Soap rivals Adam Woodyatt and Simon Gregson have a secret friendship that's been brewing for over three decades.
The EastEnders and Coronation Street actors have been pals for nearly 40 years, and Ian Beale star Adam admits even he doesn't remember the early parts of their friendship, which began in the late eighties.
Adam and Simon reunited on last year's I'm A Celebrity... Get Me Out Of Here, much to the delight of soap fans across the country.
"I didn't realise this but me and Simon go way further back than either Simon or me can remember," Adam told the Manchester Evening News, "Because I saw my best mate over Christmas and they said 'did to chat to Si, did you talk about this?' and I went 'no'.
"We first met in the late eighties, early nineties and I can't remember that."
Adam enjoyed his experience in the castle alongside Simon, as he joked it was "luxury".
He said: "It was warmer, drier. I've got to say I loved every minute in that castle. It was warmer than I thought it was going to be, more comfortable than I thought it was going to be.
"I basically prepared myself for something like The Clink from what Arlene was telling me about. That's what I thought it was going to be the whole time. So having a hammock with a sleeping bag and a nice big fire I could keep going all day long. It was luxury."
During his time in the castle, Simon shared how he bagged the role as Steve McDonald.
"I was 15 when I started filming. 14 when I got the job," he explained, They went round loads of different schools in Manchester looking for two young lads to play the McDonald twins. And we were sat in assembly and they said there were people here from TV. Which in 1989 was like, 'Oh my god! No way!' I was like, ‘I’m going to check this out."
Adam has equally played Ian Beale for decades, as he opened up about his decision to leave the show.
Speaking about his life after the Square, he said: "I just had another opportunity. This play came up. I just fancied doing something different. The way the storyline was, they needed me to take a break. Yeah, the break's just got longer."
