[dublintvfan]

Does anyone think it was a shame killing dennis rickman he was a great character i think sharons return would be more more hyped up if dennis had of been coming back with her

[Rocket562]

I think killing Dennis is widely seen as one of EE's greatest mistakes. He could have come back now with Sharon and ran the Vic again. Instead the producers seemed hell bent on destroying Dennis and Sharon and keeping Kat and Alfie together. If anyone had to die why couldn't it have been flamin' Alfie.

[Sifter22]

Massive mistake, he was a really good character. I think he'd fit back in well now with Derek and the rest of The Brannings thinking they're The Krays or something.

[KatrinaK]

I loved Dennis. He was my favourite character ever.

He was flawed. Her had a terrible life... but his journey was all about redemption, and when he finally found that, falling in love, becoming a better person, it was all taken from him. It was tragic.

I was gutted when EE killed him. No other character I took to my heart quite like him and no one as has topped him since, however I think it was probably better all round that he was killed off.

At least he'll be rememberd for the fabulous character that he was.

If he left alive, he'd probably be returning with Sharon - and as big as a Shannis fan as I am, I dread to think of them being destoryed in the way Kalfie is now.

At least the Shannis fans can say that Sharon and Dennis's love story wasn't and never will be ruined. It was left perfectly intact.

A tragic end but still, fond memories to look back on.

[Guido9]

Agree with the OP. It would've been great to have kept him on and to have avoided going down the over sensationalism route of the time in the name of the gangster period of the show - perhaps to have had him survive his stabbing that time and live to fight another day. He could've then left for pastures new in the New Year of 2006 to the States with Sharon to escape the Square for a few years (plus to recharge their batteries) - but been brought back with Sharon anytime soon as a more preferable replacement as a couple instead of the couple we ended up getting back in the end - "Kalfie" of course! All our "what might have beens" I guess.......

[mandead88]

Definitely a great EE character, but it (almost) goes without saying that he's no Frank : - D

[priscilla]

the biggest EE mistake
i loved dennis and he was a brilliant actor and a hunk
i would have loved him and sharon and dennis junior to return together
i was very upset when he was stabbed
also.he had a wonderful friendship with dot

[yourfabulous]

Originally Posted by priscilla

the biggest EE mistake
i loved dennis and he was a brilliant actor and a hunk
i would have loved him and sharon and dennis junior to return together
i was very upset when he was stabbed
also.he had a wonderful friendship with dot

I agree. He was a brilliant character played by a very good looking, fantastic actor.
I loved the build up to the Sharon and Dennis romance. And they worked so well together.

It's a real shame, I think.

[hetty100]

I'm glad they killed him off, I loved Dennis I wouldn't have liked to see him ruined the way EE have ruined so many others

[bass55]

I remember thinking at the time it was a massive shame they killed Dennis off; but 6 years on I actually think it was the right decision. After all, Nigel Harman stated he would never return to EastEnders - he specifically asked for Dennis to be killed off because of this (allegedly, they offered to double his and Letitia's salaries if they stayed, but they both refused). If Dennis had lived, they could not have brought Sharon back without him, so it would have effectively been the end of Sharon too. I also agree with the hetty100; I am worried that if Dennis and Sharon had returned together, they'd been ruined in the same way Kat and Alfie have. I loved Shannis; their ending was perfect.

[PrincessPerfect]

After seeing what Birkwood has done Kat & Alfie, Dennis' death doesn't seem so sad. Birkwood can never destroy Dennis, or the Shannis love story, and he can't blank over it either - Dennis junior is a testament to that. Dennis, as much as I really loved his character (he was one of my favourite males on EastEnders ever) had to die, because he had killed a man - and in EastEnders if you kill, you either get killed, or go to prision. Personally, I don't think it was in Dennis' character to kill, and I think the producers only scripted his killing of Jack Dalton to facilate the introduction of Den Watts, as part of Berridge's panic response to Corrie's success at the BSAs in 2003. The one male of whom I think it was a MASSIVE mistake to kill off, and who I will never forgive Santer for, was Bradley Branning. On top of that, I had to put up with the tedious Ryan/Janine/Stacey love triangle and Stacey getting away with murder.

[priscilla]

Originally Posted by yourfabulous

I agree. He was a brilliant character played by a very good looking, fantastic actor.
I loved the build up to the Sharon and Dennis romance. And they worked so well together.

It's a real shame, I think.

yeah, dennis and sharon had a good relationship
if only they could turn back time, and erase the scene when he got stabbed and just made him leave with sharon (happy)

[IzzieStar]

It was such a shame to see Dennis leave that way - it would have been brilliant to see him back with Sharon, although I dread to think what might have happened to them.

One of my friends has never watched EastEnders since he died!

[Scrabbler]

Well Nigel has gone on to have such a succesful career since he left I could never dsee him going back to ee...

[vald]

It was for the best. There was no guarantee that he would be available to return to the show when Letitia wanted to come back. He cannot put his career on hold on the whim of another actor.

[madetomeasure]

Originally Posted by hetty100

I'm glad they killed him off, I loved Dennis I wouldn't have liked to see him ruined the way EE have ruined so many others

I agree Hetty, as much as I loved Dennis, Nigel knew he'd be going and not coming back. I'd say he's not as desperate as some cough cough actors who leave a soap where they're extremely comfortable financially and script wise and they come back with their tail between their legs.

[Scrabbler]

It wouldn't have been down to Nigel though.

[madetomeasure]

Fair point Scrabbler but if he was adamant he didn't want the door left open, then what's normally the script? They kill them off dramatically.

[AngelicPrincess]

No it was not a mistake. Nigel Harman does not want to return so we are supposed to believe they split after she had his baby? No it was much better he died and Sharon carried on the Watts legacy having his child.

[VirginiaDem]

Originally Posted by PrincessPerfect

After seeing what Birkwood has done Kat & Alfie, Dennis' death doesn't seem so sad. Birkwood can never destroy Dennis, or the Shannis love story, and he can't blank over it either - Dennis junior is a testament to that. Dennis, as much as I really loved his character (he was one of my favourite males on EastEnders ever) had to die, because he had killed a man - and in EastEnders if you kill, you either get killed, or go to prision. Personally, I don't think it was in Dennis' character to kill, and I think the producers only scripted his killing of Jack Dalton to facilate the introduction of Den Watts, as part of Berridge's panic response to Corrie's success at the BSAs in 2003. The one male of whom I think it was a MASSIVE mistake to kill off, and who I will never forgive Santer for, was Bradley Branning. On top of that, I had to put up with the tedious Ryan/Janine/Stacey love triangle and Stacey getting away with murder.

All of this.

Nigel Harman wanted to leave. Until Birkwood's regime, anyone who chose to leave the soap was given the option of having their character killed off or leaving a door open for the possibility of a return. The only ones who left of their own volition and were killed off by producer's fiat were Martine McCutcheon and Jack Ryder, and that was due to interviews given before they left, which undermined the programme.

Harman chose to have Dennis killed. And, really, he hasn't looked back. He went right from there to the West End (Guys and Dolls) and ended up winning an Olivier Award for playing Lord Farqaad in Shrek. I saw him in that and he was hilarious.

Nigel Harman has easily been the most successful "graduate" of Eastenders. Sometimes when people leave the soap, they genuinely don't want to return.

[priscilla]

im glad nigel doing so well his a brilliant actor.

[summerbunny]

the actor thought it was best he was killed off and he was happy about it, he said in a interview he would never return

[loco_loca]

To be honest people like Dennis don't live long. They speak what's on their mind but at the same time have a conscience, because of the people he encounters in life the two aren't a good mix. This came to a boil with Johnny Allen, if he finished the job ( which would display a lack of conscience) he would have left the square with his life.