EastEnders' Harry Mitchell star unrecognisable auditioning for X Factor judges 7 years ago
EastEnders has welcomed a fresh face to the Mitchell family, with Elijah Holloway stepping into the role of Harry Mitchell.
The BBC soap this week saw Stevie Mitchell's second family, including Teddy, Harry, and Barney, making their entrance to Albert Square, with acting heavyweight Roland Manookian cast as Teddy, while Elijah and Lewis Bridgeman fill the roles of Harry and Barney.
Elijah, portraying Harry, teased what viewers can expect from his character: "Harry has a lot of charm and swagger, but he's got a bit of a temper, too. He can't resist trouble, or the ladies, so he's ready to shake things up," he revealed about his new part.
But before landing his EastEnders gig, Elijah had already experienced a brush with fame when he auditioned for two X Factor judges in a talent show.
He took part in the BBC competition Let It Shine – to find the stars of a new Take That musical – in 2017 at the tender age of 18 and performed to a panel of stars including Glee's Amber Riley, former EastEnders star Martin Kemp plus Dannii Minogue and Gary Barlow, both of whom have been judges on The X Factor.
During his pitch on the show, Elijah said: "I'd say, Amber, you're looking for a spicy rich fragrance. Gary, you're looking for something floral. Light. Like yourself. I'd say Dannii, you're definitely looking for something elegant, quite sophisticated."
Elijah had an interesting take for Martin's new look at the time, hinting at something along the lines of a "wooden" aesthetic. Well-known Spandau Ballet star Martin humorously jabbed back: "I know I was in EastEnders for a while but that's below the belt I thought!" reports the Daily Star.
Eager to avoid any hard feelings, Elijah quickly played peacemaker, emphasising: "And by wooden I mean mature and elegant."
He went on to sing Greased Lightning from the movie Grease, made famous by John Travolta. Unfortunately he received the lowest score of the night, 11 stars from the judges, and immediately exited the competition.
Fast forward seven years, Elijah is now thrilled about his fresh gig on the soap. He recently shared: "It's a massive privilege to join a British institution like EastEnders, and to be playing a Mitchell makes it even more exciting."
"We've been given such a warm welcome, and it's unbelievable to be turning up to work in Walford every day," he expressed, adding that Harry possesses a blend of magnetism and audacity, with an undercurrent of recklessness.
"He can't resist trouble, or the ladies, so he's ready to shake things up."
Also shaking things up could be his brother, Teddy, with reports suggesting Sharon Watts will have her head turned by him.
