Simon May reflects on the EastEnders theme

The man behind the EastEnders theme looks back to how it was composed…

Composer Simon May, the mastermind behind the EastEnders theme, takes fans of the theme on a journey through its creation in a video as PRS for Music celebrate 40 years of the gritty BBC One soap.

Speaking to Boom Radio earlier this year Simon reflected on his association with ‘Enders:

“Some people ask me if it makes me unhappy to be branded with EastEnders and I say ‘I don’t mind being branded [with EastEnders] it’s not the same as being [called] a cow, is it? that’s a bit more painful’. Yeh EastEnders, it’s my calling card it’s got me so many different commissions during my career and it’s a piece I’m really proud of.

“It’s a fabulous show, it still is. There are some people who don’t get EastEnders but Chris Clenshaw who is the current Executive Producer he’s really brought alive over the last couple of years – the scripts, the direction, the acting – every facet of EastEnders it’s top-quality show. I still watch it, I love it, it’s a great show.”

Simon May songs formed part of Crossroads, including the 1975 wedding which saw ‘We’ll Find Our Day’ performed by Stephanie De Sykes

From an initial dark and edgy version rejected by the show’s creators to the final melody that became a household tune, Simon shares fascinating behind-the-scenes insights—including the happy accident that led to the famous “doof-doof” drum fill.

Prior to EastEnders Simon worked for ATV Music which, then, as part of the ATV Network helped produce several hit songs for teatime serial Crossroads. This included five top forty reaching tracks including the number two hits Born with a Smile on my Face by Stephanie De Sykes and More than in Love by Kate Robbins. May also performed Summer of My Life for the show which saw him appear on Top of the Pops.

With the BBC he also provided themes to several shows including Spanish set soap Eldorado – currently rerunning on U&Drama – and maritime business drama Howard’s Way to name just a few. For ITV Simon has created the theme to shows such as TV Weekly (TVS).

Anita Dobson had a hit with the EastEnders theme tune, ‘Anyone Can Fall In Love’ / BBC

Speaking recently to Boom Radio, Simon recalled his ATV days,

“In my last year [as a teacher] at the school I wrote Smike the musical for my students at Kingston Grammar School. We performed it at Surbiton Assembly Rooms, fortunately a top TV producer called Gianni was in the audience, loved the show, took it to Monica Simms Head of Children’s TV at the BBC and they decided to mount a major production of Smike and that’s where my whole career basically started.”

“In those days publishers would invest in unproven songwriters. Sadly, today a publisher will probably only sign a songwriter who has got a massive Spotify following or whatever. But when ATV signed me, they just knew I’d written a musical, which they liked, and they rated me as a potential writer and signed me on speculation. But because of ATV Birmingham my music found its way up to Birmingham [with Crossroads]”

There were also chart hits with EastEnders including with a sung version of the theme tune performed by Anita Dobson (Angie Watts), Anyone Can Fall In Love and Every Loser Wins with Nick Berry (Simon Wicks).

Watch as Simon reflects on his career, his inspiration, and how a simple mistake helped shape the sound of British television history in the video below…