Detective Bernie’s on the case!

Eastenders’ Bernie is desperate to find her brother Keanu – but she’s in for a nasty surprise, says actress Clair Norris

Nosy Bernadette Taylor is doing some sleuthing this week as she tries to get to the bottom of her brother Keanu’s disappearance. Bernie hasn’t seen him since he vanished over Christmas – and what she doesn’t know is that he was abducted by Martin Fowler under orders from vengeful Ben Mitchell, who wanted Keanu dead after it emerged he had an affair with his stepmother, Sharon.

However, Martin ultimately agreed to stage Keanu’s death and allow him to escape, and viewers last saw Keanu in early January as he said an emotional goodbye to his mother Karen before fleeing the country.

This week, with Karen keeping her son’s fate a secret, Bernie will take matters into her own hands. ‘Keanu going missing has really worried Bernie, who finds it odd that one minute Karen was crying but the next everything’s fine,’ says Clair Norris, who plays Bernie. ‘This makes alarm bells ring – she thinks that if her mum isn’t worried, someone should be. You’ll see her creeping around, trying to find out what’s happened.’

Keanu became Enemy No 1 for the Mitchells after fathering a child with Louise while having an affair with Sharon, who also fell pregnant.

‘Bernie pieces everything together,’ says Clair. ‘Everyone knows you don’t mess with the Mitchells, so she blames them and has a big row with her mum’s boyfriend Billy Mitchell.’

Desperate to find out whether Keanu’s still alive, Bernie refuses to let it drop but Clair admits her character may not like what she discovers.

‘Bernie gets angry with Karen, who feels guilty and tells her that Keanu’s safe, but may never be able to come back to Walford and they have to keep everything hush-hush.

While Bernie is relieved, she’s also devastated. It’s bittersweet.’

So can Bernie keep the secret? ‘Definitely,’ says Clair. ‘She may be a worrier but she’s very loyal.’

Eastenders was Clair’s first acting gig, and she won it in summer 2017 while studying drama at Miskin Theatre in Dartford and working at high street store Peacocks. ‘It was my first audition too,’ beams Clair, who’s 22 and from south-east London. ‘It was a crazy whirlwind!’

Clair admits her life has changed

‘a lot’ since getting the role, but adds, ‘It didn’t change me as a person. I still live at home with my family.’

With Bernie now firmly part of the Walford furniture, Clair is happy to stay and develop her craft. ‘I’m trying to learn from everyone,’ she says. She’s an experienced ballroom dancer (see panel above), so could she be tempted by Strictly? ‘I love the show, but who knows,’ says Clair, adding, ‘I could one day leave EastEnders and go back to Peacocks!’ ■