Following the success of the second series of Eastenders’ spinoff E20, a third series has been commisioned by the BBC.

Show producer Deborah Swaithe said, ‘We are thrilled with the success of the first two series and have already started to storyline the third. Be prepared for a few familiar faces, a couple of new ones and a lot of fireworks.’

The new series is due to air in the new year and will continue to work with young actors, crew members and writers.

Catch E20 on Tuesdays and Thursdays, and Monday nights on BBC3 for omnibus

In the last of our interviews with the new E20 cast, Koko hosts a Q&A with Amanda Fairbanks-Hynes who plays the role of Stevie.  Check out what she and the rest of the cast have to say about her quirky character.

How does Stevie fit into the series?

Heshima: Can I just take a second to say that she is amazing and we love her. Stevie, in this equation, is a bit of a fish out of the water.  She’s quite posh and ditzy a bit, but at the same time quite smart.  So it’s nice  to have that balance.  I think she really adds a beautiful dynamic to the gang.

Tosin: She brings that different element.

Emaa: She starts off as someone not really appreciated, but as everyone gets to know her they realise how important she is to them and the circle.  She’s the comedy factor, and Amanda just plays her so well. She’s hilarious!

Why can’t Stevie afford the rent of her flat anymore?

Amanda:- Stevie gets her heart broken at the start of the series, and desperately needs to find a lodger quickly so she doesn’t get kicked out of the flat she’s worked really hard to make her home.

She agrees to Sol moving in. Has she any concerns about letting Sol bring his brother Asher and Naz to live there too?

Stevie meets Asher first when he views the flat, and is a little surprised when Sol and Naz turn up, but she loves being around people and making new friends, so she doesn’t react in a way most people would to strangers walking straight into their home intending to live there without really asking first!

How does she get on with the rest of her E20 housemates and what do they think of her?

Stevie instantly loves her new housemates. She’s desperate for them to stay and be the family she’s always wanted. This proves to be quite difficult as the others have plenty of their own family issues to deal with, and get a little confused at Stevie wanting to look after them in such a maternal way!

Stevie discovers Pippa isn’t what she seems? Who is the real Pippa? And what do we know about Stevie’s ex boyfriend?

Stevie’s ex boyfriend, Ollie, breaks her heart at the start of the series and Stevie views the stunning and sophisticated Pippa as the cold-hearted ‘other woman’.  However, as time goes on, Stevie discovers that Pippa’s actually human too and not some evil goddess who’s sole intention is to steal boyfriends!

If Asher is ‘the answer to her prayers’ will there be any romance between Asher and Stevie?

Stevie sets her sights on a character from the main Eastenders cast in the first few episodes, and she thinks she’s definitely met the man of her dreams; so she isn’t looking for romance with Asher at the start of the series. You’ll just have to watch the series to discover if there’s any romance between the two of them later on!

Catch E20 on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 7^th September, and Monday nights on BBC3 for omnibus

Photo Credit: BBC Pictures

Continuing our interviews with the new E20 cast, we caught up with actress Emaa Hussan playing the role of Naz.  Find out what she has to say about being one of the newest faces in the hit show.

What can you tell us about your character Naz?

She is confident, fiery, and a home girl. She’s also a party girl and she will definitely show you that.  She loves her family, but also loves to party and enjoy herself. Unfortunately, her family just does not understand her, and what she wants.  I think she would be a very good girl, if her family just understood what she wanted.  She ends up falling in love with the wrong person and ends up having a very hard decision to make.  We see that she is not as strong as we thought she was and she ends up putting up a wall.

Where will the characters be leaving in Walford?

They will be living in the top of Roxy’s nail salon in Roxy’s flat.

All the best characters in soap have a secret –what’s your character’s secret?

Naz is hiding something from her friend, and from her family.  So really, she has two big secrets.

Do they know any of the current EastEnders residents?

Naz knows Fatboy.

Naz falls for Sol and there are terrible consequences?  What are they and how bad will they be for her?

There will be potential consequences with her family.

What kind of relationship does she have with her parents?

She has a good relationship.  She shows them a lot of respect because they are her family but I think they don’t know their daughter very well.  She does what she has to do to show them that she’s their little girl.  She knows she has to respect them.

Catch E20 on Tuesday and Thursday from 7^th September, and Monday nights on BBC3 for omnibus

Photo Credit: BBC Pictures

The upcoming series of E20 is bringing even more fresh talent to Albert Square, like Tosin Cole, who plays the younger brother of Asher Levi, Solomon.  Find out more about his character’s troubled past and the drama he’s certain to bring to Walford.

Can you tell us about your character?

My character is the younger brother of Asher.  Sol is a bit shy and very thoughtful.  He can’t really think for himself and needs someone to be there for him, which is normally his older brother.  You can say he’s very family oriented.  He likes his family to be around and at home.  He needs his brother to be around and would be totally lost if someone were not there to guide him.

All the best characters in soap have a secret –what’s your character’s secret?

I think his secret is that he knows Asher does a lot for him and is always there to help him.  So he would rather not do anything for himself because Asher does it for him.  He knows that he can do it, but would rather not because Asher is always there to pick him up.

Sol rescues Naz….Who from?

He rescues her from some familiar faces.  Yes, he already knows her.

What is it about Sol that attracts him to Naz?

Sol likes Naz because she is so different.  He hasn’t seen anybody like her because she’s so out, so hip, so sassy.  He’s the complete opposite of what she is.  Their difference is what attracts them to each other.

E20 has been a big success in the past.  Is there pressure to match that success?

E20 Series one was a huge success, but we aim to build on that success and we think the audience will love the new series.

How does Sol know Stevie?

Through his brother, he meets her through Asher.

Sol’s got a fearsome temper –what sort of trouble will it get him into and how bad will things get for Sol when arrives in Walford?

His temper gets him into more trouble than he’s already in.  It does affect him quite a lot because he does not even understand what he is doing.  When he loses his temper, he doesn’t really think ahead, causing him to get into a lot of trouble.

Could he end up in jail like his brother Asher?

No.

What is his one chance of happiness?  Is it a relationship with Naz?

Love, family, career, and everything that is going on around him that would be good for him.

How likely is it that Sol will ne happy by the end of the series?

Quite happy.

Sol and Asher have a psychopathic mother.  In what way is she psychopathic?

I guess you’ll have to watch and see.  She’s quite challenged and very delusional.  I think it’s more than just her being a bad mom.  I think she has some health issues but regardless of what her issues are, she still has two kids that she has to look after.

Catch E20 on Tuesday and Thursday from 7^th September, and Monday nights on BBC3 for omnibus

Photo Credit: BBC Pictures