Colin Salmon's journey from Hollywood to EastEnders amid family health struggles

Eastenders: Gloria tragically dies during final moments with George

Colin Salmon, who joined the EastEnders cast as George Knight in June 2023, has already made a significant impact on the BBC One soap. The character of George, a former boxer, was reunited with his supposedly dead wife Cindy Beale (portrayed by Michelle Collins) after it was revealed she had been living under witness protection for nine years, having faked her death 25 years ago.

Despite a frosty reunion initially, the estranged couple appears to have made amends and are now neighbours, growing closer on several occasions.

However, George was soon confronted with another revelation when his adoptive parents Gloria (Elizabeth Counsell) and Eddie (Christopher Fairbank) arrived in Walford, disclosing that he was taken through a process known as farming.

George has since learned that his biological father was murdered by Eddie, who is now incarcerated, while his real mother also died just four months before he attempted to locate her.

But in upcoming EastEnders scenes, George is reunited with his estranged brothers, but do the siblings get along?

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George Knight has won the hearts of EastEnders fans over the past year (Image: BBC/Jack Barnes/Kieron McCarron)

As we explore more of George's backstory in future episodes, let's take a look at actor Colin Salmon's life away from the BBC One soap.

Colin, 62, is a true East End lad, born and raised in Bethnal Green. He embarked on an acting career in the early 1990s and played DS Robert Oswalde for two episodes of Prime Suspect 2 in 1992, before making an appearance in Lovejoy.

Star of the hit series Soldier Soldier, Colin has gone on to stamp his mark on the silver screen with notable roles in not one, but three James Bond films including Tomorrow Never Dies, The World is Not Enough, and Die Another Day, gracing the character of Charles Robinson with his talents.

Colin's acting credits don't stop there as he's been a mainstay in some of the UK's most beloved TV series over the last thirty years with appearances in Midsomer Murders, Silent Witness, 24: Live Another Day, Law & Order UK, Death in Paradise, Doctor Who, Secret Diary of a Call Girl, and Judge John Deed.

George Knight meets new family members in forthcoming episodes (Image: BBC/Jack Barnes/Kieron McCarron)

But that's not all, Colin's film repertoire boasts of blockbusters such as London Has Fallen and Resident Evil, along with cult favourites like Blood: The Last Vampire.

The versatile actor even took to the dance floor on Strictly Come Dancing's tenth series, paired with the talented Kristina Rihanoff, though their run came to an end in Week five against Richard Arnold in a tense "dance-off".

On the home front, Colin has been married since 1988 to the multitalented artist Fiona Hawthorne, the couple share four children: Sasha, Rudi, Eden, and Ben.

Fiona's remarkable journey includes a Northern Irish birth, a Hong Kong upbringing, and a career that spans across London and New York.

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Colin has been married to wife Fiona for 35 years (Image: Photo by Jeff Spicer/Getty Images for Universal Pictures)

Colin, who joined the cast of EastEnders last year, previously shared his reasons for taking on the role, revealing that he "can't be far from home" due to his wife's health condition.

Speaking at an EastEnders event with OK!, Colin admitted that his wife Fiona's illness played a part in his decision to join the soap.

Fiona was diagnosed with interstitial lung disease, a rare lung condition, and now relies on an oxygen tank.

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When asked about what attracted him to the show, Colin credited executive producer Chris Clenshaw, before adding: "My wife's not well so I can't be far from home and so the universe has brought something quite extraordinary and my agent said, I think you should talk to Chris.

"Chris was passionate, he was clear, he was progressive, had a vision, and a clear and clear love for the show. And the people who watch it.

"So I find that to be the requisite for any job. I just like to work with people who are passionate because we give 100 percent. When we jump, we jump. That's the rule. So to have somebody like guiding us, it's really important."

Colin Salmon's journey from Hollywood to EastEnders amid family health struggles

Colin Salmon's journey from Hollywood to EastEnders amid family health struggles

Colin Salmon's journey from Hollywood to EastEnders amid family health struggles

Colin Salmon's journey from Hollywood to EastEnders amid family health struggles

Colin Salmon's journey from Hollywood to EastEnders amid family health struggles