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Amanda Grey experienced an unforgettable surprise while watching an episode of her beloved soap opera, EastEnders. Normally a fan who has followed the show since it first aired in 1985, Amanda noticed something unusually familiar on screen – her own furniture, clothing, and even members of her family appeared within the storyline. This elaborate prank was orchestrated as part of Michael McIntyre’s Big Show, much to Amanda’s delight.
Originally from Swansea, Amanda described the experience as “the best surprise ever,” with unique storylines and new characters crafted especially for her. The surprise escalated when Michael McIntyre himself visited her at home, and she also had the chance to meet Gillian Taylforth, the actress who plays her favorite character, Kathy Beale. Following a holiday, everything in Amanda’s house looked normal, but unbeknownst to her, many household items had been temporarily relocated to the EastEnders set at Albert Square, handpicked by McIntyre during his visit.
The production team had connected with Amanda through her family after she applied to be on a different show, Michael McIntyre’s The Wheel. Amanda mentioned that her daughter Sophie was instrumental in helping the crew, sharing, “Apparently everything was put back but they took a big clock off the wall and she couldn’t get that back on to sit properly.” Thanks to Sophie and other family members helping out afterwards, Amanda remained completely unaware of the alterations made to her home.
On the day the special episode aired, Amanda was taken out for a meal by her family while hidden cameras recorded her reactions at home. The prank included real scenes alongside a custom story where Kathy Beale was searching for a suspicious character named Amanda. Amanda was puzzled by some odd details but had no idea that McIntyre and his crew were watching nearby. She noticed familiar objects like her dressing gown, world flags book, and sofa on screen, though she missed spotting her husband Mark’s voice and her son’s cameo at the Queen Vic. Upon the reveal, when McIntyre appeared at her door, Amanda said, “I just could not believe it, it was absolutely brilliant.” The event left her feeling honoured, adding, “It was one of the best, best surprises ever. I’m so honoured to be part of it because they [Michael McIntyre’s Big Show] don’t do it very often.” She and her family later traveled to London to participate in the show in person, where Amanda felt “like a star.”
The experience was further enriched by the arrival of Gillian Taylforth in Swansea, who Amanda described with warmth: “I just love her and she came and she was absolutely lovely. It was so nice for her to give up her time.” Following the whole adventure, Amanda admits she was in a daze for weeks, saying, “I was like, ‘did that actually just happen?’” and “I think I was walking around in like a stunned, surprised trance if you like for about three weeks.” Now an even bigger fan of EastEnders, Amanda humorously notes that the iconic theme music can still give her “a little panic attack” at the thought of another surprise
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