THERE are a few things that really make it officially Christmas – Santa, presents and, of course, drama on Albert Square.
EastEnders has always led the way when it comes to shocking Christmas Day story lines, making most family squabbles over the last Quality Street seem rather insignificant.
Who can forget Den serving Angie Watts with divorce papers amid the celebrations, or Max Branning’s affair with Stacey Slater being exposed to all?
This year, a wrecking ball of drama is set to crash into the Beale family festivities, as Cindy’s affair is revealed in spectacular fashion.
Despite rekindling her relationship with first husband Ian Beale and getting engaged, incriminating evidence captured on tape will expose her true love for ex-husband George and her scandalous affair with his son and her stepson, Junior.
Michelle Collins, who has played Cindy in the BBC1 soap since 1988, cannot wait for the drama.
“Well, of course this Christmas episode will be better,” she laughs.
“Angie, Den and the divorce set the precedent. It was so good that now it’s like: ‘Oh, we’ve got to deliver a Christmas EastEnders classic, because everyone – even people who don’t normally watch it – tune in.’
“It will hopefully be a classic EastEnders and will deliver what people want.
“You can’t compare it to past Christmases, but I would say this one is very different.
“Hopefully, people won’t be disappointed.”
Michelle, 62, is one of a host of “old faces” who have recently returned to Walford after being away for 25 years.
She came back in June 2023, after it was revealed that her character hadn’t died in childbirth, as viewers were originally told, but instead, in typical soap style, had entered a witness protection programme and taken on the identity of Rose, who went on to marry George Knight (played by Colin Salmon) and had two more children, Gina (Francesca Henry) and Anna (Molly Rainford).
“It was a big surprise Cindy was coming back,” Michelle says.
“I didn’t tell anyone – well, only my husband [Mike Davidson, 40].
“I was at the Cannes Film Festival and someone rang me and told me it had been leaked.
“We were quite gutted, but these things happen.
“My friends were more annoyed that I hadn’t told them!”
Ruthless Cindy has always been a fan favourite because of her outrageous story lines, which tend to revolve around her long-suffering husband Ian Beale and her multiple affairs.
“It was surreal coming back to EastEnders,” Michelle admits.
“It felt like I had literally come back from the dead.
“It took me a long time to find my feet and feel comfortable.
“Although I don’t think you should ever feel too comfortable anywhere, because you just don’t know, do you?
“But I’m settled in.
“ With EastEnders it’s 10 different emotions in one day.
“It is hard work and it’s long hours, but I’m enjoying it.”
And, of course, there have been huge changes to the soap since the last time Michelle was in it.
Not only has the number of episodes a week increased, but the cast has doubled in size, too.
It was surreal coming back to EastEnders. It felt like I had literally come back from the dead
Michelle Collins
“There are 58 members in the cast now.
“When I was here 25 years ago, I don’t even think there were 30.
“We were only on screen two days a week and there was only one make-up and costume room.
“Now there are loads. It all feels different.
“I think since Covid things have changed, too.
“There are so many things done online now, which is more sustainable.
“Some people don’t even get paper scripts.
“I do – I like physical scripts, as I wear glasses and like big words.”
Of course, the danger of a paper script is that they can be misplaced, which one cast member discovered last month when they left their confidential document, disclosing secret Christmas story lines, on a train, as exclusively revealed by The Sun.
“Things happen,” says Michelle.
“They’ve left government documents on trains. And when you’re rushing and you’re tired. . . I’m surprised it hasn’t happened more, let’s put it that way.
“If I’m reading my scripts on a train I’ll put it in a folder.
“But I very rarely do it, because people are nosy.
“I’ve usually got my head buried in a book.
“I was far more careful when I was coming back, because obviously it was a surprise.
“The scripts had different names in them as well.
“It didn’t have my name – it had a code name.
Ian and Cindy are a bit like coffee and cream, aren’t they? To me, they can’t live with each other, they can’t live without each other – like Richard Burton and Liz Taylor
Michelle Collins
“All the old characters have a different name.
“It’s quite confusing. But they do it so that if scripts get out, people don’t know who is involved.
“They just don’t want to spoil things for people.”
Acting is a notoriously difficult industry and Michelle thinks it’s important for those starting out to have a back-up plan these days.
“It’s probably tougher now than it ever was.
“I was a young girl from north London.
“There was no nepo in my family – my mum was a single, working woman – and it was tough.
“But I think it’s probably tougher today.
“For me, it’s never been about money.
“I’ve never been that kind of person.
“I never wanted to be a celebrity.
“I went into the industry to be an actor.
“If somebody offered me the most brilliant part ever and the money wasn’t great or some reality show where I could get paid a fortune, I would do the acting part.
“But we live in very different times.
“A lot of young people are obsessed with money.
“Acting is a vocation.
“If you’re going into acting because you want to make money, forget it.
“If you’re lucky, you will make money along the way.
“Success is easy. It’s sustaining it that is the hardest thing.
“I would say to people who want to go into the industry, have another string to your bow.
“Years ago, if someone had said that to me, I would have said that was giving up before I’d started.
“But now I think that’s just being sensible.”
Michelle, who also appeared in Coronation Street as Stella Price, has had her struggles away from the show.
She split from Fabrizio Tassalini, who is the father of her daughter Maia-Rose, now 28, in 1998, the year she left EastEnders.
Their break-up took a massive toll on her mental health.
Then, in 2014, Fabrizio passed away from liver cancer, and seven years later her beloved mother Mary died from skin cancer.
Returning to Cindy years later, she tried to bring those experiences into the role.
“Cindy is different from me,” she explains.
“When I was coming back, I was worried I wouldn’t know how to play her any more.
“Picking up a character from 25 years ago is very different.
“I’m an older woman and I’ve been through a lot in my life.
“Hopefully, I’ve grown.
“I’m obviously more mature, a bit wiser and more experienced in life.
“It took me a while to get her voice again, but it’s amazing how quick it comes back.
“I wanted to do my best and do justice to the writers.
“I know they really like writing for her.
“She’s got a good sense of humour and some great one-liners.
She adds: “The viewers were really excited for her to return, but they all kept asking me: ‘When is she going to be bad again?’
“She is one of those characters people love to hate.
“I like playing a villain, as long as you have some kind of redemption.
“You can’t just be plain evil the whole time or you would be exhausted.
“I don’t think Cindy is plain evil.
“She is too emotional and dysfunctional.
“She is a bit self-destructive.
“But at least that means it’s never boring playing her.”
And of course Cindy is up to her old tricks again, cheating on poor Ian with her ex-husband George’s son Junior.
“It was always going to happen, really, wasn’t it?” Michelle laughs.
“But the reason she started the affair with Junior was because she was rejected by George, who was quite cruel to her.
“It came out of desperation.
“We’ve all been in that situation where it’s a rebound thing and you want to get them back.
“But she probably should be old enough to know better.
“She gets herself into a web of deceit and she just can’t get out of it.
“She’s very good at lying.
“I couldn’t cope with lying that much about it.
“She does get herself into some ridiculous situations.”
And will Ian and Cindy end up back together again?
“Ian and Cindy are a bit like coffee and cream, aren’t they?
“To me, they can’t live with each other, they can’t live without each other – like Richard Burton and Liz Taylor.
I like playing a villain, as long as you have some kind of redemption. You can’t just be plain evil the whole time or you would be exhausted
Michelle Collins
“I’m surprised they’ve not been married eight times to each other.
“So whatever Cindy does, it never surprises me when they get back together.”
Of course, next year EastEnders will be focusing story lines around the big 40th anniversary live episode.
Famously, Jo Joyner, who reprised her role as Tanya Branning in the 30th live anniversary episode, mistakenly referred to Ian Beale by the name of the actor, Adam Woodyatt.
But with a death set to happen during the Christmas episodes, Michelle is keeping schtum if Cindy will still be around for it.
“I hope she will be involved,” she says.
“I can’t believe it’s been 40 years.
“I’ve never done a live show, but Adam was brilliant in the last one.
“I think some people are excited about it, but others are nervous.
“Even if you’ve done a lot of theatre, which I have, it’s nothing like this.
“In theatre, if you mess up, you are in control of it and you can always do it again the next day.
“It’s a big event to put on and thank god it’s only every 10 years, as people are rehearsing for weeks and weeks.
“It’s going to be really hard work, but it will be fantastic.”
And while we are all going to be sitting down on Christmas Day to watch Cindy’s antics on screen, Michelle will be nowhere near a TV, spending the day with her husband of two years, Mike .
I love what I’m doing and if I really hated it and I moaned all day long, I wouldn’t be here – that’s just not me
Michelle Collins
“I’m probably going to be away for Christmas,” she reveals.
“We’re not totally sure.
“Christmas is different now since my mum died.
“We did family Christmases, but not so much now.
“My daughter is older and does her own thing.
“Often I’m working, as I do panto and you only get one day off.
“But, actually, being back on EastEnders I’ll get two weeks off, which is amazing.
“We aren’t going anywhere too far afield.
“We haven’t really decided yet.
“Why I love my husband is he’s as ‘last minute dot com’ as I am.
“We’re very relaxed people.
“I love the lead-up probably more than Christmas itself.
“I love meeting up with people that I haven’t seen for ages.
“I love going out for Christmas lunches and being in London with the lights.”
Looking at Michelle on our cover shoot, it’s hard to believe she’s in her 60s, as she seems ageless.
How does she do it, and has she had any thoughts on retiring soon?
“I still really enjoy my work.
“I’m not one of these people that’s particularly overly materialistic.
“I’ve done a lot in my life, but I still strive to be an actor and be creative.
“I don’t think I will ever retire.
“I really enjoy working.
“There’s lots of stuff I still want to be doing.
“I’m a 62-year-old woman, and so what?
“It doesn’t really matter.
“Ageing is a part of life.
“I think you learn to live in your own skin and I’m probably more confident in my own skin now in my early 60s than I was when I was in my 30s.
“What’s great about EastEnders is there are women in their 40s, 50s, and 60s all having great story lines.
“I love what I’m doing and if I really hated it and I moaned all day long, I wouldn’t be here – that’s just not me.”
