George Knight (EastEnders)
| George Knight | |||||||||||||||||||||
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| EastEnders character | |||||||||||||||||||||
| File:George Knight (2024).jpg | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Portrayed by | Colin Salmon | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Duration | 2023–present | ||||||||||||||||||||
| First appearance | Episode 6708 1 June 2023 | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Classification | Present; regular | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Introduced by | Chris Clenshaw | ||||||||||||||||||||
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George Knight is a fictional character in the BBC soap opera EastEnders and is portrayed by Colin Salmon. George made his first appearance in episode 6708, originally broadcast on 1 June 2023. The character and Salmon's casting details were announced on 28 March 2023. George is introduced as part of the Knight family, who buy into The Queen Victoria pub, a focal setting in the soap. The family consist of patriarch George, his two daughters Gina Knight (Francesca Henry) and Anna Knight (Molly Rainford), and their pet Chihuahua, Tyson. George's partner Elaine Peacock (Harriet Thorpe), who is the mother of Linda Carter (Kellie Bright), is also introduced with the family.
Creation and development
Characterisation and casting
The castings of Molly Rainford as Anna Knight, Francesca Henry as Gina Knight, and Salmon as George Knight were all announced on 28 March 2023.[1] The recast of Harriet Thorpe as Elaine Peacock was also announced that day.[1] George is introduced as the partner of Elaine who both buy shares into the pub.[1] George is characterised as "a tough-talking and fiercely protective doting dad".[1] Salmon called his character "a true East End gentleman", which he identified with, having been born in the East End of London.[1] Chris Clenshaw, the show's executive producer, described George as "a charming rogue and an old-school gent".[1][2] He explained that the family have been "bound together for years" and moving to the show's setting of Walford creates "the fresh-start the Knights are looking for".[1] Salmon expressed his excitement at joining the cast and looked forward to exploring his character. He commented, "I have a great affinity and love for the show and I look forward to being part of the great legacy."[1] Clenshaw expressed his delight at casting a "hugely talented group of actors" and looked forward to their first scenes airing.[1] Salmon began filming in March 2023.[3]
Introduction & backstory
Cindy Beale
In the episode broadcast on 21 June 2023, viewers learn that George was previously married to Cindy Beale (Michelle Collins) under the pretence of 'Rose Sawyer/Rose Knight'[4] as she is in witness protection for conspiring to kill former husband Ian Beale (Adam Woodyatt).[5][6] They later marry and Cindy soon becomes pregnant with George's first daughter, Gina Knight (Kristen-Leigh Petit/Francesca Henry) and she gave birth to Gina on 13 February 2001, soon followed by a second pregnancy resulting in the birth of the pairs final daughter Anna Knight (Kimara-Mai Petit/Molly Rainford) on 28 August 2002.[6][7] A flashback episode was aired showing Cindy discovering the murder of her daughter Lucy Beale (Hetti Bywater).[5] Cindy had never told George any real information on her former life in Walford. She left and returned to the square the same night Ian had found out[5] (see Who Killed Lucy Beale?), but is quickly stopped by DCI Mary Nicholls (Penny Layden) who claims if Cindy is to return to George and her daughters, they can not guarantee any of their safety.[5] Cindy assumed Lucy was killed by the Ford family in vengeance for her plea bargain that she had taken in 1998, so she decided to not return to Marbella.[5]
Identity storyline
Baby farming
The decision to introduce a character of a conflicted national identity was supported by Clenshaw.[8] The show aimed for accuracy, so consulted with multiple people from similar situations to George.[8] The arrival of Eddie and Gloria Knight (Christopher Fairbank and Elizabeth Counsell) proves a surprise for George and they are introduced with a secret. Clenshaw teased that Eddie and Gloria would be "thrust into the heart of the drama" upon their introduction.[9] Fairbank expressed his joy at joining the show and working with the cast. Clenshaw was excited about the casting of the "legendary and immensely talented" Fairbank and Counsell.[9] Producers used the characters of Eddie, Gloria and George to explore the topic of baby farming. To ensure the story was portrayed sensitively and accurately, the show worked with experts and those with lived experiences of farming.[8] Through the story, Eddie's "racist ideologies" are also examined and result in clashes with his family.[8] Clenshaw added that the story would challenge George "to question the identity his parents gave him from childhood as he discovers the true means by which he was adopted".[8]
“EastEnders has a rich history of telling challenging yet truthful stories which reflect past and present events. George Knight’s storyline will force him to question the identity his parents gave him from childhood as he discovers the true means by which he was adopted. It was imperative that we worked with experts and people with lived experience of Baby farming to ensure the storyline is handled as sensitively and as accurately as possible.”[8]
– Clenshaw on George's identity storyline (2023)
As New Year's Day arrives, George's adoptive parents, Eddie (Christopher Fairbank) and Gloria Knight (Elizabeth Counsell), make their way to Walford.[10] Cindy hastily flees upon spotting Eddie, leading to a revelation for George. He discovers that Eddie and Gloria were compensated to adopt him by his birth parents.[11] Overwhelmed and devastated, George confronts Elaine, sparking an argument as he hesitates to share his feelings.[12] Seeking solace, George turns to Cindy, who assists him in researching his background. Uncovering articles about white British families in the 1960s buying African children, Cindy and George realize George's likely African heritage, contrary to his previous belief of being Jamaican. George eventually opens up to Elaine about his struggles, leading to reconciliation. During this tumultuous period, George questions Eddie about his ethnicity, prompting Eddie to reveal that Gloria orchestrated the adoption. Gloria admits George's family was African but refrains from divulging more details, a decision Eddie supports.[10] Gloria says that she only met George's father and they paid them for six months before he "disappeared", Gloria later asks Eddie if they should tell George the rest of the secret but Eddie insistently declines.[13] Eddie invites George and his family to a party with his friends.[14] During the party, one of Eddie's friend's tells George that Eddie murdered a black man and needs George to be his character witness.[15] It was then announced on 6 February 2024 that George would feature in a special episode conspiring around his childhood, adolescence and confronting Eddie in the process.[16] It featured an extended episode transmission and the truth about Eddie's actions was all revealed in episode 6857, originally broadcast on 14 February 2024.[17] George begins to do his research and discovers Eddie's murder victim was called Henry Asare and he was beaten to death by Eddie and his racist acquaintances almost 40 years prior in 1984 and he was placed in a suitcase (already deceased), but his body was found in a canal by a dog walker in late 2023.[18][19] George confronts Eddie and explains what he witnessed Eddie and his friends killing Henry.[19][20] George accuses Eddie of killing Henry because he's racist but Gloria tells George the truth - Henry was George's biological father and he wanted to obtain George back.[19] Gloria reveals that she begged Eddie to do what ever it may have taken to keep George and this resulted in Henry's murder.[19] The next day, Gloria begs George for forgiveness but George refuses to forgive her.[21] George initially rejects being Eddie's character witness. He later visits Eddie and Gloria due to Elaine & Cindy's meddling and he gives him an ultimatum[22] – if he stands in court and gives Eddie a character witness statement he would give George information on his birth family and heritage.[23]
Testifying in court & Gloria's death
George then agrees to be Eddie's character witness. He stands in court after giving them a positive statement on Eddie, later to say the complete opposite.[24] Whilst in court, he sets his eyes on a woman in the courtroom, Angela Lawal (Susan Anderin).[25] He initially presumes that she is his biological mother.[25] As he has no leads to who this woman is, he asks Johnny Carter (Charlie Suff) to find the woman, which he does and he then gives George her number and address.[26] She then visits the pub after George leaves a voicemail.[27] She reveals his mother was called Margaret Abena Asare and that George has two brothers.[28] She couldn't speak about George as it was too painful. In April 2024, a week of episodes contributed to Eddie and George's court scenes. In episode 6890, originally broadcast on 11 April 2024, Eddie had been found guilty and is sentenced to prison.[29] Whilst leaving the courtroom, Gloria was rejected by George and she then suffered a severe heart attack that affected her heart and was incurable.[30] She later died with George by her side, after finding out that Eddie was sentenced to life.[31][32] Eddie then banishes and refuses George having access or attending her funeral.[33]
Storylines
George arrives in Walford with his daughters, Gina (Francesca Henry) and Anna (Molly Rainford), introducing himself to Linda Carter at The Queen Vic.[34] He reveals he's Elaine Peacock's (Harriet Thorpe) boyfriend, planning to run the Vic with her.[34][35] Linda, unaware of Elaine's relationship, becomes furious, accusing George of having ulterior motives and seeking Elaine's money as he owns his own bar in Marbella. Despite Linda's doubts, George proposes to Elaine, and despite her initially turning him down, she later accepts and they announce their engagement, causing Gina to feel like George has forgotten her mother. He assures her that he hasn't. Linda's suspicions grow when George brings a safe into the pub, and she confronts him about not intending to sell his bar in Marbella, valued at £255,000. George raises further suspicion when Linda discovers letters from his ex-wife, Rose, and sees him acting suspiciously with a ring bearing her name.[36] This causes Linda to enlist Phil Mitchell (Steve McFadden) and Callum Highway (Tony Clay) to investigate about Rose.[37] The investigation reveals Rose is a fake identity, and that she is actually Cindy Beale (Michelle Collins).[36] Linda apologizes, but George remains hesitant about partnering with Phil. George's curiosity leads him to uncover the truth about Rose, planning a trip to Marbella under false pretenses. When the girls learn about Rose, Gina, initially resistant, confronts Elaine, leading to a tumultuous reaction. Gina's subsequent erratic behavior involves stealing money, buying cocaine, and using it. Blaming George for Rose's departure due to a heated argument, the girls express fury and contemplate moving out. However, Elaine convinces them to stay. The Knights discover £200 missing, and Anna confesses secretly to Gina, claiming she took the money to hire a private investigator to find their mother.[38] Despite Gina's fury, Anna proceeds with the investigation. George discloses his attempts to contact Cindy, the Knights' mother, who remains indifferent. Anna's emotional reaction leads to a heart-to-heart discussion among George, Gina, and Elaine, resulting in their decision to support Anna. A voicemail from Anna reaches Cindy's son, Peter Beale (Thomas Law), who returns to Walford to meet his previously unknown sisters. An unexpected revelation during Anna's 21st birthday party at The Vic involves Cindy's unexpected appearance, exposing lies about the sisters still being in Spain. Cindy's strained attempt to reconnect leads to rejection. Gina later suffers from a drug overdose and is hospitalized. George prohibits Cindy from seeing Gina during her hospitalization.[39] Cindy discovers from Anna that George plans to sell their bar in Marbella.[40] She confides in Ian, expressing her intention to demand half of the sale proceeds from George. When Cindy confronts George about her share, he reluctantly agrees.[41] During their interaction, Cindy kisses George, but he withdraws.[40] When Elaine finds out about the alleged kiss George insists that Cindy initiated it.[37] Though Elaine forgives George, she requests proof of his commitment. George asserts to Cindy that he won't give her half of the Marbella bar in front of Elaine, but George covertly transfers half of the money to Cindy, leading to an agreement for civility among George, Elaine, and Cindy.[41] Tension arises between Elaine and George as a result of his discreet financial dealings with Cindy, causing strain in their relationship. Linda steps in, drawing from her own experiences, urging Elaine to give George another chance and highlighting the importance of family. The return of Dean Wicks (Matt Di Angelo) further complicates matters, as he sexually assaulted Linda in 2014, leading to an intense confrontation in which George defends Linda. A fire at the café results in Peter's hospitalization, prompting George to advise Cindy to prioritize support for Peter over escalating issues with Kathy Cotton (Gillian Taylforth), the owner of the café.[42] In support of Linda, Gina spray paints "rapist" on the Beale's Eels window. Thinking Linda is responsible, Dean confronts her but George intervenes, leading to an altercation where George pushes Dean down the stairs, knocking him out.[42] When he wakes up, Linda persuades Dean not to involve the police. On Christmas Day, George and Elaine's plans with Anna and Gina take an unexpected turn when the daughters choose to spend the holiday with Cindy, and while they initially visit the Beales, they opt to stay at a hotel.
In January 2024, George's adoptive parents Eddie (Christopher Fairbank) and Gloria Knight (Elizabeth Counsell) arrive in Walford and reveal that he was adopted illegally through baby farming. He also learns that his biological parents may not have been Jamaican as he had been led to believe, but West African migrants from Ghana. Eddie soon returns and wants to make amends with George. However, George finds out that Eddie is only using him so he can provide a witness statement, as Eddie is on trial for a racially motivated murder. George discovers that Eddie is on suspicion of murdering a Ghanaian man, Henry Kofi Asare, and dumping his body in a canal. George confronts Eddie and realises that he is guilty of the crime and that Henry Kofi Asare, was his biological father. It is revealed that Henry came to collect George, however, Eddie and a few other associates beat him to death to make Gloria happy that she could keep George. Disgusted, George disowns his adoptive parents. Later, Elaine and Cindy convince him to go to court to give his witness statement as he is the only witness. After, the judge decides to take a 15 minute break and outside the courtroom, Gloria is unconscious with George finding her. Finally, George accompanies Gloria as she passes away.
See also
References
- ^ a b c d e f g h i "Colin Salmon, Harriet Thorpe, Francesca Henry and Molly Rainford join EastEnders". BBC Media Centre. 28 Mar 2023.
- ^ "New BBC EastEnders family announced - starring Strictly Come Dancing and James Bond stars". Birmingham Live. 28 Mar 2023.
- ^ Salmon, Colin [@colinsalmon24] (29 March 2023). "Second day @bbceastenders and the cast and crew have been stellar in welcoming the Knight family. Big scene, full pub, stand and deliver. #ActingChops who says this is easy? Not me. Fun yes but easy? I don't think so. #ShortFormDrama" (Tweet). Retrieved 2 April 2023 – via Twitter.
- ^ Spackman, Maisie (3 August 2023). "Anna and Gina's vow ahead of Cindy Beale return". Metro.
- ^ a b c d e Tutton, Charlotte (29 August 2023). "EastEnders' Cindy secretly returned to Walford nine years ago as past scene re-aired". Mirror.
- ^ a b Westbrook, Caroline (28 August 2023). "Cindy Beale's big comeback: Why has the Icon spent 25 years in Witness Protection?". Metro.
- ^ "EastEnders' epic Cindy Beale return was a true gift from the soap gods". Radio Times. 31 August 2023.
- ^ a b c d e f "EastEnders to air identity storyline involving George Knight". BBC Media Centre. 29 Dec 2023.
- ^ a b Knight, Lewis (10 December 2023). "EastEnders casts British sitcom legends as George Knight's parents". Radio Times. Retrieved 10 December 2023.
- ^ a b "EastEnders teases more trouble for George Knight with hidden secrets". Radio Times. 4 Jan 2024.
- ^ "EastEnders: Patrick is George Knight's dad, fans predict". Entertainment Daily. 6 Jan 2024.
- ^ "EastEnders' George Knight makes another surprising discovery". Digital Spy. 3 Jan 2023.
- ^ Spackman, Maisie (5 January 2024). "Eddie and Gloria's dark secret revealed but there's another much worse to come". Metro.
- ^ Kilkelly, Daniel. "George discovers Eddie's agenda". Digital Spy.
- ^ Tutton, Charlotte (5 February 2024). "BBC EastEnders murder shock as George Knight learns tragic news as truth about childhood revealed". Mirror.
- ^ Dainty, Sophie (6 February 2024). "EastEnders confirms special episode for George Knight story". Digital Spy.
- ^ Knight, Lewis (6 February 2024). "EastEnders schedules special extended episode for George Knight story". Radio Times.
- ^ Spackman, Maisie (13 February 2024). "George Knight rattled by shock discovery about the victim of his dad's racist murder". Metro.
- ^ a b c d Allday, Jasmine (14 February 2024). "What happened to Henry Kofi Asare on EastEnders? Truth about George Knight's dad revealed". Mirror.
- ^ Spackman, Maisie (20 February 2024). "George Knight makes final decision over brutal murder as he receives advice from unlikely source". Metro.
- ^ Kilkelly, Daniel. "George rejects Eddie and Gloria". Digital Spy.
- ^ Kilkelly, Daniel (5 March 2024). "George receives an ultimatum from Eddie". Digital Spy.
- ^ Spackman, Maisie (9 March 2024). "Murderer Eddie Knight's new vile act against broken son George". Metro.
- ^ Kilkelly, Daniel (10 March 2024). "George heads to court". Digital Spy.
- ^ a b Spackman, Maisie (12 March 2024). "Major EastEnders courtroom twist as George Knight makes shock discovery". Metro.
- ^ Knight, Lewis (13 March 2024). "EastEnders airs birth family revelations for George Knight in early BBC iPlayer release". Radio Times.
- ^ Spackman, Maisie (13 March 2024). "EastEnders confirms devastating death as resident is left reeling by tragic news". Metro.
- ^ Harp, Justin (13 March 2024). "EastEnders reveals mystery character's identity in George Knight story". Digital Spy.
- ^ Spackman, Maisie (11 April 2024). "The verdict is in as EastEnders confirms racist Eddie Knight's fate". Metro.
- ^ Denby, Laura (10 April 2024). "EastEnders' Gloria Knight collapses after court outburst - will she survive?". Radio Times.
- ^ Dainty, Sophie (11 April 2024). "EastEnders airs tragic death in early iPlayer release". Digital Spy.
- ^ Daly, Helen (11 April 2024). "EastEnders airs heartbreaking death in early iPlayer release". Radio Times.
- ^ Dainty, Sophie (13 April 2024). "EastEnders' George Knight gets more devastating news after Gloria death". Digital Spy.
- ^ a b "EastEnders' George Knight wins Walford over - but what is he hiding?". Radio Times. 1 Jun 2023.
- ^ "EastEnders spoilers: Rose Knight mystery to be solved this month". Radio Times. 8 Jun 2023.
- ^ a b "EastEnders' Anna Knight learns of 'Rose' mystery as Cindy story continues". Radio Times. 26 Jun 2023.
- ^ a b "Who is Cindy Beale aka George's wife Rose Knight in EastEnders?". Metro. 22 Jun 2023.
- ^ "EastEnders' Molly Rainford on Anna Knight stealing to find 'Rose Knight'". Radio Times. 25 Jul 2023.
- ^ "EastEnders cliffhanger sees Gina Knight in tragic collapse". Digital Spy. 30 Aug 2023.
- ^ a b "EastEnders airs big twist for scheming Cindy in early BBC iPlayer release". Radio Times. 27 Sep 2023.
- ^ a b "EastEnders spoilers: Elaine makes Cindy pay as her cheating with George is discovered". Metro. 28 Sep 2023.
- ^ a b "EastEnders spoilers: George in deep danger as his secret is revealed following deadly twist". Metro. 19 Nov 2023.