'EastEnders' cast in the dark about murder mystery
'EastEnders' actor Charlie Hawkins today confessed his character Darren Miller killed Archie Mitchell - only to quickly admit he was joking.
The 18-year-old actor, who has been playing the lovable rogue since 2004, joked his character had been cast as Archie's murderer as he would be least suspected.
He said: "I just do everything on the Square - got Heather pregnant, killed Archie. It's me.
"No-one suspects me, that's why it's going to be such a great live show."
But co-star Himesh Patel, who plays bookworm Tamwar Masood, was swift to suggest there was another killer on the streets of Walford.
"It's not you, is it?" Himesh said. "It's your son - baby George."
A 30-minute live episode of the soap, which is a first for the series, will be broadcast on February 19 and will reveal the real murderer of Archie Mitchell.
Both actors said neither of them yet knew who the killer was and would have to wait until the live episode to find out.
They also said they were nervous but looking forward to being part of the special anniversary episode.
Charlie said: "We've not got any dialogue but (are pleased) just to be part of it.
"Normally we get time to do it, get a few takes and get to rehearse a lot but this is going to be running from studio to studio.
"If we've got a scene inside the Vic and then we've got to be outside, it's going to be crazy."
Himesh added: "We've got a buggy that takes us from place to place and they usually have a limiter on the speed.
"Rumours are flying around that the limiter has been taken off - we're going to be flying around at 30mph on a buggy."
The pair were at Bradford's National Media Museum to help launch an exhibition celebrating 25 years of EastEnders along with the museum's Soap Season.
Among the pieces in the exhibition were various murder weapons used in the soap over the years - most of which were made of rubber - including the bust of Queen Victoria that had been used to kill Archie and the iron with which Little Mo hit abusive husband Trevor around the head.
Himesh, who has been an Albert Square resident since October 2007, said the glass-encased props from the soap brought home how loved the programme was.
He said: "It sort of makes you realise the value of it and how big a thing we're involved in."
Claire Thomas, assistant curator of television at the National Media Museum, said the iconic props and awards in the exhibition had been brought together to celebrate the last 25 years of the soap.
She added: "The enduring love people have for soap opera is quite fantastic.
"I think it's for a number of reasons - for the drama, the melodrama, but also because of how it slightly taps into reality so that people can connect to it and those iconic characters that we grow to love and hate."
