EastEnders fans will best know Ross Kemp as Queen Vic landlord Grant Mitchell, who he played from 1990 until 1999, with numerous brief stints in the years following.
During that time, he spent many years behind the bar of the iconic East London boozer, which was the setting for some of his most memorable scenes, including Sharon Watts (Letitia Dean) and Phil Mitchell’s (Steve McFadden) affair reveal during the iconic Sharongate storyline.
Now, the documentary maker is going back to his pub roots, as he teams up with Heineken to help the British public find the perfect pint.
Ross has launched a miniseries investigating the subject, called Ross Kemp Behind Bars, as Heineken rolls out new technology, the SmartDispense system, to chill beer from the keg to the tap.
‘Going to a Great British pub for a quality pint is ingrained in British culture, and when I heard there was technology enhancing the experience for consumers and landlords, I had to get involved,’ Ross told The Sun.
‘British pubs are so steeped in history, any changes can, naturally, be met with scepticism.
‘I wanted to speak to landlords across the UK to learn first-hand about how the Heineken SmartDispense system has transformed their business, to educate both punters and publicans that the Great British pub can still retain its charm whilst embracing cutting edge technology, especially when it helps to deliver a perfect pint every time.’
Ross added that it takes great skill to pour the perfect pint, explaining that he has come to realise that it is a ‘science’.
‘It takes a clean and correctly branded glass, being served at the right temperature with the right carbonation and a full measure to be considered a perfect pint.’
It is clear that Ross has a passion for the Great British pub, but could he ever be set to step foot in the Queen Vic again?
Having last been seen in Walford in 2016, during the storyline that saw Peggy Mitchell tragically die, viewers are certainly ready for a Grant Mitchell return.
Executive producer Chris Clenshaw revealed last year that he would love to bring back Grant, for ‘more brotherly drama with Phil’, but would Ross be up for a return?
