Radio Times says Matthew James-Bailey is joining EastEnders as DC Craig Ingram, with the new detective tied to a Branning storyline that will unfold this summer. He is already filming at Elstree, Hertfordshire, and will be on screen within weeks, so the role moves quickly from announcement to transmission.
Matthew James-Bailey and Craig Ingram
James-Bailey said, “Joining EastEnders has been a dream come true.” He added, “From it being the soundtrack to my childhood, always on in the background at home, to gathering around the TV with my family every Christmas, being able to play even a small part in such an iconic piece of British television is truly surreal.”
That matters because he arrives with television mileage already built in. He spent three years as Ethan Williams in Hollyoaks, and his exit in 2024 came amid a production cutback that took that show from five episodes a week to three and reduced instalments to 20 minutes.
Jack Branning at the centre
Craig is being brought in as a younger colleague of Jack Branning at the local cop shop, and his remit is to take over some of Jack Branning and the Brannings' responsibilities. The timing fits Jack’s other pressures: he is trying to support Denise Fox through her battle with aggressive blood cancer, and upcoming scenes will see her say that initial chemotherapy treatment has not worked as hoped.
Ben Wadey said, “We’re delighted to welcome Matthew to EastEnders, and he has been a fantastic addition to the cast. Craig’s presence in Walford forms part of a storyline involving the Brannings that will unfold this summer.”
Walford’s new detective
DC Craig Ingram gives EastEnders a fresh police presence at a point when the Brannings plot already has built-in friction. A detective stepping into some of Jack’s duties while Jack is stretched by Denise’s illness is a practical way to widen the storyline without slowing it down.
The immediate question is how close Craig gets to the case near Albert Square, because that is where the story’s business will live: who he investigates, how much of Jack’s workload he absorbs, and how quickly the Brannings feel the effect once he appears on screen within weeks.
