INTERVEIW FROM HEAT

How do you feel about your bestcomer nomination?

I'm really chuffed. It's a little bitmad, but it's public vote and there was a lot of expectation becuase Dennis is Den's son. I'm please people like what I do.

How do you think you'll do?

No idea, but i know when i get there i'll really want to win and will be suitably bricking myself. As a kid I imagined being on Wogan if i ever made it. So now, after all those times lying in the bath going, "I'd like to thank blah blah," it's weird that theres a small chance i might actually get to say some of it.

What's happening next in Dennis' love life?

Until Christmas it's all pretty quiet but then it all kicks off again. O'm not telling you who with, though.

Spoilsport. So who are your best mates in the show?

Leslie, Tish, and Perry [Fenwick, Billy]. And Shane. We practically live next door to each other but since our first scenes I've hardly seem him. Now it's like seeing a long-lost lover when we bump into each other!

Are you a proper celeb now you're in Eastenders?

What one of them, then?

You know, hanging out at Chinawhite with Jordan?

I was at a party once that Jordan turned up at and that scared me. But no, I'm not a proper celeb - although I went to the bar after an awards ceremony and met The Darkness. That was very exciting - I love that stuff. But in terms of being papped coming out of trendy bars, that's not me.

Do you get any trouble when you're out because of Dennis' hard-man image?

I thought I'd get "Oh there's that bloody Dennis, Let's have a pop at him" but, touch wood, I've had none of that so far. I get schoolgirls who go a bit gushy, and people say hello to me all the time, which is a bit weird. It's like having loads of mates that you didn't know you had.

Do they call you Dennis?

Some do. If i'm in a bad mood and someone asks me for an autograph I say "Tell me my real name and I will" Dennis is my new name. I don't know who I am anymore...

And now your're a sex symbol for the ladies and the gents.

Yeah, madness eh? But being a sex symbol? I'm just me, I don't go round projescting that image. I'm very flattered but I don't go round sucking my belly in.

There are a lot of scenes with your top off though...

That's calmed down a bit now. It was all part of launching Dennis into the show, showing of his physique and all that. Although, I was very keen not to be thought of as just a pair of tits...

Interveiw from heat  27th march april 2nd 2004

Q. The first time we interveiwed you was the day you first appeared in Eastenders ...

A. I was thinking about that the other day.  I'd just dont GMTV and then been on radio 1.  I did the rounds that day like a rightold media whore.  Oh yeah - you got my name wrong.  You called me Nigel harden.  You made me sound like a porn star

Q. There's no danger of anyone gettin your naem wrong now.  Look how much your life has changed since then.

A.  Oh, unbelivably.  I remember saying you can't get ready for how your lifewill change when you join eastenders because you cant.  T o tell you the truth , I'm still not ready, and it freaks me out as mcuh as it did when i first started.

Q.  Are you enjoying all the attentiopn though?

A.  People feel they no me, so i've had loads of random five minute chats with people, which is great.  But the whole Paparazzi, walking down the red carpet winnng awards side of things really wigs me out.

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