EastEnders has aired the arrival of Denise Fox's half-brother, Darnell Larson Jr., played by newcomer Christopher Colquhoun. However, his debut brought disappointment for Jack Branning and the Fox-Trueman family, as Darnell fled the hospital before getting tested for a stem cell match.
This week, Denise's (Diane Parish) battle with leukaemia worsened, and she was placed in an induced coma so doctors could use a ventilator to breathe for her while they searched for a stem cell donor. Her family was not a match, so they turned to the stem cell register, but Denise's chances were looking slim.
Desperate search for a donor
As sister Kim (Tameka Empson) pointed out, people of colour are far less likely to find a match. In 2024, it was reported that patients of colour had only a 37% chance of finding a well-matched stem cell donor, compared with white patients, who have a 72% chance. According to Anthony Nolan, a stem cell donation charity: "In the UK, patients from a minority ethnic background are more likely to have a tissue type that is rare or even completely unique. This can make it harder to find a well-matched unrelated donor if they need one."
Kim and Denise's husband Jack (Scott Maslen) were desperate to find Denise's half-brother Darnell, who could be a match. Kim managed to find him, and the three had a chat. After revealing Denise's condition, Jack and Kim took Darnell to see his sister, which is when everything started to go wrong.
Darnell's reaction and fan theories
Darnell was clear that he didn't like hospitals and kept repeating that he might not be a match whenever Kim referred to him as the person who would save Denise's life. After Denise's ventilator started to blare its alarm, Darnell freaked out and left the hospital, telling Jack and Kim that he couldn't get tested for the stem-cell match.
Fans have already fallen in love with Darnell, taking to the internet with praise for the actor and sympathy for his character. Many felt sorry for him when he was "dragged" to the hospital. "Dragging him to the hospital to get him see how serious the situation is was just way too much pressure. I’m not surprised he’s run off. I certainly would have," one said.
Another added: "He also specifically said he really hates hospitals and they just, didn’t care? Everyone hates hospitals but the way he said it was different and they were a bit like well anyway let’s go."
Many tried to predict why Darnell had such a reaction to the hospital, with the predominant theory being that his wife may have died from cancer. "I'm thinking Darnell is a widower and his wife probably died of cancer too," one fan said.
Another added: "I'm guessing the mother of Darnell's daughter is dead (so he's probably a widower) which is why Darnell is reluctant to be a donor and doesn't like being in hospitals. Not wanting to undertake surgery that would put him at risk. But I think ultimately he or his daughter will be the donor (we all know Darnell will have a change of heart)."
If you need a stem cell transplant, support throughout your treatment journey can be found on the Anthony Nolan website. You can also call their helpline on 0303 303 0303 or email patientinfo@anthonynolan.org (Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm).
