EastEnders in Paris

***EastEnders in Paris*** was a three-episode special broadcast on BBC One in July 1998. The invention of the special came along to coincide with the FIFA World Cup of 1998. Each episode had a short runtime of between ten to fifteen minutes, and all were written by John Derek and directed by Sarah Harding. Each episode was shot entirely on location in Paris and was designated with a unique title sequence with the great aerial view map being of Paris and the seine with popular tourist attracts being pointed out as the camera zoomed out to fulfil a full aerial view. The special featured regular characters from *EastEnders*: Barry Evans, Robbie Jackson, Huw Edwards, Lenny Wallace, Roy Evans and Pat Evans.

Initially the special was to be broadcast as one whole episode and to be aired around the same time of the World Cup Final. Due to the filming schedule taking place two weeks before the announcement of the finalists in the World Cup, the show was urged not to include any finalists in the episode, and therefore filming took place nowhere near a football match. However, without knowing what the future would hold with the outcome of England, the specials were filmed with two results; one was showing the returning characters celebrating England being the winners and the other being England being unsuccessful. The cast and crew spent four days in France filming the specials.

## Episode 1

### BBC broadcast date

10th July 1998
(Friday)

### Executive Producer

Matthew Robinson
Mal Young

### Plot

Roy and Pat step aboard the Eurostar from Waterloo International railway station as they voyage their journey to Paris for the World Cup final. Pat thinks the carriage Roy has booked for them is very upmarket. The lads - Barry, Huw, Lenny and Robbie - Are lost and are dancing and squabbling around one another in order to find the right direction to the bar in which they are to meet Charlie, a friend of Barry's, who is supplying them with World Cup tickets. Robbie is already very drunk. Pat and Roy's pleasantly quiet journey is interrupted by football fans who remain very loud and disturbing throughout the whole journey. The lads' van has broken down, and they are forced to take a halt on their journey and stop off at a local bar in which Lenny gains a flirtatious friendship with the barmaid, Karen. Once arriving in Paris, Pat and Roy fail to get a taxi to the hotel and spend the afternoon walking around the city. The lads managed to get back on the road, and are now in the heart of Paris, and take the same route twice over. Upon finally arriving at the hotel, Roy spots Barry amid road rage and quickly summons Pat into the hotel before she catches her eye on him too. Roy is very unhappy with the room they have been acquainted with; claiming the room is too small, and there are no pleasant views from the windows. He demands some brunch from the hotel without payment as a refund negotiation, and after arriving back at the room from collecting, he finds Pat asleep. The lads arrive at the bar, but there is no sign of Charlie. A dispute breaks out between them until Charlie appears from around the corner. Barry is taken into a two-way conversation with him only to discover that the tickets will be available tomorrow, and there is only two. The next morning, Pat apologises to Roy for her behaviour the previous day. Barry awakens the lads, who have slept rough in the van, with breakfast. Robbie's stomach takes a turn, and he darts off. Huw and Lenny wonder why Barry is so generous.

### Cast

* Lenny - Desune Coleman
* Huw - Richard Elis
* Robbie - Dean Gaffney
* Barry - Shaun Williamson
* Roy - Tony Caunter
* Pat - Pam St. Clement
* Lad 1 - Matthew Devere
* Lad 2 - Oliver Young
* Charlie - Francois Brunet
* Waitress - Paula Jane Ulrich

## Episode 2

### BBC broadcast date

11th July 1998
(Saturday)

### Executive Producer

Matthew Robinson
Mal Young

### Plot

Pat and Roy are visiting the tourist attractions of Paris. The lads are enjoying the atmosphere on what the city holds and the presence of the World Cup fans. However, Robbie is finding it hard to hold it together with his hangover. Pat and Roy arrive at the Defence Arch, and Pat releases her inner doubts on the day. Demanding that the couple keep the length of there visits to the attractions at a minimum pace rather than racing to each one. Barry becomes the good samaritan and puts Robbie's hangover at ease with a kebab. He then reveals the situation of the tickets; only two are available. And announces that he's decided, he and Robbie will be the ones who foretake with the tickets. Pat and Roy stop off for ice cream. Pat begins to daydream, and Roy asks her what she's thinking about and when she tells him Frank he's almost immediately taken aback. However, she reassures him she isn't thinking about him in that way. She reminisces on her trip to Paris with Frank in 1993. Roy can't bear to listen and proceeds the couple to Notre Dame. Huw and Lenny have discovered that only two tickets are available following Robbie blabbing, and are infuriated with Barry. Roy avoids to discuss Frank and rebegins in rushing his trips with Pat tracing behind. Pat finally manages to stand her ground after arriving back at the hotel telling Roy that there is no other man she'd rather be with than him. Roy apologises for his behaviour. Robbie has commenced to round two and has gotten drunk again. Pat tells Roy she packed a few extra things in her luggage and appears out of the bathroom in pink lingerie, leaving him flatteringly stunned. The lads play a game of draw straws for the tickets, and Huw and Lenny win. When leaving the bar, they discover someone breaking into the van and are too late to stop them before they get away with it. A knock on the door interrupts Pat and Roy's night, and Barry and the boys greet the couple.

### Cast

* Roy - Tony Caunter
* Pat - Pam St. Clement
* Lenny - Desune Coleman
* Huw - Richard Elis
* Robbie - Dean Gaffney
* Barry - Shaun Williamson
* Charlie - Francois Brunet

## Episode 3

### BBC broadcast date

12th July 1998
(Sunday)

### Executive Producer

Matthew Robinson
Mal Young

### Plot

Roy is on the receiving end of Pat upon the lads turning up at the hotel room unannounced. Roy tries to explain why he kept Barry's trip to the World Cup a secret from Pat. Barry and the lads had spent the night in Pat and Roy's room. Roy reassures Pat his family loyalties to which leads to a cold reception from Pat who tells him she'll leave him and Barry to have 'quality' time together in a sarcastic manner and that she isn't going to the final anymore. Roy tries calling her back when she walks off. Roy is left sharing breakfast with Barry and the lads. Huw and Lenny leave a depressed looking Barry and Robbie in a bar as they depart for the World Cup final. Barry confronts Roy while he's alone, and offers him with an apology and the pair open up their hearts to one another. Pat tours around the city alone. Robbie, being left alone in a bar, is greeted by a young looking woman. Roy gives Barry his and Pat's World Cup tickets. Barry interrupts Robbie's conversation with the woman and very loudly announces that he's got two world cup tickets which leads to many customers jumping to his corner offering money and begging for the tickets to which he refuses. Roy is greeted with Pat outside a flower shop and demands she follows his lead because he wants to show her something. The couple arrives at an art gallery, and Roy shows her a nudity statute. He tells her he wishes he had some sort of similar skill so he could demonstrate the love he has for her in an artistic romantic way, but all he has is his words. Pat admits she was in the wrong for expecting him to turn away Barry, and the pair share a kiss after announcing that Paris is the most romantic city in the world. Barry and Robbie are met with Huw and Lenny outside the stadium, and the lads commence to enter chanting and cheering.

### Cast

* Lenny - Desune Coleman
* Huw - Richard Elis
* Robbie - Dean Gaffney
* Barry - Shaun Williamson
* Roy - Tony Caunter
* Pat - Pam St. Clement
* Waiter - Alain Desroches
* Girl in Bar - Armelle Yons

## Locations

Arc de Triomphe du CarrouselEiffel TowerHotal Madison; Pat and Roy's hotelLe BonaparteLes InvalidesNotre DameSeineStade de France; World Cup final stadiumThe Gare du Nord; train stationThe Kiss StatueThe Thinker Statue
## Notes

* Episode 1 (10th July 1998):
	+ Broadcast on BBC One at 8.00pm with a runtime of fifteen minutes.
	+ *Radio Times* synopsis: Romance is in the air as Roy takes Pat for a weekend in Paris, however, Barry and the lads have other ideas.
	+ Viewing Figures: First UK broadcast - 9,820,000 viewers (chart placing unknown).
* Episode 2 (11th July 1998):
	+ Broadcast on BBC One at 8.10pm with a runtime of ten minutes.
	+ *Radio Times* synopsis: Pat and Roy's whistle stop tour continues. But it's a game of two halves for Barry and the lads.
	+ Viewing Figures: First UK broadcast - 8,380,000 viewers (chart placing unknown).
* Episode 3 (12th July 1998):
	+ Broadcast on BBC One at 4.10pm with a runtime of ten minutes.
	+ *Radio Times* synopsis: No synopsis appeared in the magazine for this special.
	+ Viewing Figures: First UK broadcast - 5,430,000 viewers (chart placing unknown).