EastEnders confirms major Mitchell to exit in upcoming episodes – 18 months after arriving in soap
Their arrival ushered in a new era for the Mitchell clan.
Teddy Mitchell star Roland Manookian is departing EastEnders after just 18 months, the BBC has confirmed.
The character was part of a new wave of Mitchells who arrived in Albert Square last year. Alongside sons Harry (Elijah Holloway) and Barney Mitchell (Lewis Bridgeman), he soon settled in the area, having connected with his estranged brother Billy Mitchell (Perry Fenwick) after a reunion between them and father Stevie Mitchell (Alan Ford).
The trio of new Mitchells were later joined by his ex-wife Nicola Mitchell (Laura Doddington), and he's been at the centre of several huge storylines ever since.
The floor fell from beneath his feet when he discovered that his girlfriend, Sharon Watts (Letitia Dean), had slept with her ex-husband – and his cousin – Grant Mitchell (Ross Kemp).
But the worst was yet to come, as soon after, Zack Hudson (James Farrar) was revealed to be Barney's birth father following an adulterous affair with Nicola years prior when working as her personal trainer. A dramatic car chase ensued when the secrets were revealed, and both men ended up driving into a river. Thankfully, all survived, and peace was declared by all, but hopes of a Teddy and Nicola reunion were destroyed.
In the last few weeks, he reached a point of no return after discovering Harry had accidentally killed drug dealer Tobias "Okie" Okyere (Aayan Ibikunle Shoderu). Teddy couldn't risk his son being sent down and decided to take the rap.
Scenes that air this week follow Teddy's murder trial, and it's looking increasingly likely that these will be Manookian's last.
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An EastEnders spokesperson told RadioTimes.com: "We can confirm Roland will be leaving EastEnders this year, and we wish him all the best for the future."
It comes after an apparent source told The Sun that show bosses had decided "the character had run his course".
Teddy's exit will undoubtedly have lasting complications for his family, with Harry already becoming dependent on drugs and overdosing several times.
Meanwhile, Barney is set to move in with Zack, and ex-wife Nicola Mitchell is currently pregnant following a short-lived romance with George Knight (Colin Salmon).
Will Teddy's family come together again?
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Authors
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.
