BBC bosses have been using EastEnders stars’ real-life lovers as body doubles for sex and kissing scenes.
It comes as the network has returned to filming the BBC One soap in Albert Square but, of course, social distancing rules are still in place which has made filming some more intimate scenes rather difficult.
Thankfully bosses have found a way around this by bringing on the casts’ real-life spouses and loved ones to be able to carry out more raunchy scenes.
The soap has also hired extras from Covid isolation bubbles as a way to adhere to the social distancing rules.
BBC bosses have pulled in the cast’s real-life partners to be able to film kissing and sex scenes (Image: BBC/Jack Barnes)
All over the set there are giant transparent plastic screens which have been installed to help stop the spread of the virus.
Clay Milner Russell and Milly Zero, who play Bobby Beale and Dotty Cotton, filmed today on either end of a bench with a shield between them.
Executive producer Jon Sen said: “To reflect the world outside, we use support artists from the same household.
“We have supporting artists who are in a house of students or a husband and wife, who can be seen walking together and can kiss in the street.
The soap has also hired extras from Covid isolation bubbles (Image: BBC/Jack Barnes)
“For those really crucial moments where two characters kiss, we’ve invited real life partners of the actors onto the set to cheat those kinds of moments.”
Sen added: “With Perspex screens, you can bring people really close together.
“That’s good because it gives an intimacy to the performance.
EastEnders returns to BBC One next month (Image: BBC/Kieron McCarron)
“We also use plate shots, where two actors look like they are sitting at the same table but they have been filmed in isolation.
“You put the shots together.”
Producers have also said that the show’s return, which will air on September 7, the first its 35-year history, is being treated as a “second series” with new storylines.
Sen continued: “We’re putting a lot of emphasis on getting people up to speed on where the characters have been during lockdown and what’s been happening.”
Coronation Street and Emmerdale will also be back to six episodes a week from September, ITV recently confirmed.
EastEnders returns to BBC One at 8.05pm on September 7
Source: Celebrities - dailystar.co.uk
