Enders' Charlie: It's hard being kept in the dark

Charlie Brooks has admitted it's been 'very hard' filming future episodes of EastEnders without knowing who killed Archie Mitchell.

The murderer will only be revealed to viewers and the actor in question on the night of February 19, when the BBC1 soap airs its live episode.

Charlie, who plays Janine Butcher, told The Times: "It has been very hard - in the episodes to be shown afterwards, you're being told to look or speak a certain way, but not why."

Executive producer Diederick Santer admitted it has been "a challenge" for the cast, who are "as desperate to know who did it as the viewers".

Meanwhile, Nina Wadia, who plays Zainab Masood, told the newspaper that she was "disappointed yet relieved" to learn she didn't have a speaking part in the live episode when she received the script on Friday.

Archie, played by Larry Lamb, was killed after receiving a fatal blow to the head with a bust of Queen Victoria in the pub.

There are a string of suspects, and cast are rehearsing eight possible endings in the run-up to the live episode, which celebrates the soap's 25th anniversary.

Diederick added: "Only on the night will we whisper to the real perpetrator; 'It's you' and, bam, they will play the revelation live on air."