This Week, Eastenders fans around the country were treated to an exciting announcement that a brand new family would soon be heading to Walford.
The new “ultra modern” family, the Knights, features a whole host of famous faces, including Strictly Come Dancing finalist Molly Rainford and Absolutely Fabulous star Harriet Thorpe.
Yet the main patriarch of the family, George Knight, will be played by acting heavyweight Colin Salmon, who fans may recognise from his roles in Doctor Who, Merlin, The Musketeers and even James Bond over the past few years.
Best known for playing MI6 deputy chief of staff Charles Robinson in the Pierce Brosnan era Bond films, Colin definitely brings a touch of Hollywood glamour to his role as Eastenders newest "tough-talking and fiercely protective” father of two.
But what exactly is Colin’s life like away from the streets of Walford?
Early Life
Born in Bethnal Green in the early 1960’s, Colin was the son of Sylvia Ivy Brudenell Salmon, a local nurse.
Growing up in Luton, Colin attended Ramridge Primary School before heading off to Ashcroft High School and later Luton Sixth Form College.
It was during his formative years that Colin first discovered a passion for music, and it was actually a career as a drummer that kickstarted his brush with stardom when he began performing as part of punk rock band the Friction in the mid 1970s.
Music Career
With a taste for the limelight, Colin continued to preform with the band, which was formed alongside three of his friends from Ashcroft High School.
Taking their road to stardom incredibly seriously, the band even released a 7-inch EP, a live cassette, a cassette-EP and performed regularly around Luton in 1979 and 1980.
Sadly the band never achieved the megastardom they may have hoped for, but it didn’t stop Colin from pursuing his passion as he later also briefly worked with another band, the Tee Vees and as a singer and trumpeter in Luton-based band Catch in the mid-1980s
Despite the success of his acting career, even now, Colin still performs as part of his own jazz quartet, where he plays the trumpet, and has performed at a number of events over the years, including at the Cheltenham Jazz Festival.
Acting Career
Alongside his love of music, Colin is also a talented actor and has starred in a whole host of films and TV shows throughout his impressive career.
While his roles MI6’s Charles Robinson in the James Bond movies is arguably his most notable, Colin has also starred in a number of Hollywood blockbusters including Resident Evil and Alien Vs Predator.
Colin is also no stranger to the TV slate either, with a wealth of roles dotted throughout his three decade spanning career, which included as Note Makoti in the No 1 Ladies Detective Agency, Senior Medical Officer Dr. Rowan Dunlop in Bad Girls, and even as Doctor Moon, in two episodes of the long running sci-fi series Doctor Who.
He even went on to compete in the 10th series of Strictly Come Dancing, where he was partnered with Kristina Rihanoff. He lasted an admirable five weeks in the competition before he was sadly eliminated after losing the dance off to Richard Arnold.
Personal Life
Outside of his life on stage and screen, Colin is happily married to his wife of 35 years, visual artist Fiona Hawthorne. Together, the couple have four children, Sasha, Rudi, Eden and Ben.
Colin also has a keen interest in a number of charities, and is currently a patron of the African-Caribbean Leukaemia Trust and the Richard House Children's Hospice.
He also serves as an ambassador for The Prince’s Trust.
When he’s not busy working or being a doting husband and dad, Colin can also be found heading up the Fox Carnival Band as the dance captain, and for being heavily involved in the annual Notting Hill Carnival.
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