Nitin Ganatra on Chryed, Kirkwood and the Masoods

It's been Masood mania on the DS forums over the past few days as the much-anticipated Chryed reveal finally aired during last night's climactic instalment of the Walford soap.

The story doesn't end there, though. No, no, no. It's only just begun.

Former exec producer Diederick Santer said at the end of last year that "we're not even half done with it yet. There's miles to go", and from what I've heard and read, it gets a lot darker before it goes anywhere else.

That said, what does EastEnders star Nitin Ganatra think of Christian and Syed's relationship? Does he want to see them together? And what of his new boss Bryan Kirkwood? Read on to find out more...

Would you like to see Christian and Syed be together as a couple?
"One part of me would like to see them together and then go for civil marriage and then adoption. The problem is, though, once you've found happiness in soapland, that's usually the end of your lifespan in the show. In order for them to survive, I don't want to see them together! There has to be conflict!"

Were you sad to see Preeya leave?
"Of course. The Masoods get along so well and it's such a rare blessing to enjoy being around the actors that you work with. She had a great send-off. She wasn't quite a true Masood, though! She became Amira Syed because of the naming conventions in the Pakistani culture."

Have you met your new boss Bryan yet?
"Yeah, I have! He's a really nice guy and he loves the Masoods. Since he's been here he's been involved with the scripts and has made changes to stories for the better. My meeting with him went really well, so we'll see - it's an exciting time!"

Where would you like to see Masood go from here?
"There are so many characters that I'd love for Masood to interact with. One of them I pitched a long time ago but didn't quite happen was Phil Mitchell. It was thought that they were too different but if you put two characters that are diametrically opposed in a scene, you'll get fireworks. Steve McFadden feels the same, too - he was really excited about Masood and Phil becoming friends but it never really happened. Bryan was the one that picked up on a tiny little detail that really impressed me - he said, 'They're the only two men that drink orange juice in that pub'.

"Wouldn't it be great if Masood starts going down the wrong path and Phil is the one to say, 'That's wrong'? Then you have characters that have double standards, which results in arguments. Masood getting a moral lecture from Phil - that'd be great television."

Are you pleased with the way that the Masoods have developed?
"It's great. The Masoods have transcended being the Asian family in EastEnders, which is a huge achievement for any show. I'm very proud of what we've done as a team. The public have really taken the Masoods into their hearts. It's an astonishing achievement in British television."

Are you looking forward to what's in store for the Masoods? What would you like to see from new exec producer Bryan Kirkwood? Let me know your thoughts using the usual form below!