Grant Mitchell

Name: Grant Mitchell
First Appeared: 22nd February 1990
Played by: Ross Kemp

Grant Mitchell burst onto the scene in 1990, arriving with his brother Phil as the co-owner of The Arches garage. Fresh from the Army, where he served as a paratrooper in the Falklands War, Grant carried the scars of PTSD. His initial time in Walford was marked by a brief fling with Julie Cooper and a series of dodgy deals. However, it was his relationship with Sharon Watts that defined his early years. Grant’s jealousy and possessiveness often led to violent confrontations, including putting Eddie Royle in the hospital. Despite their rocky start, Grant and Sharon married and took over The Queen Vic. Their marriage was tumultuous, marred by violent rows and Grant’s desperation for a child. Sharon’s affair with Phil and Grant’s reckless actions, including setting The Queen Vic on fire, ultimately led to a dramatic fallout. The infamous “Sharongate” tape, revealing Sharon’s infidelity, culminated in a violent confrontation that left Phil seriously injured and Sharon fleeing to the US.

Grant’s second marriage to Tiffany Raymond was equally dramatic. Uncertain paternity over their daughter, Courtney, initially strained their relationship until a test confirmed Grant as the father. An affair with Tiffany’s mother, Louise, eventually led to Tiffany’s tragic death on New Year’s Eve, hit by Frank Butcher’s car. Following Tiffany’s funeral, Grant had brief relationships and continued feuds, including with police officer Beppe Di Marco. A botched heist with Phil in 1999 ended with their car plunging into the River Thames, leading to Grant’s presumed death. However, he resurfaced, fleeing to Rio de Janeiro with Courtney and stolen money.

Grant returned to Walford in 2005 to clear his sister Sam’s name in Den Watts’ murder case. Alongside Phil, he faced off against mob boss Johnny Allen and found evidence to exonerate Sam. Despite briefly returning to Rio, Grant came back in 2006 with financial troubles. He got involved in Phil’s vendetta against Johnny Allen and seduced Ian Beale’s girlfriend, Jane Collins, among other romantic entanglements. His estranged wife, Carla, reappeared, leading to a brief reunion marred by deceit and ultimately ending with Grant dumping her in a litter bin. Grant and Courtney then left for Portugal.

Grant’s 2016 return was driven by Peggy’s terminal cancer diagnosis. Despite family tensions and financial woes, Grant tried to support Peggy and faced off against Phil. Major revelations included discovering he fathered Michelle’s son, Mark Fowler Jr. After rescuing Ben from kidnappers and reconciling with Phil, Grant decided to leave Mark’s paternity undisclosed. Grant’s second departure saw him reconciling with Phil and leaving for Portugal with Courtney, marking the end of another eventful visit to Walford.

In 2025, concerned about his old friend Phil, Nigel Bates got in touch with his childhood mate and called in reinforcements to sort Phil out: re-enter Grant.

Grant couldn’t understand Phil’s mental health. He tried to stop him committing suicide and found that his attempts at shouting didn’t work. He did some good while he was around though – he helped people escape when the Vic exploded (wouldn’t be the first time he saw that happen…) and risked his life to go inside, for, who else, Princess Sharon.

Yes, no matter how much time and distance had passed, Sharon and Grant would still lock eyes, go giggly over each other like a couple of teenagers and end up in the throes of passion. It took one proper conversation the days after the explosion and Grant was back to Square one, Sharon’s knight in shining armour.