EastEnders' Lucas responds to anti-Christian complaints

EastEnders' actor Don Gilet says his role of Lucas Johnson, a murderous preacher, is not anti-Christian.

The soap has had complaints from viewers who felt the storyline was offensive to Christians.

But Gilet told Newsbeat: "It's not promoting or demoting Christianity, this guy is just not very well."

In the show Lucas left his first wife to die, murdered the ex-husband of his current wife Denise, and locked her in the basement after attacking her.

The dark storyline, which has gripped fans of the soap, is coming to a head this week.

But Gilet said Christian viewers shouldn't be offended: "I know there are a few people who are upset by it, but if you actually watch the show and invest in the story it's not about religion.

"It's about one man's warped view of life and he could have chosen any view to soak his madness into quite frankly."

Name-calling

Gilet also said he didn't shy away from taking the role: "I don't court controversy but I don't turn away from a job just because some people might be upset.

Gilet says his character's storyline will come to an 'explosive end'

"He's a complex character. It's a great experience playing a character that is so warped and, as far as he's concerned, is doing the right thing and when he finds out he's not doing the right thing his world is turned upside down."

The Walsall-born actor has got plenty of attention from the public because of the role, but said a bit of name calling doesn't bother him.

"They are alright - there's a healthy mutual understanding that they can call me 'murderer' in the street and they know that they're just joking. And I'm not really a murderer so it's OK, I'll cope with that."

For fans of the soap he advises to tune in to Friday night's episode (30 July): "It's going to be a pretty explosive end to what we know of Lucas.

"You're going to have half an hour of madness, mayhem, chaos and high tension and major conflict. But that's all I'm saying, I don't want to spoil it for you."