Mo George: 'Enders ignores black stars'

Former EastEnders star Mohammed George has reportedly claimed that the Walford soap overlooks its black actors.

The 27-year-old is said to have made the remarks as he reflected on his six-year stint as road sweeper Gus Smith on the BBC One show.

"Jonathan Ross once said that black people at the BBC are mainly cleaners and guards and he's right," the Daily Star quotes George as saying.

He continued: "Gus was a very popular character who played an important role. I grew up in the real East End and there are many people like him. But I was like a footballer, always on the bench, waiting sometimes for three months to do filming. I asked again and again for bigger lines. All I wanted was a break but it never came."

George also alleged that Albert Square veteran June Brown (Dot Cotton) was among a number of high-profile cast members who supported his desire for bigger storylines.

"June Brown actually went out of her way to go to the top bosses and ask them why they didn't do more with Gus," he commented. "She told them that he was a good guy and that people really liked him.

"One star openly said that the bosses just didn't know what to do with black actors. Their storylines have always been weak and I have no idea why."

Responding to the criticism, an EastEnders spokeswoman insisted: "Throughout the history of EastEnders we have always reflected the diversity of London's East End. Currently, the Masoods, the Trumans and the Foxes are among our most-loved characters, with some of the most topical and ground-breaking storylines of recent years."

George bowed out of EastEnders "by mutual consent" in early 2008.