Trespassers broke into Eastenders’ Albert Square set and filmed themselves in the Queen Vic as studios stand idle during lockdown.
While entering the iconic pub on the BBC soap’s Elstree Studios in Borehamwood, Hertfordshire, the cameraman can be heard joking: ‘Guys, we’re going for a pint.’
The trio look at some props in a room towards the back of the pub, before the person filming says: ‘This is insane. Can’t believe we’re on the Eastenders set. It is literally 5am in the morning.’
Three people filmed themselves sneaking onto the BBC soap’s Elstree Studios in Borehamwood by clambering over a fence and even venturing inside the Queen Vic
They then look around the Minute Mart, which still has sweets inside, and pass Walford East before being spotted by a member of security.
After running away, they are confronted by two security guards and escorted off the site.
The group, who have sneaked into abandoned theatres, police headquarters and a power station, decided to explore the set while it was quiet during lockdown.
A source told The Sun: ‘They had the freedom of the place, filming inside the shop, pub and wandering around the square.
‘But the soap’s security team clocked them and led them out of the site not long after.
‘They jumped the perimeter barriers and made a run for it before the police arrived.’
While entering the pub, above, on the BBC soap’s Elstree Studios in Borehamwood, Hertfordshire, one of the trespassers can be heard joking: ‘Guys, we’re going for a pint’
One of the trio pictured outside the Queen Vic pub. The group have previously sneaked into abandoned theatres, police headquarters and a power station
A dressing room showing some props, located towards the back of the iconic Queen Vic pub. The explorers decided to sneak onto the set while it was quiet during lockdow
Production on BBC One’s veteran soap came to a halt in March, when the UK went into lockdown and most people were instructed to stay home, and work from home if they can.
However, the soap could not be made in such circumstances, and it was put on hold – with only a couple of months worth of episodes in the can to air.
The cast have returned to the set in recent weeks, and production has restarted on new episodes, but these will not be ready for broadcast just yet.
In place of its Monday and Tuesday episodes, a new series called Secrets From The Square, hosted by Stacey Dooley, will be shown.
BBC One will also unearth iconic past episodes and treat fans to a does of nostalgia for the time being.
Inside the Minute Mart, which still has sweets inside. The cast have returned to the set in recent weeks, and production has restarted on new episodes
After running away, they are confronted by two security guards, pictured above, and escorted off the site. Production on BBC One’s veteran soap came to a halt in March
The soap will return later in the summer, returning to its four days a week broadcasts, which were scrapped to eek out the instalments that were in the can.
But the show returns with shortened episodes, rather than the standard half-hour slots, they will be 20 minutes long to begin with.
Executive Producer of the show Jon Sen previously said: ‘Resuming production is incredibly exciting and challenging in equal measure.
‘Since we postponed filming we’ve been working non-stop trialling techniques, filming methods and new ways of working so that we can return to screens four times a week – as EastEnders should be.
‘Filming will inevitably be a more complex process now so creating 20 minute episodes will enable us to ensure that when we return, EastEnders will still be the show the audience know and love.’