Shaki Kazemi

Shakil 'Shaki' Kazemi  made his first appearance on the 4th May 2016 and he is the son of Umar Kazemi and Carmel Kazemi as well as the younger brother of Kush and Darius. At the age of sixteen, Shaki lost his verginity to Bex Fowler who is the adoptive sister of his nephew Arthur Fowler.

It was announced in April 2018 that Shakil was to be killed off later in the year as part of a high-profile knife crime story produced in partnership with Brooke Kinsella MBE, a former EastEnders actress whose brother was murdered after being stabbed.

Backstory
Shaki is the son of Carmel and Umar Kazemi. He is also the brother of Kush, Darius and Abigail Kazemi.

Storylines
Shaki made his first appearance on 4 May 2016.

Shakil arrives in Walford to tell Carmel that her former husband, Umar, wants to meet her. However, he does not arrive and Kush realises that Shakil is lying, so he admits to Carmel that he made it up to try to reunite his parents. Carmel shouts at him to leave, but Shakil reveals he is no longer welcome at home, so Carmel allows him to stay, saying he should enroll in Walford High School.

He is against this until he sees his potential schoolmates, Louise Mitchell and Bex Fowler. Bex is annoyed when Louise flirts with Shakil. At Martin and Stacey Fowler's (Lacey Turner) wedding reception, Shakil kisses Bex, witnessed by a jealous Louise.

Louise tells Bex she doesn't mind that she kissed Shakil, but then tells Shakil that Bex has anger problems.

When Shakil kisses Bex on the cheek, Louise convinces her to "treat him mean, keep him keen", so he is confused when Bex declines his offer of a drink. Shakil thinks Bex is no longer interested so she cancels lunch with Martin to see him; when Martin finds them together, Bex is happy when Shakil calls her his girlfriend.

Shakil is eventually invited to have lunch with Bex, Sonia, and Martin, but tension rises between him and Martin during a game of charades where Shakil insults Martin and makes a sexual comment about his wife Stacey. While Sonia remains frustrated at Martin's hostile behaviour, she also disciplines Shakil for his rudeness, and the two eventually make up.

Shakil later tells Bex that he wants to lose his virginity with her before his 16th birthday which worries Bex and she admits she is not ready to have sex.

Shakil and Bex finally have sex in December, but Shakil ends his relationship with her shortly after because their communication breaks down and he assumes she is no longer interested, leaving her devastated.

In January 2017, Shakil is travelling on a bus with Denise Fox, Bex, Louise and new friend Keegan Baker back to Walford.

The bus driver suffers a heart attack and crashes into the market and viaduct leaving many of the residents in danger. Shakil helps Bex and Louise out of the bus and Louise tells Bex that Shakil has saved her life.

Shakil and Bex make amends, but they decide to stay as friends. When Madison Drake and Alexandra D'Costa bully Bex during the showcase, Shakil exposes it through the soundboard.

Shakil's feelings for Bex resurface but he finds out that she has feelings for their school teacher Gethin Pryce. As a result, Gethin resigns from his job and Louise tells Shakil everything.

Bex ignores them out of embarrassment and humiliation. Shakil is further disappointed when Louise tells him that he is immature but this leads them to kiss. Bex catches them and Louise reassures her that she & Shakil have no feelings for each other.