Film takes Croydon back to the 1960s (From Croydon Guardian)

Film takes Croydon back to the 1960s

8:10am Saturday 8th August 2009

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If you passed through St George's Walk in the town centre recently and did a double take because it looked like something from the 1960s, don't worry, you didn't go back in time.

The now unused area had actually been transformed for the filming of the Dagenham Girls, the latest project from Calendar Girls director Nigel Cole, that stars South Norwood's very own Nicola Duffett.

"I must admit I didn't know anything about it until this film came about, which I feel quite ashamed about as the women really did suffer."

Nicola Duffett

Set in 1968, the plot revolves around a group of women factory workers who go on strike, challenging one of biggest corporations in the world, and Duffett, who played Debbie in EastEnders for three years in the mid-90s, couldn't believe the transformation to St George's Walk.

"They made it look like a proper 60s set," said the 46-year-old.

"Most of the people who saw it said they should keep it like that because it looked like a really friendly little street.

"I enjoyed filming there too as it was only 10 minutes away whereas we are in Dagenham at the moment and the other day it took me two and a half hours to get home.

"The film is about the women that worked in the Ford Factory in Dagenham making seat covers in 1968, which is quite a skilled job but they were downgraded to unskilled and went on strike, demanding equal pay with the men.

"They worked in appalling conditions and we spend a lot of our time in our underwear because they were so hot in this factory.

"I must admit I didn't know anything about it until this film came about, which I feel quite ashamed about as the women really did suffer."

As well as being in EastEnders, Nicola has been in Family Affairs, played a bereaved mother in Torchwood and starred in award-winning docu-drama Stuart: A Life Backwards.

In recent months though, work has begun to dry up, something she blames on the influx of reality television.

"I have been acting for more than 20 years and never been out of work but the jobs are getting thin now," she says.

"There used to always be these one-off dramas on a Sunday night but now reality television is taking over everything and filling it with rubbish.

"I went up for one line in a film Go starring Kiera Knightly but didn't get it and started to think if I can't even get one line I might never work again."

The Dagenham Girls is due to be released in 2010.

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