TODAY’S BIG STORY!!! EastEnders star teases major Gray Atkins changes in return storyline

EastEnders star Toby-Alexander Smith has teased potential changes for his character Gray Atkins upon his return. The serial killer was put behind bars in 2022 following a murder spree, which came after a harrowing domestic abuse storyline that saw him kill wife Chantelle.

The character is set to return for a cameo on the soap soon, with the actor now teasing whether prison has altered Gray at all.

“Gray was a brilliant character,” he told The Mirror. “It was a gift to play Gray and it’ll be fascinating to know what four years in prison would do for someone like him.

“His identity was very much, you know, control and power and very manipulative. Being in prison would very much strip a lot of that identity. So it was fascinating to tap into that psychology.”

Reflecting further on playing the role, Toby-Alexander admitted it “was pretty heavy the first time around”.

“Obviously, we dealt with the domestic abuse storyline and then there was some more sort of heightened curveballs and more deaths, which was very heavy too, but a gift for an actor,” he added. “I felt very challenged doing that.”

The soap appears to be setting up Gray’s return with the emergence of his grandmother (and son Jordan’s great-grandmother) Sheila, who has been secretly sending cheques for her great-grandchild after he was hit by Ian Beale’s car.

Scenes this evening see things escalate with a big cliffhanger related to Gray, which suggests she may not be telling the whole truth about her claimed lack of contact with her grandson.