Development
Ashley's first scene back in Albert Square saw him stealing pineapples from the fruit and veg stall, showing the character was similar to his father. In September 2000, Martyn Leek of the Sunday Mercury reported Nick Cotton would be returning to EastEnders to find his son. Nick's return scenes were filmed in Birmingham, with a BBC spokesperson saying "We were filming in Moseley and Winson Green all week. Nick is trying to get his son Ashley back on the straight and narrow so it is a bit of a turnaround from how he used to be." Lisa Perrott, the publicist for EastEnders said Birmingham was chosen as they needed to film scenes away from the Albert Square setting and the location suited the storyline. Ashley and Nick meet during a special spin-off episode, entitled The Return of Nick Cotton, which was broadcast on 1 October 2000. Nick comes face to face with Ashley after he catches him trying to steal his car. Sue Smith of Daily Mirror said "A chip off the old block, their reunion is bound to wreak havoc."
In June 2001, Fitzgerald was axed from EastEnders and his character died following a motorbike accident. Fitzgerald told Ian Woodward of the Daily Mirror that he was shocked and disappointed when he learned he was being axed from the show. The actor said "I was dumbstruck. I thought I was going to be in Albert Square for a long, long time." Fitzgerald found filming Ashley's deaths scenes difficult and he said he thought about death a lot before they filmed his last scene. He explained "I went over and over in my mind the whole aspect of dying. Even though I knew it was pretend time, it had a big impact on me. It freaked me out. I felt utterly drained."
Read more about this topic: Ashley Cotton
Famous quotes containing the word development:
“John B. Watson, the most influential child-rearing expert [of the 1920s], warned that doting mothers could retard the development of children,... Demonstrations of affection were therefore limited. “If you must, kiss them once on the forehead when they say goodnight. Shake hands with them in the morning.””
—Sylvia Ann Hewitt (20th century)
“I could not undertake to form a nucleus of an institution for the development of infant minds, where none already existed. It would be too cruel.”
—Henry David Thoreau (1817–1862)
“The experience of a sense of guilt for wrong-doing is necessary for the development of self-control. The guilt feelings will later serve as a warning signal which the child can produce himself when an impulse to repeat the naughty act comes over him. When the child can produce his on warning signals, independent of the actual presence of the adult, he is on the way to developing a conscience.”
—Selma H. Fraiberg (20th century)