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Grant Mitchell (EastEnders)
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Grant Anthony Mitchell was a fictional character, played by Ross Kemp, in the British soap opera EastEnders. He appeared in the series from 1990 until 1999, making brief comebacks in 2005 and 2006.
Grant is the stereotypical tough guy, and is known for his fiery temper and his tendency to resort to violence. Family is important to him, particularly his relationship with his brother, Phil, although they have had their differences over the years.
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Grant Anthony Mitchell was a fictional character, played by Ross Kemp, in the British soap opera EastEnders. He appeared in the series from 1990 until 1999, making brief comebacks in 2005 and 2006.
Grant is the stereotypical tough guy, and is known for his fiery temper and his tendency to resort to violence. Family is important to him, particularly his relationship with his brother, Phil, although they have had their differences over the years. Grant and Phil known as the "Mitchell brothers" have become a household name 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.
Despite his tough nature he is also a womaniser and has had relationships with an array of women and three marriages, all ending in disaster. He has calmed down in recent years, although he is still feared by people in and around Walford.
Character creation
Background
In the latter part of 1989 EastEnders acquired a new executive producer named Michael Ferguson, who took over from Mike Gibbon. Ferguson had previously been a producer on ITV's The Bill — a hard-hitting, gritty and successful police drama, which seemed to be challenging EastEnders in providing a realistic vision of modern life in London. Due to his success on The Bill, Peter Cregeen, the Head of Series at the BBC, poached Ferguson to become executive producer of EastEnders.
Following a relatively unsuccessful inclination towards comedic storylines throughout 1989, Ferguson decided to take the soap in a new direction in 1990. Big changes were implemented both off-screen and on-screen. Ferguson altered the way the episodes were produced, changed the way the storylines were conceptualised and introduced a far greater amount of location work than had previously been seen. EastEnders scriptwriter Colin Brake has said that it was a challenging period, but "the results on-screen were a programme with a new sense of vitality, and a programme more in touch with the real world than it had been for a while".
As a consequence of these changes, a large number of characters, including Marge Green, Julie Cooper, Trevor Short and Paul Priestly, were axed in early 1990 as the new production machine cleared way for a new direction and new characters. Two major new characters, the Mitchell brothers, made their first appearance in February 1990. Ferguson wanted to introduce a couple of young men who would bring an air of danger, characters who would be "unpredictable" and "bursting with energy". Phil and Grant Mitchell went on to become major long-term characters, rooted firmly at the heart of the series.
Casting
To cast Phil and Grant Mitchell many actors were screen-tested together. This was done to assure that the chosen actors — who would work predominantly alongside each other — had a strong rapport and physical resemblance. Producer Corinne Hollingworth has commented: "There were some good actors we had to turn down because we couldn't find the 'right' brother". Ross Kemp was chosen to play Grant. Kemp was an actor with a stocky, muscular build and shaven hair, making him an ideal choice to play one of Walford's latest "tough-men". Steve McFadden was given the role of Phil. Both actors worked well and convincingly together and both shared similar physical characteristics, such as short cropped hair and a "round, open face" — facial characteristics also shared by Danniella Westbrook, who was chosen to play their sister Samantha partly because of this.
Personality
Of the two brothers Grant was the more volatile, but both had a sense of physical danger about them, and both displayed stereotypical masculinity, thuggish behaviour and a tendency to resolve problems through violence. Grant was originally depicted as the more spontaneous of the Mitchell double-act, often incapable of restraining himself and requiring his elder brother to do it for him. Despite the brothers' closeness, rivalry between them was sometimes evident.
Grant often displayed laddish, thrill-seeking behaviour; drinking, chasing women, clubbing, gambling and living off of his wits. He became restless easily and actively sought the thrill of danger in order to regain excitement in his life, which led to his participation in numerous crimes, fights and affairs. Grant showed sociopathic tendencies at times — impulsive behaviour, a disregard for social rules and an indifference to the feelings of others, particularly the women in his life. He was often portrayed as arrogant and egotistical, with an inflated opinion of his own importance. Because of this, he rarely admitted to being at fault or backed down from an argument. While the character mellowed in his later years, such behaviour was still apparent.
Grant took great pride in being a Mitchell, his late father had a local reputation as a boxer. He always strived to live up to the family name and enjoyed the reputation he inherited and maintained. While Grant liked to think of himself as indestructible, he at many times showed emotional vulnerability and a need to be mothered. Indeed, at times he was just as likely to burst into tears as he was to throw a punch. Because of this, he attracted many women, despite the fact that he often treated them as possessions, disregarding their feelings and eliciting exaggerated revenge should they cross him (resulting in spousal abuse and the destruction of all three of his marriages). His quick temper was off-set by a period of genuine remorse and promises that he would change. However, more often than not, Grant reverted to form and when placed under pressure he seemed incapable of controlling his aggression, disregarding all consequences.
Character development and impact
The Mitchell brothers quickly became two of the soap's most popular characters and storylines involving the brothers soon began to dominate the programme. Their arrival heralded a new era for the soap, which aptly coincided with the beginning of a new decade — EastEnders during the 1980s having been very much dominated by the hugely popular Watts family.
Sharongate
One of the most notable and popular early storylines involving Grant was a love triangle between him, his brother and his wife Sharon (played by Letitia Dean). Despite the fact that Sharon married Grant initially, EastEnders writer Tony Jordan has revealed in The Mitchells - The Full Story that the love-triangle storyline had been planned since Phil and Grant's introduction, after the writers came to the realisation that Sharon was perfect for them both. This storyline was slow burning and was spread over several years, providing a plethora of dramatic tension along the way. The episode in which Phil betrayed his brother with Sharon occurred in September 1992 in one of the soap's notorious three-handers. Sue Dunderdale directed the episodes and the performances of McFadden, Kemp and Dean have been described as memorable and filled with high-tension drama. Things finally came to a head in 1994 with some of EastEnders most popular and renowned episodes, which have been dubbed "Sharongate". The episodes — which were watched by 25.3 million viewers — centred around Grant's discovery of the affair and his startling reaction. The repercussions of Phil's betrayal contributed to many subsequent storylines involving the brothers throughout the 1990s. Writer of Sharongate, Tony Jordan, has stated that of all the storylines he has penned for the soap, Sharongate is the one he is most proud of. He comments "Three of the strongest characters that have ever been in EastEnders are the Mitchell brothers and Sharon... when we actually blew that story it was incredible... being able to reach that many people with your work is what makes EastEnders exciting." Sharongate has also proven a popular storyline with viewers and it was voted the sixth top soap opera moment of the decade in a poll of 17,000 people for What's On TV magazine.
Volatile marriage to Tiffany
From 1996 to 1998 viewers were gripped by Grant's combustible marriage to Tiffany Raymond (played by Martine McCutcheon). Their relationship was a typical portrayal of unrequited love on Tiffany's side and was fraught with tragedy and drama. For Grant it was more a marriage of convenience, allowing him access to his daughter, Courtney. Grant's poor treatment of Tiffany included physical and emotional abuse and two affairs, one of which was with her mother Louise (played by Carol Harrison) and the other with Lorraine Wicks (played by Jacqueline Leonard). Their volatile relationship made headlines in July 1997 amid reports that EastEnders bosses were considering airing a highly controversial storyline that saw Tiffany brutally raped by Grant. The plot, which was slated to be aired on Christmas Day 1997, evoked high criticism from female MPs and children's groups, TV clean-up campaigners and church officials, who were all expressive in unanimous condemnation about the BBC's "cynical ploy to win the seasonal ratings war over arch-rival Coronation Street." Labour MP Anne Clywd suggested that the BBC should "reconsider" and Michelle Elliott, director of the children's charity Kidscape, said: "This is an appalling, outrageous, utterly nauseous example of rape for ratings." Reports also alleged that actor Ross Kemp was not happy about the plot either and threatened to quit the role unless the scripts were altered. Subsequently, the plot never came to fruition.
The following year EastEnders topped the ratings at Christmas 1998 when Grant was accused of the attempted murder of Tiffany, and the following Monday 15.7 million viewers tuned in to see Grant make a first court appearance. The year finally culminated with the death of Tiffany — killed in a motor accident, while trying to reclaim her daughter from Grant. 13.5 million viewers tuned in to see Grant and Tiffany's final clash on New Year's Eve 1998.
The Mitchell car crash; Grant's first exit
In 1999 Ross Kemp decided to leave EastEnders after almost ten years playing Grant. The storyline signifying his departure played heavily on the Mitchell brothers' fragile and damaged relationship. After discovering that Grant had vengefully slept with his wife Kathy, Phil went ballistic with a handgun causing the car Grant was driving to career at high speed into the River Thames. The episode was written by Tony Jordan, directed by Paul Annett and was watched by 19.5 million viewers. Shot in London's Docklands, the scenes required stunt doubles, divers and crash test dummies and it has been hailed as "one of the soap's most dramatic storylines ever."
Initially viewers were left uncertain as to whether Grant survived the crash, but the character was not killed off and a week later viewers saw Grant depart along with his daughter Courtney for a new life in Rio, Brazil. A spokesperson from the BBC confirmed "the door is always open for a return."
Grant's return
Kemp never ruled out a return to the show and after nearly six years away he was lured back to EastEnders for a fixed period in order to reunite the Mitchell family on-screen. Executive producer, Kate Harwood, commented: "We are so pleased that Ross will be back on the show. His character is one of the most iconic and popular in the history of soap. The impact of his return for the inhabitants of Walford should not be underestimated. It is going to be fireworks from the start."
Grant's high-profile return, which aired in October 2005, helped boost the show's flagging ratings to 13 million viewers and a 52.9% audience share for his first on-screen episode. He was only in the show for a period of three weeks initially, but his contract was subsequently extended for a further three months beginning in the Spring of 2006. The character was involved in numerous storylines including the unveiling of Den Watts' killer, an affair with Ian Beale's girlfriend, Jane Collins and a series of episodes dubbed "Get Johnny Week", which saw the Mitchell brothers embroiled in a vendetta against gangster Johnny Allen. The character bowed out once again in June 2006, following the destruction of his third marriage to deceitful Brazilian, Carla.
Reception
Popularity
The character of Grant Mitchell has been hailed as "one of the most iconic and popular in the history of soap". In a study by the Stirling Media Research Institute called Men Viewing Violence, participants branded Grant "a fascinating character" because of his complexity and likened him and Phil to a soap operatic version of the notorious East End criminals, the Kray Twins.
He has become one of EastEnders biggest sex-symbols — described by the magazine, Women Republic, as "an ideal bit of rough... the antithesis to the pretty boys who spend longer in front of the mirror than we do." He was also voted the second most hunky man in British soap by gay readers of the magazine, attitude, who described him as "a dashing big, bad bully boy." In addition, Grant and Phil were voted as the second most popular King Of Soaps in a Channel 4 poll in 2002 and Grant was voted as one of the Top Ten TV Hard Men in a separate poll.
In a 2003 poll, three years after Grant's initial departure, the character was voted the soap hero most viewers wanted back on their screens, gaining the vote of one in five people. Leigh Bennett of NTL, the cable TV firm behind the survey, said: "Fans crave quirky characters who inject humour and drama." Grant's long awaited return eventually happened in 2005, during a period of heavy media criticism aimed at EastEnders. The character was reintroduced along with his brother Phil in what was branded by the press as a bid to "revive the soap's ailing ratings." Of the Mitchell brothers' highly publicised return, one reporter commented "Soapville must confess that we did get goosebumps and feel properly excited when we first saw the Mitchell Brothers back on the Square... After all, you associate them with the golden days of Enders". Their return was voted as one of the Golden TV Moments of 2005 in a BBC poll.
The character has been the focus of varying EastEnders merchandise in other media, which includes the VHS EastEnders - The Mitchells - Naked Truths and EastEnders: Blood Ties - The Life and Loves of Grant Mitchell, a novelisation written by Kate Lock, which chronicles facts about the character, explores his background and attempts to explain the source of his aggression and vulnerability.
Criticism
Although popular with many viewers, the character has garnered criticism, mainly regarding the way his anti-social behaviour is sensationalied by the programme makers. In November 2005 the character was blamed for turning children into playground bullies by Dr. Sally Henry, who claimed that impressionable children look to male soap characters as role models and subsequently copy their violent behaviour.
In addition, the character's predisposition to violence has allegedly been criticised by actor Ross Kemp. In 1998, press reports claimed that Kemp had asked producers to tone down Grant's violent behaviour because "it was insulting the viewers' intelligence."
Grant and Phil's brotherly confrontation — marking Grant's initial exit in 1999 — was panned by critics. Ian Hyland of the Sunday Mirror branded the storyline a "farce... hardly a fitting exit for Walford's dodgiest geezer since Dirty Den." He mocked the episode's stunts, commenting: "There are so many post-watershed dramas on TV that do these kind of scenes properly that Phil and Grant ended up looking like two little kids playing on a building site. Instead of wasting all their time on this ridiculous ending they could have made it a heart-wrenching farewell..."
There were mixed reviews for the highly publicised storyline (dubbed "Get Johnny Week") involving the Mitchell brothers reunion in 2006. It was criticised as "patchy" and "awkwardly written... unveiling a common weakness in the EastEnders camp, that character continuity can often fall by the wayside when you are dealing with larger characters". Additionally, the show was criticised for turning the brothers into a comical farce by incorporating uncharacteristic humour into their dialect, which was described as "cringeworthy."
Storylines
Background and early history
Grant arrived in Albert Square with his brother Phil in February 1990, as the owners of the local garage, the Arches.
Before his arrival Grant had been a paratrooper in the army, but being involved in the Falklands War had deeply scarred him, so he dropped out and began to adapt to life as a civilian. The memories of war troubled him greatly. He was plagued with nightmares, and was prone to terrible rages as a result. However, he had undertaken a mechanic's course in the army, which came in useful for the car repairing trade in Walford.
Not long after his arrival, Grant became attracted to the local barmaid, Sharon Watts. Sharon was attracted to his machismo, and soon their flirting progressed into a relationship. Fiercely protective of his girlfriend, most of Grant's initial problems in the Square revolved around his over-possessive nature and jealousy. He even managed to put the landlord of The Queen Victoria, Eddie Royle, in hospital after he came on to Sharon one evening; he later became prime suspect for Royle's murder in 1991, but Nick Cotton eventually owned up to the crime (and got away with it). In the wake of this, Grant decided to re-enlist in the army, but was rejected when he failed their psychiatric tests.
Despite his hot-headed tendencies, Sharon saw a different side to Grant, and when he proposed marriage to her, she accepted on the condition that he bought her her childhood home, the Queen Vic pub, which he did.
Marriage to Sharon
Grant married Sharon Watts in December 1991 and together they ran The Queen Victoria. Their marriage was stormy and punctuated with violent rows and fights. While Grant was in prison for armed robbery, Sharon began an affair with Phil (see Sharongate), although this came to an abrupt end when Grant was released and promised to change.
On Sharon's birthday in 1992, Grant set fire to the Queen Vic so as to generate insurance money to pay off debts. However, he did not check to see if Sharon was out of the way, and she and her dog Roly nearly died. The insurance money was insufficient, and Sharon was very angry with Grant for burning her beloved pub.
Two years later, Grant discovered a tape on which Sharon talked about her affair with Phil, and played it to a packed pub at Phil and Kathy Beale's engagement party. Grant began to beat his wife regularly, and Sharon fled to the United States to live with her mother Angie. He also battered Phil in revenge, leaving him with a ruptured spleen.
Sharon's best friend Michelle Fowler took an understandable dislike to Grant but, following Sharon's exit, fell pregnant following a one-night stand with him and fled to the States without telling Grant that he was to be a father. Michelle's brother Mark subsequently let slip that she had been pregnant and it was implied that Grant may have guessed the baby's paternity.
Marriage to Tiffany
Grant went on to wed a pregnant Tiffany Raymond in 1996, although it was unclear whether he or Tiffany's ex-partner Tony was the father. A paternity test revealed that Grant was the father of the baby, Courtney, but by this time his marriage was deteriorating, and Grant spent a month in Cyprus with his army friends. Grant also had an affair with Lorraine Wicks.
When Tiffany discovered that Grant had had an affair with her mother Louise Raymond, she planned to flee to Spain with Courtney on New Year's Eve 1998, but Grant traced her and retrieved Courtney. Tiffany attempted to snatch Courtney but was hit by a car driven by Frank Butcher, Grant's stepfather, and died as the clock struck 12.
Grant dated barmaid Nina Harris for a while but ditched her after her past as a prostitute was uncovered.
Departure to Brazil
Grant and brother Phil planned to cheat some gangsters to pay off a debt in October 1999 by intercepting a drug deal and stealing a large amount of cash from the gangsters. However, the job went wrong when Phil found out that Grant had slept with his ex-wife Kathy Hills before doing the job. He confronted Grant after they did the job and Grant admitted he slept with Kathy in revenge for Phil sleeping with Sharon. Phil was shocked by Grant's revelation and pulled out a gun, threatening to shoot him. Grant was saved when he heard police sirens and he and Phil stole a car to escape the police. Phil was still upset over Grant's revelation and wanted Grant to stop the car. After Grant refused, Phil shot the steering wheel, causing Grant to plunge the getaway car into the River Thames. Phil was rescued but Grant was not found and was presumed dead. A week later it was revealed that Grant was still alive and had the stolen money. He departed with Courtney to Rio de Janeiro, and was not seen again for six years.
Return
Grant returned to Walford in late October 2005. He had just helped his brother Phil out of prison by bribing a security guard who had witnessed the armed robbery for which Phil had been set up by Den Watts. His first line was "'Ello mum", delivered as one of Johnny Allen's henchmen menaced Peggy.
He and Phil put their past differences behind them to get their sister Sam, who had been accused of murdering Den, out of prison. Grant tried to get Sharon to believe that Den's wife Chrissie Watts really did kill Den by hearing Sam's side of the story. After much persuasion Sharon eventually did realise that Chrissie was the true culprit, but did not let Chrissie know that she knew. Grant and Sharon also had a moment of nostalgia when they talked about their past. This led Sharon to reveal that she had been pregnant with Grant's baby shortly after leaving him and had it aborted. Grant then admitted that he had not been ready for fatherhood at the time, so the abortion was for the best. He then shared a brief kiss with her; this was seen by Sharon's husband Dennis Rickman, who resented Grant due to a fight between them shortly upon Grant's return, but Grant reassured Dennis that it was just a friendly kiss and the two later shook hands in the Vic.
He then set about finding evidence that would ensure Chrissie went to prison. Grant and Phil eventually discovered a CCTV tape on which Chrissie confessed at gangster Johnny Allen's nightclub that she killed Den. However, Johnny had a grudge against the Mitchell brothers because of their mother Peggy exposing his dubious past to his daughter Ruby, and used the tape as bait to try to kill them. The brothers eventually beat Johnny at his nightclub office in order to get the tape. As they were leaving with a tape, Johnny pointed a gun at them and prepared to shoot. However, Ruby entered and told Johnny not to kill them and, for her sake, he let them go.
Grant mentioned that he ran a bar with his new wife, Carla in Brazil. After getting Sam out of prison and trapping the real culprit, Grant flew back to Rio to return to his family.
He returned again in late March 2006, the night after his brother Phil returned from America, with his daughter Courtney in tow, seemingly for a nostalgic holiday to the East End, although family and financial problems back in Brazil had been hinted at.
Grant, concerned about his brother's state of mind, lured him out of Walford on the false grounds of having some business in Essex, where backup would be needed. His real objective was to get to the root of Phil's problems after seeing him nearly having a drink despite his alcoholism. In an effort to get the truth out of Phil, Grant revealed that he had received psychotherapy during his years away and talked specifically about his problems with his brother.
Although Grant expected the weekend to be a golfing and bonding experience, things became more serious as Phil led them to Johnny Allen's country estate, looking for revenge for Allen's orchestration of Dennis Rickman's death. Grant initially wanted nothing to do with Phil's bid for revenge and left his brother. Guilt overcame him, however, and he returned just in time to save Phil from Johnny and Danny Moon, demonstrating that despite fatherhood, he still was as hard-edged as ever. While Phil and Johnny argued in Johnny's office, Grant bonded with Johnny's daughter Ruby and was disgusted to learn that Phil had paid Juley Smith to sleep with her to hurt Johnny. Breaking the door down, he angrily confronted Phil, allowing Johnny to escape. Mitchell feuding ensued, with bitter recriminations from Phil about Grant's abandonment of him. whilst Phil and Grant tried to settle their differences Johnny reappeared with a shotgun and captured them, he took them back to his mansion where he locked the pair in a sound proof room. He later ordered his henchman to take them to a forest and kill them both, it looked bleak for the brothers but Jake Moon turned up and shot Danny dead saving them, Jake secretly buried his brother in the woods.
Departure to Portugal
Grant sparked some sexual tension with Jane Collins, Ian Beale's girlfriend, when the two were trying to stop Ian and Phil fighting over custody of Phil's son Ben. Grant and Jane shared a kiss one night outside the Queen Vic, but Grant took it too far and she punched him. Grant then got a job working for Jake at the newly-reopened Scarlet nightclub, which led to another, more passionate kiss with Jane in the club office.
The next day, Jane had an argument with Ian, and went to Grant. The pair ended up having sex on the desk in the office. They finished the affair when Phil caught Grant and Jane in a clinch. To make Jane jealous, after she ended their affair, Grant turned his attention to newcomer Chelsea Fox. They had a one-night stand but Peggy, Phil, Jane and Chelsea's mum, Denise Fox were disgusted with Grant for sleeping with a 19-year-old. He later admitted to Jane that he still wanted her, but she still rejected him.
Not long afterwards, Courtney accused Grant of killing Tiffany after her cousin Ben blurted out what he had overheard Kathy saying. Courtney then snubbed Grant's request for a hug, leaving him heartbroken and at a low. He left Walford the next day. A week later, Jane found him and, after much persuasion, he returned to Albert Square. A surprise met him when he found his wife Carla waiting in the bar for him.
Grant and Carla resumed their relationship in Walford, but Carla's ex-partner Ray arrived in Walford to retrieve £12,000 that Carla had stolen from him. Carla and Ray started an affair again after Carla seduced Ray at a hotel. Ray told Carla that he still needed the money. Upon this, Carla told Grant that Ray wanted £25,000, in a bid to run back to Brazil with Ray. Grant and Carla planned to start a new life in Portugal together with Courtney and Carla's son Mathias.
Grant learned of Carla's scam with Ray not long after Ray and Carla's affair began again. Eventually Carla told Grant that she wanted to have his baby. Grant whetted Carla's appetite with a wad of money, supposedly to pay off Ray, but the previous day Grant had ordered Ray to leave the Square with nothing. When Grant was in the shower, Carla took the bag of money out onto the Square, but Grant was watching his lying wife through the Queen Vic's bathroom window. Carla then realised that she had been tricked, and as she opened the bag of 'money' she was surprised to discover Grant's pants and socks in the bag and no money.
Upon returning to the Vic, Grant and Carla kissed, but Grant took Carla upon his shoulder and dumped her in Gus Smith's litter bin, much to the amusement of Courtney, Gus and other Albert Square residents.
Ian Beale saw Grant and Courtney leave the Square and alerted Jane to this. Unknown to Ian, Jane was sobbing, as she truly loved Grant. Grant called Jane from the airport to tell her that he loved her and that she was a very special woman. Jane cried while on the phone and told Grant that she loved him. After this call, Grant and Courtney left together for Portugal, hand in hand.
Since then, Peggy, Phil and Ben have visited him twice - in August 2007 and in June 2008.
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