EastEnders newcomer Ronni Ancona famously impersonated characters on the BBC soap years before the news she would join the cast as Linda Carter’s old classmate Bea
Comedian and actress Ronni Ancona has revealed all about joining the EastEnders cast, teasing twists and turns ahead.
The star, who famously performed impressions of the soap’s characters and cast in the Big Impression show, will take on the role of Linda Carter’s old schoolfriend Bea. Viewers will see her debut at a school reunion where she and Linda come face-to-face for the first time in years.
We’re set to find out more about Linda’s time at school, as Bea is left gutted by their different perspectives. Teasing the scenes, Ronni shared: “Bea was in a more senior year at school than Linda, but that didn’t stop her being intimidated by her. They have both got very different perspectives on what happened at school, and initially she is very upset and slighted by that.
“There are lots of twists and turns and lots of unexpected developments. She’s a mercurial character who is witty, and charismatic, yet vulnerable as well.” Teasing what fans can expect from her character, Ronni shared: “Ben [Wadey, Executive Producer] loves comedy and wanted to bring in a character who was both tragic and funny.
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“Bea is misunderstood, and there’s a touch of desperation about her. When she feels cornered, she can become rather dangerous. Deep down, she just wants to be loved and to fit in. She’s the sort of person who ‘window-shops’ other people’s lives, trying to reshape herself into whoever she thinks others want her to be.
“In her mind, that’s the only way to earn love and attention – which is, unfortunately, quite misguided. Bea is intelligent, but she’s never achieved what she hoped for, so there’s an underlying frustration that her life hasn’t lived up to her potential.
“She has shades of a Walter Mitty–type character; you’re never entirely sure how much of what she says is real. She’s complex, nuanced, and unusual – someone who has become convinced by her own narrative.” Ronni confessed it was “bizarre” to step onto the soap after years of impersonating its legendary characters. She revealed: “It all felt rather bizarre and completely surreal.
“We always made those sketches with real respect and affection for the show and its cast, so stepping onto the actual set for the first time was an especially strange experience. Although thinking about it I think they let us film our ‘EastEnders the Musical’ on the outside lot, which would have been the old set.
“My first scene was on the bench in the middle of Albert Square – exactly where Alastair [McGowan] and I had once filmed our sketch ‘The Bench of Tears.’ That moment was so surreal I immediately phoned him to say, ‘I’ve just done a scene on the bench of tears,’ and he practically shouted, ‘NO WAY!’
“To add to the oddness, several members of the crew had worked with me years ago on Big Impression and The Sketch Show with Lee Mack, so it felt like past and present were colliding. Filming in the Vic for the first time was unexpectedly emotional. I couldn’t help remembering my impression of Peggy Mitchell, played by the much-missed Barbara Windsor.
“I adored her, and I know she enjoyed the impression, so walking into her domain properly was a real moment. I’ll admit I was a bit nervous about meeting some of the cast I’d impersonated, but they all have a brilliant sense of humour.
“Jessie Wallace even did my impression of her back at me, which was hysterical. I may now have to do my impression of her impression, it could become an endless loop.”
EastEnders airs Mondays to Thursdays at 7:30pm on BBC One and BBC iPlayer. * Follow Mirror Celebs and TV on TikTok , Snapchat , Instagram , Twitter , Facebook , YouTube and Threads .