Jay Mitchell

Jay Mitchell (ne Brown) is the son of Jase Dyer, portrayed by Jamie Borthwick. Billy Mitchell is his adoptive father.

2006-
Jay appears after Evie's funeral, which he does not attend. Evie's friend Beryl takes Jay to live with Bert, per Evie's wishes, and Bert reluctantly takes Jay in. Jay steals from the local shop and the market, and is intrigued by his grandfather's criminal past, persistently questioning him about it. Bert warns Jay not to make the same mistakes he did and that being in prison isn't as 'cool' as Jay thinks. In February 2007, Jay and Bert move into 15a Turpin Road, and Bert gets a residency order so Jay can live with him permanently. Jay charms social worker Derek Evans, who sees no problem with his welfare.

Jay kidnaps Gus Smith's dog, Wellard. He tries to befriend a gang of boys who tease him when Yolande Trueman mothers him, and tries to impress them by calling her a "black cow". Yolande asks Bert to make Jay apologise, but he refuses, instead mooning him outside the shop. A man then walks up to Bert and introduces himself as Jay's father, Jase. Jay discovers Bert has left Albert Square, leaving Jay and Jase to bond. Jay continues getting into trouble, vandalising the The Queen Victoria public house. He discovers the reason Jase has been to prison, and is upset with his father. He becomes involved with a gang of older boys, known as the E20 crew, led by Tegs Teague. Jay helps them shoplift, and they give him a knife, which is found by Jase's girlfriend Dawn Swann. The gang terrorises Dot Branning and Jay steals her keys so the gang can break into her house, letting out one of her birds and smashing a vase. The gang escape but when Dot returns, Jay is left hiding in the house. He realises he has done wrong and helps to try to find the escaped bird. The gang orders Jay to throw a brick through Dot's window, but he refuses and is rejected from the gang. Tegs calls him a coward, so Jay stands up to him and they leave him alone. However, Tegs later joins him in a park and a violent fight breakes out. They laugh it off and start to kick a ball to each other, but the rest of the gang arrive and force Tegs to choose between them or Jay. He chooses the gang and walks off, stabbing Jay in the leg. Ian Beale evicts Jase and Jay from the flat, and they move in with Dawn and her family, the Millers. Tegs' mother, Tina ambushes Jay and threatens him out of testifying against her son at his trial, and Dawn later scares her off. Jay gives evidence at the trial and Tegs is sentenced to two years in a Young Offenders Institute.

Jay and Jase plan to flee Walford after Jase's past comes back to haunt him. Dawn stops them by setting a date for her and Jase's wedding. Jase's old gang, lead by Terry Bates, holds Jay hostage at the flat to get revenge on Jase. Jase is able to save his son, but is killed by the gang. Jay accuses Dawn of causing his father's death and decides to go into care to get away from Dawn. Jay is later fostered by Jase's friend Billy Mitchell, who felt guilty for not saving Jase from the gang. Jay's behaviour worsens when he plans an arson attack against Dawn, but Billy is able to stop him. Jay later apologises to Dawn and, after a heart to heart talk, realises how much she misses Jase. After staying at The Queen Victoria for three months, Jay moves to Lucas Johnson's flat with Billy and Janine Butcher.

Janine decides to get rid of Jay by stealing Peggy Mitchell's credit card, buying a games console, and hiding the credit card in Jay's bag. Jay catches on to Janine's plan and vows to get rid of her before she gets rid of him, but after an argument with Billy Jay packs his bags and plans on leaving. Just before he leaves he throws Janine's stuffed cat, bequeathed to her by her late husband David, across the floor, discovering lots of money inside it. He buys a car and meets Marissa Moore who works at Gilly's Massage Parlour. When Billy finds him in the car Jay speeds away. Jay later stands up for Marissa when Peggy launches a campaign to close the massage parlour. Janine's crime is exposed when she is caught stealing Peggy's purse. Jay is ashamed of Billy for blaming him for her crime and Billy feels guilty. Jay contacts Marissa's workplace and decides to pay her to sit with him in the flat. Marissa isn't keen but agrees as there is money involved. Billy arrives and throws her out. Jay plans to run away with Marissa but is caught stealing money by Janine, who tells Billy. After having a talk with Billy about running away, Jay leaves the flat and waits for Marissa. She tells him she doesn't want to run away with him, leaving him devastated. He leaves without her.

He returns in March 2009 and ropes Billy into a scam to sell all the out-of-date food from the Minute Mart, getting Billy sacked due to Health and Safety risks. Jay lies that he is living with Bert, but he is actually sleeping on a park bench. He later decides to move back in with Billy. Terry's trial for Jase's murder approaches and Jay believes Billy had tried to help Jase. However, Billy tells the truth, that he hid to save himself, and Jay tells Billy he hates him. Later, Billy meets Terry's wife Viv Bates who threatens to hurt Jay if Billy testifies. Jay is taken hostage as a security measure, and Billy risks his own life to save him. The police arrive, and Billy and Jay are both rescued. Billy then testifies at the trial, and the jury unanimously find Terry guilty of murder with a life sentence in front of him. Jay forgives Billy, and suggests that they soon move into their own house. Jay nows lives with Phil, Ben and Shirley.