EastEnders’ Navin Chowdhry reveals future on soap as villain is set to take revenge on fan favourite
The actor revealed what it's really like playing evil mastermind Nish
EASTENDERS’ favourite villain Navin Chowdhry has revealed his future on the soap after his character was nearly killed off in the explosive Christmas episode.
Resident baddie Nish Panesar was hit round with a bottle of fizz by Denise Fox, before Linda Carter stabbed Keanu Taylor to death in an attempt to save her pal Sharon Watts from being strangled to death.
Since then, Linda, Sharon, Kathy Beale, Stacey Slater, Suki Panesar and Denise have teamed up and buried Keanu’s body underneath the local café, which was destroyed in a fire caused by Rocky Cotton.
But Nish is slowly getting his memory back and threatened wife Suki to hand over her business assets or he’d go to the police.
Soap star Navin, 53, has recently turned his attention to new lover Kat Slater, in a bid to take revenge on her after she humiliated him.
Although Nish is occupied with his new scheme, the actor said there is still unfinished business with his character and Suki, who is played by Balvinder Sopal.
Speaking exclusively to The Sun, Navin said about the Christmas storyline: “They gave me a headache with that bottle, it still hurts.”
Addressing his future on the show, the actor teased: “We’ve been speaking with the execs and the writers about the journey over the next six months.
“Genuinely we are on the same page and it sounds really exciting.
“We all have our chats about what’s going on and when I had my chat about what’s going to be happening with Nish, it’s really what I wanted to hear.
“It’s exciting the journey ahead, but we still have to film it, so lets see what happens.”
The businessman manipulated Suki and the rest of the women into giving him more information after remembering they hesitated in calling him an ambulance.
He cornered Denise in the Square to test her, before turning his attentions to Linda.
Opening up about the fate of the six women, he explained: “We hope Keanu’s body is found and he’s still alive just to get Danny Walters back, we love Danny.
“All I know is there are two options – there’s either a redemption arc or a revenge arc, so let’s see what happens.
Speaking about which of the women will crack first, Navin told us at The TV Choice Awards on Monday night: “There all looking a little bit wobbly.”
The TV favourite said a very “significant” week of episodes is coming up later this month as he continues to scheme against Kat and Suki.
“It was a surprise to both Jessie [Wallace] and me. I think we got some scripts on the Thursday and we were kissing on the Monday,” he shared.
“It was a surprise, but again it’s something that will goes places.
“I think there’s not many opponents that he’s faced that will give him a run for his money.
“If ever there is somebody in addition to Suki…it could be Kat.
“You have to watch the next two weeks, towards the end of Feb there is a very significant week of episodes which focuses a lot on Suki and Kat and the Panesars and what it might mean sort of for the future.
“So there is something quite big coming up.”
Navin has become one of EastEnders’ best-loved villains, following in the footsteps of Archie Mitchell, Dirty Den and Nick Cotton.
He explained that playing the evil mastermind has come very easy to him.
“It scary how easily it comes to me. It’s what these lot bring out in me,” Navin said as it gestured to co-stars Aaron Thiara and Sophie Khan Levy.
“If it wasn’t for these lot I would be nice as pie.”
While co-star Aaron, who plays Ravi Gulati on the BBC soap, is keen for Nish to develop some allies on the square.
“As a viewer, as a fan, I would be interested to see if there are a few allies because Nish as a character needs a few people who are going to team up with him and try and work him out,” Aaron added.
Will Nish uncover the truth about Keanu?
Or will the six women get away with it?
