Britain's Got Talent star Shaheen Jafargholi joins EastEnders as Kush's brother Shakil

Shakil, the youngest son of Carmel Kazemi and brother of Kush, will shake up the youth dynamic in Albert Square when he arrives in EastEnders.

Shaheen Jafargholi, 19 – who made the Britain's Got Talent finals in 2009 – has been cast as the popular 15-year-old lad.

Shaheen said: “I’m so excited to be joining [EastEnders]. I’ve been a fan since I was a little kid so to now be a part of something so iconic is an honour. I’m also really excited to be working with a legend such as Bonnie Langford. I’m having so much fun playing her son and can’t wait for people to finally meet Shaki.”

Known as 'Shaki' by his friends and family, the cheeky teenager arrives in the Square determined to reunite his parents who previously divorced. Things don’t quite go to plan however and he soon moves to the sSquare to be with his mum and brother.

At 15, it doesn’t take the popular Shakil long to find himself at home in Walford. But will there be a romance on the cards?

Shaheen previously starred on Britain’s Got Talent back in 2009, where he made it through to the final.

Watch his first BGT audition:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ThObaKJPRlo

Shaheen has also appeared in Casualty and Torchwood.

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Patrick McLennan is a London-based journalist and documentary maker who has worked as a writer, sub-editor, digital editor and TV producer in the UK and New Zealand. His CV includes spells as a news producer at the BBC and TVNZ, as well as web editor for Time Inc UK. He has produced TV news and entertainment features on personalities as diverse as Nick Cave, Tom Hardy, Clive James, Jodie Marsh and Kevin Bacon and he co-produced and directed The Ponds, which has screened in UK cinemas, BBC Four and is currently available on Netflix.

An entertainment writer with a diverse taste in TV and film, he lists Seinfeld, The Sopranos, The Chase, The Thick of It and Detectorists among his favourite shows, but steers well clear of most sci-fi.