EastEnders newcomer David Witts has admitted that he was “bricking it” when he filmed his very first scenes as Joey Branning…

As you may recall, among David’s first scenes as Joey, he had to thump his character’s dad, Derek Branning, and it seems David was terrified of actually hitting Jamie Foreman, who of course plays Derek.

David said, “I was absolutely bricking it when I came to my first scene.

“Luckily I didn’t actually hit him. But I really went for it…

“With scenes like that you’ve got to be ‘in’ the scene because if you’re not it’s going to look fake.”

And of his co-star Jamie, David said, “Jamie is a big fella but he’s a big softie really. Under that tough image he’s got a heart of gold.

“I hadn’t done a lot of work on screen before and he has really taken me under his wing.

“He’s been there to tell me when I’m rubbish and when I’m doing well, so that’s really great.”

Then, on the subject of the report that Joey and Lucy Beale (Hetti Bywater) are set to become the Square’s “hottest couple” David revealed that he’s loving working with Hetti, but when they first had to kiss on camera, a paranoid David ate a pack of strong mints first!

Speaking to the Sun’s TV Biz, he said, “Everyone says you must love the kissing scenes but it is hard work.

“It’s just part and parcel of the job and you’d be a bit of a twit if you got a cheap thrill out of that.

“I will admit I keep Trebor Extra Strong on me just in case. I always have mints before a kissing scene. It’s only polite, you don’t want people saying bad things about you.”

He added, “It’s not just kissing scenes — you can be right in somebody’s face threatening them, with spit flying everywhere or anything.

“It’s only right you’re minty fresh.”

Of Hetti, he added, “Hetti is great. She’s a very talented actress. She’s only 17 but is acting well beyond her years.

“It’s been a real pleasure. She is great to work with.”

Finally, David revealed that he “can’t wait to open the scripts when they arrive”.

He said, “Joey’s billed as a bit of a lothario figure, a bit of a ladies’ man. But there is far more to him than that.

“In some scenes you will see him be really dark and quite a nasty guy. Then he’d help an old lady across the road.”

How are you liking David as Joey? I’m a big fan already, and it’s quite remarkable that he looks like he could well be a Branning – it’s uncanny!