Louisa Lytton

This interview by Digital Spy was done in 13 May 2007 about Louisa Lytton’s new role in The Bill and what it was like working in East Enders.

How would you describe your character?
“Beth… she’s great, I love her. She’s a bit overexcited, it’s the first station that she goes to, so she’s desperately trying to impress everyone. It all goes wrong, because no one really believes in her. I look about 12, so for others to see me in the uniform – it’s a bit… they don’t really believe that she’s going to do it. But she’ll pick out things that no one else will see, and end up solving half the crimes.

“She brings a different side to it, it’s not a ‘big and tough and I can go and arrest people’. She’s the one who’ll go and talk to the old lady who’s just had her purse stolen, and get more information than anyone else would get, because she takes the time to talk to people. As well as everyone there not believing in her, it’s going on at home as well. Her parents aren’t too keen on it. She’s there to do her job.”

Why don’t people take to her at first?
“She’s a bit clumsy, and a few things go wrong. There’s a scene with CS spray where she gets Emma [by accident]. It’s just nerves, it’s all something new to her.”

Is it true she takes a shine to one of the male characters?
“Yeah, she does.”

Can you tell us anything about that?
“She takes a fancy to him, but it only lasts for one episode. Nothing’s come from it yet!”

Have you been in touch with Billy Murray since you joined The Bill?
“He phoned me when he saw in the magazines that I was going to be in it. He loved it here, so he was really excited for me. He said ‘you’ll love it there’. I think he pops down now and again, so I’ll probably see him.”

There are lot of more EastEnders actors on The Bill, aren’t there?
“Yeah, none that I’ve ever worked with, [though]”

Did you get to hang out with any real life police officers in the name of research?
“Yeah, I had a day out with the police. It was a bit of a nightmare, because there was really strong winds everywhere. A roof fell down in a hotel, so we ended up going there. I got all excited going in the police car. It was really nice to see how they work and how they handle different situations. It’s so important for us to see that. Since then, they’ve brought in a few officers to tell us – like if you’re talking to someone, the way you would stand, your posture, things you wouldn’t notice from watching, so it is [definitely] important.”

How are you finding the uniform?
“Yeah, I’m so used to it now. It was weird at first – felt I was walking like a robot. It is stiff.”

How do you look in it?
“Awful!”

Do you think you’ll win the Sexiest Female prize at the Soap Awards again?
“No, I don’t think people see me in that light any more. From wearing hardly any clothes to that…”

Have you danced much since Strictly Come Dancing? ended?
“No, I haven’t done, but it’s only because, literally, as soon as I finished, the next week I auditioned for The Bill, then it was Christmas and the next week I started filming. I see Vincent [Simone] a lot, and he said ‘you should keep it up’ but there’s no time, really.”

Would you like to take on similar projects in the future?
“I’d like to… but there’s no time at the moment.

How does work on The Bill compare to your days on EastEnders?
“It’s longer hours, but I’ve got used to that anyway. [But] doing Strictly [Come Dancing], I’m used to working that way, it’s not a shock to the system.

Do you feel you’ve moved on from EastEnders now?
“Yeah, I believe in fate and that everything happens for a reason. Leaving EastEnders, then I got to do Strictly – which I loved – what a mad few months! I was kicked out of that, and then the next week I had an audition for the Bill. If I’d stayed in the competition, I wouldn’t have been working this year. I really believe that everything happens for a reason.”

Why do you think you’ve managed to work so solidly since you left drama school?
“I don’t know. A lot of it is luck… A lot of it is luck. It must be, because all my friends say the same thing. They’re brilliant.”

A lot of your friends are performers?
“Yeah, well, I went to Sylvia Young, so all my good friends are from that school – a lot of them want to do singing, really talented kids.”

Did you go to school with anyone famous?
“Well, Nicholas Hoult was in the year below me and he is doing Skins; Matt Di Angelo was in the year above me and he’s doing EastEnders; Tom from McFly was two years above me. Oh yeah, he went to my school, but no one believes me, because “everyone” went to my school!”

Do you still live at home?
“Yeah.”

Do you have any plans to move out?
“No, not yet. I don’t want to go! We live in central London, so I don’t see me moving out and moving in – I’m happy where I am.”

Are you still friends with many people from the EastEnders cast?
“Yeah, loads of them. I don’t know if you watch it, but there are a group of 15-20 youngsters. We go out all the time, and I do stay in contact.”

Is it true you appeared in The Bill when you were a lot younger?
“Yeah! I was still at school! It was my first major thing – I was six or seven… It was a massive thing.”

Have you watched it recently?
“I’ve still got it, I’ve got everything on tape. Everything on EastEnders I was in! Every Strictly. I was in my last year of school, I was doing my GCSEs. As soon as I left, I went straight onto [Eastenders].”

Was it strange being involved in such a huge show at such a young age?
“Yeah, but I think because I’ve always had people around me that keep me grounded, it was weird, things like getting recognised was weird, but the rest was fun. Getting to go to the Soap Awards and things like that.”

Do you remember the first time you were recognised by a member of the public?
“Yeah… I was on screen on the Friday. The next day, we went to a massive shopping centre – I was bombarded, and I’d only been on screen once the night before. It was mad. Once one person says it everyone else looks around. I was with my mum, my auntie and my cousin at the time.”

How did that feel?
“I don’t know. At the time it was so exciting, as you can imagine. It’s not really frightening – I’ve never felt intimidated. You’re told about it, you’re told you’ll get recognised all the time. You sort of listen but you don’t expect that.”

Are you ready for your profile to increase again as you come onto The Bill?
“Probably. It is really weird to see. When I was in EastEnders, if I wasn’t on screen for that week, I wouldn’t get recognised so much, and as soon as I was back on screen…”

How long is your contract with The Bill?
“Eighteen months, but I’ve done about four or five, so I’ve got another year.”

How do you think your character will develop over that period?
“I don’t know. I keep reading that my character’s meant to be really [romantic], but it hasn’t happened. I think they’re trying to concentrate more on crime and that now.”

Were you as nervous when you started on The Bill as when you started on EastEnders?
“My first day was probably the same, because it was like joining a new family, having to settle in. I went home and my mum was like ‘how was it?’ and I couldn’t remember much. You take so much in, so yeah, I was a bit scatty in a way. But I’ve settled in so well now, I don’t feel like the new girl any more. That happened in the first few weeks.”

Is there a good atmosphere on set?
“Yeah, really friendly, we were saying today – I’ve already had practical jokes. Everyone is really friendly.”

The Bill’s renowned for being a very friendly show to work on, isn’t it?
“Yeah, everyone’s said it. Obviously, make up people and all different people I’ve bumped into before. When The Bill’s mentioned everyone says ‘oh, it’s so lovely’, but it’s not until you get there and you see they’re right. Everyone’s so friendly, but it’s not over friendly. Everyone’s just so down to earth. I love it there, a lot.

Do you manage to catch EastEnders nowadays?
“Yes, now and then… I watch out for things going on in the background. I miss everyone there, but I stay in touch with everyone.

What was the highlight of your time on EastEnders?
“I was so lucky, I was always in a big storyline. I was always working a lot. I learned a lot there – wouldn’t have done if I hadn’t gone in and learnt so much there, but I was thrown in at the deep end, and I was constantly working. And I was working with Billy Murray – he taught me everything. I don’t think I’d be where I am now if it wasn’t for him.”

What do you like to do in your free time?
“Sitting at home, eating my dinner! Just seeing my friends and catching up with people.”