EastEnders’ Harry Mitchell actor looks worlds away from soap on BBC talent show eight years before Walford debut

EASTENDERS' Harry Mitchell star Elijah Holloway looked completely unrecognisable during a stint on a BBC talent show – eight years before setting foot in Walford.

Elijah Holloway, 26, joined the BBC soap as Harry Mitchell last year, but he has had a secret brush with fame on a reality show.

Before he was a member of the Mitchell family, Elijah auditioned for forgottenBBCtalent searchLet It Shinein 2017.

Let It Shine was a UK wide BBC talent search to find 5 contestants to join the cast of a brand new stage show.

They would play the role of a boyband in a new nationwide touring musical that features the music of Take That.

Thousands applied, and from discussions between the TV show Producers, vocal coaches and choreographers, a selection of contestants were invited to audition for the chance to win a place in the stage show.

In his bid for fame, Elijah performed in front of the judging panel, made up of Gary Barlow, Dannii Minogue, Martin Kemp and Amber Riley.

Aged just 18 at the time, Elijah was working as a luxury perfume salesman and attempted to win over the judges with his charisma and sales pitch, presenting fragrances to the celebrity panel.

Later in the competition, he channelled John Travolta with a very memorable rendition of ‘Greased Lightning' from the movie ‘Grease'.

However, he failed to make any of the bands that competed to be the stars of the stage show.

But since arriving in Albert Square, Elijah's character Harry has adapted to life in Walford and found themselves at the heart of the drama.

A recent episode solved the mystery of what happened to Harry's ex-girlfriend Shireen.

When Teddy revealed he was determined to find Shireen to clear his and Harry’s name, Nicola met up with a mysterious man.

Getting into his car, she said: “That job you did for me a couple of years back, someone’s running their mouth. They’ve got it backwards but it’s all kicking off again. I need to know where she is.”;

“I don’t know what you’re talking about,”; Benji replied.

Handing over cash, Nicola prompted the man’s memory.

Soap's biggest whodunnits

EastEnders – Who shot Phil Mitchell?

The “Who Shot Phil?” storyline was a whodunit mystery that captured the attention of viewers and the media. The episode revealing the culprit was watched by 23 million viewers. Lisa Shaw, Phil Mitchell's former girlfriend and the mother of his child Louise, was revealed as the killer as Phil slept with Lisa's best friend. Phil forgave Lisa, and they agreed to keep the truth a secret.

Coronation Street – Who killed Tina McIntyre ?

The popular actress Michelle Keegan played Tina McIntyre for several years on the Cobbles, but she ended up being killed by Rob Donovan in a tragic turn of events back in 2014 when he chased her onto the balcony of the Builder's Yard. When she tried to leave, he pushed her and she fell off the roof, with Rob convinced he killed her. With Tina still alive, he attacked her with an iron bar but she survived that attack and was rushed to hospital as doctors tried to save her.

Emmerdale – Who pushed Emma Barton?

Emma was then pushed off a viaduct by Moira after she talked ill of her dead daughter Holly, who died of an overdose in October 2017. Although Moira was responsible for Emma's death, her son, Adam Barton, took the fall for the murder since he was already a prime suspect and he didn't want Isaac to grow up motherless.

Hollyoaks – Glove Hand Killer

The Gloved Hand Killer was a mystery serial killer, who claimed the lives of 7 characters between January and October 2015, all by injecting them with potassium chloride. The Gloved Hand Killer's targets were all people who had done wrong in some shape or form. There were 6 suspects for who the Gloved Hand Killer was, and the killer's identity was revealed in October 2015. It was revealed to be doctor Lindsey Butterfield who had been killing people at the hospital.

He told her: “Paradise Park. Industrial estate just outside of Dartford. It’s been derelict for years. Don’t worry, nobody’s going to dig up your little secret.”;

“I hope so, for your sake as well as mine,”; replied Nicola.

“I’m just getting my family back on track. They can never know I killed that girl or I’ll lose them forever.”;

With Nicola confirmed as Walford’s newest killer – will she strike again?

And how will the Mitchell family react when they learn the truth?

EastEnders airs Monday to Thursday at 7:30pm on BBC One or stream from 6am on BBC iPlayer.