EastEnders star unrecognisable as they star in brand new BBC crime drama almost four decades after soap axe

AN EastEnders star is unrecognisable after landing a brand new gig in a crime drama.

Haluk Bilginer has stunned fans of the long-running BBC soap as he appeared in The Turkish Detective.

BBC

BBC

AFP

BBC

The actor plays inspector Cetin Ikmen in the new gritty drama, airing each Sunday and Monday night on BBC Two.

It follows the character as he goes deep into the dangerous criminal gang world in modern Istanbul.

EastEnders fans who have dived into the new series instantly recognised Haluk from his time in the soap despite his new facial hair.

He played Mehmet Osman in the 80s for three years before being axed from Walford.

Haluk’s casting in the show came as soap bosses wanted to represent the Turkish Cypriot community.

But the actor, now 70, was abruptly written out of the show during a shake-up with writers behind-the-scenes.

Eagle-eyed fans who spotted Haluk in The Turkish Detective took to social media to comment.

One said: “We watched The Turkish Detective starring Haluk Bilginer as Inspector Ikmen. Haluk was Mehmet Osman in Eastenders back in the day, it was an enjoyable watch, like a Turkish Bergerac.”

A second wrote: “Love The Turkish Detective, which debuted tonight on BBC Two. Engaging with warmth, humour, realistic characters (no buffoonery), amid the often clashing societal lines of modern Istanbul.”

“Fascinatingly gorgeous place, Istanbul. To my surprise this evening stumbled on The Turkish Detective on BBC Two while waiting for Wimbledon to go away on BBC One,” said a third.

While a fourth posted: “Ep.1 of The Turkish Detective, on BBC, based on the books by Barbara Nadel was excellent. I love the books and this really captures their essence, with a charismatic cast and a gritty plot.”

The Turkish Detective is available to stream now on iPlayer.

BBC

BBC crime dramas

The BBC is reopening case files on an all-star line-up of crime dramas this summer. Here's a refresher on the popular programmes which span six decades.

• Campion: Aired from 1989 to 1990, a detective drama series adapted from novels by Margery Allingham and starring Peter Davison.

• Dalziel and Pascoe: A gritty detective drama series about a mismatched pair of policemen, based on the award-winning books by Reginald Hill. Aired from 1996 to 2007.

• Death in Paradise: A misanthropic detective inspector is assigned to a Caribbean island against his will. Premiered in 2011 and is still on air to this day.

• Happy Valley: Created by Sally Wainwright, this northern noir follows Sarah Lancashire as Sgt Catherine Cawood – tough, defiant and facing her traumatic past.

• Hinterland: Welsh drama starring Richard Harrington. Brooding DCI Tom Mathias uncovers secrets – and links to his troubled past amid mountainous terrain and close-knit villages. Aired from 2013 to 2016.

• Inspector Lynley Mysteries: Based on the novels of Elizabeth George, this drama series is about upper-crust DI Thomas Lynley and working class DS Barbara Havers. Aired from 2001 to 2007.

• Jonathan Creek: Starring comedian Alan Davies, this comedy-drama series follows a deviser of magic tricks who is often called in to solve puzzling murders. Aired from 1997 to 2016.

• Law & Order: Originally broadcast in 1978, this four-part drama series is about the British judicial system. Stars include Peter Dean and Derek Martin.

• Life on Mars: Beguiling science-fiction police drama following a Manchester policeman who travels back to 1973 following a car accident. Stars John Simm and Philip Glenister. Aired from 2006 to 2007.

• Line of Duty: Created by Jed Mercurio, this drama follows the investigations of AC-12, a controversial police anticorruption unit. Stars Martin Compston, Vicky McClure and Adrian Dunbar, aired from 2012 to 2021.

• Luther: Crime drama series starring Idris Elba as DCI John Luther. Aired from 2010 to 2019, with a follow-up film released in 2023.

• New Tricks: Warm-hearted drama following an eccentric group of old-fashioned detectives. Starring Dennis Waterman, Amanda Redman, Alun Armstrong and James Bolam. Aired from 2003 to 2015.

• Sherlock: Benedict Cumberbatch stars a modern day Sherlock Holmes, teaming up with Martin Freeman’s war veteran Dr Watson to solve impossible crimes. Aired from 2010 to 2017.

• Shetland: Detective drama starring Douglas Henshall, Ashley Jensen and Alison O’Donnell, showcasing the dark side of one of the most beautiful places on earth. Premiered in 2013 and is still on air to this day.

• The Cops: Set in the fictional northern town of Stanton, this acclaimed, provocative police drama stars Katy Cavanagh, Rob Dixon and John Henshaw. Aired from 1998 to 2001.

• Waking The Dead: With a cast including Trevor Eve, Sue Johnston and Wil Johnson, this series follows a cold case team who unearths sleeping secrets, but sometimes the past is best left buried. Aired from 2000 to 2011.

• Wallander: Starring Sir Kenneth Branagh, Kurt Wallander is unable to unsee the dark crimes he’s tasked to investigate while Wallander’s job comes at a cost to his family and relationships. Aired from 2008 to 2016.