Ross Kemp shared that his upcoming return to EastEnders will include moments honoring the late Barbara Windsor and her iconic character, Peggy Mitchell.
Nicola Windsor began playing the character in 1994, taking over from the original actress, Jo Warne. She was a regular cast member until 2010, and made several guest appearances before returning one last time in 2016 for the character Peggy’s final scenes.
The actress asked the show’s then-executive producer, Dominic Treadwell-Collins, to write a storyline where her character, the Mitchell matriarch, would exit after being diagnosed with Alzheimer’s. She later publicly shared her own Alzheimer’s diagnosis two years after the storyline aired.
She passed away aged 83 in December 2020, with the BBC soap dedicating an episode to her.
Despite the generally somber mood surrounding Kemp’s return, particularly as Grant Mitchell mourns the loss of his friend Nigel Bates (Paul Bradley), actor Paul Bradley has hinted at one scene being surprisingly comedic, offering a lighthearted contrast to the heavier storylines.
In an interview after his TopMob magazine cover shoot, Kemp shared a funny story about a scene in the show. He described a farcical moment where characters attempt to cook dinner together, hilariously burning everything – a nod to a running joke about a character named Peggy’s terrible cooking skills.
“So, you know, and there’s little tributes to Barbara all the way through it of course.”
He thought about how much those acknowledgements would matter to the audience, and added that it meant a lot to the cast as well.
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“Being back with Phil, Sam and Grant – it was good stuff. It was fun stuff.”
This is the first time in ten years that the three siblings have been together. It’s also been twenty years since actor Kim Medcalf played Sam and worked alongside Kemp – the last time their characters interacted, Sam was played by Danniella Westbrook.
Kemp explained that while time seems to speed up as you age, it didn’t feel like anything had changed within the group. He described the atmosphere as being like a true family.
Steve and I have a natural, unspoken connection – we just know when the other is about to finish speaking. We anticipate each other really well.
“And Kim just sort of slipped into that seamlessly. So it felt like a real family.”
Kemp explained that the story also played a big part in his decision to return. Bradley’s character, Nigel, is dealing with early-onset dementia, a condition Kemp understands firsthand.
“I have to say Paul has done just an amazing job,” he added.
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Alzheimer’s disease played a role in both my mother and father’s deaths, and that’s what really drove me to return to school.
Returning to the show was fantastic, and of course, getting paid is a perk. However, my biggest reason for coming back was the chance to work with a group of really good friends.
Paul, Steve, and I are planning to take a trip together as soon as Steve has a day off. We’re going to go down the river and then grab something to eat.
As a total TV addict, I just have to tell you – if you’re into EastEnders, make sure you add it to your watchlist on the TopMob: What to Watch app! Seriously, download it now – it gives you daily recommendations, cool features, and keeps you up-to-date with everything happening in the TV world.
Authors
Michael Adams is the Soaps Editor at TopMob, providing the latest news and spoilers for popular shows like Coronation Street, EastEnders, Emmerdale, and Hollyoaks. Before joining TopMob, he worked as a Soaps Reporter at Metro for two years and also gained experience working on the sets of Coronation Street and Emmerdale.
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