Sorry Tim about the future nightmares. But just think: a Shirley spin-off would have meant no Shirley, meaning no Carters being introduced to the main show.

Of course she will; b/c that's what sane people would do. I can understand Shirley not wanting to tell Dean, but to not even confide in Mas is dumb. I hope this doesn't happen.

Isn't Cystic Fibrosis something that happens from birth? So, Fatima should have known. Unless, she gave the baby away pretty soon after her birth, and before she got sick. I'm actually surprised Fatima didn't give her to an Asian family to raise, as I would have thought that would've been quite important to her. Also, where has Fatima disappeared to? I guess she went home, but she just disappeared randomly. I thought she was going to stay to help plan Shabnam's wedding, clash with Carmel, and flirt with Mas (she did say she may have picked the wrong brother...).

I take your point, Ben, but I do think, for dramatic purposes, she won't tell Mas, Buster or Dean anything about Jade/Roya for weeks.

Forget about Fatima now, didn't SHABNAM know about her baby? That would explain her seemingly over the top reaction whenever the subject of Roya was brought up.

Edited June 14, 201510 yr by TimWil

You know Tim, I keep thinking about your Courtney idea, and I like the idea of it...I just wish the Mitchells were in better shape to warrant it.

Sometimes I wonder if they should recast Grant and make him a new patriarch of the family.

I'm all for a recast Grant AND a recast Michelle, Carl, but you know how them Brits would get absolutely rigid with indignation about it. God forbid that the show, in order to move the show forward, feels it has to recast. Well, they did it with Mark Fowler and they did it with Sam Mitchell and they will do it again. I know for a fact they were seriously considering recasting Carol when Lindsay Coulson turned them down for the umpteenth time (around when Bianca and her brood appeared).

I don't want to recast Michelle (and the Martin recast reinforces that for me - he puts me off quite a bit), but I do wish they'd take the risk with Grant. Phil just isn't working in this capacity, and the Mitchells at present, broken between Phil and kids and Ronnie and her idiot sister, isn't working for me either.

I never knew they almost recast Carol. Thank goodness they didn't.

They were very close to doing it. The actress they were most interested in was Lynda Bellingham, who passed away last year.

I want the show's oldest secret (Grant and Michelle's son Mark) to finally be brought out into the open. That's why I'd like to see a Michelle recast. I wonder if Sharon even knows-I assume she did find out during her extensive stretches of time in the US.

Do you know why they didn't do it?

Lynda played that role well in the Oxo commercials, but I'm not sure I could see her as Carol.

She was a terrific actress. I saw her in the play The Sisters Rosenzweig in London. I think it was on The Bill where she played a nasty drug dealer or something. She would have looked extremely different than Lindsay but then again a lot of actresses would. I was told they were on the brink of signing Bellingham when Lindsay and her agent blinked and she finally said yes, she'd return.

Well, I knew Shirley would keep Jade's CF to herself. I didn't think she'd lie about her being adopted, though.

Edited June 16, 201510 yr by TimWil

A great example of a silly scene improved by crisp, interesting direction.

A Doctor Who director (he directed Colony in Space) talked about how he directed an episode of Eastenders and tried to give direction to the actors, and someone in production came and told him he should just say, "Act better" and not bother with the rest. He said he never did get asked to direct another episode...

I saw someone on DS post a few weeks ago that they met Nina Wadia after a play and she told them that if they wanted Zainab back, to write to the show, because it was the show's choice not to bring her back. If true, that's a shame, as this story would be a lot more interesting with her.

Today was one of Matt di Angelo's better performances, but all the focus on poor Shirley and Shirley's woe and Shirley's boozing again makes me wince.

Speaking of wincing, everything with Stacey and Kush is forced and mostly feels like an excuse to tear Stacey down so she can be on the gormless idiot Martin's level. She has little to no chemistry with Kush, and this instant attraction between them, her undercuttiing Shabnam in public because of him, her trawling the kitchen talking about how she needs him and how lonely she is - it's just trash. And boring trash at that.

The Roxy/Ronnie scene was probably the only good scene in the whole episode.

I take your point, Ben, but I do think, for dramatic purposes, she won't tell Mas, Buster or Dean anything about Jade/Roya for weeks.

Forget about Fatima now, didn't SHABNAM know about her baby? That would explain her seemingly over the top reaction whenever the subject of Roya was brought up.

I just wish they would allow Shirley to develop - just a bit. Have her make a decision that shows she's learning from past mistakes, growing as a character. I know no-one on the show develops at all, but still. It would have been nice if she told Mas, and left it in his hands. I just feel this story could be written so much better than what it is; it relies too much on contrived set-up and shock and awe cliffhangers to move the plot along.

You were right about her keeping it secret. And, of course she turns up drunk. I said to my dad that someone must have a lot of fun making her look as awful as possible, b/c I swear her hair gets worse and worse by the episode. Also, why does any one of the Masoods bother inviting the "Muslim community" to any of their events? They always turn into an embarrassment. Is it just me, or has the "Muslim community" turned into a bit of a joke? Nowadays it just consists of witchy Bushra and a random imam to poor scorn and judge and be totally shocked. I'm sure that aspect had more depth in their early days.

I'm confused about who knows/knew what about the baby. If that's the last we'll see of Fatima, then that's a shame. Why wasn't she at the engagement party? I guess she won't be attending the wedding.

I saw someone on DS post a few weeks ago that they met Nina Wadia after a play and she told them that if they wanted Zainab back, to write to the show, because it was the show's choice not to bring her back. If true, that's a shame, as this story would be a lot more interesting with her.

The Roxy/Ronnie scene was probably the only good scene in the whole episode.

Nina Wadia recently completed a 5-week guest stint on Holby City, and she said that she's not the reason for no Zainab. In fact, she's said that a couple of times within the last year. She's open to a return, but the show hasn't called her.

That Ronnie/Roxy scene was good. They need to write for them like that more often.

Also, I wouldn't be open to a Grant recast, as I just don't think they'd get it right. Ross Kemp brought a certain something to the role that I just don't think they'd find again working opposite Phil. But, I would be open to a Michelle recast, as it has been years. Now is not the right time, though.

Interesting about the Linda Bellingham/Carol stuff. I can't imagine her as Carol, but I can see why they considered her.

Carl, what I loved about the clip was Cindy protesting that she was just "phoning a friend" in the middle of the quiz night. And this was three years before Who Wants To Be A Millionaire? first hit the air in the UK!

Wow, Shirley really thumped Carol on tonight's episode. And how dare Shabnam and Kush tell Mas they wanted him out of his own house? Give me a frigging break. Carmel's takedown of Bushra was very impressive. And too bad Jean wasn't in this episode-her "sausage surprise" would have made for an apt compliment to Kim's anatomically correct Vodka Ice Luge.

I couldn't blame them after the way Masood acted. He's so selfish, especially since he has a young child he never sees.

Shirley is just grotesque.

It would be interesting if they had Roxy sexing up a rapist to explore her toxic daddy issues, given how ardently she defended Archie, but most likely it was just because he sort of looks like Charlie and they wanted to shock us.

There was a clip from the day Roxy and Ronnie arrived where he hit on her. I guess he finally got his turn.

I agree that Masood has behaved appallingly for weeks but still--it's HIS house.

Well, as i predicted here many moons ago, Paul Nicholas has been cast as Gavin, Kathy's husband and, most likely, Sharon's "real" dad. Tony Jordan wanted to bring him on as Kevin Wicks but they obviously decided to go in another direction for Kevin. Nicholas is apparently one of Letitia Dean's favorite actors so that will be nice.He's a good choice for the role. It seems Gavin will be much more of a James Wilmot-Brown than a Phil Mitchell.

Edited June 18, 201510 yr by TimWil

I haven't heard of him, but he seems talented. I just wish the show was better written. Timothy West is a wonderful actor and 90% of his scenes were still crap because of the writing.

I agree that Masood has behaved appallingly for weeks but still--it's HIS house.

Well, as i predicted here many moons ago, Paul Nicholas has been cast as Gavin, Kathy's husband and, most likely, Sharon's "real" dad.

I just liked that for once a character who owns the house actually had the guts to stay in it. So many times on soaps, characters are told to leave their own house by the wronged party, which always seems odd to me. I'm on Team Shabnam with this, but if she didn't want to be around Mas, then it was her responsibility to move out, not dictate to the one paying the mortgage.

Predicted or insider-info, Tim? I think I'm going to have to pay closer attention to your posts.