He's swapped Walford for the Strictly Come Dancing ballroom, leaving EastEnders fans anxious about his fate on the BBC soap in the long-run. But on Thursday's episode, viewers sighed with relief as the beloved market trader woke up after suffering a cardiac arrest. Although doctors are still unsure about what caused the heart attack, Kush's mum Carmel and girlfriend Denise were fearing the worst.
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The character, played by Davood Ghadami, was recently announced as one of the stars taking part in this year's Strictly Come Dancing, prompting speculation that he was leaving EastEnders for the dancefloor. The 35-year-old has been partnered up with newcomer Nadiya Bychkova, with the pair taking on the Cha Cha to Dedication To My Ex by Lloyd ft. Andre 3000 as their first dance. Davood recently dismissed the idea that he was leaving the soap for good, telling Digital Spy: "No, I won't be taking a break per se, but hopefully it'll be a bit quieter storyline-wise." He added: "Obviously plenty of EastEnders actors have done the show before. I'm hoping to follow in their footsteps, they've all done really well, they've set the bar really high, which can be a bit nervy for me."
Davood Ghadami is on this year's Strictly Come Dancing
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The actor is best known for playing ladies' man Kush in EastEnders for which he won 'Best Newcomer' at the TV Choice Awards. He was also nominated for 'Best Newcomer' and 'Best Actor' at the British Soap Awards. Davood has starred in the BBC One show since 2014. His first TV appearance was in 2005 on The Bill and his other TV work includes Doctor Who, The Omid Djalili Show, Taggart, Silent Witness, Law & Order and Top Boy.