Major EastEnders return confirmed as star reprises role after 4 years
EastEnders spoilers follow for Monday and Tuesday’s (June 29 and 30) episode, which can now be streamed on BBC iPlayer. The episode in question will air at 7:30pm.
Gray Atkins has returned to screens after more than four years away, with star Toby-Alexander Smith reprising the role of the dastardly serial killer, who claimed the lives of three major characters.
The twisted villain, as viewers know, arrived in Walford in 2019 with wife Chantelle Atkins (Jessica Plummer), who he was abusing behind closed doors and, in devastating scenes the following year, he murdered her.
Over the next two years, Gray would kill Kush Kazemi (Davood Ghadami) and Tina Carter (Luisa Bradshaw-White) and embark on a relationship with unsuspecting Chelsea Fox (Zaraah Abrahams), who later gave birth to their son Jordan.
Gray finally paid for his crimes with some help from Whitney Dean (Shona McGarty), going to prison in 2022, with Chelsea subsequently moving on with her life.
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But four years on, the prospect of Gray being back in her life sent chills and thus she cut contact with his grandmother Sheila (Sheila Ruskin), who she got in touch with after Jordan was injured in a hit-and-run.
Sheila provided Chelsea with cash and, since Jordan returned home from hospital, she was hoping to spend more time with the little boy but, when she turned up in Walford without invitation – for the second time in less than a week – Chelsea berated her for breaking boundaries.
Fearing she would lose access to Jordan permanently, a desperate Sheila took matters into her own hands, paying estranged grandson Gray a visit in prison, urging him to help her in her mission to remain in Jordan’s life.
But just what can of worms has Sheila opened by updating Gray on his son’s situation? Will Chelsea find out what the newcomer is up to?
And will Gray, despite all her best efforts to keep the killer in the past, be forced back into Chelsea’s life after all this time?
In the subsequent episode, the advice Gray gave Sheila proved successful with Chelsea allowing Sheila access to Jordan anytime she likes.
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Gray, meanwhile, proved to be his usual manipulative self, asking Sheila to keep visiting him and updating him on Jordan.
EastEnders airs Mondays to Thursdays at 7:30pm on BBC One or stream from 6am on BBC iPlayer.
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