Billy Mitchell (EastEnders) revealed in 2006 that the role was extended by "coincidence and chance": "I was offered four episodes and here I am, about 800 later. [...] Ross Kemp (Grant) said that he was leaving, and there was a gap in the Mitchell family, so they brought me back to do stuff towards his leaving. After that they offered me a year." Billy was reintroduced in 1999, making recurring appearances. He was involved in the leaving storyline of Grant Mitchell in October 1999, before returning later in the year as a regular character. When Billy was first introduced, he was depicted as
Ross Kemp in Afghanistan according to Kemp, he did consider the Iraq invasion was "a mistake", but believed the British involvement in Afghanistan to be a just war. It took a year to make the series Ross Kemp in Afghanistan In addition to Kemp, the crew consisted of the director a cameraman and sound man with the director doubling as a second cameramen. The crew were embedded with British troops and accompanied the soldiers every single day being "in constant danger" according to Kemp. Of the crew's status in the unit, Kemp commented: "Everyone said, "The soldiers are there to protect you." F*** off!