It may have happened over five years ago, but EastEnders fans still talk about (and laugh at) the show’s infamous “How’s Adam?” gaffe. 

So as former star Laurie Brett appeared on The One Show on Tuesday, it was only natural conversation turned to the blunder, which happened during the soap’s 30th anniversary live episodes in 2015. 

During her reflection on the classic moment – which saw actor Jo Joyner mistakenly utter character Ian Beale’s real name – Laurie revealed a behind-the-scenes story we hadn’t known before. 

Speaking to One Show hosts Alex Jones and Michael Ball, Laurie – who played Jane Beale – said: “The whole country knew it was live then, and she’s a fantastic actress. Everybody felt for her.

“The problem was I had no lines to say afterwards! I was thinking, ‘What can I say?’”

Revealing a decision to intervene had been made by one of the directors backstage, she continued: “I was about to say, ‘Tanya, have you been drinking?’ when a third AD (assistant director), Tish, took this really massive decision to throw Mimi [Keene], who played Cindy, on early. For a third AD to take that chance, and think ‘is this the right thing to do?’ was really brave, so everybody just pulled together.

“As I say, I was trying to think of something to say. Jo held it together. I held it together. Like I say, someone took the decision to throw Mimi on rather quickly. I think she got thrown through the door.”

The blunder happened during a week of special live episodes of EastEnders to reveal the identity of Lucy Beale’s killer. 

Two of them re-aired on Tuesday night as part of the soap’s Iconic Episodes series, in lieu of any new episodes airing. 

The show fell off the air for the first time in 35 years in June, after filming was suspended for three months back in March due to the coronavirus pandemic. 

Jo Joyner – who reprised her role as Tanya Branning in the 30th anniversary special back in 2015 – previously admitted she was left haunted by her “How’s Adam?” gaffe. 

She told Radio Times: “I don’t need to (watch it) because people were sending me pictures of my face in shock every day on Twitter. So I’ve seen that image a few million times. 

“I’ve got a good sense of humour. But I couldn’t laugh about it until I’d gone out there the next night. I knew that people were watching to see if I messed up again.

“And to do that next episode live in front of 10 million viewers was one of the hardest things I’ve ever had to do.”