A former EastEnders star has opened up about his time in the BBC soap and shared a strict rule that was put in place for him and a co-star
The couple’s relationship was a huge storyline on the BBC soap (Image: BBC)
It’s been a decade since they graced our screens in EastEnders, but the relationship between Christian Clarke and Syed Masood remains etched in the minds of soap fans, having been a pivotal plotline for the BBC drama.
Christian, brought to life by John Partridge, and Syed, played by Marc Elliot, ignited their illicit affair in 2009. Their romance stirred up turmoil within their families for several years before they finally tied the knot and bid farewell to Walford in 2012 to embark on a new chapter.
John, who first stepped into Christian’s shoes in 2007, reflected on his EastEnders journey during a recent stint on Good Morning Britain.
He disclosed a peculiar rule that he and co-star Marc were obliged to adhere to while filming scenes as Christian and Syed, a regulation exclusively imposed on them.
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Syed Masood and Christian Clarke in EastEnders(Image: BBC)
“Funny thing is, when I was in EastEnders, when Marc Elliot and I would do any scenes in the bedroom, only one of us was allowed to have our shirt off because we were a gay couple,” he shared on the ITV morning programme.
“In contrast, heterosexual couples in other soaps or TV dramas could bare as much skin as they pleased. But we were not permitted to do that, and this was quite recent.”
John quipped: “Needless to say, I was the one who had his top off. But that just goes to show that it is alive and well.”
In another part of the interview, John expressed his disappointment at the lack of openly gay leading men in Hollywood, labelling it “homophobia”.
“Why is that? What’s the reason for that? I hate to say it but there’s no other word for it – it’s homophobia. You cannot be a leading man in Hollywood if you are gay,” he said.
“Actors, musicians today are actively encouraged to withhold their sexuality, withhold their identity in order to be successful.”
John Partridge, who played Christian, has opened up about filming scenes with actor Marc Elliot (Image: BBC)
John departed EastEnders in 2012 and made a comeback in 2014 for two episodes, centred around Lucy Beale’s funeral. He also featured in four episodes, including a completely live episode, in 2015, to commemorate the soap’s 30th anniversary, and returned for a very short appearance in May 2016, reports OK!.
Meanwhile, Marc stepped down from his role as Syed in 2012 and hasn’t returned to Walford since, with the remaining Masood family members also departing in the years following his exit.
EastEnders airs Monday – Thursday on BBC One from 7.30pm.
