EastEnders star Richard Blackwood has revealed Vincent Hubbard’s mother Claudette is responsible for making him the villain he is.

Teachers star Ellen Thomas joined the BBC soap earlier this year as Vincent’s mum Claudette, and Richard has told Inside Soap viewers will soon see that she has shaped his character’s dark side.

Richard said: “I want to know what made him go dark. He’s a good man in many ways, so it’ll be interesting to find out what the catalyst for that was. He does get his villainy from his mum, though – Claudette is a bit of a gangster herself!

Ellen Thomas and Richard Blackwood as Claudette and Vincent Hubbard in EastEnders
Claudette is a loving mother but she has a tough side (BBC)

“You’ll see more of this darker side to her, and you’ll realise that there is no other way Vincent could ever have turned out with her as a mother. She’s like Violet Kray was with her boys.

“Claudette’s not soft – she knows what Vincent is capable of and she’ll back him all the way.”

Vincent is about to be beaten to a pulp by Phil Mitchell who warns him to stay away from his cousin Ronnie. But this won’t deter Vincent from cheating on his wife Kim Fox.

Richard Blackwood as Vincent Hubbard in EastEnders
Vincent can’t resist temptation (BBC)

Richard said: “Vincent doesn’t enjoy being a player. He’s not messing with these two women to feed his ego. He wants to make it work with Kim, but he can’t fight his feelings for Ronnie. They’ve got so much history.

“Vincent knows Kim is the person to keep him on the straight and narrow. He wants to give baby Pearl the childhood he missed out on. His dad was never there, so now he’s got the family he never had growing up. But he just doesn’t feel as deeply for Kim as he does for Ronnie.”