Kate Oates says killing off any ‘EastEnders’ mainstays in the Queen Vic siege would have been a mistake.
The BBC soap’s producer has explained why Hunter Owen (Charlie Winter) was the only death during the dramatic scenes which aired last week, as viewers saw the villainous character shot by police after taking Albert Square residents hostage.
Asked if she considered bumping off a long-serving character too, she told Digital Spy: "No, I think, because we know what story the siege kicks off, it’s about what comes next and where those stories lead.
"So every one of those dynamics leads into another big story that propels us through months’ worth of material, so losing anybody would have meant losing that. So no, it was the right balance for it."
However Kate – who spent time in charge of ‘Coronation Street’ before making the switch last year – did joke her trend of "putting people in boots of cars" is set to continue.
She teased: "I do love putting people in boots of cars!
"I have developed a reputation for that in story offices up and down the country, and I have no intention of losing that reputation. There will be more people in boots to come, and I’m not even sorry!"
Her comments come after the head honcho promised some "huge" plans for Christmas and next year’s 35th anniversary in February.
She recently said: "Between our huge September kick-off with the wedding week, right through to the anniversary beyond, there is no let up. I hope everyone will be as excited as [executive producer Jon Sen] and I are!"
EastEnders boss didn’t want to kill off soap mainstays in Queen Vic drama
