EastEnders actor Davood Ghadami has revealed that he was upset by the departure of screen wife Rakhee Thakar from the BBC1 soap.

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"I was gutted when she left," said the Walford star, who plays market stall holder Kush Kazemi. "Rakhee was one of the most professional and talented people I have ever had the pleasure of working with. We tried really hard to do our homework for all of the storylines we were part of, so we spent a lot of time together off the set as well as on it."

Kush and Shabnam were involved in a number of high profile plotlines during Thakrar's stint on the show, most notably the stillbirth of their son Zaair in emotional scenes that won both popular and critical praise.

Thakrar left EastEnders last month, a decision that Ghadami admits has had an impact on his own character. "I feel like I've lost a big piece of the puzzle that makes up my character," he added to Inside Soap. "Everyone loved working with her."

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Since Thakrar exited Albert Square, her name has been linked to sci-fi drama Doctor Who, where it is understood that she is on a list of actresses in the frame to replace Jenna Coleman as the companion of Peter Capaldi's Time Lord.

On the topic of his former co-star's future plans, Ghadami noted: "I know she'll go on to great things."

You can watch a 60-second rundown of next week's episodes of EastEnders below.

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And visit our dedicated EastEnders page for all the latest news, interviews and spoilers.

Authors

David Brown is standing outside in front of some greenery. He wears a grey T-shirt and is looking at the camera
David BrownDeputy Previews Editor, Radio Times

David Brown is Deputy Previews Editor at Radio Times, with a particular interest in crime drama and fantasy TV. He has appeared as a contributor on BBC News, Sky News and Radio 4’s Front Row and has had work published in the Guardian, the Sunday Times and the i newspaper. He has also worked as a writer and editorial consultant on the National Television Awards, as well as several documentaries profiling the likes of Lenny Henry, Billy Connolly and Take That.

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