Derekhausted
Reminiscing at the end of 1998, Robertson said: "The things that I remember most from the year were the scenes when I was Derek, actually. I had these enormous monologues where I was spouting at Ben when he was sitting in the barber's chair. I quite enjoyed that. I also enjoyed the scenes where Derek didn't quite know what was going on, but was pretending to and not doing a very good job of it." Several days later, in a live chat with fans he admitted: "When I look back at that six month period, I am now do it with rose colored glasses and say I loved it. At the time it was a nightmare."
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Even though Clive "had a bit of trepidation about playing two front-burner characters at the same time" when he first found out about Derek's existence, still he was very enthusiastic about playing Derek: "It's fun to play two completely different characters, and there are some interesting things coming up between the brothers that I am excited about doing. It's much harder than I expected," he admitted. "But it's wonderful."
Soon afterwards, though, Robertson realized that his initial concerns about playing two characters at the same time weren't so far off: "It took a lot out of me. To be honest, I had no idea what I was getting into!"
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In an honest interview, given while still doing the double duty on Sunset Beach, Clive explained what he meant: "I feel completely brainwashed. It's been difficult, because they've been scheduling me last every day. I've had so many scenes that I come in at 1, often don't get on (set) until 5 and go until we finish. We shoot late, and it's difficult to concentrate at that time. If we finish at 10 or 11 (p.m.), then I have to go home to learn all my lines and I don't get to bed until 2 a.m. I've been getting up at 10 and trying to remember the lines I learned the night before. It's been a vicious circle and I haven't really had a life."
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No wonder, that when Maria, Ben's not so dead wife, who'd been presumably linked with Derek, returned to town in summer of 1998, Robertson openly expressed hope that Derek will not follow in her footsteps. "After doing double duty for six months, I went slightly insane," he said. "It was all beginning to blur. I'd learn pages and pages of dialogue, but then I'd go off on these ad-libbed monologues!"
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Thus, even though playing evil twin Derek offered a different slant to the honorable Ben, Robertson had no desire to recreate that role. "It was good fun, but at the time, it really wasn't," he confided. "They were both front-burner, and I just don't think I could handle it."
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And yet, Robertson did play Derek again, much to everyone's, especially fans' surprise. Robertson's declarations of not even considering playing Derek again, were openly expressed and widely known. All to the disappointment of fans, among whom Derek was fiercely loved and remembered. At the Sunset Beach fan club gathering, held in February 1999, however, Robertson hinted at the possible way out of the problem, by saying that he may consent to playing Derek again, but not two characters at the same time. The TPTB at Sunset Beach must have been listening closely...
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In an interview given in late summer 1999, Clive hinted: "I see a change coming that excites me." Everyone hoped against hope that the change would be Derek coming to town, but given Robertson's open resistance against doing it, no one really believed it possible. And yet, Derek did come back, but this time, he reigned the screen alone, Ben being kept somewhere "in storage". For over two months Robertson portrayed Derek and Derek only, TPTB honoring his wishes and making those of the fans come true as well.
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Robertson himself commented: "It's called reverse psychology if you will. I tell them I don't want to play Derek, they have me play him anyway just as I wanted to start with". "Fans like him," Robertson laughed, "which I find quite strange."
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For both his stints as Derek Evans and ability to make the brothers distinct, Robertson was named twice Performer of the Week by Soap Opera Digest, and once Star of the Week by Soap Opera Magazine. Derek aired for the last time in the second week of December 1999. The character, much to the fans' distress, was killed of.
https://web.archive.org/web/20031020220051/http://www.susan-ward.net:80/clive/clivesderek.html It turns out Clive was against the resurrection of Derek