EastEnders fans have been left scratching their heads over a comment made by Chelsea Fox (Zaraah Abrahams) regarding the victims of serial killer Gray Atkins (Toby-Alexander Smith). The BBC One soap is currently laying the groundwork for Gray's return, with scenes showing Chelsea's son Jordan hospitalised after being hit by a car driven by Ian Beale (Adam Woodyatt).
Chelsea's controversial remark
In a recent episode, Chelsea argued with her sister Libby Fox (Belinda Owusu) after discovering Libby had checked if Gray's nan Sheila's phone number was still active. Chelsea declared she would never accept help from anyone related to such an evil man, then reminded Libby of the three people Gray murdered. 'Some were my friends, some still with family round here,' Chelsea said.
This statement sparked confusion on social media, as viewers noted Chelsea had no strong friendships with Gray's victims. One X user wrote, 'Aight boss,' sharing their bewilderment. Another fan, Shannon, questioned, 'Am I the only one who doesn’t remember Chelsea being friends with Chantelle, Tina or Kush?' A third user, Chels, added, 'since when was she even friends with chantelle????'
Timeline of events
Gray killed his wife Chantelle on September 18, 2020. Chelsea returned to Walford on December 25, 2020, three days before Gray murdered Tina Carter. On April 19, 2021, Kush Kazemi became Gray's third victim. While Chelsea and Kush knew each other—Kush had a relationship with Chelsea's mother Denise Fox (Diane Parish)—their friendship was not prominently shown on screen. Chelsea's return to Albert Square left only a few months before Kush's death, leaving little time for a deep bond to form.
One fan highlighted that Chelsea could have referenced Gray's attempt on Whitney's life or his attempt on her own life instead. Toby-Alexander Smith is set to reprise his role as Gray soon, but his comeback will be brief as the character is already in prison.
