EastEnders viewers will see actor Shaheen Jafargholi depart Albert Square in tragic circumstances this week after his character Shakil is the victim of a stabbing.
Shaheen appeared on today’s This Morning to talk about his character’s sad end, and revealed a striking new look in the process.
Noting the 21-year-old’s different appearance, This Morning’s soap expert Sharon Marshall told him: “First of all got to say I do like the new hair, loving the new look.”
The actor joked his silver locks were inspired Phillip Schofield, sat on the sofa opposite him.
“I was channelling Phil, he did it for me this morning,” he said.
“I’m loving it,” the 56-year-old presenter, who famously started going grey at a young age, told him.
“Yours is natural,” Shaheen replied, before the actor got on to the more serious business of discussing his exit storyline from EastEnders.
In Monday’s show, viewers watched in horror as Shakil and his friend Keegan were stabbed by a gang over a stolen bike.
It’s already been revealed that Shakil will not survive and his final scenes will air later this week.
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Shaheen said he felt “blessed” to have been given “such an incredible storyline” that’s inspired by London’s real life knife problem.
He told Holly and Phil how he worked with former EastEnders actress Brooke Kinsella on the plot, after she lost her brother, Ben, in real life when he was stabbed.
Shaheen said: “It is such a huge issue. The Ben Kinsella Trust worked closely with us to ensure we got the details right.”
Speaking of how he feels to be leaving the soap, he said: “It’s going to be weird – I’ve been there for two years now and made so many incredible friends and memories.
“All good things come to an end and it is the nature of these shows that people come and go.”
Teasing his final scenes, he said: “Friday will be the end for Shakil. Tonight’s episode you see him wandering round trying to get help but unfortunately that does not happen.
“You get to see the gory details of how serious this issue is which is so important at the minute.”
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