'EastEnders' actor: 'Yusef gets very nasty'

EastEnders star Nitin Ganatra has admitted that the soap's mysterious newcomer Yusef Khan will become "very manipulative and very nasty" in the coming weeks.

Over the past few months, fans have seen Yusef (Ace Bhatti) start to cause trouble for Ganatra's character Masood Ahmed and his wife Zainab (Nina Wadia), who used to be married to the enigmatic doctor.

In an interview with Holy Soap, Ganatra revealed that Yusef's meddling will intensify after he learns of Masood's feelings for Jane Beale in next week's episodes.


Pictured: Yusef, Zainab and Masood in EastEnders.

Discussing where the plot goes from there, Ganatra commented: "He throws a real spanner in the works for Masood. It's horrible, it's very manipulative and very nasty. He is doing everything he can to wreck Masood's life, really, and the way you do that is to get to his family.

"It's a very clever way of doing things - it's not about destroying his family, it's about winning his family and turning them against him, so that Masood is left isolated and on his own. Masood is the one guy who is the glue for the family. His sense of humour is what keeps the family together."

The actor also explained that he is unsure whether Yusef is telling the truth about the night that his family tried to kill Zainab by setting her on fire. Yusef has repeatedly insisted that he attempted to save her on the day in question.

However, Ganatra said: "Allegedly he tried to save her. Maybe he did try and save her but we are only playing it from each person's point of view. Yusef is playing it from his point of view that he did try and save her. Masood is saying, 'All I know is that I went back to get her and she had been locked in this kitchen and it was on fire'."

Ganatra recently explained that there is "no way Masood would want to lose Zainab".

Read more articles about Yusef and the Masoods:-
> Ace Bhatti grateful for 'Enders role
> EastEnders actor promises Masood shocks
> EastEnders Masood 'to kidnap Yusef'