Gemma McCluskie

The brother of former EastEnders actress Gemma McCluskie is to stand trial accused of her murder in November.

Tony McCluskie, 35, is charged with killing the 29-year-old from Bethnal Green and then dumping her body in a canal just hours after she attended the Royal London Hospital’s opening ceremony on March 1 this year.

Her headless torso was discovered in a stretch of the Regent’s Canal near Broadway Market in Hackney, five days later after a barge owner called the police.

The body was later confirmed to be that of Ms McCluskie, but a postmortem proved inconclusive.

Appearing in custody, McMcluskie spoke only to confirm his identity during a brief hearing at the Old Bailey today (Monday).

He did not enter a plea to the murder charge and his barrister, Jeremy Dein QC, did not make an application for bail.

The alleged killer will return to court on October 12 for a plea and case management hearing, with a trial date pencilled in for November 12.

Miss McCluskie appeared in more than 30 episodes of the BBC soap opera as Kerry Skinner in 2001.

Former EastEnders co-stars Natalie Cassidy and Brooke Kinsella both appealed on Twitter for help in finding her.

McCluskie, of Pelter Street, Bethnal Green, east London, was remanded in custody.