A script writer for EastEnders opened up about the eye-watering sum he received for penning just a dozen episodes - before a big career change.

Richard Lazarus wrote an incredible 55 episodes in total for the BBC soap, spanning from 2007 up until 2015. 

He worked as one of 12 core writers plotting out the goings-on of Albert Square and its residents. 

His final episode aired in February 2015 - with characters including Lauren Branning, Max Branning and Ian Beale taking centre stage.

However, Richard has now swapped screenplays for the shop floor by working at ASDA.

Speaking to The Sun, he revealed more about the impressive sum he was paid for working on EastEnders.

Richard said: 'It was kind of, you know, a considerable six-figure sum, I'll say that, for a year.

'For which you would write 12 episodes.

'And you would go monthly-to-monthly short-term planning meetings, and then every 3 months, we'd go away for a week at a time for kind of long-term story planning, which we'd be looking at stories for, sort of, 18 months forward.

'You really couldn't do anything else during that year.'

During his time on the soap, he helped introduce beloved characters such as the Mitchell sisters - Ronnie and Roxy.

In addition, Richard helped devise a memorable gay romance storyline between Syed Masood and Christian Clarke. 

Furthermore, he also wrote episodes focusing on notorious villain Archie Mitchell's will reading.

He worked on other TV shows after leaving EastEnders and later turned to playing poker.

According to The Sun, Covid-19 lockdowns meant Richard could not play poker in person - ultimately beginning a job at his local supermarket.

While he reportedly intends to retire soon, Richard also plans to keep writing plays and musicals. 

Last month, we told how the The 'Our Asda' Instagram account posted a photo of him in uniform, with the caption: 'Meet Richard!

'Did you know he’s also a TV writer with some seriously impressive credits?

'He’s written 55 episodes of EastEnders (yes, 55!).

'He’s penned stories for CBBC’s hit drama The Dumping Ground.

'He’s worked on the Scottish soap River City.

'And he even co‑created the BBC One prime‑time cop drama By Any Means.

'From the shop floor to the small screen — Richard’s talent knows no bounds!'

It comes as former EastEnders star Gemma Bissix has recalled her battle with 'self-doubt' while growing up on the set of the BBC soap.

The actress, now 42, was just nine when she was cast as Clare Bates in 1993 a role she played for five years, before briefly returning to the show last month as part of step father Nigel [Paul Bradley]'s tragic exit story.

Looking back at her original soap stint she opened up about her struggles with self-confidence and how the late Barbara Windsor took her under her wing.

Barbara played the iconic role of Peggy Mitchell from 1994 until 2016, she tragically died following a battle with Alzheimer's disease in December 2020 aged 83.

Gemma said: 'I was really hard on myself, and you can't get those years back and you realise, if I’d just had a bit more self-belief back then, I probably would have enjoyed life a lot more. I wish I could tell my younger self to believe in herself more'.  

'It was definitely where I learned my craft. Barbara Windsor took me under her wing and taught me what to do. Steve McFadden [who plays Phil Mitchell] taught me how to learn my lines.

She told The Mirror: 'I bumped into Letitia Dean [Sharon Watts] recently, and she was telling me so many stories about me when I was a child. It was definitely a training ground, because I never went to drama school'.

Her character previously left the soap when she was 14 to train to be an electrician in 1993 - leaving the door firmly open for a return - which happened briefly in 2008 when she had seemingly transformed into a maneater. 

Meanwhile the actress was later cast as villain Claire Devine in Hollyoaks, a role she has played on and off since 2006. 

EastEnders airs on BBC One and is available to stream on iPlayer.