Dirty Den. Nick Cotton. Janine Butcher. There have been loads of EastEnders villains over the years, but one of the most frightening characters in the soap’s recent history is definitely murderous lawyer Gray Atkins – who was played by Toby-Alexander Smith.
Although he seemed the perfect family man at first glance, Gray had a violent personality behind his seemingly flawless veneer. Not only did he abuse his wife Chantelle (Jessica Plummer), kill her and then cover up the murder to make it seem like an accident, he went on to bump off much-loved characters Tina Carter (Luisa Bradshaw-White) and Kush Kazemi (Davood Ghadami).
Gray’s crimes finally caught up with him when his abusive past was uncovered by Whitney Dean (Shona McGarty) and he was jailed. That meant that actor Toby-Alexander Smith had to leave the show, but he’s been very busy since departing Walford.
Toby-Alexander is moving from his starring role in front of the camera to a new position behind the scenes, recently revealing that he is writing a script.
He announced the news on social media by sharing a picture of the script on his Instagram story. Alongside the post, Toby-Alexander wrote, “Now to get this bad boy finished #newproject #watchthisspace.”
As well as his career, Toby-Alexander has a very busy personal life having welcomed daughter Bonnie with his fiancée Amy Walsh last year.
Amy is known for playing Tracy Metcalfe in Emmerdale and is also the sister of Kimberley Walsh, which means that Toby-Alexander is related to the Girls Aloud singer. What a small world…
Who is Toby Alexander-Smith?
Toby-Alexander is an actor best known for playing Gray Atkins on EastEnders between 2019 and 2022. He's also appeared in Doctors and DC series Krypton.
How old is Toby-Alexander Smith?
He was born on 26 February 1991, so he's currently 32 years old (and a Pisces, in case you were wondering).
Where is Toby-Alexander Smith from?
Toby-Alexander was born in Lichfield, Staffordshire, but currently lives in east London.
What happened to Gray on EastEnders?
Gray arrived on Albert Square with his wife Chantelle and their kids Mack and Mia. Although he initially gave the impression of a loving family man, it was later revealed that Gray was abusive to his wife Chantelle. He abused and controlled her for months before killing her and making it look like an accident when she tried to leave him.
Gray also kills Tina Carter when she cottons on to his abusive ways. After catching feelings for Whitney Dean, Gray kills her fiancé Kush Kazemi by pushing him in front a tube.
Gray then starts a relationship with Chelsea Fox, although she dumps him after witnessing his volatile behaviour. They reconcile when she falls pregnant with his baby, but Whitney exposes Gray's abuse of Chantelle and Chelsea vows to use him for his money and then leave him. Her plan is halted when she gives birth to their son Jordan early.
When Tina's body is discovered, things start to unravel for Gray and Chelsea manages to record him confessing to murder Chantelle. As the walls begin to close in, Gray goes on the run across Walford but is tracked down by Whitney and the police arrest him.
Who is Toby-Alexander Smith dating?
Toby-Alexander has been in a relationship with Emmerdale actress Amy Walsh since 2019. They welcomed daughter Bonnie two years later and got engaged during a holiday to Ibiza in 2022.
Does Toby-Alexander Smith have Instagram?
You can find the actor on Instagram at @toby_alexander_smith.