EastEnders star Jonny Freeman 'set to leave role' as secret killer Reiss Colwell
Killer Reiss Colwell’s reign of terror is reportedly coming to an end.
Actor Jonny Freeman is reportedly leaving his role as killer Reiss Colwell in EastEnders.
The BBC One soap opera has been airing the storyline with Reiss’s dark side since last summer but it looks like his dark actions will catch up with him.
The Sun reports that cast members attended Freeman's leaving party near the show’s production home in Elstree and Borehamwood.
Among cast members photographed and reported to be in attendance were Natalie Cassidy (Sonia Fowler), Charlie Suff (Johnny Carter), and Aaliyah James (Avant Nandra-Hart).
Freeman debuted on EastEnders as a relation of the late Dot Branning (June Brown) for her funeral in December 2022 but later Reiss became a love interest of the long-running character Sonia and provided some comic relief with his awkward interactions opposite iconic Walford residents.
The BBC declined to comment on the report of Freeman's exit when approached by RadioTimes.com.
Reiss’s storyline has been picked up in recent episodes as his pregnant fiancée Sonia is facing the charge of murder for the death of his wife Debbie Colwell (Jenny Meir).
Of course, fans know that Reiss is responsible for Debbie’s murder but they aren’t the only ones as Sonia’s suspicious sister Bianca Jackson (Patsy Palmer) uncovered evidence of his guilt in November before Reiss attacked and imprisoned her in a storage containment facility.
In Thursday’s episode, Bianca attempted to escape by feigning a medical emergency and then attacking Reiss but was unable to defeat him.
Coming episodes will no doubt reveal Sonia’s legal fate but also whether Bianca will ever break free from Reiss’s grasp.
As fans gear up for what is sure to be a dramatic run of episodes for the soap’s 40th anniversary in February, it looks like Reiss’s desperate crimes will be one of the stories that could take centre stage.
Next week, following the latest twists and turns in Sonia’s case, Reiss plays another visit to Bianca and she tries to convince him to confess to his crimes before coming up with an all-new plan.
Will Reiss go along with what Bianca suggests and will it earn both Sonia and her their freedom?
Read more:
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- EastEnders confirms 40th anniversary documentary with Ross Kemp and 2 iconic former stars
- Why EastEnders must not resurrect Grant Mitchell and Sharon Watts's romance
- EastEnders airs tribute to iconic Peggy Mitchell line in early iPlayer episode
- EastEnders 2025 preview: 12 spoilers for the year ahead
- 8 EastEnders characters who should have a huge 2025 - from Ravi Gulati to Nicola Mitchell
EastEnders airs Monday to Thursday at 7:30pm on BBC One and from 6am on BBC iPlayer.
Visit our dedicated EastEnders page for all the latest news, interviews and spoilers. If you’re looking for more to watch, check out our TV Guide and Streaming Guide.
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Lewis Knight is the Trends Editor for Radio Times, covering trending titles from TV, Film and more. He previously worked at The Mirror in TV, Film, and Showbiz coverage alongside work on SEO. Alongside his past work in advertising, he possesses a BSc in Psychology and an MA in Film Studies.
