‘Flexibility is key’: EastEnders extras reveal Square secrets from behind the scenes

This week sees EastEnders celebrate an incredible 40 years on our screens. Over the past four decades, viewers have been hooked by the gripping storylines, iconic characters and intense drama. But it’s not just the main cast who bring the soap to life.

There’s also hundreds of extras who help to make Albert Square feel like a true staple of the East End. From punters in the Queen Vic to traders on the market stall and customers grabbing a hot breakfast in the cafe. But what’s life really like for the background stars of the nation’s biggest soap? EastEnders’ extras open up to Metro about secrets of the set, including the freezing temperatures and strict NDAs.

“You never really know the wrap time until it happens,” Louisa Dunbar says, shared via FruitySlots.com. “She first appeared on the soap in 2004 and has since starred in a few episodes. “It’s a long day and the earliest call time I got was 6am. So you’ve got to stay flexible.”.

“They never give you a set time you’ll be needed for,” Clare Ford adds. She appeared on the Christmas special back in 2003. To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video.

Up Next. “You just have to see how long it takes, so flexibility is key. The thing I found so weird was how long you had to shoot each take. I was singing in a choir and we had to do the same song about six times. Always with the same amount of gusto and enthusiasm!”.

With Walford feeling like such a familiar location for fans, many of the extras admit stepping onto the set was a surreal experience. “It was incredible seeing the different rooms all under one roof,” Louisa said. “Various walls moved depending on the shot needed. It was very strange seeing it all coming apart and together like that when needed.”.

“It’s much smaller and flatter than you’d expect!” Clare added. “There are bits that look so realistic but they’re just a frame. The Queen Vic looks so real but you open the front door and it doesn’t lead into anything.”. Life on set is not as glamorous as some fans may think either, as the extras say that as well as long hours, you’re battling the outside temperatures. Especially with EastEnders shot weeks (sometimes months) in advance.

“It gets so cold because you can be outside for hours,” Lauren Prentice, 34, explains. She starred as an extra for episodes shot back in 2011. “The biggest trick of the trade I can suggest is to make sure you’re always prepared with lots of layers. Also, the set is only designed to look real for TV, so a lot of it is open space. Many of the shops, like the fish and chip shop, are actually freezing inside.”.

“We shot a Christmas episode in the summer,” Clare laughs. “We had to bring our woolly hats and layer up. I remember we had to take a few breaks to grab some water.”. Despite being set in East London, the soap is actually filmed in Borehamwood, Hertfordshire. And Lauren admits the location has its filming challenges due to noise pollution.

“It’s right over the flight path of Heathrow so you have to pause filming a lot to allow planes to go over!”. The extras admit that the cast were all welcoming and friendly, with Louisa saying that Kacey Ainsworth, who played Little Mo between 2000 and 2006, was a world away from her character.

“Little Mo was quite a weak, shy and quiet character who often stooped, so when I met Kacey, she really took me by surprise because she was upright and confident. She also brought her real life baby to the set too, so it was lovely to get that insight into the person behind the character.”.

“The cast were generally chatty and friendly,” Lauren adds. “There were a lot of people who were regular extras and had been on the show numerous times so that they could create that ‘local’ feel.”. But life on set has a pecking order and when it comes to eating, the cast gets fed first.

“You’re always well fed on and the day normally starts with a full English breakfast,” Lauren notes. “You’re treated to a number of different meals and snacks across the day. Although as an extra you do always eat last, cast first, then crew, then the ‘crowd.'”.

And of course, everyone has to keep tight-lipped about the day to ensure that none of the secret storylines get out. “You can’t reveal any of the upcoming storylines and you have to sign a strict NDA,” Lauren adds. “So no matter what you saw, you have to keep quiet!”.

EastEnders’ live 40th anniversary episode airs Thursday February 20 at 7:30pm on BBC One. If you’ve got a soap or TV story, video or pictures get in touch by emailing us soaps@metro.co.uk – we’d love to hear from you. Join the community by leaving a comment below and stay updated on all things soaps on our homepage.