EastEnders actor Jonny Freeman has justified his character Reiss Colwell’s decision to kill his wife Debbie.
Reiss was arrested on suspicion of murder, along with his new partner Sonia Fowler (Natalie Cassidy), after he secretly smothered Debbie to death after falling behind on her care home fees.
But Jonny insisted on today’s This Morning that Reiss was a ‘good person under huge pressure making bad choices.’
He also said Reiss viewed the events leading up to the brutal killing and the crime itself as a ‘great love story’ between himself and Sonia.
On the ITV show, Jonny said: ‘On the ITV show, Jonny said: ‘For Reiss, it’s very much a love story, and as in all great love stories, you stick by the person you’re with.
‘I’m sure he’s scared she might not [stick by him] as he’s certainly made a few poor choices, shall we say.’
Presenter Rochelle Hulmes then commented it was ‘starting to close in on’ Reiss as he was ‘out of money and out of morals’ and asked what his future held.
Jonny replied: ‘You say out of morals but I think as in life – all the soaps are trying to represent real life, there might be some extreme edges to it – rather than baddies and goodies I think he’s a good person under huge pressure making bad choices.
‘Those choices then build up and build up and he makes even worse choices trying to cover his tracks. I’m not sure he’s out of morals, he’s making a hash of it.’
He continued: ‘To advocate for Reiss, in his mind however you view it, he’s doing it all because he does see a better future and that’s with Sonia. He wants them to have a life together, wants to have a baby with her and wants to have a family.
‘Perhaps the way he’s going about that with the issues he’s got going on might not be the best.’
On tonight’s episode of EastEnders, which is available to stream already on iPlayer, Sonia and Reiss were interrogated by police are interrogated by police over Debbie’s murder.
Officers were quick to mention that Sonia’s DNA was all over Debbie’s pillow and were unconvinced when she argued that she moved Debbie to make her more comfortable all the time.
They also revealed that witnesses had confirmed overhearing her stating that things would be easier if Debbie was dead.
Across the station, it was good news for Reiss, who was told that he was free to go, as he had an alibi due to the fact that his phone records placed him at a bar late into the night of Debbie’s death.
However, when he learned Sonia was being held longer by the police, he failed to take the opportunity to save her and confess his crime.
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