EastEnders lines up sad secret about Darnell ahead of dramatic first scenes

EastEnders newcomer Christopher Colquhoun has revealed a sad secret about his character, Darnell Larson Jr, ahead of his dramatic debut in Albert Square as the character is involved in Denise Fox's storyline.

Earlier this month, the BBC soap announced that two new characters would be heading to Walford as part of the arc, which saw the popular character diagnosed with acute myeloid leukaemia (AML), an aggressive form of blood cancer.

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In next week's scenes, Denise takes a turn for the worse and is put in a coma as her family searches for a stem cell donor. Hope arrives, thankfully, when they discover that her long-lost half-brother could be a match.

The family tracks down Darnell and Kim makes contact, asking him to meet. Darnell is shocked to learn that his help could be vital to Denise's survival. After agreeing to go to the hospital, though, he is scared off and makes a hasty exit.

Jack later tracks him down in a bid to persuade him to help Denise, but when he finds Darnell and his daughter Grace, tensions soon boil over in the family unit.

Asked about his character, Colquhoun called Darnell a "science buff and single dad" who is "a bit nerdy, anxious, curious and full of enthusiasm", adding: "Darnell is simply excited to discover a side of his family he never knew existed.

"He's naturally open and trusting, so he doesn't spend time questioning why they've reached out to him. He wants to get to know them and, in typical Darnell fashion, almost loses sight of the bigger picture because he's so fascinated by the connection itself."

Speaking about how his perspective changes once they explain Denise's cancer diagnosis, Colquhoun said: "The penny drops and he suddenly realises, 'Where's my sister?' But he's not angry about being misled. Instead, he's overwhelmed by the enormity of the situation."

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Teasing a sad back story for Darnell, the actor added: "As the story develops, we also begin to understand why hospitals are such a difficult and triggering environment for him."

"Darnell likes Jack, but he doesn't respond well to pressure or aggression. That leaves Jack in a difficult position because Darnell represents a rare source of hope for Denise and the family – it's all or nothing for them at this point," he added.

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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For free and confidential support and information on blood cancer and life after a diagnosis, contact Blood Cancer UK online, by phone on 0808 2080 888 or via email at support@bloodcancer.org.uk.