EastEnders legend accuses BBC bosses of ‘racism’ over 20th anniversary book snub
But he also praised EastEnders for continuing to include 'characters from diverse ethnic backgrounds'
RUDOLPH WALKER is one of EastEnders’ most adored stars but there was a time he felt furious with the soap.
The veteran actor, who plays Patrick Trueman, hit out at Albert Square bosses when he was left out of a book commissioned by the BBC to mark the show’s 20th anniversary.
And he was incensed the publication featured barely any black characters.
Rudolph revealed the secret race row in his new autobiography.
An “angry” BBC colleague had told him about the book.
Co-stars Adam Woodyatt and Shane Richie — aka Ian Beale and Alfie Moon — told him it should have been “withdrawn and reprinted”, he said.
Rudolph demanded an explanation from showrunner John Yorke.
He wrote: “I had to have a meeting with him to express my total disgust at the way they conducted their printing/publicity/PR business.”
Rudolph was told characters with prominent storylines at the time of printing in 2005 got greater coverage in the book.
This again rattled him, as a new family The Millers, who had not even appeared on screen yet, were featured — including their dog.
Despite his on-screen sons Paul (Gary Beadle) and Anthony (Nick Bailey) being pictured on the cover, there was little mention of them either.
He said, in his book Walking With Dignity: “By the end of 2004, I had appeared in 300 episodes over three years and in 2004 had eight ‘doof doofs’ [the sound effect marking the end-of-episode climax].
“The absence in the book of one of the first black families in the Square — despite their small photos, there were scant references inside to Gary Beale and Nick Bailey either — caused many eyebrows to be raised and questions asked.”
He added: “My picture was nowhere to be found.”
Thankfully, Rudolph sorted out his differences with bosses — who blamed an “independent editor” for the lack of black stars — and he remained on the soap, where he has racked up more than 23 years of service.
Despite the book blip, he praised EastEnders for continuing to include “characters from diverse ethnic backgrounds”.
He hailed the casting of black actor Colin Salmon as Queen Vic landlord George Knight, something he says “wouldn’t have been entertained a few years ago”.
It’s an important job serving Patrick his rum.
LASH BRINGS ON THE DRAMA
IT marks her second time in the spotlight as a secret agent in new Sky drama Day Of The Jackal.
But Hollywood superstar Lashana Lynch admitted that despite taking the job alongside Eddie Redmayne, she’s always been keen not to double up on her roles.
She told Tatler: “When I left drama school, one of my first thoughts was that I’m never going to be typecast and I do not want to play the same role twice in a row.
“That doesn’t mean I didn’t audition for absolutely everything that came my way, or that I didn’t take on some roles that I thought were a little bit typical.”
Lashana starred in James Bond movie No Time To Die alongside Daniel Craig, but now she is an MI6 agent hunting down Eddie’s Jackal – a chilling assassin who keeps one step ahead of the authorities in a thrilling game of cat and mouse.
Although she stars in high-octane dramas, Lashana prefers to unwind watching some reality televison.
She added: “Married At First Sight has kept me alive for many years.”
CARLA’S FEELING A SPARK
THERE could be more than meets the eye for Alison King and Vicky Myers as their roles grow ever closer in upcoming scenes in Coronation Street.
Sparks are due to fly between their characters Carla and Lisa this week, after a tender moment between the pair leaves Carla feeling confused.
The two women have been getting closer in recent weeks as they leaned more on each other.
But they let their guards down and open up with Lisa revealing her pain at coping with being a young widow, while Carla confides on her struggles as a divorcee.
It’s clear the pair are forming a deep bond and being together feels electric.
Alison teased: “Carla is leaning on Lisa for the first time and it’s becoming quite a confusing friendship. There’s a bond growing between them that Carla can’t quite define.”
THE absence of Stacey Solomon from the line-up of Loose Women presenters for the recent 25th anniversary photo has sent the rumour mill into overdrive, with fans assuming she’ll never return to the ITV favourite.
With all her other shows, I bet Stace will be crying all the way to the bank.
YVETTE STRICTLY SAVES ED
ED BALLS has revealed the Home Secretary intervened to stop one of his performances on Strictly Come Dancing.
To be fair, it was his wife, Yvette Cooper, and she had yet to obtain the high office she now holds.
But she did warn her hubby against pretending to be Jerry Lee Lewis, dancing to the hit Great Balls Of Fire for Movie Week in 2016.
His routine with Katya Jones was based on the biopic of the same name.
On the Walking The Dog podcast he recalls: “We’re driving and Yvette is on her phone and says: ‘You do realise that the biopic it’s based upon is where he has an affair with his 12-year-old cousin? I think this makes Katya the 12-year-old and you the paedophile, I think it’s a bad idea.”
Good call, Yvette.
TV DEATH FEAR FOR GEORGIA
TOWIE’S Georgia Harrison feared she would drown in one of the toughest challenges in SAS: Who Dares Wins history.
In tonight’s episode, the remaining recruits are strapped into the wreckage of a helicopter then plunged into an ice-cold lake.
They have to free themselves and escape the chopper to pass the task.
But special forces hardman Jason Fox was sent down to save Georgia as she was struck by panic.
Speaking exclusively to The Sun, Georgia said: “I almost drowned.
“As the water hits you, it’s so cold . . . It’s like your whole body just wants air and it wants to get out.”
Recalling her scramble from the ’copter wreckage, she went on: “When I finally managed to get myself out the seat, my life-jacket got caught . . . I could feel myself getting to the point of, ‘It’s actually worrying that I’m losing breath in the way I am’.
“So they sent Foxy down to try and rescue me. And my reaction was that I wanted to win so much that I kicked him in the face!”
But cheeky Georgia joked: “The DS, they’re all quite easy on the eye. I wouldn’t mind any of them giving me mouth-to-mouth.”
Meanwhile, fellow recruit Bianca Gascoigne, feared her daughter would be left without a mum if the task went wrong.
She said: “When you’re up in the air and in a helicopter, the mountains in the background, it’s like being in a James Bond film.
“But as soon as my body hit the water, it was so cold I didn’t get my breath.
“I thought, ‘I’m drowning . . . I’m a mum, I’ve got to save myself’.”
Celebrity SAS: Who Dares Wins, tonight, C4, 9pm.
