EastEnders' Colin Salmon explains heartbreaking George and Gloria twist
EastEnders spoilers follow.
EastEnders star Colin Salmon has explained the shock twist set for George Knight and his mum Gloria.
The arrival of Gloria and his adoptive father Eddie has thrown George into disarray after he discovered his parents adopted him as a result of a practice known as child farming.
He was then shocked to discover his father Eddie wanted him to testify in an upcoming trial which saw him face a jury accused of murdering George's biological father. And George is set to receive even more heartache as the pressure from the trial sees Gloria suffer a heart attack inside the courthouse.
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Speaking ahead of the emotional episodes, Colin opened up on how Gloria's medical emergency affects his character.
"I don't think people can underestimate the impact of stress on a human body. I think one of the reasons Gloria and George are so close is they've both lived with Eddie who is a bully, which is one of the reasons George cares so much for her," he said.
"She's helped him get through it and he’s helped her get through it. The fact that Eddie feels she has been treacherous, and he wants to punish her for it, is just too much for her. Gloria is a bit like a sparrow if you've ever caught one in your hand, you feel her heart pounding, and it just becomes too much – but I am glad George is able to be there for her."
He went on to explain how George is chilled by the idea of losing his adoptive mother and the challenges that have come with bringing this ground-breaking storyline to life.
"Gloria is his mum no matter what, so the thought of being without her, especially with this new opportunity to spend time with her away from Eddie's control, is so sad. He envisions her being around for the kids, happy and laughing and being with the family, so the thought of that not happening is heartbreaking," he continued.
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Colin added: "It's been beyond expectation to travel this journey and to see the response from the viewers and my friends and family, as well as people who have encountered farming and complex family situations, and the younger generation who have been excited about seeing the colourism debate being explored.
"At the end of that Valentine's episode when Eddie pulls his hand out of George's, the whole nation wanted that not to happen, so it sparks a discussion and we can learn to talk about things differently. I learned by watching drama like that as it gives you empathy and understanding for things you don't know much about.
"As an actor, I just feel this storyline is some of my best work and it's a great honour to be able to lead the storyline with some great actors. I can't stress how important the team have been, we all came away nourished by it. Bold and brave, that's public service broadcasting to me."
EastEnders airs on Mondays - Thursdays at 7.30pm on BBC One. The show also streams on BBC iPlayer, where most episodes drop early at 6am ahead of their TV broadcast.
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