Grant Mitchell was almost killed off from EastEnders in a shock storyline.
Actor Ross Kemp quit the show in 1999 but hadn’t actually told the soap’s bosses after he made his decision and given an interview to a tabloid.
Instead he phoned up the then executive producer of the show, Matthew Robinson, to tell him just hours before the story was released.
Now, writing on Walford Web, Matthew has revealed how Ross’ decision caused issues with pre-planned storylines.
And when he called his boss Mal Young to break the news to him, Mal had the perfect plan for Grant – kill him off.
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He told Matthew: “A bank robbery!! With a huge explosion!!! And a charred body. No one can recognise it. The audience won’t know if Grant’s alive or dead! Alive or dead is good.
“Then we can bring him back in a year or two’s time.”
The producers and storyliners then set about working on a storyline that avoided Grant’s death, and eventually came up with what was one of EastEnders’ most iconic of exits.
They wrote how Grant slept with Phil’s wife Kathy, leading up to an epic confrontation between the brothers.
And as the brothers fled from a robbery in a getaway car, Phil shot the steering wheel causing it to crash into the Thames.
Viewers were convinced Grant had died after his body disappeared.
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But it was eventually revealed how Grant had not only survived but thrived and moved to Brazil to continue his life of crime.
Fortunately Grant’s survival means he could appear at any time now and with new EastEnders boss Kate Oates teasing the return of three legendary characters, fans are convinced Grant will be back.
But will he return alone or with his daughter Courtney and son Mark Jr?
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