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 players." Kemp was also critical of the compensation system for wounded soldiers and the "despicable" shortage of helicopters, the most important thing needed, which were unavailable purely for monetary reasons, but which ultimately had cost lives on the tour. Kemp found that kit was unsuitable for desert ops, such as cold war rations and clothing deteriorating too quickly. Kemp also criticised the unfit state of Pirbright barracks living quarters. On the time he and the crew were pinned down, Kemp stated he started praying, "cowering in the dirt with fear", wanting the ground to swallow him up He said that