Gus Smith

Name: Gus Smith
First Appeared: 28th May 2002
Last Appeared: 1st May 2008
Played by: Mohammed George

Gus Smith, a name that brings a smile to the faces of many EastEnders fans, made his grand entrance in Walford in May 2002. With a day job at a bed company, he managed to catch the eye of Sonia Jackson, and a whirlwind romance ensued after her split with Jamie Mitchell. But as often happens in Walford, love wasn’t straightforward, and Sonia soon realized her heart still belonged to Jamie, leaving Gus out in the cold. Despite the rocky start, Gus found his feet in Albert Square, especially when his troublesome brother Juley arrived and Wellard the dog joined his life, courtesy of Robbie Jackson’s departure to India.

Life for Gus was never dull. He took over as the local road sweeper, but his clean slate didn’t last long. When Martin Fowler and Vicki Fowler got themselves into a pickle by breaking into the Minute Mart, it was Gus who ended up taking the blame after a run-in with the police. December 2003 brought more chaos when a minibus trip to Scotland went sideways. Gus found himself stranded on a moor with Zoe Slater, Kelly Taylor, Mickey Miller, Spencer Moon, Sonia, Martin, Vicki, Tariq, and the Ferreira siblings. But our hero and Wellard came through, finding help just in time.

2004 proved even more dramatic when Gus disposed of a handgun found in Juley’s bag, only for Juley’s shady dealings to catch up with him. This led to Juley’s departure from Walford in 2005, though he returned later for a trip to France with Gus and the gang. In France, family secrets were laid bare, particularly when Mike Swann exposed Juley as a con man. Despite this, Gus’s big heart saw him persuade Juley to return to Walford and make amends.

Wellard, ever the loyal companion, had his own share of drama. In late 2005, he bit Ian Beale, sparking a campaign to have him put down. But thanks to character witnesses from Jane Collins, Peter, and Lucy Beale, Wellard was freed in January 2006. Gus’s loyalty was tested further when Juley mugged his ex-girlfriend, Ruby Allen. Despite being disgusted, Gus helped Juley escape Jake Moon’s wrath. Gus briefly rekindled his romance with Sonia after she split from Naomi Julien, only for her to leave him again for her husband, Martin.

By April 2008, Gus had fallen for Keisha, only to catch her in bed with his lodger, Sean Slater. A series of escalating tensions led to Gus being kicked out of his own home by Sean, who even made Gus believe he had killed and eaten Wellard. The drama culminated in Gus being tied to a chair, with Sean about to deliver a beating, when Stacey Branning intervened. Reunited with Keisha, Gus decided it was time for a change and left Walford to travel with her band. But not before getting his revenge on Sean by exposing him as a cocaine dealer, ensuring that Gus Smith left Albert Square with a bang.