Reiss could have looked very different!
Josh Widdicombe has revealed quite the shocking admission that may come as a surprise to soap fans.
During a TV appearance, the comedian explained that he had been asked to audition for the role of Sonia Fowler's (Natalie Cassidy) new boyfriend on EastEnders, but he didn't take it as well as hoped...
Featuring on a recent episode of Pointless, Josh revealed he was asked to audition for the EastEnders role, after Natalie Cassidy was one of the answers to a question.
"About a year ago, I got asked to play Sonia's new boyfriend," he said. "They described him as a nerd. And they emailed my agent and said, 'Thought this would be perfect for Josh!' Can you believe that? I've never been so offended in my life!"
The boyfriend in question is none other than Reiss Colwell, who is currently played by Jonny Freeman.
Reiss is quite the comedic character, despite harbouring a massive secret - that he stole money from his wife, who requires full-time care after a severe stroke.
In recent scenes, Reiss and Sonia have been trying to have a baby through IVF, and she has discovered she is pregnant!
It is Jonny Freeman's portrayal of Reiss that has seen him nominated for the Best Comedy Performance award at the RadioTimes.com Soap Awards 2024!
As for why he was nominated, "Freeman's portrayal is delicate and never over-played, meaning Reiss's one-liners sit with you for days, not moments.
"Furthermore, he's been able to flex into a more serious storyline as Sonia and Reiss try to conceive via IVF, showing light in what could be a taxing storyline."
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Katelyn Mensah is the Entertainment and Factual Writer for Radio Times, covering all major entertainment programmes, reality TV shows and the latest hard-hitting documentaries. She previously worked at The Tab, with a focus on reality TV and showbiz news and has obtained a BA (Hons) in Journalism.
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