EastEnders’ Gray Atkins actor Toby Alexander-Smith ‘tipped for £500k move to rival soap’
EASTENDERS’ actor Toby Alexander-Smith could earn up to £500k-a-year if he switches to rival soap Emmerdale, according to reports.
The Sun exclusively revealed that the Gray Atkins star has quit Walford to be a full-time dad to baby daughter Bonnie.
However, rumours are swirling that Toby might fancy teaming up with his Dales actress girlfriend Amy Walsh over on ITV.
The Star reports that such a move could see him earn up to £10,000-a-week.
Jo Threlfall, Head of Digital PR at Embryo told the publication: “Toby Alexander-Smith’s career has grown massively since his debut on Eastenders and since his dramatic departure from the soap, it has opened a window for the actor to be able to explore other options in his acting career.
“Rumours have revealed that the soap star could appear alongside his partner Amy if so, he could potentially earn over £500,000 a year!”
The actor has played serial killer Gray for three years but has now finally been caught by police and carted off.
Speaking about his plans now he’s finished EastEnders, he said: “Changing nappies, breast pumps and not getting any sleep probably.
“It’s all good. I’m very happy using this time now just to be present with Amy and Bonnie and I’m just loving every second of it.
“Who knows what’s around the corner but for right now I’m very happy to just be a full-time dad.”
The actor also revealed he had no idea he would be in the soap for so long – initially signing up for a six month stint as domestic abuser Gray.
But it all changed when Gray murdered his wife Chantelle in shocking scenes that saw him push her onto an upturned knife in a dishwasher.
“When I first took the job, I thought it was a six month storyline and then we got another six months in and it was like ‘great, this is brilliant’ and then I started to understand what we were doing,” he said.
“It was a really slow build to the Gray and Chantelle domestic abuse storyline. Obviously then the pandemic hit and threw a bit of a curveball.
“And then we did the Gray killing Chantelle episode and that for me was the ending for Gray. I really did start counting my days – I thought that was the end and he would ultimately get caught and that would be that.”
But then Gray went on to murder Tina Carter and Kush Kazemi and become Walford’s latest serial killer.