A once-familiar face in BBC's long-running soap opera EastEnders is surprising punters working at a family newsagents in Coventry. Nitin Ganatra said some customers have done a double-take when they have spotted him behind the counter.
EastEnders legend Nitin, who played Masood in the soap, works at the corner shop owned by his brother in Coundon, in Coventry. “People do double-takes when I'm there helping my brother with the papers at 4.30 in the morning, and especially working in the shop. It's a bit bizarre," he said. "But it’s my family's business, so why would I not help out? It's normal to me.
“If you're visiting your family, you can't just expect to be served. You have to join in.”
Nitin has been working at the family newsagents since he was 10, but said he preferred to be 'behind the scenes'. He said the till 'terrified him', BirminghamLive writes.
He bagged the role of Masood in 2007 and was involved in some hard-hitting storylines, including the watershed moment when he discovered his son's gay affair. The gripping love triangle, involving Syed, Christian Clarke and Amira Masood, earned actor Marc Elliott, who played Syed, British Soap Award for Best Newcomer.
Nitin was also praised for the way he handled Masood's conflicted response. Nitin says he wouldn't rule out a return to the Albert Square based soap. “I'd never say never to anything," he said.
Explaining he'd like to keep the door open, Nitin reckons he'd "really have to think" about whether he wanted to make a return to Walford if BBC bosses were to ask him. Nitin has become an unlikely TikTok star in recent years, with over 100,000 followers.
In one cheeky video, he says: “I found this whole playground where I'm being celebrated by all these young people going, 'Oh, look at the old Masood. Isn't he cute? He's found TikTok!’”
