Grant Mitchell

Grant Mitchell is a fictional character from the British soap opera EastEnders, played by Ross Kemp. He was introduced by producer Michael Ferguson to revamp the show, and originally served as one of the show's leading protagonists throughout the 1990s; with the character first appearing in 22 February 1990 and then departing on 25 October 1999 after Kemp had opted to leave the show. He then returned to the show on 24 October 2005 for a few weeks and returned again between March and June 2006. Kemp was persuaded to return to the role for brief stints during a period of heavy media criticism aimed at EastEnders. The return proved to be a ratings success. Kemp reprised the role of Grant for various guest stints in 2016, appearing in twelve episodes between 13 May and 9 September. An archived recording of his voice was heard on 25 January 2022. On 26 July 2022, it was announced that Grant would feature in a flashback episode focusing on the Mitchell family in 1979. Teddy Jay played the role of Grant for this special episode, which aired on 5 September 2022. Throughout the course of his 1990s duration, Grant established himself as one of the show's most prominent characters. He was portrayed as a tough persona, wildly known for his fiery temper and his tendency to resort to violence. Despite this, however, his family is important to him – particularly his relationship with his older brother Phil (Steve McFadden). Known as the "Mitchell brothers", Grant and Phil have become household names in the United Kingdom – due to their association with the stereotypical black leather jacket wearing bald and brutal thug. They have been parodied even in adverts where their gruff, tough talking, cockney accents have been impersonated. One of EastEnders most popular and highly rated storylines was "Sharongate", where Grant discovers that his wife Sharon Watts (Letitia Dean) has been having an affair with his brother. In light of this iconic revelation, Grant attacked Phil and exacted revenge on Sharon until she departed the programme following her betrayal. Grant then went on to embark on a second marriage with local barmaid Tiffany Raymond (Martine McCutcheon), up to the point where she gave birth to their daughter – Courtney.