EastEnders star Perry Fenwick has opened up about the upcoming 40th anniversary special, saying the thought of performing live “terrifies” him.

The BBC soap is celebrating its milestone anniversary by airing a week of episodes that will all take place over the course of just one day, culminating in a special live episode on Thursday (February 20).

Fenwick’s character Billy Mitchell and Emma Barton’s Honey Mitchell revealed on Christmas Day that they had set a February 19 date for their wedding, meaning the celebrations will take place during the live episode.

Discussing the upcoming episode during an interview with The Sun, Fenwick said: “It terrifies me.

“Emma’s gone off and done theatre and Strictly Come Dancing, but I’ve been here 27 years, and I stopped doing theatre when I started this.

“That’s a long time to not do something live. I’ll definitely have a drink waiting in my dressing room afterwards.”

Barton also weighed in, saying: “We were both over the moon, though. And also we’re excited because we’ve wanted this, renewing our vows, getting married again, because we were so thrilled to be back together.

“Honey and Billy have to be together. It’s a must, it’s a given, and it’s just so, so nice.”

One character who won’t be in the live episode is Cindy Beale, though she will appear in the episodes running up to the special as she discovers who attacked her on Christmas Day.

“I’m actually not going to be in the live,” Cindy actor Michelle Collins recently confirmed to Metro. “I am allowed to say that. It’s quite complicated but I am in the lead-up to the live. I actually think it’s very well done.”