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141-571: The Mitchell family is a fictional family in the UK soap opera EastEnders . They were first introduced in February 1990, when brothers Phil ( Steve McFadden ) and Grant Mitchell ( Ross Kemp ) bought the local garage, the Arches. Their sister Sam ( Danniella Westbrook / Kim Medcalf ) was introduced later in 1990, and their mother Peggy ( Jo Warne ) shortly after in 1991, before being reintroduced as

282-481: A Radio Times interview, Doddington was vocal about her appreciation for Nicola being a "complex woman" who is "strong and completely unapolagetic about who she is". She also described her character as a "witty" and "intelligent" woman who "knows her mind and isn't intimidated by anyone or anything". Doddington noted Nicola's traits of preferring things to be easy and usually seeking opportunities to turn situations to her advantage. She concluded by detailing that "Nicola

423-585: A "face to rival a neon sign", holding a Yorkshire Terrier in one hand and a pint of Guinness in the other. Other characters created included Jewish doctor Harold Legg , the Anglo-Cypriot Osman family ( Ali , Sue and baby Hassan ), black father and son Tony and Kelvin Carpenter , single mother Mary Smith and Bangladeshi couple Saeed and Naima Jeffery . Jack, Pearl and Tracey Watts were created to bring "flash, trash, and melodrama" to

564-470: A close and continuing association between EastEnders and audience research, which, though commonplace today, was something of a revolution in practice. The show's creators were both Londoners, but when they researched Victorian squares, they found massive changes in areas they thought they knew well; however, delving further into the East End of London, they found exactly what they had been searching for:

705-473: A darker and more menacing character during the previous year, and five characters are suspected of being the culprit, who is revealed to be his ex-girlfriend Lisa Shaw ( Lucy Benjamin ). It is then Lisa gets pregnant with Phil's child, Louise . Lisa later takes Louise and emigrates to Portugal after her marriage to Mark Fowler ( Todd Carty ) ends. Phil follows her and returns with Louise in October 2002. Lisa

846-456: A distraction from your own life, it should be an exploration of the life shared by the audience and the characters." O'Connor planned to stay with EastEnders until the end of 2017, but announced his departure on 23 June 2017 with immediate effect, saying he wanted to concentrate on a career in film. John Yorke returned as a temporary executive consultant. Kent said, "John Yorke is a Walford legend and I am thrilled that he will be joining us for

987-476: A dominating force in Walford, quick to avenge any misdoings towards them. When Kathy fakes her death in early 2006 without anyone's knowledge, a 10-year-old Ben (now Charlie Jones ) comes to England to live with Phil. Phil gets engaged to Stella Crawford (Sophie Thompson), unaware that she was physically and mentally abusing Ben behind his back, which gets revealed on their wedding day. Stella commits suicide in

1128-512: A liver transplant. In 2017, Ronnie remarries Jack, but on the wedding night, she and Roxy drown in a hotel swimming pool. In April 2022, Sam (played by Kim Medcalf again) resurfaces to Walford. In January 2023, Sam's twelve-year-old son Ricky (Frankie Day) has a one-night stand with Stacey Slater ( Lacey Turner )'s twelve-year-old daughter Lily (Lillia Turner) resulting in Lily's pregnancy. Peggy Mitchell 's sister, Sal , occasionally appears but

1269-636: A major story line that follows Phil's ongoing battle with alcoholism and ends with Peggy's suicide due to terminal cancer. Throughout their time on the show, the Mitchells make several references to their late patriarch Eric ( George Russo ), who first appeared in 2022 during a flashback episode to 1979 and served as a recurring impact for most of the family members, especially Phil and Peggy. The flashback episode also introduced Billy's father Stephen (Dean Roberts/ Alan Ford ) and brother Charlie (Charlie Heptinstall); Charlie's son Jamie ( Jack Ryder ) becomes

1410-566: A meeting with the BBC. Everyone agreed that EastEnders would be tough, violent on occasion, funny and sharp—set in Margaret Thatcher 's Britain—and it would start with a bang (namely the death of Reg Cox ). They decided that none of their existing characters were wicked enough to have killed Reg, so a 24th character, Nick Cotton was added to the line-up. He was a racist thug, who often tried to lead other young characters astray. When all

1551-488: A new regime for EastEnders , giving the writers of the serial more authority in storyline progression, with the script department providing "guidance rather than prescriptive episode storylines". By the end of 1992, Greaves had left, and Lewis became executive and series producer. He left EastEnders in 1994 after the BBC controllers demanded an extra episode a week, taking its weekly airtime from 60 to 90 minutes. Lewis felt that producing an hour of "reasonable quality drama"

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1692-434: A police officer. Nicola quickly provides Harry with a false alibi, getting him released, but tensions escalate as Teddy Mitchell ( Roland Manookian ), her estranged ex-husband, reveals that she had lied about being abroad and was actually in prison for injecting unlicensed filler and stealing from him. This revelation turns their son Barney (Lewis Bridgeman) against her, and as she leaves, Nicola tells Harry that Penny played

1833-469: A powerful performance", adding that she was excited to see what future stories were to come for the character. Angie Quinn of Manchester Evening News reported that fans of the soap were "obsessed" with the character after her arrival, and noted examples of viewers "confessing their love" for the character via Twitter . The reveal of Nicola's past affair with Zack was deemed "scandalous" by Lewis Knight of Radio Times . Joe Anderton of Digital Spy billed

1974-458: A programme that was more in touch with the real world than it had been over the previous year. A new era began in 1990, with the introduction of Phil Mitchell ( Steve McFadden ) and Grant Mitchell ( Ross Kemp )—the Mitchell brothers—successful characters who would go on to dominate the soap thereafter. As the new production team cleared the way for new characters and a new direction, all of

2115-447: A real East End spirit, an inward-looking quality, a distrust of strangers and authority figures, a sense of territory and community that the creators summed up as "Hurt one of us and you hurt us all". When developing EastEnders , both Smith and Holland looked at influential models like Coronation Street , but they found that it offered a rather outdated and nostalgic view of working-class life. Only after EastEnders began, and featured

2256-444: A regular character in 1994, with the role recast to Barbara Windsor . Since then, the family has been significantly expanded to include both the immediate and extended families. Phil has been the longest running Mitchell on the show, and the family has expanded significantly in the years since, remaining a large presence on the square. The Mitchell's have mostly been associated with the ownership of local pub The Queen Victoria ; Peggy

2397-400: A role in his arrest. While plotting revenge against Penny, Nicola encounters Zack Hudson ( James Farrar ), a former fling, and they agree to keep their past relationship secret from Teddy. After some persuasion, Teddy reluctantly allows Nicola to stay in the basement of the house. Nicola later realises that Teddy is attempting to strike a deal with Phil Mitchell ( Steve McFadden ) to purchase

2538-419: A secret (" The Secret Mitchell "), until it is discovered by Archie. He manipulates her into thinking that Ronnie hated her and would reject her if she knew who she is. Archie and Peggy become engaged, and at the wedding reception Danielle reveals her true identity to Ronnie, who refuses to believe her, as Archie had stolen the locket that would have been proof to what Danielle was saying. However, Ronnie discovers

2679-644: A set that is outdoors and open to weather. In 2014, the BBC announced plans to rebuild the set entirely. Filming commenced on the new set in January 2022, and it was first used on-screen in March 2022. Demolition on the old set commenced in November 2022. EastEnders has received both praise and criticism for many of its storylines, which have dealt with difficult themes including violence, rape, murder and abuse. It has been criticised for various storylines, including

2820-466: A short period to oversee the show and to help us build on Sean's legacy while we recruit a long-term successor." Yorke initially returned for three months but his contract was later extended. In July 2018, a special episode was aired as part of a knife crime storyline. This episode, which showed the funeral of Shakil Kazemi ( Shaheen Jafargholi ) interspersed with real people talking about their true-life experiences of knife crime. On 8 August 2018, it

2961-452: A special episode which "broke new ground" and knife crime, both of which have created "vital" discussions. The soap won the award for Best Continuing Drama at the 2019 British Academy Television Awards ; its first high-profile award since 2016; however, in June 2019, EastEnders suffered its lowest ever ratings of 2.4 million due to its airing at 7 pm because of the BBC's coverage of

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3102-571: A stunt on the River Thames leading to the death of Dennis Rickman Jr ( Bleu Landau ). It was announced on 18 March 2020 that production had been suspended on EastEnders and other BBC Studios continuing dramas in light of new government guidelines following the COVID-19 pandemic , and that broadcast of the show would be reduced to two 30-minute episodes per week, broadcast on Mondays and Tuesdays, respectively. A spokesperson confirmed that

3243-598: A ward of Billy and later is killed off on Christmas Day 2002. As of 2024, a total of thirteen Mitchell blood relatives appear on the program: Phil; his sons Raymond Dawkins and Albie Watts ; Ben's daughter Lexi Pearce (Isabella Brown); Sam's son Ricky (Frankie Day) and his daughter Charli Slater ; Roxy's daughter Amy ( Ellie Dadd ); Phil’s cousins Billy ( Perry Fenwick ) and Teddy ( Roland Manookian ); Billy's children Janet (Grace) and Will (Freddie Phillips), and Teddy's children Harry (Elijah Holloway) and Barney (Lewis Bridgeman). There are others that marry into

3384-504: A week was the maximum that any broadcasting system could generate without loss of integrity. Having set up the transition to the new schedule, the first trio of episodes—dubbed The Vic siege—marked Lewis's departure from the programme. Barbara Emile then became the Executive Producer of EastEnders , remaining with EastEnders until early 1995. She was succeeded by Corinne Hollingworth . Hollingworth's contributions to

3525-504: Is Ben's daughter. Phil forms an attachment to Lexi following Ben's arrest and double-crosses Lola, pretending to help her regain custody of Lexi while really wanting to keep Lexi himself. He eventually hands Lexi back. Sharon, now Sharon Rickman, returns in 2012 and begins a relationship with Phil after her engagement to Jack fails. Ronnie is released from prison in 2013. Billy resumes custody of Janet in 2014 when Honey moves to Canada with William. Roxy briefly marries Alfie, but their marriage

3666-459: Is a 19th-century street, named after Prince Albert (1819–1861), the husband of Queen Victoria (1819–1901, reigned 1837–1901). Thus, central to Albert Square is The Queen Victoria Public House (also known as The Queen Vic or The Vic). The show's producers based the square's design on Fassett Square in Dalston . There is also a market close to Fassett Square at Ridley Road . The postcode for

3807-431: Is also considered to be part of the family. Following the Mitchells' arrival in 1990, Phil starts an affair with Grant's wife, Sharon Watts , in 1992 (" Sharongate "). Samantha "Sam" Mitchell ( Danniella Westbrook ) stays with her brothers to escape overbearing Peggy. Their father Eric had died five years earlier. After the affair is discovered in October 1994, Sharon and Grant divorce, and Grant and Phil's mother Peggy

3948-438: Is also dying from a relapse of breast cancer. Phil finds Louise, only to be rushed to a hospital shortly after. Phil's drinking worsens, and he destroys the car lot that leads to Louise nearly losing her life. In 2016, Peggy commits suicide rather than face a slow death from cancer; Grant discovers he has a son with Michelle Fowler ( Jenna Russell ), named Marcus ( Ned Porteous ); and Phil remains sober for long enough to receive

4089-494: Is annulled when she realises on their wedding day that he is still in love with Kat. In the aftermath of her rejection, Roxy enters into a relationship with Carl White ( Daniel Coonan ), who has a troubled relationship with Phil, after sending him to the hospital earlier in the year as part of his plan to put Max Branning ( Jake Wood ) in prison. Ronnie tries to warn Roxy about Carl, but he attacks her, being killed by her in self-defence when he threatens to rape her. She disposes of

4230-445: Is arrested in 2003. He escapes prison and goes on the run from the police for over a year. Following Phil's departure, Sam (now Kim Medcalf ) takes control of the Mitchell empire, and a feud forms between Sam and the remaining Mitchells against Den Watts and his family in 2004. The Mitchell empire falls when Den blackmails their old friend of the family, Marcus Christie ( Stephen Churchett ), into scamming them of all their assets. Den

4371-478: Is born in 1996, but he contracts meningitis, which leaves him partially deaf. Whilst in France, Phil confesses to Kathy that he has slept with Lorna Cartwright ( Janet Dibley ), and they divorce in 1999. Kathy emigrates to South Africa with Ben in 1998. Grant marries Tiffany Raymond ( Martine McCutcheon ) in 1996, and they have a daughter, Courtney , who is born in early 1997. After a problematic marriage, Tiffany

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4512-501: Is exposed. Phil is sent to prison, but found not guilty. Ben panics about his father's return, and kills Shirley's best friend Heather Trott ( Cheryl Fergison ) while arguing with her. Phil covers up the death, despite Shirley's devastation at her friend's death. Ben's crime is exposed several months later and he is sent to prison, while Shirley ends her relationship with Phil. Lola is accused of not being able to care for her baby, Lexi , and Phil takes custody of her when he finds out she

4653-561: Is introduced as the new landlady of the Queen Vic, replacing Sharon, who had lived in the pub all her life, but leaves Walford to live in America with her mother. In 1993, Phil marries Romanian immigrant Nadia Borovac (Anna Barkan) to let her stay in the country, but starts a relationship with Kathy Beale ( Gillian Taylforth ) at the same time. In order to marry her, Phil divorces Nadia, and he and Kathy marry in 1995. Their son, Ben ,

4794-454: Is killed in a hit-and-run accident. Peggy marries Frank Butcher ( Mike Reid ) in 1999, but they divorce two years later due to Frank having an affair with Peggy's best friend and Frank's ex-wife Pat Evans ( Pam St Clement ). Soon enough Grant leaves in October 1999 to start a new life in Brazil with Courtney. The extended Mitchell family is introduced in 1998; Jamie Mitchell ( Jack Ryder )

4935-549: Is murdered in 2005, but Sam witnesses the death and keeps it secret for several months. When Den's killer, his estranged wife Chrissie ( Tracy-Ann Oberman ), begins manipulating everyone into thinking Sam was insane, Sam digs up Den's body from the Vic cellar to try and expose Chrissie, only to be arrested for the murder herself. Phil and Grant return from Brazil to clear her name, and she follows them back to Brazil once that happens. The Mitchell brothers return in October 2005 and become

5076-438: Is not Amy's father, resulting in their divorce. Billy marries Honey Edwards ( Emma Barton ), and have two children together: Janet, who has Down's Syndrome, and William. Billy and Honey divorce several years later, and Honey moves away with the children. Danielle Jones ( Lauren Crace ) arrives in the square in 2008, and is soon revealed to be the daughter Ronnie gave up for adoption many years earlier. Danielle keeps her identity

5217-555: Is not a blood relation to the main Mitchell family. Tucker Mitchell was referenced at Sal's funeral in 2024. The Mitchells won the Best Family accolade at the 2006 Inside Soap Awards . They received a nomination in the same category at the 2009 ceremony. In 2019, Rebecca Koncienzcy of the Liverpool Echo called the Mitchells "one of the soap's most iconic families", and said: "The Mitchells have dominated storylines in

5358-635: Is not a woman's woman, and she's just not interested in women, not interested in female friendships, not interested in that support network". She further noted that Nicola is "used to getting what she wants", having never learned as a child not to expect such. Radio Times writer Helen Daly called the character a "fiery bombshell" and was surprised by Nicola's tendency to be a "troublemaker" and noted that she had many "tricks up her sleeve". The character's backstory states that she and Teddy married young and discovered themselves while being together, before divorcing. Their lengthy history together lead them to gain

5499-481: Is pregnant; she initially lies and says that the child is Ricky Butcher's (Sid Owen) to try and reconcile with him, but Ronnie exposes that the baby is the son of her now fiancé Jack Branning: Ronnie and Jack married in November 2010 and Ronnie gave birth to their son James in late December. However, days after he was born he died of sudden infant death syndrome , and she swaps her dead child with Kat and Alfie's newborn son. She does not reveal her actions until April 2011;

5640-556: Is released from prison in September, and began to stalk Phil when the latter refuses to accept that he is gay, sending him threatening notes for several months. Billy's granddaughter Lola Pearce ( Danielle Harold ) is introduced as a new teenage troublemaker, and is impregnated by Ben, her distant relative, when they test his sexuality. Ben's stalking is revealed when D.C.I. Jill Marsden ( Sophie Stanton ) returns to arrest him and accuses him of murdering Stella Crawford after her abuse

5781-475: Is reported missing, which causes the police to suspect Phil of murdering her. Kate Morton ( Jill Halfpenny ), Phil's third wife, betrays her job as an undercover cop due to her feelings for Phil. He marries her in 2003 but Lisa returns on their wedding day, scheming to kill Phil despite her appearance as a reformed character. After convincing Lisa not to kill Phil, Den Watts ( Leslie Grantham ) helps her take her revenge by setting Phil up for armed robbery, and he

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5922-535: Is taken in by Phil as he flees from his abusive guardian and uncle, Billy Mitchell ( Perry Fenwick ). Billy, Phil and Grant's cousin, moves to Walford as well, and becomes a lackey for the Mitchell brothers and their schemes. Jamie is killed off in December 2002, while Billy remains a regular after being reformed. In the spring of 2001, Phil is at the center of the Who Shot Phil? story line. Phil had become

6063-454: The 2010 baby swap storyline , which attracted over 6,000 complaints, as well as complaints of showing too much violence and allegations of national and racial stereotypes. However, EastEnders has also been commended for representing real-life issues and spreading awareness on social topics. The cast and crew of the show have received and been nominated for various awards . In March 1983, under two years before EastEnders ' first episode

6204-528: The 2019 FIFA Women's World Cup . As of 2019, the soap is one of the most watched series on BBC iPlayer and averages around 5 million viewers per episode. The soap enjoyed a record-breaking year on the streaming platform in 2019, with viewers requesting to stream or download the show 234 million times, up 10% on 2018. The Christmas Day episode in 2019 became EastEnders biggest ever episode on BBC iPlayer, with 2.14 million viewer requests. In February 2020, EastEnders celebrated its 35th anniversary with

6345-433: The 28th National Television Awards under his leadership. On 26 September 2024, it was announced Clenshaw would step down as series executive producer in February 2025, following the soap's 40th anniversary; Ben Wadey was announced as his successor. The central focus of EastEnders is the fictional Victorian square Albert Square in the fictional London Borough of Walford . In the show's narrative, Albert Square

6486-520: The District and Hammersmith & City lines. Walford has the postal district of E20. It was named as if Walford were part of the actual E postcode area which covers much of east London, the E standing for Eastern . E20 was entirely fictional when it was created, as London East postal districts stopped at E18 at the time. The show's creators opted for E20 instead of E19 as it was thought to sound better. In March 2011, Royal Mail allocated

6627-612: The Tasmanian Devil ". After her introduction, Nicola received positive reception for her strong personality and Doddington's performance, with Helen Daly of Radio Times calling the character a "breath of fresh air". Nicola arrives in Walford after being tipped off about her son Harry 's ( Elijah Holloway ) arrest, and immediately confronts his girlfriend, Penny Branning ( Kitty Castledine ), suspecting her involvement due to her father, Jack Branning ( Scott Maslen ) being

6768-466: The theme music and Alan Jeapes created the visuals. The visual images were taken from an aircraft flying over the East End of London at 1000 feet. Approximately 800 photographs were taken and pieced together to create one big image. The credits were later updated when the Millennium Dome was built. The launch was delayed until February 1985 due to a delay in the chat show Wogan , that

6909-591: The 23 characters needed, in just 14 days. They took a holiday in Playa de los Pocillos, Lanzarote , and started to create the characters. Holland created the Beale and Fowler family , drawing on his own background. His mother, Ethel Holland, was one of four sisters raised in Walthamstow. Her eldest sister, Lou, had married a man named Albert Beale and had two children, named Peter and Pauline. These family members were

7050-406: The BBC launched a new advertising campaign using the slogan "There's more to EastEnders ". The first television advert showed Dot Branning with a refugee baby, Tomas , whom she took in under the pretence of being her grandson. The second and third featured Stacey Slater and Dawn Swann, respectively. There have also been adverts in magazines and on radio. In 2009, producers introduced a limit on

7191-505: The E20 postal district to the 2012 Olympic Park . In September 2011, the postcode for Albert Square was revealed in an episode as E20 6PQ. EastEnders is built around the idea of relationships and strong families, with each character having a place in the community. 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

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7332-870: The Executive Producer of EastEnders in 2000. Yorke was given the task of introducing the soap's fourth weekly episode. He axed the majority of the Di Marco family, except Beppe di Marco ( Michael Greco ), and helped introduce popular characters such as the Slater family . As what Mal Young described as "two of EastEnders' most successful years", Yorke was responsible for highly rated storylines such as " Who Shot Phil? ", Ethel Skinner 's ( Gretchen Franklin ) death, Jim Branning ( John Bardon ) and Dot Cotton 's ( June Brown ) marriage, Trevor Morgan 's ( Alex Ferns ) domestic abuse of his wife Little Mo Morgan ( Kacey Ainsworth ), and Kat Slater 's ( Jessie Wallace ) revelation to her daughter Zoe Slater ( Michelle Ryan ) that she

7473-581: The ITV network) was very different in style and approach from EastEnders . The British Film Institute described Market in Honey Lane thus: "It was not an earth-shaking programme, and certainly not pioneering in any revolutionary ideas in technique and production, but simply proposed itself to the casual viewer as a mildly pleasant affair." The target launch date was originally January 1985. Smith and Holland had eleven months in which to write, cast and shoot

7614-457: The Queen Vic on the former College Park Hotel pub in Willesden at the end of Scrubs Lane at the junction with Harrow Road NW10 just a couple of miles from BBC Television Centre. Walford East is a fictional London Underground station for Walford, and a tube map that was first seen on air in 1996 showed Walford East between Bow Road and West Ham , in the actual location of Bromley-by-Bow on

7755-448: The Queen Vic pub. On Christmas Day 2009, Archie is murdered by an unknown assailant (" Who Killed Archie? "). Phil, Peggy, Sam, Ronnie, and Billy are all suspects in the murder, but in the following February Stacey Branning ( Lacey Turner ) is revealed to be the murderer. Following Archie's death, Ronnie and Roxy's mother, Glenda ( Glynis Barber ) is introduced, having come to reunite with her girls after leaving them as teenagers due to

7896-403: The Queen Vic, but he escapes and sets the pub on fire. Phil nearly dies and Peggy is devastated when the pub burns down (" Queen Vic Fire Week "). Realising how her controlling behaviour made Phil the way he is, Peggy leaves Walford and hands the pub over to Phil. He rents it out to Alfie ( Shane Richie ) and Kat Moon ( Jessie Wallace ). Sam returns to Walford in late 2010 and reveals that she

8037-497: The Square (they were later renamed Den , Angie and Sharon ). The characters of Andy O'Brien and Debbie Wilkins were created to show a modern couple with outwardly mobile pretensions, and Lofty Holloway to show an outsider; someone who did not fit in with other residents. It was decided that he would be a former soldier, as Holland's personal experiences of ex-soldiers were that they had trouble fitting into society after being in

8178-481: The UK, prohibiting the "promotion of homosexuality" by local authorities , by the first on-the-mouth gay kiss in a British soap when Colin kissed a new character, Guido Smith (Nicholas Donovan), an episode that was watched by 17 million people. Writer Colin Brake suggested that 1989 was a year of big change for EastEnders , both behind the cameras and in front of them. Original production designer Keith Harris left

8319-406: The ability to "press each other's buttons" easily, being able to predict what would happen as a result. Regarding the character's relationship with Teddy, Clenshaw commented that they had a "complicated history". Doddington commented that their divorce helped Nicola examine her behaviour, and that she wanted "her family back as a unit". She said that Nicola still harbored feelings for Teddy, despite

8460-401: The aftermath. The wedding introduces Phil's cousins, Ronnie ( Samantha Womack ) and Roxy Mitchell ( Rita Simons ), as wild and fun-loving sisters from Ibiza, who buy the local club, R&R. They are the daughter of Eric's brother, Archie ( Larry Lamb ), who is introduced in 2008, and has a good relationship with Roxy but a bad one with Ronnie; the reason behind the latter is that Archie had

8601-481: The all-time top 10 most-watched programmes in the UK, including the number one spot, when over 30 million watched the 1986 Christmas Day episode. EastEnders has been important in the history of British television drama, tackling many subjects that are considered to be controversial or taboo in British culture , and portraying a social life previously unseen on UK mainstream television. Since co-creator Holland

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8742-564: The area, E8 , was one of the working 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 railway bridge is based upon one near BBC Television Centre which carries the Hammersmith & City line over Wood Lane W12, and

8883-491: The army. When they compared the characters they had created, Smith and Holland realised they had created a cross-section of East End residents. The Beale and Fowler family represented the old families of the East End, who had always been there. The Osmans, Jefferys and Carpenters represented the more modern diverse ethnic community of the East End. Debbie, Andy and Mary represented more modern-day individuals. Once they had decided on their 23 characters, they returned to London for

9024-461: The award-winning soap for decades and show no sign of stopping with the Sharon's affair with Keanu set to explode this Christmas." The Mitchell family was longlisted for "Best Family" for the 2023 Inside Soap Awards . EastEnders EastEnders is a British television soap opera created by Julia Smith and Tony Holland which has been broadcast on BBC One since February 1985. Set in

9165-548: The baby Ronnie had as a teenager adopted out against her will. Archie and Peggy, once his sister-in-law, start a relationship soon after he moves to Walford. Roxy and Ronnie's relationship becomes complicated when Roxy has a one-night stand with Ronnie's on-off boyfriend, Jack Branning ( Scott Maslen ), and gets pregnant, giving birth to a daughter that she names Amy Mitchell that November. Suzy Branning ( Maggie O'Neill ), Phil's latest girlfriend, reveals on Christmas Day 2008 that Roxy's husband, Sean Slater ( Robert Kazinsky ),

9306-402: The basis for Lou Beale , Pete Beale and Pauline Fowler . Holland also created Pauline's unemployed husband Arthur Fowler , their children Mark and Michelle , Pete's wife Kathy and their son Ian . Smith used her personal memories of East End residents she met when researching Victorian squares. Ethel Skinner was based on an old woman she met in a pub, with ill-fitting false teeth, and

9447-456: The body and tells Phil what she did. Phil sells the Queen Vic to Mick Carter ( Danny Dyer ), unaware that he is Shirley's brother. Phil and Sharon become engaged when she is badly injured in an attack on Phil's bar, The Albert, which she runs. Phil was behind the attack, and wanted to scare Sharon into becoming more reliant on him, and he proposes out of guilt. Ronnie discovers she is pregnant and leaves Walford. Ben (now Harry Reid ) returns for

9588-697: The breakdown of her and Archie's marriage. Sam returns, is promptly arrested, and is sent to prison for her part in Den's murder. Louise is reintroduced when Lisa abandons her on Phil's doorstep. she is abused by Ben, who is still scarred by Stella's abuse. He is sent to juvenile detention when he attacks Jordan Johnson ( Michael-Joel David Stuart ). The stress of these events cause Phil to become addicted to cocaine , ending his long-term relationship with Shirley Carter ( Linda Henry ). Peggy takes Louise back to live with Lisa, which ruins her relationship with Phil. Determined to help her son break his addiction, she locks Phil in

9729-420: The challenges in production and filming of the show has led to the show's reduced output, but also stated that the crew had been "trialing techniques, filming methods and new ways of working" to prepare the show for its return. Filming recommenced on 29 June, with episodes airing from 7 September 2020. On 9 April 2021, following the death of Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh , the episode of EastEnders that

9870-417: The characters had been created, Smith and Holland set about casting the actors, which also involved the input of lead director Matthew Robinson , who supervised auditions with the other directors at the outset, Vivienne Cozens and Peter Edwards. Through the next few months, the set was growing rapidly at Elstree, and a composer and designer had been commissioned to create the title sequence. Simon May wrote

10011-520: The characters introduced under Gibbon were axed from the show at the start of the year. Ferguson introduced other characters and was responsible for storylines including HIV, Alzheimer's disease and murder. After a successful revamp of the soap, Ferguson decided to leave EastEnders in July 1991. Ferguson was succeeded by both Leonard Lewis and Helen Greaves , who initially shared the role as Executive Producer for EastEnders . Lewis and Greaves formulated

10152-433: The characters of Tony Carpenter and Kelvin Carpenter , did Coronation Street start to feature black characters, for example. They came to the conclusion that Coronation Street had grown old with its audience, and that EastEnders would have to attract a younger, more socially extensive audience, ensuring that it had the longevity to retain it for many years thereafter. They also looked at Brookside , but found there

10293-501: The death of Bradley Branning ( Charlie Clements ) at the conclusion of the " Who Killed Archie? " storyline, which saw Bradley's wife Stacey Slater ( Lacey Turner ) reveal that she was the murderer. Viewing figures peaked at 16.6 million, which was the highest viewed episode in seven years. Other events to mark the anniversary were a spin-off DVD, EastEnders: Last Tango in Walford , and an Internet spin-off, EastEnders: E20 . Santer officially left EastEnders in March 2010, and

10434-473: The decision was made to reduce transmission so that EastEnders could remain on-screen for longer. Two months later, Charlotte Moore , the director of content at the BBC, announced plans for a return to production. She confirmed that EastEnders would return to filming during June 2020 and that there would be a transmission break between episodes filmed before and after production paused. When production recommenced, social distancing measures were utilised and

10575-502: The departure of two of the soap's most popular characters, Den and Angie Watts ( Anita Dobson ), left a void in the programme, which needed to be filled. In addition, several other long-running characters left the show that year, including Sue and Ali Osman ( Sandy Ratcliff and Nejdet Salih ) and their family; Donna Ludlow ( Matilda Ziegler ); Carmel Jackson ( Judith Jacob ) and Colin Russell ( Michael Cashman ). Brake indicated that

10716-427: The family like Phil's ex-wives Kat Slater ( Jessie Wallace ), Sharon Watts ( Letitia Dean ) and Kathy Beale ( Gillian Taylforth ). Billy’s ex-wife Honey Mitchell ( Emma Barton ), Teddy’s ex-wife Nicola Mitchell (Laura Doddington) and Ben's husband Callum ( Tony Clay ), while Ben's best friend, who he considers a brother, and Billy's foster son Jay Brown ( Jamie Borthwick ), sometimes credited as Jay Mitchell,

10857-522: The father of her newborn son Matthew Mitchell-Cotton . She also discovers that Vincent Hubbard ( Richard Blackwood ) is a police informant working to take down the Mitchells, but she and Phil take him down. In his drunken downward spiral, Phil drunkenly causes a car crash which hospilatises Sharon's young son Denny. An enranged Sharon subsequently leaves Phil, who is told he had months to live due to cirrhosis . Phil then tracks down his daughter Louise (now Tilly Keeper ) to right wrongs, and learns that Peggy

10998-458: The feel of the week is active and exciting and not too reflective. There'll be those moments for some of our longer-serving characters that briefly reflect on themselves and how they've changed. The characters don't know that it's the 25th anniversary of anything, so it'd be absurd to contrive too many situations in which they're reflective on the past. The main engine of that week is great stories that'll get people talking." The live episode featured

11139-559: The fictional borough of Walford in the East End of London , the programme follows the stories of local residents and their families as they go about their daily lives. Within eight months of the show's original launch, it had reached the number one spot in BARB 's television ratings, and has consistently remained among the top-rated series in Britain. Four EastEnders episodes are listed in

11280-533: The first two episodes consolidating to ratings of 13.21 to 13.34 million viewers. On Friday 11 November 2005, EastEnders was the first British drama to feature a two-minute silence. This episode later went on to win British Soap Award for "Best Single Episode". In October 2006, Diederick Santer took over as Executive Producer of EastEnders . He introduced several characters to the show, including ethnic minority and homosexual characters to make

11421-430: The local wine bar , Peggy's, but she manages to beat him to it, securing the deal and frustrating Teddy. After being alluded to on several occations, it was announced on 2 October 2024 that actress Laura Doddington had been cast as Nicola Mitchell, the ex-wife of recently established character Teddy Mitchell (Manookian) and mother of his sons Harry (Holloway) and Barney Mitchell (Bridgeman). Doddington explained that she

11562-422: The locket in her wine glass, and heads off to reunite with her daughter, who is killed by Janine Butcher 's ( Charlie Brooks ) speeding car. Sam (played by Danniella Westbrook again) returns in 2009. The Mitchells bail her out, but when she flees Walford a few months later, they lose their bail money, which cause them to go bankrupt. Archie and his new girlfriend, Janine, prey on their vulnerability and take over

11703-563: The media began investigating the private lives of the show's popular stars. Within days, a scandalous headline appeared – "EASTENDERS STAR IS A KILLER". This referred to Leslie Grantham , and his prison sentence for the murder of a taxi driver in an attempted robbery nearly 20 years earlier. This shocking tell-all style set the tone for relations between Albert Square and the press for the next 20 years. The show's first episode attracted some 17   million viewers, and it continued to attract high viewing figures from then on. By Christmas 1985,

11844-429: The names of his own family for the characters. Nicola Mitchell Across her stint, Nicola has been portrayed as a headstrong and resilient mother, but with a more cunning and possessive side. Doddington grew up as a fan of the show, so was excited to be cast, with the announcement being released to press in early October 2024. Teasing how her character would arrive, Doddington teased that Nicola would come in "like

11985-417: The new era of EastEnders ." EastEnders started broadcasting in high definition on 25 December 2010. Old sets had to be rebuilt, so The Queen Victoria set was burnt down in a storyline (and in reality) to facilitate this. In November 2011, a storyline showed character Billy Mitchell , played by Perry Fenwick , selected to be a torch bearer for the 2012 Summer Olympics . In reality, Fenwick carried

12126-460: The number of speaking parts in each episode due to budget cuts, with an average of 16 characters per episode. The decision was criticised by Martin McGrath of Equity, who said: "Trying to produce quality TV on the cheap is doomed to fail." The BBC responded by saying they had been working that way for some time and it had not affected the quality of the show. From 4 February 2010, CGI was used in

12267-404: The pre- EastEnders figure of seven million, though EastEnders then climbed to highs of up to 23   million later on in the year. Following the launch, both group discussions and telephone surveys were conducted to test audience reaction to early episodes. Press coverage of EastEnders , which was already intense, went into overdrive once the show was broadcast. With public interest so high,

12408-465: The private lives of the cast. Anticipation and rumour grew in equal measure until the first transmission at 7   p.m. on 19 February 1985. Neither Holland nor Smith could watch; they both instead returned to the place where it all began, Albertine's Wine Bar on Wood Lane. The next day, viewing figures were confirmed at 17   million. The reviews were largely favourable, although, after three weeks on air, BBC1's early evening share had returned to

12549-416: The production team decided that 1989 was to be a year of change in Walford, commenting, "it was almost as if Walford itself was making a fresh start". By the end of 1989, EastEnders had acquired a new executive producer, Michael Ferguson , who had previously been a successful producer on ITV 's The Bill . Brake suggested that Ferguson was responsible for bringing in a new sense of vitality and creating

12690-421: The recast of Amy Mitchell ( Ellie Dadd ), as well as the reintroduction of Cindy Beale ( Michelle Collins ), who returned from the dead after 25 years. Public opinion on Clenshaw then changed and he has been credited for improving ratings and garnering critical acclaim for the soap, with EastEnders winning the award for Best British Soap at the 2023 British Soap Awards and the award for Serial Drama at

12831-416: The remainder of Walford "at [her] mercy". Press releases noted Nicola's determination to "stand her ground". Lewis Knight of Radio Times called her a "dynamic newcomer" and a "feisty new Mitchell matriarch". Colleague Laura Denby called the character "chaotic" and "fiery". Doddington detailed that Nicola was very "protective" over her children, and was always ready and willing to "fight for them". In

12972-527: The show "feel more 21st Century". Santer also reintroduced past and popular characters to the programme. On 2 March 2007, BBC signed a deal with Google to put videos on YouTube. A behind the scenes video of EastEnders , hosted by Matt Di Angelo , who played Deano Wicks on the show, was put on the site the same day, and was followed by another on 6 March 2007. In April 2007, EastEnders became available to view on mobile phones , via 3G technology, for 3 , Vodafone and Orange customers. On 21 April 2007,

13113-634: The show for the first time, with the addition of computer-generated trains. EastEnders celebrated its 25th anniversary on 19 February 2010. Santer came up with several plans to mark the occasion, including the show's first episode to be broadcast live , the second wedding between Ricky Butcher ( Sid Owen ) and Bianca Jackson ( Patsy Palmer ) and the return of Bianca's relatives, mother Carol Jackson ( Lindsey Coulson ), and siblings Robbie Jackson ( Dean Gaffney ), Sonia Fowler ( Natalie Cassidy ) and Billie Jackson ( Devon Anderson ). He told entertainment website Digital Spy , "It's really important that

13254-567: The show has been broadcast every weekday from Monday to Thursday in a 7:30 pm slot, making it the first time in the show's history that the programme began airing permanently on Wednesdays. On 2 June 2022, EastEnders aired an episode celebrating the Platinum Jubilee of Elizabeth II . Charles, Prince of Wales and Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall guest starred in the episode; it also marked the first executive producer credit for Clenshaw. Clenshaw's first major decision as executive producer

13395-416: The show now." He said that " EastEnders has always had a distinctly different tone from the other soaps but over time we've diluted our unique selling point. I think we need to be ourselves and go back to the origins of the show and what made it successful in the first place. It should be entertaining but it should also be informative—that's part of our unique BBC compact with the audience. It shouldn't just be

13536-506: The show" in the absence of the show. Jon Sen , the show's executive producer , expressed his excitement at the new series, dubbing it "a unique opportunity to see from the cast themselves just what it is like to be part of EastEnders ". Plans for the show's return to transmission were announced on 12 June 2020. It was confirmed that after the transmission break, the show would temporarily broadcast four 20-minute episodes per week, until it could return to its normal output. Sen explained that

13677-431: The show's 20th anniversary episode, " Get Johnny Week ", " The Secret Mitchell ", " Who Killed Archie? ", and " Who Killed Lucy Beale? " scenarios. In 2010, EastEnders celebrated Windsor's exit from the soap with " Queen Vic Fire Week ", in which a fire engulfs the long-standing pub and risks the lives of Walford regulars, including Peggy and Phil. In 2016, Windsor, Kemp, and Westbrook briefly reprised their roles as part of

13818-484: The show's 30th anniversary in 2015 with a week of live episodes . Treadwell-Collins announced his departure from EastEnders on 18 February 2016. Sean O'Connor , former EastEnders series story producer and then-editor on radio soap opera The Archers , was announced to be taking over the role. Treadwell-Collins left on 6 May and O'Connor's first credited episode was broadcast on 11 July Although O'Connor's first credited episode aired in July, his own creative work

13959-450: The show's cast were required to do their own hair and make-up, which is normally done by a make-up artist. It was announced on 3 June 2020 that EastEnders would go on a transmission break following the broadcast of episode 6124 on 16 June. A behind-the-scenes show, EastEnders: Secrets From The Square , will air in the show's place during the transmission break and is hosted by television personality Stacey Dooley . The first episode of

14100-458: The show, and Holland and Smith both decided that the time had come to move on too, their final contribution coinciding with the exit of one of EastEnders' most successful characters, Den Watts ( Leslie Grantham ). Producer Mike Gibbon was given the task of running the show, and he enlisted the most experienced writers to take over the storylining of the programme, including Charlie Humphreys, Jane Hollowood and Tony McHale . According to Brake,

14241-420: The soap was criticised for its boring storylines and its lowest-ever figures pointing at around 4.8 million. Dominic Treadwell-Collins was appointed as the new executive producer on 19 August 2013 and was credited on 9 December. He axed multiple characters from the show and introduced the extended Carter family. He also introduced a long-running storyline, " Who Killed Lucy Beale? ", which peaked during

14382-516: The soap were awarded in 1997 when EastEnders won the BAFTA for Best Drama Series. Hollingworth shared the award with the next Executive Producer, Jane Harris . Harris was responsible for the critically panned Ireland episodes and Cindy Beale 's ( Michelle Collins ) attempted assassination of Ian Beale ( Adam Woodyatt ), which brought in an audience of 23 million in 1996, roughly four million more than Coronation Street . In 1998 Matthew Robinson

14523-476: The storyline was initially intended to continue for a longer period of time, but the baby-swap storyline was brought to an early end due to a public outcry. Ronnie is sent to prison in June 2011. Phil has an affair with Glenda behind Shirley's back. In January 2011, he has a heart attack, and asks Shirley to marry him, but on their wedding day he calls it off. Glenda leaves Walford after having been rejected by Ronnie and Roxy for her actions. Ben (now Joshua Pascoe )

14664-475: The streaming service would be beneficial for fans of the show who want to watch at their own chosen pace. Sen also confirmed that the episodes will still air on BBC One throughout the week. The release of these boxsets was extended for a further five weeks, due to similar impacts caused by the 2020 Summer Olympics . On 12 October 2021, it was announced that EastEnders would partake in a special week-long crossover event involving multiple British soaps to promote

14805-435: The tabloids could not get enough of the soap. "Exclusives" about EastEnders storylines and the actors on the show became a staple of tabloid buyers' daily reading. In 1987, the show featured the first same-sex kiss on a British soap, when Colin Russell ( Michael Cashman ) kissed boyfriend Barry Clark ( Gary Hailes ) on the forehead. This was followed in January 1989, less than a year after legislation came into effect in

14946-521: The topic of climate change ahead of the 2021 United Nations Climate Change Conference . During the week, beginning from 1 November, a social media clip featuring Maria Connor ( Samia Longchambon ) from Coronation Street was featured on the programme while Cindy Cunningham ( Stephanie Waring ) from Hollyoaks was also referenced. Similar clips featuring the show's own characters, Bailey Baker (Kara-Leah Fernandes) and Peter Beale (Dayle Hudson), were featured on Doctors and Emmerdale during

15087-413: The torch through the setting of Albert Square, with live footage shown in the episode on 23 July 2012 . This was the second live broadcast of EastEnders . In 2012, Kirkwood chose to leave his role as executive producer and was replaced by Lorraine Newman . The show lost many of its significant characters during this period. Newman stepped down as executive producer after 16 months in the job in 2013 after

15228-443: The two being dysfunctional during their marriage, and Nicola's annoyance towards losing her ability to "manipulate" and stay "one step ahead [of]" Teddy. After learning of Teddy's flirtation with Sharon Watts (Dean), Doddington said Nicola and Sharon would "clash right away" as Nicola was determined to do "whatever it takes" to get Teddy back, so would try her best to "scupper" their relationship. Nicola's "highly anticipated" arrival

15369-559: The wedding, along with Ronnie, who is sent by Peggy to stop the proceedings. She fails and Phil and Sharon marry. Their marriage is rocky; Kathy is revealed to have faked her death and returns, while her husband Gavin Sullivan ( Paul Nicholas ) makes Phil become addicted to alcohol again. Billy reunites with Honey when she returns from Canada, and Roxy leaves for a while to get over her attempted rape by Dean Wicks ( Matt Di Angelo ). Ronnie briefly marries Charlie Cotton ( Declan Bennett ),

15510-436: The week features exclusive interviews with the show's cast, while the second episode will be a repeat of "iconic" episodes of the show. Beginning on 22 June 2020, Dooley interviews two cast members together in the show's restaurant set while observing social distancing measures. Kate Phillips, the controller of BBC Entertainment , explained that EastEnders: Secrets From The Square would be the "perfect opportunity to celebrate

15651-414: The week. In November 2021, it was announced that Sen would step down from his role as executive producer, and would be succeeded by former story producer Chris Clenshaw . Sen's final credited episode as executive producer was broadcast on 10 March 2022 and coincided in a week of episodes that saw the arrest of serial killer Gray Atkins ( Toby-Alexander Smith ). From the week commencing on 7 March 2022,

15792-499: The whole thing; however, in February 1984, they did not even have a title or a place to film. Both Smith and Holland were unhappy about the January 1985 launch date, favouring November or even September 1984 when seasonal audiences would be higher, but the BBC stayed firm, and Smith and Holland had to concede that, with the massive task of getting the Elstree Studios operational, January was the most realistic date; however, this

15933-426: Was "bizarre" but "exciting". Doddington considered herself lucky to be cast as a member of an extension to the soap's Mitchell family , as she enjoyed the company of her fellow actors. She compared the working environment to that of a theatre company due to how encouraging the cast were to each other. Executive producer Chris Clenshaw expressed excitement to introduce Nicola and explore her dynamic with Teddy. It

16074-497: Was a lack of central meeting points for the characters, making it difficult for the writers to intertwine different storylines, so EastEnders was set in Albert Square . A previous UK soap set in an East End market was ATV 's Market in Honey Lane ; however, between 1967 and 1969, this show, which graduated from one showing a week to two in three separate series (the latter series being shown in different time slots across

16215-440: Was also teased to be hiding many secrets. The character went on to make her first appearance in episode 7011, broadcast on 11 November 2024. Nicola, on introduction, is Teddy's ex-wife. Discussing Nicola's personality, Clenshaw said that, like other female members of the Mitchell family, Nicola is "feisty, strong and loves her family". Laura-Jayne Tyler of Inside Soap billed Nicola as a "new mega-bitch" who would quickly have

16356-514: Was announced on 10 December 2018 to be taking on the role of executive producer. In late 2016, popularity and viewership of EastEnders began to decline, with viewers criticising the storylines during the O'Connor reign, such as the killing of the Mitchell sisters and a storyline centred on the local bin collection. Since Yorke's and Oates' reigns, however, opinions towards the storylines have become more favourable, with storylines such as Ruby Allen 's ( Louisa Lytton ) sexual consent, which featured

16497-453: Was announced that Kate Oates , who has previously been a producer on the ITV soap operas Emmerdale and Coronation Street , would become Senior Executive Producer of EastEnders , as well of Holby City and Casualty . Oates began her role in October, and continued to work with Yorke until the end of the year to "ensure a smooth handover". It was also announced that Oates was looking for an Executive Producer to work under her. Jon Sen

16638-469: Was anxiety at first that the viewing public would not accept a new soap set in the south of England, though research commissioned by lead figures in the BBC revealed that southerners would accept a northern soap, northerners would accept a southern soap and those from the Midlands , as Julia Smith herself pointed out, did not mind where it was set as long as it was somewhere else. This was the beginning of

16779-704: Was appointed as the Executive Producer of EastEnders . During his reign, EastEnders won the BAFTA for " Best Soap " in consecutive years 1999 and 2000 and many other awards. Robinson also earned tabloid soubriquet "Axeman of Albert Square" after sacking a large number of characters in one hit, and several more thereafter. In their place, Robinson introduced new long-running characters including Melanie Healy ( Tamzin Outhwaite ), Jamie Mitchell ( Jack Ryder ), Lisa Shaw ( Lucy Benjamin ), Steve Owen ( Martin Kemp ) and Billy Mitchell ( Perry Fenwick ). John Yorke became

16920-498: Was broadcast, the show was a vague idea in the mind of a handful of BBC executives, who decided that what BBC One needed was a popular bi-weekly drama series that would attract the kind of mass audiences that ITV were getting with Coronation Street . The first people to whom David Reid, then head of series and serials, turned were Julia Smith and Tony Holland , a well established producer/script editor team who had first worked together on Z-Cars . The outline that Reid presented

17061-469: Was called "dramatic" by Helen Daly of Radio Times . Her colleague, James Hibbs, agreed, writing: "Albert Square has seen a dramatic entrance of a fiery newcomer, as Teddy Mitchell's ex-wife made a big arrival in EastEnders ". Fellow writer Laura Denby similarly praised the character's "eventful" introduction, noting appreciation for a joke Nicola make about Teddy's outfit, and that Doddington "delivered

17202-506: Was confirmed that Doddington had begun filming prior to the announcement. Nicola is Doddington's second role in EastEnders , having previously portrayed the minor role of Barbara , a woman leading an antenatal class attended by Masood Ahmed ( Nitin Ganatra ) and Zainab Masood ( Nina Wadia ), for an episode in December 2009. Set to debut in late Autumn 2024, her arrival was teased as both "a shock" and an annoyance for Teddy, as Nicola

17343-466: Was created, instead of using E8. Julia Smith came up with the name Eastenders after she and Holland had spent months telephoning theatrical agents and asking "Do you have any real East Enders on your books?" Smith thought " Eastenders " "looked ugly written down" and was "hard to say", so decided to capitalise the second "e". After they decided on the filming location of BBC Elstree Centre in south Hertfordshire , Smith and Holland set about creating

17484-548: Was due to be aired that night was postponed along with the final of Masterchef . In May 2021, it was announced that from 14 June 2021, boxsets of episodes would be uploaded to BBC iPlayer each Monday for three weeks. Executive producer Sen explained that the bi-annual scheduling conflicts that the UEFA European Championship and the FIFA World Cup cause to the soap, premiering four episodes on

17625-733: Was from a large East End family, and such families have typified EastEnders . The first central family was the combination of the Fowler family , consisting of Pauline Fowler ( Wendy Richard ), her husband Arthur ( Bill Treacher ), and teenage children Mark ( David Scarboro / Todd Carty ) and Michelle ( Susan Tully ). Pauline's family, the Beales , consisted of Pauline's twin brother Pete Beale ( Peter Dean ), his wife Kathy ( Gillian Taylforth ) and their teenage son Ian ( Adam Woodyatt ). Pauline and Pete's domineering mother Lou Beale ( Anna Wing ) lived with Pauline and her family. Holland drew on

17766-550: Was from a large family in the East End, a theme heavily featured in EastEnders is strong families, and each character is supposed to have their own place in the fictional community. The Watts , Beales , Mitchells , Brannings and the Slaters are some of the families that have been central to the soap's notable and dramatic storylines. EastEnders has been filmed at the BBC Elstree Centre since its inception, with

17907-403: Was her mother. In 2002, Louise Berridge succeeded Yorke as the Executive Producer. During her time at EastEnders , Berridge introduced popular characters such as Alfie Moon ( Shane Richie ), Dennis Rickman ( Nigel Harman ), Chrissie Watts ( Tracy-Ann Oberman ), Jane Beale ( Laurie Brett ), Stacey Slater ( Lacey Turner ) and the critically panned Indian Ferreira family . Berridge

18048-467: Was later to be changed to February. The project had a number of working titles: Square Dance , Round the Square , Round the Houses , London Pride and East 8 . It was the latter that stuck (E8 is the postcode for Hackney) in the early months of creative process; however, the show was renamed after many casting agents mistakenly thought the show was to be called Estate , and the fictional postcode E20

18189-497: Was not seen onscreen until late September. Additionally, Oliver Kent was brought in as the Head of Continuing Drama Series for BBC Scripted Studios, meaning that Kent would oversee EastEnders along with O'Connor. O'Connor's approach to the show was to have a firmer focus on realism, which he said was being "true to EastEnders ' DNA and [finding] a way of capturing what it would be like if Julia Smith and Tony Holland were making

18330-419: Was outed in an internet sex scandal, which coincided with a swift decline in viewer ratings. The scandal led to Grantham's departure from the soap, but the occasion was used to mark the 20th anniversary of EastEnders , with an episode showing Den's murder at the Queen Vic pub. On 21 September 2004, Berridge quit as executive producer of EastEnders following continued criticism of the show. Kathleen Hutchison

18471-545: Was periodically its landlady between 1995 and 2010. They have also been known for their thuggish ways and their tendency to break the law, most notably Phil and Grant, who have sometimes been compared to the Kray twins . The Mitchells have been in several of the show's memorable storylines, such as: their rivalry with the Watts family , and the " Sharongate ", " Who Shot Phil? ", the murder of their rival Den Watts which coincided with

18612-480: Was replaced by Bryan Kirkwood . Kirkwood's first signing was the reintroduction of characters Alfie Moon ( Shane Richie ) and Kat Moon ( Jessie Wallace ), and his first new character was Vanessa Gold , played by Zöe Lucker . In April and May 2010, Kirkwood axed eight characters from the show, Barbara Windsor left her role of Peggy Mitchell , which left a hole in the show, which Kirkwood decided to fill by bringing back Kat and Alfie, which he said would "herald

18753-410: Was responsible for some ratings success stories, such as Alfie and Kat Slater 's ( Jessie Wallace ) relationship, Janine Butcher ( Charlie Brooks ) getting her comeuppance, Trevor Morgan ( Alex Ferns ) and Jamie Mitchell 's ( Jack Ryder ) death storylines and the return of one of the greatest soap icons, Den Watts ( Leslie Grantham ), who had been presumed dead for 14 years. His return in late 2003

18894-696: Was set to quickly make a name for herself in the show's setting of Walford and try to rebuild bridges with her sons. Teddy's annoyance to be reacquainted with Nicola stemmed from his desire to have a fresh start with his sons, which her arrival would break the illusion of. Teasing her character's arrival, Doddington said that Nicola "comes in like the Tasmanian Devil ". Spoilers teasing her debut said that she would create "a stir", and take quick dislikes to Sharon Watts ( Letitia Dean ) for flirting with Teddy, as well as Jack (Maslen) and Penny Branning ( Kitty Castledine ) for their respective roles in Harry's arrest. She

19035-413: Was swiftly appointed as the Executive Producer of EastEnders , and was tasked with quickly turning the fortunes of the soap. During her time at the soap Hutchison axed multiple characters, and reportedly ordered the rewriting of numerous scripts. Newspapers reported on employee dissatisfaction with Hutchison's tenure at EastEnders . In January 2005, Hutchison left the soap and John Yorke (who by this time,

19176-467: Was the BBC Controller of Continuing Drama Series) took total control of the show himself and became acting Executive Producer for a short period, before appointing Kate Harwood to the role. Harwood stayed at EastEnders for 20 months before being promoted by the BBC. The highly anticipated return of Ross Kemp as Grant Mitchell in October 2005 proved to be a sudden major ratings success, with

19317-431: Was the axing of five series regulars: Peter Beale ( Dayle Hudson ), Stuart Highway ( Ricky Champ ), Jada Lennox (Kelsey Calladine-Smith), Dana Monroe (Barbara Smith) and Lola Pearce ( Danielle Harold ). Viewers criticised the decision, feeling that some of the characters had potential to add to the soap. Clenshaw has since overseen the returns of Alfie Moon ( Shane Richie ) and Yolande Trueman ( Angela Wynter ),

19458-489: Was to be a part of the major revamp in BBC1's schedules. Smith was uneasy about the late start as EastEnders no longer had the winter months to build up a loyal following before the summer ratings lull. The press were invited to Elstree to meet the cast and see the lot, and stories immediately started circulating about the show, about a rivalry with ITV (who were launching their own market-based soap, Albion Market ) and about

19599-475: Was vague: two episodes a week, 52 weeks a year. After the concept was put to them on 14 March 1983, Smith and Holland then went about putting their ideas down on paper; they decided it would be set in the East End of London. Granada Television gave Smith unrestricted access to the Coronation Street production for a month so that she could get a sense of how a continuing drama was produced. There

19740-584: Was watched by over 16 million viewers, putting EastEnders back at number one in the rating war with the Coronation Street ; however, other storylines, such as one about a kidney transplant involving the Ferreiras, were not well received, and although Den's return proved to be a ratings success, the British press branded the plot unrealistic and felt that it questioned the show's credibility. A severe press backlash followed after Den's actor, Leslie Grantham ,

19881-428: Was working in automated dialogue replacement when she received the call from her agent to tell her she had been cast. Having grown up as a fan, Doddington voiced her excitement to join the soap upon her character's announcement. She said she felt "like a kid at Christmas" to step onto the show's set, especially The Queen Victoria public house . She noted the set being smaller than she had imagined, commenting that it

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