EastEnders star recalls awkward run-in with Lorraine Stanley after soap exit
EXCLUSIVE: Former EastEnders actress Claire Norris has shared a hilarious behind-the-scenes moment from her early EastEnders days after being mistaken for Lorraine Stanley’s chaperone
(Image: BBC/Kieron McCarron/Jack Barnes)
An EastEnders star has recalled an awkward yet amusing first encounter with a former soap co-star following her exit from Albert Square.
Speaking exclusively to Daily Star in collaboration with casino.org, actress Clair Norris opened up about her early days on the BBC soap and the nerves that came with stepping onto one of Britain’s most famous TV sets — including a memorable run-in with Lorraine Stanley, who played her on-screen mum Karen Taylor.
She explained that her very first day wasn’t even a filming day, but still left a lasting impression. “Yeah, so my first day wasn’t actually a filming day. We had to go in for hair, makeup, and costume fittings before shooting started. That’s when I first met Lorraine [Stanley, who played Karen Taylor].”
(Image: BBC)
The encounter didn’t go quite as expected. “We were both waiting by the gates to be taken in, and she thought I was the chaperone! I was like, ‘No, I’m playing your daughter…’ and she went, ‘Oh!’ and just laughed! So that was our first encounter.”
Despite the awkward start, the moment helped ease her nerves as she prepared to join the long-running soap. She admitted she felt a mixture of excitement and anxiety walking into the role, having grown up watching the show herself.
“I was really excited to meet everyone, but also super nervous because I’d grown up watching EastEnders. I’d seen all of them on TV, so it was that weird feeling of knowing them even though they had no idea who I was.”
EastEnders,24-01-2023,6634,Bernadette Taylor (CLAIR NORRIS),***EMBARGOED TILL TUESDAY 17TH JANUARY 2023***, BBC, Jack Barnes/Kieron McCarron(Image: BBC)
The scale of the job didn’t truly hit home until she stepped inside the makeup room and came face-to-face with a soap legend. “I remember walking into the makeup room and seeing June Brown sitting there.”
She added that everything had happened so quickly after landing the role that it barely felt real at first. “The whole process from getting the job to that first day happened so fast, especially after months of auditions, so it didn’t really sink in until that moment!”
Seeing the late actress preparing for the day’s filming made it all suddenly feel real. “Seeing her in the chair, putting on her wig, I just thought, ‘Okay, this is really happening now.’”
Although she didn’t strike up a conversation, the moment stayed with her. “It was exciting. I didn’t actually speak to her, just smiled… but yeah, I was definitely excited… and very nervous.”
