EastEnders began in Wales, says scriptwriter

An EastEnders scriptwriter says the famous soap series was created in a private meeting room in BBC Wales' old Broadcasting House in Llandaff, Cardiff.

Rob Gittins, from Carmarthenshire, has written over 350 episodes for the BBC One show, including the famous 30th anniversary episode where the identity of Lucy Beale's killer was revealed.

Ahead of the special live episode on Thursday, which celebrates EastEnders' 40th anniversary, Mr Gittins told BBC Radio Wales the roots of Albert Square could also come from the distinctive seaside town of Aberaeron, Ceredigion.

"I'm terrified, I'll be glad when it's over," he said.

Mr Gittins has been the man responsible for bringing drama to Albert Square since 1985.

He got the job after meeting EastEnders creators Tony Holland and Julia Smith while he was working as a writer on the Welsh TV series The District Nurse.

"Tony was disappearing off to London and nobody quite knew what he was doing," Mr Gittins said.

"Then they [Mr Holland and Ms Smith] would go into closed rooms in Broadcasting House in Llandaff and that's where the whole thing basically started."

Mr Gittins said the minute he found out about the show he was keen to be involved. He said: "It felt very different, there was a different feel to how it was being shot, the stories being told, to the characters that were being introduced - it felt modern."

The show's Welsh routes do not stop there and according to Mr Gittins, the idea behind the show's iconic Albert Square came from the late Welsh language writer Gwenlyn Parry.

He said Mr Parry suggested to Ms Smith that a square, which he believes was in Aberaeron, would be a "fantastic place" to set a drama series because "on a square you can see everyone and everyone can see you".

"Julia listened and nodded and I don't know whether he simply confirmed what she was already thinking or whether he'd lit a spark," he said.

Mr Gittins added the final set was based off Fassett Square, in Hackney, London as it was "remarkably similar" to Albert Square.

Mr Gittins said setting up the show was challenging as it was a difficult time for the BBC.

"Margaret Thatcher was in government and she certainly was no fan of the BBC.

"The audiences were dropping quite dramatically as well, but when EastEnders came along, all of a sudden you had up to 30 million people tuning in and it really kind of did wonders for the BBC," he added.

Mr Gittins puts the popularity of the soap down to the fact audiences can follow a story for decades, in real time.

"I think from a writer's point of view, I mean I write novels and I write other things as well, but they all end, there's a full stop, the story concludes.

"With the soaps not only obviously can they continue for decades but we can tell their stories over decades as well, which you demonstrably cannot do anywhere else," he said.

To celebrate its 40th birthday, EastEnders went live at 19:30pm GMT on Thursday February 20 which included the result of a first-of-its kind interactive twist which gave viewers the power to decide the outcome of Denise Fox's love story.

Mr Gittins said although he is "terrified" and will be "glad when it's over", he said it will be worth it as the audience always "enormously" enjoy it.

He added it is not the writers that are under pressure - but the "poor old actors and directors" that have to deliver.

Ten years ago, Mr Gittins wrote the show's 30th anniversary live episode - where the identity of Lucy Beale's killer was revealed as her 10-year-old half-brother, Bobby Beale.

Mr Gittins added live episodes are a great way of "preserving the integrity" of a plot and often even the actors are not told about it until 30 seconds beforehand.

For EastEnders' 20th anniversary, Lacey Turner, who plays Stacey Slater, was told a minute before the show went live she had killed Archie Mitchell, he said.

Mr Gittins said it has been challenging for him as he is currently in the process of writing episodes now which will go out in July.

"Until tonight I don't know who she's chosen, so it's been quite a challenge to write for Denise without knowing where she is going to go.

"So it's great, it's a real talking point," Mr Gittins added.

Rob's interview with Nathan Sussex was first broadcast on Thursday and is available to catch up with on BBC Sounds.