"Angie' Found in Florida!
By Melissa Berry
Western North Carolina EstEnders Fanatics President
Ahhh! The joys of air travel! I woke up the morning of March 13th to fog
and drizzle. Naturally, the flight out of PTI was delayed and when we
landed, I hit the concourse in Charlotte running---they had already been
boarding my connecting flight for ten minutes! But I made it! Chest
heaving, I handed my ticket to the attendant----I was going to Miami to meet
Anita Dobson!
When I got to Miami-it was 87 gorgeous degrees outside! Thirty minutes
later, I was pulling up in front of "the hotel"----right in the middle of
South Beach and one block from the Atlantic! Life was good!
"the hotel" is a 1939 art deco classic that is owned and has been restored
by renowned fashion designer Todd Oldham. Beautiful potted orchids are
everywhere and the ambiance has a very eclectic feel.
About 7 pm that evening, Chris Mitchell, the producer of EastEnders Revealed
rang me and asked if he could "pop over for a chat". Within minutes, he was
there, in a T-shirt, khakis and BAREFOOTED! (so, you see Esta, North
Carolina isn't the only place where shoes are optional!) Chris filled me in
on the filming that had taken place that day, and told me they had just
returned from filming on the beach, where he said; Anita became a bit
emotional. (The bits they were filming dealt with "Angie's" life since
leaving the Square.)
The he told me about the next days schedule and my part in it all. First,
Anita was going to be shopping in Bel Habour for a dress for Liza Minnelli's
wedding in New York. Then they were going to be filming our Ange "driving
around Miami" in a rented Cadillac..... or pretending to be driving, I
should say! Then about 5 in the afternoon, myself and a few new EE fanatic
friends would be gathered in the hotel restaurant gabbing about EE, and in
would walk Anita!
Then came the bad news...........Chris didn't want me to see Anita before
the actual filming---he said the "surprise element" wouldn't be there on
film if we had met prior. So, we struck a deal... Chris would put in a word
for me with Tony Jordan so that I could get on the EE set in August, and I
would stay out of sight till the next afternoon!!!!!!!!!
EASTENDERS REVEALED
Jim, Jan and Dayle and I met at 'the hotel' about 3 that afternoon-we sat
out on the patio and talked about our favorite programme and got to know
each other. I said it then, and I repeat it now...it doesn't matter where I
go-----EastEnders Fans are the GREATEST bunch of folks around....so easy to
talk to.
About 5, Chris showed up and asked us to "hide" in the outside restaurant of
the hotel! The film crew was hot on his heels and Chris asked us some
questions and let the four of us work off each other with our replies. This
was the segment they would air in the UK. He says that Brits have a hard
time believing that EE has such a large following here in the US and that's
what they are all interested in hearing about.
Right in the middle of our impromptu chat, who should walk down the steps
but Anita herself!!!! I immediately ran over to her and gave her a big WNC
EE FANATIC hug! We introduced ourselves, and then I made the comment that
the bar was ten feet away from us and that "Angie" should be behind it
pouring us a pint! Anita enthusiastically agreed, and asked the hotel staff
if they could accommodate us! Within minutes----we were on bar stools and
"Ange" was behind the bar making us all "shandy's"! (half beer and half
lemonade!)
Oh, the stories she told us! For instance "Willie" (Ethels little pug) was
infamous for
"farting" (Anita's EXACT words!!!!!!) She said that many times they would
have to stop shooting a scene because they couldn't breath! She also told
us that she chose all of "Angie's" wardrobe and that we would be surprised
at how small the EE set actually was.
She told us that all the beer in the Vic was real but the liquor wasn't and
how sometimes, the extras in the scenes would be wobbling in the backround
from too much ale! She told us that "Roly" was an amazing dog and so well
behaved and acted on cue-much better than even some of the cast at times!
Other antedotes included the fact that when "Angie" was contemplating the
affair with "Tony Carpenter", the producers wanted her to kiss "Tony" in the
Vic. Anita said she informed them that "Angie wouldn't **** in her own
house!" (she very discreetly whispered this to all of us!) and she would
have no part of it!
She said she doesn't watch EastEnders any more due to her busy schedule, but
she did mention that had it not been for EE, she doesn't think she would
ever have met her husband, Brian May (formerly of the rock group "Queen").
She said that being in Miami and filming this episode of EastEnders Revealed
has been the closure that she and viewers alike needed, to finally end the
hopes of "Angie" ever returning to Albert Square.
Filming was over..............but was it the end? Not a chance! Anita sat
around with us for about two hours! We talked about everything! She told
us how nice everyone had been in Florida. She told us she never managed to
find that "perfect dress" for Liza's wedding but that if we saw any footage
of it, she would be dressed in either red or blue!
She told us that earlier that week, the BBC had surprised her with her own
episode of "This Is Your Life" and that so many of the cast (past and
present), such as "Sharon", "Den", "Kathy" and "Pat" to name a few had taken
part in it. She said "Ethel" was there as well, and is still spritely and
full of energy!
Anita is so sweet...and so amazingly easy to talk to! Within minutes, I
felt as if I was talking to an old friend! She posed for countless pictures
as she looked through my EE autographs and other memorabilia that I had
brought along, she signed autographs for us and she was amazed at the things
we remembered about the early years of the show. Her favorite memories
being those of "Den" giving her the divorce papers on Christmas Eve and the
episodes filmed in Venice when "Den" found out she had been lying about
being ill.
I told her that I had some "mail" for her-from fans here in the States who
wanted her to know how much they enjoyed her work on EastEnders. She wanted
to see them immediately! She read through some of them and I saw tears in
her eyes as she put them away and told me she would read them on the plane
going home. I told her that I had only thought of the idea to collect them
the night before I left and that I was sure there would be more when I
returned home. She made me promise to send them to her and I most
definitely will!
I had taken some of our WNC EE club wear with me to give to her. Two
t-shirts (Brian had to have one too, after all!), a tote bag and a cap. She
put the cap on and said she would wear it on the plane home! I apologized
for having only large sized t-shirts, but told her that I HOPED she would
wear it at least ONE night to sleep in. She turned to me and said "I love
big t-shirts to sleep in!" I thanked her for being so sweet about it and
she said "You don't believe me, do you? Melissa, I WILL wear this to sleep
in!"
And you know what???? I believe her!!!!!!!!!!!!
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