EastEnders spoilers follow.
EastEnders has announced three new Mitchells as Stevie’s secret family.
The BBC One and BBC iPlayer soap has confirmed that The Football Factory‘s Roland Manookian will be coming to Walford as Stevie Mitchell’s son Teddy.
Teddy turns up in Walford later this month alongside his two sons, older boy Harry (Dead‘s Elijah Holloway) and the younger Barney (Lewis Bridgeman), looking for Stevie. Once the family are reunited, Stevie is forced to tell Billy he has a half-brother he’d never met.
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Billy Mitchell’s estranged father Stevie recently turned up in Walford hoping to reconnect with his family, and was key to exposing Nadine Keller’s pregnancy scam.
“I’ve been watching EastEnders my whole life, so being part of it is amazing,” Manookian said. “Coming in as a Mitchell means you’ve got big shoes to fill, but it’s a challenge that I’m happy to accept.
“It’s a privilege to have the chance to work with the likes of Perry Fenwick [Billy], Steve McFadden [Phil], and the legendary Alan Ford [Stevie] – what amazing company to keep. Teddy is an enigmatic sort of fella with old-school principles, but he’s tuned into modernity, too. It’s a lovely part to get my teeth into.”
Producer Chris Clenshaw has said that his team are “delighted” to be bringing “a new branch of the iconic Mitchell family to the Square”.
Clenshaw teased that Phil will be furious by the arrival of Teddy and his sons, while Billy is shocked to discover this side of the Mitchell family he never knew about.
Their arrival comes at a hectic time for Billy, since he’s busy planning a wedding with his soon-to-be wife Honey following their London Marathon proposal.
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Harry actor Elijah Holloway said of joining the soap: “It’s a massive privilege to join a British institution like EastEnders, and to be playing a Mitchell makes it even more exciting. We’ve been given such a warm welcome, and it’s unbelievable to be turning up to work in Walford every day.
“Harry has a lot of charm and swagger, but he’s got a bit of a temper, too. He can’t resist trouble, or the ladies, so he’s ready to shake things up in typical Mitchell style!”
Lewis Bridgemen, who will play Barney, added: “Joining the EastEnders cast has been very exciting and such a great opportunity, which has been made even better by working with a wonderful cast and crew.
“Barney is an interesting character to explore because of his more introverted nature compared to the other members of his family, and I’m looking forward to seeing how he grows and develops in Albert Square.”
EastEnders airs on Mondays – Thursdays at 7.30pm on BBC One. The show also streams on BBC iPlayer, where most episodes drop early at 6am ahead of their TV broadcast.