A Nottinghamshire man said it "felt like a dream" when he starred on BBC One soap EastEnders. George Codd, from Gedling, was in the hit show last night (January 23) after winning the opportunity to make an appearance as part of the BBC's 100-year celebrations.
To mark those celebrations, the BBC offered people the chance of a lifetime to appear in their favourite programme by making an application through a website. The broadcaster received more than 150,000 entries from viewers hoping to appear in programmes such as Strictly and Casualty.
EastEnders super-fan George applied for the long-running soap - and he was successful. He was told he had been selected in a surprise Zoom call from actor Natalie Cassidy, who plays Sonia Fowler in the show.
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In the episode, George walked into the iconic Queen Vic pub before ordering a pint from Alfie and he appeared in the background of a scene with characters Jay and Linda. As well as the filming, George was given a tour of the set.
George said: "I had the most unforgettable experience on the set of EastEnders, which is located in Borehamwood, Hertfordshire. It felt like a dream.
"I feel extremely fortunate to see the magic behind the cameras, but extra fortunate to have filmed with the cast for an actual episode. It's a day that I will remember for the rest of my life."
The competition George won was part of the BBC's 15 Seconds of Fame campaign. It was launched in October on The One Show.
Other opportunities on offer included doing a spot of gardening on Gardeners' World, being an alien on Doctor Who, lying as a motionless patient on Casualty and making a sound effect on the Archers.
George was treated to a special screening of his EastEnders episode with friends and family after walking the red carpet at his local cinema. The episode is now available through iPlayer.
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