EastEnders casts British sitcom legend as Reiss confronted by Debbie's parents
He's got a lot of explaining to do.
![Hugh and Brenda Hugh and Brenda are in a hospital looking confused.](https://images.immediate.co.uk/production/volatile/sites/3/2024/07/eastenders-debbie-parents-f5f0fb0.jpg?quality=90&resize=980,654)
It's safe to say that EastEnders' Reiss Colwell (played by Jonny Freeman) is in a bit of a pickle.
Having just murdered his comatose wife, Debbie, Reiss has a huge secret he needs to keep to himself, but that's going to get harder and harder to do as the guilt of his actions sets in.
But next week, the weight of Debbie's death feels even heavier when her parents arrive with plenty of questions.
What they weren't expecting, however, was meeting Sonia and finding out she's Reiss's girlfriend!
That's sure to throw the cat among the pigeons as they dissect what that could mean for how their daughter suddenly died.
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EastEnders is welcoming Nichola McAuliffe as Brenda Collins and Michael Bertenshaw as Hugh Collins, making up Debbie's parental unit.
![Reiss and Sonia Reiss and Sonia look pensively while in a hospital](https://images.immediate.co.uk/production/volatile/sites/3/2024/07/eastenders-reiss-8525930.jpg?quality=90&fit=700,466)
Nichola McAuliffe is best known for her sitcom role as Sheila Sabatini in the ITV hospital comedy Surgical Spirit, while also boasting an Olivier Award for her stage work in Kiss Me, Kate!
So, how will Reiss get out of this one?
Earlier in the month, RadioTimes.com caught up with Freeman at the RadioTimes.com Soap Awards, sponsored by Inspired Villages, who explained that Reiss isn't evil, he's just in an untenable situation.
He said: "There's a sense of it being darker, but what we all try and do on all the soaps is try and reflect real life. People behave differently under different circumstances.
"Rather than the darker side of Reiss, it's the same character but obviously the circumstances have changed, and he's perhaps making mistakes to get out of them.
"Like anyone under huge pressure, one mistake is made and it can start to unravel, so I think that's what we're seeing with Reiss.
"Rather than a darker side, I think the essence of the character is the same but the circumstances are getting a bit more complicated."
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EastEnders airs Monday to Thursday at 7:30pm on BBC One and from 6am on BBC iPlayer.
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