EastEnders star says colleagues ‘wouldn’t last two minutes’ outside soap in brutal dig
Jamie Foreman, the venerable actor who played Derek Branning in the BBC show, claimed some of his former colleagues would not have succeeded outside of the "iconic" soap
A former EastEnders star delivered a brutal dig at his soap colleagues – claiming they “wouldn’t last two minutes” within different acting roles. And Jamie Foreman, who played Derek Branning, said an older actress on the BBC show agreed with him.
Jamie’s character was on the beloved soap for one year from November 2011 until December 2012 where the Branning brother had an affair with Kat Slater (Jessie Wallace) who was married to Alfie Moon (Shane Richie). However, Derek died of a heart attack in the Christmas Day episode, but Jamie, 67, has since been critical about his former colleagues.
Speaking on The Lewis Nicholls Show, he revealed: “The discipline on the set is just… it is just… I was sitting with an older actress on there who is unfortunately not with us any more.
“We are sitting on the set and she lent over to me and she went ‘haven’t got a f***ing clue have they?’ And we are watching all these young (actors) thinking they are the bee’s knees, you know.”
He continued: “And the discipline, and directors are going (clears throat) and I am sitting there… would not last two minutes outside of here and invariably none of them do.”
Chuckling, he concluded: “They always end up having to go back so I think I gave a very bad clue there didn’t I? I think I have just grassed myself right up on that one.”
Also in the episode, Jamie, who has starred in Double Decker Driving School and Birds of a Feather, said EastEnders was just “another job” and it was “far from a highlight” of his career.
He also said he was asked “many times” to go on the show but only accepted to join after they agreed to have him for just one year.
But the actor, who has been in films including Rise of the Footsoldier and Oliver Twist, claimed soap bosses “made promises they never kept”.
He said sometimes doing up to 36 scenes in a day “burnt him out” and despite being assured he would be free from Saturday shifts, he added: “I did every Saturday. I was the first in, last out every day.”
However, he acknowledged that EastEnders was “iconic” for its fans and he “respects what it represents, especially for the BBC”.
After the podcast was shared on YouTube, one commenter said: “Fantastic interview. Jamie Foreman so underrated as an actor.”
Another wrote: “I had misconceptions of Jamie, thinking he would be cocky etc. Dignified, lovely man, I absolutely have the utmost respect for Jamie. Beautiful guy.”
A third added: “Great interview and what a talented, humble bloke.”