EastEnders newcomer's clash with former Walford icon uncovered

EastEnders newcomer Elijah Holloway, who has just stepped into the role of Harry Mitchell in the BBC One soap, had an unforgettable encounter with a former Albert Square icon on a BBC talent show years before his current gig.

The fresh faces of the Mitchells made their entrance this week as Teddy (portrayed by Roland Manookian) sought out his father Stevie (played by Alan Ford). While Elijah is now known for his part in EastEnders, he's also a singer and took a shot at a music career back in 2017.

Elijah, then 18, took to the stage on the BBC's short-lived talent competition Let It Shine, where he worked as a luxury perfume seller by day, charming "rich customers" into purchasing fragrances.

The judges' table was graced by a lineup of stars including The X Factor's Dannii Minogue, Glee's Amber Riley, Take That frontman Gary Barlow, and Spandau Ballet's Martin Kemp, who EastEnders fans will remember as Steve Owen.

During his performance, Elijah tried to impress the judges with some of his sales techniques, describing the kind of perfumes he'd recommend. He seemed to be winning them over until he addressed Martin Kemp with an unfortunate choice of words, suggesting he needed a "wooden" scent, reports the Daily Star.

Quickly trying to smooth things over, Elijah clarified: "And by wooden I mean mature and elegant."

Martin hit back, saying: "I know I was in EastEnders for a while but that's below the belt I thought!"

Seven years on from that audition, Elijah is now settling into his new role on the soap.

"It's a massive privilege to join a British institution like EastEnders, and to be playing a Mitchell makes it even more exciting," he expressed recently.

Harry made an immediate impact in his first EastEnders appearance on Thursday (June 27), where he quickly got acquainted with the residents of Walford and had a steamy encounter with Penny Branning (Kitty Castledine).

Upcoming episodes are set to see the new Mitchells shake things up as they connect with their estranged relatives.