West End star Maria Friedman to play mother of EastEnders' Linda Carter

West End star Maria Friedman has been cast Elaine Peackock, the mother of EastEnders' Linda Carter.

EastEnders describes her character as larger than life and 'set to ruffle some feathers at The Vic. She's a glamorous landlady, who loves to be the centre of attention - and having successfully run her own pub for years, it is something she excels at.'

Three-time Olivier Award winner Maria said: "I am thrilled to be joining the cast of EastEnders to play Elaine Peacock. Working alongside Kellie Bright and the rest of the Carter clan has been an absolute joy. It has also been a lovely experience to take my West End shoes East for a short trip!”

The mother and daughter are reportedly two pears from a pod and while there relationship is fraught, if you've met Elaine 'everything about Linda makes perfect sense'.

One person who always has time for Elaine is her son in law, Mick. Having got on famously for years, the two are very close. It is down to Mick that Elaine arrives in Albert Square after he realises that something is not right with Linda. Not knowing that Linda is going through the toughest time of her life, Mick is hopeful that Elaine’s arrival will help. But will it make things better or worse?

Maria's best known for her performances in the West End productions of Chicago, Passion, The Woman in White and Ragtime.

Photo © BBC

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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.