Emmerdale's Kasim star Ethan Kai unrecognisable as he turns sleuth in The Turkish Detective
Kasim Sabet might only have made a brief appearance in the Dales, but he certainly made an impression on those who live there.
Kasim, played by Ethan Kai, arrived in Emmerdale back in 2016, after a devastating car crash on the Hotten Bypass that nearly killed him. For a while it looked as though he might not survive, but he pulled through, only to find himself in a relationship with the taxi operator, Finn (played by Joe Gill).
Although Ethan left the show a few months later – after stunning fans with his body transformation – he's certainly been busy since, not only appearing in TV shows like Killing Eve, but also the movie Batgirl, that was sadly later shelved by Warner Brothers.
Now set to star in a new BBC2 crime thriller set in modern day Istabnbul, The Turkish Detective, 30 year old Ethan is virtually unrecognisable from his soap days.
Based on the bestselling Inspector Ikmen novels by Barbara Nadel, the eight-part series sees Ethan playing British detective Mehmet Suleyman, a sidekick of the eccentric inspector himself, played by former EastEnders actor Haluk Bilginer, who starred as Mehmet Osman on the Square back in the 1980s.
The floppy hair, designer stubble and casual clothes Ethan sported as Kasim in Emmerdale have been replaced by a much tidier hairstyle and fuller beard, as well as a shirt and tie paired with a Barbour-style jacket.
Mehmet arrives in Istanbul to join the homicide unit led by the Inspector. And, as soon as he’s arrived, the team investigate the murder of a university student.
To find her killer, the team must uncover the secrets of her double life, while Mehmet adapts both to his new life in Istanbul and to Cetin's unorthodox approach.
When The Turkish Detective begins on Sunday, 7 July, the drama opens with the murder of a 19 year old student who has links to Istanbul's wealthy elite.
With Cetin, Mehmet and a third cop (played by Ayse Rarsakoglu) on the case, it's not long before they unearth some of the city's most dangerous secrets.
Fans of the novels have been ecstatic at their dramatisation for TV. Responding to author Barbara Nadel's post about it on X, formerly known as Twitter, one person said: "Wow! Big congrats here. They’ve known how to bring Ikmen to the screen," while another commented: "Absolutely fantastic and I can't wait to watch it. I hope there are English subtitles as I just love the sound of the Turkish language. Many congratulations."
A third person penned: "Oh my goodness. It gave me goose bumps, watching that. Are you thrilled? Brief bits of dialogue Ikmen says give me hope that the spirit of his manner and work have been honoured in the adaptation. His integrity, intelligence and wisdom is the foundation of the novels you wrote."
A clearly-thrilled Barbara responded: "He's really nailed it."
Haluk Bilginer was an early addition to the EastEnders cast, playing Mehmet Osman from 1985 to 1989. His character, the brother of Ali Osman (played by Nejdet Salih), was introduced by soap writers Tony Holland and Julia Smith to represent London's growing Turkish Cypriot community.
However, their characters were abruptly written out when the writers left the show.
The Turkish Detective starts on Sunday 7 July at 9pm on BBC2, with the second episode available on Monday 8 July at 9pm and on BBCiPlayer
