Actor Ross Kemp amused fans and celebrities with his uninhibited celebration following England's 2-1 victory over the Democratic Republic of Congo. His energetic outburst, which included shouting and spitting towards the camera, led many to compare him to his well-known EastEnders character, the hardman Grant Mitchell.

Kemp shared a video of his reaction with his Instagram followers after the match, directing his congratulations towards Captain Harry Kane. The clip quickly garnered a large response in the comments section, with users frequently referencing his portrayal of Grant Mitchell and urging him to "calm down."

The reaction also extended beyond social media. During a discussion on talkSPORT, singer Olly Murs performed an impression of Kemp's celebration after being prompted by presenter Andy Goldstein.

Fans online drew direct parallels to Kemp's EastEnders persona, with comments such as "Hello, Grant Mitchell, my old friend, I’ve come to talk with you again…" and "Grant Mitchell has entered the chat... This is definitely Grant, not Ross here."

Kemp has recently been in the news for a mini-reunion with his on-screen brother Steve McFadden, who played Phil Mitchell in EastEnders. The pair shared a rare outing on a boat, which Kemp documented on Instagram, referring to themselves as "The Mitchell brothers are reunited."

This reunion also generated significant fan excitement, with many calling the duo "iconic" and crediting them with unlocking "core childhood memories."

The characters of Grant and Phil Mitchell were central to many dramatic storylines in EastEnders, including criminal activity and a notable love triangle. Grant Mitchell made a return to the soap earlier this year, reuniting with his brother Phil and coinciding with the storyline about the death of their friend Nigel Bates from dementia. Kemp's character eventually departed Albert Square with his on-screen sister Sam.

Kemp has spoken about his return to EastEnders, stating that the dementia storyline was particularly important to him due to his father's experience with Alzheimer's. He expressed feeling both excitement and emotional pressure, particularly thinking of Dame Barbara Windsor, who also had Alzheimer's.

He further commented on the experience of reuniting with McFadden and other cast members, describing it as "incredibly special" to have the Mitchells together on set for the first time in a decade.