EastEnders’ Grant Mitchell returns for explosive scenes with Phil as Nigel’s d.e.a.t.h looms
Grant Mitchell is back amid d.e.a.t.h fears for his best friend Nigel Bates - but with brother Phil staying firmly away, much to the concern of Sam and Mark, what awaits Grant in Walford?
EastEnders’ Grant Mitchell returns for explosive scenes with Phil(Image: CREDIT LINE:BBC/Jack Barnes/Kieron McCarron)
Mitchell fans across the world rejoice – Grant is back in Walford. EastEnders aired the iconic character’s return to Albert Square in Monday’s episode (27 April), as Nigel Bates’ health worsened and Phil Mitchell’s refusal to see him continued to worry his family.
Last week, Mark Fowler (Stephen Aaron-Sipple) became more and more worried by his Uncle Phil’s (Steve McFadden) refusal to go and see Nigel (Paul Bradley) in his care home. Turning to the one man who might be able to bring Phil out of his funk, Mark called his estranged dad Grant (Ross Kemp).
Tonight, Grant sped into Walford, almost taking Max Branning (Jake Wood) out with him. Grant and Mark went for a chat, where the former was shocked to hear that Phil had let their mate go to a care home.
Ross Kemp reprises his role as Grant is reunited with his siblings Sam and Phil Mitchell(Image: CREDIT LINE:BBC/Jack Barnes/Kieron McCarron)
After hearing Nigel had fallen over and been rushed to the hospital, Grant angrily drove to the hospital to see Nigel, and was confronted with just how badly his friend’s health had declined.
In the hospital, Grant broke down upon seeing Nigel and tearfully told his sister, Sam (Kim Medcalfe), that he felt awful that he hadn’t been there for Phil. The last time Grant was in Walford, Phil had been considering suicide following his battle with alcohol addiction.
When Grant and Phil finally came face to face, their scene was explosive. Grant furiously demanded to know why Phil hadn’t gone to see Nigel, and Phil screamed at his family to get out of his house.
Grant goes to see Nigel (Image: BBC/Jack Barnes/Kieron McCarron)
While Sam and Mark remained outside, Phil could be heard gutturally yelling as he charged at Grant and forced him off the property, before smashing up his kitchen.
As he returned to EastEnders 27 years after quitting, Ross Kemp said being back in Albert Square was scarier than anything he encountered while reporting from war zones. “Nothing I’ve done fills me with fear more than EastEnders – it is still the one that pushes me the most,” he admitted.
Since leaving Walford in 1999 after nearly a decade in the BBC1 soap, he’s dodged sniper fire in Afghanistan and Syria, challenged drug-traders in Colombia and been forced to his knees by armed guerrillas in Papua New Guinea. He was also once recognised as Grant while running from gunshots in Karachi by a woman in a tuk-tuk with a Brummie accent.
Despite his fears, the actor signed up to return to Walford because he wanted to work with Steve McFadden again. “I think Steve is still brilliant when it comes to playing a guy who could hit you with a piece of wood, but could also break down in tears,” he explained.
He also gave an insight into his storyline and said the script described Grant as “heaving with tears” when he goes to visit Nigel. Ross found it easy to weep freely because of a real-life upset involving his own mother.
“I won’t go into detail, but something happened to my mum on the third day on set,” he told Radio Times. “And so heaving tears wasn’t difficult.”
