EastEnders icon Ross Kemp confirms emotional scenes behind special extended episode next week

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EastEnders is set for a dramatic week as Grant Mitchell, played by Ross Kemp, makes a long-awaited return to Walford.

The show is saying goodbye to Nigel Bates (Paul Bradley), as his health is rapidly worsening due to early-onset dementia. His brother, Phil (Steve McFadden), is also struggling and is isolating himself, even refusing to see Nigel in his care home.

Phil is upset because he believes he went against his friend’s wishes, as he’d promised to look after him when he was ill and nearing the end of his life.

Next Wednesday, April 29th, a new episode will feature Grant following a worried Phil to the beach. Phil is looking for something connected to their brother Nigel’s history. The two share a heartfelt talk, but Grant receives upsetting news when Julie Bates calls to say Nigel is very ill and doesn’t have much time left.

Will Grant choose to support his brother, or his old school friend?

Ross explained to TopMob that the episode ran long – about 10 minutes over – and was difficult to edit down. The editor, director, and producers all struggled with making cuts, but ultimately had to trim some content to fit the time constraints.

It’s currently taking around 35 minutes to complete, which is about five minutes slower than usual.

Okay, so in this episode, Grant really pushes Phil to hurry back to the care home, but let me tell you, their trip is not smooth sailing. They keep running into problems and delays – it’s a classic road trip gone wrong, honestly. It really ratchets up the tension!

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Kemp explained that shortly after returning, he experienced a deeply shocking personal event – a loved one suddenly became very ill.

We planned two hours to film the driving scene, but it started raining. Steve and I were able to complete the scene in just 40 minutes, demonstrating how efficiently we collaborate.

Honestly, the weather was completely wild that day. We headed to the beach, and right as we got there, the sun just burst through the clouds. It was incredible! We ended up filming a really special episode with Paul, Steve, and me – the whole thing felt magical because of that sudden change in weather.

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As soon as we got back to work, it started raining heavily, which actually fit the mood of what was happening in those episodes.

During Nigel’s time at the care home, Bradley was also filming scenes elsewhere, as shown in photos from the episode. Sadly, Nigel dies at the end of the installment.

These episodes are very emotional. This is Paul’s last one, which makes it particularly meaningful. We hope it’s a fitting tribute to both Paul and Steve’s work over the past year and a half, and also resonates with anyone currently dealing with a family member’s Alzheimer’s diagnosis.

Okay, so if you’re into soaps like I am, you need to add EastEnders to your watchlist on the TopMob: What to Watch app. Seriously, download it – it gives you daily TV recommendations, cool features, and keeps you up-to-date on everything happening in the world of TV. It’s a lifesaver for a movie and TV buff like me!

Authors

Michael AdamsSoaps Editor

Michael Adams is the Soaps Editor at TopMob, keeping fans up-to-date with all the latest news and spoilers from popular shows like Coronation Street, EastEnders, Emmerdale, and Hollyoaks. Before joining TopMob, he worked as a Soaps Reporter at Metro for two years, and he also has on-set experience with both Coronation Street and Emmerdale.

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2026-04-22 17:05