Gray Atkins (Toby-Alexander Smith) continues to pose a threat in EastEnders even from behind bars. The serial killer, who murdered his wife Chantelle Atkins (Jessica Plummer), Tina Carter (Luisa Bradshaw-White), and Kush Kazemi (Davood Ghadami), is now orchestrating a new scheme with the help of his grandmother, Sheila Atkins (Sheila Ruskin).
Gray's history of violence
Gray arrived in Walford with Chantelle, hiding his abusive nature behind a 'perfect husband' facade. He subjected her to every form of abuse, ultimately killing her by slamming her into an open washing machine, making it look like an accident. When Tina discovered his secret, he strangled her and buried her beneath Argee Bhajee. Kush became his third victim when he got involved with Whitney Dean (Shona McGarty), Gray's obsession, and was pushed onto train tracks.
Coercive control and arrest
Gray later married Chelsea Fox (Zaraah Abrahams) and began exerting coercive control over her. Whitney and Chelsea joined forces, leading to Gray's arrest and life sentence. However, even from prison, Gray remains dangerous.
Sheila's role in Gray's new plot
Sheila has been acting as Gray's proxy, financially supporting his son Jordan (Izaiah Hagan-Brown) and recently integrating into the Fox-Trueman family after Jordan's hit-and-run injuries. She reports everything back to Gray, who appears during her visits. Next week, a prison brawl triggers a new scheme, with Sheila as his eyes, ears, and hands in Walford.
What's next for Albert Square?
With Sheila's help, Gray's plans remain unclear, but his return signals more danger for the residents of Albert Square. Fans are left wondering what the villain has in store.
