Emmerdale fans couldn't help but be slightly distracted as they were introduced to a new character. Thursday's hour-long episode (June 8) saw actor Eddie Osei join the cast of the ITV soap to play Victor, who has just been released from a lengthy prison sentence.
Viewers saw Emmerdale’s resident vicar, Charles Anderson, secretly meet Victor and after a very frosty exchange between the pair, Victor was revealed to be Charles' father.
It came after Charles, who is portrayed by Kevin Mathurin, was seen taking secretive phone calls before he entered a high-security prison to meet Victor. And the addition of Victor to the Emmerdale cast will likely disrupt the lives of his ex-wife Claudette Anderson and their son Charles, ITV previously said.
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But as Emmerdale fans were left wondering how Victor may have come to end up in prison for 25 years, others were more distracted by Victor's voice and headed to social media to compare him to EastEnders legend Phil Mitchell.
@harry_shumjr asked: "Why is this bloke with Charles talking like a Bond villain/Phil Mitchell impressionist? #emmerdale." @homebrew19721 said: "Charles dad sounds a bit like phil mitchell #eastenders #Emmerdale." @fussyMcWhiskers shared: "#emmerdale Oh hello, Vicar not vicaring but meeting someone who sounds & acts like Phil Mitchell."
@ASuperGav shared, before the reveal: "I’m assuming this bloke talking like Phil Mitchell is Charles’s dad. #Emmerdale." @BallumsHouse added: "Who tf is this Phil Mitchell wannabe?? #Emmerdale."
Speaking of joining the soap, actor Osei, who has enjoyed a long career in television and actually previously appeared as Danny Harrison in EastEnders said: "I feel privileged to be joining such a great show and I am honoured to be working with the fantastic cast and crew.
"It is very exciting for me to be playing Victor who is such an enigmatic character and who causes the Anderson family so much trouble."
Emmerdale producer Hannah Cheers said: "Victor's arrival in Emmerdale turns life for the Andersons upside down. The brilliant addition of Eddie Osei as Victor has allowed us to learn more about who the Andersons are and we can’t wait for the audience to watch as the drama unfolds.
"While Claudette is confronted by the husband she prayed she’d never see again, Charles has to face up to painful past traumas and he makes no secret of the fact that Victor is not welcome here. But who will win out?"
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