IT probably won’t be a shock to learn we are going to be seeing a lot more of EastEnders actor Bobby Brazier on the telly following his performances on Strictly last year.
But it might be a surprise to discover the extra screen time will not necessarily be on the BBC One soap, or any Beeb drama.
He is already filming Paramount+ thriller Curfew, and I can exclusively reveal he has a string of other acting jobs in the pipeline since his profile soared after reaching the final of the dance competition.
Now Bobby has more power in the industry, he is one of a small group of top stars from Albert Square doing work on other channels.
A TV insider said: “There was once a time when you’d rarely see an EastEnders actor appearing on any other show, let alone a show on another channel, and certainly not while their character was still part of a storyline on the soap.
“But all that has changed since the demand for certain actors has grown over the years.
“That’s something Bobby has benefited from in recent months, and will continue to benefit from throughout this year and next.”
Tellingly, Bobby’s new Paramount+ drama does include other EastEnders actors, though they have left the show.
Curfew includes Walford luminaries Anita Dobson, Lucy Benjamin and Larry Lamb.
The BBC insists nobody at EastEnders has special deals or contracts regarding taking other jobs. And it points towards the fact other cast members on the soap do have jobs beyond Albert Square.
They include former Bond movie actor Colin Salmon, who is starring in sitcom Changing Ends on ITV, and Delroy Atkinson, who is appearing in Silo on Apple TV+.
A spokeswoman for EastEnders said: “We never discuss individual contracts.
“However, all cast are able to undertake other projects, including dramas, if it can be accommodated.”
WHO'S ON CALLIE'S WISHLIST?
FOR Callie Cooke, getting her first job on Doctor Who is one step towards a life-long dream of working with David Tennant.
Well, sort of, since he is a former Time Lord.
Cheaters actress Callie, who plays futuristic influencer Lindy in this week’s episode, tells The Sun’s TV Mag, free with the paper on Saturdays: “I used to work as a receptionist when I was at drama school, at quite a posh gym. David used to come in and I’d try to talk to him on the treadmill, and he’d always give me time.
“I’d think, ‘I hope I get to work with him one day’. I still haven’t but I’m getting closer.”
But she also admires new Doctor Ncuti Gatwa, and added: “He is a ball of fire. The crew were blown away, he has us in tears.”
NIC AND CREW SPLIT TO SPAIN
FANS of The Split were surprised to see the BBC One show returning with a special episode set in Barcelona.
But now everything’s been explained! Central characters Hannah and Nathan Stern, played by Nicola Walker and Stephen Mangan, are there to see daughter Liv marry her Spanish fiance Gael.
And as we can see with this picture from the set, a few tears were shed by Stephen.
The episode is expected to air next year.
IT'S DINO MORE BY STEVEN
A SECOND series of Netflix documentary hit Life On Our Planet has been given the go-ahead.
Steven Spielberg will return to produce the yet-to-be-titled series of four episodes, once again narrated by Morgan Freeman.
While the first series looked at the history of the dinosaurs and the rise of mammals and plants over millions of years, the new shows will focus exclusively on dinosaurs.
Diving into “170million years of history”, the programmes will see the creatures brought to life on screen.
A show synopsis reveals that the series will “tell the story of the rise and fall of the dinosaurs, where they came from, why they mattered, how they evolved and how they met their ultimate fate”.