EastEnders addresses missing character in funeral storyline
We won't be seeing an iconic return.
EastEnders has addressed a key character’s upcoming absence in its latest episode.
This week, the Mitchells received news of the death of Peggy’s sister Aunt Sal, confirmed over the phone to Phil by her husband Harold.
As Sam told the family that the funeral would be held this Monday, fans speculated as to whether Phil and Sam’s brother Grant might return to pay his respects.
Grant Mitchell first arrived on the Square in 1990 alongside older brother Phil, and he was played by Ross Kemp until the character fled the country in 1999.
Since then, Kemp has returned to EastEnders several times over the years for guest stints, which meant it wasn’t out of the question that he might make a shock appearance for Sal’s funeral.
However, this speculation was shut down in last night’s episode, when Sam told Harold over the phone that Grant wouldn’t be attending.
“No. No, Grant can’t make it,” she said. “You don’t need to speak to Phil. Come on, you know how this family works. You know, strong men do all the talking but it takes a strong woman to get the job done.”
Executive producer Chris Clenshaw has recently said, however, that he would love to see Grant back in the Square, “for brotherly drama with Phil”, so we could see him on the show again soon.
While Grant won’t be causing a stir at Aunt Sal’s funeral, the day is still set to be full of drama, arrivals and revelations.
In scenes that will air on Monday, Harold (seen on-screen for the first time and played by Bridgerton’s David Sterne) will break the news that Aunt Sal left £100,000 to Sam, Phil and Grant.
Phil refuses to give Sam the money, but when she finds out from Alfie that her brother slept with Emma in the days before his wedding to Kat, she uses this information to blackmail Phil for the inheritance money.
Also turning up to pay his respects is Billy’s estranged father Stevie, played by legendary Hollywood actor Alan Ford.
He is sure to cause trouble for his son and all the Mitchells, and soon has a tense confrontation with Phil outside the church.
EastEnders airs on Mondays – Thursdays at 7.30pm on BBC One. The show also streams on BBC iPlayer, where most episodes drop early at 6am ahead of their TV broadcast.
