EastEnders has boasted some big-name signings over the years, and if actor Colin Salmon has his way, there’ll soon be a few more.
The 62-year-old, who plays publican and former boxing champion George Knight, says he thinks Luther star Idris Elba and The Walking Dead’s Lennie James would be perfect picks to play his character’s brothers.
As EastEnders fans know, George was raised by white couple Gloria and Eddie. The pair made an unexpected visit to Walford at New Year, during which time George discovered they had adopted him as a young boy via an illegal process called Farming, and had lied to him about his heritage; letting him believe he was Jamaican when, in fact, he’s Ghanaian.
George has gone on to discover that when his biological father, Henry Asare, attempted to reclaim him as a teenager, Eddie murdered Henry. And, in more recent weeks, he has learnt that his biological mother Margaret died just a few months ago, and that she had two more boys with Henry.
“I’m really excited that I’ve got two brothers, who may at some point appear,” says Salmon.
“The fact their dad wasn’t around when they were young; they might have complexities,” he muses. “I’d hate it to be all wine and roses - although this is EastEnders, so it probably wouldn’t be!”
And his dream castings for those roles? “Idris would be good!” he laughs. “And I love Lennie James, he’s a good mate.”
Pensioner Eddie is currently standing trial for Henry Asare’s historic murder and, as the court case reaches its climax next week, yet more turmoil is headed George’s way.
Adoptive mum Gloria, who has so far stood by her clearly abusive husband, encourages George to give evidence against him. But the stress of the situation takes its toll, and she suffers a heart attack.
Speaking of how George would react if he lost Gloria, Salmon adds: “The other deaths are abstract in a way, but that would be a topical one.
“I lost my own mum at 24 and you feel like you’re an adult, but you’re not.
“You’re nobody’s little boy any more. Nobody’s got those little stories about you, only your mum has, and that’s the hardest thing in a way. She didn’t get to know my wife and my kids. I do see her in my children.
“George would be devastated.”
EastEnders airs on BBC One Monday to Thursday evenings at 7.30pm.
