Can see them doing it live. Yeah. Need some theatre experience. It's just something that isn't actually on the telly.

Let us know what you think. Would you be up for that? Would it make a difference to you if you were watching a Netflix four parter or you watch something that came out live every week for four weeks and you knew that they were doing it there and then? Does it actually matter in this day and age? Be interested to know. I think you would have to go down the line of there being a slightly interactive element. I think that's unavoidable now.

Do you reckon? I think you'd have to have little choices along the way. Press the red button and he'll scratch his head in five minutes. Something to that effect. Yeah, probably from a revenue perspective, it would be a text where you can, you know, I don't know, something simple, but it'd be some form of interactive element where you've got some kind of interesting. You should sit down and have a think about it.

That's what I mean. Yeah. Maybe not now. I don't know. What is people listening in now. Yeah, I don't know how interesting it is. I'll be very, if someone listens to this and goes and pictures it and gets a series, I'll be gutted. But if you do, please consider using me. I mean, I know a little bit about doing a camera. Yeah. I could maybe help out a bit. I don't know. Don't forget me.

You've got plenty of work coming up darling though, haven't you? Got some nice filming happening. Nice sitcom starts this week. You excited? I'm very much so yeah. Love a sitcom. I have missed doing a sitcom for a very proper sitcom. Now that's something I'd like to do. I would love to do that. It's as good as live. I know but you've got the audience and you can still do it again if you muck it up. Mmm. Yeah should count. Months or twice. Yeah but you don't really. But if you really mucked it up you'd still do it again if you muck it up. Yes, you can. Once or twice. Yeah. But you don't really.

If you really mucked it up, you just do it again. Yeah. So it's perfect for me. Yeah. You'd be good in the sitcom. I'd like that. Not enough being made. There isn't.

No. Again, another thing that's missing. But this, see the trouble is nowadays people look at comedy dramas. Yes. And they're quite realistic. Yeah. And unfortunately, I think when people look at a studio sitcom with an audience, they look to be old fashioned.

Well, they are. They are looked to be that. Well, they are. But it's a different thing. Yes, it's not the same. You can't compare a comedy drama. No. With a studio sitcom. No. With a studio sitcom.

No. They're completely different. And I think the audience has realized that. I mean, someone's doing very well out of putting any of those noises on Dave all the time. Yeah. I mean, they're on permanently. There are TV channels that just repeat old sitcoms. So you can't say there's not an audience.

I mean, it's probably the most watched channel in this house. Yeah, it is. For me, that's the first thing I put on. Watched a bit of Vicar a Dibli last night. Classic. So it's a shame really, that it seemed to be, I think they're missing a trick there. But you've got to have a good one. It's got to have traction. It's got to have a few series. People have got to get into it. And again, that's the other problem. Sorry, am I keeping you up? No, sorry. I'm tired. But of course not. You're not never keep me up. Keep you up. Don't I? All my natter in. Sorry, you were saying? I forgot what I was saying. No, I was put off by the gigantic yawn that happened across me. So it gave me the hint to stop speaking.

So I'll shut up for a sec. Sometimes I think this room makes me yawn because there's not a lot of air in it. I don't know. I've never noticed it often. I yawn a lot in this room. I can't speak all of a sudden. I think it's quite airless. Well it's quite lightly because it Well, it's quite likely,

because it's a little box room with a load of curtains, no windows open. Or a door. No. Yeah. Might be a good place to have a little nap. It would be. You wait.

Now, I've got a few days off every now and again. I'll be right in here with a pillow. Lovely and again. Be right in here with a pillow. Lovely and comfortable. Have you got any other voice notes? I've got loads and loads and loads. Here's one. Oh my God, Natalie, that was amazing. Such a good episode.

And you did really well and you made no mistakes, but it's so sad if Martin's dead but I hope you're celebrating tonight. That was from Andrea. Let me tell you something Andrea, did we celebrate? We had a great time didn't we? I don't remember, did we? We did, it was really nice. It was so lovely that on the Thursday evening we were going to drink together. It was so lovely to chat into everybody. The thing about doing something like that in the business we're in is that lots of the time you don't get time to see all departments because it's a factory and you're just cracking on and you're churning it out. Whereas you had time to mix

with people you wouldn't usually mix with. Wasn't it lovely spending time with Lee and Sophie for instance? So lovely. At the party. Fuck off Mark. They'll be really upset at you. No, Lee and Sophie. On the Wednesday night? Yes, that was not on the Thursday.

I sat with Sophie and Lee Thursday night as well. Sorry, I was getting really worried then. Because I thought I was quite coherent and knew what was going on. But I panicked then. We had quite a weekend of it, didn't we? What was the Thursday then? It was Saturday. That's right.

We had a nice celebration. Yep. And then Sunday, we had your mum's 70th birthday, can we just say. Now that was another lovely day. That was good fun. A wholesome, beautiful day with the family. She was so surprised, wasn't she? She really, really was.

And Eliza put a lovely day on for her when she walked in because that's her favourite song and all her grandchildren there. It was brilliant. It was good fun., I enjoyed that. A really nice day. And we were really sensible on the Saturday night because we didn't drink a lot. Yeah, Saturday night we had the...

Well, it was Chris Clencher's farewell. My governor, old governor now, but 40th celebration party and his send off. So that was really nice. But we didn't go mad did we? No well you couldn't there was quite a big queue for the bar so that was quite handy. That's true I was patting myself on the back but it was impossible. No it was fine it worked out really well. It did. That was good I enjoyed that.

Do you know what that week was was fun. Nice seeing everyone. It made me realize That we do need to go out more No, no, we do need to get out more. Oh, yeah. I don't know where I'm not saying it's hard, isn't it? Because it was really good because it was a bit of music and It's almost like a wedding feel. Yeah, most yeah, But obviously you can't go out and do that. But it was just nice socializing, chatting, being around different people. And I do think you can get up just in everyday life.

And it's nice us going for a meal on our own sometimes. But it just never happens. But I do think we need to go, like with Lee, Sophie, Gareth, Tish, we were talking, like eight of us need to go for with Lee, Sophie, Gareth, Tish, we were talking like eight of us need to go for a meal. We never do that. No. Because everyone's so busy.

Yeah. I mean, we were getting quite good at that for a while, you and me. No, you and I, but I'm saying- No, no, no, but we haven't done that even. No, no. That's the point I'm making. I've done nothing. But you've been pretty busy.

I've been pretty busy. Yeah. Just how it's been. It's all right. Now my diary is a little bit freer. I can start. I can't wait for the suggestions. Yeah, there's going to be a few. But I don't mean suggesting what we do. So I can do that. It's just knowing when you're available for it. I'm gonna have to start speaking to Scott, sort of book it in. You don't give on that for?

Because you talk absolute bollocks. No I don't. We've got a whiteboard. Oh hang on a minute. So your diaries. It's fine. Now wait a minute. We've got the whiteboard.

Answered to everything. Sorted. There we go. Brilliant. We're out next week because we've got a whiteboard. What are you talking about? It's not even filled in at the moment. No, it's not.

No. But it's not blank, no is it? It's got quite a lot going on. Yeah, I know. Just not filled it in. No. You haven't either. I haven't, no. There you go. I haven't got time. I mean, that would be one of the things, fill the whiteboard in

on the whiteboard. Oh, don't. I'll tell you what I have done, though, in the last couple of weeks, sweetheart. Booked our holidays. Feel very, very fortunate, very grateful to have done that. Couple of little breaks with the family, just us four. We look forward to those, don't we? Yes.

It's going to be lovely. It will be. Much needed. And not only is EastEnders faulty this year, so are you. Yes. So, need to start thinking about that don't we? I can't wait to find out what's in store for me. Don't start putting me under pressure.

I'll not put you under pressure. Just interested. You're interested very simple human not a lot of be going on Okay, no, that's fun got a few few ideas up my sleeve. All right. Mm-hmm Yeah We'll see we will see That's us quite amazing, you know. What is? It's very strange.

I'm still in my thirties. I know you are. It's lovely. Odd though. It's quite, it's quite an event. Then age, I think. No, yeah, it's good age though. Okay.

It's lovely. Okay. No, I genuinely, everyone says it and you read it and it's good age though. Okay. It's lovely. Okay. Why? No, I genuinely, everyone says it and you read it and it's like, oh, life before 40 is just a rehearsal and then your life starts. But I do actually feel like that. I think 40 is great. It's great. You know who you like.

You know who your friends are. You do exactly what you want to do don't mind saying no to things or yes to things you sort of very you know exactly what you are who you are brilliant I sort of feel like that now though maybe well see how you feel once you turn it we'll talk about it. I'm pretty certain. Okay. I mean, I don't even know how old I am. It's only for the old 40th anniversary is really honed in now on you. I had a message on Instagram actually, when you put the picture up with the four in it and you said this year's EastEnders and me and they put is he sure if you know

you know, I've had quite a few of those. Well, I put a photo up on Instagram. Yeah. Quite a few followers on Instagram. Have you? Yeah. Get you. Hello. I mean, it's not quite up to your standards, but it just made me laugh.

I don't really use it much, but quite a few. Anyhow, I had people wishing me happy birthday. People who know me wishing me happy birthday after posting that photo. I thought, brilliant. It's where people are quickly looking, looking at it and there's a big faulty. Yeah. They're just having a quick look. Yeah. Fair enough. That's what it is. Yeah. Yeah. What a lovely way to end my time at EastEnders after 11 and a half years.

Nowhere near me. Perfect view. Saw me occasionally wondering about. I did see you occasionally. Funny enough, I might still see you occasionally cause we live together. How are you going to feel if I work on EastEnders in the future?

I can't wait cause I feel like I'm still there. You'll come home, I'll go out with so and so. What were they up to? Who's doing what? I'm still going to watch it, fully. Be a bit nosy about it all. Yeah, very nosy. Very nosy.

I may be away, but I'll have my BDI on the square. How are you going to feel? Because it's always been quite a nice thing. Because of limited numbers and what have you you normally parties are no plus ones. Correct. So we've always benefited from if we've gone to a party. We have. You're not going to come now.

No. I'll be going on my own. You will. You'll be off to the Christmas party. How are you going to feel about that? What can I say? It's what it is. I have to go out sometimes to award shows and things without you.

So. True. I think you'd get the slightly better deal to be honest with you. Well, it is what it is. And I'll tell you my favorite party of the year though, that I'll still be invited to. And that is the Christmas camera party, which Fiona organizes so well. And that's always got a plus one. So there you go. That'd be nice. Yeah. I have to have a word with about it. I'm getting a rule this year.

Right then, I'm with Nutwood. What are you doing tomorrow? Absolutely nothing apart from a couple of announcements. Are you going to plant your cucumbers and aubergines? So sorry, not plant. Weather depending. Will you get around to going to a garden centre with Kara? I am going to do that next week if she's around.

Right, okay. I'm going to give her a ring. Okay. Yeah. Quite a little to-do list of things that you're meant to be doing. I have to say though, I need to sit and drink tea and see baby Frankie and baby James. Top of my list. Family. There's a bit of stuff that needs to go to the tip, which I could show you. All right, thanks.

No? No. Okay. Not my area. Not going to start the fence project. Okay. Not my area. Not gonna start the fence project? No. Not my area.

Okay. You just, what you gonna do, like crossword? Possibly. Fair enough. But I think I'll be on top of the washing, taking the kids to school, picking them up, cooking nice home cooked meals, and just being

at home and seeing people I want to see. I've not seen a friend for six months. I'm going to go on walks, have coffees. I've just offended anybody you've seen or spoken to. No, but not, you know, all right. I've not seen a friend in six months. No, you know what I mean. I haven't seen my friends, my mates, and I haven't got many. So I want nice walks, coffees, catch ups. Be nice. What's with the silence?

I've got nothing to add. Well I think you should be very proud of your efforts on that live episode. Oh blimey. Because. Well, you and everybody did a fantastic job. Wasn't quite like your last day, so obviously because of it getting in the way of recording EastEnders. Yeah, you obviously had a week of finishing up EastEnders and doing your last scene on Friday.

But it is a nice marker. I'm pretty certain at some point in the future, and it could be a long, long way down the line, Sonya may make an appearance. I mean, if not least for a recast. Interesting, you should say that. Hey Nat, happy Monday. Hope you and whoever you're recording the pod with are having a good old laugh today. Me and Erin are just out of the bath.

She stopped talking now. I thought she might ask you a question. But a question from me is, is it Sonja that's leaving or will Sonja be replaced with a new actor? Let me tell you one thing. If they recast Sonja, then I'm going to go up to Borenwood with a sledgehammer. Is that acceptable to say or? I don't think you can say that. No, well I just did. Okay. So that's a warning to any anyone. Brilliant.

Is that bad? I think so, yeah. Frightening behavior? Arguably, yes. Oh well. Feel very protective over Sonia. She will not be recast. She could die off screen though. Could you be watching it one night with Eliza as we do?

You know the old phone call. Kathy runs in Ian just had a message Sonya's dead that could easily happen that's out of my control so we shall see but I do you know I do hope like you say it could be who knows 50th anniversary maybe. It could pop back. Well, just be careful what you wish for. But what I was going to say is, I do wish you all the luck going forward. And I know you'll do extremely well.

And obviously I do sort of know what you're up to. I know there's some very exciting things ahead. And I'm very proud of you. But it was a very big decision for you to choose to leave. Yeah, it was. Very, very big and not an easy one to make, I should imagine. No. So...

It's not an easy one and I will miss everybody dearly and I will miss the job. I will miss Sonia and I'll miss working with you and there's so many things to think about. You could get me on some jobs or something, couldn't you? You could put a word in for me. Oh yeah, yeah, I will do, yeah. Thank you. Yeah.

Unbelievable. But yeah, thank you everybody for being a fan of Sonia over the years. And thank you for listening to this pod. 07788 2019. Thursday, I think we've got a Nats and Isis years. And thank you for listening to this pod. Oh double seven double eight 2019. Thursday, I think we've got a Nats nieces with both of the girls back together, which I know you'll enjoy. That's it for now. Keep listening. Please subscribe. Make sure you're following the pod. Leave reviews. It all

helps us. Tell your friends, teach people how to download it. There's still loads of people that don't know how to listen to podcasts. That's true. It's worth it. It is worth it. Do look with a wall, shouldn't we? If someone says, oh, I've got 10 people to sign up.

Don't start all that. We haven't given the Halloween tree presents away yet. Love you. Love you too. Bye everyone. Hi, this is Chris McCorsland. And this is Diane Boswell. And we've got a new podcast, haven't we, Di? Bye everyone.