1.
Tony Holland
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Anthony John Tony Holland was an English actor and television screenwriter best known as a writer and co-creator of the BBC soap opera EastEnders. Tony Holland began his career as an actor, appearing in the 1966 Doctor Who serial The Savages and Message for Posterity and that same year, a play he developed, The Isle is Full of Noises, was taken up by the BBC and produced by Thirty-Minute Theatre. It was from there, Holland turned to scriptwriting, through his agent, Holland was landed a job on Z-Cars as a writer and script editor in 1970. It was here that he met producer and director, Julia Smith and started a long, Holland and Smith became an established producer/script-editor team during their time on Z-Cars and went on to work for the BBCs hospital drama, Angels. The BBC wanted this new serial to reflect London, today, Holland and Smith wanted a primary focus of EastEnders to be a large extended family, representative of the type most typically found in the East End of London. In creating the stories and characters, Holland delved into family stories, past and his aunt Lou Beale came to inspire the EastEnders character of the same name, along with her two children Peter and Pauline. Holland also used some of his experiences as a barman in Londons pubs and clubs to create the dynamic pairing of Den and Angie Watts, Holland worked on EastEnders for four years, initially as script-editor and going on to script many episodes himself. The character would return to the show 14 years later. On his departure from EastEnders in 1989, Holland was approached by Irelands national broadcaster RTÉ to give their new soap opera Fair City its structure. In 1991, they were tempted back to the world of Corn by the BBC to produce Eldorado. Their new show was launched in July 1992, but plagued by a string of on and off-screen problems, it received little of EastEnders success, and was axed a year later, in July 1993. In 2001, he was awarded with a Special Achievement Award from the British Soap Awards, Holland and Paul Wade entered into a civil partnership in May 2007. Holland died on 28 November 2007, aged 67, after a long illness, the following days edition of EastEnders was dedicated to him. Tony Holland at the Internet Movie Database Obituary in The Times,1 December 2007
2.
Watts family
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The Watts are a fictional family in the BBC soap opera EastEnders. The family consists of Den, Angie, Sharon, Dennis, Chrissie, most recently, Dennis Jnr was born in July 2006 and made his first appearance in 2012. The Watts have been a part of EastEnders over the years, anchoring its early success in the late 1980s. Their longstanding feud with the Mitchell family has become a hallmark of the show, as has their warring for the Queen Vic pub, the original and traditional home of the Watts family. The Watts are one of EastEnders original families and have involved in many memorable storylines, have brought the show its biggest ratings. The Watts family were one of the central families introduced to viewers when EastEnders began in 1985, created by the show’s co-creators Tony Holland, the Watts were originally composed of Den and Angie and their adopted daughter Sharon. The early focus of the family was on the marriage between Den and Ange, rooted in Den’s womanising. In April 1988, Anita Dobson made her last appearance as Angie Watts and it is also the culminating point to Sharon’s original run in EastEnders, and in 1995 Dean announced her intention to leave and Sharon departed Walford. At the same time, a teenage Vicki Fowler was brought back into the show, although a Fowler, Vicki maintained a close relationship with Sharon, with her storylines centring mainly around the Watts saga. The return of Den reunited the fractured Watts family, creating a buzz to the show. With Den set to stay, the last of the on-screen Watts was introduced in the shape of his second wife Chrissie, although similar to Angie in many ways, Chrissie was intended to be more actively independent and as devious and conniving as her husband. This followed the departure of actress Scarlett Johnston from the programme with Vicki being written out two months earlier during Christmas 2004. By the end of 2005, it had announced that all three actors who played the remaining on-screen Watts family members would not be seeking to renew their contracts. All three had exited the show by January 2006, with Dennis being sensationally killed off in the episode aired on 30 December 2005, Sharon finally returned to Walford in August 2012 after her son, Dennis Rickman Jnr was kidnapped. After she had rescued him, she moved to Albert Square to help her lifelong friend Ian Beale who was suffering a mental breakdown. Two years into her return, Sharon discovered that Phil, her fiance, ordered an attack on her bar, the Albert, Sharon is currently plotting with one of the Mitchells old adversaries, Marcus Christie, to bring down Phil and the Mitchell empire. The Watts are a notably fractured family, it is a condition that has made them strong-willed, independent, Den wants the perfect family – but only on his terms. He does his best to love his family but at the time does not fully understand what love is
3.
Angie Watts
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Alcoholic Angie shares a love/hate marriage with her womanising husband, Den Watts, and refuses to let him go even during their rockiest times. They they run and live in The Queen Victoria pub on Albert Square, Angie and Den dote on their spoilt teenage adopted daughter, Sharon Watts, who carries on loving them despite her resentment of Dens affairs and Angies binge drinking. Angie is good at putting on a front for the customers, dressing to kill, screeching outrageously with the girls, but inside she is a mess. Despite all her bravado, all she wants is a happy marriage with Den. In episodes broadcast in 1985, Den and Angie celebrate their wedding anniversary. Behind the scenes of their business partnership, there is not much of a relationship going on. Den has a posh mistress Jan Hammond, a fact that Angie is all too aware of, early in the year, Den even manages to get on holiday to Spain with Jan, telling Angie that he is checking out a possible time-share holiday home purchase. With Den gone, Angie does what she always does in times of trouble and she also sets about trying to seduce the men of Walford in a bid to get back at her philandering husband. Lofty Holloway, Simon Wicks and even Arthur Fowler are all subject to Angies not-so-subtle flirting, Tony falls for Angie, but she is only using him to get back at Den. The affair is conducted in secret, but they are caught in a clinch in the middle of The Vic by Sharon. Angie has to bribe her daughter to ensure her silence, Sharon is disgusted that both her parents are guilty of adultery. Upon Dens return from his holiday, Angie calls off the affair, Den confronts Angie, and she admits to the affair, but unfortunately for her, Den isnt concerned about her infidelity, more about his reputation, which upsets Angie even more. Although Angie tries to stop drinking, her attempts always fail dismally, in episodes broadcast in 1986, Dens mistress, Jan, starts to frequent The Vic. The physical arrival of Jan sends Angies marriage into further decline as she is unable to contain her jealousy, Angie becomes so depressed that she takes a near lethal cocktail of booze and pills in an attempted suicide. By chance, Den returns home following an argument with Jan, discovers Angie. Angie recovers, but is shaken when she discovers how close to death she actually came. Upon recovering, Angie decides to play Den at his own game, Den is furious when he discovers them in bed together, but his rage is short-lived as he has more pressing things on his mind, such as the birth of his illegitimate daughter, Vicki Fowler. Angies affair with Andy only lasts a month, ending when Andy reunites with his ex-girlfriend Debbie Wilkins, Andy dies in a road accident shortly afterwards
4.
Chrissie Watts
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Christine Chrissie Watts is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders, played by Tracy-Ann Oberman. She first appeared in April 2004 as the wife of the shows most enduring character, Den Watts. In 2005 she was the focus of one of the programmes biggest and most high-profile narratives when she killed her husband in a fit of rage during the special 20th anniversary episode. The broadcast, airing on 18 February, was watched by 14.34 million people, Chrissie Watts was created by the production team to be more the equal of her notorious and villainous husband than his long-suffering first wife, Angie. As part of the Watts family, her story lines centre on her tumultuous marriage to Den, her relationship with his children, and the ongoing feud with the rival Mitchell family. Oberman won praise for her portrayal of a classic soap bitch. Although generally well received by viewers, the character was described as a ludicrous Lady MacBeth wannabe by Jim Shelley of the Daily Mirror, other critics have variously called Chrissie a witch, venomous, and the shows resident black widow. Chrissie Watts first appears in EastEnders on 29 April 2004 and she and Den had met in Spain and married some years earlier, during which time he was believed to be dead by his family and associates. Their marriage was tumultuous, with Chrissie eventually leaving Den after she saw him pawing all over that tourist guide and she then learnt that Den had sold their bar and returned to the UK with some girl, Chrissie followed intent on recovering her share of the money. Chrissie arrives in Walford in search of her husband Den and their marriage has turned sour and he has sold their bar in Spain and taken the money. Den manages to persuade her to give their marriage another try and she is shocked to discover he has children, Sharon Watts, Dennis Rickman and Vicki Fowler, and that while he was in Spain with her, he was in exile after faking his own death. She starts work as a hairdresser in Kate Mitchells nail salon, however, Dens elusive behaviour raises her suspicions that he is having an affair. He almost convinces her that she is mistaken, but she learns that her fears were correct. Feigning friendship, she hacks off most of Kates hair and smashes up the beauty salon in a rage and she leaves Walford distraught at Dens betrayal. Den departs for Spain on business, and Chrissie returns to the salon as she remains the co-owner and she remains hostile to Kate for some time, but eventually calls a truce. She then becomes concerned over Vickis much older boyfriend Tommy Grant, at this point, Den returns intent on securing her forgiveness. She relents, but warns if he cheats again she will kill him. Together, they scam the Mitchell family out of their holdings, in January, Dennis catches Den and his girlfriend Zoe Slater in bed together and tells Chrissie who is stunned
5.
Dennis Rickman
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Dennis Rickman is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders, played by Nigel Harman. He entered the show on 14 April 2003 and made his last appearance in the episode broadcast on 30 December 2005 and he is part of the Watts family, though his identity was unknown for almost thirty years. Dennis is characterised by his manner, a bad boy cast in the mould of a young Dirty Den. Harman described his character as a bit of a rough diamond, Dennis quickly became established as the show’s leading man and a soap sex-symbol, with Harman noted for his dark good looks and fantastic physique. It is gradually revealed that he was neglected as a child by his mother and abused by a succession of her boyfriends, and spent some time living in a childrens home. Den was unaware that he had a son, and by the time Dennis meets Dens daughters Sharon and Vicki,14 years have passed since Dens disappearance and supposed death. His introduction as a character is marked by a fight with Phil Mitchell. This launches a rivalry with Phil which continues when Phil reneged on an agreement to meet Dennis for a fight at Phils garage by bringing several associates who give Dennis a severe beating. Dennis infuriates Phil by seducing his sister Sam Mitchell, his wife-to-be Kate Morton and his daughters nanny, the rivalry with Phil is concluded by Denniss father Den when he returns from Spain. Den and Dennis trick Phil into committing a robbery at a local factory. They then abscond with the ladder and most of the cash, though Den leaves Phil with a few stolen notes. The feud brings Dennis closer to his father, Dennis sees East End ganglord Jack Dalton as a father figure as he worked for him collecting debts, amongst other things, and his prison stint is due to working for Jack. After Denniss release, Jack orders Phil to kill Dennis after he becomes independent of him, Dennis persuades Phil to kill Jack instead so they can both be free of him. Dennis marches him out into the woods at gunpoint and, following Daltons admission that he ordered Dens murder in the 1980s, Dennis remains friends with Daltons second-in-command, Andy Hunter, and is left the bookmakers in Andys will after his death at the hands of Johnny Allen. Dennis has a fling with Dens adopted daughter Sharon Watts on the eve of Dens return. They resume their affair in secret but Den cannot accept a relationship between his children and plots to them up. Den taunts Dennis with the insinuation that someone had sexually abused him while he was in a childrens home, despite Sharons heartache, the Watts reform their strong bond, including the introduction of Dens new wife Chrissie Watts. Dennis moves in with Zoe Slater but cannot reciprocate her love and they continue their affair in secret behind Zoe and Dens backs they become sick of sneaking around and they plan to leave on Christmas Day
6.
Vicki Fowler
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She is the daughter of Michelle Fowler and Den Watts. The character is born in the serial, conceived in a storyline about teenage pregnancy. The audience finally discovered his identity in October 1985 in episode 66, written by series co-creator/script-editor Tony Holland and directed by co-creator/producer Julia Smith, it was considered a landmark episode in the shows history. Early suspects were Ian Beale and Kelvin Carpenter, but then four possible suspects are seen leaving the Square early in the episode, Tony Carpenter, Ali Osman, Andy OBrien, and Den Watts. After this storyline the programme started to appear in newspaper cartoons as it moved more and more into the public mainstream, Vickis character was written out in 1995, after Susan Tully, who played Vickis mother Michelle, decided to leave the soap. After an eight-year absence, she was reintroduced by Executive Producer Louise Berridge in 2003 as a rebellious teenager and her reintroduction was part of the soaps attempt to rebuild the Watts clan, a successful family headed by Den, that featured prominently in the 1980s. Johnson quit the role in 2004, the media was generally critical about the character upon her return due to her American accent and its sudden disappearance. 16-year-old Michelle Fowler gets pregnant with Vicki in 1985 after a stand with her best friend Sharons father. Vicki is born in 1986 and Den is allowed to hold the newborn, Michelle raises Vicki as a single parent and Den provides for them secretly until February 1989 when he is shot and presumed dead. Michelle decides to go on the run with Clyde Tavernier after he is accused of murdering Eddie Royle, taking Vicki and Kofi Tavernier with them. Michelle and Clyde are caught by the police trying to flee the country and Vicki and Kofi are sent to a childrens home. Vicki is kidnapped when an old woman, Audrey Whittingham, steals her from outside her school, a national police investigation is launched and Vicki is returned home safely. When Michelle is shot by Dougie Briggs, Vicki stays with Sharon and her husband, Vicki discovers Sharon is her sister after she and Grant argue and the following day, Sharon explains things to Vicki. Michelle is furious with Sharon when she finds out that Vicki knows about her, in October 1995, Michelle and 9-year-old Vicki leave Walford for Birmingham, Alabama, in the United States. Vicki returns to Walford in February 2003 when she runs away from home and she has been arguing regularly with Michelle and it is decided that she can stay in Walford. After clashing with her grandmother Pauline, Vicki moves in with her adoptive sister, manipulative and mischievous, Vicki does as she pleases. When she discovers that she and Sharon have a half-brother, Dennis Rickman, when she becomes pregnant by Spencer Moon, Sharon, who believes she is infertile, offers Vicki £10,000 to give her the baby to bring up as her own. Spencer wants to be a father but Vicki terminates the pregnancy, Vicki is overjoyed to learn from Dennis that Den, whom she thought was killed 14 years ago, is alive and living in Spain, and she brings him back to the Square to reunite with his family
7.
Sharon Watts
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Sharon Anne Mitchell is a fictional character from the BBC One soap opera EastEnders, played by Letitia Dean. Sharon is one of EastEnders original characters, appearing in the first episode broadcast on 19 February 1985, the character was conceptualised by Tony Holland and Julia Smith, the creators of EastEnders. Sharon was a teenager when the programme began, the daughter of Den. Sharon remained a prominent character into the 1990s due to romantic pairings with brothers Grant, in a long-running storyline dubbed Sharongate, Sharon, married to Grant, has an affair with Phil. Grants discovery of the affair remains one of EastEnders highest viewed episodes, Dean quit the role in 1995 after ten years, with Sharon departing following the breakdown of her marriage. In 2001, Sharon was reintroduced by producer John Yorke, Dean departed amidst reports that she was taking a break, however, she did not return until 2012, when executive producer Bryan Kirkwood announced that he was reintroducing Sharon. In early 2017, Dean took a break from EastEnders along with co-star Steve McFadden who plays Phil and their characters left Walford in January to go on a break whilst Phil recovered from his liver transplant. Her voice was heard in the episode broadcast on 14 March, Sharon has topped numerous viewer polls suggesting she is one of EastEnders most favoured characters. Critics have praised the characters progression from teenager to adult, referencing the investment that viewers hold in Sharon. While Sharons returns to EastEnders have been welcomed by some critics, Letitia Dean has defended the decision to reintroduce Sharon, suggesting that long-running dramas such as EastEnders need old blood. Adopted at the age of three by Den and Angie Watts, Sharon is raised at The Queen Victoria public house in Albert Square, Walford, Sharon and her best friend, Michelle Fowler compete for the affections of Kelvin Carpenter. This leads to Sharon wanting to go on the pill, which shocks Angie, however, after Angie gets advice from Pauline Fowler and Dr Legg, Sharon and Angie talk about it and Sharon decides to wait. Her teenage romance with Ian Beale in 1986 ends when Sharon realises she prefers a more experienced man, Simon Wicks, in 1987, she seeks refuge from her turbulent home life with church curate, Duncan Boyd. They plan to marry but Duncan bores Sharon and she ends the engagement, Sharon is torn between her conflicting parents until their marriage deteriorates and, in 1988, Angie emigrates. When Den gets involved in crime, he is shot. Shortly after Dens death, Michelle confesses to Sharon that Vicki Fowler is her sister and Sharon is angry, soon after, Sharon discovers Dens signet ring on a market stall. With Dens body missing, Sharon convinces the police to drag a nearby canal in April 1990 and is devastated when a body is found and identified as Dens. Sharon resumes a relationship with Simon, whom she hopes to settle down with, hurt and missing her parents, Sharon tracks down her birth mother, Carol Hanley
8.
BBC
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The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. It is headquartered at Broadcasting House in London, the BBC is the worlds oldest national broadcasting organisation and the largest broadcaster in the world by number of employees. It employs over 20,950 staff in total,16,672 of whom are in public sector broadcasting, the total number of staff is 35,402 when part-time, flexible, and fixed contract staff are included. The BBC is established under a Royal Charter and operates under its Agreement with the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport. The fee is set by the British Government, agreed by Parliament, and used to fund the BBCs radio, TV, britains first live public broadcast from the Marconi factory in Chelmsford took place in June 1920. It was sponsored by the Daily Mails Lord Northcliffe and featured the famous Australian Soprano Dame Nellie Melba, the Melba broadcast caught the peoples imagination and marked a turning point in the British publics attitude to radio. However, this public enthusiasm was not shared in official circles where such broadcasts were held to interfere with important military and civil communications. By late 1920, pressure from these quarters and uneasiness among the staff of the licensing authority, the General Post Office, was sufficient to lead to a ban on further Chelmsford broadcasts. But by 1922, the GPO had received nearly 100 broadcast licence requests, John Reith, a Scottish Calvinist, was appointed its General Manager in December 1922 a few weeks after the company made its first official broadcast. The company was to be financed by a royalty on the sale of BBC wireless receiving sets from approved manufacturers, to this day, the BBC aims to follow the Reithian directive to inform, educate and entertain. The financial arrangements soon proved inadequate, set sales were disappointing as amateurs made their own receivers and listeners bought rival unlicensed sets. By mid-1923, discussions between the GPO and the BBC had become deadlocked and the Postmaster-General commissioned a review of broadcasting by the Sykes Committee and this was to be followed by a simple 10 shillings licence fee with no royalty once the wireless manufactures protection expired. The BBCs broadcasting monopoly was made explicit for the duration of its current broadcast licence, the BBC was also banned from presenting news bulletins before 19.00, and required to source all news from external wire services. Mid-1925 found the future of broadcasting under further consideration, this time by the Crawford committee, by now the BBC under Reiths leadership had forged a consensus favouring a continuation of the unified broadcasting service, but more money was still required to finance rapid expansion. Wireless manufacturers were anxious to exit the loss making consortium with Reith keen that the BBC be seen as a service rather than a commercial enterprise. The recommendations of the Crawford Committee were published in March the following year and were still under consideration by the GPO when the 1926 general strike broke out in May. The strike temporarily interrupted newspaper production and with restrictions on news bulletins waived the BBC suddenly became the source of news for the duration of the crisis. The crisis placed the BBC in a delicate position, the Government was divided on how to handle the BBC but ended up trusting Reith, whose opposition to the strike mirrored the PMs own
9.
Soap opera
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A soap opera, soap, or soapie, is a serial drama on television or radio that examines the lives of many characters, usually focusing on emotional relationships to the point of melodrama. The term soap opera originated from such dramas being typically sponsored by soap manufacturers in the past, the first serial considered to be a soap opera was Painted Dreams, which debuted on October 20,1930 on Chicago radio station WGN. The first nationally broadcast radio soap opera was Clara, Lu, and Em, a crucial element that defines the soap opera is the open-ended serial nature of the narrative, with stories spanning several episodes. One of the features that makes a television program a soap opera. While Spanish language telenovelas are sometimes called soap operas, telenovelas have conflicts that get resolved, but with soap operas each episode ends with a promise that the storyline is to be continued in another episode. You spend more time even with the characters, the apparent villains grow less apparently villainous. Soap opera storylines run concurrently, intersect and lead into further developments, each episode may feature some of the shows current storylines, but not always all of them. Soap operas rarely bring all the current storylines to a conclusion at the same time, when one storyline ends, there are several other story threads at differing stages of development. Soap opera episodes typically end on some sort of cliffhanger, evening soap operas and those that air at a rate of one episode per week are more likely to feature the entire cast in each episode, and to represent all current storylines in each episode. Evening soap operas and serials that run for only part of the year tend to bring things to a dramatic end-of-season cliffhanger, the article explained that at that time, many prime time series lost money, while daytime serials earned profits several times more than their production costs. Fitting in with these characteristics, most soap operas follow the lives of a group of characters who live or work in a particular place, the storylines follow the day-to-day activities and personal relationships of these characters. These elements may be found across the gamut of soap operas, Due to the prominence of English-language television, most soap-operas are completely English. In many soap operas, in particular daytime serials in the US, Soap operas from the United Kingdom and Australia tend to focus on more everyday characters and situations, and are frequently set in working class environments. Many of the soaps produced in two countries explore social realist storylines such as family discord, marriage breakdown or financial problems. This diverges from US soap operas where such comedy is rare, UK soap operas frequently make a claim to presenting reality or purport to have a realistic style. Romance, secret relationships, extramarital affairs, and genuine hate have been the basis for many soap opera storylines, in US daytime serials, the most popular soap opera characters, and the most popular storylines, often involved a romance of the sort presented in paperback romance novels. Crimes such as kidnapping, rape, and even murder may go unpunished if the perpetrator is to be retained in the ongoing story, Australian and UK soap operas also feature a significant proportion of romance storylines. In Russia, most popular serials explore the romantic quality of criminal and/or oligarch life, in soap opera storylines, previously unknown children, siblings and twins of established characters often emerge to upset and reinvigorate the set of relationships examined by the series
10.
EastEnders
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EastEnders is a long running British soap opera created by Julia Smith and Tony Holland which has been broadcast on BBC One since 1985. Set in the East End of London in the fictional Bough of Walford the programme follows the stories of local residents, the series was initially screened as two 30-minute episodes per week however since 2001, episodes have been broadcast every day apart from Wednesdays and weekends. Same-day repeats and omnibus editions of the series were previously shown on BBC Three however as of 2016 these are broadcast on UK-based TV channel W. They gave the job of creating this new soap to script writer Tony Holland and producer Julia Smith and they created twenty-four original characters for the show, based upon Hollands own family, and people they remembered from their own experiences in the East End. Granada Television gave Smith unrestricted access to the Coronation Street production for a month so that she could get a sense how a continuing drama was produced and they cast actors for their characters, and began to film the show at BBC Elstree Centre in Borehamwood, Hertfordshire. Julia Smith thought Eastenders looked ugly written down, and capitalised the second e, the central focus of EastEnders is the fictional Victorian square Albert Square in the fictional London Borough of Walford. In the shows narrative, Albert Square is a 19th-century street, named after Prince Albert, thus, central to Albert Square is The Queen Victoria Public House. Fans have tried to establish the location Walford would have within London if it were real, Walford has the postal district of E20. The postcode district was selected as if it were part of the actual E postcode area covers much of east London although the next unused postcode district in the area was. In 1917 the current postal districts in London were assigned according to the name of the main sorting office for each district. If Walford had been assigned in this scheme it would have been given E17, in March 2011, Royal Mail allocated the E20 postal district to the 2012 Olympic Park. The postal district in EastEnders was entirely fictional up to that point, the shows creators opted for E20 instead of E19 as it was thought to sound better. In September 2011 the postal code for Albert Square was revealed in an episode as E20 6PQ, there is also a market close to Fassett Square at Ridley Road. The postcode for the area, E8, was one of the titles for the series. The name Walford is both a street in Dalston where Tony Holland lived and a blend of Walthamstow and Stratford—the areas of Greater London where the creators were born, other parts of the Square and set interiors are based on other locations. The fictional local newspaper, the Walford Gazette, in local news events such as the arrests or murders of characters appear. EastEnders is built around the idea of relationships and strong families and this theme encompasses the whole Square, making the entire community a family of sorts, prey to upsets and conflict, but pulling together in times of trouble. Co-creator Tony Holland was from a large East End family, Pauline and Petes mother was the domineering Lou Beale, who lived with Pauline and her family
11.
The Queen Victoria
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The Queen Victoria is the Victorian public house in the BBC soap opera, EastEnders. It has the address of 46 Albert Square, Walford. In the series backstory, Albert Square was built around 1860 during the reign of Queen Victoria, originally the pub was to be called The Balmoral but after the death of Prince Albert it was renamed as a tribute to the mourning Queen. In reality, Albert Square is based on the real Fassett Square in Hackney, initially, the pubs exterior is first seen painted brown. This is later changed to a green and cream colour scheme before Grant Mitchell sets alight to the Queen Victoria in 1992, following another blaze in 2010, the pub is painted red, green and cream. On Boxing Day 2013, the new family to the square, during the first months of the show, The Queen Victoria has a partition wall down the middle of the bar which separates it into two sections. The smaller section, known as the snug, houses a board and fruit machines, whilst the larger section. Den Watts gets permission from the brewery to remove the partition in 1985, in 2007 the pub has its first refurbishment in 15 years, and another in late 2010. In reality the pub exterior shell on the permanent set was built during 1984 for the new series the following year. The exterior shell was made to look as though it had stood for a hundred years, the internal sets are in a studio separate from the building situated in the Square. In a storyline shown during September 2010, The Queen Victoria was severely damaged by a fire and this allowed for a subtle redesign and upgrade of the set, required when high-definition broadcasting commenced. A separate set was built on the George Lucas sound stage at Elstree Studios to enable the pub interior to be set alight safely. A team of nearly forty-five crew members were involved in the filming of the fire including Make Up, Stunt Team, Fire Safety Officers, Cameras, Lighting, Sound, the exterior scenes took five half days to shoot and were shot at the BBC studios in Borehamwood. The interior scenes were shot a week after and took three days to film, Safety necessitated having the set re-created at the Elstree Film Studios stage facility that is designed and equipped to film fire involved scenes. We had a Stunt Team comprising Lee Sheward, our Stunt Co-ordinator, a Visual FX team designed and executed all the fire sequences and we had specialist Fire Officers providing out of vision fire cover / safety. In the EastEnders series spin-off CivvyStreet life in Albert Square is featured between 1939 and 1945, and The Queen Victoria freehold is owned by the brewery, Luxford & Copley, ray and Lil Daniels are the landlords. When the series begins, the brewery remain owners and Den, gus and Flo Leonard, and Alf and Polly Barrett are alluded to as landlords prior to the start of the series. Angie is served divorce papers by Den on Christmas Day 1986
12.
The Firm (EastEnders)
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The Firm is a fictional gangland organisation in the BBC soap opera EastEnders. The Firm owns Strokes wine bar, a front for illegal gambling and it is thought by Mantel that Den, a well-known local publican, will not attract any suspicion to the illegal goings-on at the bar. The Firm is also responsible for a protection racket involving the rival, The Dagmar. When Den wants revenge on Willmot-Brown for raping Kathy Beale, he persuades The Firms Brad Williams to burn the place to the ground and this enrages The Firms bosses, as it draws attention to the illegal gambling going on at Strokes. Den is forced to take the blame for the fire at The Dagmar, the Firm mistakenly believe that Den has informed on them to the police while in prison, and so want him out of the way permanently. They capture him on the way to his trial with the intention of killing him, Den, with Brads help, manages to escape, but is tracked down to the canal by Mantel. A Firm hitman shoots Den with a gun hidden in a bunch of daffodils, the Firm later discover this, and Vinnicombe is killed and his body is dumped in the canal to look like Dens. Vinnicombes body is recovered and, owing to some lazy police work. When Den survived the attempt on his life, Dalton had Vinnicombe murdered, Dalton had taken a young Dennis Rickman under his wing, unaware that Dennis is the son Den Watts never knew he had. Dennis became a professional hardman, and it is in this capacity that he landed himself a prison sentence for grievous bodily harm, Dalton wants Dennis dead, and so orders Phil Mitchell to kill him. Dennis turns the tables on Phil, and persuades him to let him kill Dalton, Phil agrees, and Dennis confronts Dalton, who admits that it was he who had ordered for Den Watts to be killed. Dennis reveals the truth about his parentage to Dalton, before shooting him, daltons last act is to reveal the fact that Den had survived the attempt on his life. News reaches Den Watts in Spain that Dalton is dead, Andy replaces Dalton as the leader of The Firm. This is until Andy loses his position for being a soft touch, Andy is subsequently killed by rival Johnny Allen when Andy tries to double-cross him on a deal. Ironically, Den Watts is finally murdered that night, though at the hands of his wife Chrissie Watts in an unconnected incident. Dennis is murdered in 2005 by Danny Moon, as ordered by Johnny, in 2006, Danny is murdered by his brother Jake Moon, and Johnny dies of a heart attack
13.
Tracy-Ann Oberman
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Tracy-Ann Oberman is an English television, theatre and radio actress. Best known for her role as Chrissie Watts in BBC1 soap opera EastEnders from 2004–05, also a writer, Oberman has contributed to a number of radio sketch shows and in 2008 co-authored with Diane Samuels the critically acclaimed play Three Sisters on Hope Street. In 2010 she wrote and starred alongside Catherine Tate in her BBC Radio 4 play Bette and Joan and Baby Jane and in 2012 wrote the BBC Radio 4 play Rock and Doris and Elizabeth. In 2015 she wrote and starred in the part of her Hollywood Trilogy for BBC Radio 4, Mrs Robinson, I Presume, alongside John Simm. Oberman was a regular columnist for The Guardian newspaper during 2007, following training at the Central School of Speech and Drama in London, Oberman spent four years with the Royal Shakespeare Company, before joining the National Theatre. Her extensive theatrical background includes appearing with Kenneth Branagh in David Mamets Edmond and she recently appeared in a production of Earthquakes in London in its 2011 run as Sarah Sullivan. Obermans TV credits include Doctor Who, Mistresses, Robin Hood, Oberman has performed in more than 600 radio plays since the mid-90s. She also had a role in the penultimate and last series of procedural comedy-drama New Tricks as Fiona Kennedy. Oberman is also a contributor to The Guardian and was a regular contributor to the Jewish Chronicle. She also contributes to Red Magazine and she also writes radio plays for BBC Radio 4. Tracy-Ann Oberman was born in Brent, Greater London and she grew up in North London, attending Heathfield School for Girls, before going on to study Classics at Leeds University, however, after a year she moved to Manchester University to pursue drama. After graduating she was accepted into the Central School of Speech and Drama, in 1991, Oberman studied for a term at the Moscow Arts Theatre School as part of her training. Oberman has spoken of how her drive for professionalism was a result of her parents initial concern with her career choice. Coming from a legal background, her family weren’t wildly happy about her desire to become an actress, My parents were always making me watch Rumpole of the Bailey. It’s just like acting, you make things up, you wear a wig, why not the law. ’ But I just always, always wanted to act, as far back as I remember. Joining the Royal Shakespeare Company though, finally won her parents over and he was a big EastEnders fan so I know hed be very, very proud of me. After leaving the Central School of Speech and Drama, Oberman joined the Royal Shakespeare Company, in 1993 she took part in the RSCs award-winning production of Christopher Marlowes Tamburlaine as Olympia. This was followed by roles in The Changeling, as Diaphanta, A Jovial Crew in the part of Joan Cope, in 1994 she completed her run at the RSC playing in Macbeth and A Christmas Carol
14.
Walford
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Albert Square is the fictional location of the BBC soap opera EastEnders in the equally fictional London Borough of Walford in the East End. The squares design was based on Fassett Square in Hackney, and was given the name Albert Square after Prince Albert, the public house, The Queen Victoria, was also given its name due to this. One of the key characteristics of the pub is the window twitching by any of the occupants throughout the years and they are often known to look out of the windows, giving a view of the whole Square. This is especially common in dramatic storylines, central to the Square is the garden. The garden is home to Arthur Fowlers bench, which was placed there in memory of him, the bench is also known as the Bench of Tears, as it is often the place where characters will go and cry. The square is the centre of all of the drama in all of Walfords residents lives. Although a major place on the show, there are places which are used in the show. The Queen Victoria public house, known to residents as the Queen Vic or simply The Vic, stands south of the square at number 45 Albert Square, where it joins with Bridge Street. East of the pub is a building with 2 flats and west of these in the southwest corner leads off to a walkway through to Turpin Way, on which the Walford Community Centre and Playground are found. To the west of the Queen Vic, across the junction with Bridge Street, is the Beale house,45 Albert Square, next to that is 43 Albert Square. In the southwest corner of the square is number 41, between numbers 41 and 43 is Daisy Lane, a pathway connecting Albert Square to Victoria Square. On the west edge of The Square there are two houses 18 and 20 Albert Square, which have been knocked through as a single property and it was previously Walfords B&B, Kims Palace. North of the old B&B is the rear of 55 Victoria Road, a row of five terraced houses line the north edge of Albert Square. The westernmost house is number 31, the property next door is split into two flats. Number 25 is the home of Dot Cotton, the easternmost property in the terrace is number 23, which was destroyed in September 2014 by a fire. On the northeast edge of Albert Square is a car lot, the northernmost house is number 5. A road leaves to the north at the northeast edge of the square, the middle house is 3 Albert Square. Most southerly of this terrace is number 1, originally flats with the surgery on the ground floor
15.
Michelle Fowler
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Michelle Fowler is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders, played by Susan Tully from the first episode in 1985 until the characters departure in 1995. In December 2016, it was announced Michelle would be returning to the show after 21 years, being determined and outspoken, she has never been afraid to defend herself or her beliefs. Initially, Michelle competes with her best friend Sharon Watts for the affections of Kelvin Carpenter, when she is 16, Michelle discovers she is pregnant. Despite pressure from her family, Michelle refuses to name the father or have an abortion, speculation persists as to the identity of the father of Michelles baby and he is eventually revealed as Den Watts, Sharons 39-year-old adoptive father. Michelle turned to Den for sympathy during a time and they had a one-night stand. At a nearby canal, away from the eyes of Walford, Den promises to provide financial support for his child. The following year, Michelle struggles with the hardships of being a pregnant teenager, restricted from the youthful pursuits of her peers, she becomes depressed. She turns to kind-hearted barman Lofty Holloway who eventually falls in love with her, proposing marriage, although she initially refuses, she eventually accepts. That May, she gives birth to a daughter she names Vicki but as the wedding day nears, unable to get over Den, she realizes that she doesnt love Lofty. Den visits her moments before shes due to leave for the church, later that year, she changes her mind again and Lofty whisks her away for a secret wedding outside Walford but it does not go smoothly. Michelle grows tired of Lofty, who pressures her to let him to adopt Vicki legally and have another baby. Michelle doesnt like either idea, but after an attempt to elope with Den, she settles for an unhappy life with Lofty. Lofty is overjoyed and against Michelles wishes, tells everyone about Michelles pregnancy, Michelle retaliates by quietly having a private abortion funded by Den, who doesnt want Lofty to adopt Vicki. A devastated Lofty physically attacks Michelle in front of her family, the marriage dissolves and Lofty leaves Walford. Michelle gives moral support to her aunt, Kathy Beale, persuading her to go the police after she is raped by her boss. Michelle moves into a flat with Vicki and Sharon, paid for by Den, after it becomes clear that the firm want Den dead, he escapes from custody but meets Michelle by the canal one last time, unaware that she is under surveillance. At the canal, Michelle tells Den that she wait for him. After their emotional farewell, Den is shot by a man concealing a gun in a bunch of daffodils and falls into the canal, with Den presumed dead, Michelle and Sharon are distraught
16.
Letitia Dean
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Letitia Jane Dean is an English actress and singer. She is known for her role as Sharon Watts in the BBC soap opera EastEnders, an original cast member from 1985 to 1995, she reprised the role from 2001 to 2006, and again from 2012 onwards. In 1986, along with Paul Medford, Dean had a UK Top 20 hit with Something Outa Nothing and her other television roles include The Hello Girls, and Lucy Sullivan is Getting Married. In 2007, she participated in the series of the popular BBC dance competition Strictly Come Dancing, finishing fourth. On stage, she starred in the West End production of High School Musical in 2008, Dean was born in Potters Bar, Hertfordshire to parents Leslie and Ellie Dean, in a cottage rented on the grand estate of English romantic novelist Barbara Cartland, known as Camfield Place. The youngest of three children, Dean has two brothers, Stephen and Martin. Deans family moved to the north Buckinghamshire village of Stoke Goldington when she was three years old. She acquired a penchant for performing at an age, both she and her older brother Stephen attended a local dance school, and they also performed a dance act together on stage. Dean stayed at the school as a student for several years learning her trades of acting, singing and dancing. Dean began performing professionally at the age of 12, when she was cast as Pepper in the hit musical, Annie. Between the ages of 13 and 17, Dean appeared in television programmes, including, Love Story. The Matthew Kelly sitcom Relative Strangers, Grange Hill, playing a student named Lucinda Oliver, in 1984, Dean auditioned to play one of the original characters in BBC1s brand new soap opera, EastEnders—she was selected for an interview on the strength of a photograph alone. Dean lied about her roots to get the part, as the casting directors were only looking for real East End actors, she falsely claimed that she was born and brought up in Hackney, east London. The lie paid off and she got the part, clinching the deal because of her laugh, while appearing on EastEnders, Dean forayed into singing with her fellow EastEnders cast-mate, Paul Medford. A song penned for the pair as part of a plotline in EastEnders prompted the BBC to release the song as a single, the song, Something Outa Nothing, reached number 12 in the UK Singles Chart in November 1986. Dean featured in one of the soaps most popular storylines, a love triangle featuring Sharon, her husband Grant Mitchell, the plot, nicknamed Sharongate, gave the soap one of its highest episode ratings in October 1994, watched by over 25.3 million viewers. A desire to pursue acting roles prompted Dean to leave the soap in 1995. Six years after her exit, Dean was lured back to EastEnders by producer John Yorke
17.
Pauline Fowler
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Pauline Fowler is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders, a long-running serial drama about working class life in the fictional London borough of Walford. She was played by actress Wendy Richard between the first episode on 19 February 1985 and 25 December 2006, Pauline was created by scriptwriter Tony Holland and producer Julia Smith as one of EastEnders original characters. Pauline is a member of the Beale family and her storylines focus on drudgery, money worries and family troubles. The matriarchal stalwart of the fictional London community of Albert Square, in later years however, she became a more stoic, opinionated battle-axe who alienated her relatives through overbearing interference. Paulines marriage to the downtrodden Arthur was central to the character for the first eleven years of the programme, Wendy Richard announced Paulines retirement from the serial in July 2006, and the character was killed off in a whodunnit. Murder storyline, with Richard making her appearance on 25 December 2006. Pauline was a staple in the UK press during her time in EastEnders, widely read tabloids, such as The Sun and Daily Mirror, would routinely publish articles about forthcoming developments in Paulines storylines. Critical opinion on the character differs and she has been described as a legend and a television icon, but was also voted the 35th most annoying person of 2006. Pauline Fowler is one of the original characters invented by the creators of EastEnders, Tony Holland. This family setup of a woman named Lou Beale, with twin children Pete and Pauline, was recreated on-screen as the first family of EastEnders, Paulines original character outline as written by Smith and Holland appears in an abridged form in their book, EastEnders, The Inside Story. Forty, and a chip off the Lou Beale block, plucky, and determined to battle through whatever the odds. A warm, practical, unsophisticated woman, you stand by your man, do your duty and she actually remembers her dad saying Two things we dont discuss in this house are religion and politics. She also remembers her dad smoked a pipe, and wishes her husband did too and she loved her dad very much. Maybe she didnt go into her marriage with quite the right spirit and she was due to be chief bridesmaid at her sisters wedding but shed got the flu and was confined to bed. Arthur, someone shed known from school, was permission to visit the invalid upstairs. He found himself proposing to her, Years later he said It was to cheer her up really. And Pauline found herself accepting too, shes very fond of her twin brother, Pete. Shes very conventional, and the salt of the earth, jolly, rounded, someone you can get your arms round
18.
Wendy Richard
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Wendy Richard, MBE was an English actress best known for playing the roles of Miss Shirley Brahms on Are You Being Served. and Pauline Fowler on EastEnders, the latter for nearly 22 years. She died on 26 February 2009 at the Harley Street clinic where she was being treated for breast cancer, Richard, an only child, was born in Middlesbrough in 1943. Her parents, Henry and Beatrice Reay Emerton, were publicans, Emerton and Cutter married in Paddington in 1939. While Richard was a baby, her moved to Bournemouth. Another move, to the Streatham Park Hotel in south London and it was there, in December 1954, that Richards father committed suicide. Wendy, then 11, found his body and her mother Beatrice never remarried, and died of liver cancer in May 1972. Richard was enrolled at the Royal Masonic School for Girls at Rickmansworth after her fathers death, as Henry had been a Freemason and she found the school unduly strict, and her art mistress called her paintings and drawings affected, rather like herself. It was at time that she decided to change her surname to Richard, because it was short. While at the Italia Conti, Richard appeared on television with Sammy Davis, Jr. in the ATV programme Sammy Meets the Girls, Richard first became familiar to TV audiences playing Joyce Harker, a regular in the BBCs 1960s soap opera The Newcomers. Richards first appearance in a series, however, was as a teenager in Stranger on the Shore. The theme tune of the series was the Acker Bilk clarinet solo of the same name, in 1962, Richards distinctive cockney vocals helped get her to No.1 on the UK singles chart with the single Come Outside by Mike Sarne. Richard appears in a cut from the released version of The Beatles movie Help. In 1965, Richard appeared in an episode of the original Likely Lads series as a household cleaner saleswoman called Lynn and she also had a bit part the same year in Danger Man in the episode Dont Nail Him Yet. Richards first soap role was as teenage supermarket till girl Joyce Harker in The Newcomers and she appeared in Dads Army, and Up Pompeii. She was a regular cast member of the 1970s sitcom Are You Being Served. as Miss Shirley Brahms, on 10 July 2006, the BBC announced that Richard had decided to leave EastEnders after more than 20 years on the show. An interview with The Sun revealed that problems with the EastEnders storyline were the cause of her departure. In 2007, Richard was awarded a British Soap Award for Special Achievement for her role in EastEnders, Richard appeared regularly on the BBC Radio programme Just a Minute from 1989 until 1994. She returned for appearances in 2002 and 2003
19.
Venice
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Venice is a city in northeastern Italy and the capital of the Veneto region. It is situated across a group of 118 small islands that are separated by canals and these are located in the shallow Venetian Lagoon, an enclosed bay that lies between the mouths of the Po and the Piave Rivers. Parts of Venice are renowned for the beauty of their settings, their architecture, the lagoon and a part of the city are listed as a World Heritage Site. In 2014,264,579 people resided in Comune di Venezia, together with Padua and Treviso, the city is included in the Padua-Treviso-Venice Metropolitan Area, with a total population of 2.6 million. PATREVE is a metropolitan area without any degree of autonomy. The name is derived from the ancient Veneti people who inhabited the region by the 10th century BC, the city was historically the capital of the Republic of Venice. Venice has been known as the La Dominante, Serenissima, Queen of the Adriatic, City of Water, City of Masks, City of Bridges, The Floating City, and City of Canals. The City State of Venice is considered to have been the first real international financial center which gradually emerged from the 9th century to its peak in the 14th century and this made Venice a wealthy city throughout most of its history. It is also known for its several important artistic movements, especially the Renaissance period, Venice has played an important role in the history of symphonic and operatic music, and it is the birthplace of Antonio Vivaldi. Venice has been ranked the most beautiful city in the world as of 2016, the name Venetia, however, derives from the Roman name for the people known as the Veneti, and called by the Greeks Eneti. The meaning of the word is uncertain, although there are other Indo-European tribes with similar-sounding names, such as the Celtic Veneti, Baltic Veneti, and the Slavic Wends. Linguists suggest that the name is based on an Indo-European root *wen, so that *wenetoi would mean beloved, lovable, a connection with the Latin word venetus, meaning the color sea-blue, is also possible. The alternative obsolete form is Vinegia, some late Roman sources reveal the existence of fishermen on the islands in the original marshy lagoons. They were referred to as incolae lacunae, the traditional founding is identified with the dedication of the first church, that of San Giacomo on the islet of Rialto — said to have taken place at the stroke of noon on 25 March 421. Beginning as early as AD166 to 168, the Quadi and Marcomanni destroyed the center in the area. The Roman defences were again overthrown in the early 5th century by the Visigoths and, some 50 years later, New ports were built, including those at Malamocco and Torcello in the Venetian lagoon. The tribuni maiores, the earliest central standing governing committee of the islands in the Lagoon, the traditional first doge of Venice, Paolo Lucio Anafesto, was actually Exarch Paul, and his successor, Marcello Tegalliano, was Pauls magister militum. In 726 the soldiers and citizens of the Exarchate rose in a rebellion over the controversy at the urging of Pope Gregory II
20.
Orient Express
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The Orient Express was a long-distance passenger train service created in 1883 by Compagnie Internationale des Wagons-Lits The route and rolling stock of the Orient Express changed many times. Several routes in the past concurrently used the Orient Express name, although the original Orient Express was simply a normal international railway service, the name became synonymous with intrigue and luxury travel. The two city names most prominently associated with the Orient Express are Paris and Constantinople, the endpoints of the timetabled service. The Orient Express was a showcase of luxury and comfort at a time travelling was still rough. In 1977, the Orient Express stopped serving Istanbul and its immediate successor, a through overnight service from Paris to Vienna, ran for the last time from Paris on Friday, June 8,2007. The new curtailed service left Strasbourg at 22,20 daily, shortly after the arrival of a TGV from Paris, on 14 December 2009, the Orient Express ceased to operate and the route disappeared from European railway timetables, reportedly a victim of high-speed trains and cut-rate airlines. In March 2014 Orient-Express Hotels Ltd. was renamed Belmond, in 1882, Georges Nagelmackers, a Belgian bankers son, invited guests to a railway trip of 2,000 km on his Train Eclair de luxe. The train left Paris Gare de lEst on Tuesday, October 10,1882, just after 18,30 and arrived in Vienna the next day at 23,20. The return trip left Vienna on Friday, October 13,1882, at 16,40 and, Georges Nagelmackers was the founder of Compagnie Internationale des Wagons-Lits, which expanded its luxury trains, travel agencies and hotels all over Europe, Asia and North Africa. Its most famous train remains the Orient-Express, on June 5,1883, the first Express dOrient left Paris for Vienna. Vienna remained the terminus until October 4,1883, the train was officially renamed Orient Express in 1891. The original route, which first ran on October 4,1883, was from Paris, Gare de lEst, to Giurgiu in Romania via Munich, at Giurgiu, passengers were ferried across the Danube to Ruse, Bulgaria, to pick up another train to Varna. They then completed their journey to Constantinople by ferry, in 1885, another route began operations, this time reaching Istanbul via rail from Vienna to Belgrade and Niš, carriage to Plovdiv and rail again to Istanbul. In 1889, the eastern terminus became Varna in Bulgaria. On June 1,1889, the first direct train to Istanbul left Paris, Istanbul remained its easternmost stop until May 19,1977. The eastern terminus was the Sirkeci Terminal by the Golden Horn, ferry service from piers next to the terminal would take passengers across the Bosphorus to Haydarpaşa Terminal, the terminus of the Asian lines of the Ottoman Railways. The onset of World War I in 1914 saw Orient Express services suspended and they resumed at the end of hostilities in 1918, and in 1919 the opening of the Simplon Tunnel allowed the introduction of a more southerly route via Milan, Venice and Trieste. The service on this route was known as the Simplon Orient Express, the Treaty of Saint-Germain contained a clause requiring Austria to accept this train, formerly, Austria allowed international services to pass through Austrian territory only if they ran via Vienna
21.
Kathryn Apanowicz
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She has also had minor roles in Emmerdale and Coronation Street, and as a child appeared in the film Bugsy Malone. Before being cast in these shows, Apanowicz had worked in childrens programmes for Yorkshire Television with Mark Curry, in the early 1990s she presented talk-based magazine programme Afternoon Live for cable channel Wire TV. In 2000, she enjoyed a stint as one of the presenters of ITV1s daytime magazine show for women. She is currently both a presenter for BBC Radio Leeds, and a guest presenter for BBC Radio York, from 1994 to 2005, Apanowicz was the partner of Countdown host Richard Whiteley. After his death, she published a biography of Whiteley titled Richard by Kathryn, the BBC followed this story on their Inside Out programme which was broadcast on 19 September 2007. Apanowicz became friends with Whiteleys Countdown co-host Carol Vorderman, Kathryn Apanowicz at the Internet Movie Database
22.
Simon Wicks
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Simon Wicksy Wicks is a fictional character from the British BBC soap opera EastEnders, played by Nick Berry between 1985 and 1990. Wicksy was the soaps first male pin-up and proved popular with female fans. An early storyline saw Wicksy perform a song in the serial, Every Loser Wins, one of Wicksys most prominent storylines was his adultery with Cindy Beale, and a subsequent feud with Cindys husband, Ian Beale. Nick Berry quit the role in 1990, fearful of typecasting, on 13 January 2012, Simon made a one-off cameo for the funeral of his mother, Pat Butcher. Simon is the child born during Pete Beales first marriage to the promiscuous Pat Beale. After Pat and Petes marriage deteriorates, Wicksy and his older brother David are adopted by Pats second husband Brian Wicks, in 1976, when Simon is 11, he and his family leave Walford due to Davids rivalry with Derek Branning. Simon grows to resent his mother for making his childhood a misery due to her alcoholism, not protecting him or David when they were beaten by Brian, and for her numerous affairs with different men. In their teens, Simon and Eddie Hunter form a music band, Pete is pleased to see Simon and bails him out with loan sharks after thugs trace him to Walford. Wicksy attempts to form another band, but rivalry between the members prompts him to quit and go solo and he does not get very far however, and by the end of the year he gives up his dream of becoming a musician. Pat drops the bombshell that there is a possibility that Simon is not Petes biological son as she had various affairs during their marriage. This causes a rift between Simon and his mother, an already damaged due to Simons disapproval of her nonchalant style of parenting. Pat later admits that Simons father is Brian Wicks, his adoptive father, Simon visits Brian following this revelation, but his father is abusive towards him and so Simon cuts contact. He has flings with Donna Ludlow, Mary Smith and Naima Jeffery among others, in 1987 he dates Sharon Watts, but soon gets bored when she refuses to sleep with him. His first serious relationship is with caterer Magda Czajkowski and they move in together, but both want different things out of the relationship and Simon eventually jilts her in 1988 on the advice of his boss Den Watts, whose womanising he idolises. In 1988, Wicksy has a fling with Cindy Williams and Donna Ludlow at the same time, Cindy refuses to tolerate Simons womanising and when Ian Beale starts wooing her, she dates him instead. Initially Cindy is only interested in making Simon jealous, but when she realises Ian is a budding entrepreneur, confused by Cindy, Simon reignites a relationship with Sharon. Jealous that Simon is moving on, Cindy seduces him and they have sex on the floor of The Queen Vic after closing time and this tryst culminates in Cindy falling pregnant with Simons child. When Simon learns of the pregnancy, he refuses to have anything more to do with Cindy, rejected, Cindy marries Ian and deceives him into thinking that her baby is his
23.
Frank Butcher
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Francis Aloysius Frank Butcher is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders, played by Mike Reid. Frank makes his first appearance on-screen as a guest character in 1987, Reid took a long hiatus from EastEnders in 1994. Frank returns as a character from December 1995 to January 1998, and eventually becomes a regular once again from May 1998 to November 2000. Frank makes three brief reappearances after that, the one in December 2005. Given the widespread identification of Mike Reid as Frank, Reids death in July 2007 led to BBC bosses deciding that it would not be possible for the character to return in the future. In November 2007, it was announced that the character would die off-screen and in April 2008 his funeral was screened as part of a set of episodes. Frank is a wheeler-dealer who likes to think of himself as a big player in the business world, but in reality he is little more than a wily conman. He is a smooth-talker and full of charm, but his actions are often thoughtless and he tends to run instead of facing up to his responsibilities, leaving his loved ones to pick up the pieces. His love affair with Pat Harris stems back to his teens, and he can never let her go, always breaking her heart, disappearing. Frank started out as a used-car salesman and he met Pat Harris at Butlins in Clacton in 1958 and despite being on holiday with his girlfriend June he was attracted to Pat. They had an affair but June became pregnant, so he married her, Frank and Pat met up from time to time and on each occasion the affair was rekindled, but Frank wouldnt leave June and Pat eventually married and had children of her own. Frank and June had four children, Clare in 1959, Ricky in 1973, Diane in 1974, June died of cancer in 1987, leaving Frank bereft and his children motherless. In September 1987, Frank contacts Pat and they meet in Greenwich, Frank wants to reignite their romance and asks her to be the mother of his children but she refuses. Frank propositions Pat again in January 1988, Pat is still resistant but when Frank reappears in March, he finally convinces her to reunite. They take over tenancy at The Queen Victoria public house soon afterwards, Frank and Pat marry in June 1989 in true cockney style with Pat becoming stepmother to Ricky, Diane, and 5-year-old Janine, who hates her. Troubled by family upsets, Frank is devastated in 1990 when his mother Mo develops dementia. In a lucid moment, she writes Frank a letter asking him not to let her end up like her grandmother, Frank is torn, but attempts to adhere to his mothers wish by almost smothering her with a pillow while she sleeps. However, he go through with it and instead sends Mo to live with his sister Joan Garwood in Colchester
24.
Mike Reid (actor)
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He was noted for his gravelly voice and strong Cockney accent. In 1958, he married his first wife, they had a daughter and they divorced in 1967, after which he married his longtime live-in partner Shirley in 1971, they had two sons, Michael and Mark Edward. Reid moved to a villa in Marbella, Spain so he could close to a golf course which would enable him to pursue his passion of playing golf three to four times each week. Reid was known to be opposed to plans to introduce blasphemy laws, for the effect this would have on satire, comedy and free speech. Reid was good friends with actor and stand up comedian Freddie Starr, together they introduced their sometime-bodyguard. McLean went on to star in Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels, Reids first work in entertainment was as a stand-up comedian in clubs and aboard cruise liners in the early 1960s. He then became an extra playing uncredited roles in series such as Doctor Who. He was fired from working as Roger Moores underwater stunt double in The Saint after drawing attention to Moores thinning hair and he also worked as a stuntman for films such as Casino Royale and The Dirty Dozen. Being the only obviously London comic in a made up predominately of Northern English and Northern Irish comedians. As a comedian, Reids well-known catchphrases included Terrific, Turn It In and he capitalised on his initial success with a one-off hit record, a novelty version of The Ugly Duckling recorded on PYE records. In 1975 it reached number 10 in the BBC Top 50 Singles Chart, in 1975 he also became the host of the ITV childrens TV quiz show Runaround, fondly remembered for its incomprehensible rules and the incongruity of Reid as presenter. In 1987 he joined the cast of the popular BBC television soap opera EastEnders as Frank Butcher, the part of Butcher earned Reid the public persona of being pessimistic that he enjoyed acting against, for instance in television adverts for the soft drink Oasis. In 1994 he provided a voiceover for one of the cows in the Anchor butter adverts, the advert was called Anchor, Never Seen Anything Like It. His return to EastEnders was aired on Christmas Day 1995 and he was initially reintroduced as a recurring character and after several brief stints on the show, he returned as a full-time character in May 1998. His character was part of big storylines over the next two years and in May 2000 he announced that he would be leaving the soap for good due to exhaustion from the long filming schedules. He was persuaded to stay on the show for a five months to give his character a dramatic exit. His departure was aired on 2 November 2000 when he departed after his affair with ex-wife Pat Evans was discovered by his current wife Peggy Mitchell. That same year he appeared in the popular British gangster film Snatch playing mob boss Doug The Head Denovitz
25.
Joanne Francis
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Joanne Francis is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders, played by Pamela Salem. She appears on screen between 16 June 1988 and 3 January 1989, Joanne is first seen in Albert Square in June 1988. She is a member of the organisation known as The Firm, and is sent to Walford by Mr Vinnicombe to manage Strokes Winebar. Her arrival upsets Den Watts, as he had thought that he was being given managerial status, despite initial hostility, Joanne and Den prove to be a good team and build up a strong working relationship. With the help of member of The Firm, Brad Williams. This leads to an investigation, putting Strokes under surveillance. In order to put the police off, The Firm decide that Den has to take the blame for the arson, Den unwillingly does so following pressure from Joanne, and then goes into hiding to avoid arrest. However, The Firms real agenda is to lure Den into a sense of security before killing him. Realising this, Den manages to escape The Firm and goes on the run, Den is sent to Dickens Hill prison, leaving The Firm to assume that it will only be a matter of time before Den divulges his knowledge about their criminal antics. Actually, Den has no intention of grassing, but the investigating officer, west, decides to play up to The Firms fears, spreading rumours that Den is on the verge of implicating them. Gregory Mantel, a member of The Firm, makes plans to have Den eradicated from within prison. He begins putting pressure on Brad Williams to frame The Firm, Brad divulges the whereabouts of evidence that will show Joannes criminal dealings, enabling him to get rid of her and close down Strokes. Sensing her imminent downfall, Joanne considers resigning from The Firm and this does not please Mantel, he reminds her not to rock the boat or else she will meet the same fate as her late husband. It is revealed that Joannes husband had also employed by The Firm. So Joanne flees, stealing thousands of pounds of The Firms money in the process and her exit is nearly halted by a speeding car, driven by Brad, who has been instructed by Mantel to eliminate her. Brad misses his target and she manages to escape unharmed and her last appearance is in January 1989. One of the most popular characters in the years of EastEnders was Den Watts. This was done by sending Den to prison on remand and mixing the previously filmed prison storyline in with the current happenings in Albert Square, various characters were introduced as part of the storyline
26.
Kathy Beale
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Katherine Kathy Beale is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders, played by Gillian Taylforth between 1985 and 2000, and from 2015 onwards. Kathy is one of the original characters, appearing in the first episode of EastEnders on 19 February 1985. One of the original characters, Kathy remained in a prominent role, covering issues such as rape and domestic violence until April 1998. Kathy appears in the November 2014 special, The Ghosts of Ian Beale, part of that years Children in Need broadcast, after an absence spanning over 15 years, Taylforth made a shock return as Kathy on 19 February 2015 during a live segment of the 30th anniversary episode. The BBC confirmed that she would reprise the role of Kathy permanently and, after another guest appearance on 19 May, she returned on 17 August. Kathys storylines since her return have included her marriage to Gavin Sullivan, reuniting with Ian and Ben, plus her affair with Buster Briggs, Kathy and her husband Pete Beale are financially stable. Kathy works as a barmaid in The Queen Victoria pub with her best friend, Angie Watts, whilst helping Pete on their fruit, Kathy feels she has put her troubled past behind her but Nick Cotton breaks into Dr Harold Leggs surgery and steals Kathys medical records. He discovers that she gave a child, Donna Ludlow, the product of rape when Kathy was 14, Nick uses this to blackmail her, which eventually forces her to tell Pete her secret and he reacts badly. She later starts a knitting business, Mehmet Osman asks Kathy to knit a batch of jumpers for him. Kathy finds out from Ali Osman that she was conned when Mehmet disappears with the jumpers, Kathy learns that Donna, now an adult, wants to meet her but she refuses. Undeterred, Donna moves to Walford, keeping her identity secret, to get closer to Kathy, Donna calls her workplace at The Samaritans and grows close to Kathys son Ian Beale, who becomes attracted to his half-sister. When Kathy tells Donna to stay away from Ian, Donna reveals that she is her daughter, Donna thinks Kathy will be pleased but Kathy is horrified and demands she leave Walford. Donna stays and causes problems for Kathy. Finally Kathy tells Donna that she is actually the product of rape, Kathy gave her up at birth, Donna spends the rest of the year in a downward spiral. James Willmott-Brown employs Kathy at The Dagmar wine bar, angering Pete, after work, James invites Kathy upstairs to his flat, but when he attempts to seduce her, Kathy tries to leave. James refuses to let her leave and his attempted seduction becomes rape, James is arrested and formally charged with rape. In the aftermath, Kathy becomes depressed and isolated from Pete, James stands trial but tries bribing Kathy to withdraw her statement. Kathy pretends to take his money but tells the police so a listening DI tapes the conversation
27.
James Willmott-Brown
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James Sebastian Willmott-Brown is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders, played by William Boyde. He appeared from 1986 to 1989, making a comeback in 1992. Willmott-Brown is an officer, arriving in Albert Square in March 1986 as area manager for Luxford and Copley. By December, he decides to move to the square and buys Debbie Wilkinss house at 43 Albert Square when she sells it following her fiancé, Andys and he and Debbie later have a fling, but it doesnt progress into anything serious. Pat Wicks takes an interest in him and tries seducing him on several occasions, during the early years, he is friendly with Colin Russell. By February 1987, Willmott-Brown gives up his job as manager and purchases an old disused pub on Turpin Road named The Dagmar. Local publican Den Watts is furious about the competition and is even angrier to discover that his wife, Angie, the Dagmar opens for business in June that year and the competition between the two pubs begins. They compete for best decorated pub in The London In Bloom competition and in a football match. However, the year, the Dagmar begins to lose business. It is at time that Gregory Mantel, a member of the criminal organisation known as The Firm), arrives and tries forcing James to allow his company, Walford Investments. James refuses, and as a result, none of his creditors will trade with him and his ire with Den escalates when he discovers that he is in league with the Firm, and reports Den to the police for shady dealings at Strokes winebar. However, Simon Wicks, barman at The Dagmar, overhears the conversation with the police, when the residents learn that James had grassed to the police, no one will enter his bar. His business is now in ruin, making James frantic. Meanwhile, Willmott-Brown gives Kathy Beale a job as a barmaid, the rift worsens when it becomes clear that Wilmott-Brown is romantically interested in Kathy. With everyone now ignoring him, Kathy soon becomes his only friend and he buys her presents and confides in her about the sorry state of his business, the breakup of his own marriage and how it affected his children, Sophie and Luke. Pete is furious about the amount of time Kathy spends with Willmott-Brown, after Kathy argues with Pete one night, Wilmott-Brown invites her to his place for a glass of wine after work. When it becomes clear that he is trying to seduce her, however, he will not take no for an answer and the seduction ends in rape. Den finds Kathy an emotional wreck, when he realises what has happened, he calls his contacts within the Firm, Joanne Francis and Brad Williams, and demands revenge
28.
Manchester
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Manchester is a major city and metropolitan borough in Greater Manchester, England, with a population of 514,414 as of 2013. It lies within the United Kingdoms second-most populous urban area, with a population of 2.55 million, Manchester is fringed by the Cheshire Plain to the south, the Pennines to the north and east and an arc of towns with which it forms a continuous conurbation. The local authority is Manchester City Council and it was historically a part of Lancashire, although areas of Cheshire south of the River Mersey were incorporated during the 20th century. Throughout the Middle Ages Manchester remained a township but began to expand at an astonishing rate around the turn of the 19th century. Manchesters unplanned urbanisation was brought on by a boom in textile manufacture during the Industrial Revolution, Manchester achieved city status in 1853. The Manchester Ship Canal opened in 1894, creating the Port of Manchester and its fortunes declined after the Second World War, owing to deindustrialisation. The city centre was devastated in a bombing in 1996, but it led to extensive investment, in 2014, the Globalization and World Cities Research Network ranked Manchester as a beta world city, the highest-ranked British city apart from London. Manchester is the third-most visited city in the UK and it is notable for its architecture, culture, musical exports, media links, scientific and engineering output, social impact, sports clubs and transport connections. Manchester Liverpool Road railway station was the worlds first inter-city passenger railway station and in the city scientists first split the atom, the name Manchester originates from the Latin name Mamucium or its variant Mancunium and the citizens are still referred to as Mancunians. These are generally thought to represent a Latinisation of an original Brittonic name, both meanings are preserved in languages derived from Common Brittonic, mam meaning breast in Irish and mother in Welsh. The suffix -chester is a survival of Old English ceaster and their territory extended across the fertile lowland of what is now Salford and Stretford. Central Manchester has been settled since this time. A stabilised fragment of foundations of the version of the Roman fort is visible in Castlefield. After the Roman withdrawal and Saxon conquest, the focus of settlement shifted to the confluence of the Irwell, much of the wider area was laid waste in the subsequent Harrying of the North. Thomas de la Warre, lord of the manor, founded and constructed a church for the parish in 1421. The church is now Manchester Cathedral, the premises of the college house Chethams School of Music. The library, which opened in 1653 and is open to the public today, is the oldest free public reference library in the United Kingdom. Manchester is mentioned as having a market in 1282, around the 14th century, Manchester received an influx of Flemish weavers, sometimes credited as the foundation of the regions textile industry
29.
Dickens Hill
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Dickens Hill is a fictional prison in the BBC soap opera EastEnders. The prison is part of a storyline that first aired between 1988 and 1989, the storyline centres on the popular character Den Watts and was filmed on location at Dartmoor Prison in Devon. The episodes were shot in a block of filming, over five weeks. This was done in order to keep the character Den Watts on-screen after Dens actor, however, in 1988 actress Anita Dobson decided that she wanted to leave the serial. After over three years on-screen, the departed in May 1988. Actor Leslie Grantham, who played Den, came to the decision soon afterwards that he too wanted to move on and he has commented, “I told them in November 1987 that I wanted to leave and Den had to die. It had to be final for both my sake and for the sake of the rest of the cast. After all, everything you seemed to read in the papers about EastEnders concerned Dirty Den. ”However, the solution to the problem was one of the soaps most complex and creative exercises that required intricate planning. The producers and writers came up with an idea to enable Den to stay as a presence for an extra year. The story, which was conceptualised by scriptwriters Tony Holland and Bill Lyons, the programme makers’ intention was to record the prison footage in a block of intensive filming, which would then be included in episodes of EastEnders for the rest of the year. Grantham has since said, I agreed to a storyline about the sentence that would lead up to the end slowly. I’d always known that I didn’t want to play Den for twenty-five years, I didn’t want Den to end up another Ken Barlow, thanks very much. The answer lay in a storyline that was running with another character — the rape of Kathy Beale by James Willmott-Brown, which happens in July 1988. Den is taken away to a “safe house” in Manchester to avoid police arrest and he is eventually forced to turn himself into the police in order to escape “The Firm’s” heavies. Den is put on remand at Dickens Hill prison in September 1988, for the next five months he is seen — in the company of a small group of new characters also confined in the prison — on a regular basis in EastEnders. Also in prison at the time is regular EastEnders character Nick Cotton and this material was shot in less than a month at Dartmoor Prison, Devon. When these segments were written and recorded, they were done so entirely in isolation, the regular goings on in Albert Square had to fit convincingly around the pre-recorded Dickens Hill material, this “proved to be a major headache” for the programme makers. The Dickens Hill storyline has been referred to as a “soap-within-a-soap, Grantham has commented, “Banging Den up in Dartmoor – though we called it Dickens Hill – kept him alive for an extra year
30.
Andy Hunter (EastEnders)
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Andrew Andy Hunter is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders, played by Michael Higgs from 3 July 2003. The character was axed in November 2004 and died on 18 February 2005, Andy is an employee of The Firm, of which he takes control after the murder of Jack Dalton by Dennis Rickman. He had previously married and divorced to a woman named Bev. He is attracted to Kat Slater, and asks her out on a date in The Queen Victoria pub, however he keeps trying and she eventually accepts his advances, and after some weeks he falls in love with Kat. He proposes to her while they were in New York and she accepts, on their wedding day, Alfie Moon runs into the church and says he loves her and Kat leaves Andy for Alfie thus making Andy and Alfie enemies. However Andy gets his revenge as Alfie owes him an amount of money. Andy blackmails Kat to have sex with him behind Alfies back, in order to pay off the money and if she refuses, Alfie manages to provide the money, but only after Kat has already slept with Andy. When they are in bed together, Andy secretly films everything with a video camera he sets up. Alfie later watches the tape out of curiosity and is heartbroken at what he sees, and confronts Kat about it, nearly ending their relationship. Andy hopes for them to split but he doesnt succeed as Alfie and Kat are still going strong, however, as Andy starts to watch it, he is taken aback as he discovers it is a different tape of Alfie and Kats wedding. After that, Andy leaves them to their relationship but still bullies Alfie, Andy starts having a relationship with Sam Mitchell, and he later marries her. However, when Den Watts and Marcus Christie trick Sam into selling the pub to Den, in 2004, Paul Trueman reports Andy to the police for his criminal activities. Andy takes his revenge on Paul by hiring a hitman from The Firm to kill him, Paul is killed in December 2004. Pauls father, Patrick Trueman begins searching for him and identifies his body when it is recovered, Patrick soon discovers that Andy is involved with Pauls death. Andy tells his employee Pat Evans that he had hired a hitman to kill Paul, Patrick tells the police that Andy is involved but there is no evidence against him. Patrick later swears revenge against him, Andys luck finally runs out when he tries to con Johnny Allen out of £750,000. Johnny pushes him off a footbridge, killing him instantly. The police are informed of Andys death but decide that it was a suicide and he dies on the same night that Den is bludgeoned to death by his wife Chrissie
31.
Phil Mitchell
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Philip James Phil Mitchell is a long-standing fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders, played by Steve McFadden. Phil was introduced to the opera on 20 February 1990. Phil is one of the major introductions made by executive producer Michael Ferguson, Phil and his brother Grant became popularly known as the Mitchell brothers in the British media with Phil initially portrayed as the more level-headed of the two thugs. Storylines featuring the Mitchell family dominated the soap throughout the 1990s, with Phil becoming a popular and long-running male protagonist into the 2000s. McFadden temporarily left the series in late 2003 then returned in March 2005 for a short stint, McFadden took a short break from the series in early 2017 at the conclusion of Phils liver cirrhosis storyline. One of the most culturally significant storylines featuring the character aired in 2001 and was dubbed Who Shot Phil, the plot saw Phil shot in a whodunit mystery, with the assailant eventually revealed as his former girlfriend Lisa Fowler. The storyline captured viewer and media interest and the episode was watched by 22 million viewers. Phil and Grant arrive in Walford to open a repair shop. Phil later goes into partnership at The Queen Victoria public house with Grant and his wife Sharon Watts, Phil grows close to Sharon, who turns to him for comfort during Grants violent outbursts. Sharon and Phil have sex but she stays with Grant, who is unaware of their betrayal, Sharon and Grants reconciliation is brief, and amidst more rowing and physical violence, Grant is arrested and imprisoned. In his absence, Phil and Sharon continue their affair but when Grant is released, Sharon reconciles with him, leaving Phil heartbroken. On the rebound, Phil enters into a marriage of convenience with Nadia Borovac, Phil begins a romance with Kathy Beale, but Nadia returns, needing Phil to prove he is her husband to prevent deportation. She moves in with him while she is investigated, Nadia seduces and sleeps with a drunken Phil. He regrets it, denying it to Kathy so Grant threatens to kill her to make her leave, Kathy agrees to marry Phil in 1994 despite discovering that he torched Frank Butchers car lot in an insurance scam, accidentally killing a homeless boy trapped inside. Intent on winning him back, Sharon kisses Phil but he ends things there, during Phil and Kathys engagement party, Grant listens to a cassette of Sharon admitting to the affair and plays it at the party. Kathy is incensed, and Grant beats Phil so badly that he has to go to hospital, Phil undergoes surgery, which stirs remorse in Grant. He pressures Phil into blaming Sharon for their affair and Grant forces her to leave Walford, Phil and Grant make peace but things between them are not the same. Kathy and Phil eventually sort out their differences, marry, and have a son, Ben, making Phil feel neglected and depressed so he turns to alcohol and this makes him abusive and neglectful towards Kathy and Ben, so Kathy takes Ben and moves out
32.
Steve McFadden
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Steve McFadden is an English actor, best known for his role as hardman Phil Mitchell in the BBC soap opera EastEnders, which he has played since 1990. He was also the presenter of fighting series Britains Hardest, McFadden was born Steve Reid in the Maida Vale area of London on 20 March 1959, the only child of Robert and Barbara Mallet Reid. His parents separated soon afterwards and his mother married a man called John McFadden. He left school in 1975 and over the few years had short stints in jobs including labouring. None of these gave him much satisfaction, so he decided to sell his motorbike and hitch-hike around Europe. He spent several months camping out in Montpellier, France, on land earmarked for development as a football stadium. He then returned to London and felt that the city was too repressive for his liking, so he went to a Job Centre, McFaddens first job after his return to London was on the Acorn Project, a scheme for blind people which involved attending college. He gained O and A Level passes in Sociology and Politics before enrolling at North London Polytechnic on an Economics course, just seven weeks after starting, he decided that the course was not for him, and withdrew himself from university. After graduating from RADA in 1987 he made his debut playing a small role in the 1988 television film The Firm. That same year he had a brief appearance in the film Buster as a gang member. This was followed by appearances in the television series The Bill, Minder and he has also appeared in Kevin and Perry Go Large where he played a doorman. McFadden then became famous for playing hard man Phil Mitchell in the BBC soap opera EastEnders and he joined EastEnders at the beginning of 1990, at the same time as Ross Kemp, who played Phils younger brother Grant Mitchell. During that time, his character has been involved in numerous ratings-pulling storylines such as Sharongate in 1994, storyline in March 2001 where his character was shot and wounded by a mystery attacker. The identity of the attacker was revealed later as Phils girlfriend Lisa. McFadden made a appearance in the film Kevin & Perry Go Large in 2000. He left EastEnders in late 2003 for a break to concentrate on pantomimes. His character was out of the series after being framed for an armed robbery by Den Watts. During his break from EastEnders he presented the reality television fighting series Britains Hardest which was an underground competition aired on Sky One and he returned to EastEnders for two episodes in April 2005
33.
Sam Mitchell (EastEnders)
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Samantha Margaret Priscilla Sam Mitchell is a fictional character from the BBC One soap opera EastEnders. The third member of the Mitchell family to be introduced, Sam enters as a 15-year-old school girl in July 1990, Westbrook quit in 1993, but Sam was reintroduced from 1995–1996 and from 1999–2000. In both her 1996 and 2000 exits, Sam was written out earlier than the producers intended due to controversies surrounding Westbrook. In 2002, the character was reintroduced for a fourth time, Medcalf left the role in 2005. In an interview with Paul OGrady, Medcalf said she would never say never to a comeback, however, when executive producer Diederick Santer decided to reintroduce the character for a brief stint in 2009, he opted to bring Westbrook back. Portrayed as headstrong, flirty and manipulative, early storylines featuring Sam concentrate on her teen elopement to the character Ricky Butcher and she goes on to feature in storylines about topless modelling, various family crises, relationships, feuds, and a short-lived marriage to Andy Hunter. Her exit storyline in 2005 is the culmination of a storyline that sees the character wrongly imprisoned for Den Watts murder. In the on-screen events, Sam is cleared of murder and released and her return in 2010 and 2016 sees her struggle with motherhood after giving birth to Jacks baby. Sam is the youngest child and only daughter of Peggy and Eric Mitchell, Eric died when Sam was ten and she was subsequently on the receiving end of her brothers, Phil and Grants, heavy-handed paternalism. Fifteen-year-old Sam follows her brothers to Walford in July 1990, unhappy at home because she dislikes her mothers boyfriend and she becomes friends with Hattie Tavernier and dates Ricky Butcher. Sams family disapproves of the relationship, so Ricky and Sam decide to elope to Gretna Green in 1991, Peggy admits defeat and attends their more formal blessing in Walford a month later. This causes problems in Ricky and Sams relationship, which is already under strain as Ricky is unable to provide Sam with the lifestyle she desires. After just a year of marriage, Sam grows bored and begins lusting after a playboy named Clive whom she meets at a New Years Eve party with her friend Mandy Salter. After having an affair, Sam thinks she has fallen in love with Clive. Realising that her marriage with Ricky is over, Sam leaves her husband, Sam returns in 1995, after her brothers, on a boys holiday in Spain, catch her in bed with David Wicks, and force her to return. Sam had tried to build herself a career as a model, back in Walford Sam tries to continue her fling with David and when this goes nowhere she tries to come between Ricky and his girlfriend, Bianca Jackson. Initially Ricky thinks he still has feelings for Sam, but eventually realises he is better off with Bianca, however Sam wont take no for an answer and purposefully kisses an innocent Ricky in front of Bianca, causing them to split. Despite this, Ricky will not reconsider getting back with Sam, Sam is forced to admit defeat
