A Norfolk writer has urged others to never give up as filming starts for the EastEnders episode he has written.
James McDermott, 27, from Holt, joined the scriptwriting team at the soap in April this year.
Mr McDermott, originally from Lincolnshire, studied scriptwriting at the University of East Anglia and was already a successful poet and playwright.
His plays include Time and Tide and Rubber Ring, based on his experience growing up gay in a rural area.
Speaking about getting the job on the BBC soap, he said: "It was really overwhelming, I grew up watching EastEnders and the first gay characters I saw were in soaps."
He headed to the BBC's Elstree Centre on Wednesday for the filming of his first episode, written at his parents' home in rural Norfolk.
He tweeted: "Never thought I'd get to write telly living outside of London with no family in the business. Never give up and all that."
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