New Book: 'Walford State of Mind: EastEnders, As Reported by the Walford Gazette'


By Larry Jaffee

After threatening to do so for years, I have finally pulled together a “Best of Walford Gazette” book that is nearing completion, and will be printed in time for the holidays. I am now taking advance orders for Walford State of Mind: EastEnders, as Reported by the Walford Gazette.

The new book is a pot-pourri of what the paper delivers in every issue: interviews, inside information, analysis, humour, trivia, reviews, etc., and brings back into print many articles from 72 issues – many long out-of-print – and 18 years of the newspaper’s early days, especially the insightful musings of Gazette co-founder Dan Abramson, who died in April 1999.

Here you can read again Dan’s insightful analysis of Dot and Ethel’s classic two-hander reminiscing about the war; or his hilarious look at Grant & Phil in Spain trailing sister Samantha, who they find in bed with David; or his heartbreaking “Me and Arthur Watching Martin Grow.” Walford State of Mind explains how Dan and I in the first place ended up publishing the Walford Gazette, and how the U.K. media loved writing about the “two obsessed Yanks started publishing a fanzine dedicated to EastEnders.” I was a bit taken back when The Times of London ran a news article Aug. 18, 1995 on page 2 about Abramson threatening to protest the BBC offices if EastEnders was cancelled in New York, next to an article about Iraq giving arms details to the United Nations.

Besides Dan and myself, there are more than a dozen contributors of articles that fall into distinct sections: Analysis, including examinations of favourite episodes, characters and moments; Creative Team, exclusive WG interviews with executive producers, directors, writers and cast agent; Advocate, in which the newspaper finds itself leading campaigns to reverse cancellation and mix it up with the BBC and PBS station honchos over cancellation decisions; Fandom, in which various superfans retell their encounters with EastEnders actors, including Wendy Richard (Pauline), Anita Dobson (Angie), Pam St. Clement (Pat), Barbara Windsor (Peggy), Michelle Collins (Cindy), and Shane Richie (Alfie); and Reviews of special EastEnders-related episodes, videos, and books.

I recount the tale about how our innocent printing in the Gazette’s second issue of a series of photographs of an American woman all over the Square under the intended cheeky headline “ALBERT SQUARE TRESPASSER” led to me being banned from the Elstree set for three years, and my triumphant welcoming at the studio by a new regime in 1996.

In putting the book together, I researched to no avail the Brooklyn, NY woman Christine Cristiano, who caused all the trouble. But I did locate, thanks to Facebook, Linda Goodricke, who in 1994, while I was still banned, also managed to make it onto the set and the Gazette didn’t hesitate to run the photographic proof. Linda writes,

“Omg! My hair is ridiculous in that photo! I just found it for a patient of mine, (I’m a dental hygienist in Alpha, NJ) who is the only other person I ever met who LOVES Eastenders! Keep me posted on the book. I am so psyched that youu looked me up. I would think about you at the Walford Gazette often. Wow! I haven’t been to England in nearly five years.”

So, of course, the book will also feature rare photos, illustrations and comics from the Gazette’s archive.

I am still planning to publish in the future a second book of the more than 30 actor interviews that didn’t make it into Albert Square & Me: The Actors of EastEnders (including 52 exclusive interviews with current and past castmembers). Due to popular demand, I have done a reprinting of Albert Square & Me, and have plenty of copies on hand. Thank you to everyone who has already purchased it.

Walford State of Mind can be purchased alone or in tandem with Albert Square & Me and/or Walford Gazette subscription renewals. (See below for the various purchasing options.)

• Walford State of Mind (alone) $30
• Albert Square & Me (alone) $30
• Albert Square & Me and Walford State of Mind $55 ($5 savings)
• Albert Square & Me and Walford State of Mind + two-year WG renewal $90 ($16 off)
• Albert Square & Me and Walford State of Mind + one-year WG renewal $70 ($10 off)
(*all prices include shipping & handling)

Order online at wgazette.com via PayPal and send funds to or cheques made out to East End Company and mailed to: P.O. Box 3071, Weehawken, NJ 07086




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