Former EastEnders star Ross Kemp says he was an "arrogant twit" in previous role

Former EastEnders star Ross Kemp has said he was an “arrogant twit” when playing Grant Mitchell on the soap.

The actor starred as the iconic character from 1990, departing the show in 1999 before returning for a bunch of cameos, the last of which came in 2016.

The actor was speaking to Inside Soap to promote Blindspot, his first new dramatic acting role in 15 years, and he revealed that his experience with documentaries has helped to ground him.

BBC

“[Filming Blindspot] was daunting - on my first day I was really nervous,” he said. “But all the experiences I’ve had, making 130 documentaries around the world, have surely helped ground me. I think when I started EastEnders, I was a bit of an arrogant little twit.

“There were so many people watching the show, and it certainly went to most people’s heads - including mine,” he explained. “But now I’m older and wiser, and hopefully my skills haven’t deserted me.”

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Blindspot sees Kemp play Detective Tony Warden, who supports a disabled woman named Hannah (newcomer Beth Alsbury) after she witnesses a murder whilst monitoring CCTV. “After Hannah's story is dismissed by the police, she decides to take matters into her own hands and finds herself in serious danger.”

Sky

“We filmed in Budapest and it was an absolute joy,” said Kemp of the Channel 5 drama. “I’m used to being crammed in a vehicle into the jungle or up a mountain or going to a prison somewhere. There was no grandiosity from anyone - everybody was down to earth and got on with the job.

“[Tony] is flawed - he screwed up in his previous position as a Met officer,” he revealed about his character in the series. “He’s been relocated, and he’s now trying to get it right. The relationship between Tony and Hannah is an odd yet intriguing one - the project is about enablement but it’s also a ripping yarn.”

Blindspot will premiere on Channel 5 on Tuesday July 4 at 9pm, airing on four consecutive nights until Friday July 7. EastEnders airs on Mondays - Thursdays at 7.30pm on BBC One. The show also streams on BBC iPlayer.