Who is Russell Delaney in EastEnders to the Mitchells as Mark is held hostage?

EastEnders has made reference to Russell Delaney, an old acquaintance of Grant and Phil Mitchell’s (Ross Kemp and Steve McFadden), who has been making Mark Fowler Jr’s (Stephen Aaron-Sipple) life a living hell.

Mark, as viewers know, has got himself wrapped up in dodgy dealings since returning to the Square, begging uncle Phil to bail him out when he got in over his head.

Though Phil has left the world of criminality and corruption in the past, his reputation proceeds him and thus he was able to buy Mark some time to pay back the money he owes.

Phil suggested at the time that he work off his debt with shifts at the Boxing Den, using the money he earns to pay off the gangsters who are hounding him.

Mark has also been dealing in dodgy cars with Lauren Branning (Jacqueline Jossa) but despite his best efforts, he’s not succeeded in raising enough cash to keep the baddies from his door.

With estranged dad Grant back in Walford, Mark is adamant that he wants to sort this mess by himself but Grant is determined to prove himself to his son and therefore – given that he, Phil and Sam (Kim Medcalf) go way back with kingpin Russell – he takes matters into his own hands.

But just who is this Russell Delaney who keeps getting name-dropped? We have the answers – and his secret connection to Sam has now been confirmed.

Who is Russell Delaney in EastEnders and what’s his connection to the Mitchells?

As made clear in recent episodes, Russell Delaney is an old acquaintance of the Mitchell family. However, he had not appeared in the show before last week.

Hearing his name this week proved a blast from the past for Sam, who notified nephew Mark that she knew him from ‘years ago’, underplaying their true connection which would later come to light.

In Wednesday’s (May 13) edition of the BBC One soap, Mark sought a loan from Phil, who offered to pay £30,000. Mark was still short £60,000 and thus Grant wanted answers about the mess his son has got himself into.

Phil revealed that Delaney is a ‘big deal’ in the world of criminality. ‘You know him from years ago. Used to knock about in Limehouse’.

The revelation left Grant reeling as he remembered Russell as the ‘plank that used to run the door down at Elsie’s.’