A familiar face is heading to EastEnders, ahead of the return of one of the BBC soap’s most disgusting villains.
Actress Sheila Ruskin will arrive in Walford next week as Sheila, the grandmother of Gray Atkins (Toby Alexander-Smith).
Radio Times revealed last month that the villainous solicitor, who was responsible for the deaths of three residents during his reign of terror, would be staging a comeback. With Gray imprisoned in 2022 after pleading guilty to his crimes, the reprisal is just for a short stint.
As the ex-husband of Chelsea Fox (Zaraah Abrahams) and father of her son Jordan (Jahsaiah Williams) – who has recently undergone life-saving surgery on his spine following a road traffic collision – there’s bound to be plenty of drama ahead.
Forthcoming scenes will see Chelsea admit that Sheila has been sending cheques for Jordan that she hasn’t cashed. Sister Libby Fox (Belinda Owusu) can see how much this money would help with the youngster’s recovery, and decides to secretly contact Sheila.
Later that night, Chelsea spots a text on her phone, and an argument ensues between the women. However, during a chat with Eve Panesar-Unwin (Heather Peace) about wanting the best for her son, she makes amends with Libby and follows her lead.
After some support from Libby, Chelsea bravely meets with Sheila and is relieved to hear that she’s no longer in touch with Gray.
Sheila offers to help Jordan financially, and although Chelsea initially accepts the cash, she’s left guilt-ridden and returns it.
Ruskin has a wealth of roles under her belt, having first appeared on our screens in 1969. Some of her earliest television appearances were in Canterbury Tales and police drama Special Branch.
She also starred in Miss Marple, The Sweeney, and in two episodes of I, Claudius in 1976. Five years later, she was Kassia in all four parts of the Doctor Who serial The Keeper of Traken alongside Tom Baker.
The actress retuned to the Whoniverse in 2017, voicing Flague in Big Finish’s Fourth Doctor Adventures, and as Cora in The War Doctor series.
Soap fans may be intrigued to know that she has been in EastEnders before, playing a judge in three episodes that aired in 2001. Ruskin has also cropped up in Casualty, Doctors, The Bill and Holby City.
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