EastEnders bosses reveal gritty new drug addiction storyline for Denzel Danes
His struggles began when he was attacked by bullies
YOUNG Denzel Danes has hard times ahead as show bosses have revealed an upcoming storyline where he struggles with addiction.
Life is tough for the teens at school in Walford, and the lad played by Jaden Ladega has been left battling insecurities after an unfortunate run in with bullies.
Denzel was surrounded by Logan’s gang and threatened outside of McKlunky’s.
Yolande Trueman (Angela Wynter) had to come to his rescue, but ended up getting injured herself.
The mean boys filmed the whole incident and posted it online, which made Denzel feel even worse that his friend got hurt while trying to protect him.
He decided to try and get in shape so that he would be able to stand up for himself in the future, but EastEnders creators have revealed that this will lead him down a dark path.
While attempting to get buff, the teen will be introduced to anabolic steroids, which help build muscle tissue.
As his body image tanks and he becomes obsessed with training, Denzel is set to become addicted to the drugs.
Future episodes will see him spiral into an eating disorder as he restricts calories and forces himself into a strict exercise regime, all fuelled by his steroid usage.
The teen finds himself unable to ask for help as he slowly loses control.
The BBC team behind the soap collaborated with charity WithYou while writing the upcoming scenes.
Executive Producer Chris Clenshaw shared: “It was imperative for us to work alongside WithYou and individuals with lived experiences of steroid usage to accurately present and portray Denzel’s storyline.
“Jaden’s [Ladega] performance has thoughtfully portrayed the isolating realities of a steroid dependency as we explore how social media has an impact on his perception of body image and the affects that anabolic steroid misuse are having on the youth of today.”
Abigail Wilson, the lead clinical pharmacist at the charity, added: “It is really important that this type of storyline highlights the character’s journey and the risks they may face in a realistic way.
“It has been amazing to work alongside the EastEnders team, and I really hope that this storyline will help and encourage people affected by similar challenges to access support, from WithYou or another substance misuse support service.”
