Reason Gray Atkins actor Toby-Alexander Smith quit EastEnders revealed after dramatic serial killer storyline
TOBY-ALEXANDER Smith made his final EastEnders appearance tonight - and has revealed he’s becoming a full-time dad after quitting the soap.
The actor has played serial killer Gray Atkins for three years but in tonight’s episode Gray was finally caught by police and carted off.
Now the actor has told The Sun that he’s becoming a full-time dad to daughter Bonnie who he shares with girlfriend, Emmerdale’s Amy Walsh.
Speaking about his plans now he’s finished EastEnders, he said: “Changing nappies, breast pumps and not getting any sleep probably.
“It’s all good. I’m very happy using this time now just to be present with Amy and Bonnie and I’m just loving every second of it.
“Who knows what’s around the corner but for right now I’m very happy to just be a full-time dad.”
The actor also revealed he had no idea he would be in the soap for so long - initially signing up for a six month stint as domestic abuser Gray.
But it all changed when Gray murdered his wife Chantelle in shocking scenes that saw him push her onto an upturned knife in a dishwasher.
“When I first took the job, I thought it was a six month storyline and then we got another six months in and it was like ‘great, this is brilliant’ and then I started to understand what we were doing,” he said.
“It was a really slow build to the Gray and Chantelle domestic abuse storyline. Obviously then the pandemic hit and threw a bit of a curveball.
“And then we did the Gray killing Chantelle episode and that for me was the ending for Gray. I really did start counting my days - I thought that was the end and he would ultimately get caught and that would be that.”
But then Gray went on to murder Tina Carter and Kush Kazemi and become Walford’s latest serial killer.
Toby added: “I was quite surprised. I did not expect it to go that way. But it’s meant that I’ve been able to explore a lot more of Gray’s character, and I’ve really enjoyed letting the storyline play out to discover more of Gray’s past.”
However one thing he won’t miss is the abuse he’s received from viewers who can’t tell him apart from his character.
“It’s funny with soap because when you’re playing a character for three years in people’s living rooms, there’s a lot more of a relatable connection that they feel towards the character,” he said.
“They get quite personal towards Gray. And a lot of them, for whatever reason, don’t seem to be able to differentiate between Gray and myself.
“You do get the odd message where you think ‘this is quite worrying that you think this person’s Gray’. But then a lot of the messages are directed at Gray and that’s great to see.
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And he seemed to rule out a return for Gray in the future - despite him still being alive in the soap.
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“I don’t know, I’m not sure the audience would be too happy about seeing Gray redeemed, I have to say,” he said.
“I think justice needs to be seen and Gray needs to get his comeuppance. Who knows if we’ll ever see him again but it’s EastEnders so you never know.”