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EastEnders legend Rob Kazinsky reveals the importance of Roxy Mitchell in Sean Slater's future in soap

Roxy was the love of Sean's life.

Sean holding Roxy's face in EastEnders

BBC

Published: Tuesday, 3 November 2026 at 5:00 pm

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Robert Kazinsky has stressed the importance of Roxy Mitchell (Rita Simons) to character Sean Slater upon his return to EastEnders.

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Walford's 2000s bad boy returned last week at a very convenient time. His former step-daughter Amy Mitchell (Ellie Dadd) had ran away with her groomer Craig Ingram (Matthew James-Bailey), and Sean immediately joined the search to find her.

Her dad Jack Branning (Scott Maslen) hasn't always supported his investigation techniques. In today's episode, Sean suggested getting Denise Fox (Diane Parish) to record an emotional video appeal, pretending that the prognosis of her cancer battle was looking bleak.

But how will Amy react when she learns that Sean has been the driving force behind the plot? After all, it's been almost a decade since Roxy died - and Amy doesn't really know him.

"Roxy is the love of his life," Kazinsky told Radio Times, "he might break a heart here or there, but Roxy is the love of Sean's life, and nobody will ever take that space."

Robert Kazinsky as Sean Slater and Rita Simons as Roxy Mitchell. Robert is holding up a piece of paper whilst Rita looks down at the table.

Robert Kazinsky as Sean Slater and Rita Simons as Roxy Mitchell. BBC Studios

The actor continued: "I think that he will never really love again, and that's really sad. I think a lot of people find themselves in the same boat and he still sees himself as married to Roxy.

"It doesn't mean he wants to cheat on her, but he still views his promises to her as things he has to keep. He still views Amy as Roxy, and needs to be protected and needs her guardian.

"And I think that his love for Roxy is the thing that is the driving force of his ability to have gotten past his own demons. It's the thing that he has to protect."

The conclusion of today's instalment saw Sean challenge Craig outside of Walford Hospital, taking his car keys and saying that they were due a chat. It seems that the character certainly hasn't lost his unpredictable nature!

"I think everybody should be frightened of him," Kazinsky continued.

Sean stands, arms folded, behind a serious Jack Branning in a scene from EastEnders

Robert Kazinsky as Sean Slater and Scott Maslen as Jack Branning. BBC/Jack Barnes/Kieron McCarron

"One of the conversations that I had with the producers was... the beautiful thing about Sean is a lot of people are tied to areas of the Square. They're tied to family or tied to this and the other. But Sean is a completely unattached acorn that can just go anywhere.

"You could put him in any scene with anyone, and something might happen. We do see that over the next few months. Suddenly, Sean's there, and everything's chaos."

The actor concluded: "He could suddenly just turn a dime and string you up by a lamp post, or beat you up, or give you all his money, or love you to death. The unpredictable nature of him is what makes him."

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Authors

Michael Adams wearing a white t-shirt and beige gilet against a white background

Michael AdamsSoaps Editor

Michael Adams is the Soaps Editor at Radio Times, covering all of the hot gossip and spoilers from Weatherfield to Walford, Emmerdale to Hollyoaks and everywhere in-between. He joined the team from Metro, where he spent two years as a Soaps Reporter and previously worked on the sets of both Coronation Street and Emmerdale.

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