East is East

It's now fifteen years since viewers first became acquainted with the residents of Walford's Albert Square and to mark this anniversary, journalist Kate Lock has written the commemorative EastEnders Who's Who--an official compendium of Albert Square faces. Already an EastEnders veteran, Kate has penned three novelisations based on the lives of the Show's characters. She's perfectly placed, then, to compile this, the fans' ultimate reference book--a full colour dossier profiling the Square's inhabitants since day one. Helen Lamont spoke to the author and discovered more. Oh yes, and why Grant Mitchell's mind is a dangerous thing...

Amazon.co.uk: Can you tell us a little about the process of writing Eastenders Who's Who?

Kate Lock: The Who's Who is a fairly straightforward book; I'm a journalist by trade so writing something information-based was second nature, really. I also worked very closely with the "EastEnders" Archivist, Sharon Batten, who provided loads of background material and help, and made sure all the factual details were accurate.

Amazon.co.uk: It sounds rather complicated. Was the process enjoyable too?

Lock: Oh yes. This was material that I'm au fait with anyway so it was fun to become involved with all the EastEnders characters again. In comparison to the novelisations I've done, Who's Who was relaxing because I've covered a lot of the research before--I've trawled through so many old EastEnders scripts and synopses in the past that I have a pretty comprehensive knowledge of all the storylines and characters. At one point I ended up with such a mountain of script synopses in my garage I had to pay a man with a van to take them to be recycled!

Amazon.co.uk: You've included profiles of all the main EastEnders characters of the last fifteen years. Do you remember them all first time round?

Lock: I do remember the early days but there was a period from 1990 where characters I didn't know suddenly cropped up. I must have been going out and having a good time instead of watching TV around then so I had the chance to fill a few gaps in my Eastenders knowledge while writing the book, which was great.

Amazon.co.uk: How do you set about writing a book like this?

Lock: I'm commissioned to write the EastEnders books by the BBC. This means I have to work to strict deadlines and although the writing process might only last two months, I work very hard in that time--seven days a week. I try to fit my work around my daughter, making sure I'm there to take her to nursery and for her baths and bedtime at eight--once she's sleeping I'll carry on writing till midnight. Every time I write a book it does take a huge toll on my health ... I need a long time to recover at the other end!

Amazon.co.uk: And when you relax you can watch EastEnders! Who do you like best in the current cast?

Lock: Steve Owen, played by Martin Kemp. I think he's great, he's gorgeous. He's such a good complex character that every time you think you understand him he surprises you. When Matthew was holding him hostage he faked breaking down to play for sympathy--then he breaks down again. The second time, though, you're not sure if he's for real or not.

Amazon.co.uk: He would certainly be fun to write about but perhaps he's not been around for long enough. Is there anyone else?

Lock: Actually, I really love Natalie and Barry--they're a lovely couple; and Terry and Irene. People forget how horrible Terry was when he first came into the series. Tiffany was so frightened of him, she was scared because he'd thrown her down the stairs and had beaten her up. He was a real nasty piece of work then, and an alcoholic, but now he's a bit of a bumbling character who you can't help liking really.

Amazon.co.uk: Which Albert Square characters of yesteryear were your favourites?

Lock: I liked Tiffany; I felt very close to her character while writing Tiffany's Secret Diary for the BBC. In writing The Life and Loves of Grant Mitchell, I got to know the character of Sharon and I liked her a lot. I really felt for her situation and Sharongate is one of my favourite scenes ever because watching everyone's face as her affair with Phil is revealed is classic. As for Grant himself, well, I always thought he was good but he went off the boil a bit toward the end. I was very in love with him when I was writing the book, though.

Amazon.co.uk: Tiffany's Secret Diary was very successful for you, wasn't it?

Lock: Yes, it has sold about 35,000 copies and was a number one bestseller. It is even being used in school social studies classes; 11-year-old girls learn about relationships and pregnancy through Tiffany's Secret Diary --it's part of their sex education.

Amazon.co.uk: Does Bianca's Secret Diary work in a similar way?

Lock: While Tiffany's Diary covered most of her time in the Square, Bianca's concentrated on her final year there. It involves a lot of split loyalties between Ricky and her family as she begins her affair with Dan. There are a lot of steamy scenes in there because it's a more passionate story.

Amazon.co.uk: Do you get very engrossed in the characters when you're writing these books?

Lock: Yes, I do. The problem is, you've got to be able to hear the voices in your head and you really have to take on these alter egos. My husband suffers a bit with it; I gave him a really hard time when I was writing Bianca's Secret Diary because she can be so horrible and I was snapping at him and being unreasonable.

Amazon.co.uk: I can imagine writing The Life and Loves of Grant Mitchell must have had a worrying effect, in that case...

Lock: When I was writing that one I actually found myself calling my little girl Courtney and I forgetfully referred to my husband as Grant! I felt guilty about spending so much time on the book and decided to throw him a surprise party ... just the same as in the show. Luckily, he didn't have to worry about me having an affair with one of his mates!

Amazon.co.uk: Have you had the chance to meet the actors who portray the characters you write about?

Lock: I interviewed Gillian Taylforth when I worked at the Radio Times and she was very down to earth and chatted about everything. Then I was sitting beside Martine McCutcheon at an Eastenders "Mitchell Brothers" video screening. After the screening I introduced myself and explained I'd written the book of her character, Tiffany's Secret Diary . She was very polite but non-committal and said "Oh well. Please buy my new single!"

Amazon.co.uk: You recently visited the EastEnders set at BBC Elstree. What was it like?

Lock: The set is great; very realistic. The allotments are overgrown and I was amazed how dirty it was ... very authentic! The houses look solid although the interior sets are in a studio somewhere else. For example, when you open the door of the Vic there's nothing inside!

Amazon.co.uk: Were they filming on-set that day?

Lock: Yes. They were filming Grant's birthday party in Guissepes. I couldn't see any of the actors for ages but I could hear them. Barbara Windsor was belting out Happy Birthday at the top of her voice, then Beppe (Michael Greco) waved at me out of the window!

Amazon.co.uk: You've certainly immersed yourself in EastEnders episodes of the past. Will you continue to write about the series?

Lock: I'm taking a little break from EastEnders at the moment because although each book is rewarding, it is also hard work. I need a rest after each book is completed. What I'd love to do is be a screenwriter on EastEnders, the programme. They've already given me one scriptwriting trial and I'm about to have another.

Amazon.co.uk: Knowing the characters inside and out must surely help...

Lock: It does, but writing EastEnders is difficult. The show is very tightly storylined. Resources are limited--half the scenes you write must be shot on the EastEnders lot, the other half are done in studio sets. There are six sets per episode and you inherit two of those from the previous programme. As if that isn't enough, you must keep in mind that some cast members won't be around, even though you're juggling six strands of storyline!

Amazon.co.uk: But you might soon be deciding the fate of our favourite characters?

Lock: Haha, I don't know. I am learning the ropes though and I want to pursue scriptwriting if I can. People have been very encouraging. Now, all I have to do is find the time to really make a go of it ...