If you watch closely, you’ll notice the set has no ceilings in most of the interior rooms. When a character looks up, they’re just staring at lighting rigs and the cold, grey sky. That’s why so many scenes are shot at eye level—to hide the fact that the Queen Vic’s living room is technically open to the elements. It’s like a giant dollhouse for adults.
And get this: the flowers in the market are fake. The fruit on the stalls is often wax, and the only real thing is the actors’ tears (and the tea, which is always real tea). There’s even a secret tunnel under the set so cast and crew can move between the Vic and the café without being seen by the paparazzi. Very clandestine.
So, Is It Worth The Trip?
If you ever find yourself in Borehamwood—and let’s be honest, you won’t be going there for a holiday—peek over the fence near Elstree Studios. You won’t see much, but you’ll feel the vibrations of decades of drama. Or you can just book the official tour and walk the same path as Ian Beale.
It’s a weird comfort knowing that the tears, the affairs, and the dodgy Christmas dinners all happen in a fake town in Hertfordshire. But next time you watch, remember: that lamppost is plastic, that pub door is hollow, and the only real thing about Walford is the emotional damage it inflicts on its residents. And my nan, bless her, still thinks it’s real.
