EastEnders legend Ross Kemp reveals “alternate reality” after overnight Grant Mitchell fame – and the advice his dad gave him

Grant Mitchell is a hugely popular character on the BBC’s EastEnders, and whenever Ross Kemp reprises the role, viewers can expect plenty of exciting drama.

His return to the show happened during its 40th anniversary, while his brother Phil was struggling with his mental health. Nigel Bates asked him to help, and he managed to stop Phil from attempting suicide.

After everything that happened, he and Sharon Watts (Letitia Dean) got back together, which deeply upset his brother or sister.

She was dating Teddy Mitchell, also known as Roland Manookian, and knew Phil was trying to get back in touch with her. However, she became attracted to Grant and they had a sexual encounter.

He left Walford without being held accountable for what he did, but it’s likely past issues will resurface if he ever returns.

Starting on a show as big as EastEnders can be really intimidating. While Kemp had been on Emmerdale Farm four years before, he didn’t become a household name until joining Albert Square.

During an interview on Pluto TV’s Yellow Couch with Jeremy Lynch, he shared that his father predicted the job would dramatically alter his life.

“You may not be paid like a footballer, but you’re treated like one,” Kemp said.

I took my grandmother, mother, brother, and then-girlfriend out, and I was swarmed by around fifty people! Back then, before cell phones and selfies were common, people loved to ask for autographs.

“I came back and thought, ‘That was freaky.'”

Seeing how frightened his son was, John said, “This is what you asked for.” But Kemp had seen things differently, imagining everything was perfect.

He was teaching me that you need to be careful what you wish for, because things don’t always happen as you expect.

Back in 1990, it’s wild to think over eight million people were watching my shows each night! It meant dealing with some really strange encounters – people only knew me as Grant, the tough guy I often played, and sometimes didn’t recognize me as, well, just me. It was a bit surreal, honestly.

While driving on highways like the M25 or A41, people would often pull alongside my car and either make rude gestures or blow me kisses. It was really upsetting to experience that.

It felt really strange. You ended up spending more time with the people you considered family, even if they weren’t related by blood – hopefully, they were true friends. It was like living in a different world.

You can watch the complete interview with Ross on Jeremy Lynch’s Yellow Couch for free on Pluto TV starting at 9:30 AM on Thursday.

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2025-11-26 22:34