EastEnders Teddy Mitchell star Roland Manookian on romancing Sharon Watts star Letitia Dean
Landing a role in EastEnders as part of the Mitchell clan is an “honour”, according to Walford’s new star Roland Manookian, who plays Teddy Mitchell, Billy’s long-lost half-brother.
Roland has been in showbiz for years, appearing in the likes of The Bill and the Rise Of The Footsoldier franchise, but he says joining the soap is a career highlight.
“If you were to say to me nine months ago that I’d be joining EastEnders, I wouldn’t have believed you,” says Roland. “It’s first and foremost a great honour to join the show – EastEnders is such an institution. I feel really, really lucky.”
Roland describes Teddy as an “old school gentleman” and says he’s definitely played guys like him before. “My experience in acting is always to play a little street urchin, a character with flaws,” he says.
Roland says his family are thrilled that he will be an Albert Square regular.
“My little brother was probably the most excited of everyone I’ve told,” he says. “He had to declare he was a secret EastEnders watcher for a start.”
Teddy is joined by his two sons, Harry (Elijah Holloway) and Barney (Lewis Bridgeman). The three new Mitchells visit Teddy’s dad, Stevie Mitchell (Alan Ford) and ultimately decide to stick around in Walford. For Roland, 45, becoming an on-screen father to two adults feels odd, but the trio are getting along famously.
“It’s very strange to be their dad on-screen – I still feel like a 25-year-old,” he says, laughing. “I hope if they look up to me that I’m not a disappointment!”
Elijah and Lewis might look up to Roland, but he’s got his own role models too. Joining a family like the Mitchells, he’s now acting alongside the likes of Steve McFadden (Phil Mitchell), Perry Fenwick (Billy Mitchell) and Emma Barton (Honey Mitchell). Sharing his first scenes with such established actors made Roland nervous about his first day on set.
“After the excitement of the audition and getting the part, it really hit me that this is what I have to do. I filmed at The Vic, which is such an iconic place and then all of a sudden I had to do my lines.”
Roland confesses there was one actor he was anxious about meeting. “I was incredibly nervous to meet Tish [Letitia Dean, who plays Sharon Watts],” he says. “But she’s been incredibly supportive.”
The reason Roland has been spending so much time with Letitia is because Teddy sets his sights on Sharon and the fact she has history with Phil doesn’t put him off. “Sharon’s a matriarchal, dynamic, fiery woman and Teddy finds that attractive,” says Roland.
“He also likes the fact she’s involved with the inner circle – it appeals to his mischievous side. Teddy’s aware of Sharon and Phil’s history, but that all adds to the spirit of the chase.”
