Former Bad Girls star Victoria Alcock joins EastEnders as Mandy’s mum Lorraine and it’s like a home from home. Actress Nicola Stapleton, who plays her screen daughter, and Linda Henry (Shirley Carter), were in the cult prison drama too. Not only that, but Linda originally played Lorraine back in 1992 when she first dumped Mandy on Pat Butcher. Confused? TVChoice asked Victoria to help us out….

It must be like a Bad Girls reunion, are you all still in touch?
Yes, I still see loads of them. It was such a top show and I’m glad it ended on a high. I would hate to have gone down with a sinking ship. Kika Mirylees, who played Julie Johnson, is busy with her horses down in Surrey but we’re in touch regularly, it’s lovely to have her as part of my life. Apparently, as soon as it was announced that I was coming into EastEnders, all the Bad Girls fans were on twitter. They’re so supportive, it’s truly wonderful.

What can you tell us about Lorraine?
There will be a collective intake of breath from viewers because just when you think she couldn’t stoop any lower, she goes full steam ahead. Many Albert Square residents didn’t think there was a bigger leech than Mandy but we see where she gets it from now. She has no qualms and she’s proud of it.

She ends up sticking around for a bit.
Yes, she manages to get straight in with Ian and threatens Mandy both physically and mentally within 24 hours.

Lorraine isn’t a great mum is she?
Allegedly she let some awful things happen to Mandy which may come out in time. I think viewers are interested in the broken shells of a character and she’s definitely a broken shell.

Can you feel sympathy for her?
You’re not just made that way, something happens to make you like that. I reckon she was abused, and the abused often then become the abuser, and unfortunately that vicious circle has not been broken. I’ve tried to play her with a few levels.

You know a lot of the Walford residents in real life, that must be nice.
Yes, I’ve known Jamie Foreman since we appeared together in The House of Eliott and I’ve always known Tameka Empson [Kim Fox], even though we’ve never worked together. The same with Diane Parish [Denise}, we’ve got mutual mates. Everyone went out of their way to make me feel comfortable.

It would be great for you to share scenes with Linda Henry again. Will Lorraine and Shirley be pals?
I’m not sure about pals, sparring partners perhaps. They are cut from the same cloth. I think Shirley has the potential to be physically more menacing, but Lorraine can stoop a lot lower than probably any character in the square right now.

You’ve done a fair bit of TV and stage work since Bad Girls…
Yes, Bad Girls opened quite a few doors. I had a great episode in Doctor Who and went off to Dubai to film, which was amazing. I couldn’t believe it when I got the part and then found out it was filming out there. I also did a stage adaptation of a Martina Cole book, which was a part like Lorraine with a bit more killing and maiming. But give her time!

Mary Comerford