BEN’S ONE BIG HEADACHE!

EastEnders’ Harry Reid on the stress – and satisfaction – of playing such an angst-ridden role

Though it may sound tough being the gay son of an alcoholic thug like Phil Mitchell, spare a thought for the actor playing him. Harry Reid says it’s such a struggle getting to grips with his mixed-up character every day that it leaves him feeling drained.

Says Harry, 24, ‘ I sometimes come out of work with a headache because of how challenging the role can be, especially with everything Ben has been through lately. He’s so intense and it can be draining. But I don’t mind that, as it’s the complexity of the character that makes him so exciting to play.’

Harry joined the show as angst-ridden Ben in 2014, but it was only when Ben came out as gay and announced he was in a relationship with Paul Coker earlier this summer that the actor’s headaches disappeared. ‘It was so different and lovely to play Ben’s happiness, which we hadn’t seen before, that they went away,’ says Harry. Predictably, the joy was shortlived. Soon after, as Ben and Paul celebrated their love by getting tattoos during a night out, Paul was killed in a homophobic attack. ‘Unfortunately, it means I’m now back to being Headache Harry,’ he jokes.

This week, Ben – who blames himself for not doing more to protect his boyfriend – and his surrogate brother Jay Mitchell are kidnapped by Paul’s killers. Says Harry, ‘Ben is either going to get to give them the punishment he believes they deserve or these thugs are going to end up doing something nasty to Ben and Jay; viewers will love the suspense.’

Harry, who is straight, is the fifth actor to play Ben, and his two years in the show have thrust him into the thick of the action, with many episodes focused on Ben’s love life. For a while, he was in a disastrous relationship with Abi Branning. Finally coming out was far from easy, particularly given how opposed to it Ben’s father Phil has been. But, Harry says, ‘When Phil hugged Ben after he lost Paul, I think the public saw that as a powerful moment.’

In fact, at a recent charity event, a fan thanked Harry for helping him come to terms with his sexuality. ‘A woman approached me and said, “My son’s struggled with being gay, but in the past few months he’s been engrossed in your storyline with Paul, and he’s started to be more open.” Then her son came and thanked me. I love interactions like that, to think I can have that impact just by doing my job. I hope me doing what I’m doing is helping people. I want people to know the world isn’t against them.’

Harry grew up in Gravesend, Kent, and always knew that he wanted to act. He landed his job on EastEnders almost straight after leaving university. ‘I’m absolutely loving it,’ he beams. ‘ I’ve had a good couple of years. I’ve had great actors surrounding me and learned lots, so I feel I’ve really grown. Hopefully that will continue.’

And what does he have planned for the future? ‘If I can live happily and put food on the table doing a job I love then that’s what I want,’ he says. ‘I’ve been given this honour of being in this fantastic, long-running show and I’ll go on as long as they want me.’