Grant Mitchell’s EastEnders return is a stroke of genius – Corrie should take note after Christmas episodes flopped
THIS week, Ross Kemp announced that the rumours surrounding his return are true and that Grant Mitchell will be making a comeback to Albert Square.
In the 90s, he was known for the hard-man antics of the legendary character which featured a rough persona combined with a tendency to resort to violence.
Over Christmas we saw Cindy’s affair with Junior Knight revealed to all of the Vic in a scene which contained obvious parallels to the infamous Sharongate storyline from 1994.
His return comes at a great point in the soap as we approach the 40th Anniversary of EastEnders.
Ex-wife Sharon has embarked on a new relationship with yet ANOTHER Mitchell in the form of the long-lost cousin Teddy.
The other half of the famous Mitchell brothers duo, Phil, seems to be struggling with his inner demons at the moment, so Grant’s arrival could not come at a better time.
Grant joins the long list of iconic characters from the show’s history who have returned to the soap which include Chrissy Watts, Mickey Miller, David Wicks, and of course Nigel Bates.
However, it was always clear that he was at the top of the wish list of many long-time fans and now the best scenario is about to come true.
This also comes at the perfect time for the BBC, as it was clear from the Christmas ratings that Auntie was the dominating force out of all the channels.
Gail Platt’s exit after a 50 year legacy combined with the return of serial killer husband Richard Hillman should have been box office viewing for ITV.
Yet, it failed to even crack the top 10 most viewed programmes over the festive period and Corrie’s place in the top 20 seemed tentative at best.
Going into the New Year, EastEnders is riding high on this momentum with the climax of the Nish Panesar storyline.
However, it is clear by Grant’s return combined with the mystery ‘whodunnit’ around the attack of Cindy Beale that the execs have a clear strategy to keep fans hooked through 2025.
Whilst Coronation Street struggles to hold onto its huge cast, killing off legacy characters like Les Battersby at the drop of a hat just to advance short-term storylines, Beeb bosses continue to build on Walford’s esteemed legacy.
By putting the focus on the likes of Grant and Cindy, they are building excitement with fans by using the resources of the past with complete respect for the aspects that made the soap great.
I am a fan of wrestling and there are certain philosophies that are used in the sports entertainment business that I can see EastEnders producers are using beautifully.
Coronation Street struggled to give a five-decade character the send-off she truly deserved
Joshua Rom
Usually, a legacy talent would embark on a feud with a younger wrestler to make them more known and liked amongst the established fan-base in an effort to ‘put them over’.
Cindy and Ian Beale have both been used elevate the characters of George, Anna, Gina and Junior Knight.
The legacy and ghost of Angie Watts in the pub has been used as a way to make Linda Carter even more lovable to fans though her harrowing and heart-breaking alcoholic storyline.
It seems like the likes of Grant & Phil Mitchell and Sharon Watts will be used to put over characters like Teddy, Harry and Barney Mitchell.
Phil Micthell's biggest EastEnders storylines
Phil Mitchell, a long-running character on EastEnders, has had many storylines, including:
- Alcoholism and addiction: Phil has struggled with alcoholism and addiction to crack cocaine.
- Cirrhosis of the liver: Phil was told he had months to live due to cirrhosis. He eventually received a liver transplant.
- Criminal dealings: Phil has been involved in various criminal dealings.
- Affair with Sharon Watts: Phil had an affair with Sharon Watts, which became known as “Sharongate”.
- Failed marriage to Kathy Beale: Phil was married to Kathy Beale, but their marriage failed.
- Feuds and rivalries: Phil has had many feuds and rivalries, including with his stepson Ian Beale and love rival Steve Owen.
- Murder of Dennis Rickman: Phil sought revenge for the murder of Sharon’s adoptive brother and husband, Dennis Rickman.
- Murder of his uncle Archie: Phil was a prime suspect in the murder of his uncle Archie.
- “Who Shot Phil?”: Phil was shot outside his home in a highly anticipated storyline that was described as a “Dallas-style” whodunnit mystery.
- Loneliness and mental health: Phil may face a storyline related to loneliness and mental health. Some fans speculate that his sibling, Grant, may reappear as a result.
EastEnders bosses continue to use the esteemed past of the soap to build rock solid foundations for the shows future
This was as Coronation Street struggled to give a five-decade character the send-off she truly deserved.
Can ITV recover from what is seemed as a potentially catastrophic failure? That is the real ‘Doof Doof’ cliff-hanger.
EastEnders airs on BBC One and is available on BBC iPlayer. Coronation Street airs on ITV1 and is available on ITVX.