EastEnders is planning to do a show first and air real-life footage of Jamie Borthwick running the London Marathon as Jay Brown.
The soap will air scenes of Jay running the 26.2 miles course in April in honour of brain tumour victims after the tragic passing of his wife Lola Pearce-Brown (Danielle Harold).
When soap bosses suggested Jamie could hit the streets for real and take part in the famous run, he responded enthusiastically and agreed to the challenge.
Jamie's EastEnders co-star Emma Barton, who plays Honey Mitchell, will also be joining him in running the London Marathon after the pair ran the marathon in 2019 on behalf of Dementia Revolution, in support of their late co-star Dame Barbara Windsor.
Fans will see Jay and Honey training for the marathon on April 21, with the soap airing footage of the stars running around the streets of London and being followed by a BBC camera crew.
Jamie said of the storyline: "I'm really pleased to be taking part in the London Marathon. EastEnders is a London show and, as far as I'm aware, we've never shown it before on screen so I'm really excited to be a part of it. Although, I swore I would never run it again after the last time!"
Executive producer Chris Clenshaw commented: "The London Marathon is a landmark occasion in the capital, and therefore we're thrilled to celebrate our city and offer our viewers a never-before-seen glimpse of the momentous day through the characters of Jay and Honey as they take part in the event.
"Lola's death had a profound effect on the residents of Walford and this storyline will continue to follow her loved ones as they attempt to come to terms with her death and honour her legacy."
EastEnders airs Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday evenings at 7.30 pm on BBC One — see our TV Guide for full listings. You can also catch up on episodes on BBC iPlayer now.
