Eastenders' SECOND Live episode

[Englishboy]

Apparently, Eastenders are doing another live episode, the second in the soap's history since it launched in 1985.

They're doing a live episode on Monday next week to coincide with the start of the London Olympics.

I've only just found out about this.

[Emmerdalefan]

I dont see what they are trying to achieve with all these live episodes. It is a bit cliched I think.

[david1987]

It's just one scene, the rest's already been filmed.

[Ome]

It's just one scene, the rest's already been filmed.

Which scene, I've read Lola Pearce will give birth and Billy will run live with the famous Olympics torch?

[Hardraw Force]

I know - it's a bit unnecessary......these live episodes.

Did any one see the short spin off yesterday after the main programme focussing on Billy Mitchell's bid to run with the OLympic torch?

It was on repeat on the red button. It featured a whole host of celebs such as Chris Akubusi, Matt Baker, Omid Djalili, and others....


IT wasn't that brilliant, just the chance for the Beeb to up the expectation for the most hyped non-event in recent years EVER.
A lot of slapstick, flashback dream sequences, one liners from the comics, and strange implausible situations: so nothing really new there then.

[Englishboy]

Apparently, the final SEVEN minutes of the episode will be screened live which will see Billy handing over the Olympic torch and his granddaughter giving birth.

[James from London]

From the way people talk here, you'd think filming live was an actively bad thing to do. I thought the end result was very sweet and touching.

[holeinmydonut]

for once there was actually a reason for this live ep. it had to be live because of the torch passing through the east end. it was fitting that it would pass through the fictional borough of walford and i thought the ten minute segment was done very well.

ee captured the excitment of the torch and the olympic spirit and it would have seemed odd if albert sqauare had not been apart of this celebration as it is on their doorstep.

it is understandable that the northern soaps would not make such a fuss, but perhaps a mention would not go a miss. i can remember when machester had the commonwealth games and norris was dolled up in his uniform.

ee does get a fair amount of stick and rightly so, but credit where credit it is due, they got this spot on. congrats to cast and crew.

[James from London]

People's initial reactions to these things are always negative. Contempt prior to investigation, I believe it's called. "A live episode, you say? Well, that's going to be pointless and cliched" when in fact it was the opposite.

[Canon]

All of the Lola scenes were done live I thought?

Shirley seemed quite nervous, I'm not sure if she was meant to be nervous for Billy or if it was just the actress.

[Englishboy]

The guy with the handheld camera who kept popping in and out of shot was the funniest thing about the episode though

It made it look like an actor with a torch jogging around a tv set which is what it was, of course.

[James from London]

Shirley seemed quite nervous, I'm not sure if she was meant to be nervous for Billy or if it was just the actress.

Yeah there was a frisson to it. A fictional character being part of a real life momentous event inside a fictional show which was going out live. I found it oddly moving.

The guy with the handheld camera who kept popping in and out of shot was the funniest thing about the episode though

I didn't really notice. I was sort of caught up in the whole thing.