“It’s amazing what you can learn from a nine-year-old!”
When we first met Mitch, we thought he was a wrong’un – but the way he’s got his life together for the sake of his little girl Bailey has restored our faith. The scenes between father and daughter have been a joy to watch, so it’s no surprise that Roger Griffiths and Kara-leah Fernandes, who play the pair, are nominated for our Best Partnership trophy. And as Roger represents both of them at our shoot, he’s a very proud dad indeed…
So you and Kara-leah are a bit of a dream team at this stage…
She’s a delight! I have three sons, and she’s like the daughter I never had.
It’s amazing what, as a seasoned actor, you can learn from a nine-year-old! She delivers every time, and it’s natural.
Having already won Best
Young Actor and Best On-screen Partnership with you at the British Soap Awards, is she taking it all in her stride?
She said at the ceremony, she didn’t even know what a nomination was! It’s all been mega, because of the kind of issues we’ve been covering – Bailey’s mother Dinah’s storyline, for example. She just understood that it was a story we were telling for the audience.
And it sounds as though she’s keeping everyone in line on set!
The producers have said to me, we see the way you’ve been working with her [Kara-leah] – which makes me feel really good. But she has a solid family unit around her in the Taylors/atkins/ Bakers. We’re so lucky to have her.
Are you feeling at home in Albert Square now?
I’m in love with it. The first day I met Lou [Lorraine Stanley, who plays Karen], it was love at first sight. I was coming into her world – but she allowed me in, and I’m having such a ball.
Did you always know Mitch would come back after your initial stint on the show?
It was roughly two months or so that I was away doing other things, and obviously stories are moving on. Then Keegan was stabbed – people were coming up to me in the street saying, “Mitch’s son has been stabbed, what are you going to do?” And on hearing that, I wanted to go back – Mitch needed to see his son. So when I did return, it was a relief. I thought, now Mitch can right the wrongs…
Do you think Mitch is a changed man now, compared to before?
Yes – I love the fact that Mitch was this lone ranger, and he’s decided to pull it in for his little girl, to make it work this time. And I love how it’s affected Keegan. He loves his dad – he just needs time to get over the fact that he wasn’t the dad he craved him to be.
You’d been on the show previously, playing DI Riddick – so had you worked with anyone in the current cast before?
Steve Mcfadden [Phil] – I did his first job with him. He told me that! We were playing painters and decorators in a Ruth Rendell mystery. I think at one stage we were both suspects…
We’re looking forward to any future scenes between Phil and Mitch… But we’re already loving the Mitch-mick bromance. They have great chemistry!
I love my scenes with Danny Dyer [Mick] – I love that bromance. I’m glad you’ve said the chemistry comes through, because you don’t want to blow your own trumpet! My partner sits there with me watching it, saying, “Look at you two guys!” Mick and Mitch are just there for one another, which is lovely.
Do you think viewers want Karen and Mitch to get back together?
I think they just want them to be around each other – they like to see them tussle. And the viewers, they love Karen, you know. They tell me – oh, my goodness, they love that woman! SNEAK PREVIEW! “Mitch doesn’t know what’s going on between Chantelle and Gray at all. He just hasn’t taken to Gray, and viewers will continue to see them struggling to get along. I think Mitch just wants to be a proper father to his son now, but Gray won’t let Mitch’s history with his kids slide…”