EastEnders fans hoping that Gray Atkins's abuse of Chantelle will be discovered may get their wish in an upcoming episode. The behind-closed-doors violence that Gray has been meting out to his wife has been intensifying these past weeks, with recent scenes having seen Chantelle reveal that she's expecting Gray's baby in a bid to stop him raising his fists to her.
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Now, the forthcoming drama finds a seemingly repentant Gray (Toby-Alexander Smith) revealing to Chantelle (Jessica Plummer) that he's going to see a therapist about his behaviour. Up until this point, Chantelle, of course, has kept silent about the assaults she's been subjected to. But when she accidentally cuts her hand in scenes to be shown on Tuesday 24th September, Gray insists that they go to A&E, where the nurse ends up spotting Chantelle's bruises.
So will questions be asked as to how Chantelle came by her injuries? And will a cunning Gray be forced to dissemble as he tries to cover up what's really been going on at No 1 Albert Square? EastEnders isn't yet revealing the exact outcome of the hospital visit but by Thursday, Chantelle is opting to support Gray ahead of his therapy appointment, while he is promising to never hurt her again.
So is Chantelle still trapped in a toxic marriage? Or is Gray's contrition genuine? Show boss Kate Oates has already revealed that the plotline is set to be ongoing, all of which suggests that there's more to come before Chantelle finally does receive help.
Speaking at a recent press event, the BBC's head of continuing drama said: “Chantelle and Gray’s domestic abuse story has built quite gently, but as it continues we’ll be pushing it. We’ve deliberately built this public perception of who Gray is and the kind of marriage they have. There’s great stuff coming up.”
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David Brown is Deputy Previews Editor at Radio Times, with a particular interest in crime drama and fantasy TV. He has appeared as a contributor on BBC News, Sky News and Radio 4’s Front Row and has had work published in the Guardian, the Sunday Times and the i newspaper. He has also worked as a writer and editorial consultant on the National Television Awards, as well as several documentaries profiling the likes of Lenny Henry, Billy Connolly and Take That.
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