It’s no secret that EastEnders actors Ricky Grover and Jamie Foreman – who of course play the roles of Andrew Cotton and Derek Branning respectively – have something of a chequered history in terms of their upbringings…

Both were raised in households dominated by criminality, with Ricky’s step-father being a convicted and violent criminal, and Jamie’s dad being the notorious Kray twins associate, ‘Brown Bread Fred’ Foreman.

However, in an exclusive interview with the Sun today, former boxer and ladies’ hairdresser Ricky has explained that he and Jamie shunned a life of crime and “chose a different route.”

He began by saying, “My stepfather, Terry, was a bit of a villain in the 1960s and 1970s.

“He was really well known and worked with all the main faces in the East End. A lot of villains who grew up in those times felt like victims of society… Read more & comment »

Heartbroken Andrew Cotton is set to make the leap from zero to hero next week in EastEnders, when he saves Patrick Truemans life!

Larger than life, Andrew (Ricky Grover) has faded into the background somewhat after being cleared of murdering his fiancee, Heather Trott, but things are set to get dramatic again for the bouncer, when he leaps into action to save a choking Patrick (Rudolph Walker).
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Ricky Grover, who of course plays The Lovable Hulk Andrew Cotton in EastEnders, has told The Sun’s TV Biz that his long and varied career – which has seen him go from ladies’ hairdresser to boxer to actor – has been “Not too bad for the remedial kid from Canning Town.”

Ricky, who’s suffered with dyslexia since he was a child, said, “I had an interesting start in life. My mum worked in a salon and my step dad was an armed robber.

“So naturally I became a hairdresser and a boxer. Problem was that the former would put you off when you were trying to do the latter.

“So I’d be squaring up to you in the ring, supposed to be all serious, but thinking ‘that perm’s a bit iffy. Those highlights could do with a bit of work’.

“It was too off-putting. I had to become a comedian…” Read more & comment »

Ricky Grover, who of course plays the role of Andrew Cotton in EastEnders, has revealed that he’s faced a lifelong battle with dyslexia, and now wants to help other sufferers to overcome the obstacles they face.

Ricky – who was formerly a ladies’ hairdresser and a boxer – told The Daily Record that his dyslexia wasn’t recognised when he was a child, and most people branded him “thick”.

And as that cruel label stuck and given his younger years were surrounded by criminal activities, his life may have been very different to how it is today.

He said, “My stepfather was an armed robber, and for a long time it looked like I was going to go that way too.

“When you come from quite a rough area and you grow up having problems reading and writing, you feel like society is against you.

“That’s certainly how I felt and you can go astray, to try to get your own back on society.

“Thank God I never did. I stayed on this side of the fence and I think I got my aggression out in the boxing ring… Read more & comment »

As we reported earlier today, Andrew Cotton is set to become the prime suspect in the murder of his fiancé Heather Trott…

And though of course Phil Mitchell (Steve McFadden) knows he’s innocent – as it was his son Ben (Joshua Pascoe) who of course killed Heather – he’ll do nothing to help Andrew when the police arrest him.

However, there’s some suggestion this morning that Andrew will be exonerated of the crime since Ricky Grover who plays him, has revealed that he’ll be staying on the show for at least the rest of the year, and possibly longer.

Speaking to Inside Soap magazine, Ricky – who was formerly a ladies’ hairdresser and a boxer – said, “EastEnders have asked me to stay on as a more regular character, so I’m hoping to be involved for another year or so.

“It’s such a lovely compliment, especially when I was only brought in for four episodes originally… Read more & comment »

EastEnders star Ricky Grover, who of course plays Andrew Cotton, has revealed that he was wary of taking on the role because he didn’t want Andrew and Heather Trott (Cheryl Fergison) to be portrayed as “the silly fat couple.”

However, Ricky – who was formerly a ladies’ hairdresser and a boxer as well as a TV presenter – has told Inside Soap that his EastEnders role has won his family’s approval!

He said, “I’ve received awards in the past, but now I’m in EastEnders, my family think I’ve arrived!”

And of how his character has been received by viewers, Ricky said, “The people who contact me after an episode’s gone out are quite unexpected…

“Flat-nosed, tough East End boxers text me saying, ‘I’m so proud of you!’

“I’d never have dreamed that they’d be watching it.”

But of his initial trepidation about taking on the role, he said, “I was wary of taking the part of Andrew, because I didn’t want him and Heather just to be ‘the silly fat couple…’ Read more & comment »

When hapless Heather Trott is murdered next month, the first person the police look at is her fiancé, Andrew Cotton (Ricky Grover) who’s already shown he has a tendency towards violence…

And of course, there have been hints that he’s done something terrible in the past, but we don’t as yet know what that is.

But the real murderer is Ben Mitchell (Joshua Pascoe) and his dad Phil (Steve McFadden) will help his son to cover up the evidence that he killed Heather in a fit of rage.

A show insider told the Daily Star, “Heather’s murder is the next really big storyline coming up – and it’s going to be huge.

“Everyone was desperate to keep the fact that it’s Ben who kills her under wraps because it’s all pointing towards Andrew… Read more & comment »

News from Walford way today includes Shona McGarty having revealed that if she had any advice to give her alter ego, Whitney Dean, it would be to “slow down” and think about what she commits herself to.

As fans of the show will know, Whitney has always had a bit of a ‘thing’ for Tyler Moon (Tony Discipline), and since the pair very briefly dated last year, Tyler’s feelings for Whitney have grown.

However, on the rebound from Tyler, Whitney embarked on a relationship with Fatboy Chubb (Ricky Norwood), who is all the things that Tyler isn’t; he’s kind, reliable, ‘safe’ and he clearly adores Whitney.

But as we reported yesterday, on Valentine’s Day, Tyler is set to tell Whitney that he loves her, but she’ll devastate him when she tells him he’s just too late.

Of her character’s tangled love life, Shona told the PA, “I’d tell Whitney to slow down before she speaks and to slow down until she decides what she wants.

“That’s how she ended up with Fat Boy, when it’s Tyler she really loves…” Read more & comment »

As I’m sure you’ve read, rumour has it that EastEnders icon Heather Trott – who’s played by Cheryl Fergison – is to be murdered in the New Year…

However, the show’s executive producer, Bryan Kirkwood, has told Inside Soap magazine that Heather will have “a happy ending” to her stay in Walford.

So unless someone’s going to kill her via the medium of comedy – making her laugh ‘til she dies – may we then assume that the aforementioned rumour is wrong?

Or perhaps Kirkwood meant that before she shuffles off to the great launderette in the sky, she’ll be happy in her last days?

Possibly so, since he also went on to confirm that Heather’s would be beau from last summer is headed to Walford to woo her… Read more & comment »