Rita Simons, who of course plays Roxy Mitchell in EastEnders, has been telling the Daily Mirror that she “hates” having to play out kissing scenes with her co-star Scott Maslen as he’s “like a brother” to her.

Scott plays Jack Branning, with whom Roxy recently shared a one night stand, but Roxy is set to lock lips with Alfie Moon (Shane Richie) in forthcoming episodes, so perhaps Jack and Roxy’s on-off relationship will take a back seat!

But of kissing Scott, Rita explained, “Scott’s like my big brother and I absolutely freak out every time I have to kiss him.

“The director says ‘action!’ and we kiss and then when he says ‘cut!’ we both hit and punch each other and he pushes me off him and I push him off me…

“We’re like a pair of three-year-olds. The first time we got together was when we conceived Amy and back then I didn’t know Scott very well, so it wasn’t so strange.

“But now he really is like my big brother so it’s much weirder.

“When I read the script and realised we had to kiss I said, ‘Oh my God – I can’t believe we’ve got to kiss!’ Then Scott ran down from his dressing room and said exactly the same thing. We both hate it.”

Rita then moved on to discussing Roxy’s forthcoming affair with Alfie Moon, saying, “Sometimes it feels as though Roxy will go for anyone with a pulse.

“She’s got very low self-esteem and likes anyone who pays her attention.”

We’ll see the start of Roxy and Alfie’s affair next week when Alfie invites Roxy to move into the flat above the Queen Vic.