It has to be said that not everyone in Walford lives life on the straight and narrow – and while some people literally get away with murder (Bobby Beale and Ronnie Mitchell, we’re watching you) others aren’t so lucky. We’ve lost count of how many times Nick was nicked or Janine was jailed. Even Dot’s been in the dock recently.
Often these courtroom dramas play out in the fictional Walford Crown Court, the present incarnation of which is a purpose-built set at EastEnders’ studios at Borehamwood which made its first onscreen appearance during Dot’s murder trial in May of this year. Tonight (Monday 28th September), it saw the wrongly-convicted Max Branning sensationally leap from the dock and make his escape as the verdict was delivered.
As you may know, many courts nowadays shield the dock behind a large Perspex screen to keep defendants secure. “These screens started to be introduced about 20 years ago precisely to stop offenders fleeing the courts,” revealed Ray McBride of the EastEnders research team. “Indeed, prior to these measures such incidents were not infrequent.”
So, how come Max was able to make a break for it on this occasion?
“Unfortunately, such screens are a major hindrance for the filming of TV programmes,” Ray told us. “For instance, the reflections of cameras and studio lights on the Perspex slow down production and limit the kind of angles and shots a director can use. In this case, strict adherence to reality would have resulted in less engaging visual storytelling and increased costs for us. Moreover, whilst such screens are the norm, there remains a degree of variation between courts; some of them have retained the old-style arrangements for architectural or financial reasons.”
Nonetheless, even with the high Perspex screens surrounding the dock – escape from a court is still possible. For example, in 2014, a defendant held on remand leapt over a 12-foot high dock and fled from a court after being refused bail. The defendant scaled the Perspex partition, ran through the court room, fended off security guards, and finally escaped through the judge’s quarters!
How long Max can stay on the run remains to be seen, but you can relive his bid for freedom with the clip below.
