EastEnders spoilers follow.
EastEnders brings in a familiar face next week, as former Hollyoaks, Britain's Got Talent and Bad Education star Charlie Wernham makes his first appearance as Aaron Monroe.
Aaron is the confident son of local cabbie Harvey (Ross Boatman) and his arrival immediately irritates his younger sister Dana (Barbara Smith), especially when he starts interfering in their recent family dramas.
Viewers will also see Aaron take a shine to Tiffany Butcher-Baker (Maisie Smith), which leads to him deciding to stick around for a while.
Digital Spy recently caught up with Charlie for an exclusive chat about what's to come.
People have often suggested over the years that you'd be a good fit for EastEnders. Was there a part of you that always wanted it to happen at some point?
"Yeah, I've always said that if the opportunity came up I'd do it, because EastEnders has always been close to my heart. It's something I grew up watching and the people around me love the show.
"It's always been on my acting bucket list. I'm just over the moon that it's come at this time. People have always said they could imagine me in it – I think it's just the way I talk and the area that I'm from!"
You were originally lined up for another role on the show, weren't you?
"Yes, it was this earlier this year. I was doing some other jobs, but just before I started on those, an opportunity came up to do another part on EastEnders which would only be a few weeks filming.
"It was a really cool role, but I wanted to do something a little bit longer to really get my teeth into it and enjoy the experience. I spoke to the casting team and they said they'd see what else came up.
"It was sooner rather than later that I heard back. Once I'd finished my other jobs, the role of Aaron came up and it was perfect. I feel very lucky. Aaron has got a lot of layers and a lot of stuff to do.
"I think it was the right decision to hold out, speak to the casting team and see if there was a bigger part that might be right. It worked out in my favour and hopefully they agree that it worked out for them as well."
Did you still have to audition for Aaron?
"Yeah, I read for the part. We did one Zoom call and it was pretty much a couple of days after that they said: 'Great, we'd like to work with you'. It was a couple of scenes, but I think it was the part they wanted me for. It was a part that, on paper, I would have bitten your hand off to get."
What can we expect from Aaron?
"Aaron is a young lad who's very confident. He works in the city, he's got a lot of money and he likes to splash it about. You can expect quite a lot of fun scenes where he's trying to be the life and soul, being confident, winding people up, having a laugh with people and being a bit flirty with some of the girls.
"Aaron is an enjoyable character to watch, but he's got a lot of opinions and he likes to have the last word. He's also quite dominating over his sister. He's a protective brother over Dana and he looks at himself as the man of the house.
"Aaron is trying to take control of the situation and do right by everyone, but he can be overpowering. He does that in every situation."
How will that go down on the Square?
"Aaron is a bit like Marmite when people first meet him. A few people will like him and there's a few people who he'll rub up the wrong way, which is what you want.
"You want people to talk about it and hopefully it causes some discussions among fans of the show – whether they like him or whether they don't. I think he's definitely going to kick up a bit of a storm when he comes in and hopefully provide a different dynamic for the Monroe family as well."
When Aaron first arrives, his dad Harvey is facing a backlash after making an offensive comment to Ash. Does Aaron get involved in that too?
"Aaron's opinionated about everything, so it's something that he'll definitely have a say in. He'll definitely give his opinion on that, amongst a lot of other things. He'll try to take control of the situation, sort things out and try to do best by his dad and his sister.
"With Dana dating Bobby, Aaron is also going to have an opinion on whether he's good enough for her. He'll have a say on his dad, the flat, and his dad's job.
"It all comes from a good place, with his family especially. Aaron wants to protect them, he wants to keep them safe, and he wants people to respect them."
Your Hollyoaks character Robbie Roscoe was hated at first, but became one of the most popular characters. Do you hope viewers who dislike Aaron go on a similar journey with him?
"Yeah, it was a journey with Robbie, wasn't it? People really didn't like that character, but a year down the line, people really, really liked him. I do hope that happens but Aaron's a very different character.
"The two characters have very different outlooks and Aaron is someone that has a lot more layers – and will be a lot more challenging as well. I hope people do like the character when they should and then not like the character when they shouldn't.
"Soaps are a genre where different topics are addressed, so you want the audience to side with the character at the right point, then you want them to condemn the character when they're not doing the right thing.
"I just hope people like me playing Aaron and think that I'm doing a good job. That's more important. He's definitely going to divide people."
What's it like to work again with Gillian Taylforth, who played your on-screen mum on Hollyoaks?
"Gillian was lovely and called me as soon as she found out I was joining. I hadn't spoken to her for a little while, so that was really kind of her. It was very strange seeing her again. She hasn't changed. She's still a bundle of fun and energy on set. She's always singing her head off and has got a song for every situation.
"It's been lovely working with her. I've had a couple of scenes with her already because obviously Kathy Beale is Bobby's nan and everyone gets to chat to everybody on EastEnders. Although it's very strange acting as though she's a stranger now and not my mum!"
Have EastEnders' producers Jon Sen and Kate Oates shared their long-term plans for the character?
"I think I'm always told enough to do what I need to do. I know what's coming up for the foreseeable, so I have enough knowledge to know where I'm going with the part, which is really, really helpful. They're brilliant at keeping you in the loop with that sort of thing.
"Long-term, I don't know if they know yet. That's the beauty of soap. When you have that many characters and relationships on screen, literally anything can happen.
"I don't know what's going to happen long-term but there's some really, really interesting stuff that I've read – all the way up to Christmas and beyond. I'm very excited for that."
Could there be more Monroes out there?
"Of course there could be! I don't think you'd ever write off another family member coming in. I think Aaron might be enough for the time being, as I think he's going to be a handful, but there's definitely the opportunity.
"The Monroes are a new family so they are a bit of a blank canvas. Obviously I've watched Ross and Barbara's scenes since they've come on and it's really nice to have a family with no ties. They're very new, they're very traditional East End.
"It'll be interesting for the producers and storyliners to work out what they want to do with these characters moving forwards. I'm as excited as anyone to see where the family goes, who comes in, who doesn't come in over the next few years or however long we're there."
Does Aaron have any tension with Ben Mitchell?
"Not at the start. They're two characters I could imagine being very good friends and getting up to no good, or clashing very badly! There could definitely be potential there between those two characters and it's something that I'd definitely like to explore.
"I've known Max Bowden for a long time and I get on really well with him. He's brilliant. We'd have a good time working together.
"Right at the start we don't see anything there because they don't meet straight away, but they're on the same Square so they're going to have something at some point."
Did your Hollyoaks friends get in touch to congratulate you on the new role?
"They did, everyone did. To be fair, I think there weren't many cast members from my time there who didn't reach out to say well done and good luck, which was really kind.
"I still keep in contact with Ayden Callaghan regularly, who played my brother Joe in Hollyoaks. We speak most days, actually. Jess Ellis (Tegan) and Daisy Wood-Davis (Kim), we all speak all the time. Even Ashley Taylor Dawson (Darren) and Nick Pickard (Tony), we speak when we can.
"You don't have to speak all the time, but when something good happens, everyone's so supportive of each other because we know how hard this job is."
You mentioned a few years potentially – are you hoping for a decent stint like you had in Hollyoaks?
"Yeah, of course. As long as you're enjoying it, you should continue to do it. I'd love to make a good impact and stay for as long as the character is needed.
"When you stop enjoying it, that's the time to stop, because your work isn't as good as it should be when you fall out of love with it. I've absolutely adored my time at EastEnders so far. As long as that continues and the character has got a purpose and stuff to do, I'd 100% stay because it's such a lovely place to work.
"I'd love to definitely make an impact and make sure I do a good job and keep everyone happy – whether that's six months, a year, two years or three years."
EastEnders airs on Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays on BBC One.
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