EastEnders' returning star Ross Kemp has spoken about filming Peggy Mitchell's traumatic death scenes, saying he had to relive painful memories to make himself cry.
The Grant Mitchell actor told The Sun's TV Magazine he drew on traumatic experiences when filming Barbara Windsor's final scenes on the soap.
"I was nervous about going back. The first scene I have is Grant arriving to take his mum Peggy back because Sharon's left a voicemail saying Phil can't look after her."
The actor added: "Then it's Peggy telling Grant that she's got cancer. I don't use a tear stick, so I have to go into my head and do some emotional recall of something bad. Then Grant has a moment with Sharon…
"It's typical Grant. We ticked nearly every box in three days and before you know it, you're back in a Portakabin looking at the ceiling, going: 'fucking hell, this is like a surreal dream. How the fuck did I ever do it?!' I needed to just lie there for a minute."
Meanwhile, Kemp will be returning for another explosive plot, with EastEnders confirming to Digital Spy that he will be back on the square over the summer.
