Which EE character axings were the biggest mistakes?

Austin_PearceAustin_Pearce Posts: 382
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I think that EastEnders has made some pretty bad mistakes when it comes to axing characters over the years, for example Pat and Charlie Slater. Although some characters who were axed came back, they were mainly only for guest stints, like Charlie. I think that the biggest axing mistake that they ever made was Pat. There was some good axings over the years though, like Kirsty Branning. Which character axings do you think were the biggest mistakes?
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  • lou_123lou_123 Posts: 12,706
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    Pat was a HUGE mistake. Although, Pam St. Clement left on her own accord, they should have never killed her off!

    Charlie Slater was another big mistake. Along with Libby, Darren, Chelsea, Minty, etc... They were all supporting characters and added a bit of fun to the show. They were a MUCH BETTER bunch of secondary characters, than the bores we have these days, like Les and Pam. They fitted in so well with the community, and Kirkwood axing them was a silly move... (No surprises there!).

    A lot of people have said axing Lucy was a mistake. I disagree. It fitted in well, and she was a nobody under Hetti Bywater. However, the 'Who killed Lucy?' storyline, turned this around... Now the character WILL be remembered, as she was a big part, in one of the biggest plots EastEnders has ever come up with:p.
  • NoughtiesMusicNoughtiesMusic Posts: 15,914
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    Pat Evans was absolute the worst, if you count the fact that the door was never left open for a return.

    Out of the other big names, I'd say Mark Fowler and Den Watts. Killing him off followed by the Chrissie/Sam saga made an epic 2005, but was it worth it in the long term?

    Kate Mitchell's axing in 2004/05 was bloody stupid. She was an awesome character but Kathleen Hutchinson stupidly claimed that there was nothing left for her to do. Yolande Trueman shouldn't have been axed either. She was an underrated character, I loved her relationship with Patrick (before they ruined it and made her so bitter) and she could've been a great source of support to Denise and Kim today.

    Axing Heather Trott was a mistake. She was the one person who brought some kindness out of Shirley and she'd have been embraced by the Carters if she was still around.

    I didn't like how the Di Marcos were dropped in 2000 (excluding Beppe), they were such an underrated family.
  • CPW4EVERCPW4EVER Posts: 2,308
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    Pat was the biggest in my opinion although technically I don't know if it was an axing as Pam asked to leave herself but just didn't want o be killed off.

    I know many will disagree with me here but I think that axing Jamie Lomas and Gary Lucy was a mistake. Both of them are good actors that they should have tried to keep on the show. I know that both of them were limited by the stories that they were brought in for but Jake and Danny could've been developed more outside of Jake's affair with Lauren and Danny's flirtation with Johnny. I also think that they could've done more with Nikki Spraggan too. I know a lot of people found her annoying but I quite liked the character.
  • pegasus2pegasus2 Posts: 5,293
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    Pat St Clements did not leave of her own accord, she only asked for extended leave, not really unreasonable when you consider how much time Steve McFadden is allowed to do panto (oh, yes he is).

    Dot's sister Rose I really liked and was sorry to see her leave. As already said, Heather, Charlie Slater and Mark Fowler still had plenty of scope.
  • MrJamesMrJames Posts: 8,127
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    Charlie left at an incredibly strange time considering Kat and Alfie had only just returned.

    Pat, although not an axing, obviously should not have died.
  • firefly_irlfirefly_irl Posts: 4,015
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    While there are obvious ones like Pat some of the more recent minor ones that annoyed me were Kirsty Branning, Danny Pennant, Nikki Spraggan because I felt all 3 could have went somewhere even as solo characters. EE relies way to heavily on characters having full families whereas solo characters can work if written properly. I also liked Darren and Jodie but Darren as George's dad was too much and I felt actually ruined his character.

    I knew Jake has a limited shelf life, EE always seems very opposed to non-Southern accents, regional characters seem to rarely last long.
  • Joey15811Joey15811 Posts: 15,410
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    Rose cotton - hardly given a chance
    Aj Ahmed - same as above
    Poppy meadow - likeable and brought light to the show
    Heather - I believe she was axed
    Zsa zsa - dont know if the actress decided or tptb
    Afia masood - again uncertain
  • Vicks-LouiseVicks-Louise Posts: 1,102
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    While not huge I guess I never did understand axing Demi Miller and keeping Darren the rest of that family were annoying but I liked the relationship Demi and Darren had with each other - shame!

    I agree with the others mentioned previously in this thread too except Kirsty Branning, AJ, Poppy, Jake Stone and Danny Pennant
  • Joey15811Joey15811 Posts: 15,410
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    While not huge I guess I never did understand axing Demi Miller and keeping Darren the rest of that family were annoying but I liked the relationship Demi and Darren had with each other - shame!

    I agree with the others mentioned previously in this thread too except Kirsty Branning, AJ, Poppy, Jake Stone and Danny Pennant

    Demi I forgot about her! Yes and Danny!
  • The_SleeperThe_Sleeper Posts: 200,453
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    I still miss Wellard ! :(:(
  • LMLM Posts: 63,331
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    Heather's axing bothered me a bit, but i actually think her death would never have allowed Shirley to have developed into the character she is today. With Heather still around, Linda Henry would not of nearly left and we would of never of got the carters.
  • NoughtiesMusicNoughtiesMusic Posts: 15,914
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    While there are obvious ones like Pat some of the more recent minor ones that annoyed me were Kirsty Branning, Danny Pennant, Nikki Spraggan because I felt all 3 could have went somewhere even as solo characters. EE relies way to heavily on characters having full families whereas solo characters can work if written properly. I also liked Darren and Jodie but Darren as George's dad was too much and I felt actually ruined his character.

    I knew Jake has a limited shelf life, EE always seems very opposed to non-Southern accents, regional characters seem to rarely last long.

    Most characters that are non-East End don't last long, with some notable exceptions. EE's record on northern characters has been quite mixed. Kate Mitchell, Lorraine and Joe Wick were all quite good in their time. Jake Stone didn't even get a chance.
  • PEARLY331PEARLY331 Posts: 571
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    Angie Watts
  • Soapfan678Soapfan678 Posts: 3,352
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    Tiffany Mitchell.
    Heather(The character give the show comedy)
    Poppy.(Like Heather, she give Eastenders comedy)
  • ultron29ultron29 Posts: 2,245
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    Shabnam #1, Glenda and Danny Mitchell
  • Cal_Scream2Cal_Scream2 Posts: 6,733
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    Heather definitely - it's really sad she was killed off especially since that plot was so stupid. I don't think storyliners/writers/bosses realize sometimes that there is a certain type of character that murder plots are just silly for - Heather was one of those characters, and so was Tina from Corrie.
  • bass55bass55 Posts: 18,319
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    Pat Harris/Beale/Wicks/Butcher/Evans. Still makes me mad >:(:(
  • Joey15811Joey15811 Posts: 15,410
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    While there are obvious ones like Pat some of the more recent minor ones that annoyed me were Kirsty Branning, Danny Pennant, Nikki Spraggan because I felt all 3 could have went somewhere even as solo characters. EE relies way to heavily on characters having full families whereas solo characters can work if written properly. I also liked Darren and Jodie but Darren as George's dad was too much and I felt actually ruined his character.

    I knew Jake has a limited shelf life, EE always seems very opposed to non-Southern accents, regional characters seem to rarely last long.

    I was cheering when nikki left. Couldn't stand her.
  • SoapAddict99SoapAddict99 Posts: 688
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    Pat, Heather, Kirsty Branning, Jake Stone
  • NoughtiesMusicNoughtiesMusic Posts: 15,914
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    ultron29 wrote: »
    Shabnam #1, Glenda and Danny Mitchell

    I can't remember what happened to Danny Mitchell's character, whether the actor quit or was axed.

    But I think Glenda was only meant to be a temporary character. The original Shabnam actress quit on her own terms.
  • CPW4EVERCPW4EVER Posts: 2,308
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    pegasus2 wrote: »
    Pat St Clements did not leave of her own accord, she only asked for extended leave, not really unreasonable when you consider how much time Steve McFadden is allowed to do panto (oh, yes he is).

    Dot's sister Rose I really liked and was sorry to see her leave. As already said, Heather, Charlie Slater and Mark Fowler still had plenty of scope.

    I'd forgotten about Rose. Polly Perkins is a good actress so it's a shame that she was kind of stereotyped as a comedy character. There was a lot more that they could've done with Rose. They often don't know what to do with older characters it seems. Ann Mitchell has been on the show for years and is a great actress yet her big storylines have been minimal.
  • Louise_HartLouise_Hart Posts: 3,421
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    I can't remember what happened to Danny Mitchell's character, whether the actor quit or was axed.

    But I think Glenda was only meant to be a temporary character. The original Shabnam actress quit on her own terms.

    He was axed along with Charlie, Libby and a couple of others
  • Louise_HartLouise_Hart Posts: 3,421
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    Pat, obviously was the most ridicules one
    Heather, she would have fit in great with the Carter bunch I think:(

    I kind of agree about Danny, Jake, Kirsty etc they all just suffered really with the ( came in at a point were the show was in a dire mess) problem.
  • Louise_HartLouise_Hart Posts: 3,421
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    Pat, obviously was the most ridicules one
    Heather, she would have fit in great with the Carter bunch I think:(

    I kind of agree about Danny, Jake, Kirsty etc they all just suffered really with the ( came in at a point were the show was in a dire mess) problem.
  • Joey15811Joey15811 Posts: 15,410
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    Pat, obviously was the most ridicules one
    Heather, she would have fit in great with the Carter bunch I think:(

    I kind of agree about Danny, Jake, Kirsty etc they all just suffered really with the ( came in at a point were the show was in a dire mess) problem.

    Pam quit though and wasn't axed. Kirkwood just made the stupid option to kill her off to stop her from returning.
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