Iconic Mitchells and Fowlers will be at ‘heart’ of EastEnders, promises new boss

EastEnders
(Image credit: BBC)

Might this mean the return of Ross Kemp as Grant Mitchell?

New EastEnders boss Kate Oates has promised to place the soap’s iconic families – like the Mitchells and the Fowlers – “at the heart” of the show.

After previously giving Coronation Street and Emmerdale a boost during her time on those soaps, Kate is now looking to wave her magic wand over EastEnders.

And Kate, who’s just started on EastEnders, reckons the way to go is to put the soap’s biggest families in the centre of the action.

Plus, while talking to the Daily Star, Kate promised she wouldn’t be axing a load of characters.

“No-one will be going. I go with it when the story goes with it – I haven’t come in with a list of people to axe.

“At Corrie I put the iconic families, like the Barlows and Platts, back at the heart of the show and I think a similar approach is needed at EastEnders.”

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Kate Oates in her old Corrie job

And what better way of putting the Mitchells at the heart of the show than perhaps brining back Ross Kemp as Grant Mitchell?!

While Kate didn’t say who she was looking to bring back, she did say she is looking at the possibility of some fan favourites returning.

“We're going to be brining some people back. So that’s exciting.

“I haven’t made the calls yet but there will definitely be two, possibly three old faces returning. You’ll probably see them in the first quarter of the new year.”

As well some old characters returning, Kate also says she plans to introduce some “new faces” into the mix.

It was revealed earlier this year that Kate was becoming Senior Executive Producer overseeing not just EastEnders but also Casualty and Holby City.

At the time Kate said: “Working across EastEnders, Casualty and Holby City is an amazing opportunity for me to have creative input into three of the UK’s leading dramas. I’m excited about meeting the teams and talent behind each show and can’t wait to get stuck in and tell some unmissable stories.”

EastEnders continues on BBC1.

David Hollingsworth
Editor

David is the What To Watch Editor and has over 20 years of experience in television journalism. He is currently writing about the latest television and film news for What To Watch.

Before working for What To Watch, David spent many years working for TV Times magazine, interviewing some of television's most famous stars including Hollywood actor Kiefer Sutherland, singer Lionel Richie and wildlife legend Sir David Attenborough. 

David started out as a writer for TV Times before becoming the title's deputy features editor and then features editor. During his time on TV Times, David also helped run the annual TV Times Awards. David is a huge Death in Paradise fan, although he's still failed to solve a case before the show's detective! He also loves James Bond and controversially thinks that Timothy Dalton was an excellent 007.

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