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 a two-part adaptation of the Gerald Seymour novel "A Line in the Sand" for ITV. He has also presented on "The Friday Night Project" and appeared as a stand in host on "The Paul O'Grady Show" (2007, 2008). Kemp appeared in the 4th episode of Series 14 of BBC's motoring show "Top Gear". He was the "Man in Boot" of a Renault Twingo Sport being tested by Jeremy Clarkson. The test ended with Clarkson driving the car off the quayside of Belfast Harbour, after which Clarkson joked that Kemp had been killed. In 2004 Kemp filmed "Ross Kemp on Gangs",