Emmerdale actor Ethan Kai looks completely different in new BBC crime thriller The Turkish Detective
Ethan Kai played Kasim Sabet in Emmerdale, the ex-boyfriend of Joe Gill's character Finn Barton, and now he's unrecognisable in his new TV role
Ethan Kai may have had a fleeting stint in Emmerdale, but his character Kasim Sabet left a lasting impression on the residents of the Dales.
Kasim arrived in Emmerdale in 2016 following a horrific car crash on the Hotten Bypass that nearly claimed his life. He was involved in a romantic storyline with Finn, the taxi operator played by Joe Gill.Despite leaving the show a few months later and shocking fans with his body transformation Ethan has been keeping busy, appearing in TV shows like Killing Eve and the movie Batgirl, which was unfortunately later shelved by Warner Brothers.
Now, the 30-year-old actor is set to star in a new BBC2 crime thriller set in modern-day Istanbul, The Turkish Detective. Ethan looks completely different from his soap days.
Ethan in The Turkish Detective (
BBC / Paramount)
The series, based on Barbara Nadel’s bestselling Inspector Ikmen novels, features Ethan as British detective Mehmet Suleyman, who assists the eccentric inspector himself, played by former EastEnders actor Haluk Bilginer, known for his role as Mehmet Osman in the 1980s, reports OK!.
Gone are the floppy hair, designer stubble and casual clothes Ethan wore as Kasim in Emmerdale. Now, he sports a neater hairstyle and fuller beard, along with a shirt and tie paired with a Barbour-style jacket.
Ayse Farsakoglu (played by Yasemin Kay Allen), Mehmet Suleyman (Ethan Kai) and Cetin Ikmen (Haluk Bilginer) in The Turkish Detective (
BBC / Paramount)
Mehmet lands in Istanbul to join the city’s homicide squad, led by a seasoned Inspector. No sooner has he arrived than they’re thrust into probing the death of a university student.
The team must delve into the victim’s clandestine affairs to track down the perpetrator, while Mehmet gets to grips with his new surroundings and Cetin’s unconventional methods.
“The Turkish Detective” hits screens on Sunday, 7 July, kicking off with the killing of a 19 year old student entangled with Istanbul’s affluent circles. With Cetin, Mehmet, and their colleague Ayse Rarsakoglu on the case, it doesn’t take long for them to dig up some perilous city secrets.
Book lovers are over the moon about the TV adaptation of the novels. Following author Barbara Nadel’s announcement on X, previously known as Twitter, one fan exclaimed: “Wow! Big congrats here. They’ve known how to bring Ikmen to the screen,” and another eagerly posted: “Absolutely fantastic and I can’t wait to watch it. I hope there are English subtitles as I just love the sound of the Turkish language. Many congratulations.”
Another added: “Oh my goodness. It gave me goose bumps, watching that. Are you thrilled? Brief bits of dialogue Ikmen says give me hope that the spirit of his manner and work have been honoured in the adaptation. His integrity, intelligence and wisdom is the foundation of the novels you wrote.” An elated Barbara replied: “He’s really nailed it.”
Haluk Bilginer, who was one of the early members of the EastEnders cast, portrayed the character Mehmet Osman from 1985 to 1989. His character, the sibling of Ali Osman (played by Nejdet Salih), was brought into the storyline by soap writers Tony Holland and Julia Smith to depict the expanding Turkish Cypriot community in London.
However, their characters were suddenly removed from the script when the writers exited the show.
