EastEnders actress Bonnie Langford talks about soap's decision to include real-life accounts: 'There's nothing more truthful and honest'

The actress championed the BBC's break in format
Devastated: Carmel Kazemi is trying to come to terms with her loss
BBC
Natasha Sporn4 July 2018

EastEnders actress Bonnie Langford has said that she found her recent soap storyline “intriguing” as her character prepares to bury her son during a heartbreaking episode.

Langford, who plays Carmel Kazemi in the long-running soap, was left devastated in May after her son Shakil was fatally stabbed.

And in an emotional episode to air Friday, Carmel will battle with her emotions as she joins family and friends to say goodbye to her youngest child.

In a first for the soap opera, the episode will feature real-life accounts from parents of knife crime victims within the 30-minute programme, a move Langford described as "passing the mantle" on telling the story to the real-life contributors.

Emotional: The heartbreaking episode airs on Friday 6 July
BBC

Talking about the decision to involve the special contributors in the episode, the actress said: “When they first told me, I found it absolutely intriguing and exciting because it’s unknown but also at the same time I realised it needed to be handled sensitively and carefully.

"There is that very strange dividing line about ‘how are we going to separate art from real life?’

“Although we’re in a soap and it’s very much following reality as much as possible, we are actors.

“We’re not trying to preach but I think to put the special contributors adds the gravitas to say ‘look, we’re not trying to sensationalise something that’s so difficult, let it speak for itself. There’s nothing more truthful and honest and heartbreaking to see.”

Langford also admitted that it was “very draining” and that “her daughter was getting so many hugs” while she was filming the emotional storyline.

EastEnders: Carmel and Kush, played by Bonnie Langford and Davood Ghadami, at Shakil's funeral
BBC

Davood Ghadami, who plays on-screen son Kush, agreed that the special format of the episode had been a “step into the unknown”, going against the “formulas” that he is used to as a soap actor.

He added: “We’re so used to statistics being thrown at us, it’s in the news a lot and that tells you how current the story it.

“But this is the first time I had a sense of the real human effect when you meet real families who have been devastated by this.”

EastEnders will air on BBC One on Friday July 6 at 9.15pm.

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