Ross Kemp has made a name for himself taking on tough roles – both as an actor and as a documentary presenter. But in the new season of Who Do You Think You Are? he’s turning his attention inward, uncovering the hidden chapters of his own family history. Here are five things you might not know about Ross Kemp...
1. Albert Square
Ross Kemp's most famous role as an actor is hard man Grant Mitchell on EastEnders. He starred in the show from 1990 to 1999 and has returned a few times since then, most recently this year for the EastEnders 40th anniversary.
2. Documentary presenter
Ross subsequently moved into documentary presenting, and is known for his hard-hitting yet compassionate look at dangerous situations, with titles including Ross Kemp on Gangs, Ross Kemp in Afghanistan, Ross Kemp: Extreme World and Ross Kemp: Mafia and Britain. He won a BAFTA for Ross Kemp on Gangs.
3. Underwater adventure
The series Ross Kemp: Shipwreck Treasure Hunter saw Ross going on dives to explore shipwrecks along the British coast.
4. Written word
Ross has written several nonfiction books and a novel, Moving Target.
5. Story time
As part of EastEnders' 40th anniversary celebrations, Ross participated in an unexpected crossover by reading a CBeebies Bedtime Story titled The Squirrels Who Squabbled from the iconic café in Albert Square.