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EastEnders stars film charity shop comedySoap actors in TV sitcom pilot set in Redbridge: p2&3

Lifethisweek | 2, Thursday July 30, 2015

Ex-EastEnders actors eager to entertain in comedy pilot showProducer Theresa hoping to bring family sitcom made in Redbridge to our TV screens very soon

An actress and producer with a career spanning more than 30 years has teamed up with EastEnders

legends to create a sitcom for all the family.

Theresa Cole, of Gants Hill, is one of the brains behind Nearly New, a pilot comedy show which has been filmed in Redbridge locations such as the former British Red Cross headquarters in Cranbrook Road and the Barkingside Methodist Church.

She said: “We have had a lot of help from the community in filming the show as the owners of charity shops have given us coat hangers and other bits and bobs for the set.

“Hopefully everyone will continue to support us in pushing forward the show because we think it really could be a hit.”

Nearly New – directed by Yah-wan McClelland – revolves around the life of widow Elizabeth, played by Theresa, the uptight manager of a charity shop who treats it like her “little boutique”.

But she is never alone for

long as she is often visited by customers, including a confused elderly woman and a man who is keen to try on all of the second-hand clothes.

Theresa said: “There are lots of characters and each of them brings something different and really funny to the show.

“The writing for the sitcom is great, with both visual and intellectual humour – which is a vital part to bringing these characters to life.”

The 49-year-old has had a passion for acting and producing from a young age, starring in a couple of commercials, working on productions at school and going on to graduate from the Oxford School of Drama.

She said: “I remember when I was at college I went to the careers adviser and asked him about how I could get into acting and he just told me to forget it and study business instead!

“I didn’t do that well in my maths and economics A-levels so I knew that I wanted to go with my heart and study acting.”

Theresa is joined by ghosts of EastEnders’ past including Anna

Karen (Peggy Mitchell’s sister Sal), Gary Hailes (Barry Clark) and Peter Dean, who played Ian Beale’s dad.

She said: “I have worked with all of them at one point or another and I know they are all great comedic actors.

“Anna Karen is very witty so she often has everyone in stitches!”

The cast and crew of the sitcom are preparing to send the show off to different companies in the hope of getting it on air.

Theresa said: “Everyone involved has put so much of their time into making this show a success and you can really tell because of the quality of the writing, acting and the set – it’s been a team effort putting it all together.

“Nearly New is a show that is entertaining for the entire family and fingers crossed people can enjoy sitting down to watch it on their TVs very soon.”

Nearly New

Anna Karen in her Nearly New role

by Hayley Anderson

Thursday July 30, 2015 3

Filming the sitcom, set in a charity shop

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The cast of Nearly New