McCutcheon: 'I don't watch EastEnders'

Martine McCutcheon has revealed that she doesn't watch EastEnders.

McCutcheon, who played Tiffany Mitchell, revealed that the last time she watched the soap was in 2008 to see her friend Patsy Palmer return as Bianca Jackson.

"Other than that I've not really seen it," she told the News of the World. "I'd say the minute you do a certain amount of episodes a week, and the minute you've got loads of characters, it's hard to care about every single one for every single episode.

"When I was in it there were two episodes a week, with a Sunday omnibus. There were a lot fewer characters so people cared about you more and went on your journey more. Now you feel there are some people in some soaps just because it fills up the time."

McCutcheon, who left the show in 1998, added that soaps need to be more "escapist".

"When I was in it and all those people were watching, it was an amazing time," she said. "There were parts that were a bit dark but also quite comical, depressingly funny. With the credit crunch and everything else going on, people want a bit of escapism and a bit of fantasy."

In November, McCutcheon spoke out in support of Barbara Windsor's decision to leave the show.