EastEnders fans were left reeling as Walford’s original hard man, Grant Mitchell, stormed back into Albert Square in a whirlwind of fists, tears, and heartbreak. Played by the iconic Ross Kemp, the character’s return didn’t just revive decades of tension—it cracked open old wounds and threw long-standing relationships into disarray.

Kemp, who first stepped into Grant’s boots back in 1990, confessed that this most recent storyline has left him “fried”—a fair description considering the storm of emotions he was plunged into almost the second he reappeared on screen.

Grant’s re-entry wasn’t just a nostalgic cameo—it was a critical arc centered on Phil Mitchell’s mental health spiral. As viewers watched Phil reach his emotional breaking point, culminating in a tragic suicide attempt during the show’s 40th anniversary, Grant’s involvement brought rawness and intensity to every scene. The dramatic turning point? Grant bursting into the Arches and wrestling a loaded Beretta 9mm from Phil’s hands. Not exactly your average bacon-roll-in-the-café kind of EastEnders moment.

In classic soap fashion, Grant’s time in Walford was far from a one-track storyline. Amid the heavy emotional load of Phil’s crisis, Grant also became entangled in a romantic mess with his ex, Sharon Watts—yes, that Sharon, who’s now involved with Grant’s newly-discovered cousin, Teddy. The complicated dynamic was loaded with history and heartache, pulling Grant into yet another emotional battleground.

To make matters worse, Grant was dealt a second blow when he learned his long-time friend Nigel Bates was suffering from dementia. The revelation hit hard, layering more grief and vulnerability onto a man already grappling with family crises and complicated love.

Ross Kemp opened up to RadioTimes about the toll this return took on him: “It was wonderful, but you come away from it slightly fried.” He added with typical Grant-style humor, “He’s never just sat in the launderette.” From the moment he arrived, Grant was in fight-or-feel mode—brawling one moment, crying the next, then passionately reconnecting with Sharon, only to weep over their past right after.

While the emotional rollercoaster was intense, Kemp expressed joy in returning to a character he feels deeply connected to: “A part of me is Grant, and part of Grant is me. It was great to put the leather jacket on again… and a relief that I could still get in it,” he laughed.

Whether this return marks the final chapter for Grant or hints at more drama ahead, one thing is certain: Walford is never the same when Grant Mitchell is back in town.