THE regulars down at the Old Vic in Albert Square did a runner’ when they hived off from filming EastEnders. The cast from the long-running drama based on life in London’s East End have been flexing their sporting muscle the help Sport Aid

By Mike Brooke

THE regulars down at the Old Vic in Albert Square did a runner’ when they hived off from filming EastEnders, an every day story of BBC soap folk.

The cast from the long-running four-times-a-week drama based on life in London’s East End have been flexing their sporting muscle the help Sport Aid and encourage people all over Britain to enter the Mile’ on Sunday.

They were kitted out in Sport Relief socks and T-shirts to do their lap around Albert Square.

The regulars,’ Ian Beale (played by Adam Woodyatt), Billy Mitchell (Perry Fenwick), Masood Ahmed (Nitin Ganatra), Zainab Masood (Nina Wadia), Billie Jackson (Devon Anderson), Whitney Dean (Shona McGarty), Shirley Carter (Linda Henry), Carol Jackson (Lindsey Coulson) and Denise Johnson (Diane Parish) did their bit at the BBC’s Elstree film set in Borehamwood, Herts.

“There was a bit of pushing and shoving at the start,” admitted actress Diane Parish. “We were asked to do our bit for the Mile’ and run a few laps around Albert Square.

“But some people who’ll remain nameless took a break on Arthur’s bench.”

There are 16 flagship Mile’ events across the country on Sunday, with those taking part setting their own challenge running one, three or six miles.

Money raised in the three-day Sport Relief Weekend from Friday to Sunday goes to Comic Relief to help transform the lives of poor and vulnerable people in Britain and across the world.