NOUGHTS and Crosses viewers were left flabbergasted tonight when they spotted Ben Mitchell in the high-brow BBC drama.
Viewers quickly recognised the fresh-faced lad with specs who played Phil Mitchell’s young son.
Although not the first, or last, to play Phil’s son in the soap, Charlie Jones made his mark as the longest serving actor in the role.
Charlie took on the role of the ten-year-old in 2006, when the character returned to Albert Square following the “death” of mum Kathy Beale – who later turned out to be alive and kicking.
His most memorable storyline was the physical and mental abuse he suffered at the hands of his dad Phil’s girlfriend Stella Crawford.
After he spilled the beans on the couple’s wedding day Stella (played by Sophie Thompson) took her own life by throwing herself off a roof.
After that Ben went off the rails, burning sister Louise’s arm and attacking bully Jordan with a spanner – a move that got him locked up for eight months in 2010.
When he returned eight months later, Ben had morphed into Joshua Pascoe.
The character has been played by six different actors since his birth on 21 March 1996 and is currently played by Max Bowden.
So fans were shocked to see Charlie Jones pop up as Danny on Noughts and Crosses.
“WAIT…. Is that original Ben Mitchell!!!!!! #NoughtsAndCrosses,” one viewer tweeted.
“Ben Mitchell got slapped down,” another added
“The best thing about #NoughtsAndCrosses is Ben Mitchell getting caved in,” a third wrote.
The BBC1 drama Noughts + Crosses is based on the Malorie Blackman novel Noughts & Crosses, sees Stormzy guest star as viewers are forced to confront prejudice like never before.
The drama shows an alternate world history where Africans conquered Europe and came to dominate society.
White people, known as noughts, are treated as second class citizens, Black people, known as crosses, call the shots.
Racial lines are deeply drawn yet, despite everything that should keep them apart, Callum McGregor (Jack Rowan) and Sephy Hadley (Masali Baduza), who is the daughter of the home secretary, fall in love.
Despite the turmoil and divisions that surrounds them, the couple — reminiscent of Romeo and Juliet — remain devoted to each other.
