Davood Ghadami has praised EastEnders' "very bold and incredibly brave" move to include real-life stories in Shakil Kazemi's funeral episode.
Davood Ghadami
The 35-year-old actor - who plays Shaki's brother Kush Kazemi in the show - believes the BBC One soap has done "something extraordinary" in soap history in the upcoming ep, which will see accounts from relatives of real-life knife crime victims after Shaki (Shaheen Jafargholi) was brutally stabbed to death.
He said: "My initial thought was that it was a very bold and incredibly brave thing for EastEnders and especially the contributors to be doing. I have never heard of anything like this being done before, so I was intrigued to see how it would play out.
"'EastEnders' has done something extraordinary in this episode. It's important not just because it will be memorable and different, but because it shows for the first time a direct connection and comparison between our stories and peoples' realities."
Davood found it "remarkable" hearing about the personal experiences associated with knife crime, and hopes the powerful storyline will make some people "think twice" before picking up a knife.
He said: "It was an unforgettable experience hearing them talk about their loved ones and by the end of the day I think we all felt that what we were doing with these episodes was something remarkable.
"There's no doubt that shows like EastEnders can have a real impact and although knife crime is a very complex problem, the awareness this story can raise is a helpful step. If it can help shed light on the problem, allow families and friends to discuss it, or even make someone think twice before picking up a knife then it has been worthwhile."
'EastEnders' executive consultant John Yorke decided to incorporate the real-life accounts into the show after the soap's researchers began speaking to families about the topic ahead of Shaki's death.
John said: "From the very beginning we were determined to treat the difficult subject of knife crime in a responsible, non-sensationalist way. We started out with detailed research, and the more stories we heard, the more we felt other people should hear them too.
"The episode gradually evolved into something unique for 'EastEnders' - real families telling their own devastating stories alongside our own characters.
"We've tried to find a way to do justice to an incredibly difficult, tragic and emotive subject, and, with huge help from the families of real-life victims and the support groups they work with, we hope we've come some way to getting that enormity across."
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