Perry's 'over the moon' to carry Olympic torch

Perry's 'over the moon' to carry Olympic torch
Perry's 'over the moon' to carry Olympic torch (Image credit: BBC)

EastEnders' Perry Fenwick talks to Soaplife about Billy's big moment, carrying the Olympic torch through Walford as part of the real Olympic Torch Relay. It will be live TV and Perry reveals he's praying that everything goes according to plan! So how is Billy's Olympic torch moment going to be live? "Billy will run around Walford with the torch. It's not actually very far - I think it's 300 metres. However, because I have to go between sets, I will be doing a lot of sprinting, which you won't see on camera. If I look exhausted, that's why!" Are you nervous? "Of course! I can't get away from it. Every time I put the radio on, they're talking about the Olympics. I'm just hoping I don't fall over or anything. The whole thing has got to run like clockwork." Have you been rehearsing? "We'll rehearse the scenes with all the extras [there are 400 of them] the weekend before the live episode on the Monday, July 23. I've been running around the Square whenever I get to the studios early in the morning. I know every pothole!" It's quite an honour to have been chosen... "I'm over the moon to be carrying the torch through Walford. And I'll be working with the likes of Dame Kelly Holmes which has made me even more excited!"

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.