David Essex: 'EastEnders has taken over my life'

David Essex: 'EastEnders has taken over my life'
David Essex: 'EastEnders has taken over my life' (Image credit: BBC)

EastEnders' new arrival David Essex talks to Soaplife magazine about his role as Eddie Moon - father, uncle, and mystery man... This isn't the first time Seventies pop star David was asked to join the cast of EastEnders. Soaplife can reveal that he was offered the role of Honey's dad a few years ago. "I didn't do it because of a timing issue. But Eddie Moon is a more interesting character. Now the show has taken over my life and I'm loving it." Alfie's loving having his Uncle Eddie around, too, but Michael's a lot harder nut to crack. "There's this massive rift between Eddie and his son," David admits. Can Eddie fix it? He's giving it his best shot! So Eddie's not put off by Michael's frosty welcome? "Eddie keeps reaching out, as a father does. Michael blames Eddie for his mother's death. She committed suicide when Michael was six." Is Eddie single? "He's separated from his wife, so yes, I think he is. There's a spark between Eddie and Carol when Carol offers to buy him a drink after he comes to her rescue when the cafe sink is blocked, but he swiftly says no thanks." What sort of a bloke is Eddie? "As a younger man he might have been a mirror image of Michael, but he's become a bit more philosophical. He's not has hot-headed as Michael. He's got a chequered past, but he's not a bad guy." Tell us about Eddie's sons, Anthony and Tyler. "He gets on very well with them. They're Michael's half-brothers. Only Tyler has been in the show so far and I'm trying to help him out." And what's coming up for Eddie? "I don't know yet, but it's going to be a great adventure for me." How long are you in the show for? "I'm here until August, when I go on tour with All The Fun Of The Fair, and then I will have a chat with them to see what happens next."

Patrick McLennan

Patrick McLennan is a London-based journalist and documentary maker who has worked as a writer, sub-editor, digital editor and TV producer in the UK and New Zealand. His CV includes spells as a news producer at the BBC and TVNZ, as well as web editor for Time Inc UK. He has produced TV news and entertainment features on personalities as diverse as Nick Cave, Tom Hardy, Clive James, Jodie Marsh and Kevin Bacon and he co-produced and directed The Ponds, which has screened in UK cinemas, BBC Four and is currently available on Netflix. 


An entertainment writer with a diverse taste in TV and film, he lists Seinfeld, The Sopranos, The Chase, The Thick of It and Detectorists among his favourite shows, but steers well clear of most sci-fi.