Steve John Shepherd has claimed filming a murder mystery is like filming a sex scene - the atmosphere on set is nothing like the finished product. The EastEnders star plays Max Harding in the next episode of Waking The Dead, whose sister is kidnapped, leading to an investigation into a spooky killer called 'the bag man'. But Steve insists there was no spooky feeling working on the show. He said: "It's a bit like shooting a sex scene it's the least sexiest thing you'll ever do in your life. There are 60 or 70 people standing behind the camera looking at you - it's not very conducive to feeling erotic and it's exactly the same with this. "When you're filming those really, really heavy scenes a lot of it depends on whether the camera's right or the booms in so it becomes more about technically getting it right. "But some of the dark stuff, to witness it, you clearly can be moved by it for sure." While filming the episode of the BBC drama a year ago, Steve learned he had been cast as Michael Moon in EastEnders. He said: "It was a long-running negotiation and then the final confirmation came through while I was shooting Waking The Dead so it was just great news and great to have something to go on to. "It's such a rare delight to wrap on something knowing that you have something else ahead - that was also a very nice thing." Waking The Dead, episode three, starring Steve, begins on Sunday night at 9pm on BBC One.
