George Knight (EastEnders)
| George Knight | |||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| EastEnders character | |||||||||||||||||||
| File:George Knight EastEnders.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 from the BBC soap opera EastEnders, played by Colin Salmon. The character and Salmon's casting details were announced on 28 March 2023, with the character making their first appearance in Episode 6708, broadcast on 1 June 2023.[1]
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.[1] Salmon began filming in March 2023.[2]
Storylines
George arrives in Walford with his daughters, Gina (Francesca Henry) and Anna (Molly Rainford), introducing himself to Linda Carter at The Queen Vic.[3] He reveals he's Elaine Peacock's (Harriet Thorpe) boyfriend, planning to run the Vic with her.[3][4] 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.[5] This causes Linda to enlist Phil Mitchell (Steve McFadden) and Callum Highway (Tony Clay) to investigate about Rose.[6] The investigation reveals Rose is a fake identity, and that she is actually Cindy Beale (Michelle Collins).[5] 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.
On July 31, 2023, 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.[7] 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.[8] Cindy discovers from Anna that George plans to sell their bar in Marbella.[9] 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.[10] During their interaction, Cindy kisses George, but he withdraws.[9] When Elaine finds out about the alleged kiss George insists that Cindy initiated it.[6] 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.[10]
On October 30, 2023, 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.[11] In support of Linda, Gina spray paints "rapist" on the Beale's Eels window. Thinking Linda was responsible, Dean confronts her but George intervenes in it, leading to an altercation where George pushes Dean down the stairs, knocking him out.[11] 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 Beale's, they opt to stay at a hotel.
As New Year's Day arrives, George's adoptive parents, Eddie (Christopher Fairbank) and Gloria Knight (Elizabeth Counsell), make their way to Walford.[12] 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.[13] Overwhelmed and devastated, George confronts Elaine, sparking an argument as he hesitates to share his feelings.[14] 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.[12]
Creation and development
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][15] 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]
The decision to introduce a character of a conflicted national identity was supported by Clenshaw, stating: “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 farming to ensure the storyline is handled as sensitively and as accurately as possible.”[16] The show aimed for accuracy, so consulted with multiple people from similar situations to George.[16]
See also
References
- ^ a b c d e f g h "Colin Salmon, Harriet Thorpe, Francesca Henry and Molly Rainford join EastEnders". BBC Media Centre. 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.
- ^ 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.
- ^ 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.
- ^ "New BBC EastEnders family announced - starring Strictly Come Dancing and James Bond stars". Birmingham Live. 28 Mar 2023.
- ^ a b "EastEnders to air identity storyline involving George Knight". BBC Media Centre. 29 Dec 2023.