EastEnders legend Ross Kemp has voiced his admiration for one co-star ahead of his return as Grant Mitchell later this month. Upcoming episodes will mark the first time all three Mitchell siblings – Grant, Phil and Sam – have been on-screen together in over 20 years.
Grant and Phil, the latter of whom is played by Steve McFadden, joined the BBC soap back in February 1990, and McFadden has continued to be a mainstay ever since. Kemp departed in 1999 and has made a number of brief returns.
Speaking during Friday’s episode of The One Show, Kemp told hosts Alex Jones and JB Gill that he has credited McFadden with all of the success he has had over the years, whether it be during his stint in Walford or as a documentarian.
BBC
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“Steve, in particular, I have to say thank you, because he’s a wonderful actor,” said Kemp. “If he didn’t open the door for me, I couldn’t do anything. He is one of the most giving and one of the most talented actors I’ve ever worked with.”
Grant’s return looks to be emotional, as his friend Nigel Bates is currently in a care home due to early onset dementia. When his loved ones are told that his pneumonia is getting worse, Grant’s estranged son Mark reaches out to him – despite Sam advising otherwise.
Sure enough, Grant soon appears, reuniting him on-screen with Phil and Sam for the first time since 2005. Although he was briefly seen for mum Peggy’s funeral in 2016, when Sam was played by Danniella Westbrook, he did not interact with his siblings.
This will also mark the first time that Grant and Mark have shared the screen since the latter role was taken over by Stephen Aaron-Sipple. Mark was previously played by Ned Porteous, who now stars as Joe Tate on ITV soap Emmerdale.
BBC
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Following the announcement of Kemp’s return in February, the actor said in a statement: “I’m truly delighted to be stepping back into Grant Mitchell’s shoes and returning to EastEnders later this year.”
“As well as exploring Grant’s attempts to reconnect with his son Mark, it’s especially an honour to be part of Nigel’s powerful ongoing dementia storyline, which holds deep personal meaning for due to a close family connection in real life,” he added.
EastEnders airs on Mondays–Thursdays at 7.30pm on BBC One. The show also streams on BBC iPlayer, where most episodes drop early at 6am ahead of their TV broadcast.
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