{"id":27097,"date":"2022-12-13T21:00:15","date_gmt":"2022-12-13T20:00:15","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.radiotimes.com\/?p=1753601"},"modified":"2022-12-13T23:14:50","modified_gmt":"2022-12-13T22:14:50","slug":"eastenders-danny-walters-teases-keanu-reunion-with-sharon-after-return-twist","status":"publish","type":"rss_feed","link":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/radiotimes\/rss_feed\/eastenders-danny-walters-teases-keanu-reunion-with-sharon-after-return-twist\/","title":{"rendered":"EastEnders\u2019 Danny Walters teases Keanu reunion with Sharon after return twist"},"content":{"rendered":"

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By Lewis Knight\n \t\t<\/p>

Published: Tuesday, 13 December 2022 at 12:00 am<\/p>

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Actor Danny Walters has spoken out for the first time about his return to EastEnders<\/a> as Keanu Taylor.<\/p>\n

The character was last seen departing Albert Square in February 2020 as he left his former lover Sharon Watts (Letitia Dean) following the death of her son Dennis Rickman, and right after she gave birth to their son Albie Watts.<\/p>\n

At the conclusion of Tuesday night\u2019s episode (13th December 2022), Sharon spoke with former love rival Kat Slater (Jessie Wallace) and resolved to be happy on her own after losing so many people she loved.<\/p>\n

Then, as his mother Karen Taylor (Lorraine Stanley) smoked outside on the Square, viewers saw a more mature-looking Keany walk into view and spot his mother.<\/p>\n

So, what happens next for Keanu?<\/p>\n

Speaking to RadioTimes.com<\/a> and other press at a media event last week, actor Danny Walters discussed his surprise return as Keanu<\/a> for the first time.<\/p>

On how the return came about, Walters explained: \u201cWhen I got the call from Chris [Clenshaw, executive producer], he told me about some of the storylines and even the Christmas season, some I don\u2019t think he\u2019s told me everything yet.<\/p>\n

\u201cBut Chris\u2019s vision is incredible and I love what he\u2019s done with it, and the writers are involved and the directors and everything. And so when I heard what he wants Keanu to do, I couldn\u2019t help but not want to come back and, you know, I\u2019m very privileged to come back on such an iconic episode.\u201d<\/p>\n

However, this is a very different Keanu, with Walters adding: \u201cThere\u2019s a new type of character you\u2019ll see from Keanu; every different side to him.\u201d<\/p>\n

Discussing what brings Keanu back to Albert Square, the actor revealed: \u201cSharon is a strong force, but he\u2019s now got children, and Keanu\u2019s always been the man of the house in the Taylor household. So from where he\u2019s not had a father figure in his life, the way I\u2019ve always played it is that he\u2019s always wanted to be the dad that his dad wasn\u2019t.<\/p>\n

\u201cI think he\u2019s always trying, he goes into those old habits where he sees himself becoming like his father. So he tries to always change those habits. So I think you know whilst he was in Portugal, whilst he was away from the Square, he had a lot of time to think about things \u2013 to grow up.<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd it got to a stage where he realised he had to take his future into his own hands and there was only one way which was to come back to the Square and to face the music.\u201d<\/p>\n

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Danny Walters as Keanu Taylor in EastEnders.<\/span><\/figcaption> BBC<\/i><\/span><\/div>\n

Executive producer Chris Clenshaw said the character has got \u201cunfinished business\u201d in Walford.<\/p>\n

\u201cDan is absolutely right,\u201d he said. \u201cI think he\u2019s [Keanu] matured a lot in that time. And, you know, with all due respect, I think like, Keanu left a boy and he kind of returns as a man. So I think he\u2019s definitely got a lot of kind of making up to do but he\u2019s back. When he returns, Phil is not in Walford at the moment, but it\u2019s not long before Phil is back.\u201d<\/p>\n

When asked if there would be a classic Walford bust-up between the former love rivals, Sonia Fowler actress Natalie Cassidy shouted from the audience: \u201cOf course there is! What do you expect?\u201d<\/p>\n

Another issue that could cause problems is the fact that both Keanu and Phil have lingering feelings for Sharon.<\/p>\n

Walters said of Keanu\u2019s remaining torch for Sharon: \u201cSharon was always the reason that Keanu had a big purpose, really, and a bit of drive. And there was a deep, deep attraction to Sharon, that I guess even Keanu couldn\u2019t explain if you asked him why there was an attraction, there is something that is there.<\/p>\n

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Letitia Dean as Sharon Watts in EastEnders.<\/span><\/figcaption> BBC, Jack Barnes\/Kieron McCarron<\/i><\/span><\/div>\n

\u201cHe\u2019s drawn to it. And I think it\u2019s reciprocated because Sharon has someone \u2013 not because he\u2019s just younger \u2013 but someone who actually appreciates Sharon for who she is and that\u2019s why the relationship works so well.<\/p>\n

\u201cSo Keanu has come back to the Square with the intention to rekindle his relationship with his son or to even create a relationship \u2013 let\u2019s say to create a relationship with his son and have an impression on his son\u2019s life, but also to rekindle that relationship we\u2019ve shown that is maybe a motive, of course.\u201d<\/p>\n

Finally, Walters also discussed the struggle to keep his big return as Keanu a secret until the episode was available to watch for viewers.<\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t trust a lot of people but I literally have a handful of people that I\u2019ve told\u2026 I\u2019ve told my mum, my dad, my partner, and my brother, probably my brother I shouldn\u2019t tell. But they\u2019re the only people who will know. And it\u2019s been very, very tough because I\u2019ll be making a lot of excuses.<\/p>\n

\u201cMy partner\u2019s \u2013 my in-laws \u2013 family members and cousins, they\u2019re like \u2018Oh, what are you up to?\u2019 and \u2018What are you doing?\u2019, and I\u2019m going \u2018We\u2019re just playing golf\u2019, and I\u2019ve just been \u2018playing golf\u2019 every day.<\/p>\n

\u201cHonestly, so it\u2019s been very hard to keep it secret. But I wanted to respect you know, Chris and the show here\u2026 that is the whole surprise of Keanu coming back. So I wanted to keep it a secret in my life as well for the show.\u201d<\/p>\n

Fans will have to wait and see what reaction Sharon has to Keanu being back on Albert Square in the next episode.<\/p>\n

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