We're on your manor (From Thisisdorset)

We're on your manor

11:03am Saturday 5th April 2008 in

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WEYMOUTH will be awash with stars when one of the nation's favourite soap operas comes to town next week.

After news this week that a new film will be made in Portland Harbour, the BBC has announced that EastEnders will arrive here on Monday.

Weymouth and Portland Borough Council communications manager Jacqui Gisborne is delighted that the television audience, which reaches 10 million, will get to see the town.

She said: "Having so many people seeing Weymouth on television will be great and we look forward to welcoming those viewers here to experience the delights of the town themselves.

"The locations are so clearly recognisable so it should be a very good showcase for Weymouth.

"It's fantastic for the town to have this kind of profile and to be associated with such an iconic programme."

The four stars who will be filming scenes are Barbara Windsor, Samantha Janus, Rita Simons and Robert Kazinsky. The four characters they play in the programme are Peggy, Ronnie and Roxy Mitchell and Sean Slater.

The television crews will be filming scenes at the beach, the Esplanade and the harbour during the day and night.

A large carousel will be erected on the beach close to the swing boats in preparation for filming.

Seafront operations manager Kevin Good said his beach control team is looking forward to filming as they will be involved.

He said: "It's going to be an exciting week for everybody."

"The staff have been asked to assist with the filming by undertaking their normal duties outside normal hours on the request of the BBC and the EastEnders crew."

Steve Stokes, the owner of Five Star Beach rides on Weymouth Beach, is bringing his original wooden carousel from Exeter for the filming.

He said: "It's going to be very different from our usual days but we can adapt as long as it doesn't snow."

This visit to Dorset comes after the EastEnders crew filmed scenes for the show in Worth Matravers and Kimmeridge in 2006.

Apart from the help of beach control staff there are no planned opportunities for local people to act as extras during filming.