fictional character In fiction, a character is a person or being in a narrative (such as a novel, play, radio or television series, music, film, or video game). The character may be entirely fictional or based on a real-life person, in which case the distinction o ...

BBC The British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) is a British public service broadcaster headquartered at Broadcasting House in London, England. Originally established in 1922 as the British Broadcasting Company, it evolved into its current sta ...

soap opera A soap opera (also called a daytime drama or soap) is a genre of a long-running radio or television Serial (radio and television), serial, frequently characterized by melodrama, ensemble casts, and sentimentality. The term ''soap opera'' originat ...

EastEnders ''EastEnders'' is a British television soap opera created by Julia Smith (producer), Julia Smith and Tony Holland which has been broadcast on BBC One since February 1985. Set in the fictional borough of Walford in the East End of London, the ...

Toby-Alexander Smith Toby-Alexander Smith (born 26 February 1991) is an English actor, known for portraying the role of Gray Atkins in the BBC One, BBC soap opera ''EastEnders'' from 2019 to 2022. Early life and education Smith was born on 26 February 1991 in Lich ...

Kate Oates Kate Oates (born 1979 or 1980) is a British television producer, who was born in Nottingham and graduated from Warwick University. She began her career working as a researcher and editorial assistant for Germaine Greer, before becoming a script ...

Chantelle Atkins Chantelle Atkins is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera ''EastEnders'', played by Jessica Plummer. She first appears in episode 5991, originally broadcast in the United Kingdom on 26 March 2019. Chantelle is introduced as the eldest da ...

Jessica Plummer Jessica Kate Plummer (born 16 September 1992) is an English actress and singer. From 2013 to 2015, she was a member of the British girl group Neon Jungle, with whom she released an album that peaked at number eight on the UK Albums Chart. She is ...

Mia Mia, Mía, MIA, or M.I.A. may refer to: Music Artists * M.I.A. (rapper) (born 1975), English rapper and singer * M.I.A. (American band), 1980s punk rock band from Orange County, California * MIA. (German band), a German rock/pop band formed i ...

Mackenzie Atkins ''EastEnders'' is a BBC soap opera that first aired on 19 February 1985. The following is a list of characters that first appeared in 2019, in order of first appearance. The characters are initially introduced by the show's executive consulta ...

domestic abuse Domestic violence is violence that occurs in a domestic setting, such as in a marriage or cohabitation. In a broader sense, abuse including nonphysical abuse in such settings is called domestic abuse. The term "domestic violence" is often use ...

Women's Aid Women's Aid Federation of England, commonly called Women's Aid within England, is one of a group of charities across the United Kingdom. There are four main Women's Aid Federations, 3 for each of the countries of the United Kingdom, and one for t ...

killing Killing, Killings, or The Killing may refer to: Types of killing *-cide, a suffix that refers to types of killing (see List of types of killing), such as: ** Homicide, one human killing another *** Murder, unlawful killing of another human without ...

antagonist An antagonist is a character in a story who is presented as the main enemy or rival of the protagonist and is often depicted as a villain.Tina Carter (

Luisa Bradshaw-White Luisa Bradshaw-White (born 9 December 1974) is an English actress. She is known for her roles in many British television series, including ''Grange Hill'' as Maria Watts, '' This Life'' as Kira, '' Bad Girls'' as Lorna Rose, ''Holby City'' as Li ...

) and Kush Kazemi (

Davood Ghadami Davood Ghadami (; born 13 June 1982) is a British actor. Following his appearances in ''Taggart'' in 2010, he appeared in the BBC medical programmes ''Doctors'' and ''Casualty'' in recurring roles. In 2014, he began portraying the role of Kush ...

) before entering a second marriage to

Chelsea Fox Chelsea Fox (also Atkins) is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera ''EastEnders'', played by Tiana Benjamin from 2006 to 2010, and then Zaraah Abrahams from 2020 onwards. Benjamin was cast in the role and she left her role in the ''Harr ...

(

Zaraah Abrahams Zaraah Clover Abrahams (born 7 January 1987) is an English actress and voiceover artist. She is known for her roles as Magda in '' Girls in Love'' from 2003 to 2005, Michaela White in the BBC school-based drama series '' Waterloo Road'' from 200 ...

), with the two having a son together, Jordan Atkins. The relationship began to sour as Gray became physically abusive towards Chelsea shortly before the show announced that Smith had been axed from the show in February 2022 for storyline purposes. Smith admitted that he enjoyed the challenge that came with playing a character as deceitful as Gray. In episode 6649, broadcast 10 March 2022, Gray's departure was depicted as his arrest after his murders were finally uncovered, a downfall Smith considered "a long time coming". The character of Gray was highly disliked by viewers due to his depraved actions, frequently being described by the media as "evil" and "vile". Smith was subjected to

online harassment Cyberbullying (cyberharassment or online bullying) is a form of bullying or harassment using Electronic communication network, electronic means. Since the 2000s, it has become increasingly common, especially among teenagers and Adolescence, a ...

on social media from people who struggled to differentiate him from his character, which he noted saw a peak during Gray and Chantelle's domestic abuse storyline. Smith opined that the backlash was "worth it" if televising a domestically abusive relationship helped a victim escape one in real life. Despite the mixed reactions to his character, Smith received various awards and nominations for his portrayal of Gray, including a

British Academy Television Award The BAFTA TV Awards, or British Academy Television Awards, are presented in an annual award show hosted by the British Academy of Film and Television Arts. They have been awarded annually since 1955. Background The first-ever Awards, given in 1 ...

nomination for " Must-See Moment".

Development

Introduction and characterision

Gray's arrival and Toby-Alexander Smith's casting was announced on

Digital Spy Digital Spy (DS) is a British-based entertainment, television and film website and brand and is the largest digital property at Hearst UK. Since its initial launch in 1999, Digital Spy has focused on entertainment news related to television pro ...

on 11 March 2019. He was introduced as the patriarch of the Atkins family, an extension of the Taylor family, which included Gray, his wife

Chantelle Atkins Chantelle Atkins is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera ''EastEnders'', played by Jessica Plummer. She first appears in episode 5991, originally broadcast in the United Kingdom on 26 March 2019. Chantelle is introduced as the eldest da ...

(

Jessica Plummer Jessica Kate Plummer (born 16 September 1992) is an English actress and singer. From 2013 to 2015, she was a member of the British girl group Neon Jungle, with whom she released an album that peaked at number eight on the UK Albums Chart. She is ...

), and their children

Mia Mia, Mía, MIA, or M.I.A. may refer to: Music Artists * M.I.A. (rapper) (born 1975), English rapper and singer * M.I.A. (American band), 1980s punk rock band from Orange County, California * MIA. (German band), a German rock/pop band formed i ...

(Mahalia Malcolm) and

Mackenzie Mackenzie, Mckenzie, MacKenzie, or McKenzie may refer to: People * Mackenzie (given name), a given name (including a list of people with the name) * Mackenzie (surname), a surname (including a list of people with the name) * Clan Mackenzie, a Sc ...

(Isaac Lemonius). Smith and Plummer had already begun filming scenes prior to the announcement. Smith said he was "delighted" to join ''EastEnders'', as he had been a fan of the soap for a long time, adding that he was "looking forward to seeing what Albert Square adin store for Gray". By extension, the Atkins family as a whole were announced to "cause a stir" in Walford upon their arrival. It was reported that Gray and Chantelle would arrive in Walford with a "secret agenda" and that Chantelle would appear first, followed by Gray and their children, with the family's arrival being teased to "ruffle feathers" among residents of Walford. Gray went on to make his first appearance on 29 March 2019. ''EastEnders'' executive producer

Kate Oates Kate Oates (born 1979 or 1980) is a British television producer, who was born in Nottingham and graduated from Warwick University. She began her career working as a researcher and editorial assistant for Germaine Greer, before becoming a script ...

detailed that Gray and Chantelle's history was that Gray had charmed Chantelle years before, causing her to leave the Taylors and start a family with Gray. The producer characterised Gray as a "hard-working solicitor whose success took Chantelle away from the aylor family years prior due to his charm and good looks. Gray was further characterised by the media as a "high-flying businessman" who was "charming, confident and very proud of everything he's achieved", having previously worked hard in a city law firm to achieve his family's luxurious lifestyle. ''

Radio Times ''Radio Times'' is a British weekly listings magazine devoted to television and radio programme schedules, with other features such as interviews, film reviews and lifestyle items. Founded in September 1923 by John Reith, then general manage ...

'' described Gray as a "London boy done good" who is grateful for what he has in life. Plummer teased Gray's more nefarious side in May 2019, saying that Gray "had the potential" to become one of the soap's greatest villains, adding that Smith "could do it justice". Smith explained in June 2019 that Chantelle and Gray were "just trying to settle into the square" at that point, as it was a very different living arrangement from what they had previously. He added that Gray still hadn't integrated with the Taylors by that point, especially Chantelle's father,

Mitch Baker Mitch Baker may refer to: * Mitch Baker (Grand Theft Auto), fictional character from the video game ''Grand Theft Auto'' * Mitch Baker (''EastEnders''), fictional character in ''EastEnders'' See also * Mitchell Baker (born 1957), chairperson of ...

(

Roger Griffiths Roger Griffiths (born 6 February 1965) is an English actor who has had several roles in television. He first rose to prominence opposite Lenny Henry as Gareth Blackstock's foil Everton Stonehead in BBC One 1990s sitcom '' Chef!''. Before star ...

).

Marriage to Chantelle Atkins

Domestic abuse

On 12 July 2019, the show confirmed that Chantelle and Gray would become the focus of a storyline about

domestic abuse Domestic violence is violence that occurs in a domestic setting, such as in a marriage or cohabitation. In a broader sense, abuse including nonphysical abuse in such settings is called domestic abuse. The term "domestic violence" is often use ...

. The announcement was made after a scene where Gray aggressively punched Chantelle in their home was aired. The show worked with

charities A charitable organization or charity is an organization whose primary objectives are philanthropy and social well-being (e.g. educational, religious or other activities serving the public interest or common good). The legal definition of a cha ...

such as Refuge and

Women's Aid Women's Aid Federation of England, commonly called Women's Aid within England, is one of a group of charities across the United Kingdom. There are four main Women's Aid Federations, 3 for each of the countries of the United Kingdom, and one for t ...

, which specialise in helping victims of domestic abuse, to portray the storyline in an accurate and sensitive manner. Teresa Parker, head of communications for Women's Aid, insisted that it was "important" to portray domestic abuse on screen as realistically as possible, and that ''EastEnders'' had worked with the charity from the early development of the storyline, which included advising themes and details in the scripts, and ensuring the storyline was "thoroughly researched" by experts in domestic abuse. Sandra Horley, chief executive of Refuge, explained: "The more we all understand domestic abuse nd the more we can spot the signs the more women, like Chantelle, will be able to seek help", adding that the organisation commended ''EastEnders'' for highlighting this "insidious issue". Jessica Plummer 2019

Oates illuminated that from Chantelle and Gray's arrival, they contributed to the storyline's key theme of not knowing what goes on behind closed doors as they initially made their neighbours

envious Envy is an emotion which occurs when a person lacks another's quality, skill, achievement, or possession and either desires it or wishes that the other lacked it. Envy can also refer to the wish for another person to lack something one already ...

of them, and, in her words: "the very first time we crossed the threshold of hantelle and Gray's house iewerssaw the truth of their relationship, and the violence Gray subjects Chantelle to". Oates also hoped that the storyline would encourage domestic abuse victims to escape their situation and seek help. Smith was pleased that the subject of domestic abuse was being tackled on ''EastEnders'', teasing that the storyline would "depict how hidden from sight domestic abuse remains even today". He added that: "to the unaware eye Gray appears to be a loving husband and a committed father; but his charm is a front for the power and control he exerts over Chantelle – an experience all too common to thousands of women up and down the country today". The actor hoped that by tackling the subject, the show could raise awareness of "the importance of changing societal values so that both women and men's rights to live free from abuse, invasion, disempowerment and intimidation are respected". During the storyline, it was revealed that Gray's abuse had begun years prior, and that the pair moved to Walford in the hopes of a fresh start and for Gray to potentially change his behaviour. After an attack saw Gray injure Chantelle's stomach, she discovered that she was

pregnant Pregnancy is the time during which one or more offspring gestation, gestates inside a woman's uterus. A multiple birth, multiple pregnancy involves more than one offspring, such as with twins. Conception (biology), Conception usually occurs ...

. In October 2019, Smith confirmed that the show would tackle Gray's

backstory A backstory, background story, background, or legend is a set of events invented for a plot, preceding and leading up to that plot. In acting, it is the history of the character before the drama begins, and is created during the actor's prepara ...

. Smith commented there was an "insecure" side to the character, adding that he found it "very difficult" to identify with Gray, but he had to "find ways of ..finding humanity in Gray because he is very layered". Smith added that Gray isn't a "monster" without reason, as his toxic behaviour stemmed from negative experiences throughout his life. Following Chantelle's pregnancy discovery, the actor suggested that Gray saw it as an opportunity to turn over a new leaf, believing it was "very much a motivation to try and reshape his values and beliefs s Grayknows that he needs to change now". Despite this, Smith admitted uncertainty regarding if Gray's pride would allow him to "lose that entitlement". Smith believed Gray's abusive behaviour was a reflection of his desire for "power and control", adding that "the minute something slips off-kilter, ..he panics", afraid of losing everything he has. Chantelle went on to

miscarry Miscarriage, also known in medical terms as a spontaneous abortion, is an end to pregnancy resulting in the loss and expulsion of an embryo or fetus from the womb before it can fetal viability, survive independently. Miscarriage before 6 weeks ...

the baby, choosing not to tell Gray out of fear of his reaction. After Gray hid a fight he had in a nightclub from Chantelle, she told him that his abuse had to stop or else they wouldn't be having another child, deciding to attend

couples therapy Couples therapy (also known as couples' counseling, marriage counseling, or marriage therapy) is a form of psychotherapy that seeks to improve intimate relationships, resolve interpersonal conflicts and repair broken bonds of love. History Marri ...

sessions. At one of the sessions, Gray revealed his past, which involved a childhood where he was subjected to

abuse Abuse is the act of improper usage or treatment of a person or thing, often to unfairly or improperly gain benefit. Abuse can come in many forms, such as: physical or verbal maltreatment, injury, assault, violation, rape, unjust practices, ...

from both his parents, especially his father. Speaking to ''

Inside Soap ''Inside Soap'' is a weekly soap opera and television listings magazine published in the United Kingdom. The magazine is currently released every Tuesday. It covers storylines featured in British and Australian soap operas that are broadcast in t ...

'' in October 2019, Smith called Gray a "challenging role" to play as it wasn't easy to identify with Gray, but that Gray was influenced by the toxicity between his parents when he was a child. Smith and Plummer knew that the domestic abuse storyline was coming from early in their run, but didn't know when it would start as Oates and Sen wanted the storyline to be a "slow-burner". The actor believed that Gray was a person with "many layers" that made him who he was, and that the prospect of Gray changing was not a "black-and-white case of, 'Okay, it's an easy fix'". Smith described filming his scenes with Plummer as "intense", especially with the added responsibility of depicting the subject matter delicately, but added that he and Plummer worked well together. He further cited humiliation as Gray's primary trigger for his violent outbursts. Gray later grew violent again with Chantelle, to the extent that he accidentally broke her arm, and, after discovering that she didn't tell him about the miscarriage,

raped Rape is a type of sexual assault involving sexual intercourse, or other forms of sexual penetration, carried out against a person without consent. The act may be carried out by physical force, coercion, abuse of authority, or against a person w ...

her in hope that she would conceive another child. In January 2020, Smith revealed that the storyline would get darker and that Gray's abuse would not be found out by Chantelle's family any time soon. The actor explained that Gray's mental state had deteriorated to the point that he wouldn't see the issue in his behaviour fixed by therapy sessions and that the possibility of Gray's children finding out about the abuse was something the show was considering as "it's a very important thing to consider that children are very savvy with the arguments that their parents have". Smith addressed that it would take "something big" for Gray to change his way, and believed the character wanted to and was "intelligent enough" to do so, but would struggle due to his "self-entitlement ndstubbornness". Smith added that Gray had "been this way for such a long time" that it was unsure whether he could change, commenting "I think there's a part of him that does want to change, but whether or not he can, we'll see". The actor admitted that he was unsure if Gray would get a comeuppance, despite acknowledging that many viewers wanted him to meet one. Smith named Gray as the "hardest" role he's ever portrayed as Gray is "layered" and viewers see all of them, including "vulnerability, aggression, his lovely bloke persona and insecurity". He continued by saying he and Plummer were "very lucky" to have built a friendship before filming their scenes together as Chantelle and Gray, as it allowed the pair to establish personal boundaries with each other.

Murder of Chantelle

In August 2020, it was announced that Chantelle would try to escape Gray. Oates was thinking of a long-running story which would hold a "significant impact" for the show. As a result, around one month later in September 2020, Oates and fellow boss,

Jon Sen Jon Sen (born 9 October 1978) is a British television and film director, writer and producer. After working as the executive producer of the BBC soap opera ''EastEnders'' from 2019 to 2022, Sen began working as the executive producer of the BBC ...

, came to the decision to have the domestic abuse storyline conclude with Gray killing Chantelle following an escalation of his violence towards her during

quarantine A quarantine is a restriction on the movement of people, animals, and goods which is intended to prevent the spread of disease or pests. It is often used in connection to disease and illness, preventing the movement of those who may have bee ...

. Such a story outcome had not been portrayed in a soap or serial drama before, which further enticed Oates to commission the plot. Additional details surrounding the murder penned that Chantelle would try leaving, but Gray would kill her to stop her. Sen commented that the storyline was important to air and that the ending was planned to be tragic from the beginning "with the intention of embedding the stark reality of domestic abuse at the heart of the Atkins family". He added that: "being able to shed light on the realities of what goes on behind closed doors has never been more crucial given the harrowing statistics as a result of the current pandemic and hopefully Chantelle’s story will encourage people to speak out to someone they trust and get the support that they need". Smith felt it was important for the story to end tragically, echoing hopes that the storyline's conclusion would help give people the courage to speak out "before it's too late". The storyline ended in this fashion due to statistics surrounding domestic abuse victims at the time. Refuge reported seeing a "soar" in calls and contacts during the pandemic and Women's Aid reported that over two-thirds of survivors reported their domestic abuse escalating during the

COVID-19 lockdowns During the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic, a number of Non-pharmaceutical intervention (epidemiology), non-pharmaceutical interventions, particularly lockdowns (encompassing stay-at-home orders, curfews, quarantines, and similar socie ...

. Spousal murder also saw a sharp increase during the beginning of the lockdown as Oates was inspired to portray the story's outcome after hearing a story from the radio magazine show ''

Woman's Hour ''Woman's Hour'' is a radio magazine programme broadcast in the United Kingdom on the BBC Light Programme, BBC Radio 2, and later BBC Radio 4. It has been on the air since 1946. History The first BBC programme for women was the programme cal ...

'' and learning the high statistic of women being killed by a partner. Following criticism that the story may discourage victims of domestic abuse from leaving, Teresa Parker, head of communications at Women's Aid, explained that it is a realistic conclusion supported by research and wanted it to create "important conversations". Smith appeared on the ITV

talk show A talk show is a television programming, radio programming or podcast genre structured around the act of spontaneous conversation.Bernard M. Timberg, Robert J. Erler'' (2010Television Talk: A History of the TV Talk Show', pp.3-4Erler, Robert (201 ...

''

Loose Women ''Loose Women'' (known as ''Live Talk'' from 2000 to 2001) is a British talk show that broadcasts on ITV weekdays from 12:30 pm to 1:30 pm. The show focuses on a panel of four female presenters who interview celebrities, talk about aspects of ...

'' and was asked why ''EastEnders'' chose to announce Chantelle's death before the scene aired, to which he responded that the reason was because it may have triggered some viewers, especially those who had experienced domestic abuse before. Smith added that being involved in the storyline had improved his overall understanding of domestic abuse. Gray went on to kill Chantelle in episode 6132, broadcast on 18 September 2020. After Chantelle announced that she would leave Gray, they had an argument which concluded with Gray pushing her, only for Chantelle to land on a knife in a dishwasher. Plummer recognised that her character's death may not be what audiences want to see, but believed it was important that they did see it, as it reflected real life. Upon reading the scripts, Smith felt they were "very ambitious" and was unsure how the scene would be filmed, saying " e and Plummerjust had to trust that the end result was going to pay off". Plummer and Smith filmed the entire segment, which lasted for approximately 15 minutes, in one take, which is unusual for regular filming. Plummer explained that this was to avoid losing momentum and likened it to being in theatre. Plummer also detailed that she and Smith rehearsed for the episode beforehand, the first rehearsal she had throughout her time on the show. Writers previously foreshadowed the nature of Chantelle's death in scenes broadcast in January 2020, which was noticed by viewers after the broadcast of her death. In the scene, Gray warns Chantelle about placing cutlery upwards in the dishwasher.

Additional murders

Tina Carter

Following

Luisa Bradshaw-White Luisa Bradshaw-White (born 9 December 1974) is an English actress. She is known for her roles in many British television series, including ''Grange Hill'' as Maria Watts, '' This Life'' as Kira, '' Bad Girls'' as Lorna Rose, ''Holby City'' as Li ...

's announcement of her character, Tina Carter, leaving ''EastEnders'', it became apparent to viewers that Gray would have a hand in her character's departure as Tina and her sister Shirley (

Linda Henry Linda Valiris (''née'' Henry; born 24 August 1959) is an English actress. She is known for her roles as Yvonne Atkins in the ITV prison drama series '' Bad Girls'' and Shirley Carter in the BBC soap opera ''EastEnders''. She had previously ...

) moved in with Gray leading up to the departure. On 28 December 2020, Tina found out that Gray killed Chantelle, threatening to expose this. To stop this, Gray trapped her inside the house and strangled her to death while Shirley was out. Gray convinced Tina's family that she fled Walford to escape legal charges for the attack on

Ian Beale Ian Beale is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera ''EastEnders'', played by Adam Woodyatt. He is one of four remaining original characters, the others being his mother, Kathy Beale ( Gillian Taylforth), his long standing best friend an ...

(

Adam Woodyatt Adam Brinley Woodyatt (born 28 June 1968) is an English actor. He is known for his role as Ian Beale in the BBC One, BBC soap opera ''EastEnders'', a role he has portrayed since the show's inception in 1985, making him one of the shows longest ...

), and disposed of her corpse in an unknown location. Fans noted that Tina's phone would have recorded Gray's actions on

voicemail A voicemail system (also known as voice message or voice bank) is a computer-based system that allows callers to leave a recorded message when the recipient has been unable (or unwilling) to answer the phone. Calls may be directed to voicemail m ...

, indicating a possible way Gray would receive retribution. Sen revealed that Gray would receive a comeuppance for murdering Tina, as, in Sen's words: "The soap Gods never forgive something like that and we need to see Gray pay, but I'm going to keep when that'll happen close to my chest but it's something we've talked about a lot". He also suggested that there would be a chance that Gray would "strike again". Despite some fans theorising that Tina had survived Gray's attack, Bradshaw-White confirmed that her character died. Bradshaw-White deemed it "weird" to film her character's death scene, especially as her death was depicted on-screen. Despite this, she commented that filming the scene with Smith was "fun", especially playing dead. While the Carter family, especially Shirley, grew suspicious of Gray due to his lack of urgency around finding her, Gray paid a homeless woman to pretend to be Tina. The woman was intentionally caught shoplifting before giving her fake name to authorities and running away. Over a year later, in February 2022, it was confirmed that Gray had buried Tina's corpse under the abandoned Argee Bhajee restaurant, as many fans had speculated. In March, ''Mirror'' announced that the Carter family would learn about what happened, with Shirley vowing that Gray would get what he deserves.

Kush Kazemi

In September 2020,

Davood Ghadami Davood Ghadami (; born 13 June 1982) is a British actor. Following his appearances in ''Taggart'' in 2010, he appeared in the BBC medical programmes ''Doctors'' and ''Casualty'' in recurring roles. In 2014, he began portraying the role of Kush ...

, who played Kush Kazemi, announced that he would leave ''EastEnders'' during 2021. The nature of the character's departure was left ambiguous, but it was revealed that the exit would be the climax to a "huge plot" that was set to unfold in 2021. This announcement, alongside Gray's increasingly odd behaviour towards Kush over Kush's growing relationship with

Whitney Dean Whitney Dean (also Carter) is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera ''EastEnders'', played by Shona McGarty. The character is the ward of established character Bianca Jackson (Patsy Palmer) and was introduced on 1 April 2008 when Pa ...

(

Shona McGarty Shona Bernadette McGarty (born 14 October 1991) is an English actress and singer, known for her portrayal of Whitney Dean in the BBC soap opera ''EastEnders'' from 2008 to 2024. Early life Shona Bernadette McGarty was born on 14 October 1991 ...

), led fans to predict that Kush was going to be murdered by Gray. This suspicion increased when Whitney proposed to Kush in March 2021. On 19 April 2021, Gray discovered that Kush and Whitney had planned to leave Walford together. Enraged, Gray became violent and aggressive towards Kush when Whitney briefly left, as he claimed that Kush was ruining Whitney's life. Kush, shocked at Gray's outburst, told him that he needed help. The interaction became physical, causing Gray to lunge at Kush and fall onto the tracks. Kush helped Gray up before berating Gray for his reckless actions. When an oncoming train arrived, Gray pushed Kush in front of it, resulting in Kush being run over and dying, making him the victim of Gray's third murder. Kush's death was ruled an accident due to "lack of evidence" as CCTV footage had been vandalised. Gray manipulated Whitney into believing that the

Mitchell family The Mitchell family is a fictional family in the UK soap opera ''EastEnders''. They were first introduced in February 1990, when brothers Phil ( Steve McFadden) and Grant Mitchell ( Ross Kemp) bought the local garage, the Arches. Their siste ...

were responsible for Kush's death. Ghadami teased in July 2021 that Gray would not go unpunished for his actions, and would not get away with his them for much longer. He added that Smith was "great" when they filmed their scenes together and was interested to see how Gray's story would continue, opining that the show had "managed to shape ray'scharacter and it'll be interesting to see where it goes". ''Mirror'' announced in March 2022 that the Carter family would discover what happened to Tina, with no word if Kush's murder would also be solved. In response to Gray's confession to the murders in March 2022, Ghadami detailed that he was able to "finally put Kush Kazemi to rest".

On-off relationship with Whitney Dean

In March 2020, fans started to speculate that

Whitney Dean Whitney Dean (also Carter) is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera ''EastEnders'', played by Shona McGarty. The character is the ward of established character Bianca Jackson (Patsy Palmer) and was introduced on 1 April 2008 when Pa ...

, played by

Shona McGarty Shona Bernadette McGarty (born 14 October 1991) is an English actress and singer, known for her portrayal of Whitney Dean in the BBC soap opera ''EastEnders'' from 2008 to 2024. Early life Shona Bernadette McGarty was born on 14 October 1991 ...

, had a romantic interest in Gray as the two had grown close over the course Whitney being a client for Gray after she stabbed her stalker,

Leo King Leo King (born 10 September 1955) is a former Australian rules footballer who played with Geelong Football Club, Geelong in the Australian Football League, Victorian Football League (VFL). Geelong King, a local North Shore Football Club (GFL), ...

(Tom Wells), in self-defence. In May 2020, during Gray's marriage to Chantelle, the show hinted that he would cheat on her with Whitney after he rescued Whitney from being held hostage by Leo's grieving mother

Michaela Turnbull ''EastEnders'' is a BBC soap opera that first aired on 19 February 1985. The following is a list of characters that first appeared in 2019, in order of first appearance. The characters are initially introduced by the show's executive consulta ...

(

Fiona Allen Fiona Allen (born 13 March 1965) is an English comedian and actress, most known for her work on Channel 4's '' Smack the Pony'' between 1999 and 2003. Career Allen has appeared in many sketch shows, including ''We Know Where You Live'' (Channel ...

). While Whitney's crush on Gray had become apparent to viewers by this point, the show implied that Gray may return her feelings. In June 2020, it was announced that Whitney would make a move on Gray after fans speculated an affair between them was on the horizon. whitney kissed Gray on 8 June 2020, which Smith commented caught Gray off-guard. He added that the kiss would "certainly add a new element to the case that

ray Ray or RAY may refer to: Fish * Ray (fish), any cartilaginous fish of the superorder Batoidea * Ray (fish fin anatomy), the bony or horny spine on ray-finned fish Science and mathematics * Half-line (geometry) or ray, half of a line split at an ...

wasn't prepared for". He insisted that "at this stage, Gray doesn't have any feelings towards Whitney whatsoever" as "his main agenda is to try and keep her calm and encourage her to stay positive and not panic". Smith believed Gray helping Whitney was coming from "predominantly good place", but that "Whitney sees Gray as her saviour – and he quite likes that". He added that Gray didn't expect an emotional connection of "any sort", preferring to keep things "strictly professional". Shona McGarty 2019

By January 2021, Gray and Whitney remained friends after Gray successfully cleared Whitney of legal charges. Gray now wanted Whitney to fill Chantelle's role and become a family unit as Gray needed "someone to control". Gray manipulated Whitney into not going on a planned date with Kush, instead convincing her to join him and the children to see a movie. Gray asked Whitney to move in with him, but she declined as she was concerned he was still grieving over Chantelle's death, unaware that Gray killed her. By the time things heated up between Whitney and Kush, with Whitney proposing to Kush, Gray had developed an "obsession" with Whitney. A surprise visit from Kush whilst Whitney babysat for Gray enraged Gray when he returned home, as he was very aggressive with both of them, hurling insults, and exposing his true nature. McGarty thought it would be "amazing" if Whitney could be the one to take down Gray, as she was often asked in public if Gray was going to be caught. McGarty further warned that Gray "could explode at any moment" and, as Whitney still had no idea of what Gray was capable of by that point, she believed "Whitney should start looking over her shoulder". After Gray found out Whitney and Kush were planning to leave Walford, he murdered Kush by pushing him in front of an oncoming train while Whitney was away after telling him he was "ruining" her life. Gray fled the scene before Whitney returned, so she didn't know Gray was behind Kush's murder. Based on Gray's behaviour, Whitney believed Gray had something to do with it, as she accused him of killing Kush the following day. Gray managed to regain Whitney's trust, as in September 2021, the show teased that the two would begin another romance ahead of Gray's confirmed downfall. In December 2021, McGarty teased that Whitney would find out about Gray's murders, saying she hoped that Whitney would get "the ultimate revenge" on Gray as he killed her fiancé. The actress admitted that she didn't know what was going to happen, calling it "really annoying and exciting" to be in the dark. She did disclose that the revelation would come as a big shock to Whitney, as she previously believed that

Phil Phil may refer to: * Phil (given name), a shortened version of masculine and feminine names * Phill, a given name also spelled "Phil" * Phil, Kentucky, United States * Phil (film), ''Phil'' (film), a 2019 film * -phil-, a lexical fragment, used as ...

(

Steve McFadden Steve Robert McFadden (né Reid; born 20 March 1959) is an English actor whose career has spanned three decades. He rose to prominence for his role as longstanding character Phil Mitchell in the BBC One soap opera ''EastEnders'', which he has ...

) and Ben Mitchell (

Max Bowden Max Lewis Bowden (born 31 December 1994) is an English actor. He is best known for his roles as Justin Fitzgerald in the BBC One school-based drama series ''Waterloo Road (TV series), Waterloo Road'' (2014–2015), and his portrayal of Ben Mitch ...

) were responsible for Kush's death. The actress explained that Whitney "would never have thought

ray Ray or RAY may refer to: Fish * Ray (fish), any cartilaginous fish of the superorder Batoidea * Ray (fish fin anatomy), the bony or horny spine on ray-finned fish Science and mathematics * Half-line (geometry) or ray, half of a line split at an ...

was capable of murder", calling it "heart-breaking as Whitney and Chantelle were eryclose". She compared it to watching a scary documentary where "your next door neighbour is a murderer". Whitney was later revealed to be the one who would "work out" that Gray killed Chantelle, before rushing to stop his wedding to Chelsea Fox out of fear she would suffer the same fate. Whitney went on to find out out the truth about Gray after asking his ex-boss Laura why she fired him, with Laura saying it was because of Gray's misogyny and violent outbursts. McGarty explained that "Whitney has known Gray for a long time so she’s seen behaviours that she finds concerning, like aggression". She continued by saying "I think initially she put is aggressive behaviourdown to the fact he’d lost his wife, he's a single parent and he's finding it all very difficult, but the warning signs are there now and she's expecting to find out that there is more to it and that he's not a very nice person". Whitney uncovered Gray's abuse when she stumbled across his posts from Chantelle on a domestic abuse

forum Forum or The Forum may refer to: Common uses *Forum (legal), designated space for public expression in the United States *Forum (Roman), open public space within a Roman city **Roman Forum, most famous example * Internet forum, discussion board ...

. She shared the information with her friend

Kheerat Panesar Kheerat Panesar is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera ''EastEnders'', played by Jaz Deol. Kheerat was introduced alongside brothers Jags (Amar Adatia), and Vinny Panesar ( Shiv Jalota) in episode 6001, broadcast on 4 October 2019, with ...

(

Jaz Deol Jaskiranjit Singh Deol (born 12 March 1989) is a British actor known for portraying the role of Kheerat Panesar on the BBC soap opera ''EastEnders'' from 2019 to 2022. Career Deol made his onscreen debut in the 2010 television film ''Casting ...

) and they worked out that Gray was responsible for Chantelle's murder and then succeeded in exposing Gray's true self to Chelsea, who agreed to help them build evidence to get Gray arrested.

Second marriage to Chelsea Fox

In May 2021, Gray and

Chelsea Fox Chelsea Fox (also Atkins) is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera ''EastEnders'', played by Tiana Benjamin from 2006 to 2010, and then Zaraah Abrahams from 2020 onwards. Benjamin was cast in the role and she left her role in the ''Harr ...

, played by

Zaraah Abrahams Zaraah Clover Abrahams (born 7 January 1987) is an English actress and voiceover artist. She is known for her roles as Magda in '' Girls in Love'' from 2003 to 2005, Michaela White in the BBC school-based drama series '' Waterloo Road'' from 200 ...

, began flirting, which made many consider Chelsea as Gray's next victim. On 15 June 2021, the show confirmed that a relationship between the characters would ignite as they would go out on a date. Bosses further detailed that Gray and Chelsea would bond after Chelsea hires Gray as a lawyer to represent her and help her escape legal charges. Upon hearing news that Chelsea and Gray would begin a relationship, Abrahams was worried that her character would face a similar fate to Gray's ex, Chantelle. Abrahams told ''

Inside Soap ''Inside Soap'' is a weekly soap opera and television listings magazine published in the United Kingdom. The magazine is currently released every Tuesday. It covers storylines featured in British and Australian soap operas that are broadcast in t ...

'' that "Chelsea has no clue what Gray is really like", adding that Chelsea sees Gray as little more than a "high-flier ho isdoing well for himself". She explained that as soon as Chelsea puts her mind to something, "she doesn't see it going wrong until it's really gone wrong" and that asking Gray out is "the only way helseaknows how to ask for help". Abrahams further illuminated that Chelsea's determination with Gray was because, in her words: "she thinks he's a good-looking guy, he's doing well for himself, so she pursues it. She's turning it on to get a freebie at first, but then there is actually an attraction, so she goes with it". Adding that "there is a spark there, and with that comes a few perks – which makes the attraction stronger". The actress drew parallels between Gray and Chelsea's father

Lucas Lucas or LUCAS may refer to: People * Lucas (surname) * Lucas (given name) Arts and entertainment * Luca Family Singers, or the Lucas, a 19th-century African-American singing group * Lucas, a 1960s Swedish pop group formed by Janne Lucas Perss ...

(

Don Gilet Don Gilet (born 17 January 1967) is an English actor. He is best known for his roles as DS Nicky Cole in ''55 Degrees North'', DI Mervin Wilson in ''Death in Paradise'', Lucas Johnson in ''EastEnders'', and Jesse Law in ''Holby City''. Early ...

), as both were killers, addressing that "it's an odd thing because her dad Lucas is a murderer, and now she's dating one, although obviously she doesn't realise that. But if and when she does find out, I think that would shake anybody". In an interview with Digital Spy, Smith detailed that while he does believe Gray has feelings for Chelsea, "there's always got to be something in it for Gray". When Gray took Chelsea with him to the birthday party of his boss, Laura Awoyinka (Sarah Paul), she warns Chelsea about Gray, prompting speculation that Laura would be the next character Gray murders, although this never happened. After Chelsea found an earring worn by Tina Carter on the night she died, many viewers became increasingly worried about Chelsea's safety. Abrahams told ''Inside Soap'' that she would have "loved" for Chelsea to uncover Gray's secrets and take him down, as long as Chelsea herself didn't face repercussions. Chelsea went on to cheat on Gray after openly rejecting his children. Chelsea wore Chantelle's ring, which angered Gray and caused him to lash out. As a response, Chelsea broke up with Gray. On 5 November 2021, Gray proposed to Chelsea in the wake of discovering she was pregnant, who swiftly accepted after deciding she needs Gray in her life. Chelsea's mother Denise (

Diane Parish Diane Carol Richards (born 6 November 1969), known professionally as Diane Parish, is an English actress, who has been portraying the character Denise Fox on the BBC One soap opera ''EastEnders'' since 2006. A graduate of the Royal Academy of D ...

) was against Chelsea marrying Gray, and was announced to become "hellbent" on stopping the upcoming wedding. Gray and Chelsea's wedding was set to be held on Christmas Day 2021. Leading up to the wedding, it was announced that Whitney Dean would try crashing it after finding out about Gray's murders. Abrahams described the upcoming wedding as "classy" and that Chelsea was "feeling organised, focused, and ..looking forward to it". The actress added that Chelsea had grown to love Gray, dismissing his outbursts as normal, and that Chelsea saw Gray as someone who is loyal, hard-working, social, and "someone who is going to be stable in her life". On the wedding day, Chelsea was told by Whitney about Gray killing Chantelle, only for Gray to talk her around and the wedding to proceed. After the wedding, Chelsea began to feel sick and was rushed to hospital as she had gone into

premature labour Preterm birth, also known as premature birth, is the birth of a baby at fewer than 37 weeks gestational age, as opposed to full-term delivery at approximately 40 weeks. Extreme preterm is less than 28 weeks, very early preterm birth is between ...

. The marriage turned physically abusive in February 2022 when Gray slammed Chelsea's hand in a drawer, blaming her by calling her clumsy.

Departure

In August 2021, Oates and Sen announced that the show had begun writing Gray's downfall. Oates admitted that "Gray's story was always intended to be a longer arc after the death of Chantelle, but even though some of his actions have been extreme, they have always been grounded in the roots of Gray's character". She added that Gray is "a classic narcissist" as "everything he does is designed to fit a narrative that absolves him from guilt, and paints him out to be a good guy" and that Gray "tells himself that Chantelle died in a terrible accident" and that "Tina had to die so he could be there for his kids" and "Kush had to go, because he and Whitney are 'meant to be'", as Gray believed he was "the centre of his own universe" and "nothing is his fault". Sen teased that the culmination to Gray's story would go "back to the grass roots of the story" and be a "fascinating turn of events for the Atkins family", thinking of it as "the next chapter" of sorts. Oates added that Gray's life would throw him a "curveball" and that "Gray hasn't been as clever as he thinks. Smoking guns are all over the Square, just waiting to be found. Gray's downfall awaits". In September, Smith confirmed on ''Loose Women'' that Gray's comeuppance was "definitely on the cards" and that he would be "punished in true soap fashion". The actor agreed that Gray "needs to be caught". In February 2022, it was announced that Gray would meet his comeuppance for his actions in the week beginning with 7 March 2022. The following month, March 2022, extended details surrounding Gray's downfall were announced. Smith deemed, in an interview with

Zoe Ball Zoe Louise Ball (born 23 November 1970) is a British broadcaster and presenter. She was the first female host of the Radio 1 and Radio 2 breakfast shows for the BBC, and in 2024 was confirmed as the second-highest paid BBC presenter after G ...

, that Gray's journey on the show had been "emotional". He commented that while filming he became emotional as his journey as Gray had been such a "rollercoaster" and to see it come to an end affected him more than he expected. Smith appeared on ''

The One Show ''The One Show'' is a British television magazine and chat show programme. Broadcast live on BBC One weekdays at 7:00 pm, it features topical stories and studio guests. It is currently co-hosted by Alex Jones, Roman Kemp, Ronan Keating ...

'' to tease the ending to Gray's story on 7 March 2022. He addressed that he had enjoyed the challenge that came with playing a character as immoral as Gray. The actor believed Gray genuinely thought he could get away with all of his crimes. Smith teased that Gray's MO leading up to his exit was that he wanted to gain Chelsea's trust and run away with her, even being tempted to tell her about Chantelle to prove he trusts her. Gray's final scenes were set to involve "someone" taking revenge on Gray and his eventual arrest after the knowledge of his murders got out. In an interview with Digital Spy, Smith detailed he enjoyed filming Gray's final scenes, teasing that they were "very intense" and "a long time coming". When asked to describe Gray's final episode in three words, the actor responded with: "intense, thrilling, and satisfying". Despite speculation that Gray would be killed and placed at the centre of a

whodunit A ''whodunit'' (less commonly spelled as ''whodunnit''; a colloquial elision of "Who asdone it?") is a complex plot-driven variety of detective fiction Detective fiction is a subgenre of crime fiction and mystery fiction in which an criminal ...

, Gray's final appearance was episode 6649, broadcast 10 March 2022. The episode showcased Gray being confronted by various residents after confessing to the murders of Chantelle, Tina, and Kush. After trying to kill Chelsea, Gray considered jumping off the

railway bridge A bridge is a structure built to span a physical obstacle (such as a body of water, valley, road, or railway) without blocking the path underneath. It is constructed for the purpose of providing passage over the obstacle, which is usually somet ...

, but was told by Whitney that he had to face justice. Gray tried jumping regardless, but was stopped by Whitney and

Mitch Baker Mitch Baker may refer to: * Mitch Baker (Grand Theft Auto), fictional character from the video game ''Grand Theft Auto'' * Mitch Baker (''EastEnders''), fictional character in ''EastEnders'' See also * Mitchell Baker (born 1957), chairperson of ...

(

Roger Griffiths Roger Griffiths (born 6 February 1965) is an English actor who has had several roles in television. He first rose to prominence opposite Lenny Henry as Gareth Blackstock's foil Everton Stonehead in BBC One 1990s sitcom '' Chef!''. Before star ...

), resulting in his arrest. Shortly after Gray's exit aired, Smith was interviewed by Digital Spy on the exit. He believed that Gray's story ended appropriately as many people wanted justice for Gray's victims, saying: "there was no room for him to have an easy way out and it would have been wrong if they'd have done that. I do think, from the audience's perspective, it's a satisfying ending to the storyline". Smith felt that Gray returning in the future was possible, commenting: "it's ''EastEnders'' at the end of the day, so who knows". On 28 March 2022, the show confirmed that Gray pled guilty to his crimes off-screen.

Storylines

Gray arrives in

Albert Square Walford is a fictional borough of East London in the BBC soap opera ''EastEnders''. It is the primary setting for the soap. ''EastEnders'' is filmed at Borehamwood in Hertfordshire, towards the north-west of London. Much of the location work i ...

with his wife, Chantelle (

Jessica Plummer Jessica Kate Plummer (born 16 September 1992) is an English actress and singer. From 2013 to 2015, she was a member of the British girl group Neon Jungle, with whom she released an album that peaked at number eight on the UK Albums Chart. She is ...

), and their two children,

Mia Mia, Mía, MIA, or M.I.A. may refer to: Music Artists * M.I.A. (rapper) (born 1975), English rapper and singer * M.I.A. (American band), 1980s punk rock band from Orange County, California * MIA. (German band), a German rock/pop band formed i ...

(Mahalia Malcolm) and

Mackenzie Mackenzie, Mckenzie, MacKenzie, or McKenzie may refer to: People * Mackenzie (given name), a given name (including a list of people with the name) * Mackenzie (surname), a surname (including a list of people with the name) * Clan Mackenzie, a Sc ...

(Isaac Lemonius), to start anew together. He is known to be a hard-working solicitor who seems devoted to his wife and their children. However, it soon emerges that Gray is a violent man who domestically abuses Chantelle; the follow-up of such incident implies that he

raped Rape is a type of sexual assault involving sexual intercourse, or other forms of sexual penetration, carried out against a person without consent. The act may be carried out by physical force, coercion, abuse of authority, or against a person w ...

her after forcing her to go upstairs with him to bed. Soon enough, he befriends fellow resident

Whitney Dean Whitney Dean (also Carter) is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera ''EastEnders'', played by Shona McGarty. The character is the ward of established character Bianca Jackson (Patsy Palmer) and was introduced on 1 April 2008 when Pa ...

(

Shona McGarty Shona Bernadette McGarty (born 14 October 1991) is an English actress and singer, known for her portrayal of Whitney Dean in the BBC soap opera ''EastEnders'' from 2008 to 2024. Early life Shona Bernadette McGarty was born on 14 October 1991 ...

), and they start a flirty friendship together; Gray later legally represents Whitney after she kills her stalker,

Leo King Leo King (born 10 September 1955) is a former Australian rules footballer who played with Geelong Football Club, Geelong in the Australian Football League, Victorian Football League (VFL). Geelong King, a local North Shore Football Club (GFL), ...

(Tom Wells), out of self-defence. In 2020, Gray's prolonged abuse towards Chantelle leads her to decide to leave with their children and her secret flame,

Kheerat Panesar Kheerat Panesar is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera ''EastEnders'', played by Jaz Deol. Kheerat was introduced alongside brothers Jags (Amar Adatia), and Vinny Panesar ( Shiv Jalota) in episode 6001, broadcast on 4 October 2019, with ...

(

Jaz Deol Jaskiranjit Singh Deol (born 12 March 1989) is a British actor known for portraying the role of Kheerat Panesar on the BBC soap opera ''EastEnders'' from 2019 to 2022. Career Deol made his onscreen debut in the 2010 television film ''Casting ...

). However, Gray discovers her plan and confronts Chantelle on the night she is supposed to leave. Chantelle stands up to Gray and demands that he let her go, but Gray refuses and shoves her onto a knife-packed dishwasher in a fit of rage. Chantelle is fatally impaled from the impact and dies from blood loss after Gray, despite his fault, chooses to watch her succumb to her injuries rather than provide help before he stages the scene to make her death appear accidental. The following weeks see a broken Gray struggling with his guilt and briefly consider turning himself in to the police for his crimes. Gray comes close to killing himself and his kids by attempting to fill his flat with gas fumes with his lighter but is stopped by fellow neighbour,

Shirley Carter Shirley Carter is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera ''EastEnders'', played by Linda Henry. She first appeared on 7 December 2006, during episodes set in Dorset. This is Henry's second role in 'EastEnders', as she previously p ...

(

Linda Henry Linda Valiris (''née'' Henry; born 24 August 1959) is an English actress. She is known for her roles as Yvonne Atkins in the ITV prison drama series '' Bad Girls'' and Shirley Carter in the BBC soap opera ''EastEnders''. She had previously ...

). When she sees Gray struggling to cope, she convinces him to move forward with his life and support his family in Chantelle's honour. Afterwards, Shirley and her sister,

Tina Tina may refer to: People *Tina (given name), people and fictional characters with the given name ''Tina'' Places * Tina, Iran, a village in Khuzestan Province, Iran * Tina, Tunisia, a town in Sfax Governorate, Tunisia * Tina, Guadalcanal, Solom ...

(

Luisa Bradshaw-White Luisa Bradshaw-White (born 9 December 1974) is an English actress. She is known for her roles in many British television series, including ''Grange Hill'' as Maria Watts, '' This Life'' as Kira, '' Bad Girls'' as Lorna Rose, ''Holby City'' as Li ...

), move in with Gray. He momentarily offers to represent Tina in court after she is accused of assaulting

Ian Beale Ian Beale is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera ''EastEnders'', played by Adam Woodyatt. He is one of four remaining original characters, the others being his mother, Kathy Beale ( Gillian Taylforth), his long standing best friend an ...

(

Adam Woodyatt Adam Brinley Woodyatt (born 28 June 1968) is an English actor. He is known for his role as Ian Beale in the BBC One, BBC soap opera ''EastEnders'', a role he has portrayed since the show's inception in 1985, making him one of the shows longest ...

) at

The Queen Victoria ''EastEnders'' is a British television soap opera created by Julia Smith and Tony Holland which has been broadcast on BBC One since February 1985. Set in the fictional borough of Walford in the East End of London, the programme follows the ...

public house A pub (short for public house) is in several countries a drinking establishment licensed to serve alcoholic drinks for consumption Licensing laws of the United Kingdom#On-licence, on the premises. The term first appeared in England in the ...

. But as she begins to inform others about his violent behaviour, he gathers Tina's belongings and urges her to go; nonetheless, Tina's developing misgivings about him cause her to discover that Gray had killed Chantelle after abusing her. Gray stops her and strangles her to death as she tries to flee and reveal him to everyone. After hiding her body, he informs Shirley and her son

Mick Mick is a masculine given name or nickname, usually a hypocorism of Michael. Because of its popularity in Ireland, it is often used in the English-speaking world as an ethnic slur for Irish people. In Australia, the meaning also broadened to incl ...

(

Danny Dyer Danial John Dyer (born 24 July 1977) is an English actor and presenter. Dyer's breakthrough role was as Moff in ''Human Traffic'' (1999), with other notable roles Billy the Limpet in ''Mean Machine (film), Mean Machine'' (2001) and as Tommy J ...

) that Tina has fled as a result of her assault allegation. When Shirley grows suspicious of Gray over the circumstances behind Tina's whereabouts, he pays a homeless woman to intentionally be caught shoplifting and pretend to be Tina when questioned by police. When Whitney starts seeing Kush Kazemi (

Davood Ghadami Davood Ghadami (; born 13 June 1982) is a British actor. Following his appearances in ''Taggart'' in 2010, he appeared in the BBC medical programmes ''Doctors'' and ''Casualty'' in recurring roles. In 2014, he began portraying the role of Kush ...

) in early 2021, Gray becomes increasingly obsessed with her, and his jealousy intensifies when Whitney gets engaged to Kush. Gray confronts Kush for at the train station as Kush and Whitney decide to flee together, claiming Kush is stealing Whitney from him. Once a fight breaks out after Gray accuses Kush of ruining Whitney's life, Gray falls on the tracks. Just in time, Kush desperately drags Gray to safety. However, Gray then sees an opportunity and shoves Kush in front of the oncoming train, killing him. Gray then flees the station and appears to have gotten away with murder once more when Kush's death is made public the next day. Whitney believes that Kush was killed by

Phil Phil may refer to: * Phil (given name), a shortened version of masculine and feminine names * Phill, a given name also spelled "Phil" * Phil, Kentucky, United States * Phil (film), ''Phil'' (film), a 2019 film * -phil-, a lexical fragment, used as ...

(

Steve McFadden Steve Robert McFadden (né Reid; born 20 March 1959) is an English actor whose career has spanned three decades. He rose to prominence for his role as longstanding character Phil Mitchell in the BBC One soap opera ''EastEnders'', which he has ...

) and Ben Mitchell (

Max Bowden Max Lewis Bowden (born 31 December 1994) is an English actor. He is best known for his roles as Justin Fitzgerald in the BBC One school-based drama series ''Waterloo Road (TV series), Waterloo Road'' (2014–2015), and his portrayal of Ben Mitch ...

) and in effort to exact revenge on them, Whitney accidentally runs over Phil's romantic partner

Kat Slater Kat Slater (also Moon and Mitchell) is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera ''EastEnders'', played by Jessie Wallace. She was also played by Kate Peck in a flashback in 2001 and Sumar-Elise Sandford in a flashback in 2018. Kat is the ...

(

Jessie Wallace Karen Jane Wallace (born 25 September 1971), known professionally as Jessie Wallace, is an English actress. She made her acting debut in the television police series ''The Bill'' and rose to prominence for her role as Kat Slater on the BBC so ...

) with Gray's car. Gray begins dating Whitney's friend,

Chelsea Fox Chelsea Fox (also Atkins) is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera ''EastEnders'', played by Tiana Benjamin from 2006 to 2010, and then Zaraah Abrahams from 2020 onwards. Benjamin was cast in the role and she left her role in the ''Harr ...

(

Zaraah Abrahams Zaraah Clover Abrahams (born 7 January 1987) is an English actress and voiceover artist. She is known for her roles as Magda in '' Girls in Love'' from 2003 to 2005, Michaela White in the BBC school-based drama series '' Waterloo Road'' from 200 ...

) later in 2021, though his estranged boss Laura Awoyinka (Sarah Paul) warns Chelsea not to get too close to him. Upon discovering this, Gray retaliates by sending Laura threatening messages under the pseudonym Jasper. However, he is caught and, combined with a later

police caution A police caution is a formal alternative to prosecution in minor cases, administered by the police in England and Wales. It is commonly used to resolve cases where full prosecution is not seen as the most appropriate solution. Accepting a caution ...

for

public indecency Indecent exposure is the deliberate public exposure by a person of a portion of their body in a manner contrary to local standards of appropriate behavior. Laws and social attitudes regarding indecent exposure vary significantly in different ...

, leads to Gray's termination from the law firm. While firing Gray, Laura tells him that she knows what kind of a man he really is, angering Gray. Gray later snaps at Chelsea for unintentionally purchasing Chantelle's ring from a

pawn shop A pawnbroker is an individual that offers secured loans to people, with items of personal property used as collateral. A pawnbrokering business is called a pawnshop, and while many items can be pawned, pawnshops typically accept jewelry, ...

, motivating Chelsea to end their relationship. After a few weeks, Gray tells Shirley and Mick that he witnessed Tina being loaded aboard a bus. Pretending to be Tina, he texts Shirley using a

burner phone prepaid mobile device, also known as a pay-as-you-go (PAYG), pay-as-you-talk, pay and go, go-phone, or prepay, is a mobile device such as a phone for which credit is purchased in advance of service use. The purchased credit is used to pay for ...

, begging her to send him £10,000 because he is facing financial ruin from his job loss. When Phil is arrested, Gray visits Ben after Phil is detained and offers to legally represent Phil. He is successful in getting Phil released, much to Shirley's dismay as she believes Phil is to blame for Tina's disappearance. Shirley confronts Gray for aiding the Mitchells before attacking Phil with a baseball bat after demanding answers from him. Later on, Gray woos Chelsea into reconciling with him, and the two eventually become engaged. However, Whitney discovers a hidden internet

forum Forum or The Forum may refer to: Common uses *Forum (legal), designated space for public expression in the United States *Forum (Roman), open public space within a Roman city **Roman Forum, most famous example * Internet forum, discussion board ...

where Chantelle had complained about her abusive husband, and as a result, Whitney learns that Gray had been abusing Chantelle for months prior to the night he killed her. After she informs Kheerat, they attempt to prevent Chelsea from marrying Gray; however, their plan is unsuccessful, and they exchange vows before Chelsea is informed of the forum and what Gray did to Chantelle. Chelsea's hopes to escape Gray are dashed when she becomes pregnant and gives birth to a son, called

Jordan Jordan, officially the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, is a country in the Southern Levant region of West Asia. Jordan is bordered by Syria to the north, Iraq to the east, Saudi Arabia to the south, and Israel and the occupied Palestinian ter ...

. Although she agrees to allow Gray assist in raising her child, she tells Whitney that she still intends to bring him to justice for what happened to Chantelle. Kheerat tries to persuade Gray to confess about Chantelle, resulting in a fight where Kheerat knocks Gray

unconscious Unconscious may refer to: Physiology * Unconsciousness, the lack of consciousness or responsiveness to people and other environmental stimuli Psychology * Unconscious mind, the mind operating well outside the attention of the conscious mind a ...

. When Tina's body is discovered a few days later, Whitney begins to suspect that Gray also killed her. She tells Mick and Shirley of her theory, and they both believe it — not just because they have suspicions about Gray, but also because Whitney clarifies her second theory, which holds that Grey had killed Chantelle after abusing her. Gray begins to fear that his arrest is inevitable, so he plans to escape with his children and Chelsea. Gray confesses to Chelsea that he murdered Chantelle before he almost chokes Chelsea to death when he learns she has recorded his confession to the police. When the police then break into his home, he flees. Gray then visits Chantelle's mother,

Karen Karen may refer to: * Karen (name), a given name and surname * Karen (slang), a term and meme for a demanding white woman displaying certain behaviors People * Karen people, an ethnic group in Myanmar and Thailand * House of Karen, a historic ...

(

Lorraine Stanley Lorraine Marie Stanley (born 28 June 1976) is a British actress from Portsmouth, England, known for playing Kelly in the 2006 film '' London to Brighton'' and Karen Taylor in the BBC soap opera ''EastEnders'' (2017–2024). Early life Lorraine ...

) to pick up his kids, but Karen refuses to let him take the children and informs the police of his presence, so Gray runs to The Queen Victoria, where Mick and Shirley attack Gray for murdering Tina. Gray is then chased to a railway bridge by Whitney. Not wanting to go to prison, Gray attempts suicide by jumping, but Whitney stops him, determined to see justice served. He tries to goad Whitney into letting him go by confessing to Kush's murder, but it doesn't work and when Whitney nearly loses her grip, Mitch intervenes by helping her force Gray up to safety before Gray is arrested for his crimes and sent to prison.

Reception

Awards and nominations

Smith won various awards and nominations for his portrayal of Gray. At the 2019 I Talk Telly Awards, he was nominated for "Best Soap Newcomer", losing to

Max Bowden Max Lewis Bowden (born 31 December 1994) is an English actor. He is best known for his roles as Justin Fitzgerald in the BBC One school-based drama series ''Waterloo Road (TV series), Waterloo Road'' (2014–2015), and his portrayal of Ben Mitch ...

( Ben Mitchell, ''EastEnders''). Smith and Plummer were nominated for "Best Soap Partnership" at the 2020 I Talk Telly Awards, but lost to

Ian Bartholomew Ian Bartholomew (born 23 August 1954) is a British actor and musician from Portsmouth, England who has worked widely in both theatre and television. In March 2018, Bartholomew joined the cast of ITV soap opera ''Coronation Street'', as Geof ...

and Shelley King ( Geoff Metcalfe and

Yasmeen Nazir ''Coronation Street'' is a British soap opera first broadcast on 9 December 1960. The following is a list of characters that appeared in 2014, by order of first appearance. All characters were introduced by series producer Stuart Blackburn. Sha ...

, ''

Coronation Street ''Coronation Street'' (colloquially referred to as ''Corrie'') is a British television soap opera created by ITV Granada, Granada Television and shown on ITV (TV network), ITV since 9 December 1960. The programme centres on a cobbled, terraced ...

''). Smith was shortlisted for "Best Villain" at the 2020 ''

Inside Soap ''Inside Soap'' is a weekly soap opera and television listings magazine published in the United Kingdom. The magazine is currently released every Tuesday. It covers storylines featured in British and Australian soap operas that are broadcast in t ...

''

Awards An award, sometimes called a distinction, is given to a recipient as a token of recognition of excellence in a certain field. When the token is a medal, ribbon or other item designed for wearing, it is known as a decoration. An award may be d ...

. Smith won "Best Villain" at the 2021 Version Soap Awards. The scene where Gray kills Chantelle was nominated for " Must-See Moment" at the

2021 Like the year 2020, 2021 was also heavily defined by the COVID-19 pandemic, due to the emergence of multiple Variants of SARS-CoV-2, COVID-19 variants. The major global rollout of COVID-19 vaccines, which began at the end of 2020, continued ...

British Academy Television Awards The BAFTA TV Awards, or British Academy Television Awards, are presented in an annual award show hosted by the British Academy of Film and Television Arts. They have been awarded annually since 1955. Background The first-ever Awards, given in ...

, but lost to

Diversity Diversity, diversify, or diverse may refer to: Business *Diversity (business), the inclusion of people of different identities (ethnicity, gender, age) in the workforce *Diversity marketing, marketing communication targeting diverse customers * ...

's ''

Britain's Got Talent ''Britain's Got Talent'' (often abbreviated to ''BGT'') is a televised British talent show competition, and part of the global '' Got Talent'' franchise created by Simon Cowell. Presented by Anthony McPartlin and Declan Donnelly (colloquial ...

'' performance based on the events of 2020. He was nominated for "Best Villain" at the 2021 ''Inside Soap'' Awards, losing to

Paige Sandhu Paige Courtney S. Sandhu (born 28 October 1992) is an English actress. She began her career with appearances in ''Doctors (2000 TV series), Doctors'' and ''Endeavour (TV series), Endeavour'', before being cast as Meena Jutla in the ITV (TV chan ...

( Meena Jutla, ''

Emmerdale ''Emmerdale'' (known as ''Emmerdale Farm'' until 1989) is a British television soap opera that is broadcast on ITV (TV network), ITV. The show is set in Emmerdale (known as Beckindale until 1994), a List of fictional towns and villages, fict ...

''). He was nominated at the following 2022 ''Inside Soap'' Awards, again losing to Sandhu. He was nominated for "

Villain of the Year The British Soap Award for Villain of the Year is an award presented annually by the British Soap Awards. Upon its inception, the award was voted for by a panel, until in 2006, it opened as a publicly voted category. This remained until 2014. H ...

" at the 2022 British Soap Awards, losing to Maximus Evans (

Corey Brent ''Coronation Street'' is a British soap opera first broadcast on 9 December 1960. The following is a list of characters introduced in 2019, by order of first appearance. All characters are introduced by series producer Iain MacLeod. The first ch ...

, ''Coronation Street'').

Critical and viewer response

Four months into Gray's tenure, Sarah Ellis of ''

Inside Soap ''Inside Soap'' is a weekly soap opera and television listings magazine published in the United Kingdom. The magazine is currently released every Tuesday. It covers storylines featured in British and Australian soap operas that are broadcast in t ...

'' wrote that, by that point: "Gray seems far too good to be true – he must be hiding something". ''Inside Soap'' Laura-Jayne Tyler praised the characters of Chantelle and Gray following their introduction. She opined, "The potential for huge drama is practically dripping off them! ..Mark our words, there's a massive plot brewing here". Angie Quinn of

MyLondon MyLondon is a British news website operated by Reach plc, publishers of the ''Daily Mirror'', covering the wider London London is the Capital city, capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of both England and the ...

called Gray's various attacks on Chantelle "devastating" to watch. The domestic violence storyline with Chantelle was called "powerful" by Justin Harp of

Digital Spy Digital Spy (DS) is a British-based entertainment, television and film website and brand and is the largest digital property at Hearst UK. Since its initial launch in 1999, Digital Spy has focused on entertainment news related to television pro ...

. Smith said that sometimes when he was approached and asked if he played Gray, he would get "a bit of a look" from the person, adding that it was "worth it" if the representation helped someone leave an abusive relationship. He also noted that people were comparing the storyline to a 2001 domestic abuse storyline between Trevor Morgan (

Alex Ferns Alexander Ferns (born 13 October 1968) is a Scottish actor and television personality. His role in ''EastEnders'' as Trevor Morgan from 2000 to 2002 was described as "Britain's most-hated soap villain". He also played the role of Rick Harper ...

) and Little Mo Slater (

Kacey Ainsworth Kacey Ainsworth (born 19 October 1968) is an English actress, known for her roles as Little Mo Mitchell in the BBC soap opera ''EastEnders'' and Cathy Keating in the ITV1, ITV drama series ''Grantchester (TV series), Grantchester''. Early life ...

). Fiona Sturges of ''

The Independent ''The Independent'' is a British online newspaper. It was established in 1986 as a national morning printed paper. Nicknamed the ''Indy'', it began as a broadsheet and changed to tabloid format in 2003. The last printed edition was publis ...

'' praised ''EastEnders'' for featuring a domestic abuse storyline, further praising Gray's different approach to abuse from Trevor, writing: "Where Trevor was the archetypal bad guy, a snarling, hard-drinking bully, Gray is, on the surface, gentle and charismatic, reflecting the fact that abusers will often go to great lengths to charm those around them, and to discredit and undermine those they hurt". Fans sang praises to Smith and Plummer for their performances on

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. Chantelle's death scene was labelled a "bullseye" by ''Inside Soap'', with the magazine writing that it was not only "explosive, brutal, and horrific", but that Gray had left people contemplating the "true meaning of evil". Words like "evil", "sick", and "vile" became commonly used to describe Gray in tabloid media. Smith was subjected to social media harassment across his entire tenure as Gray and often had abuse shouted at him in the street from viewers who couldn't separate him from his character. Smith detailed on ''Loose Women'' that people struggled to differenciate him from his character "for a while". When asked about the fan reaction to Gray's storylines, Smith respondeed that he found it interesting how at first people struggled to differentiate him from his character, especially during the abuse storyline with Chantelle. A scene where Gray lent Whitney a dress that belonged to Chantelle after he killed her reportedly left fans "disgusted". McGarty commented that people in public would often tell her to "stay away from Gray" during her character's involvement with him. The scene where Gray kills Kush attracted 106 viewer complaints due to "horrifying scenes". The topic of the complaints was listed as "violence". The show's decision for Gray to kill Kush was criticised by Calli Kitson of ''Metro'', who labelled it a "complete mistake" as it required a

problem gambling Problem gambling, ludopathy, or ludomania is repetitive gambling behavior despite harm and negative consequences. Problem gambling may be diagnosed as a mental disorder according to DSM-5 if certain diagnostic criteria are met. Pathological ...

storyline Kush was involved in to be dropped. The decision was also criticised by Kitson's colleague, Claire Lindsay, who labelled it "a quick gasp which served to further undermine a powerful story and give an unnecessarily gruesome ending to one of the few generally amiable guys in the oapgenre". She continued, commenting that "the dispatching of Kush to give Gray a few more months of shelf life is just one in a long line of botched up death stories n soap operas. Louise Griffin of ''Metro'' described the scene as a "shock". Viewers were reportedly "devastated" by Kush's exit as the character was considered a fan favourite. Many voiced their criticisms on Twitter about the death being overly and unnecessarily gruesome. Writing for ''Irish Mirror'', Rose Hill reported that fans "were left sickened" by the scene, opining that the scene was "tragic". Some criticised the plot device of CCTV cameras malfunctioning, believing it was too convenient to be plausible. Gray and Chelsea's first kiss was dubbed "the kiss of death" by some fans as they predicted Gray would murder her. Stephen Patterson of ''Metro'' described Gray as a "master manipulator". After Chelsea was sent home with an electric tag from court, ''Inside Soap'' commented that a woman who "can't get away" is Gray's "ideal". Quinn (MyLondon) reported that viewers expressed their "anguish" at Chelsea growing closer to Gray and predicted she would be his next victim. The amount of time it took for Kheerat and Whitney to report Gray to the authorities was criticised by audiences, a sentiment echoed by McGarty, who admitted that "maybe they should have gone to the police sooner, but then it wouldn't be ''EastEnders''". Upon Gray's exit, Sophie Dainty of Digital Spy called Gray a "nimble narcissist". Dainty praised Gray's final episode, calling it a "satisfying end to a story that may have divided the audience". She added that "Gray is gone but is unlikely to be forgotten any time soon". Tyler (''Inside Soap'') criticised the direction of Gray's storylines throughout his time on the show, voicing frustration about how: "Gray's serious domestic violence story turned into a pantomime serial killer plot", adding that it was the weakest thing about ''EastEnders'' in 2021. In February 2025, ''Radio Times'' ranked Gray as the 15th-best ''EastEnders'' villain, with Laura Denby writing that Smith's portrayal was "haunting", despite agreeing that his storylines "turned into a farce".

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Atkins, Gray EastEnders characters Television characters introduced in 2019 British male characters in soap operas Taylor family (EastEnders) Male villains Fictional domestic abusers Fictional rapists Fictional uxoricides Fictional criminals in soap operas Fictional mass murderers Fictional serial killers Fictional businesspeople in soap operas Fictional British lawyers Fictional chefs in soap operas Fictional lawyers in soap operas Fictional attempted suicides