Sunday Mirror (Northern Ireland)
Protest at 1st UK coal mine for 30 years
Adam Woodyatt on being the longest-serving cast member as soap celebrates 35 years
SWEET SIXTEEN Adam as Ian in 1985 played by Gillian Taylforth. Adam says: “There was an obvious bond. I call her Mum.”
He says he often gets called Ian in the street, but adds: “People have started to realise there’s a person behind the character. Magazines and Twitter have helped show we’re an actual person.”
As EastEnders gears up for a week of high
RARE HARMONY TRUCE Ian Rare and Phil duet in with karaoke nemesis session Phil
CLOSE BOND With Gillian who plays his screen mum drama to celebrate its milestone, Ian says he’s never felt nervous – even during the live episodes.
But he reveals to Ed James on the How Do You? podcast that he helps Letitia Dean, who plays Sharon Mitchell, to calm her nerves. “Tish gets incredibly nervous,”
VICTIM Wife Cindy had Ian shot in 1996 he says. “She actually gets really worried about forgetting her lines. I told her to stop putting pressure on herself. It seems to have helped her.
“If a take goes wrong, it goes wrong. It’s not like you’ve pressed the nuclear red button.”
SETTING
GREEN protesters are trying to stop plans for the UK’s first new deep coal mine in three decades.
West Cumbria Mining is to extract coking coal from the seabed off St Bees.
Bosses say the mine will create 500 jobs.
But Extinction Rebellion Cumbria say it will emit as much CO2 as over a million households.
A spokesman said: “The extraction is projected to continue for 50 years – 20 years beyond the date the Government has committed to net zero carbon emissions.”
Protesters held a demo at council offices in Kendal last week but Cumbria County Council has approved the plan.
The council says its decision is subject to a judicial review.
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