Back in September 2004, Phil Mitchell was nowhere to be seen in Albert Square - but the actor who plays him was spotted in Tonypandy of all places.
Star-struck shoppers got a glimpse of the EastEnders hard man, played by Steve McFadden, who, at the time, had briefly left the soap as he went on the run after fleeing custody before returning the following year when his character was caught. In the meantime, he turned up to officially open the newly-refurbished Tonypandy Kwik Save store and even hung around long enough to sign autographs and answer questions before fleeing again.
The actor was greeted by eager fans who formed a giant queue which snaked round the aisles of the outlet. For more than an hour, shoppers kept on posing the question, “Where’s Grant?” and “When are you returning?”
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He told the Rhondda Leader at the time, the writers on the show “have got something lined up for me”. While taking time out he said he had been enjoying “fishing and eating pasties”. McFadden is still in the BBC One soap, gruffly causing havoc, and is now in his 32nd year of playing Phil.
Christine Shurey, aged 51, of Penygraig, promised her daughter Catherine, aged 13, a Tonypandy Community College pupil, she would get a picture with him.
Mrs Shurey said: “He’s my favourite character in the show and was always involved in the big story-lines. It seems that, since he’s left, a lot of others have gone with him. I’m looking forward to him returning.”
Young fan Thomas Collins, aged eight, a pupil at Ton Pentre Junior School, met Steve with mum, Joanne. She said: “He told us he was going to return to the show next year. It was nice to meet him.”
Store manager Jonathan Dearden said: “The revamped store has brought new jobs to the community.
"We have six new faces ready to help our customers and now employ 45 full and part-time staff.”
Alas, the store that Steve opened did not last very long as the company went into administration in 2007.
Currently, it is a Home Bargains store and has been for many years.
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