Major EastEnders return confirmed as star reprises role after 11 years
A mainstay of the BBC soap between 2000 and 2003 – with brief returns in 2004, 2005 and 2014 – Anthony featured in numerous storylines over the years, including his relationship with Kat Slater (Jessie Wallace).
The former Walford doctor was last seen a little over a decade ago when he staged a short return for one episode following Patrick's stroke.
But after 11 years, he is set to stage another comeback and, much like his mid-noughties returns, it's the nuptials of Yolande and Patrick that brings him back to the Square.
His visit to Walford, however, comes at a significant moment for Patrick and it means that his stay is longer than he intended.
Consider us intrigued.
'It is an unexpected treat to return to EastEnders and I'm full of gratitude to get the opportunity to revisit the character of Anthony,' said actor Nicholas Bailey on reprising his role.
'It's wonderful to work with Rudolph Walker again – he's such a big part of my journey as an actor and I loved filming my first scenes with him after so long. More Trending
'I'm excited to see what the passage of time has done to Anthony and explore his relationship with Patrick at this stage in their lives.'
Want to be the first to hear shocking EastEnders spoilers? Who's leaving Coronation Street? The latest gossip from Emmerdale?
Join 10,000 soaps fans on Metro's WhatsApp Soaps community and get access to spoiler galleries, must-watch videos, and exclusive interviews.
Simply click on this link, select 'Join Chat' and you're in! Don't forget to turn on notifications so you can see when we've just dropped the latest spoilers!
EastEnders Executive Producer Ben Wadey added: 'It's great to welcome Nicholas back to the EastEnders family to reunite Patrick with his son.
'But Anthony's plan for a brief return to surprise his father ends up with him staying longer than he expected when he uncovers what has been going on in the Trueman household.'
EastEnders airs Mondays to Thursdays at 7:30pm on BBC One or stream from 6am on BBC iPlayer.
If you've got a soap or TV story, video or pictures get in touch by emailing us soaps@metro.co.uk – we'd love to hear from you.
Join the community by leaving a comment below and stay updated on all things soaps on our homepage.
View More »
MORE: Huge surprise in store for Patrick in EastEnders as he celebrates big birthday
MORE: All 93 EastEnders pictures for next week as end of an era is 'confirmed'
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Metro
14 minutes ago
- Metro
‘Danny Dyer running about naked doesn't even touch Mr Bigstuff season 2's chaos'
To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video Sofas engulfed in flames, a budding dominatrix and a naked cul-de-sac chase-down, and that's just the first episode of Mr Bigstuff season two. The offbeat comedy about two chalk and cheese brothers – the trauma-ridden lad Lee (Danny Dyer) and the by-the-book Glenn – is back after an astounding first run. The storied layers of how this comedy-drama came to be seems almost prophetic – Ryan Sampson moulding a character in the vision of Danny, Danny's tenure on EastEnders coming to an end, the stars aligning. Add Big Boys star Harriet Webb, as the ambitious (if not downtrodden) Kristy, to the mix, and you are onto a surefire winner. So, when the Rivals star scooped up the Bafta for best actor in a comedy, it was a victory in more ways than one – proof of Danny's star quality post-soap opera and a testament that Ryan had created a show that could capture both a devoted fan base and critical acclaim. Not that he had any doubt after seeing the magic Harriet and Danny concocted in the flesh, as he told Metro ahead of Mr Bigstuff season two. 'It's absolutely mad, honestly, and I was sat there at the Baftas and Danny did this lovely shout out, and I was like, 'What is this?' 'The first read through. You hear these two [Danny and Harriet] doing it and putting their own spin on it. And I was like, 'oh, that's quite good. That's quite sexy.' And then you see bits of it as we're shooting it, you're like, 'oh, it really does work'. I'm just so chuffed. I'm really glad,' Ryan said about the Bafta win. Season one of Mr Bigstuff introduced the gruff, drug-fuelled Lee, on the run from a dangerous path and forever living in his dead father's shadow. When he is unexpectedly reunited with the endearingly dweebie Glenn, his brother, their lives are turned upside down, ending in an epic season one cliffhanger – the dad is, in fact, very much not dead. The bar has been set high, with the grimy humour and outrageous scenes in season one and yet season two easily surpasses it with even more mental moments. To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video In the first episode, as seen in the trailer, Lee ends up disrobing and chasing some hooligans down the street – a scene that somehow has a more chaotic story behind-the-camera. 'Chaos was when we did the naked chase bit. We had to do it in real life. Danny has to run down this actual suburban street with real people in it, and he's almost completely naked, and it was on Halloween,' Ryan recalled. 'So as he was running down the street, there were little kids literally around the corner. And the producer was like 'you need to go now. You need to do it now. There are small children dressed as Tinkerbell'.' And yet, this only scrapes the surface of the absurdity to come. For Danny, his most chaotic moment on set was the day a bunch of retired stuntmen shot a scene set in a working man's club that soon descends into violence. 'We only had one day to get that. We called on all of the old retired stuntmen that were still alive, and they were so happy to be doing [it]. 'You know the old stuntmen that haven't got all their fingers because they've been around since the 60s and there was no health and safety and stuff. They made me look good. In fact, as Ryan revealed, one of them was Roger Moore's James Bond stuntman. 'Yeah he was like 80 and getting thrown around, bowling over tables and you go 'wow this is an art',' Danny added. Meanwhile, the storylines lean right into the bonkers tone of the show, not least Kristy's journey to dominatrix in a bid to spice up her sex life with Glenn. Harriet shared: 'I was really excited about some of the more playful dominatrix [scenes]. I was very excited for Kirsty, weirdly, to explore that and to have those more outrageous scenes. 'Also some of the more emotional stuff, delving into her relationship with her mum, and that really coming to a head throughout season two, was a really cool thing as an actor to be able to do.' To whet the appetite, Ryan teased an 'impressive' moment from episode five that Harriet executes that is 'amazing to watch'. Meanwhile, Glenn and Lee are thrust into a paternal wild goose chase that takes them to some 'really weird places'. Danny added: 'Obviously, Lee's not dealing with it very well with the trauma of his dad. Lee loves his dad and looks up to him, and it was Glenn who wasn't as fussed. 'The idea of [his dad] lying, Lee [has taken] it badly, so he needs to get his mojo back and then go on a crusade to go and find him that takes some nutty little twists.' Unlike their dad, the vibrant world Ryan has created, revolving around these two brothers who form the most unlikely bond, is showing no signs of disappearing. In fact, Ryan has already teased the multi-season vision he has for the show, provided the audience stays. 'I know sort of where we're going so we've got a few series to get to the actual peak. I want to do a slightly weird thing, which is that I want it to be a comedy which ends up with [more] drama than is normal [in a show like this]. More Trending 'We have really good actors so long as it feels real and we go really slowly, I think we can [do it].' Although in an industry increasingly defined by audience numbers, Danny provides some sage advice for Mr Bigstuff fans if they want to see this larger-than-life plot come to fruition. 'Watch it, download it, gorge on it. The whole series in less than Lord of the Rings so get amongst it and you can get another series out of it,' he declared. Mr Bigstuff season two airs on Thursday, July 24, with all episodes available to watch on Now. Got a story? If you've got a celebrity story, video or pictures get in touch with the entertainment team by emailing us celebtips@ calling 020 3615 2145 or by visiting our Submit Stuff page – we'd love to hear from you. View More » MORE: Major stars and Hollywood icons who've appeared in Casualty from Tom Hiddleston to Kate Winslet MORE: Danny Dyer and Louis Tomlinson among famous faces at Oasis' Cardiff comeback MORE: Danny Dyer leaves daughter Dani horrified with X-rated honeymoon confession
Daily Mirror
14 minutes ago
- Daily Mirror
ITV star Martin Lewis makes his acting debut as beloved BBC comedy returns tonight
Motherland star Diane Morgan returns tonight as her alter-ego Mandy Carter, in hilarious 15-minute comedy shorts about a woman who just can't hold down a job - however, there's one particular guest star who fans may be surprised to see. Tonight's (Monday 21 July) series four debut will see ITV star Martin Lewis make his acting debut in the BBC comedy, which sees Diane look for a new career. Back at the employment centre, Mandy confesses she only managed to last 40 minutes in her latest gig as a dog food taster, but she did walk off with some (stolen) freebies. It's one sacking too many, so Mandy is put on a 'restart scheme' to get her back to work, which involves a cringey meeting in a town hall. Everyone says her image is part of the problem, so poor Mandy tries to shop for a new look, but the staff don't even want her in the shop. Later, minding the desk at her friend's nail salon, Mandy runs into her high school nemesis. Look out for guest stars including ex- EastEnder Cheryl Fergison, Car Share's Sian Gibson and even money saver Martin Lewis! Mandy airs tonight at 10pm on BBC Two. The best of the rest Female Fishermen: Beyond the Buoys When it comes to male-dominated careers, fishing has to be near the top of the list – of the 10,000 fishermen currently working in Britain, only 1% of them are female. But the tide is turning. An increasing number of young women are discovering this profession, and many believe female recruits could revitalise a flailing industry. Brooke is only 20 years old, and enjoys going out on the boat, even though she's not a morning person. Alongside her work as a nail technician, she also makes a living hauling in shellfish off the Isle of Skye, and has been nominated for a prestigious industry award. Over on the West Highlands, we meet Erin, who spends a fortnight at a time battling the dangerous conditions of the North Atlantic to bring home delicious prawns. She admits that it can be tough sharing cabins with men and coping with rough seas, but she loves seeing the world from the water. Meanwhile, Emma skippers her own creel boat after following in her father's footsteps. She has proved herself (winning the same award Brooke is nominated for), but her proud dad admits that women face significant prejudice in the industry, with many fishermen not ready to accept this could be a woman's world. Brooke faced similar attitudes, but was determined to prove her doubters wrong. Erin reflects on the declining numbers of young people going into the business, and explains people need to accept women if they want fishing to thrive in the UK. Female Fisherman: Beyond the Buoys airs at 7pm tonight on BBC One. Human So many natural history programmes give us insights into other species, but this landmark series reveals the fascinating secrets of our own. Incredible advances in DNA mean that we now understand that all humans alive today who do not have African origins, descend from a small group of Homo sapiens, who migrated to the Middle East. They were the first group to leave Africa, and proved incredibly successful in their quest for survival. Paleoanthropologist Ella Al-Shamahi explains how these humans managed to travel to Sri Lanka and make a home in the inhospitable rainforests there, hunting monkeys with hastily fashioned bone arrowheads. Ella also visits the Indonesian Island of Flores to introduce us to a species of human affectionately known as the 'hobbits', because of their likeness to the petite heroes of Lord of the Rings. How did this small but mighty species evolve and why did it fail to survive? Human airs at 9pm tonight on BBC Two. Emmerdale Mack is stunned when Pollard lets the cat out of the bag about Charity's surrogacy offer. After a blazing row with Charity, Mack gives her an ultimatum. Meanwhile, Jacob can't believe his granddad has abused his trust, but Pollard is unrepentant. Liam goes back to Owen's house. When he doesn't answer the door, Liam calls the police, who find Owen dead. DS Walsh finds the planted 'suicide note', and John feels like his awful plan is working. But Robert has suspicions… Emmerdale airs at 7:30pm tonight on ITV. EastEnders The Slaters are getting excited at the thought of Kat running The Vic, but there's a fly in the ointment when it comes to the finances. Meanwhile, Alfie calls Jean with a message for Stacey, but she gets distracted and doesn't pass it on. Cindy's not impressed when she hears Ian is planning to sell Beale's Eels so that he can bid for The Vic. Phil is worried when Julie turns up in a panic, revealing that Nigel has gone missing. EastEnders airs at 7:30pm tonight on BBC One. Coronation Street Debbie has an altercation with a hotel guest, who films her on his phone. Ryan saves the day, but he's shocked when Debbie thanks him with a kiss. Ryan has a word with Ronnie. Todd tells Billy that Theo is comfortable with his sexuality now, and their relationship is rosy. But Billy hears Theo talking about the new woman in his life, and confronts him. Sally visits Lou in prison. Lou begs her to take a loan and help with legal fees. Coronation Street airs tonight at 8pm on ITV1.
South Wales Guardian
43 minutes ago
- South Wales Guardian
Paul Gascoigne rushed to hospital after collapsing at home
Gascoigne, 58, was said to have been discovered by a friend at his Dorset home on Friday evening (July 18). He is reportedly recovering now and is expected to be in hospital for treatment for a few days. Steve Foster, a friend of Gascoigne's and his driver, who found him, told The Sun newspaper: 'He would like to thank everyone for the support he's received so far from so many old friends who wish him well and want to see him back to his best.' Happy birthday to former England midfielder Paul Gascoigne! 🎉 He added: 'Paul is in hospital, which is the best possible place for him to be right now.' Gascoigne is considered to be one of England's greatest midfielders, having played for the likes of Newcastle United, Tottenham Hotspur and Lazio in his club career. He was capped 57 times and scored ten goals for the Three Lions between 1988 and 1998. Gascoigne came through the ranks at Newcastle in the 1980s before moving to Tottenham, where he would win an FA Cup winners' medal in 1991. He spent four years in Italy with Lazio before joining Rangers, but alcohol issues took hold during his latter career at Middlesbrough, Everton and Burnley. Happy Birthday Paul Gascoigne 🎂 One of the greatest talents England have ever produced #Gazza #Euro96 🔥 The Telegraph adds: "He was left out of England's 1998 World Cup squad, which proved a crushing blow for both his professional and personal life." Gascoigne spoke to Jake Humphrey and Damian Hughes, who present the High Performance Podcast, about his personal struggles last year. He shared: 'The things I've put myself through, I'm lucky to still be sitting here. 'I've spent a lot of years being down, when I did my ligaments and then my knee-cap, I missed four years of football. I would've got 100 caps.' Recommended reading: 'Warm and witty' football icon set to join BBC's Match of the Day as new pundit 'Be yourself': Gary Lineker discusses his BBC Match of the Day replacement England's Jess Carter 'steps back' from social media due to racist abuse in Euros Of the battle to stay sober, Gascoigne said: 'I don't blame anyone, I used to blame a lot of people when I was drinking. 'It's f****** because he did that. Because such-and-such did this'. "I did the 12 steps and one of the steps was to meet the person you blamed and apologise to them. 'What I put myself through and other people, jail and rehab – taking cocaine off toilet seats – and then I'm asked to be ambassador for my country, I didn't know whether to laugh or cry.'
