EastEnders reveals a first look at Brookside legend Paul Usher — aka Barry Grant — on Albert Square

Phil Mitchell has a new thorn in his side.

EastEnders: Paul Usher as Danny Hardcastle
BBC

EastEnders has lined up a very familiar face to cause trouble for Phil Mitchell.

Paul Usher — best known for playing evil Barry Grant in Brookside — will be joining the BBC One for a short period over the spring as new character Danny Hardcastle, with the show revealing some first-look photos.

Phil Mitchell (Steve McFadden) will soon be returning from Spain with some news about Keanu Taylor (Danny Walters) that will rock both Karen (Lorraine Stanley) and Sharon (Letitia Dean), but even more trouble will be piling up.

EastEnders: Paul Usher as Danny Hardcastle
BBC

His business associate Danny Hardcastle will also be arriving on the Square demanding some help finding something important. As viewers have learned by now, Phil's business associates don't tend to be on the up-and-up.

The role is major return to the world of soap for Paul Usher, who terrorised Brookside Close for more than 20 years on-and-off committing murder, arson and all manner of heinous crimes before leaving the show for good back in 2003.

Related: EastEnders hints at shock fling for Adam Bateman and newcomer Habiba Ahmed

Throughout all of his misdeeds, his Brookside character Barry Grant has often been singled out as one of the most notorious villains in the soap history.

In a cheeky twist, Usher also spent some time on the other side of the fence playing DC Des Taviner for several years in the early 2000s on The Bill as well.

He'll be making his first appearance as Danny Hardcastle on EastEnders this spring and is expected to continue throughout a handful of episodes.

EastEnders continues on Thursday (March 7) at 7.30pm on BBC One.


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