BBC Share By Joel Harley Dec 12 2025 By Joel Harley Dec 12 2025 Opinion: Teddy Mitchell should never have been axed: 5 reasons he had so much more to give What a waste! Features Teddy Mitchell Share By Joel Harley Dec 12 2025 By Joel Harley Dec 12 2025 This week’s EastEnders saw the departure of Roland Manookian as Teddy Mitchell; axed after only 18 months on Albert Square. During that time, we saw Teddy build ties in Walford, bonding with long-lost brother Billy, help cover up his ex-wife’s murderous antics, and learn that one of his sons was actually that of Zack Hudson. Sadly, Teddy’s taken something of a back seat since then, and he left the soap this week after a judge sentenced him to life in prison for a crime he didn’t commit. With Teddy shipped off to Durham to carry out his sentence, that marks the end of Teddy’s time in Walford. But did he and actor Roland Manookian deserve better? Here’s why EastEnders he should never have axed him. Teddy was a devoted father to Barney and Harry (Credit: BBC) Five reasons Teddy should never have been axed from EastEnders 1. His relationship with Barney and Harry If this whole Okie debacle proved anything, it’s that Teddy will do anything for his boys. After decades of Phil setting a terrible example of alpha male fatherhood, it was a refreshing change to see such a positive role model in Teddy. Not just another Mitchell thug, his relationship to sons Barney and Harry was sensitive, warm and unfalteringly tender. It’s hard to picture Phil being as supportive of bookworm Barney as Teddy was, nor as quietly gentle as he was with the more volatile Harry. Article continues below Read all the latest spoilers In a soap where most Boy Daddies are either absent (see George and Junior), thuggish (Phil and Ben) or incompetent (Ross and Joel; Alfie and all his children), Teddy was a veritable paragon. Sure, he wasn’t perfect – Harry’s entire captivity could have been avoided if Teddy hadn’t gone and planted that utterly gigantic camera in Kojo’s flat – but Teddy always tried to do right by Barney and Harry. If he wore his sleeves around his shoulders, then he also wore his, uh, heart on his sleeve. Teddy was a Mitchell at heart (Credit: BBC) 2. His unexplored darker side While Teddy always seemed quite laid-back for a Mitchell, that’s not to say he didn’t have his dark side. This is the man who burned down the Panesars’ call centre in revenge against Ravi dangling Barney off a bridge, of course. Teddy’s darker side was most evident when he learned the truth about Shireen, and Nicola’s affair with Zack. It was a simmering fury which briefly boiled to the surface, giving viewers a glimpse of the cold-hearted gangster beneath. He buried it again soon after that, but it was a fascinating glimpse at what could have been. Teddy and Nicola were two of EastEnders’ best additions in years (Credit: BBC) Five reasons Teddy should never have been axed from EastEnders continued 3. His toxic relationship with Nicola And talking of Nicola. If anything truly great came out of Teddy’s tenure on EastEnders, then it’s the introduction of his ex-wife and icon in waiting, Nicola Mitchell. Ironically, her arrival may have also been his downfall, overshadowing the more mellow Teddy with her bold-as-brass brand of Mitchell matriarchy. Heck, the soap never really recovered from the reveal that she’d killed Harry’s ex, Shireen (and with her, his unborn child), and the news that Zack was Barney’s dad, and not Teddy, marked the beginning of the end of his time in Walford. Still, it was great while it lasted. And actors Roland Manookian and Laura Doddington enjoyed an electric chemistry during their time together, going head to head with the likes of Ian and Cindy and Peggy/Pat and Frank as a toxic soap couple one loves-to-hate-to-love. Teddy was brought on as a rival to Phil (Credit: BBC) 4. His place in the Mitchell clan Teddy’s arrival in Walford marked the beginning of Phil’s spiral into poor mental health; threatening to dethrone him as head Mitchell, while also making moves on his ex, Sharon. It was an interesting dynamic, albeit one that EastEnders has pretty much disregarded since the all-new and improved Phil Mitchell arrived back in Walford. Since then, Teddy and Phil have steered fairly clear of one another (Phil certainly doesn’t seem to care that he’s been locked up for Okie’s murder). With Phil taking care of Nigel, Teddy has been relegated to scenes with Billy and his boys. This means that Teddy (locked up at the time) never even got to meet Sam Mitchell, a combination which could have been great fun, if they’d given it a chance. Teddy was more than just a man with questionable taste in neckwear. Or should have been, at least (Credit: BBC) Five reasons Teddy should never have been axed from EastEnders continued 5. A waste of a great actor Prior to his stint on EastEnders, Roland was known for roles in the Rise of The Footsoldier film franchise, The Football Factory and more. Like George Knight star Colin Salmon, he was a great actor in his own right, long before the soap. And what did EastEnders do with all that talent? Well, after a promising start… not much. Given time, he could have brought new life to the Mitchell clan. Instead, the soap handed over those reigns to Nicola, while Teddy… uh, wore a cardigan over his shoulders, planted a silly camera in a drug den, and then took the rap for a crime he never committed. Like Micah Balfour’s Junior, only weeks prior, Teddy was wasted; axed before he ever had a chance to really shine. So long Teddy Mitchell, we hardly knew ye. Read more: Who’s leaving, joining and returning to EastEnders? Complete list of cast exits, arrivals and returns. Share Good to Know Share By Joel Harley Dec 12 2025 By Joel Harley Dec 12 2025 Next Story
