Colin Russell (EastEnders)
| Colin Russell | |||||||
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| EastEnders character | |||||||
| Portrayed by | Michael Cashman | ||||||
| Duration | 1986–1989, 2016 | ||||||
| First appearance | Episode 153 5 August 1986 |
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| Last appearance | Episode 5348 9 September 2016 |
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| Introduced by |
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| Book appearances | EastEnders: A Single Man | ||||||
| Classification | Former; regular | ||||||
| Profile | |||||||
| Occupation | Graphic designer | ||||||
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| Mother | Ena Russell |
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| Brothers | Bill Russell |
| Husband | Eddie Tsang (2016–) |
Colin Russell is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders, played by Michael Cashman. The character appears between 5 August 1986 and 23 February 1989 and on 8 and 9 September 2016. Colin is originally portrayed as a middle-class yuppie with a kind heart. The character is Walford's first on-screen gay resident and he featured in the UK's first homosexual kiss on a soap opera, which caused controversy in the British press. As of September 2016[update], the 27-year gap between the character's appearances is the longest for any character in EastEnders to date.
Colin, a graphic designer, moves to Albert Square in August 1986. Colin is gay but he keeps this from the other residents of Walford initially, causing embarrassment for Debbie Wilkins (Shirley Cheriton) when she makes a pass at him. In November, Colin acquires a younger boyfriend named Barry Clark (Gary Hailes). They move in together and when Dot Cotton (June Brown) discovers they are sharing a bed, she is mortified and spreads rumours that Colin has AIDS. Some of the community shun Colin, refusing to speak to him as a result. Despite this altercation, Colin and Dot forge a close friendship when Colin supports Dot following her husband Charlie's (Christopher Hancock) bigamy.
Barry causes Colin problems by interfering with his work, deliberately making him jealous, and engaging in criminal antics with villainous Nick Cotton (John Altman) leaving Colin to pay for the damages. Further problems arise when Colin is called for jury service in 1987. The plaintiff is a member of the gangster organisation known as The Firm, and when Colin refuses to give a verdict of not guilty at the trial, Colin's flat is vandalised by Brad Williams (Jonathan Stratt). Colin calls the police, but they are more concerned about Colin's relationship with Barry than catching the vandals. They discover that Barry was under the age of legal sexual consent for gay men when he and Colin began living together, and the police decide to inform Barry's parents (in 1987 the legal age of sexual consent for gay men was 21). Barry is petrified of his homophobic father and decides to end his relationship with Colin.
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