'Enders star jokes over dog death reaction

EastEnders star Don Gilet has joked that he is scared to go shopping following the latest crime of his character Lucas Johnson.

Last month, an episode of the Walford soap hinted that Lucas had killed his son's dog Sugar after the collie started sniffing around the spot where his previous victim Owen Turner lay buried.

More than 100 viewers went on to complain to the BBC over the matter, prompting the corporation to reassure fans that "EastEnders does not condone the killing of dogs, just as it does not condone killing people".

Speaking to TV Times about the controversial moment, Gilet commented: "I don't know how I'm going to cope on the streets when people see me!

"No-one's attacked me yet, but I haven't been to Tescos since that episode so we'll soon find out. If I go to the hot meat aisle in the delicatessens, where I have to wait, and there's no trouble, then I should be okay!"

Meanwhile, responding to rumours that he is to leave the programme soon, the actor said: "I'm happy for them to be rumours right now because that's all it is.

"I'm just riding this thing, knowing full well that in terms of storyline it can only go on so far to be believable. Everyone's got a timer on them. We'll just have to wait and see how long they want me to keep killing for!"

EastEnders' former executive producer Diederick Santer said last year that Lucas's dark side would be a "slow burn" storyline.