Adam Woodyatt “hates” getting a doof doof moment on EastEnders, he has revealed.
The 50-year-old actor has played Ian Beale on the soap since the first-ever episode on February 19, 1985, but he can’t stand acting out the iconic cliffhanger moments, which are accompanied by a dramatic drum sound, because he has to stand “like a lemon” while portraying such tense scenes.
He said: “I hate those bits, you have to stand there for four seconds like a lemon. You’d respond normally, in the real world.
“Someone has just given you some vital information like, ‘Cindy’s dead.’ You’d say something.
“Actually trying to stand there for four seconds and not do anything…”
Despite being an Albert Square resident since 1985, Adam doesn’t assume his contract will be renewed, and didn’t have any expectations that the show would be a hit when it first started.
He said: “I didn’t have any expectations, and I still don’t.
“I never looked, and I still don’t, past the date on my contract.
“I just presume that on that date it stops, until they give me a new contract.
“How else can you look at it? You can’t take it for granted.”
Speaking about what it would be like when he departs Albert Square, he said: “It’ll be like the ravens leaving the tower.”
Adam admits the cast and crew started to believe the soap would be a success in Christmas 1986 when more than 30 million people tuned in to see Dirty Den Watts (Leslie Grantham) hand divorce papers to wife Angie Watts (Anita Dobson).
Speaking on This Morning, he added: “I think in Christmas 86 everybody started realising, ‘This really is a beast.’ Over 30 million viewers for Christmas Day.
You look at the viewing figures now and if a drama gets eight million it’s considered a hit.
“All the soaps have dropped off.”
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