Clay Milner Russell | |
|---|---|
 Milner Russell in 2023 | |
| Born | Barnaby Clay Milner Russell 25 July 1999 Tower Hamlets, London, England |
| Occupation | Actor |
| Years active | 2013–present |
| Television | EastEnders |
Barnaby Clay Milner Russell (born 25 July 1999) is an English actor, known for playing Bobby Beale on the BBC soap opera EastEnders from 2019 to 2024.
Barnaby Clay Milner Russell was born on 25 July 1999 in Tower Hamlets, London, England. [1] [2] [3] [4] He began his acting career in 2013 when he appeared in the short film The Parachutist. [1] In 2016, he starred in the short film Graffiti as Archie, a boy who is struggling to deal with the loss of his father and uses graffiti to reconnect with his mother. In 2019, Russell appeared in the film County Lines as Bailey. [5] [6]
In June 2019, Russell was announced to be joining the cast of the BBC soap opera EastEnders as the fifth actor to take on the role of Bobby Beale. [7] [8] His first scenes aired on 13 June 2019 when the character is released from prison following the murder of his sister, Lucy Beale (Hetti Bywater). [9] [10] [11] Some of his key storylines as Bobby have included the character converting to Islam and subsequently becoming the victim of a racial attack, suffering from OCD, his infatuation with Dotty Cotton (Milly Zero), his relationships with Dana Monroe (Barbara Smith) and Anna Knight (Molly Rainford), and his friendship with Freddie Slater (Bobby Brazier). [12] [13] [14] [15] [16] [17] For his portrayal of Bobby, Russell was nominated for Best Newcomer at the Inside Soap Awards in 2020. [18] [19] [20] In April 2024, it was reported that Russell would be leaving EastEnders after five years in the role. [21]
| Year | Title | Role | Notes | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2013 | The Parachutist | Unknown | Short film | [1] |
| 2016 | Graffiti | Archie | Short film | [1] |
| 2019 | County Lines | Bailey | Film role | [5] |
| 2019–2024 | EastEnders | Bobby Beale | Regular role | [7] |
| Year | Award | Category | Work | Result | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | Inside Soap Awards | Best Newcomer | EastEnders | Nominated | [18] |
EastEnders is a British television soap opera created by Julia Smith and Tony Holland which has been broadcast on BBC One since February 1985. Set in the fictional borough of Walford in the East End of London, the programme follows the stories of local residents and their families as they go about their daily lives. Within eight months of the show's original launch, it had reached the number one spot in BARB's television ratings, and has consistently remained among the top-rated series in Britain. Four EastEnders episodes are listed in the all-time top 10 most-watched programmes in the UK, including the number one spot, when over 30 million watched the 1986 Christmas Day episode. EastEnders has been important in the history of British television drama, tackling many subjects that are considered to be controversial or taboo in British culture, and portraying a social life previously unseen on UK mainstream television.
Adam Brinley Woodyatt is an English actor. He is known for his role as Ian Beale in the BBC soap opera EastEnders, a role he has portrayed since the show's inception in 1985.
Ian Albert Beale is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders, played by Adam Woodyatt. He is the drama's longest-serving main character and one of four remaining original characters, the others being his mother Kathy Beale, Sharon Watts and Tracey. The character appeared in his 2,000th episode in the show on 26 March 2007, and his 3,000th on 27 May 2016. Woodyatt took an extended break from EastEnders on 22 January 2021. He made appearances on 12 December 2022 and 22 June 2023, prior to a full-time return on 22 August.
Peter Beale is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders and he is played by Thomas Law. Peter makes his first appearance in episode 926, originally broadcast on 16 December 1993. Peter has been played by seven actors since being introduced in 1993. Francis Brittin-Snell portrayed the role from 1993 to 1996, followed by Alex Stevens from 1997 to 1998 and Joseph Shade from 1998 to 2004. James Martin took over and played the role from 2004 to 2006. He was played by Thomas Law from 2006 until 2010, when the character departed the series. In April 2013, it was announced that Peter would return, played by Ben Hardy who made his first appearance on 7 June 2013. Hardy announced his departure from the role in November 2014, making his final on-screen appearance on 24 February 2015.
Bobby Beale is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders, who made his first appearance in episode 2557, originally broadcast on 24 July 2003. The character was originally played by Kevin Curran as an infant. Prior to his introduction, Bobby's paternity is at the centre of a storyline and is resolved when Ian Beale is revealed as Bobby's father. His mother, Laura Beale, is killed off in 2004 and Bobby's stepmother, Jane Beale, later adopts Bobby. Curran was replaced by Alex Francis in 2007. Following Jane's departure, Bobby finds a mother figure in Mandy Salter and is upset when she leaves.
Cindy Beale is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders, played by Michelle Collins. She first appeared 10 May 1988 and originally departed on 27 December 1990, before returning as one of the show's central antagonists from 13 October 1992 until her exit episode on 10 April 1998; the character supposedly died off-screen during childbirth in prison on 5 November 1998. During her first stint on the show, Cindy embarked on a prolonged relationship with her would-be husband Ian Beale. Their marriage soon deteriorated, however, due to Cindy's selfish streak that shows the character becoming unfaithful to Ian and growing more concerned about her own needs than their own children. She lies and schemes to ensure that she gets what she wants.
Lucy Beale is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders. The character was played by Eva Brittin-Snell, Casey Anne Rothery, Melissa Suffield, and Hetti Bywater. Lucy was introduced in December 1993 as the baby daughter of Ian and Cindy Beale. She was the twin sister of Peter Beale, and had three half siblings, older brother Steven Beale, younger sister Cindy Williams and younger brother Bobby Beale.
Jacqueline Mary Osborne is an English actress. She is known for portraying Lauren Branning in the BBC soap opera EastEnders. In 2019, Jossa won the nineteenth series of I'm a Celebrity... Get Me Out of Here!.
Tony David Clay is an English actor. He is known for playing Callum "Halfway" Highway in the BBC soap opera EastEnders since 2018. Prior to his tenure on EastEnders, Clay appeared in various stage productions and had minor roles in British films and programmes.
Iqra Ahmed is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders, played by Priya Davdra. Davdra's casting as Iqra was announced on 20 December 2018, along with that of Habiba. Both characters were called feisty and the BBC stated that they would both make an impact on Walford. Iqra is the elder sister of Habiba, and is described as "no-nonsense, bold and intelligent". Iqra makes her first appearance in episode 5871, originally broadcast on 19 February 2019. Alongside sister Habiba Ahmed, Iqra is introduced as a relative of established character Masood Ahmed. Iqra's final appearance aired on 3 January 2022.
Freddie Slater is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders, played by twins Alex and Tom Kilby from 2004 to 2006 and Bobby Brazier since 2022. Freddie is introduced as the son of Little Mo Mitchell, conceived after she is raped by Graham Foster, and makes his first appearance in episode 2826, broadcast on 1 November 2004. He departs with Little Mo in episode 3159, broadcast on 26 May 2006. Freddie's reintroduction was announced in July 2022, with Bobby Brazier taking over the role. Freddie returned in episode 6551, broadcast on 6 September 2022. The character departed on 5 October 2023, so Brazier could participate in the twenty-first series of Strictly Come Dancing. Freddie starred alongside his great-grandmother Mo Harris in a spin-off social media series named The Point of Mo Return before both characters returned to the main show on 20 May 2024.
Harvey Monroe is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders, played by Ross Boatman. He was introduced in episode 6311, broadcast on 22 July 2021, as the father of established character Dana Monroe. Boatman was excited to earn the part of Harvey as he was an avid fan of the show and worked extensively on his audition video. Despite initially being penned as an affable and good-hearted cab driver who loves his family, Harvey was created to cause obstacles between Dana and her boyfriend Bobby Beale. His storylines included his relationship with Dana and his son Aaron, his friendships with Tom "Rocky" Cotton and Mitch Baker, and his relationship with Jean Slater.
Dana Monroe is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders, played by Barbara Smith. Smith auditioned for the role over Zoom due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on television and was cast as Dana, a love interest for established character Bobby Beale, making her first appearance on 1 April 2021. She was initially cast in a 6-month guest stint, but was promoted to a regular cast member and had her family introduced to the soap. She was overjoyed to have been cast due to having been a fan of the soap since her youth. Dana has been shown to be a bubbly, generous and likeable character. Smith was initially unsure if viewers would like her, but critics have said that it has been refreshing to have a character with good intentions on EastEnders. It was announced on 10 June 2022 that Smith had been axed by new executive producer Chris Clenshaw, with Dana set to exit the show later in the year. Smith admitted that it was fitting for Dana to leave as she was of university age and was excited for her final scenes to air. She also confirmed that if she was asked, she would return to the soap in the future. Dana's final scenes aired on 1 September 2022.
Bobby Jack Brazier is an English actor and model. Present in the public eye from birth due to the popularity of his mother, Jade Goody, he was frequently featured in the media throughout the formative years of his life until Goody's death in 2009.
Anna Knight is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders, played by Molly Rainford. Anna first appears in episode 6708, originally broadcast on 1 June 2023, introduced alongside the Knight family. The newcomer family consisted of youngest daughter Anna, "fiery" and "demanding" older-sister Gina and "old-school gent" and "charming rogue" father George, all set to join Elaine Peacock in running The Queen Victoria public house, alongside Elaine's daughter Linda Carter, who is struggling to cope following the loss of her husband Mick on Christmas Day 2022. Rainford's casting was initially reported on 1 March 2023 – speculated until the production team for EastEnders confirmed the family were set to join the show on 28 March 2023. The character's backstory states that Anna's mother ran out on her family when Anna was only eleven. In a plot twist from episode 6719, originally broadcast on 21 June 2023, it was revealed Anna was in fact the daughter of Cindy Beale to facilitate Collins' "return from the dead", after she was killed-off in 1998 from an off-screen childbirth that resulted in the birth of Anna and Gina's older half-sister Cindy Jr. It was later revealed in a flashback episode Cindy did not walk out on Gina and Anna – Cindy received the news over the death of their other older half-sister, Lucy Beale in 2014, and returned to Albert Square – breaking her cover of witness protection that gained her the identity of "Rose Knight". Rainford did not initially know of the plot-twist – she found out within the same week it was transmitted. Rainford has also said she plans to become a "legacy character".
Christopher Clenshaw is an English television producer, known for serving as the current executive producer of the BBC soap opera EastEnders since 2022.