fame quest
EastEnders newcomer Elijah Holloway’s secret brush with fame on reality show where he clashed with Walford legend
His comment did not appear to go down well with the former soap star
NEW EastEnders actor Elijah Holloway had an awkward clash with a Walford legend years before being confirmed to appear on the BBC soap opera.
Elijah's casting was confirmed yesterday when it was revealed that he would become one of the latest members of the Mitchell crew.
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EastEnders confirmed that the famed Albert Sqaure family would be expanding with a brand new secret branch of Mitchell's.
The family will be relatives of Stevie Mitchell, played by Alan Ford, who made his show debut as Billy Mitchell's estranged father earlier this year.
Show newcomer Elijah will play the role of Harry Mitchell but it won't actually be the first time the actor has been linked to a star of the soap.
In his bid for fame, Elijah auditioned for forgotten BBC talent search Let It Shine in 2017.
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Aged just 18 at the time, he was introduced to the show's A-list panel as a luxury perfume seller who spent his days cnvincing "rich customers" to buy products off him.
Before singing for the panel, which consisted of The X Factor judge and I Kissed A Boy host Dannii Minouge, Glee star and musical theatre actress Amber Riley, Take That frontman Gary Barlow and Spandau Ballet musician and es-EastEnders star Martin Kemp, he attempted to show off some of his sales patter.
Elijah began to describe the types of perfumes he would offer up to the judges in an attempt to show off his personality.
Whilst it seemingly got off to a good start, things quickly went sour with Elijah likely wishing that he had never even bothered.
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Addressing the first three judges, Elijah said: "I'd say Amber, you're looking for a spicy rich fragrance. Gary, you're looking for something floral. Light. Like yourself.
""I'd say Dannii, you're definitely looking for something elegant, quite sophisticated."
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However, when it came to the former Steve Owen actor Martin, the pair appeared to clash after Martin believed Elijah branded his soap acting "wooden".
The ferociously awkward moment saw Elijah tell martin that he needed a "wooden" fragrance.
Amid gasps from the audience at the apparent dig, the judging panel reacted in shock as Martin quipped back: "I know I was in EastEnders for a while but that's below the belt I thought!"
Attempting to cover up the faux pas, Elijah flapped and scrambled as he said in response: "And by wooden I mean mature and elegant."
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Thankfully it is unlikely that the pair will be running into each other in Walford any time soon after Steve was killed off from the show more than 20 years ago.
Elijah will be making his debut on EastEnders in the next few months.
In upcoming scenes, tensions between Billy and Stevie will run high, as Teddy Mitchell confesses he is Billy’s half-brother, meaning there is a branch of the Mitchell family previously unknown to Billy and Phil.
Roland Manookian, who is best-known for his roles in The Football Factory, RocknRolla and The Rise of the Footsoldier franchise, will be taking on the role of Teddy.
Joining him is Elijah Holloway as Harry and Lewis Bridgeman as younger brother Barney.
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Discussing the new Mitchells, Executive Producer Chris Clenshaw said: "I’m delighted to welcome Roland, Elijah and Lewis to EastEnders as we bring a new branch of the iconic Mitchell family to the Square.
“The arrival of Teddy, Harry and Barney will be a seismic shock for Billy and an unwelcome surprise for Phil. With their arrival sparking more questions than answers, it’s not long before the Mitchells find themselves at war as Teddy and his sons are thrust into the heart of the drama.”
Elijah Holloway added: "It's a massive privilege to join a British institution like EastEnders, and to be playing a Mitchell makes it even more exciting.
“We've been given such a warm welcome, and it's unbelievable to be turning up to work in Walford every day.
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“Harry has a lot of charm and swagger, but he's got a bit of a temper, too.
“He can’t resist trouble, or the ladies, so he’s ready to shake things up in typical Mitchell style!"
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