Eastenders and The Bill actor Russell Floyd is keen on his Geordie debut. Viv Hardwick reports.

ASOUTH Shields venue is readying itself for a Photo Finish when a world premiere of a play takes place tonight. Written by North- East duo Ed Waugh and Trevor Wood, who are best known for writing Dirty Dusting, Photo Finish is the third play which delves into the lives of Bob and Shirley Fletcher.

The couple are thrilled when their daughter Suzie finally brings her new fiance home for a visit – it’s about time she settled down and Shirley has high hopes of finally becoming a grandmother.

Her hopes are shattered when Suzie’s fiance turns up: he’s as old as Bob, certainly doesn’t want children and likes a bet as much as the next man.

When that next man is Bob that can only mean trouble – so when Shirley discovers that the couple are not being entirely honest with each other she tries to intervene, forgetting that she’s got one or two secrets of her own.

Ray Spencer MBE and Angela Szalay will return as Bob and Shirley alongside Jill Dellow as their daughter Suzie.

But it’s the writing team’s partnership with their London based Maggie’s End cast that has added a new ingredient to the shows. Once again it will be in evidence when Russell Floyd makes his Customs House debut as Suzie’s boyfriend BJ.

He has previously worked with Waugh and Wood in London when he played a sleazy New Labour Home Secretary in Maggie’s End at London’s Shaw Theatre alongside Raising The Stakes Director Mark Wingett.

The show’s director Jack Milner has also come to the North-East to direct the Photo Finish.

Floyd says: “I know Ed and Trevor well thanks to Maggie’s End which was a fantastic play to be a part of so I was keen to work with them again.

Ed came down to London to see me, Mark and Jack and enthused about this play Photo Finish and he went back home with me saying yes before reading it “His passion for the piece was just so infectious and I can see why because it is hilarious. It’s got four great characters, great comedy and some lovely touching moments.”

He adds:: “I can’t wait to go head to head with Ray, who plays this wonderfully flawed but extremely lovable character.

My character, BJ, is a working class lad done good – he has worked hard and got the rewards but he does have a few secrets in the closet.”

Floyd is perhaps best known for playing market supervisor Michael Rose in Eastenders and DC Ken Drummond in ITV’s The Bill He explains: “I had a wonderful time on both shows but the storylines for the characters came to an end so I moved on.

Being on two hugely popular soaps was great for my career, but you are incredibly lucky if you get a character that stays on a soap for 20 years or more.

“At the end of the day it’s still a job whether it’s on stage or TV.”

Asked on his thoughts about the demise of the hugely popular police soap, he says: “I think it’s a real shame that TV lost The Bill. It never felt dated and was a real breeding ground for gritty drama and young actors. In years to come I think ITV will regret the decision to cancel it.”

Photo Finish will mark the end of a unique venture for the South Shields venue that has produced three of Ed Waugh and Trevor Wood’s plays to celebrate their 15th anniversary.

Wood says: “These last three months have been a testament to the real team ethic at The Customs House. Every single person in the building has worked so hard to make these shows a success – especially the Tech team who will work a night shift to get the stage ready for Photo Finish.

“Jackie Fielding, who has been co-ordinating all three shows, has been absolutely invaluable – a real key piece in the success of it all.”

But what about those who think that missing the first two plays means that Photo Finish will make no sense?

Wood responds: “I have had countless people come up to me and ask whether it’s worth coming to see this new play because they hadn’t seen Good to Firm or Raising The Stakes and the answer is a resounding yes.

“All three are standalone plays; it’s just that Bob and Shirley are great characters to write about so we have done it three times now.”

On visiting the North East, Floyd says: “There’s two things. Firstly Mark (Wingett) has told me all about The Customs House audience and how fantastic they are, so I just want to get it started now to experience it for myself.

“Secondly I want to experience some proper North East nightlife.”

■ Photo Finish runs from tonight to Saturday, November 6. Tickets: £14, (£12 conc). Box Office: 0191-454-1234 or customshouse.co.uk