EastEnders newcomer Darnell Larson, Denise's long-lost half-brother, is played by Christopher Colquhoun. He returns this week with an update on the stem cell transplant.
Who is Darnell Larson Jr in EastEnders and who plays him?
Darnell is a half-brother of Denise's. He is played by actor Christopher Colquhoun, known for roles in Absentia and Fleabag – but he is perhaps best known for playing registrar Simon Kaminski in Casualty between 2002 and 2004.
In EastEnders, Denise had no idea Darnell existed and – given that her life hangs in the balance – time is of the essence when it comes to trying to find him.
How was Darnell found?
Kim Fox (Tameka Empson) located Darnell earlier this year amid a search for potential relatives of sister Denise (Diane Parish), who has been diagnosed with acute myeloid leukaemia (AML). Thus far, Denise has undergone two rounds of intense chemotherapy but doctors informed her earlier this month that neither round has had the desired effect on her cancer. A stem cell transplant is therefore the next phase of treatment.
Due to her battling a serious chest infection, Denise was put into a medically induced coma, with doctors assuring her it that such a thing gives her a better chance of survival. Kim, meanwhile, was unable to visit her sister due to a cold and thus instead searched for any long-lost relatives who might be a match for Denise. To her shock, a long-lost brother named Darnell was discovered via an ancestry website – and the hunt was on to track him down.
What happens when Darnell returns?
Kim and Jack Branning (Scott Maslen) successfully located Darnell, who was pleased to meet with them upon learning that he's got a sister he didn't know about. 'Darnell is simply excited to discover a side of his family he never knew existed,' said star Christopher. 'He's naturally open and trusting, so he doesn't spend time questioning why they've reached out to him. 'He wants to get to know them and, in typical Darnell fashion, almost loses sight of the bigger picture because he's so fascinated by the connection itself and doesn't even question why Denise isn't there.'
Jack and Kim subsequently revealed Denise's condition to Darnell, who was taken aback but agreed to accompany them to the hospital. He found the situation incredibly overwhelming and made a hasty exit. 'He's not angry about being misled. Instead, he's overwhelmed by the enormity of the situation, especially having only just learned Denise exists,' Christopher explains. 'As the story develops, we also begin to understand why hospitals are such a difficult and triggering environment for him.'
Darnell agreed to get tested to see if he's a match for a potential stem cell transplant which could save Denise's life, but he returns to screens this week somewhat hesitant – and shares his reasons for feeling unable to help. Denise is understanding. Jack, however, is less so – and hopes he can change Darnell's mind.
EastEnders airs Mondays to Thursdays at 7:30pm on BBC One or stream from 6am on BBC iPlayer.
