EastEnders star Rudolph Walker has revealed that he once called

a meeting with BBC bosses over the soap’s 20th-anniversary book,

after he and other Black cast members appeared to

have been left out of the publication or featured only briefly.

The actor, who has played Patrick Trueman on the soap since 2001, shared details of the incident in his new autobiography Walking With Dignity.

In quotes from his memoir, Walker explained that a BBC colleague had made him aware that the 20th-anniversary book had been published and recalled that he “could detect anger in her voice but she would not say why”, as she advised he should get hold of a copy.

He stressed that the book “had not been written by anyone at EastEnders“, and therefore didn’t know what to expect.

Walker recalled that he obtained a copy of the book the following day but was shocked to find that his character Patrick Trueman was not featured – despite the actor himself previously being asked to accept awards on EastEnders‘ behalf.

He remembered searching the book’s index for references to himself or his character Patrick, but he found “not even one mention of either name”.

“My picture was nowhere to be found,” he continued, adding that although his on-screen sons Paul Trueman (Gary Beadle) and Anthony Trueman (Nicholas Bailey) featured on the book’s cover, there were only “scant” references to them inside.

Walker subsequently met with the soap’s acting executive producer at the time, John Yorke, who he pointed out had just returned to the BBC and “wasn’t around” when the book was commissioned.

“I had to have a meeting with him to express my total disgust at the way they conducted their printing/publicity/PR business,” Walker wrote.

“John totally understood my position and certainly never tried to stop me talking to the press.”

The actor added that his agent had also written to the soap and was informed that an “independent editor” was responsible for the book’s content, rather than anyone from the EastEnders production team.

Walker added that he was told that characters who were involved in major storylines at the time of the book’s printing had received more prominence. However, he questioned this, as the book featured new family the Millers, who had not yet arrived on screen.

“By the end of 2004, I had appeared in 300 episodes over three years, and in 2004 had eight ‘doof doofs’,” he recalled. “The absence in the book of one of the first Black families in the Square… caused many eyebrows to be raised and questions asked.”

He added that “it certainly didn’t go unnoticed by the Black press, or many within the Black community”.

Walker also recalled that his co-stars Adam Woodyatt and Shane Richie, who play Ian Beale and Alfie Moon respectively, had reactions of “total and mutual disgust” and told him that the book should have been “withdrawn and reprinted”.

Elsewhere in the book, Walker wrote he was ultimately proud to have helped promote diversity and inclusion on mainstream soaps throughout his 23 “wonderful” years to date in Walford.

“I am proud to have been part of its journey, to witness the diversity, and not being afraid to explore issues that affect us all in our daily lives,” he said.

“It consistently sets a very high standard, and includes characters of diverse ethnic backgrounds, especially in the last three years, having the brilliant Colin Salmon as The Queen Vic landlord, and that wouldn’t have been entertained a few years ago.”