The wonder of WALFORD

EastEnders boss CHRIS CLENSHAW onthe soap s remarkable year and the drama still to come...

- ALISON SLADE

EASTENDERS
MONDAY-THURSDAY, 7.30PM (TIMES VARY), BBC1 SOAP

Without doubt, EastEnders is back at its very best. Heartbreaking, relatable storylines like Lola Pearce-Brown's death, combined with big bombshells such as Cindy Beale's return, have not so much breathed new life into the BBC1 show as given it a televisual dose of rocket fuel, and led to huge wins at this year's National Television Awards and The British Soap Awards.

Credited for its success is executive producer Chris Clenshaw, who started out as a storyliner in 2015 before claiming the top job in 2022.

Here, in an exclusive interview, Chris, 37, tells TV Times how he's got everyone talking about EastEnders again...

What was your vision for the soap when you took the helm?

I’m a strong believer that while I’m the very fortunate custodian of EastEnders, I’m merely caretaking it for a period of time. EastEnders belongs to the fans – it’s their show.

My vision was to give EastEnders its spirit and its heart back. To achieve that is to ensure that we honour the DNA that [co-creators] Julia Smith and Tony Holland created all those years ago, that has since given us some of the most memorable moments in popular British culture. I never want us to forget our history. It’s what we have that new dramas don’t.

How would you describe Walford’s DNA? 

It’s about family, friendship and love. I want Walford to feel like an authentic community. It needs to be noisy, but have a massive heart.