Tom Hooper worked 10-hour days on "EastEnders", and learned to direct with speed. He was influenced in his early career by the cinematic style of American TV series such as "ER", "NYPD Blue" and "" and tried to work that style into his "EastEnders" episodes; one scene featuring Grant Mitchell (Ross Kemp) involved a crane shot, which Hooper believes made him infamous among the "EastEnders" production crew. In 1999, Hooper directed two episodes of Granada Television's comedy-drama television series "Cold Feet", which marked his move to bigger-budget productions. There was initially concern at Granada that Hooper might be an unsuitable director for
Grant Mitchell (EastEnders) vulnerability. In 2009, a poll by magazine "Inside Soap" named Grant as the UK's favourite leading male character in a soap opera. Although popular with many viewers, the character has garnered criticism, mainly regarding the way his anti-social behaviour is sensationalised by the programme makers. In November 2005 the character was blamed for turning children into playground bullies by Dr. Sally Henry, who claimed that impressionable children look to male soap characters as role models and subsequently copy their violent behaviour. In addition, the character's predisposition to violence has allegedly been criticised by actor Ross Kemp. In 1998, press reports