[Rose-Addict]

Happy with Roxy's position Loving the anticipation!

[dullagj2]

T31st Frank Butcher

Frank started out as a used car-salesman. 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 got pregnant, so he married her and broke Pat's heart. Frank and Pat met up from time to time, and on each occasion, the affair was rekindled. Frank wouldn't leave June, however, 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 and Janine in 1983. However, June died of cancer in 1987, leaving Frank bereft and his children motherless.
In September 1987, Frank gets in touch with Pat again. They meet briefly in Greenwich and Frank tells her that June has died. He wants to reignite their romance and asks her to be the mother of his children. He even offers her the chance of a quick romp in a nearby hotel, which deeply offends Pat and she storms off. Frank comes looking for Pat again in January 1988. Pat is still resistant but when Frank appears again in March, he finally convinces her to make another go of things and suggests that they take over tenancy at The Queen Vic, since Den and Angie Watts are considering moving on. After successfully winning tenancy, Frank, Pat Ricky and Diane, move into the Vic whilst Janine is left in the care of her sister, Clare. By the end of the year, Frank's domineering mother, Mo, joins them in the Square and attempts to run her son's life. In March 1989, Frank goes back to his old career as a car salesman, and opens a car-lot on the square. Frank and Pat soon begin talking about getting married and they tie the knot in June 1989 in true cockney style, driving out of the Square in a horse and cart and have a massive street party for their reception. However within a month, they are joined by Frank's youngest child, 5-year-old Janine. She is an extremely troublesome child, and she hates Pat. However she settles somewhat, and by the end of the year, the Butchers move out of The Vic and buy the B&B across the Square, which Pat runs, whilst Frank runs the car-lot.

In 1990 a deeply unhappy Diane runs away from home. Frank becomes frantic and makes several unsuccessful trips to search for her. Three months later, Diane contacts Frank and he brings her home. Later that year, Frank is devastated to realise that his mother is suffering severe dementia. Mo is forced to join the Butchers' at the B&B, but her deterioration is rapid. In a lucid moment, she writes Frank a letter asking him not to let her end up like her grandmother, who had gone completely mad, saying that she would rather die than suffer the same fate. Frank is severely torn over what to do, but attempts to adhere to his mother's wish by almost smothering her with a pillow while she sleeps. However, he cannot go through with it and instead sends Mo to live with his sister, Joan, in Colchester. In 1992 Frank receives a huge tax demand, swiftly followed by a large VAT bill. This forces him to sell the B&B and the adjoining house, and move his family into a small flat. Pat establishes her own cab firm, PatCabs, which starts making them some real money. However, on Christmas Eve that year, Pat runs over a teenage girl, and she becomes is seriously injured. Pat enquires about the girl in hospital on New Year's Eve, only to find out that she has died. On the same day, Frank also receives the news of his mother's death.

Pat is sentenced to six months in prison. Those months are hard for Frank and Ricky, who try to carry on as normal and when Pat returns, the family struggle to make a new start. Realising that the flat at Number 43 is too small, Frank arranges to buy the house next door, Number 41, and Frank, Pat, Ricky and Janine move in. However Frank is left with only the car lot to earn money, and even that is suffering in the recession. The Butchers thus end the year in financial ruin. In desperation to resolve his financial problems, Frank arranges with Phil Mitchell to set fire to the car-lot so he can claim the insurance money in March 1994. The car-lot catches fire as agreed but, unknown to Phil and Frank, a homeless man is sleeping in one of the motors, and burns to death. Frank goes to pieces and is arrested on suspicion of manslaughter, but is later released due to lack of evidence. However, doubts remain as to whether he had conspired to defraud his insurance company and an investigation takes place. Frank tries covering his tracks by claiming that the accounts have gone up in flames but Pat gives the books to the investigating agent. The pressure becomes too much for Frank, who is suffering severe guilt over the death of the boy. He becomes so depressed and despondent, no one can get through to him. Unable to stand it any longer, Frank leaves Walford and his family without warning in April 1994.

Frank returns to the Square, Christmas 1995.Eventually Pat begins getting on with her life without Frank. Ricky and Pat's newly returned son, David Wicks, team up to reopen the car-lot. Pat begins a romance with another car-dealer Roy Evans in 1995 and by November, they are living together. However, soon after Pat receives a letter from a psychiatric hospital in Bristol. The letter states that Frank has suffered a breakdown but has recovered and wants to reunite with his family. Pat decides to ignore his plea, and tears up the letter. However, on Christmas day 1995, Frank surprises Pat and his family by arriving and wanting a reconciliation Frank desperately tries to woo Pat, but becomes furious to discover that she is living with Roy. After many abusive comments aimed at Roy, Frank departs. Ricky tracks him down to a nearby B&B after which Frank breaks down in tears about the pitiful state his life is in. Ricky brings Frank back to Walford for one more attempt at winning Pat back but she wants a divorce. Hearing this, Frank disappears again, but leaves Ricky a note promising that he will be back.

Frank returns in mid-January and declares that he wants his house, his business and his children back and isn't leaving until he gets them. David contacts his lawyers and is relieved to discover that Frank has no claim on the car-lot. However, Ricky gives his share to his father and Frank shocks David by turning up for work the next day. Frank then decides to sell Pat's house. Although she has paid off the mortgage, the house is still in Frank's name and she has no claim on it. Roy tries scaring Frank off, and various other underhand tricks are played, all of which fail to make Frank leave. Meanwhile Frank, once again depressed, begins drinking heavily and threatens to turn himself into the police about his involvement in the arson attack. Panicking, Pat relents and spends an evening with Frank in an attempt to make him reconsider any rash actions, and this leads to them having sex. Pat regrets her actions the next day but Frank is thrilled and takes great pleasure in telling Roy. Furious, Roy threatens to leave Pat and in order to stop him, she claims Frank is lying. She then finally convinces Frank that she doesn't love him and begs him to leave. Defeated, Frank decides to move on. He signs the house over to Pat and bids her farewell, leaving Walford in March 1996, once again abandoning his children.

Frank moves to Manchester, and after being absent for over a year, Frank returns briefly in April 1997, for his son's wedding to Bianca Jackson. He watches tearfully at the back of the church, before slipping away quietly without a fuss. He returns again in December to console his son, whose unborn baby is diagnosed with spina bifida and is aborted. Frank's arrival is once again met with displeasure from Roy, who has fallen on hard times and doesn't trust him around Pat, even though Frank bails him out with the bailiffs. Frank quickly returns to Manchester.

Frank returns to Walford in May 1998, and becomes attracted to the landlady of the Vic, Peggy Mitchell, and a flirtatious friendship begins to blossom. Frank moves back to Walford in June, and they soon begin a relationship. Peggy is extremely keen for the relationship to progress and despite opposition from her sons, Phil and Grant, she soon asks Frank to move in with her at the Vic. By October, he asks Peggy to marry him. Meanwhile, Roy is jealous about Frank's presence. He thinks Pat has feelings for her ex-husband, as she is extremely jealous about Frank's new found love. Things are not helped when Pat turns to Frank, following an argument with Roy, and spends the night with him, only to be seen leaving his flat the next morning by Roy's son Barry. Barry jumps to conclusions and informs Roy and Peggy that Frank and Pat are having an affair. Peggy calls off the engagement and has a vicious fight with Pat, and Roy speeds off in his car on a suicide bid. Frank goes after Roy and convinces Roy that nothing had happened between him and Pat, and the two bond, leading Frank to admit that he had gotten a young girl named Gemma pregnant in Manchester, and had a young son, Danny, who no one else is aware of. Peggy accepts Frank's explanation of events and Frank and Roy decide to go into partnership in the car-lot. The foursome end the year as friends. However, whilst driving home for the New Years Eve celebrations, Frank accidentally runs over Tiffany Mitchell, who dies instantly. Tiffany's husband Grant blames Frank for her death, and spends the early part of 1999 trying to split Frank and his mother up. He is unsuccessful, and the pair marry in April 1999. The couple then run the pub together.
In 2000, Frank begins having second thoughts about his marriage and realises that he still loves Pat. Whilst on a joint holiday in Spain, they end up having sex. Pat tries to call it off upon their return, but when Frank turns up on her doorstep naked (apart from a comedy bow-tie), she realises that she has never stopped loving him either. Their affair continues for several months and they eventually decide to elope to Manchester. They are due to leave on Guy Fawkes Night that year, but Pat has second thoughts. It is too late however, as Peggy has already got Frank's dear John letter. Peggy shames the cheating duo by reading the letter to the entire pub, and then slaps both Frank and Pat. Phil offers to eliminate Frank for Peggy but she kicks him out instead and he leaves Walford, abandoning Janine in the process. Pat goes after him, shouting his name, but he doesn't hear her. He drives off, leaving her sobbing in the street.

In January 2002 Frank is seen again in a special week of episodes in Spain. Peggy receives news that Frank has died in a car crash and she travels to Spain for his funeral. However whilst at the funeral she is surprised to see Frank in attendance. Several irate conversations reveal that Frank has faked his own death in order to rip off large numbers of expatriates in a property scam with his new girlfriend Krystle. However Krystle in turn cons Frank the same week, running off with all his money and leaving him penniless. Despite his past actions Peggy takes pity and bails Frank out with some money, turning down the opportunity of starting a new life together with him at the same time.

In 2003 a special spin-off episode entitled EastEnders: Perfectly Frank follows Frank returning from Spain and setting up two businesses in Somerset; a club called Frank's Empire Club and a car valeting service. When a local gangster sends him a car to valet, his assistant finds a body in the boot. Frank and the staff at the club don't want to fall foul of the gangster, but don't want the police asking questions either so they chuck the body into the water over the side of the pier.

Frank is seen in another week stint in December 2005 when Pat runs goes to give evidence at the trial of his daughter Janine, who is alleged to have murdered Laura Beale. Frank finds Pat and tries to change her mind about giving evidence against Janine, as he knows she is framing her. Unsuccessful, he seduces Pat and the pair have sex, but following morning he reveals he only got with her for Janine. Pat is shocked that Frank is using their relationship to manipulate her, and she remains defiant. However, after meeting with Laura's mother, who is on a quest for the truth, she decides to change her story and admit that Janine is innocent of the murder. Frank and Pat then say an emotional farewell with Frank commenting that she will always be his babe and that he will love her right up until his last breath and beyond. Frank then goes to reunite with Janine outside the court but is heartbroken to discover that she'd already fled without him and was only using him to secure her release.

On 31 March 2008, more than two years after he was last seen in Walford, it is revealed by Diane and Ricky that Frank had died at Diane's home in France two days earlier of throat cancer. He had apparently been ill for months and couldn't talk by the end, thus being the reason he didn't want Pat to know. His body is brought to Walford to be cremated. Following the funeral, Frank's ashes are scattered in Albert Square's flowerbeds. In October, Pat decides to order a commemorative plaque to dedicate to Frank referring to his catchphrase "pilchard" (a term frequently used to insult Ricky). The plaque is mounted in the square, where it remains to this day.

31-34
Archie Mitchell
Tiffany Mitchell
Michael Moon
Frank Butcher
all 21 votes

50-30
do do do dododo do do dodo

50 Mandy Salter
Michelle Fowler
Melaine Owen
Arthur Fowler
Trevor Morgan
43 Mark Fowler
Lou Beale
Dan Sullivan
42 Patrick Trueman
38 Denise Fox
Shirley Carter
Cindy Beale
Jay Mitchell
35 Jean Slater
Kat Moon
Roxy Mitchell
31 Archie Mitchell
Tiffany Mitchell
Michael Moon
Frank Butcher

[dullagj2]

T28th Masood Ahmed

Masood moves to 41 Albert Square with Zainab, Shabnam and Tamwar in October 2007. Masood and Zainab are both active in the postal industry: Masood is a postman and Zainab the owner of a chain of post offices. Masood goes to Pakistan to look after his sick father, but when he returns he discovers that his family are in serious debt. He attempts to resolve the problems to no avail. Due to their financial problems the Masoods are forced to close down the post office. They lie to the local residents that the government has closed them down, and they are then forced to reveal the truth when the residents start protesting. As well as this, daughter Shabnam decides to leave Walford in October 2008 to travel in Pakistan. The Masoods attempt to turn their fortunes around, starting a catering business. Ian Beale invests £2000 and the company merges with Ian and Christian Clarke's catering company, becoming "Masala Queen". Zainab accuses Masood of stealing money from the business, but Tamwar admits taking the money – lending it to his older brother, Syed. Masood reveals that Syed's actions are why he left the family; he had stolen money from the family business and is continuing to do so. Despite this, Zainab contacts Syed and meets him away from Walford, making Masood think she is having an affair. However, the truth is revealed, and Syed moves to Albert Square. Syed also gets engaged to his girlfriend Amira Shah. Masood plans to take Zainab on a trip around the world. However, Zainab tells Masood she is pregnant, scuppering their plans. In order to earn extra income and money, Masood works an extra shift at the taxi firm, despite being exhausted. When he drives Rachel Branning home to Tring, he falls asleep at the wheel and crashes the car. PC Henderson questions Masood about the incident and Amira says he swerved to avoid someone on a moped. The police leave and Amira says she lied because she does not want two fathers in prison. Masood regrets lying to the police.

Before Syed and Amira's wedding, Masood visits his brother Inzamam to ask if he can help pay for the wedding. Zainab reveals that Inzamam has made advances towards her many times. Angry, Masood returns Inzamam's money and tells him he and his family are not welcome in their home any more. A month after the wedding, Masood is unaware that there have been problems in Syed and Amira's relationship. Zainab goes into labour, and Masood delivers the baby, Kamil. Masood's line manager David arrives with a colleague, saying there has been an allegation of stolen post and they must search the house. They find a package of Max Branning's and Masood receives a caution. Masood walks in on Syed and Christian kissing on the floor of Syed and Amira's new flat and quickly leaves. When Syed admits to his parents that he is gay, Masood attempts to convince Syed that he has a loving wife and a child, but Syed ignores this, and leaves his home. Masood believes that he is no longer part of the family and doesn't even want to hear his name, unlike Zainab who misses him dearly. Amira's father Qadim arrives looking for Syed, and after Qadim and his associates beat Christian up, Christian sees Masood outside and begs for help, but Masood leaves him. The next day, Masood regrets his actions, saying that he should've helped Christian but is soon found out by Christian's sister, Jane Beale. Jane reveals that Zainab knew about Syed's sexuality even before his wedding. Masood and Zainab argue, and he packs her belongings and physically throws her out. The couple reconcile, however, and Syed moves back into the family home. However he eventually reunites with Christian, and Masood and Zainab cut off their son again.
Tamwar starts seeing Afia Khan and her father, Yusef, turns up and shocks Zainab as he is her ex-husband whose family set her on fire. He reveals he tried to save her life and he came to make peace, but Masood attacks him and throws him out. Masood discovers that Zainab is planning to buy the Argee Bhajee restaurant against his wishes. Masood meets Jane and they console each other about their respective partners. They meet again and go to a hotel with the intention of sex. However, they both change their minds and decide to remain friends. Zainab continues to defy Masood, and proceeds with her bid for the restaurant. She is successful, but only after paying an inflated price for it. Feeling guilty, he supports her purchase. Ian learns of Masood and Jane's encounter, and confronts him, punching Masood in the face. Tamwar invites Afia to the opening of the Argee Bhajee, Zainab and Masood agree to let Tamwar see Afia in the hope it will fizzle out. When Tamwar and Afia says they are in love, Yusef blesses them to marry, which Zainab and Masood are very displeased about, as they do not want Yusef to become a part of their family. After the roof of the Argee Bhajee collapses and the restaurant is forced to shut, the Masoods find themselves in debt. Zainab finds out that Phil loaned money to Masood for Tamwar's wedding and is furious. Masood is forced to admit that he is gambling by playing poker for Phil in an effort to pay their debt. This angers Zainab as Masood had previously sworn that he would never gamble again, as lost family money to gambling many years ago. Masood kidnaps Yusef in an attempt to scare him off, but when Yusef returns, he claims that Masood beat him and covered him in petrol, when he did not. Zainab kicks Masood out and he is banned from Afia and Tamwar's mehndi. At the mehndi, Afia's aunt tells everyone that Yusef and Zainab are having an affair, having misunderstood and overheard conversation, and Zainab denies this. She invites Masood to dinner, and there is a chance that they might reconcile until Denise reveals that Yusef stayed at Zainab's house overnight, so Masood leaves. As part of his plan to destroy the Masood family, Yusef crushes up a bottle of pills and conceals them in Zainab's food. Zainab passes out and is hospitalised, with her family believing she took a deliberate overdose. Concerned that he is causing Zainab's worries, Masood divorces Zainab by saying the triple talaq.
Yusef persuades Zainab to go on holiday with him to Pakistan, and while they are away, Amira returns with her and Syed's daughter, Yasmin. Masood is delighted to learn that he is a grandfather, and vows to reunite and repair his family, especially when it emerges that Yusef has falsified a paternity test to show that Syed is not Yasmin's father. However, Masood despairs when he sees Zainab talking to Yusef again, and declares that he has given up on her. Yusef later tells Masood that he has moven in with Zainab. Masood goes to Jane, who has now returned to Walford divorced from Ian, and tells her he cannot be just friends with her and they kiss. The pair then begin a discreet relationship. On the day that Masood and Zainab's divorce is finalised, Syed and Amira spot Masood together with Jane. Zainab then learns of the relationship. She wishes Masood well, but also tells him that she is marrying Yusef. Masood is shocked, but supports her decision. When Yusef tells Masood and Jane about them taking Kamil to Pakistan, Zainab and Jane argue. Later, Masood and Jane go to dinner at Ian and Mandy's house. At the dinner, Ian asks how Masood and Jane's relatioship can develop if Jane is not a Muslim. A drunken Jane replies that she will convert, to the amazement of Masood. Masood talks to Jane about the sacrifices she will have to make to become a Muslim, and tells her he does not expect her to convert. Jane is relieved and decides not to convert after all. Masood finds a letter from Zainab asking for help, and discovers that Yusef has kidnapped Kamil. He plans with Zainab to stop Yusef taking her to Pakistan, and eventually tracks down Kamil and the police are called on Yusef. However, Afia lets him go and he escapes to the B&B where Masood stays during a party. Yusef reveals to Masood that it was not his family who started the fire which nearly killed Zainab but he himself, before setting the building on fire. Masood is caught in the fire with Yusef but tries to save him, however, Yusef is killed while Masood is rescued. Masood and Zainab then reunite, and he later proposes.

T28th Alfie Moon

Alfie's parents were killed in a car crash on Shrove Tuesday and the family commemorate their death each year. Although young, he took responsibility for his younger brother Spencer and his grandmother Victoria, widely known as Nana. Alfie spent three years in prison for credit card fraud after taking the blame for his second cousins Jake and Danny.
Alfie is ejected from Walford East tube station for fare evasion, and causes havoc in the market by getting a refund from Winston for a video he stole and tricking Martin Fowler into giving him free fruit. After acquainting himself with a few residents, he sneaks into The Queen Vic and helps himself to a drink behind the bar. The landlady, Peggy Mitchell, assumes that Alfie is Chris Wright, the new manager sent by an agency. Alfie takes advantage of the misunderstanding to commit identity fraud against Wright. Alfie packs any stock he could find in a bin bag, ready to leave. Jim Branning catches him, but assumes Alfie is throwing away outdated stock and tricks Alfie into giving him a pint on the house. Winston, Martin, Ricky Butcher and Sam Mitchell realise that Alfie has told them all different background stories but he manages to reconcile the inconsistent stories. Alfie later answers the phone to the real Chris Wright and tells him the position is filled, revealing his intention to stay. Alfie's brother and grandmother arrive unannounced in Albert Square and move into the pub with Alfie, much to his dismay.

When Alfie is blackmailed by a former police officer, Dougie Slade, who reveals Alfie's true identity to Peggy, Alfie and his family are forced to flee with the pub's takings. However, Alfie leaves the money on Peggy's doorstep. Peggy manages to track him down, and after he confides in her about his parents' death, she gives him another chance. Alfie reluctantly accepts her proposal. Alfie becomes close with barmaid Kat Slater and he falls in love with her. Eventually Kat returns his feelings and one night when the pub is closed, Kat reveals her feelings to him. They decide to take the relationship slowly, but his inability to trust her causes her to rethink the relationship and she ends it than a week after they get together. Alfie is heartbroken when Kat returns from a trip to New York engaged to local gangster Andy Hunter. Andy, knowing Alfie's feelings for Kat, warns him to stay away from her and the wedding. Before the wedding, Kat visits Victoria in hospital, and thinking she is asleep, admits she loves Alfie. Victoria tells Alfie and he rushes to the wedding to confess his true feelings as the ceremony takes place. Kat jilts Andy and he swears revenge before leaving Walford.

Alfie and Kat quickly get engaged and decide to hold the wedding on Christmas Day, less than a month away. However, Alfie is still married to his first wife, Liza. Liza's mother tells Alfie that their divorce is finalised, so he starts to prepare the wedding to Kat, until Liza reveals they are not divorced. There are only a few days before the wedding so he tries to quickly finalise the divorce while trying to keep it secret from Kat, though Liza makes it difficult as she wants Alfie to take her back. Alfie is forced to cancel the minister on Christmas Day and he panics, but gets his friend Ray to pretend to be a minister, while planning to tell Kat the truth a few days later.
Spencer warns Alfie not to start his marriage with a lie, so Alfie reveals the truth to a furious Kat. Alfie is about to tell the guests that the wedding is cancelled when his solicitor enters with Alfie's decree absolute. Alfie convinces the minister to cancel his Christmas lunch, and Alfie and Kat marry.
After a while, Alfie borrows several thousand pounds from Andy to bail out Kat's father, Charlie, who has been arrested for assault. Andy begins demanding cash every week, which he knows Alfie cannot afford. Andy's plan to wreck the Moons' marriage starts to work and Andy offers Kat the chance to pay off the debt by sleeping with him. She reluctantly agrees and they have sex, though unknown to her, Alfie has paid Andy the money. Andy keeps the money and gives Alfie a video tape of him and Kat having sex. Kat and Alfie attempt to put the incident behind them but their marriage starts to fall apart and Alfie is unable to trust Kat. She moves out of Walford for while but when she returns, she has become an alcoholic and does not care that Alfie wants them to get back together. Kat sleeps with another man while in a drunken state and finally sees sense, deciding to return to Alfie, but he finds out and throws her out, so she leaves Walford again.
Alfie becomes close to Kat's sister Little Mo Mitchell, whose marriage to Billy Mitchell has collapsed. Alfie helps Mo bring up her baby, Freddie, and they decide to announce that they are an item. However, Kat returns before they have a chance, and she makes it clear that she wants Alfie back. He is torn between the two sisters, eventually choosing Kat. He lets Mo down gently, and they share a final goodbye hug, which Billy assumes is them getting together. In the pub, Billy drunkenly announces that Alfie and Little Mo are an item. Kat is furious and decides not to get together with Alfie, so as not to break her sister's heart.

However, Alfie and Kat continue to grow closer, due to Kat's relationship with Alfie's grandmother, who is dying. After Kat helps Alfie complete some of Victoria's final wishes and overcome her death, it is obvious that they long for each other. Alfie announces that he is leaving to drive across the United States in a Ford Capri, and it seems he has gone for good when he waves goodbye to a heartbroken Kat on Christmas Day 2005. After getting drunk and drowning her sorrows in the pub, Kat is stunned to see Alfie waiting for her outside. Kat and Alfie then get into the car together and drive off.

[dullagj2]

Kat returns to London revealing that she and Alfie conned a man called Frankie Finnerty, from whom she is now on the run. His relatives Lee and Jono Finnerty track her down but Alfie arrives pretending to be from the CID, scaring them off, though they take most of Kat's money. Alfie and Kat then talk about their history, and it is revealed that Alfie spent six months in a Spanish prison and they tried to have a baby but he had fertility problems. Kat wants nothing to do with Alfie, however, and attempts to leave, revealing that she is pregnant, saying the baby is not Alfie's. Alfie doubles the remainder of Kat's money in a bet, and promises to stop scamming and get a proper job. Kat gives him 24 hours or she will leave. He is unsuccessful in finding a job so takes the money and uses it to rent The Queen Victoria from Phil Mitchell. Kat is not happy and punches him in the face, demanding he get the money back as they need a regular income. Instead, he sets up an illegal drinking den in the cellar, and sets up a home with Kat in Kim Fox's caravan on the Square.

Alfie contracts Greg Jessop to refurbish The Queen Vic. Alfie's second cousin once removed Michael Moon arrives and gives him money to pay Phil for the lease. He introduces Michael to Kat but she is not pleased by his arrival. Michael later reveals he is returning to Spain, and Alfie finds some money and a letter from him, revealing that he is Kat's baby's father. Alfie does not let on to Kat that he knows but later they argue when Kat thinks Alfie does not want the baby, and he leaves. Alfie later reveals he does know and insists he wants the baby but Kat does not believe him, so she agrees to go to Spain with Michael. However, when Alfie tells Michael to make sure he looks after them both, Kat changes her mind. She then sees that Alfie has bought a cot and toys for the baby. Alfie struggles to pay the rent to Phil so tries to raise money by gambling, but loses. However, Phil's cousin Roxy Mitchell pays two months' rent for him after seeing how much money he lost gambling. He then unveils the newly refurbished pub to Kat. On the day of the grand opening, Greg says there has been a hitch, so Alfie, who has given away tickets to the event, has to host a party at the Slaters' house. However, the pub opens the next day, where Kat sees Alfie and Roxy together and fights with Roxy. Alfie takes Roxy's side and ejects Kat from the pub. However, they later reconcile and Alfie proposes that they renew their wedding vows, which Kat accepts. The day does not go quite according to plan, as he jeopardises his own ceremony to help Roxy with her sister Ronnie's wedding, however, Kat realises she does not need a big ceremony. Instead of having an official ceremony, Alfie arranges an unofficial one in the middle of the Square with just him and Kat.

Kat gives birth to a boy named Tommy but is soon rushed to hospital as part of the placenta was undelivered, causing her to haemorrhage. Charlie is left to look after the baby but decides to join the New Year's party downstairs. Ronnie's baby James, who was born on the same day as Tommy, dies of cot death and Ronnie swaps the babies. When Alfie returns home he finds James dead, believing him to be Tommy. Kat and Alfie struggle to cope with their loss but eventually start to get through it until Michael returns a month later to see his son. Although Kat tells Michael to leave, he stays because he has friends locally. Kat ends up kissing Michael, and though he rejects her, saying there is nothing between them without Tommy, Alfie sees Kat break down when Michael leaves. Eventually Kat's resentment causes Alfie to move out after they have a row, which makes their marriage turn sour. After Ronnie discovers this, she is shocked and asks in implication that he and Kat has split up. Kat then later sees Alfie leaving with Michael in his car for a weekend break away from Walford. When Kat is upset she tells him that a coroner has visited confirming that Tommy (James) died of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome. He comforts her and tells her that he feels the same way about Tommy's death, as if he was his biological father. Kat appears to be slightly delighted as she says she is not alone. Kat and Alfie's relationship breaks down but Michael helps to get them back together. They consider IVF to try for another baby, but do not go through with it. Eventually, Ronnie confesses to Kat that she swapped the babies and returns Tommy. Alfie and Kat are reunited with Tommy after talking to a social worker. Ronnie is eventually sent to prison for her crime, though Kat forgives her. Kat and Alfie then holiday in Spain, leaving Alfie's second cousin Eddie Moon to look after the pub. When they return, they bring Shenice Quinn with them, the daughter of Kat's friend Martina Quinn who visited them earlier in the year.

Kat finds out she is pregnant and Alfie, believing he cannot have children, asks who the father is. Kat insists she has not cheated but Alfie says he knew what Kat was like when he married her. Alfie's attempts to make up for this after finding out he can have children all fail, even after Kat suffers a miscarriage, and she tells him she does not want any more children, and that their relationship will just be for show from now on. Alfie stops paying Kat attention in an attempt to help their relationship, but she has a one-night stand with Mark Garland, which she regrets after hearing a voicemail message from Alfie saying how much he loves her. Alfie then takes Kat, Tommy and Shenice on holiday, unaware of Kat's infidelity. However, when they return, Kat feels guilty so tells Alfie she cheated on him. Alfie demands to know why, so Kat tells him he already knows—because she is like that and always will be. Alfie tells Kat he would rather have Kat cheat on him and not know about it than not have her in his life. Kat does not want to do this and is further upset when Alfie will not allow her to explain that she did not cheat with yet another man, assuming that she has. The couple attempt to mend relations with each other over Christmas, but Alfie overhears Kat saying that she does not think he loves her. Alfie decides to visit a marriage counsellor, however Kat turns up late and Alfie says the counsellor never came. He then pays his friend Gerry to pretend to be a marriage counsellor to tell Kat that their marriage can be mended. However, when Alfie deliberately leaves Kat and Gerry alone, she says she thinks Alfie does not love her, and tells Gerry that she ultimately wants to end their marriage. Gerry tries to tell Alfie this, but he believes that Gerry has helped.

When Charlie suffers a stroke, Alfie, Kat, Shenice and Tommy visit him but he returns before they do. After this, Derek Branning gets Alfie into a VAT scam, and Alfie helps Roxy and Billy to set Derek up by intercepting his alcohol deliveries. Alfie struggles for money, and contemplates firing Jean to cut costs. He also stores Derek's goods at the pub to earn extra cash, but when Phil bans Alfie from doing this, Derek arranges with Alfie and Billy Mitchell to steal a large amount of alcohol. However Derek is unknowingly scammed by Alfie and Billy, and he suspects Phil of conning him. When Billy is arrested on suspicion of the murder of Heather Trott, Derek is worried he might implicate them in the alcohol theft and so tells Alfie to hide some supplies at Phil's garage in order to frame him. However, Alfie is spotted doing so and Phil confronts him and who makes it clear that Alfie should take orders from him. When Derek discovers that Alfie has told Phil everything, he furiously threatens Alfie.

In Kat's absence, Alfie and Roxy become close friends, and Roxy admits to Alfie that she is in love with him. Things then become awkward between them, and she resigns from her job at the pub. After a while, Alfie manages to convince Roxy to return to her job and later offers her a place to stay at The Queen Victoria when she walks out of the Mitchell household. Kat is back now and has thrown Roxy out.

T28th Pauline Fowler

In the first episode, it is revealed that Pauline, aged 40, is pregnant with her third child. The character's pregnancy quickly became a prominent storyline within the series. Pauline, against her mother's opposition, is determined to keep the baby.The storyline was used to spread a public message on the increased risk of genetic defects in late pregnancies, with Pauline undergoing amniocentesis tests.The storyline culminates with the birth of the serial's first baby, Martin, in July 1985.

Pauline's early storylines concentrate on family and money troubles: coping with her husband Arthur's redundancy, mental breakdown and imprisonment; eldest son Mark's delinquency; and daughter Michelle's teenage pregnancy.

In 1989, the character was used to highlight another important gynaecological health issue, fibroids.The storyline sees Pauline ignoring health problems, such as chronic fatigue, and using homoeopathic preparations rather than seeking medical assistance. Her fibroids are discovered by chance, when the character Ricky Butcher knocks her down in his Austin Mini. In the 1989 Boxing Day episode, Pauline spends time in hospital, recovering from a necessary hysterectomy.
Pauline's marriage to the luckless Arthur is central to her character. The dynamics of the relationship were clear from the beginning of the programme, with Pauline depicted as the matriarchal force that holds the Fowler family together, while Arthur is depicted as weak, emotionally unstable and easily dominated by the stronger females of his family.
Arthur, only sporadically employed and disabled by a breakdown, often behaved like a little boy, while Pauline had to make the decisions and keep the family functioning in the face of poverty and unemployment, teenage pregnancy and depression."Pauline and Arthur were generally seen as the most stable couple in the show, so Arthur's affair with Christine Hewitt came as a shock to viewers. The storyline was long running, beginning early in 1992 with the introduction of lonely divorcee Christine, who employs Arthur to tend to her garden. A romance between Arthur and Christine steadily develops throughout the year, facilitated by Pauline's lengthy absence—she is called abroad to tend to her crippled brother Kenny in early June, and she does not return until late September—in reality, Wendy Richard had to be temporarily written out of EastEnders to allow her to act in Grace and Favour.The build-up to the affair contains many twists and turns, starting with Arthur's rebuff of Christine's advances, then a confrontation between Pauline and Christine, which convinces Pauline of Arthur's innocence and leaves her feeling "strangely sorry for the pathetic, lonely figure, who obviously drank too much35] The episode in which Arthur finally gives into temptation and sleeps with Christine aired on Christmas Eve 1992; The storyline continued throughout 1993 as Christine makes greater demands on Arthur, threatening to tell Pauline about their affair unless he does so himself. In September 1993, the situation finally reaches a climax on-screen.; For a while it seems that EastEnders' "most solid" marriage is over,but Arthur spends the rest of 1993 trying to convince Pauline that it is worth saving and they eventually reconcile. However, more tragedy follows, when Arthur is framed by a conman, Willy Roper (dubbed "Wicked Willy" by the British press), and wrongfully imprisoned for embezzlement in 1995. The storyline captured the public's imagination and a nationwide "Free Arthur Fowler" campaign was launched. "Arthur Fowler Is Innocent" T-shirts were produced and a single was even released in the UK singles chart promoting the campaign.

Arthur's imprisonment was a precursor to the final exit of actor Bill Treacher, who decided to leave EastEnders after 11 years playing Arthur. While Arthur goes to pieces in prison, Pauline is heavily embroiled in the storyline pertaining to his eventual release. For several months viewers witnessed Willy attempt to woo Pauline, but she eventually uncovers his deception and then resorts to uncharacteristic seduction to gain his confession. Pauline remains a family-oriented character throughout the course of the show. A "fiercely loyal, but overbearing mother"; sheltering and taking on the major responsibilities of her children and frequently stressing the importance of family.She is portrayed as a traditionalist, with strict rules and beliefs—the first to criticise, but also the first to defend her children, often interfering in their issues and causing rifts in their relationships.
Early storylines between Pauline and her two teenage children, Mark and Michelle, show her to be a doting mother, forgiving of Mark's wayward behaviour, and supportive when Michelle decides to become a teenage mum. Pauline is devoted to her twin brother Pete, dutiful to her mother Lou, allegiant to her husband Arthur, and a shoulder for her nephew, Ian, to cry on.
As the serial progressed, Pauline contends with a plethora of family upsets, which include many deaths—her mother Lou in 1988, brother Pete in 1993 and husband Arthur in 1996—as well as her elder son Mark's fatal battle with HIV. After a year long build-up, Mark is shown to reveal his HIV status to his stunned and devastated parents in an episode that aired on Boxing Day 1991, The HIV plot had many ramifications for the character of Pauline, as she struggles to come to terms with her son's condition. It was also instrumental in raising public awareness about the illness, which was still the subject of much ignorance when EastEnders tackled it in 1991. When the storyline initially aired, more people went for a HIV test in Britain than at any other time.
The HIV storyline came to an end on-screen in 2003, when Mark Fowler was axed.In the serial, Mark discovers his HIV medication is failing, but instead of allowing Pauline to witness his deterioration, he leaves to spend the remainder of his life travelling.

In the latter years of her time in the soap, Pauline changes from a caring mother into a more inflexible battle-axe. Pauline's relationship with Martin is often shown to be strained by Pauline's refusal to release control over his life. Though initially a teenage delinquent, following Mark's death in 2004, Martin becomes Pauline's "dutiful son", forced to put his mother's wishes above those of his wife—a recurring theme within the serial. Eventually, this causes a rift between the two characters. When Martin goes against his mother's wishes in 2006 and rekindles a romance with his adulterous ex-wife Sonia, Pauline cuts him out of her life.

The character's narrative also included various feuds, most notably with the soap's lothario Den Watts, a family-friend who gets Pauline's daughter Michelle pregnant at the age of 16. On Christmas Day Pauline discovers that Den is the father of her granddaughter, Vicki. An array of confrontations between Den and Pauline occur, as she tries to force him to leave Walford and keep him away from her family. The feud appears to end in 1989 when the character Den is shot and presumed dead, but it is ignited once again in 2003 when Den is re-introduced, 14 years after he supposedly died. 2005 saw Den killed off for the final time, and although Pauline is not directly responsible for killing him, the item used to bludgeon him to death turns out to be her dog-shaped iron doorstop, which has been described as "a nice touch of pathos".

A large proportion of the character's scenes take place on the set of Walford's launderette, where Pauline works as an assistant for almost the entire duration of her time in EastEnders. Here, Pauline is frequently featured with another long-running protagonist, fellow launderette colleague, Dot Branning. The two characters share one of the soap's most enduring screen friendships and their scenes together are often used to provide humour.[19] Particular emphasis is placed on their differences, which lead to numerous petty squabbles and in 2004 sees them "buried alive" underneath a collapsed fairground ride, in the midst of a cake-selling war. However, Pauline and Dot are most frequently shown gossiping, reminiscing about the past, or sharing their woes in the launderette.
Pauline is shown to be particularly hostile to the various female characters that feature in her sons' lives, and she epitomises the archetypal "mother-in-law from hell".One of Pauline's most notable feuds is with her youngest son Martin's wife, Sonia. Animosity between the characters begins in 2000, when Sonia gives birth to Pauline's grandchild and decides to give the baby Chloe (later renamed Rebecca) up for adoption. In the storyline, Pauline tries unsuccessfully to fight for custody, leading Sonia to retort "YOU want to bring up Chloe? You couldn't bring up phlegm!"The feuding over Chloe is revisited in storylines throughout 2005 and 2006, when first Pauline is shown to visit her adopted granddaughter against Sonia and Martin's wishes, and then, following Sonia's lesbian affair with Naomi Julien, Pauline refuses to give Sonia access to the child after Martin regains custody. Various rows, slaps and insults were featured between the characters, caused by Pauline's continuous interference in Sonia's relationships with Martin and Rebecca. As Martin began to cede, allowing Sonia access to their daughter, Pauline was shown to concoct ever more elaborate ways to obstruct Sonia's involvement.

During her latter years in EastEnders, Pauline is rarely without her Cairn Terrier, Betty. The dog is a stray taken in by the Fowler family in 2004, who quickly becomes Pauline's inseparable sidekick.
Several eligible bachelors are shown to express their interest in Pauline over the years, including the characters Derek Taylor in 1987, Danny Taurus in 1993, Jeff Healy (who proposes) in 1999, Eddie Skinner in 2000, and Terry Raymond, with whom she goes on a blind date in 2001. However, the character remains staunchly faithful to her late husband's memory, refusing to let the relationships progress beyond companionship. In 2001 Derek Harkinson ( is introduced, an old school friend of Pauline's. Initial scripts indicated that Derek was being groomed as a romantic interest for Pauline, which she is shown to welcome. However, the storyline takes a twist when he reveals, to her shock, that he is gay. 2002 sees Derek move in with the Fowler family, unconventionally settling into the show as a replacement father figure for Mark and Martin and as Pauline's best friend.

In 2005, Pauline embarks on a romance with a new character, Joe Macer, whom she meets at salsa classes. A relationship develops, and despite her initial trepidation, Pauline remarries in 2006, after almost a decade alone. Pauline's marriage to Joe was an attempt to give the character a "new lease of life", and her wedding day was screened to coincide with EastEnders' 21st anniversary.
Within the storyline, just two months after the wedding, Pauline's marriage is shown to sour after she discovers Joe's criminal past. Their relationship steadily deteriorates throughout the year, and in December 2006 Pauline ends the marriage—removing her wedding ring and informing Joe that he "was half the man that Arthur had been, that she had never really loved him and that their sex life was a sham." The resulting row sees Joe insult Pauline's family—suggesting that her "perfect marriage" with Arthur was "nothing but a fantasy" and branding Mark "diseased", Michelle a "scrubber" and Arthur a "con"—to which Pauline responds by smashing a plate over his head.

[dullagj2]

Viewers saw the slow build-up to Pauline's climactic exit throughout the latter part of 2006. The character's bitter decline involves depression, pretending to have a brain tumour to scupper the revived relationship between her son Martin and his ex-wife Sonia, marital breakdown, and finally ostracism after Martin and the rest of Albert Square discover her lie. Having successfully alienated everyone around her, Pauline plans to go to America to join her daughter. Wendy Richard commented on the reasons behind Pauline's actions: "she cannot forgive. For anyone to hurt a member of her family so badly is incomprehensible to Pauline. She is a good, but unforgiving woman. Sonia is more than just a thorn in Pauline's side. She is angry because she feels Martin has let her down in returning to Sonia. She feels he could have discussed it with her more and talked her round for the sake of Rebecca. Pauline will blame her decision to leave on Sonia—another way of punishing Martin. Even though she is really hurting over leaving Rebecca, Pauline is determined to go. She realised she never really loved Joe, he has lied to her too many times ...

The character was killed off in a dramatic storyline,[70] which aired on Christmas Day 2006 .The episode sees Sonia denouncing Pauline as "sick" for not wanting to share her son with the woman he loved, to which Pauline retorts, "I'll tell you what's sick. You. Daughter of a scrubber, lesbian, under-age mother who gave away her own baby." The row culminates with Sonia slapping Pauline, causing her to fall to the floor and break the Fowler fruit bowl—"the enduring symbol of her family, which smashed, significantly, into smithereens." Though Pauline resolves to stay and reunite with her family in the end, she does not get the chance, as she collapses and dies in the middle of Albert Square, leaving both characters and viewers in uncertainty about the cause of her demise.

The Christmas Day episodes, drew on the show's early history to mark the occasion of Pauline's exit, which was particularly emphasised by the use of flashback vocal snippets of several members of Pauline's deceased family. The storyline—dubbed "who killed Pauline?" —continued into 2007, as first Pauline's funeral is interrupted by the police in order to perform an autopsy on her body, and then Pauline's nemesis Sonia is arrested for the murder. It is later revealed that the killing blow had actually come from Pauline's husband Joe, who breaks down and confesses to Dot that he had rowed with Pauline on Christmas Day (off-screen) and, in a fury, struck her across the head with a frying pan, causing a brain haemorrhage that claimed her life.The plot's eventual climax in February 2007 led to the exits of several established characters connected with Pauline. This included Martin, Sonia, and Joe, who is dramatically killed off after confessing to Pauline's murder, by falling out of the Fowlers' first floor window while trying to apprehend a hysterical Dot. Pauline is cremated, and her ashes buried at Arthur's graveside, by Dot, in an episode that aired in June 2007.

28-30
Masood Ahmed
Alfie Moon
Pauline Fowler
All tied on 22 votes.

T25th Nana Moon

Victoria Montgomery married William Moon, a soldier, during the Second World War. She was two months pregnant when he left to fight off the invasion of Europe. She gave birth to Alfred Moon in April 1944. William died on 12 June 1944, killed in action. She remained faithful to William and never had sexual relations with any other man. After Victoria's only son and his wife were killed in a car crash, she moved in with her two orphaned grandsons, Alfie and Spencer Moon, who call her Nana.

Moving to Walford with her grandchildren in 2002, Nana's family become worried when she starts to become overly forgetful. It is suspected that she has Alzheimer's disease, but it turns out to be water on the brain, which is operated on with no lasting cognitive effects. Nana meets a pensioner, Wilfred Atkins, while on holiday at the seaside. They plan to marry, but on their wedding day Alfie exposes him as a fraud as he planned to flee with some of Vic's possessions. She is devastated, and Wilfred leaves Walford having conned Pat Evans out of £30,000.

In 2005, Nana is diagnosed with an aortic aneurysm, and takes the decision to die, as her chances of surviving an operation were low due to her age. She works on a wish list of things she wants to do before her death, such as getting arrested, playing poker, to have tea with the Queen and to visit her dead husband's grave in Normandy. Alfie takes her to France to fulfill one of her wishes on Armistice Day 2005. Nana lays flowers on William's grave and tells him she will see him very soon. Alfie's emotional state is badly affected by Nana's deteriorating health. As Christmas 2005 approached, the strain and stress on Alfie escalates. Still determined to do whatever his grandmother wishes, he tries to enjoy what he knew would be his final days with her. For one of her wishes, Alfie buys Nana a battery-operated, dancing toy snowman and helps her decorate the Moon house for Christmas. As Nana and Alfie sit, watching the dancing snowman, the batteries run out. Alfie turns to his grandmother and is heartbroken to see that she has peacefully died on the sofa.

T25th Tracey The Barmaid

Tracey (known to fans as Tracey the barmaid) is a recurring character played by Jane Slaughter. She has appeared since the first episode on 19 February 1985, where she is seen working on the flower stall in Bridge Street Market. She is the longest-serving female member of the cast and longest-serving extra.

Tracey starts working as a barmaid at The Queen Vic, in 1989. Her existence is largely to provide somebody to man the bar while one of the main characters resolves disputes, arguments or disagreements, or tends to the main plot of the episode. Despite featuring on the television programme frequently, and occasionally having a line to say, her surname and most of her details are unknown. She has also featured in a few minor storylines. As well as being a barmaid, Tracey owns a flower stall on Bridge Street market. Her stall is regularly robbed by new characters who steal flowers for people they are meeting. She employs workers whilst she does shifts in the pub, including Ina Foot and Jean Slater. Tracey becomes good friends with Debbie Bates, and is godmother to her daughter Clare Bates. Tracey is often seen to be pleased at the prospect of additional overtime in The Queen Vic when a Mitchell family wedding or other event is planned as she can always do with extra money.

On 14 April 2003 Tracey has a one-night stand with Dennis Rickman, the adoptive half-brother of former pub owner Sharon Watts, when he arrives in Albert Square, despite the fact that she is married. The day after, he returns her knickers to her publicly over the bar. In 2005, Sam Mitchell breaks into the pub with a crowbar and Tracey discovers her, asking her to leave. Sam knocks Tracey out with the crowbar and drags her, unconscious, into the bathroom, locking her in. She goes downstairs to unearth the body of Den Watts who is buried in the basement, and when the police arrive, Tracey is comforted by Little Mo Mitchell. After Sam is released from prison on bail she apologises to Tracey, but Tracey appears shaken by the ordeal and scared of Sam.

On 7 August 2008, Tracey opens up when Sean Slater questions why she is so quiet. She says she wants to keep herself to herself because she thinks that the Mitchells are all "stark raving mad" and that she does not fear any new barmaids as she had seen them come and go but she knows that she will always be behind the bar. She goes on to say that whoever lives in the pub is "cursed" in her opinion and that they will never be able to live happily together. She right there, yes Kalfie I'm looking at ye.

In March 2009, Archie Mitchell makes Tracey a cleaner at The Queen Vic, and she is pleased for the extra money. She attends Peggy Mitchell's hen party and Peggy and Archie's wedding on 2 April. On 16 April 2009, Shirley Carter accuses Phil Mitchell of drinking again. However, Phil covers this up by saying that he had broken a bottle of alcohol earlier, and Tracey backs him up. On 28 April 2009, Tracey answers the phone to Minty Peterson questioning Phil's whereabouts from the night before. Tracey tells Phil about having to talk to the bank about some money issues. Following that, Phil pressures Tracey into talking about her feelings, supposedly for him, mentioning her husband in the process. Finally, she appears again towards the end of the episode wanting to help Ben Mitchell get to school as Phil is too drunk to assist him. Phil, flirting with Tracey, tells her that her husband will not mind.

On 30 April 2009, she finds Heather Trott's lost inhaler. On 30 July, she phones in with a back injury, and Peggy says it was unlike her to skive so it must be serious. Dot Branning describes Tracey as the person who "sees everything but says very little." On 8 September 2009, Peggy tells Sam that Tracey still holds a grudge against her. On 26 November Tracey covers for both Peggy and Phil when bailiffs asks for them, by pretending she is just a barmaid from an agency and does not know them. She then informs Ben he needs to tell Phil that the bailiffs are looking for him and want to repossess his car. On 24 December, Archie Mitchell and Janine Butcher take over the pub, ousting Peggy and her family. Tracey is unhappy with the way Archie and Janine treated Peggy and the rest of the Mitchell family, and the straw that broke the camel's back comes the next day when Janine tells Tracey to put some tinsel in her hair and asks her to keep an eye on the Christmas dinner. Tracey leaves a note saying "Gone fishing", implying that she resigned. The next day, Tracey is present when Ronnie Mitchell is arrested on suspicion of Archie's murder, and looks shocked. She also attends Jean's party on 11 January 2010. When Mo Harris opens a betting circle on the identity of Archie's killer, she lists Tracey as the rank outsider, giving her the nickname "Silent Assassin".

On 18 January 2010, Tracey appears behind the bar in a non-speaking capacity for The Queen Victoria's reopening. On 22 January, the pub's new owner, Roxy Mitchell, gives Tracey a warning for arriving two hours late, but Peggy explains that she asked her to come in late as she has done a lot of unpaid overtime recently. Later, Roxy sacks Tracey because she wants the pub to have younger bar staff. Peggy demands that Roxy beg Tracey to come back for the evening shift as workers like Tracey are 'gold dust'. Peggy tells Tracey on the phone that she is not sacked but Tracey hangs up. Tracey decides to take Roxy to an unfair dismissal tribunal, so Roxy says she will audition a new barmaid, giving Tracey a chance but making sure she loses. However, when Roxy realises she does not know how to run a pub, she gives Tracey her job back. Tracey suggests a curry night, and Roxy is happy to leave Tracey in charge of it, saying it is the most she has ever heard her speak. On that same day, viewers find out that Tracey and Shirley Carter are good friends. In March 2010, Billie Jackson holds up The Queen Vic, asking Tracey for cash and saying he has a gun. She fills his bag with cash but Phil takes it off her. In September 2010, following the fire at The Queen Victoria, Tracey starts working at Ian Beale's fish and chip shop. The next month, Alfie Moon offers Tracey her old job back at The Queen Vic, along with Stacey, after he reopens the pub.

On Friday 14 January 2011, during a conversation with Kat Slater, it is revealed that Tracey has a son who lives with his father, as she and her husband have split up. Tracey's next appearance in speech was on Thursday 14 June 2012, she gave Jean Slater her job back on the flower stall. However Tracey later sacks Jean after she rows with customers Michael and Janine.

Tracey is a legend, good to see her finishing so high.

[strictmachine]

Having only started watching Easties in the 90s I had no idea about Mark's drugs and racist past. Loving this, not only to see the results but also the meticulous research that has obviously went into dullagj2's posts. Must have been a lot of work, I am very thankful for it!

[dullagj2]

Thanks very much strictmachine. Credit to wikipedia for the character synopsis'. It takes a while to edit them but I'm getting there

T25th Kathy Beale

Kathy was born into a destitute, East End family, headed by an abusive and alcoholic father. Aged fourteen, Kathy was raped by music teacher Marcus Duffy, resulting in a pregnancy. Her daughter was given up for adoption. Later in life, she fell for a local boy, Pete Beale, but he married Pat Harris after she claimed she was pregnant with his child. It was only after Pete left Pat that he and Kathy got together. They married in 1968, despite strong opposition from Pete's mother, Lou who wouldn't condone her son's divorce. A year later, they had their son, Ian.

The Beales are financially stable in 1985. Kathy opens her own knitting business, making jumpers to sell and working as a barmaid in The Queen Vic for her best friend, Angie Watts. Kathy feels she has put her troubled past behind her, however in October 1985, Nick Cotton breaks into Dr. Legg's surgery and steals Kathy's medical records, discovering that she had been raped and had given the resulting child up for adoption. He uses this to blackmail Kathy and she is eventually forced to tell Pete her secret, a revelation that he takes badly.

In 1987, Kathy receives news that her adopted daughter, Donna Ludlow, wants to meet her, but she refuses. Undeterred, Donna moves to Walford and keeps her identity secret. To get closer to Kathy, Donna calls her workplace at The Samaritans, and grows close to Ian, who becomes attracted to his half sister. When Kathy tells Donna to stay away from Ian, Donna reveals to her that she is her daughter. She thinks Kathy will be pleased but Kathy is mortified and orders her to leave Walford. Unperturbed, Donna stays and causes various problems for Kathy until she finally tells Donna that she wants nothing to do with her as she is the product of rape. Unhinged, Donna spends the rest of the year in a downward spiral.

In 1988, James Willmott-Brown employs Kathy at The Dagmar wine bar, which angers Pete. The rift worsens when it becomes clear that James is romantically interested in Kathy. After Kathy and Pete argue one night, James invites her to his flat, but when he attempts to seduce her, Kathy tries to leave. James will not take no for an answer, and what began as seduction ends in rape. James is arrested, and despite claiming that the sex had been consensual, he is formally charged with rape. In the aftermath, Kathy becomes depressed and isolated from Pete, who never believes she is blameless. Kathy ends their marriage in January 1989.
James stands trial in April 1989 but not before he'd tries to bribe Kathy to drop the charges. Kathy pretends to take his hush money, then betrays him to a listening DI. She is forced to relive the rape for the trial, where a skilful barrister presents a good case for James. For a time, it appears that James will be found not guilty, but to Kathy's relief, he is imprisoned for three years. During this time, Kathy finds unexpected support from Pete's first wife, Pat Wicks, whom she had initially despised. The rape by Willmott-Brown, and later the death of Kathy's mother-in-law Lou, brings them closer as both find they had a common bond with the dominance of Lou in their lives. Pat and Kathy become each other's closest friends. Kathy still finds herself unable to accept Donna as she reminds her of her rape. Donna sinks into depression and in April 1989, she overdoses on heroin and dies after choking on her own vomit. Kathy feels guilty about her daughter's death.

During 1989, Kathy attempts to move on and begins a relationship with market trader Laurie Bates. Laurie is understanding of Kathy's situation and accepts that they will not have sex. Their relationship manages to survive the interference of Julie Cooper, who tries but fails to claim Laurie for herself. However, when Laurie begins buying Kathy extravagant clothing and jewellery, she begins questioning his motives. She thinks he is trying to make her look like his late wife and loses interest. Laurie takes her rejection badly and some tactless comments regarding her sexual abstinence makes Kathy believe he has deceived her of his true nature. She ends the relationship in January 1990. Later in the year, Kathy begins dating Eddie Royle. He patiently pursues her, but after a few dates, she becomes hesitant and after she sees him kissing Eibhlin O'Donnell - his former girlfriend visiting from Ireland - their lukewarm romance ends.

Kathy buys the Bridge Street café in 1991, renaming the premises "Kathy's" in 1992. In January 1992, Willmott-Brown is released from prison. He sends Kathy a tape telling her that he wants to meet her and that he has changed. Kathy pleads with him to leave and never return, but he moves to the Square and continues to pester her, until Kathy relays the hurt and anger he had caused her, gaining some closure. James threatens suicide, but Kathy stops him, refusing to let him take the easy way out. After a heated conversation in which James pleads for forgiveness, Kathy convinces him to leave Walford. She also convinces Pete — who has been hoping for a reconciliation — that their marriage is over. Later in 1992, Kathy begins a relationship with market inspector Richard Cole, which sours when she discovers that he is taking a cash bribe and allowing a mobile hot dog van to trade in direct competition with her café.
In 1993, Kathy begins a romance with the mechanic Phil Mitchell, which manages to survive interference from Phil's wife Nadia, who tries to spilt them up, as well as various revelations about Phil's past criminal activity. Phil proposes to Kathy, and she accepts, however during their engagement party, Kathy learns that Phil had almost resumed his affair with his sister-in-law Sharon Mitchell, a revelation that ends Kathy's friendship with Sharon and leads to Phil being beaten by his brother Grant, and almost ends Kathy and Phil's relationship.

Kathy and Phil marry.However, in 1995 Phil and Kathy sort out their differences and get married. Kathy becomes pregnant and gives birth to a boy, Ben, in 1996; he later contracts meningitis and is left with impaired hearing. Kathy becomes devoted to Ben. Phil begins to feel neglected and, in his depression, he turns to alcohol. By the end of the year his drinking has developed into full-blown alcoholism. Phil becomes violent and argumentative towards Kathy. After he snatches Ben and leaves him near a fire while he passes out drunk, Kathy leaves him. Realising what he has lost, Phil tries to stop drinking and rebuild his marriage. Kathy takes him back, but when Phil attends counselling in 1997, he begins an affair with a fellow alcoholic named Lorna Cartwright, who starts stalking him and makes herself known to Kathy. In August 1997, Phil takes Kathy to Paris, hoping that it will bring them closer. However, Phil confesses to his affair with Lorna, and Kathy responds by throwing her wedding ring in the Seine, stating that their marriage is "the biggest mistake" of her life. Phil begins sleeping rough and blames Kathy for his decline. Despite momentarily contemplating suicide, Kathy hardens herself towards her husband's abuse.

By Christmas 1997, she starts a relationship with vicar Alex Healy. In 1998, Alex's Bishop discovers their affair and offers Alex a choice: Kathy or his job. Alex is prepared to give up his job to be with Kathy, but she has already decided to move to Cape Town, South Africa, to live with her brother Ted. Meanwhile, Phil's brother Grant confesses to loving Kathy and asks her to elope, while Phil, simultaneously, tries to reunite with her. Kathy is confused by so many options, but makes it known to Phil that she is open to a reunion; however, when he fails to meet her on the day of her departure in April 1998, Kathy leaves Walford with Ben.

Kathy returns in September 1999 to meet Ian's fiancée Melanie Healy. Instead of reuniting with Phil, she has a fling with Grant. Just before she is due to return home to South Africa, Kathy has a change of heart and asks Phil to leave with her. However, Grant has planned a robbery that same day and Phil cannot bring himself to let his brother do the job alone. Infuriated by Phil's loyalty to Grant, Kathy reveals their recent affair, moments before she leaves. This results in a violent showdown between the brothers. Grant confesses that he only had sex with Kathy as revenge for Phil's affair with his wife Sharon. Phil responds by threatening to shoot Grant, devastated that he'd lost Ben and Kathy again. This leads to Grant crashing their car into the River Thames; both survive. Kathy returns again in December 1999 for Ian's short-lived wedding to Melanie on Millennium Eve, after Mel reveals to Ian that she had sex with Steve Owen. Kathy is met with hostility from Phil and Grant's mother, Peggy. Phil tries to persuade Kathy to reconcile one last time, but eventually they both agree that their relationship is definitely over. Kathy then departs. Her last appearance is in January 2000.

Kathy marries a man named Gavin Sullivan in South Africa in 2001, and he adopts Ben. On 20 February 2006, Gavin's sister calls Ian to say that Gavin and Kathy have been in an accident - a 13-year-old boy who was joyriding, crashed into their car, killing Kathy. A heartbroken Ian travels to South Africa and returns with Ben after Gavin also dies. Custody of Ben is eventually given to Phil.

25-28
Nana Moon
Tracey the barmaid
Kathy Beale
all tied on 23 votes.

[dullagj2]

T22nd Sean Slater

Sean was born on Christmas Day 1983 to Brian and Jean Slater. He was joined five years later by a sister Stacey. He adored his father and younger sister, but had a fractured relationship with his mother due to her suffering from bipolar disorder. He became rebellious, constantly going out of his way to scare his mother. In December 1999, Sean had an argument with his father and punched him, causing Brain to suffer a brain haemmorage and die while working on a building site the next day. Sean panicked, and on his sixteenth birthday he ran away, joined the army and lost all contact with his family. Stacey, aged 11, was left alone to take care of Jean.
Sean arrived in Walford on 22 August 2006, to take revenge on the newly arrived Al, who had caused Sean to lose his job in the armed forces. He broke into Al's flat, and later followed him into the Queen Victoria pub where, by chance, he saw his sister Stacey, whom he had lost contact with following the death of their father, Brian. After taking revenge on Al, Sean decided to stay in Walford to look after his sister.

Sean immediately began to pursue Tanya Branning, before deciding to start a relationship with Ruby Allen after discovering her to be wealthy. Sean proposed to Ruby, but continued to pursue Tanya and slept with numerous other women, including Karin Jones and Preeti Choraria. When Ruby's father died, she became infatuated with Sean, interfering in his relationships with his family, including his bipolar mother Jean, who Sean could not abide. Sean was furious when Ruby informed Jean that he was back in town; he threw Ruby's father's ashes at her and dumped her.

In 2007, Sean started a relationship with Chelsea Fox, but slept with her stepsister Carly Wicks, causing a multitude of rows in the process. Scorned, Chelsea enlisted the help of Carly's brother Deano and attempted to frame Sean for the assault of shopkeeper Patrick Trueman. Sean's attempt to escape arrest failed, and only made him look guilty. He was wrongfully imprisoned. From prison, Sean orchestrated an attack on Deano, so Carly broke up with him; however, she later discovered Chelsea in possession of CCTV footage proving Sean was innocent of Patrick's assault. Despite her family's protests, Carly handed the footage into the police. Sean was subsequently released, and Deano and Chelsea were arrested for conspiracy to pervert the course of justice. Sean took revenge by cutting Chelsea's hair while she slept, and assaulting Deano.

Sean was furious when he discovered that his sister Stacey had been sleeping with Max Branning, the father of her fiancé Bradley. He tried to put a stop to Stacey and Bradley's wedding, but eventually allowed it to go ahead. The affair was discovered on Christmas Day 2007, and Sean comforted Max's wife Tanya in her hour of need. They became involved, and Sean confessed to her that he was responsible for his father's death. He had punched his father in the head, and the next day, Brian had collapsed and fallen from the scaffolding. Unable to cope with the guilt, Sean had fled, leaving Stacey to look after their mentally unstable mother.

Shortly after her split from Max, Tanya started a relationship with Sean and he formed an unexpected bond with her children, especially Lauren (who was the one who had shown the family the recording of Max and Stacey). Then in March 2008, they plotted to fake Tanya's reconciliation with Max in order to gain all of his assets then flee the country with the kids.

Tanya pretended to split up with Sean and reunite with Max, but secretly the two conspired to bury her husband alive. Tanya later released Max. Much to Sean's surprise, Tanya scorns and rejects him when he tells her he wants them to be a family. She revealed that she had only used him to get her revenge on Max. Sean threatens to tell the kids about what she had done, but Tanya counters by threatening to tell Stacey that Sean killed their beloved father. Sean keeps quiet.

He took the rejection hard and had another meltdown. He began a casual relationship with Roxy Mitchell, as well as tormenting his flatmate Gus Smith. He revealed that he planned to kill Gus and make it look like suicide. Before he could go through with this, he was stopped by Stacey, who decided he would move back in with the Slaters. Roxy and Sean split up, and Gus revealed to the Slaters that Sean was involved in drugs.

Sean was stunned to discover Roxy was pregnant, and assumed that he was the father, unaware she had also slept with Jack Branning. He offered to support her, but was rebuked by Roxy, who left Walford for Ibiza. Sean too departed from Albert Square temporarily, returning in July. He discovered Roxy was now staying in Weymouth with her father. He travelled to Weymouth where Roxy had been staying with her father Archie and having a casual relationship with his gardener. However, after being discouraged by her father to return with Sean, after gathering her sister's support she and Sean returned to Walford where Roxy moved in with him. After Roxy’s sister Ronnie Mitchell thought that Sean was involved in drugs, she disproved of their relationship, but came to support them when Sean and Roxy married in August. Sean had an antagonistic relationship with Roxy's father Archie Mitchell, disliking having to accept money from him for a deposit on a flat. On 13 November 2008 when Roxy went into premature labour with their daughter, Archie pretended to, but did not actually inform Sean, who consequently did not arrive at the hospital until after Roxy had given birth. She named the baby Amy Slater, after Ronnie Mitchell's daughter, Danielle Jones, who was originally named Amy and was given up for adoption.

On 3 December 2008, Jack Branning asked Roxy for a paternity test. She received the results on 12 December 2008 but hid them after she goes to help her cousin, Billy Mitchell, who is injured when crates fall on top of him. Roxy recovered the results, but not before Archie found them and made a copy. A few weeks later, Sean secured a deposit on a flat, but it was in Dagenham. This infuriated Archie and had led him to plot to reveal the DNA results with the help of Suzy Branning.

On 25 December 2008, Sean read the results of the DNA test which Suzy planted in Ben Mitchell's home made Christmas Crackers. Sean was devastated and attacked Jack Branning (who was the father of Amy), then went on the rampage, kidnapping baby Amy.

On 1 January 2009, Sean gave Amy to Stacey and asked her to look after her for a few days, but she couldn't do it and gave Amy back to the Mitchells. Sean returned to the Vic and convinced Roxy to leave with him and Amy, but drove them to an icy lake with Ronnie and Jack in pursuit with the intention of driving into the water and drowning as a family. Roxy quickly got out of the car but Amy was still strapped in. When Ronnie and Jack arrived, Roxy coaxed Sean out onto the ice to allow Amy to be rescued. With Ronnie and Jack watching, the ice broke and the pair go under. Sean freed Roxy from the weeds in which she was entangled as Ronnie dived into the water to rescue her. Roxy and Ronnie escaped the frozen lake, but there was no sign of Sean. Roxy saw Sean crawling out of the water while Ronnie and Jack were warming up back at the car. She urged him to flee, and Sean walked away into the darkness.

T22nd Tanya Jessop

Before appearing on screen, Tanya grew up on a council estate in East London, dabbling with drugs and alcohol and falling pregnant by Max Branning at eighteen. As a result, Tanya became estranged from her mother (her father died of cancer when she was in her early-teens) and from her sister Rainie Cross, who went on to become a drug-addicted prostitute. Max left his wife Rachel Branning and six-year-old son Bradley Branning to be with Tanya. Their daughter Lauren Branning was born in March 1994, and they married in August 1994. She and Max also have a daughter called Abi Branning ho was born in 1996.

Tanya arrives in Albert Square after Max's car breaks down, not realising in fact Max is visiting his family. She finds out that he has had an affair with Gemma Clewes but forgives him. To make it up to her, Max buys 10 Turpin Road for Tanya, which she turns into a beauty salon named 'Booty'. Tanya after much pressure from Max gives birth to Oscar. Unbeknown to Tanya, Max has started an affair with Stacey Slater who is Max's son's wife. When the affair is revealed on Christmas Day on a video recording recorded by Lauren, Tanya asks for a divorce and starts a relationship with Sean Slater. Tanya plots to bury Max alive and with the help of Sean, they drug Max and bury him in the woods. Tanya later feels guilty and digs him up and breaks up with Sean. Tanya then has to face her sister, Rainie turning up as she did the year before, claiming she is clean of drugs, though tests positive, so Tanya orders her to leave. Tanya then starts a relationship with Max's brother Jack and Max tries to split them up. Tanya and Max later share a kiss, after Max is abducted and beaten by Jack. Max is run down in a deliberate hit-and-run. Tanya admits to the police that she tried to kill Max; however, Lauren was the culprit. After the police find out Lauren was the driver, Max and Tanya suffer a bumpy relationship which ends up in Tanya forgiving Max and allowing him to move back in, but when she finds out they are in debt and Max has been hiding it, she leaves with Lauren and Oscar after finding out Booty was to close down, with Abi refusing to go with Tanya and staying with Max.

Tanya returns to Walford with her new fiancé Greg Jessop. Rainie and her mother, Cora Cross arrive in Walford for her wedding, much to Tanya's dismay. Greg and Tanya marry, and Tanya soon starts an affair with Max. Greg later buys the beauty salon from Roxy Mitchell and later pushes Tanya to have another baby though Tanya is against the idea. Tanya allows Rainie and Cora to move in. Tanya and Max plan to reveal their affair but Tanya finds out that she may have cervical cancer. After discovering this, she breaks up with Max, but he decides to tell the truth to his fiancé, Vanessa Gold who reveals all to Greg. Heartbroken, Greg leaves Walford and when Max realises Tanya does not want to be with him either, he leaves too. Tanya is diagnosed with cervical cancer and tells only Lauren and forbids her from telling anyone else. Greg briefly returns but can't handle the news that Tanya has cancer and quickly leaves again. Tanya then decides to stop her therapy, although does not tell Lauren about this. Later, Tanya agrees to allow Cora to move back in, after she has been thrown out by Dot Branning. Tanya's doctor, Yusef, later confronts Tanya and asks why she has stopped her treatment. Tanya goes to the hospital where she tells her doctor that wants no more treatment as she does not have the strength to fight, despite the fact she could die.

Max returns to Walford with his brother Derek Branning. Max insults Tanya, and Tanya throws him out. As Tanya starts to throw her mother and sister out, Lauren reveals that Tanya has cancer, and confronts her about stopping her therapy. Tanya then tells Cora and Rainie the truth about how her father died—he did not die peacefully as they believed, but was in constant pain and so Tanya helped him to die. Max then reconciles with Tanya and they become a couple once more. Tanya encourages her friend, Jane Beale, to interview for a job in Cardiff, but believes that Jane has turned it down. Tanya is pleased that her friend is staying, but when Jane reveals that she is actually leaving, Tanya is furious and says they are no longer friends. However, they reconcile just before Jane leaves. Tanya later learns that she has been given the all-clear from cancer, however she is worried that the disease might return. She also finds it difficult to be close to Max, but after a frank discussion with Tanya over their marriage and above all sex life Max reassures Tanya that she is all that matters to him. When Derek discovers that Tanya scared his daughter Alice Branning away, he threatens to kill her if she does it again. When Tanya discovers that cars at the car lot are being repossessed, she and Max argue, which leads to passion and they have sex for the first time since Tanya's all-clear from cancer. In June 2012, Tanya announces her divorce from Greg will soon be finalised, and she proposes to Max, which he reluctantly accepts, which angers Tanya, who thinks Max doesn't want to be committed to her again. However, Lauren tells Tanya about how Derek stole from Lucy and she confronts him about it. Derek in response taunts Tanya about what he and Max got up to in Manchester. During Janine and Michael's wedding, she confronts Max about it and then he tells her that he got involved in criminal dealings causing someone to get hurt. He then accepts her proposal from earlier and they get engaged.

[blue_angel]

Originally Posted by dullagj2

31-34
Archie Mitchell
Tiffany Mitchell
Michael Moon
Frank Butcher
all 21 votes

50-30
do do do dododo do do dodo

Some brilliant research gone into all of this, but it's the 'do do do dododo...' that makes it art.

Originally Posted by strictmachine

Having only started watching Easties in the 90s I had no idea about Mark's drugs and racist past. Loving this, not only to see the results but also the meticulous research that has obviously went into dullagj2's posts. Must have been a lot of work, I am very thankful for it!

Totally agree! Reading all the character synopsis makes me want to go back and watch old episodes!

I'm surprised none of the Fowlers made it any higher that they did. Also pleasantly surprised that Tracey is so far up. I think she probably deserves it though! Some very interesting results, for sure.

[dullagj2]

Originally Posted by blue_angel

Some brilliant research gone into all of this, but it's the 'do do do dododo...' that makes it art.

Totally agree! Reading all the character synopsis makes me want to go back and watch old episodes!

I'm surprised none of the Fowlers made it any higher that they did. Also pleasantly surprised that Tracey is so far up. I think she probably deserves it though! Some very interesting results, for sure.

, Thanks BA.

T22nd Ethel Skinner

Ethel Skinner is one of the original characters that appears in the first episode of EastEnders in 1985.
Ethel lived in Albert Square for most of her life, remaining there through the Second World War, and even witnessing the death of her entire family, who were wiped out by a doodlebug. This tragic event sent a young Ethel into shock and subsequently she developed eccentric behaviour. She began dressing outrageously, wearing garish make-up, flirting with anyone in trousers, and knocking back Gin - traits that lasted well into her old-age.

Ethel's husband William Skinner had died and she never really recovered from it - she even named her pug dog after him, 'Willy', or "my little Willy" as she often calls him.

Ethel had never had children, a fact that she regretted in her old-age and so Willy became her surrogate child, and she loves him dearly. Willy goes everywhere that Ethel goes and so she is devastated when he is kidnapped in 1986. She searches for him everywhere and even holds a seance to see if she can contact him, but Willy is nowhere to be found. Detective Roy Quick works on the case and eventually finds Willy in the possession of an old Latvian refugee, who has renamed him Rasputin. Willy is returned to an overjoyed Ethel, although she has to pay the man in order to get him to relinquish ownership.

Ethel has been life-long friends with Lou Beale and Dot Cotton and the trio remain close in their old-age. They can often be found reminiscing or gossiping in The Queen Victoria public house, where Ethel also regularly thrills the punters with her repartee, her version of the cancan, or her plain sense of fun. Out of the three Ethel is the most light-hearted and she is never frightened to stand up to the over-bearing Lou and interfering Dot. She has her run-ins with both over the years, and yet their friendship endures right to the last.

Ethel lives above Doctor Legg's surgery and works as the cleaner in the pub. She is somewhat of a troublemaker and often spreads the most insane rumours about and gets her words mixed up with hilarious consequences. She is famous for her questionable ability to read-palms and tea-leaves, once even earning a living from it.

After Lou's death in 1988 Ethel and Dot become an inseparable double-act and although the two argue constantly, they actually depend on each other a great deal. Despite the fact that Ethel appears totally barmy, she can be quite astute when she wants and she is always the first to point out the malicious ways of Dot's villainous son, Nick Cotton. Ethel is never afraid to stand up to Nick, even kneeing him in the groin once when he attempts to mug her. She also correctly figures out that Nick is trying to poison Dot to get her money, and she refuses to back down, despite Dot falling out with her because of her accusations.

Following several falls and a broken hip, Ethel is persuaded to move out of her residence above the surgery and into sheltered housing in 1988. Although she is strongly opposed to this initially, she eventually comes to enjoy her new home, though she would continue to show up in Albert Square regularly.
Ethel has several romances with senior bachelors on Albert Square. Her ex-boyfriend from the war years, Ernie Mears, returns to Albert Square in 1985 and proposes to her. However, the offer is conditional. Ernie is allergic to dogs and Willy, Ethel's constant companion for the past 9 years, would have to go. Ethel seriously considers Ernie's offer but gently declines. In 1988 she finds romance again with a friend of Dr. Legg's, Benny Bloom. Dot loathes Benny and does everything she can to talk Ethel out of dating him. Ethel and Benny discuss marriage, which Ethel agrees to, mainly to spite Dot, who calls her a silly fool for wanting to re-marry at her time of life. However, after discovering pets aren't allowed in the manor where Benny lives, Ethel the engagement was called off, once again because of Willy. A few months later Ethel hears news that Benny has died and has left her £2000, although his daughter tries to contest the will for a while.

In August 1989 Ethel meets a new love interest named Reggie Thompson . He invites her to go on a coach trip to Clacton for a dancing competition. Ethel is so excited that she shows Reggie a saucy nightie she has bought for the trip. When Dot, Marge Green and Mo Butcher find out about the trip, they decide to go as well. Reggie arranges dancing partners for them and the ladies practise hard at the community centre for months before the trip. But upon arriving on holiday, Ethel grows disappointed in Reggie when he starts to show interest in another woman named Gladys. On the night of the dancing competition, Ethel finds that Reggie has run off with Gladys and she has no partner in the grand ballroom except for her 'little Willy'.

In 1992 Ethel's adored pug Willy succumbs to old-age and she has to make the heart-breaking decision to put him down. Regulars at The Queen Victoria pub raise money to buy Ethel a new dog, but she refuses to accept it, saying Willy is irreplaceable. By the mid 90s Ethel is seen much less frequently. She is seen occasionally however, usually when a big event is occurring or to celebrate Christmas and New Year with her old friends on the Square. After 1997 Ethel is not seen in Walford for three years, although she is mentioned often, particularly by Dot, who will often visit her off-screen in her sheltered housing.
A very frail Ethel returns to Albert Square in 2000, arriving unannounced at Pauline Fowler's house. Ethel had run away from her retirement village and had decided that she was going to come back to the square, to live in the place she loves with her old friends. Ethel is now restricted to a wheelchair and it is left to Dot to cater for her every need, which often leaves her exhausted. Ethel appears to have lost none of her zest for life, despite her considerable age, so it is a huge shock to Dot when Ethel reveals that she is suffering from terminal cancer and is not going to live much longer.
Ethel reveals that she has come home to the square to die, but instead of waiting to die in agony, she wants to choose her final moments so she can die with dignity. She has been storing her morphine tablets for many weeks and it is her plan to take an overdose before the pain becomes too unbearable. However, before being able to execute her plan, she becomes too weak and is unable to administer the drugs without Dot's assistance. Dot is devastated and initially refuses to help Ethel, as to help another take their own life goes completely against her strict Christian principles. Dot spends many agonising weeks wrestling with her conscience, but she eventually agrees to grant her old friend's final wish. On the night of her 85th birthday (it was actually her 86th, but she'd always lied about her age), after a celebratory party at The Vic, Ethel decides that this was to be her last night. After blowing out the candles of her birthday cake and bidding Dot an emotional farewell, Ethel takes the pills, aided by Dot, and dies peacefully in her sleep. Ethel's last appearance is in September 2000.Gretchen Franklin, the actress who played Ethel Skinner, died on 11 July 2005 at the age of 94, almost five years after her character was killed off.

22-24
Sean Slater
Tanya Jessop
Ethel Skinner
all tied on 24 votes.

[dullagj2]

T20th Bianca Butcher

Bianca was conceived by Carol Branning and David Wicks in 1976, when they were both 14. David tried to persuade Carol to have an abortion, and he fled from Walford not knowing that she had kept her baby. Bianca had no contact with her father; she and her half-siblings eventually found a stable father figure in Alan Jackson; all of them took his surname.
At school, Bianca became close friends with Natalie Price and Tiffany Raymond She developed a penchant for older men and dated Dan Sullivan for some time, concealing that she was underage.
Bianca first appears in November 1993.She initially works at Ian Beale's fish 'n' chip shop before becoming the market assistant of Sanjay Kapoor. Later she runs her own clothing stall on Bridge Street market. Bianca has a short relationship with an older man, Richard Cole, in 1994, but he swiftly dumps her when he grows bored and Bianca gets revenge by harassing him with pranks and stealing his credit card. Bianca then enjoys mutual flirtation with David Wicks until Carol informs David that Bianca is his daughter. David promptly keeps his distance, and Bianca remains unaware of their biological relationship. Bianca enters into a relationship with Ricky Butcher and they move into a bedsit together. Bianca spends much time clubbing with Tiffany and Ricky starts an affair with Natalie. When Bianca discovers the affair, she breaks up with Ricky and drives Natalie from Walford. One night an intoxicated Bianca is nearly assaulted. She is rescued by David and when she tries to kiss him, he confesses that he is her father; Bianca is stunned but she and David eventually bond.

Ricky and Bianca reunite and get engaged in June 1995. In July 1996 she sleeps with Lenny Wallace, but soon regrets it when she fears she's pregnant by him. It's a false alarm, but she realizes how much Ricky means to her, so she marries him in 1997. She becomes pregnant, but a prenatal scan shows her unborn child has spina bifida and hydrocephalus. Distraught, Bianca has an abortion, which strains her marriage. In 1998, Ricky learns of her infidelity with Lenny after a STD scare. Ricky considers ending their marriage, but Bianca convinces him to give her another chance and in 1998 she becomes pregnant again. She gives birth to baby Liam on Christmas Day in The Queen Vic, helped by her enemy Grant Mitchell--her best friend Tiffany's volatile husband. In mid-1999, Bianca's mother Carol returns to Albert Square with her new fiancé Dan Sullivan, unaware of Bianca's past relationship with him. Bianca and Dan rekindle their affair behind their partners' backs until Carol discovers she is pregnant by Dan. Bianca and Ricky plan to move to Manchester so Bianca can attend fashion college there. After finding an old photo of Bianca and Dan together, Carol demands to know their history. Dan tells Carol they had a romance years ago and swears on his unborn child's life that it's all over, but Bianca confesses when questioned and is disowned by Carol. Bianca leaves for Manchester in September 1999 after confessing to Ricky that she no longer loves him.
In May 2002, Ricky visits Bianca in Manchester to discuss Liam's custody. Bianca has been expelled from her university and is working in a nightclub. Struggling to support Liam, Bianca gets caught up in a plan to steal £50,000 from her drug-dealing boss, Vince. Ricky persuades her to return the money, but Vince catches them and forces them to become his drug couriers. He sets them up, the dealers turn violent, and Bianca and Ricky narrowly escape when armed police raid the establishment. Fleeing, Ricky and Bianca spend the night together in a hotel room and decide to reunite. Ricky breaks the news to his fiancée Cassie, who refuses to let him go and tries to convince Bianca that she'll be bored with Ricky and to give him up and give Ricky custody of Liam. Bianca decides that this is right, and Ricky looks on heartbroken as she hitches a ride in a car and departs for a destination unknown.
Off-screen, unbeknownst to Ricky, Bianca is pregnant by him. She starts a relationship with trucker Nathan Dean, who believes her unborn child is his. Bianca acts as stepmother to Nathan's daughter Whitney, but Nathan is killed in a traffic accident in December 2002. Bianca takes on guardianship of Whitney and gives birth to daughter Tiffany in 2003, but she struggles financially. She becomes pregnant again in September 2004 during a brief relationship with Ray Dixon; the relationship ends with Ray unaware Bianca is pregnant. Bianca meets Tony King, who supports her through her pregnancy and adopts Ray's son Morgan Jackson-King when he is born. Tony appears to be a good father figure to her children; however, he is a paedophile. Tony grooms 12-year-old Whitney and they begin a sexual relationship. After giving birth to Morgan, Bianca is given custody of Liam once again in 2006 when Ricky settles with a woman named Melinda, who does not like children. Tony and Whitney's relationship continues secretly until Tony is imprisoned in 2007 for assaulting a boy who propositions Whitney.
April 2008 finds Bianca getting evicted and her children being taken into care. Bianca moves in with her grandmother Pat Evans in Walford; with Ricky's help she gets her children back and gets a waitress job. She rebuffs Ricky's declaration of love, deciding to stand by imprisoned lover Tony. When he's released in September 2008, Tony resumes his affair with Whitney while an unsuspecting Bianca pesters him to marry her. He eventually agrees to marry Bianca after winding down his affair with Whitney, to whom he's no longer attracted. Whitney won't accept this and tells Bianca about their relationship. Tony leaves after the ensuing fight, but the police apprehend him and arrest him on suspicion of rape of a minor. Bianca and Whitney's relationship is tested while they deal with what has happened, but they eventually bond again and Bianca supports Whitney through Tony's trial. A DNA test, confirms that Ricky is Tiffany's father. Bianca slowly realizes she's still in love with him, but her attempt to rekindle their romance is ruined when Ricky announces his engagement to his former wife, Sam Mitchell. Knowing Sam is evading a police sentence, Bianca reports her whereabouts and Sam is arrested. A rift forms between Bianca and Ricky when the truth is revealed. However, Bianca's discovery that Sam is cheating on Ricky ends the engagement, and Bianca and Ricky reunite on Christmas Day 2009, when Ricky accepts her marriage proposal.
The couple remarry in February 2010. During the ceremony, Carol arrives uninvited. She and Bianca brawl, but they finally manage to settle their differences and begin to rebuild their relationship following the wedding. When Bianca's younger brother Billie dies from alcohol poisoning, Carol is distraught. She is comforted by Billie's criminal friend Connor Stanley and they begin an affair, but Connor simultaneously has sex with Whitney. Bianca vows to remove Connor from her family's life. She attacks Connor, leaving him hospitalised and eventually turns herself in to the police, refusing bail. She is sentenced to 6 months in prison.
In December 2011, Bianca is released from prison in time for Christmas and is devastated when her grandmother Pat dies from cancer. When Bianca discovers Ricky had sex with Mandy Salter in her absence, she separates from him and he leaves Walford. Bianca struggles as a single parent and gets into debt. Owing money, Bianca steals from a market trader in desperation, but she is caught and sent back to prison for reoffending on probation.

T20th Chrissie Watts

Chrissie Watts first appeared in EastEnders on 29 April 2004. 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." 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. 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 to stay in Walford with him. She is shocked to discover he has children, Sharon, Dennis, and Vicki 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 Mitchell's nail salon and helps stepdaughter Vicki with her plans to enter fashion school. However, Den's elusive behaviour raises her suspicions that he is having an affair. He almost convinces her that she is mistaken, but she eventually learns that her fears were correct and uncovers the affair between Den and Kate. Feigning friendship, she hacks off most of Kate's hair and smashes up the beauty salon in a rage. She leaves Walford distraught at Den's betrayal.
Den departs for Spain on business, and Chrissie returns to the salon as she remains the co-owner. She remains hostile to Kate for some time, but eventually calls a truce. She then becomes concerned over Vicki's much older boyfriend, and exposes him as a liar. At this point, Den returns intent on securing her forgiveness. However, she does not succumb to his charm offensive, and so as a demonstration of his affection he confides in her of his plans to bankrupt the Mitchell family and take control of The Queen Victoria public house, declaring that he can't do it without her. She relents, but warns if he ever cheats again she will kill him. Together, they scam the Mitchell family out of their holdings and move into the Vic on Christmas Day, 2004.
In January, Dennis catches Den and his girlfriend Zoe Slater in bed together and tells Chrissie who is stunned. Zoe discovers she is pregnant by Den. Chrissie persuades her to abort the baby, and later reveals that she knows it was Den's baby. Chrissie, Zoe and Sam Mitchell plan revenge on Den; Chrissie for his lies and adultery, Zoe for forcing her to fake a pregnancy and then sleep with him, and Sam for losing her pub to Den in a corrupt scheme that both he and Chrissie were involved in. Chrissie plans to intimidate Den into signing the pub over to her. They confront Den but he takes it in his stride and openly talks about his sins, unaware that Sharon is hiding at the other side of the pub, listening to her father's confessions. Sharon berates Chrissie for tricking her into coming back to Walford with the lie that her father is ill. She storms out of the pub and Den follows. Chrissie knows that Sharon is the one person Den truly loves and cares about and knows that losing Den the love of his favourite child will destroy him. Den walks back in and she taunts him that he now knows what it is like to lose what he loves most. Unable to contain his rage, Den attacks his wife and hits her head against a fruit machine. Zoe picks up the nearest object (a metal, dog-shaped doorstop) and hits Den over the head with it and he falls to the ground. Perceiving him to be dead, Zoe and Sam go out the back to lock all the doors. Den grabs Chrissie's leg and she picks up the doorstop and delivers a fatal blow to his head, secretly watched by Sam. The three women bury him in a hole in the pub's cellar, which is filled with cement the next morning.
Despite knowing her innocence, Chrissie allows Zoe to believe that she has killed Den. Consequently a power struggle breaks out between Sam — who wants her pub back in return for her silence — and Chrissie, with each woman trying to gain control of Zoe. In the meantime, Chrissie publicly accounts for Den's sudden absence by declaring that he has run off with another woman and attempts to make her story convincing by throwing his clothes into the street and engaging in a bogus phone conversation with him in front of a packed pub. She successfully removes Zoe from the Square for a time; however, Sam has taken the doorstop and hides it at her flat. She then proceeds to blackmail Chrissie by saying that unless the pub is given back to her, she will inform the police. Chrissie stalls for time, and eventually calls Sam's bluff, declaring that she will take Sam down with her if she goes to the police. Desperate, Sam tries to corner Chrissie by telling Zoe the truth. Zoe confronts Chrissie before fleeing to Spain, telling her mother Kat Moon what has happened before she goes.
Dennis and Sharon return to Walford in search of their father. Sam grows frustrated and smashes up Den's grave in the hope that Chrissie will be sent down for his death. This backfires and Sam is arrested on suspicion of murder as Den's blood stains are found under her sink and her story constantly changes. Chrissie gets Kat to get her cousin, Stacey Slater, to give a false alibi that Zoe and Chrissie were with her on the night Den died. Sam's mother, Peggy Mitchell, returns to Walford to free Sam, and slaps Chrissie during Den's funeral. The slap causes Chrissie to fall into Den's grave on top of the coffin.
Chrissie plans to sell the pub to Johnny Allen and a mystery second buyer, and flee the country, although Phil and Grant Mitchell try to taunt Chrissie. Chrissie though, is unmoved, as Sharon still supports her – however, Grant finally convinces Sharon to visit Sam in prison. Sharon still believes Chrissie is innocent, but finally learns the truth when Chrissie makes an innocuous, but telling, comment. Realising that Sharon knows, Chrissie becomes distraught as she felt that so long as Sharon, Den’s daughter, thought well of her, she could think well of herself. Panicking, she begins to make mistakes, arguing with Jake Moon outside of Johnny’s club. Chrissie had confessed to Jake of her part in Den’s death, and let’s slip information about her guilt as they argue. This is caught on CCTV by Johnny, who delights in telling Jake of the recording. Chrissie asks to get the money for The Queen Vic right away, and Johnny takes advantage saying the only way she will get the money is if she sleeps with him. Chrissie resists, saying she will not hurt Jake. Johnny tells her she will not get the money, and tells Phil and Grant about the tape.
Chrissie discovers that Ian Beale is the mystery buyer of the pub, and she and Jake make a quick sale to Ian before fleeing the Square. At the airport, they see Sharon, Phil and Grant with the police. Sharon punches Chrissie, who is then arrested for Den's murder. Chrissie says that she will only co-operate in exchange for a meeting with Sharon. This is earned, and she tries to make Sharon realise why she killed her father, to no avail. She reveals that she forged Den's signature on the document in which Den handed over the pub to Chrissie, thus the pub legally belongs to Sharon. Jake visits Chrissie in jail and asks her to marry him. She finds out he has lost the £25,000 that was to be her bail money, and storms out of the visiting room, calling Jake an idiot. She begins plotting revenge on Sharon for sending her to prison by trying to force her to testify in court about what Den was really like, wanting to see Sharon crumble at confessing how he cheated and supposedly beat her mother (which he never did). After a week in prison, she gives up and dismisses her solicitor, and decides to plead guilty to murder. She walks into her cell with a contented smile.

20 & 21
Bianca Butcher
Chrissie Watts
Both tied on 26 votes.

50-20
50 Mandy Salter
Michelle Fowler
Melaine Owen
Arthur Fowler
Trevor Morgan
43 Mark Fowler
Lou Beale
Dan Sullivan
42 Patrick Trueman
38 Denise Fox
Shirley Carter
Cindy Beale
Jay Mitchell
35 Jean Slater
Kat Moon
Roxy Mitchell
31 Archie Mitchell
Tiffany Mitchell
Michael Moon
Frank Butcher
28 Masood Ahmed
Alfie Moon
Pauline Fowler
25 Nana Moon
Tracey the barmaid
Kathy Beale
22 Sean Slater
Tanya Jessop
Ethel Skinner
20 Bianca Butcher
Chrissie Watts

[dan2008]

Good work Dullag

[dullagj2]

Originally Posted by dan2008

Good work Dullag

Thanks Dan

T16th Bradley Branning

Bradley was conceived when his parents, Max and Rachel, were just 18 years old. The three of them lived happily as a family for nearly six years. However, Max could not cope with being a young husband and father and eventually began an affair with an 18 year old girl, Tanya Cross. When Tanya became pregnant, Max left his wife and son to marry his mistress. Bradley never fully recovered from his father's abandonment.
Bradley moves to Walford from Tring to live with his grandfather Jim and his step-grandmother Dot when he gets a job as a banker in the city. Later that year, Max moves to Albert Square, and at first Bradley wants nothing to do with him, but they eventually bond. Bradley befriends Stacey Slater upon his arrival, and eventually a romance develops between them. Stacey discovers she is pregnant by Bradley, but he persuades her to have an abortion, and tells their friends and families that she had a miscarriage. They drift apart and when Bradley doesn't invite Stacey to his work's Christmas party, she turns up and embarrasses him, leading to their breakup.
Bradley has romances with his colleague Lydia Asler and beautician Preeti Choraria. Unknown to Bradley, Stacey has embarked on an affair with Max, in revenge for the abortion. Max ends the affair by taking his family to Spain for six weeks, and while he is away, Bradley and Stacey reconcile and get engaged. They marry in November 2007, although Stacey has one last kiss with Max after the wedding, which is recorded by Max's daughter Lauren's hidden camcorder. Lauren makes a DVD, which is played on Christmas Day, revealing the affair. Bradley and Stacey separate, and he moves away from Walford.
Bradley returns after Stacey tracks him down and he asks for a divorce. He grows close to Clare Bates, but turns her down when she makes a pass at him. He is sexually harassed by his boss, Maggie Townsend, who sacks him after Dot berates her for her behaviour. In June 2008, Stacey's mother Jean and Dot lock Bradley and Stacey in Dot's house, and Bradley reveals that he is still in love with Stacey. She says that she cannot reunite with him as she has not forgiven herself for the affair, but Bradley later kisses her and she responds, and they get back together. Their relationship runs smoothly until August 2008, when Stacey confesses to Bradley that she may be pregnant, which turns out to be untrue. They then decide to try for a baby, but Stacey is secretly taking contraceptive pills. They break up again when Bradley discovers that Stacey kissed Callum Monks. Bradley falls into a state of depression, refusing to go to work and taking up drinking at home. He blames Max for all his problems and punches him.

Bradley becomes the owner of a St. Bernard dog named Gumbo, when his original owner abandons him and gives him to Bradley. He meets Syd Chambers and they eventually begin a relationship. She moves to the Square, but Bradley thinks he will lose her if she knows he lost his job due to the recession. He eventually tells her, but then he doesn't hear from her for some time. He decides to leave Walford for Edinburgh, but is interrupted by Syd, who persuades him to stay and introduces him to her son Noah.
Bradley is taken hostage by Nick Cotton in Ian Beale's café with other diners. After a fire starts in the kitchen, Bradley helps the hostages to escape, and returns inside to help Nick. Nick refuses assistance and leaves by the back door, while Bradley falls foul to a gas explosion, knocking him unconscious. He has flash burns and glass in one eye, but makes a quick recovery and is discharged the next day. In June 2009, he asks Stacey for a divorce.
Bradley is shocked when he discovers Gumbo's owner, Don, is in Walford, and wants Gumbo back. Bradley fights for Gumbo, but is devastated when the dog chooses to go with Don. Syd is offered a job in Canada, and Noah responds by running away. Bradley and Syd find him at the arcade, playing car games. Syd throws a party to celebrate her and Bradley leaving for Canada, despite Bradley not revealing this to his family yet. At the party, Stacey tells Bradley that she has bipolar disorder to which Bradley wishes he could have been there for her. He tells Syd he is not ready to leave his family and friends and she suspects that Stacey put him off, however, he later tells Syd he wants to go to Canada. They hold a leaving party and leave on 9 October 2009, during which Stacey admitted to hospital due to her mental health. When Bradley's mother Rachel is injured in a car crash and hospitalised, Bradley, Syd and Noah return from Canada where Jean tells Bradley that Stacey would love to see him but he says they are not staying for long.
As they prepare to return to Canada, he goes with Jean to pick up Stacey, telling Syd he is going to check on his mother. Bradley reveals that Syd has asked him to officially adopt Noah. Jean leaves Bradley and Stacey together at home where Stacey apologises for ruining Bradley's leaving party. He then tells her he cannot go back to Canada because he loves her. Stacey tells Bradley she thinks she loves him and they kiss. Stacey tells Bradley he should go back to Canada to think about it but he goes to tell Syd it's over. Bradley tells Syd that he went to pick up Stacey and he had lied. He then says he is staying in Walford with Stacey. Syd angrily says he won't last because she will just cheat on him again. She begs for another chance and begs him not to stay with her for Noah. Bradley hugs Noah goodbye and Syd and Noah leave. Bradley and Stacey resume their relationship. They go on a short break, and when they return, Stacey collapses and Bradley finds work at Masala Queen. On Christmas Day, Stacey tells Bradley she is pregnant and was raped by Archie Mitchell. Bradley confronts him, punching him twice. Later that night, Archie is murdered. Stacey asks if Bradley did it and believes him when he says he did not. They agree to say that the baby is hers and Bradley's. The police question Stacey and Bradley about the murder and they lie about the last time they both saw Archie. Bradley then reassures Stacey that her ordeal is all over.
Jean finds out that Stacey is pregnant and works out that Bradley cannot be the father when she finds baby scan photos. Bradley worries that Jean will blurt it out but she says he can trust her not to say anything. Max overhears part of the conversation and Mo jokes that Bradley is about to confess to murder. Bradley then tells his family he cheated on Syd with Stacey. He goes for a job interview but Max is also being interviewed for the same job. They later agree to go into business together. When Bradley attends the reopening of The Queen Vic, he feels uncomfortable and leaves in a hurry. After Ian is arrested for murder, Bradley wonders why.
When Stacey invites her friend Becca Swanson from the hospital to stay, Bradley does not want her there and Becca goes back, but the next day Bradley brings her back to the Square because Stacey would not eat anything all day without her. Max starts renting the car lot for his and Bradley's new business. That night Bradley lets Becca sleep in his bed as she is paranoid about Archie's killer still being on the loose. The next morning, Bradley hides an engagement ring for Stacey.
Bradley and Stacey attend Archie's funeral, though Stacey does not want to. After the funeral, Stacey spits in the grave. Later, Becca overhears them talking about Christmas Day. Bradley leaves and Becca finds him in the Square, saying he should not be too hard on Stacey, and she has told her about what Archie did. However, Stacey tells Bradley that Becca only knows that Archie was a creep, and knows nothing about Christmas Day or the baby. Bradley proposes to Stacey, she accepts and they have sex in the car lot. Becca lets slip that Stacey is pregnant and everyone finds out, and Bradley worries that it will ruin everything. Bradley begins acting strangely whenever someone mentions the police or the murder. Then at Tiffany Dean's birthday party, Tiffany tells her great uncle (also Bradley's uncle) Jack Branning that she saw Bradley washing blood off his hands on Christmas Day. Jack demands to know why he had blood on his hands, and Bradley breaks down and tells Jack and Max about punching Archie and Stacey's rape. Jack threatens to go to the police if Bradley does not, but Max stops him and convinces him not to. However, Bradley is scared when DCI Jill Marsden reveals that a new forensic profile has been found and DNA screening will start soon. Max says Bradley should stay with his mother until everything has blown over, but while Bradley is in the car lot, the police come in and ask him to give a DNA sample. Following this, Jack bribes DC Wayne Hughes to make the samples disappear. When Janine Butcher is arrested for Archie's murder, Stacey tells Bradley everything will be fine.

Bradley and Stacey announce they are getting married, and Becca feels left out as only Max and Jean are invited. Becca is further upset by Bradley after the wedding when he tells her he and Stacey are planning to live together and that she should get a boyfriend. Becca blurts out to Archie's daughter Ronnie Mitchell about the rape and Ronnie tells Stacey that Archie cannot be the father of the baby as he was infertile due to chemotherapy. Stacey tells Bradley that the baby is not Archie's but she does not know whose it is, while Becca phones the police. Jack receives a call from Hughes that Bradley is to be arrested, so he tells Bradley he must get out of Walford quickly. As he attempts to flee with Stacey, he realises that he has forgotten their passports and goes to recover them from his home, telling Stacey to stay where she is until he returns. He successfully retrieves the passports without being noticed by the police, however his phone rings as he walks back to Stacey, and DCI Marsden spots him. He attempts to flee up a fire escape, and subsequently across rooftops. When he reaches the roof of the Queen Vic, he shouts to Stacey to run, before losing his balance and falling to his death. He lies in a pool of blood as the residents look on in horror. As Max pulls a distressed Stacey aside, Stacey admits to him that it is her fault Bradley is dead and confesses that she is Archie's killer. The police close the investigation and an Inquest court finds Bradley guilty. Bradley is last seen in the hospital's chapel of rest where he is visited by Max and the Slaters. Bradley's funeral takes place on 5 March 2010 and he is cremated. Six months later, Stacey confesses to Peggy Mitchell that she is Archie's killer and not Bradley. When Stacey flees the country after she is exposed as Archie's killer, she tells a heartbroken Max, after he reveals that he still loves her and wants to run away with her, that Bradley is the only love of her life.

T16th Zainab Masood

Born and raised in Pakistan, Zainab brought shame upon her family when she had an affair with Masood Ahmed, while married to Yusef Khan. As punishment, Zainab was set on fire by Yusef's family. Masood rescued her and she divorced her husband to marry Masood, joining him in the UK, where they had three children, Syed, Shabnam and Tamwar. Family members still treated Zainab with contempt however, particularly her brother-in-law Inzamam Ahmed. Inzamam pestered her to sleep with him for years: he considered her a "fallen woman". The Masoods ran their own business until 2004, when Syed stole from the family, nearly bankrupting them. Masood initially took the blame and banished him from their lives to save Zainab's feelings. The Masoods decided on a career change, working in the postal service.
Zainab arrives as the owner of Walford's Post Office, clashing with employee Denise Wicks immediately, though they later become friends. The post office flounders in debt, and Zainab turns to Inzamam for a loan, but he wants sex in return for the money, which disgusts her and Masood banishes Inzamam from his life when he discovers what his brother has done. Despite the Masoods' best efforts, they are forced to close the post office. The Masoods attempt to turn their fortunes around, starting a catering business. Ian Beale invests £2000 and the company merges with Ian and Christian Clarke's catering company, becoming "Masala Queen", with Zainab elected manager. Problems emerge when money goes missing and Zainab suspects Masood, thinking he has done this before. Tamwar admits taking the money – lending it to his older brother, Syed. Masood reveals that Syed's actions are why he was banished from the family; he stole money from the family business and is continuing to do so. Despite this, Zainab contacts Syed and after reconciling with Maood, Syed moves to Albert Square and is joined by his fiancé Amira Shah.
Zainab plans an extravogant wedding for Syed but she grows suspicious of the way Christian acts around him, and is incensed to discover they are having a homosexual relationship. Zainab orders Syed to marry Amira regardless, which he does. Zainab gives birth to another son, Kamil, in 2010, but the family's joy is short-lived as Amira discovers Syed's affair with Christian and Syed comes out as gay. Amira leaves, and Christian's sister, Jane Beale, reveals to Masood that Zainab knew about the affair since before the wedding. Masood and Zainab argue, and he packs her belongings and physically throws her out. When the couple reconcile, they cut-off ties to their son, unable to accept his relationship with Christian.

Tamwar starts seeing Afia Khan and her father, Yusef, turns up and shocks Zainab as he is her ex-husband whose family set her on fire. Tamwar is forbidden from seeing Afia but disobeys his parents and invites her to the opening of his parents' restaurant, Argee Bhajee. Zainab is forced to accept the Khans into her family when Tamwar announces he is marrying Afia. Yusef, who moves to Walford as the new GP, attempts to reconile with Zainab, suggesting that he was not involved when his family set her on fire in Pakistan. He offers her money so she can pay off debts, and supports her through marital difficulties with Masood; Zainab begins to soften towards Yusef and in doing so she grows distant from Masood. Yusef manipulates Zainab, drugging her and causing her to pass out; she is hospitalised with her family believing she took a deliberate overdose in a suicide bid. Concerned that he is causing Zainab's problems and that she is in love with Yusef, Masood divorces her by saying the triple talaq.

Vulnerable, Zainab agrees to reunite with Yusef and accepts his marriage proposal; he continues to manipulate her, becoming violent towards her. Afia discovers that Yusef did start the blaze that burned Zainab in Pakistan; she demands he either tell Zainab the truth, or she will. Yusef confesses to Zainab, who is angry, but she eventually decides the future is what matters and marries him anyway. Yusef turns nasty, suggesting Zainab should give Kamil to Masood, as he sees him as an outcast. When Zainab slaps Yusef, he slaps Zainab back. Yusef then hastily arranges to take Zainab and Kamil to Pakistan, and when Zainab tries to postpone this, Yusef kidnaps and threatens Kamil, forcing Zainab to do his bidding. Yusef violently beats Zainab when he discovers that she has been liaising with Masood in an attempt to escape him. Zainab says she would rather die than go with Yusef to Pakistan; she considers jumping from the window, but instead hits Yusef in the groin and escapes while Masood retrieves Kamil from Yusef's relative. The police are called, but Afia allows Yusef to escape. Yusef confronts Masood at the B&B he is staying at during a Christmas party. He tries to kill Masood by starting a fire which engulfs the B&B. When Zainab sees a gloating Yusef, she deceives him into thinking Afia is trapped in the fire. Yusef enters the burning building to save Afia, but to Zainab's distress, so does Tamwar. Yusef is killed by the fire and although Masood and Tamwar escape, Tamwar is severely burnt, requiring skin grafts. In the wake of this, a reunited Zainab and Masood help Tamwar through recovery, but Zainab's guilt eventually forces her to confess that Tamwar's scars and Yusef's death are her fault. Despite initial upset, the family overcome the trauma, and Zainab finally accepts Syed and Christian as a couple, welcoming them both back into her family. Masood later proposes to Zainab.

[dullagj2]

T16th Dennis Rickman

Dennis, the product of a fling between Paula Rickman and Den Watts in 1974, makes his first appearance is in handcuffs, as he is on day release from prison to attend his mother's funeral. His introduction as a full-time character is marked by a fight with Phil Mitchell, in which he floors Phil with a single punch. This launches a rivalry with Phil which continues when Phil reneged on an agreement to meet Dennis for a fight at Phil's 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 (who was a former flame of Dennis's) and his daughter's nanny, Joanne Ryan. The rivalry with Phil is concluded by Dennis's father Den when he returns from Spain. Den and Dennis trick Phil into committing an armed robbery at a local factory. They then abscond with the escape ladder and most of the cash, though Den leaves Phil with a few stolen notes and a gun to incriminate him. 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 Dennis's 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 Dalton's admission that he ordered Den's murder in the 1980s, shoots him in the head. Dennis remains friends with Dalton's second-in-command, Andy Hunter, and is left the bookmakers in Andy's will after his death at the hands on Johnny Allen.
Dennis has a passionate fling with Den's adopted daughter Sharon Watts on the eve of Den's return but finds himself rejected when Den replaces him. They resume their affair in secret but Den cannot accept a relationship between his children and plots to split them up. Den taunts Dennis with the insinuation that someone had sexually abused him while he was in a children's home, successfully provoking Dennis into accidentally hitting Sharon. A guilt-ridden Den later apologises and explains his reasons for not wanting his son and daughter together, because he wants both of them in his life and he cannot have that if they are sleeping together. Den then tries to explain to Dennis that his feelings for Sharon are simply misguided due to the abuse he suffered as a child, which leaves Dennis confused and he decides to break up with Sharon in order to have a father-son relationship.
Despite Sharon's heartache, the Watts reform their strong bond, including the introduction of Den's new wife Chrissie Watts. Dennis moves in with Zoe Slater but cannot reciprocate her love and Sharon seduces him again. They continue their affair in secret behind Zoe and Den's backs they become sick of sneaking around and they plan to leave on Christmas Day. When they announce that they are in love and going to America together, Zoe, desperate to keep Dennis, announces that she is pregnant. Dennis does not want to be an absent father to the baby, so Sharon leaves without him. He stays with Zoe but refuses to sleep with her. She is desperate to get pregnant for real and resorts to sleeping with Den. Dennis catches them in bed and leaves after informing Chrissie about Den and Zoe.
Dennis and Sharon return as a couple, after several months away and demand to see Den. Dennis sees through Chrissie's story that Den has left her for another woman but drops the matter to spare Sharon's feelings. Dennis and Sharon go on to marry, and following this, they learn that Sam Mitchell had exhumed their father's body from his grave in the cellar of The Queen Vic. Den was murdered by Chrissie after she, Zoe and Sam confronted him about his manipulation of lies regarding the three of them (Den had tricked Sam into selling him The Queen Victoria). Chrissie had also lured Sharon back to overhear Den's confessions so that Den would lose the one person in his life that he truly loved. Den attacked Chrissie and Zoe hit Den with a doorstop to stop him. Den then grabbed Chrissie who delivered a fatal blow, leaving Zoe to believe she had killed him. The three women then buried his body in the basement. Dennis and Sharon bring Chrissie to justice and sell The Queen Victoria back to the Mitchells, apparently concluding the Watts/Mitchell feud.
Sharon is admitted to hospital with suspected food poisoning, but finds out she is pregnant, despite the previous belief that she was infertile. They prepare to leave on New Year's Eve to start a new life in the US. Sharon does not tell Dennis that Johnny has threatened to kill him if they have not gone by midnight, but she confides in Phil, who then uses Dennis as a weapon against Johnny. Phil tells Dennis about Johnny threatening Sharon and also that Johnny had murdered Andy. Although Dennis realises Phil was manipulating him, he takes the bait anyway and beats Johnny to the brink of death. Johnny begs for help as he thinks he will die, so Dennis tosses him a mobile phone and says if he can reach it, he will live. Johnny is able to reach the phone and instead of calling for medical assistance, he contacts a henchman to murder Dennis as revenge for his beating.
After cleaning his hands of Johnny's blood, Dennis makes his way towards the Albert Square Gardens where the locals are setting up fireworks, to meet Sharon. As they lock eyes, Dennis is stabbed and collapses, dying in Sharon's arms. His last words are "we did it" in reference to their unborn son who was born six months later and named Dennis in honour of his father. It is later revealed that Dennis was killed by Danny Moon.

T16th Ronnie Mitchell

Ronnie is the oldest child of Archie and Glenda Mitchell. She was raped several times by her father at the age of 13. The following year, she fell pregnant by her boyfriend Joel Reynolds. Glenda walked out on her family when Ronnie was five months pregnant, as a result of Archie's constant philandering and controlling nature. Archie sent Ronnie to live with distant relatives, where she gave birth to her daughter, Amy, on 26 June 1989. Within hours of the birth, Archie had the baby adopted. Ronnie disowned her father and left home in 1993, aged 19. Ronnie and her sister Roxy later moved to Ibiza, where they ran a bar together.
Ronnie and Roxy travel from Ibiza to Walford where they decide to stay and run their aunt Peggy's pub, The Queen Vic. Ronnie goes into partnership with businessman Jack Branning. They purchase a local club together, and begin an on-off relationship. During a period of separation, Roxy becomes pregnant by Jack after a one-night stand. Ronnie, unaware of who the father is, offers to support her sister and they briefly return to Ibiza. After an argument, Roxy goes to stay with their father in Weymouth, to Ronnie's horror. She is relieved when Roxy returns to the Square but horrified when Peggy announces she and Archie are getting married. Roxy, meanwhile, gives birth to a baby girl who she names Amy in honour of the daughter Ronnie lost. Ronnie is hurt when she learns of Amy's paternity, but ultimately forgives both Roxy and Jack.
Ronnie has a tumultuous relationship with her employee Danielle Jones. On the day of Archie and Peggy's wedding, Danielle tells Ronnie that she is her daughter. Believing Amy to be dead due to Archie's lies, Ronnie refuses to accept Danielle's story and throws her out. She later discovers that Danielle was telling the truth, but as she finds her, Danielle is run over and dies in Ronnie's arms. Following Danielle's death, Ronnie becomes fixated on having a baby, piercing Jack's condoms and later rekindling her romance with Joel. When Joel reveals he had a vasectomy years previously, Ronnie terminates their relationship once more. She becomes pregnant by Owen Turner, but miscarries when Archie pushes her into the bar during an argument. Archie is later murdered and Ronnie is arrested on suspicion of the crime, but released without charge.
Ronnie and Roxy's estranged mother Glenda returns, to ensure that her daughters are recognised in Archie's will. When Roxy accuses Ronnie of murdering their father, Ronnie reveals that Archie raped local resident Stacey Slater, and did the same to her as a child. Stacey's husband Bradley Branning is posthumously assumed guilty of the murder. On Ronnie's birthday, Jack proposes and she accepts. When the issue of Archie raping Ronnie arises again, Peggy refuses to believe it. She later discovers that Ronnie is telling the truth, and that Glenda knew about the abuse but did nothing to stop it. Ronnie learns of her mother's complicity and disowns her, though they later reconcile.
Ronnie's cousin Sam gives birth to a son, Richard. The baby is revealed to be Jack's, following a brief relationship while he was separated from Ronnie. Ronnie reveals that she is also pregnant by Jack. They agree to care for Richard when Sam feels she is unable to, but unbeknownst to Jack, Ronnie gives her money with which to leave Walford and raise her son. She and Jack marry and prepare for the birth of their child. Ronnie bonds with Kat Moon over the fact they were both abused as children. When Ronnie learns that Stacey killed Archie, she allows her to escape the country after the police are called. With Jack abroad on business, Ronnie gives birth to a boy called James. James dies of sudden infant death syndrome within hours of his birth, and as Ronnie seeks help, she swaps her child with Kat's unattended newborn son Tommy.
Ronnie eventually regrets her actions but it is too late as James has been discovered and Jack has returned and been introduced to Tommy as his own son. Ronnie struggles to bond with Tommy and refuses to let anyone see him. She is refused permission to attend James's funeral, but goes anyway and hides from the mourners. At the wake, she returns Tommy to Kat, but her intention is misunderstood and leads Jack to believe she needs psychiatric help. Ronnie discovers that Michael Moon is Tommy's real father, so tries to sabotage his relationship with Roxy and friendship with Jack in order to get rid of him. Michael convinces Jack that Ronnie is obsessed with him. Unable to explain her actions, Ronnie agrees that she needs professional help. She visits a counsellor but backs out at the last minute, and lies to Jack about it. Glenda realises that Ronnie is not attending counselling, but soon thereafter leaves Walford. Ronnie briefly goes missing, and after Jack returns her to the Square, her behaviour becomes increasingly erratic. After visiting the hospital at which James was born, she finally admits the truth and returns Tommy to Kat.
Questioned at the police station about her mental health, Ronnie admits that she has been having flashbacks since Danielle's death. She is remanded in custody, and asks Jack to move on. Roxy convinces a reluctant Ronnie to apply for bail, which she is granted. Jack is able to forgive her, and they resume their relationship. Michael attempts to frame Ronnie for kidnapping Tommy a second time to ensure she will receive a custodial sentence. She is sentenced to three years in prison, and as she is being taken away, Kat tells her that she forgives her. Ronnie then bids goodbye to Roxy, telling her that she was the one looking after her for the last few years. Ronnie then sits alone in her cell, holding Danielle's locket, having finally found peace. Jack attempts to visit Ronnie in prison but she refuses to see him, and in December 2011 she files for divorce.

16-19
Bradley Branning
Zainab Masood
Dennis Rickman
Ronnie Mitchell
all tied on 28 votes

50-20
50 Mandy Salter
Michelle Fowler
Melaine Owen
Arthur Fowler
Trevor Morgan
43 Mark Fowler
Lou Beale
Dan Sullivan
42 Patrick Trueman

38 Denise Fox
Shirley Carter
Cindy Beale
Jay Mitchell
35 Jean Slater
Kat Moon
Roxy Mitchell
31 Archie Mitchell
Tiffany Mitchell
Michael Moon
Frank Butcher

28 Masood Ahmed
Alfie Moon
Pauline Fowler
25 Nana Moon
Tracey the barmaid
Kathy Beale
22 Sean Slater
Tanya Jessop
Ethel Skinner

20 Bianca Butcher
Chrissie Watts
16 Bradley Branning
Zainab Masood
Dennis Rickman
Ronnie Mitchell

The top 15 will be revealed tomorrow.

[Rose-Addict]

Great position for Ronnie

Thanks for all your hard work!

[Seamus2008]

Thanks dullagj2. Enjoy a well-earned rest and good night to you.

See you tomorrow for the Top 15! *excited smiley*

[dullagj2]

Originally Posted by Rose-Addict

Great position for Ronnie

Thanks for all your hard work!

No problem Rose

Originally Posted by Seamus2008

Thanks dullagj2. Enjoy a well-earned rest and good night to you.

See you tomorrow for the Top 15! *excited smiley*

No problem, thanks
I was starting to think that I was wasting my time.

At number 15, it's Walford's first landlady..........

15th Angie Watts- 29 votes

Alcoholic Angie shares a love/hate marriage to her womanising husband, Den Watts, and refuses to let him go even during their rockiest times. They had been married since 18 February 1968 - exactly 17 years before the series begins - and together they run and live in The Queen Vic on Albert Square. Angie and Den dote on their spoilt, teenage, adopted daughter, Sharon, who carries on loving them despite her resentment of Den's affairs and Angie's 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 really wants is a happy marriage with Den, who she never stops loving, despite the fact that he treats her terribly.
Den and Angie start 1985 by celebrating their seventeenth wedding anniversary, but it soon becomes clear that their marriage is a sham. Behind the scenes of their great business partnership, there is not much of a relationship going on. Den has been having an affair with his posh mistress Jan Hammond for a while, a fact that Angie is all too aware of. Early in the year, Den even manages to wrangle a holiday to Spain with Jan, under the pretext 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 turns to alcohol to drown her sorrows. 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 Angie's not-so-subtle flirting, but her only successful conquest is local builder, Tony Carpenter. 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 passionate clinch in the middle of The Vic by Sharon. Angie has to bribe her daughter to ensure her silence, and even informs her about Den's infidelity. Sharon is disgusted that both her parents are guilty of adultery. Upon Den's return from his holiday, Angie calls off the affair, but it isn't long before Sharon givse Den the impression that her mother has been up to no good. Den confronts Angie, and she admits to the affair, but unfortunately for her, Den isn't concerned about her infidelity, more about his reputation, which upsets Angie even more.
Although Angie tries to stop drinking, her attempts always fail dismally and by the end of the year she is arrested for drink-driving when she crashes Den's car on the way home from a darts match. 1986 brings more trauma for Angie when Den's mistress, Jan, starts to frequent The Vic. The physical arrival of Jan sends Angie's marriage into further decline as she is unable to contain her jealousy and anger. Angie becomes so depressed that she takes a near lethal cocktail of booze and pills in an attempted suicide. By chance, Den returns home early following an argument with Jan, discovers Angie and rushes her to the hospital where she has her stomach pumped. Angie recovers, but is left shaken when she discovers how close to death she actually came. Upon recovering, Angie decides to play Den at his own game and so she begins another affair with Andy O'Brien. 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. Angie's 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.

As the year moves on, Den decides that he wants to leave Angie so he can marry Jan. He finally gets round to telling Angie his intentions in October, after which Angie becomes distraught. Desperate to hold on to her husband, she announces that she is terminally ill and only has six months to live. Upon hearing this, Den becomes wracked with guilt, and so decides to revise his plans and stay with Angie. He sets about organising a second honeymoon for them in Venice. However their holiday is ruined, when Jan arrives, and upon seeing her and Den together Angie goes straight back on the gin that she'd not long given up. On the way home from Venice on the Orient Express, a drunk Angie tells the barman all about her big lie. Unfortunately for Angie, Den overhears every word, and from that moment on he reverts to his original plan to leave her, although he decides to wait a while before letting Angie know that he knows about her lie. On Christmas Day that year, Den decides to get his revenge. Thinking that her marriage is safe, Angie is happier than ever, that is until Den informs her that he'd heard her conversation with the barman on the Orient Express, and he then serves her divorce papers as a Christmas present. In response, Angie and Sharon pack their bags and walk out of the pub, choosing to take the route through the public area to cause Den the most embarrassment possible.

Angie begins 1987 by securing herself a job as the manageress of The Vic's rival drinking establishment, The Dagmar. Owner, James Willmott-Brown, is only too happy to have Angie's expertise on board for his new, suave wine bar. Angie and Den continue to row constantly and in a bid for revenge, Angie vows to take Den 'to the cleaners' for her divorce settlement. In retaliation, Den installs his mistress, Jan, as the new landlady of The Vic, which only infuriates Angie even more. However, Den and Jan's cohabitation eventually leads to the end of their relationship, when Den decides that Jan is too posh for him, and so by the summer of that year orders her to leave.

The Vic is floundering without Angie, a fact that she seems to delight over, and the sheer pleasure of watching Den suffer is all she needs to make her 'grin and bear' The Dagmar's yuppie clientele. However, behind her front, Angie is a wreck, drinking more heavily than ever and going on 'over the top' shopping sprees. By May of that year the divorce papers finally come through, but it seems that neither Den nor Angie are coping without each other, and although they both profess to be pleased about the divorce, it is obvious to everyone else that they are far from happy. Seeing her parents' misery, Sharon decides to intervene by setting up a dinner date between them, which ends with them having sex. Angie and Den decide to keep their reconciliation quiet for a while, but by the end of the year, Angie finally loses her patience with The Dagmar clientele, and after slapping one of the customers in the face, she marches over to The Vic and offers to come back to work, but only as a business partner this time and not a wife.

Angie begins 1988 with a health scare when she is rushed to hospital with kidney-failure; brought on by her excessive alcohol abuse. Upon her recovery Angie decides to take a well-earned holiday to Spain with her friends, Sonny and Ree. This leads to Angie and Sonny falling in love and embarking on an affair. Sonny makes arrangements for them to start a new life together, running a bar in Spain.
Angie returns to Walford (with her plans still secret) and tries to show interest in Den's plan to move the location of The Vic, but it is plain to see that her mind is elsewhere. Den soon realises that she is seeing someone else, and although he doesn't care that she is with another man, he is concerned for the state of his business. Den visits a solicitor and returns with papers protecting himself and his business should Angie decide to leave him again. Angie decides to leave in May of that year, still under a cloak of secrecy and only divulging her plan to leave on the night of her departure. Unfortunately for Angie, Den cruelly informs her that he has srrsnged things so that she wont be able to get a penny out of him. After their final showdown Angie gets into her taxicab and leaves Walford.
This is Angie's last appearance. Later that year, while Den is in prison, Sharon decides to join Angie in Spain and arrives unannounced, only to learn from Sonny that Angie has left him and moved to the United States. It is subsequently revealed that she moved to Miami where she remarries in February 1991. Sharon joins Angie in 1995 after the breakdown of her marriage to Grant Mitchell.

In 2001 Sharon returns to Walford, and in April 2002, news reaches London that years of heavy drinking have finally caught up with Angie and she has died from cirrhosis of the liver, at the age of 52. Despite having remarried, Angie had requested to be buried next to Den, which Sharon does for her when she returns her body to London in order to reunite her two 'dead' parents. Sharon's new club is renamed Angie's Den in her and Den's honour.
In fact, the body thought to be Den's is actually that of the mysterious Mr. Vinnicombe, the boss of The Firm - who ordered Den's assassination. 14 years after Den's disappearance, it turns out that he had not died after all, and had faked his own death in order to get away from the gangsters who had been employed to kill him. However, Den eventually meets his demise at the hands of second wife Chrissie in February 2005. A body found under the basement of the Queen Vic six months later is quickly identified as Den's, and he is buried in his 'original' grave next to Angie.

[dullagj2]

T11th Steve Owen

Prior to his arrival in Albert Square, Steve owned and managed a number of bars and nightclubs across southern Britain. In particular, he owned a nightclub in Canvey Island at one point in the late 1980s, and attempted to cut costs by illegally importing duty free wines from France. He was eventually caught by licensing officials and given a relatively small fine. At the time he thought little of the incident, but it would eventually come back to haunt him in his later years. Steve had a relationship with Saskia Duncan who aborted his child, causing him to end the relationship.
Steve arrives in Walford and buys the Market Cellar club, which he renovates and names E20. Saskia turns up and tries to come between Steve and his new girlfriend Melanie Healy. After Saskia has sex with Steve, she makes sure everyone knows about it. On the opening day of the E20, Saskia arrives and taunts Steve. She knocks him around until she tries to strangle him with his tie. In self-defence, Steve picks up a heavy marble ashtray and hits her over the head with it, killing her instantly. With the help of Matthew Rose, who witnessed the events, Steve buries her in Epping Forest. Saskia's corpse is discovered months later and a shaken, nervous Matthew confesses to the police. A trial is held Steve is found not guilty but, Matthew is found guilty of manslaughter and sentenced to seven years in prison.
In November 1999, on a trip to Brighton with Ricky Butcher, Janine Butcher, Sam Mitchell and Mark Fowler, Steve has sex with Melanie, even though she has now become engaged to Ian Beale. In February 2000, Matthew's conviction is quashed on appeal, and he takes revenge on Steve, tying him to a chair in the E20, chucking petrol over him and threatening to incinerate him. Steve is reduced to a desperate, helpless wreck, at which point Matthew reveals the "petrol" is actually just water, and that he just wanted to show Steve up for what he really is. Steve becomes depressed and addicted to drugs as a result, but leaves the Square, returning a few weeks later having conquered his addiction.
Steve marries Melanie, despite finding out the day before that she had slept with Phil Mitchell on Christmas Day. He becomes the prime suspect in Phil's shooting, as he knew about the one-night stand and the gun he kept in the E20 office is missing. However, when Phil recovers, he reveals that Lisa Shaw shot him. Melanie is kidnapped by Dan Sullivan after Phil frames him for the shooting. Melanie is informed about Steve's criminal activities and that he has secretly bought The Queen Vic in partnership with Sharon Watts. Phil rescues her and she burns down Steve's club because of Steve's lies, before leaving Walford.
Steve's insurance policy is invalidated as he neglected to mention both his involvement in Saskia's death and the incident in Canvey Island, leaving him with financial problems. He organises a robbery to help finance the renovation of the club, with the help of Billy Mitchell and some old friends, who set out to rob a wealthy businessman named Alan. Steve tries to trap Alan's mistress Jan Sherwood, and after a one-night stand with her, Steve and Jan split the money that was stolen, fooling Steve's gang into believing Jan had taken it all. Melanie returns and Steve woos her, winning her back.
Steve starts a vendetta against Phil and tries to infuriate him by pretending he slept with Sharon while she was in a relationship with Phil. Phil attacks Steve and is charged for assault, causing a violent feud with between them. In late February 2002, Steve plans to get final revenge on Phil by sleeping with his sister, Sam Mitchell. Steve plans to flee to the United States with Melanie, Lisa, her boyfriend Mark Fowler, and Lisa and Phil's daughter, Louise. Mark is unable to go, and Lisa believes the plan is falling apart. Steve ends up in his car with Louise, and Phil chases after them in his own car. Steve's tyre bursts causing him to crash into a barrel of petrol and a wall, causing a fire. Steve passes Louise to Phil and manages to rescue her through the car window but Phil is unable to rescue Steve. He instantly dies when the car explodes.

T11th Max Branning

Max is the fifth child and second son of Jim and Reenie Branning. Max had a difficult childhood, which was made worse by the arrival of his younger brother Jack, as Max and Jack vied for the attentions of their father. When Max was blamed for stealing and losing a medal that Jim's mother was given during World War II in honour of his late father for bravery, Jim severed all ties with his son and even once locked him in a coffin as a punishment for having a black friend. Max got his girlfriend Rachel pregnant at seventeen, which led to them marrying and becoming parents to their son Bradley in August 1987 at just eighteen. Max lost touch with his parents, but kept in touch with his siblings, particularly Carol. Max began an affair with Tanya Cross, and after discovering that Tanya was pregnant in 1993, Max divorced Rachel and lost all contact with Bradley. Max married Tanya on 6 August 1994 and became a father to their children Lauren, in March 1994, and Abi, in June 1996.
Max arrives in Walford to confront his father after a seventeen-year absence, but Jim throws him out and Max meets Bradley, and decides to stay to rebuild their relationship. Tanya arrives to collect him, and a month later the family move to Albert Square. Max is caught having an affair with Gemma Clewes by Tanya, but she gives their marriage one last try. Max buys 10 Turpin Road for Tanya to open as a beauty parlour and begins meeting up with Bradley. Max thinks Bradley is too good for his girlfriend Stacey Slater, and when she gets pregnant, he gives Bradley money for an abortion, telling him a baby will ruin his life. However, the abortion causes their relationship to end. To hurt Bradley, Stacey makes a move on Max and they have sex. They begin an affair, but Tanya tells Max she is pregnant by him. He tries to save his marriage despite promising Stacey that he will leave Tanya. But when Stacey learns of Tanya' pregnancy, Max takes his family to Spain, and a few weeks later tells Bradley they are moving there permanently. Max returns with his family to find that Stacey and Bradley have reconciled and are now engaged. On the night of Bradley and Stacey's wedding, Max kisses Stacey, and although she rejects him, Max's daughter Lauren captures the kiss on video. Soon after, Tanya and Max's son Oscar is born. Max and Stacey's affair is revealed at Christmas, after Lauren makes a copy of the recording and gives it to Bradley as a present. Both couples separate, and Tanya files for divorce, but Max interferes with Tanya's romance with Sean Slater and threatens to expose her as an unfit mother. With the help of Sean, Tanya drugs Max and puts him in a coffin before burying him alive in the woods. An attack of conscience prompts Tanya to dig Max up and he decides to leave Walford as he can see how much devastation he had caused.
Max returns, and discovers Tanya is now in a relationship with Jack. Max tries to separate them by attempting to buy their house, seducing Jack's ex-girlfriend Ronnie Mitchell, and planning to frame Jack for a crime he did not commit. Jack abducts Max and beats him up, after which, Max and Tanya kiss. Later that evening he is the victim of a deliberate hit-and-run, which Tanya confesses to and is arrested. However, Lauren later admits that she was driving the car and turns herself in to the police. Tanya is released and Lauren is taken into care. Lauren is found not guilty of attempted murder, but guilty of grievous bodily harm, and she decides to return home. Max and Tanya start a secret relationship, and Tanya later allows Max to move back with his family. Max gets into debt and starts conning people with false insurance claims, including Phil Mitchell, Heather Trott, Ian Beale and Masood Ahmed. However his schemes are found out, and the debt collectors arrive at the house and take his assets. Once the extent of Max's debts, lies and cons become clear, Tanya leaves with Lauren and Oscar, though Abi stays. Max sinks into depression, and then sends Abi to live with her mother, as he cannot look after her. Max and Bradley decide to go into business together, and Roxy Mitchell rents the car lot to them. After Archie's murder on Christmas Day 2009, Max discovers that Bradley punched Archie because he raped and impregnated Stacey. When the police come for Bradley, Max helps him flee with Stacey, but the police chase Bradley to a rooftop where he stumbles and falls to his death. As Max and Stacey cry, she admits to him that she killed Archie. Stacey goes missing, but Max finds her, and after an emotional confrontation, he takes Stacey home, and the pair agree to tell no one about Archie's murder. Max meets Vanessa Gold after she buys a car from him. They start a casual relationship, but she guesses that Max still loves his ex-wife, and ends the affair. When Max discovers that he and Tanya are divorced, he storms in to her house and tells her he still loves her. However, Tanya says she has moved on, and reveals she and her new boyfriend Greg Jessop are engaged, and will be married in a few months.
Max attempts to recommence his affair with Vanessa, but she informs him that their relationship will never be serious. However, when Vanessa's husband Harry discovers the affair, he throws her out of their home and she moves in with Max, Vanessa's daughter Jodie also moves in, along with Lauren and Abi. Harry starts taking revenge by throwing a brick through their window, destroying Vanessa's clothes and killing Jodie's cat. Max and Jack threaten Harry, thinking it is over, but Jack is kidnapped by orders from Harry, and Max finds him the next day in the boot of his car. Lauren concludes that Max killed Archie, because he has been displaying violent behaviour, but Max tells her that he made a promise to the killer to protect them. After Stacey tells Lauren that Max is looking after her, Lauren tells Max that she has worked out that Stacey is the killer. Lauren gets a confession from Stacey, Lauren informs Janine Malloy that Stacey killed Archie, and Janine publicly announces that Stacey is a killer, so Max helps her to escape. He drives her to the airport and says he does still love her but she says she only loves Bradley and then leaves the country. Max proposes to Vanessa, and she accepts. They announce their engagement to everyone, but Tanya confronts Max and tells him that she knows that he only proposed to Vanessa to make her jealous. Max and Tanya argue before sleeping together, and they begin an affair, but Lauren discovers this so Tanya decides to end it. However, it continues, despite Tanya marrying Greg. When the affair is revealed after he leaves Vanessa, Max goes to Tanya in hope he will be with her. Unknown to him, she has found out she may have cancer and tells him she does not love him. Kicked out by his children, Max decides to leave. Meanwhile, Tanya chases after Max but is too late, and watches as a tearful Max leaves Walford in his car.
Jack later reveals that Max is staying with their brother Derek Branning, and he wants to bring Max back as Tanya's family is falling apart. Max visits Tanya but ends up insulting her and she throws him out. As Max is about to leave, Lauren stops him, telling him that Tanya has cancer and they need his help. Max talks to Tanya, and she explains her fears about her condition and reveals that she helped her sick father to die. Max then vows to support Tanya and stays with her along with Derek, although Tanya later throws Derek out. The family manage to enjoy Christmas together as they realise it might be Tanya's last one. When Tanya overhears Derek taunting a dying Pat Evans, she furiously brands him a "freak" and Derek is livid when Max sides with her. Max is unnerved, however, when Derek hints that he knows things about Max that he does not want Tanya to know. Max becomes sexually frustrated as Tanya is never in the mood for sex, and almost starts an affair with Roxy Mitchell after she reveals herself to him. They almost kiss in an alleyway but are interrupted when a shout comes for Roxy. The next day, they text and call each other. Tanya then lies to Max that her nurse has recommended she does not have any sex. They are later shocked to discover Lauren has drunk so much she was passed out in the street. Lauren claims her drink was spiked, then says she is old enough to do what she likes after she is grounded. She then decides to move out. Max later has a change of heart and texts Roxy, telling her that nothing will ever happen between them. Max is relieved when Tanya is given the all-clear from cancer. Tanya is unconvinced however, and remains distant. Tanya's mother, Cora Cross suspects Max of having an affair with Roxy. Max gets Roxy to admit to Cora that she attempted to seduce him, but that he refused her. However after a frank discussion with Tanya over their marriage and above all sex life Max reassures Tanya that she is all that matters to him and that he will not be straying again. When Tanya discovers that cars at the car lot are being repossessed, she and Max argue, which leads to passion and they have sex for the first time since Tanya's all-clear from cancer.

[dullagj2]

T11th Peggy Mitchell

Peggy married Eric Mitchell in the 1960s because she was pregnant with Phil. Eric, a keen boxer, worked for gangster Johnny Allen. Johnny would taunt Eric, making him do demeaning jobs because Eric was a better boxer than him. Eric fell in love with a woman called Maureen and planned to elope with her, but changed his mind, unable to desert his family, who he grew to resent. Eric took his anger out on Peggy and was often violent towards her and Phil. Peggy considered leaving when her sons, Phil and Grant were teenagers, and once even tried to seduce Johnny Allen, but he turned her down. She turned to Eric's younger brother Archie because he was there for her when Eric began to abuse her. Peggy tried to save her marriage by having another child in 1975, her only daughter Samantha. Her relationship with Eric improved, but only temporarily, and when Kevin Masters employed Peggy to work at his minicab firm, they began a secret affair. When Eric developed cancer, Peggy gave up work to care for him, but Kevin returned promptly after Eric's death in 1985 and Peggy's children took against him.
Peggy first appears in EastEnders when Sam's desire to escape from her family causes her to elope with Ricky Butcher at the age of sixteen. Peggy attempts to stop them marrying, but is unsuccessful. Peggy is then absent for a period of three years, during which time her relationship with Kevin ends. She returns to Walford when her sons fall out, after Phil has an affair with Grant's wife Sharon. Peggy becomes acting landlady of The Queen Vic. Blaming Sharon for the affair, Peggy tries to force her out of Walford, resulting in Sharon signing over her share of the pub and leaving the Mitchell family as the sole owners, with Peggy in charge. Peggy enters into a relationship with businessman George Palmer, unaware that he is a criminal involved in illegal money laundering. She instigates a hate campaign against local resident Mark Fowler when she discovers he is HIV positive, beginning a feud with his mother Pauline. Peggy later recants on her position when she is diagnosed with breast cancer. She initially refuses surgery and breaks up with George, fearing that he will not be able to handle her illness; however, with the support of her family and assurances from George, she eventually goes through with a lumpectomy. Peggy and George become engaged, but their relationship ends when Phil reveals his criminal nature.Peggy goes on to begin a relationship with local car lot owner Frank Butcher, and they become engaged. Peggy has doubts about the wedding when her cancer returns and she has to undergo a mastectomy, however she ultimately decides to go through with it. Tension develops between Peggy and Phil when Grant leaves for Rio de Janeiro after a violent fight with his brother. To spite Peggy, Phil sells Grant's share in the pub to local businessman Dan Sullivan for £5. Peggy loathes Dan, and the two frequently row over the running of the pub. Eventually, she and Phil call a truce, and are able to force Dan out of Walford. Peggy discovers Frank is planning on leaving her for his ex-wife Pat, so shames them by reading Frank's Dear Jane letter to the entire pub, and then slaps them both in front of everyone. She throws Frank out, and he leaves Walford without Pat. Afterwards, Peggy becomes depressed and begins to rely heavily on tranquillisers. When Frank's daughter Janine taunts her on Christmas Day about her father finding love with a new woman, Peggy begins drinking heavily and smashes up the pub with a baseball bat. The next year, Peggy is forced to sell the pub, having been left in debt by Frank, and is furious to discover the new owner is Sharon.
Peggy begins dating Harry Slater, who owns a bar in Spain and convinces her to move there with him. They become engaged, but break up when it is revealed that Harry is guilty of sexually abusing his niece Kat. When Phil begins dating Sharon again and becomes joint owner of The Queen Vic, Peggy moves back in. She later becomes sole licensee again, when Sharon sells her half of the pub back to her. Peggy is then briefly reunited with Frank when she travels to Spain to attend his funeral. She discovers he is still alive, and has faked his own death to avoid debtors. Whilst she's in Spain she shockingly finds her daughter Sam working as a lap dancer and brings Sam back to Albert Square. Peggy decides to move to Brazil to be with Grant, and departs from the series for two years, returning briefly to attend her daughter Sam's wedding to local businessman Andy Hunter.
When Peggy returns to Walford in 2005, she is furious to discover Sam has lost possession of The Queen Vic, and that the new licensee Chrissie Watts has framed Sam for her husband Den's murder. While trying to exonerate Sam and reclaim ownership of the pub, Peggy ignites a feud with Johnny Allen, who also wishes to buy The Queen Vic. Johnny hires a mobster to assault Peggy, but she is saved by her sons, Phil and Grant. They are able to deal with Johnny, secure Sam's release from prison, and return Peggy to The Queen Vic.
Peggy begins a romance with Jack Edwards, the father-in-law of Peggy's relative Billy. However, when Peggy discovers Billy's newborn daughter has Down's syndrome, she declares that the baby should be put up for adoption, causing friction in her relationship with Jack. Although Peggy comes to accept the baby, Jack breaks up with her and leaves Walford. She later begins a relationship with her brother-in-law, Archie, father of Ronnie and Roxy Mitchell. They get engaged and Archie begins subtly controlling Peggy. They marry, but it ends a few hours later when it is revealed that Archie lied to Ronnie about her infant daughter's death. Peggy has Archie evicted from The Queen Vic, and tries unsuccessfully to coerce Phil into murdering him. Peggy files for divorce and Archie plots revenge on the entire Mitchell family. When Peggy loses the bail surety she has paid on behalf of her daughter Sam (who breaks the conditions of her bail following coercion from Archie), the Mitchells are forced to use The Queen Victoria to gain a collateral Loan from Ian Beale. Archie blackmails Ian to sell the loan to him, and when the Mitchells are unable to meet the loan repayment, Archie evicts them and assumes ownership of the pub. However, Archie is murdered on Christmas Day 2009 by an unknown assailant. Peggy grieves for Archie, but she and various other members of her family become suspects for his murder. Following a police enquiry, Bradley Branning is posthumously found guilty of the murder, though unbeknown to everyone, the actual murderer is Stacey Slater. In his will, Archie leaves The Queen Victoria to Roxy, who reinstates Peggy.
After being disgusted with the state of the Square and learning that a councillor has stood down, Peggy and Pat both decide to run for council and are interviewed by journalist Harvey Freeman. Eventually they both pull out of the election, but Harvey hears of this and individually invites them both out. They both finally discover his two-timing, and humiliate him in punishment.
When Phil prevents his daughter Louise from contacting her mother Lisa, Peggy interjects and Phil slaps her. Believing he is an unfit parent, Peggy takes Louise to Lisa against Phil's wishes. Although Lisa promises to allow Phil visitation, she flees with Louise. Phil blames Peggy for the loss of his child and begins using alcohol and heroin. Peggy tries to stop Phil using heroin by locking him in her pub, but Phil escapes and in a drunken bid for revenge, he sets fire to Peggy's pub. Peggy watches in horror as it is destroyed. Realising her role in Phil's problems, Peggy decides to leave Walford for his sake. After saying tearful goodbyes to her family and making peace with Phil, Peggy takes one last look at The Queen Vic and leaves Albert Square.

T11th Ian Beale

As a teenager, Ian experiences conflict with his father Pete over his desire to become a caterer. He begins several business ventures, becoming the owner of a local café soon after graduating from catering college. Ian becomes engaged to Cindy Williams in 1989, however a one-night-stand with her former lover Simon Wicks leaves her pregnant. Cindy marries Ian and pretends that her son, Steven, is his, resulting in Ian attempting suicide upon learning the truth. He recovers and causes Simon to have a vehicular accident in revenge, prompting Simon, Cindy and Steven to leave Walford together. Ian immerses himself in his catering business, though his exploitative working practices alienate his friends, employees and family. He and Cindy later reconcile, and Ian is overjoyed to become a father to twins, Peter and Lucy. After opening a fish and chip shop, Ian becomes so obsessed with building his business empire that he neglects Cindy, who decides to leave him for his half brother David. Ian wins custody of their children, and makes Cindy so miserable that she hires a hit man to kill him. Ian is shot, but is only clipped by the bullet and recovers. Cindy flees the country with Steven and Peter, and spends a year in Italy before Ian traces them and retrieves the boys. Cindy returns to Walford and wins back custody of the children, but is implicated in Ian's shooting. She is jailed on remand and dies several months later in prison.
Ian's next serious romance is with Mel Healy, manager of his bric-a-brac shop. Mel proposes to Ian, but later cheats on him with Steve Owen. Suspecting that she is planning to leave him, Ian manipulates Mel by falsely claiming that Lucy is dying from lymphoma. They marry on New Year's Eve 1999, but Mel leaves Ian during their wedding reception after discovering that Lucy is fine. Ian then pursues a new business venture: development of high-market flats. He begins a casual relationship with his nanny, Laura Dunn, but only commits to her after being declared bankrupt. Laura buys back the fish and chip shop and, despite fearing that Ian is only interested in an inheritance she has received, they marry in May 2001. Their marriage deteriorates when Ian attempts to kiss Mel. He refuses to have a child with Laura, who frequently belittles him. Steven learns that Ian has been visiting local prostitute Janine Butcher, and tells Laura, before moving to New Zealand to live with Simon. Laura forgives Ian on the condition that they have a baby. Although he agrees, Ian has a secret vasectomy and throws Laura out when she becomes pregnant later that year, conning her into signing over control of their businesses. Laura's son Bobby requires a blood transfusion shortly after his birth, leading Laura to realise that Ian must be his father, as her lover Garry Hobbs is not a match. Laura dies in 2004, breaking her neck after falling down the stairs. Ian takes custody of Bobby, and later also takes in his half brother Ben, following the death of their mother. Ian fights Ben's father Phil for custody, worsening their long-standing enmity which stems from Phil's disastrous marriage to Ian's mother Kathy.
Ian meets a new romantic interest, Jane Collins, in 2004. He helps her to come to terms with the death of her husband David from Huntington's disease, and although their relationship is severely tested when Jane has a brief affair with Phil's brother Grant, they marry in July 2007. Steven returns to Walford and stalks Ian, escalating to holding him hostage for several weeks. He accidentally shoots Jane during an altercation, which results in her needing a hysterectomy. Ian is able to forgive Steven, but banishes him from his life when he later helps Lucy to run away. Ian and Jane temporarily separate over Ian's reluctance to adopt a child. When Lucy becomes pregnant, Jane offers to raise the baby as her own. Ian agrees, but secretly assists Lucy in having an abortion, lying to Jane that she miscarried. Jane later learns the truth, and decides to steal Ian's money and leave him. Ian arranges for her to adopt Bobby, and is devastated to discover Jane's plans. Although she decides to remain with him, Ian begins an affair with Glenda Mitchell, who later blackmails Ian, forcing him to confess the adultery to Jane. A disgusted Peter leaves Walford (joining an already departed Lucy in Devon), and Jane divorces Ian, eventually leaving Walford to spare Bobby from his parents' acrimony.
Feeling dejected, Ian goes to a strip club in August 2011 and is stunned to see former Walford resident Mandy Salter being thrown out of it. Ian helps Mandy out with some bother and allows her to live with him. Mandy helps Ian discover his more frivolous side; he eventually realises he has feelings for her. They decide to embark on a relationship, realising that they both yearn for someone to love them, and Mandy accepts Ian's impromptu marriage proposal. The relationship is marred by Mandy's one-night stand with Ricky Butcher, Ian's insecurities, interference from Mandy's abusive mother Lorraine Stevens, and Lucy's hatred of Mandy. Despite Lucy's best efforts to split them up, Ian is determined to marry Mandy and brings their wedding day forward. Mandy is horrified however when Ian chooses her over Lucy and throws his daughter out. Realising she does not love Ian, Mandy leaves him in May 2012. Already behaving erratically due to numerous stressors (his brother Ben's confession that he murdered Heather Trott, threats from Ben's father Phil, and facing financial ruin), Ian suffers a nervous breakdown after Mandy leaves him; he wanders along a road barefoot, dressed only in pyjamas, not telling anyone where he has gone.

11-14
Steve Owen
Max Branning
Peggy Mitchell
Ian Beale
all tied on 30 votes.

50-10
50 Mandy Salter
Michelle Fowler
Melaine Owen
Arthur Fowler
Trevor Morgan
43 Mark Fowler
Lou Beale
Dan Sullivan
42 Patrick Trueman

38 Denise Fox
Shirley Carter
Cindy Beale
Jay Mitchell
35 Jean Slater
Kat Moon
Roxy Mitchell
31 Archie Mitchell
Tiffany Mitchell
Michael Moon
Frank Butcher

28 Masood Ahmed
Alfie Moon
Pauline Fowler
25 Nana Moon
Tracey the barmaid
Kathy Beale
22 Sean Slater
Tanya Jessop
Ethel Skinner

20 Bianca Butcher
Chrissie Watts
16 Bradley Branning
Zainab Masood
Dennis Rickman
Ronnie Mitchell
15 Angie Watts
11 Steve Owen
Max Branning
Peggy Mitchell
Ian Beale

The top 10 is on its way, who do you hope tops the vote?

[dullagj2]

10th Carol Jackson- 32 votes

Carol Branning had a fling with David Wicks when she was 14, resulting in a child, Bianca. Carol's family tried to force her to have an abortion, and after her brothers beat David, he and his family left the area, with David believing Carol aborted their child. Carol then had a son, Robbie, with Gary Bolton, but left him when he got another woman pregnant. She then had a one-night stand with Terry Cant producing Sonia before finding love with Alan Jackson and having a second son, Billie. Though unmarried, Carol and her children all took Alan's last name.
Carol arrives in Albert Square in 1993, working alongside Pauline Fowler as Dot Cotton's replacement in the launderette. She soon moves to the Square with her family, Alan and his grandmother Blossom, and her four children. Carol is soon forced to tell David, who returns to Walford, that he is Bianca's father when it looks like they are about to start a relationship. David agrees to keep this a secret from Bianca, but is forced to tell her when she tries to seduce him. Carol and Alan attend the wedding of Carol's sister April , where her father Jim and brother Derek show their disapproval of Carol and Alan's interracial relationship. After April is jilted by her fiancé, Alan decides he wants to marry Carol there and then. However, Alan grows jealous of Carol's renewed friendship with David and embarks on an affair with singer Frankie Pierre, moving out of the Jacksons' house, leaving Carol to reignite a romance with David. Both affairs are short lived and Carol and Alan soon reunite.
Billie is the only witness to an armed robbery and is kidnapped to prevent him from testifying in court. He is eventually returned safely, but Carol and the rest of her family (bar Bianca) are placed in a witness protection programme and move away from Walford for their safety. In her time away, Carol separates from Alan due to his mental breakdown and starts a relationship with Dan Sullivan. Carol, Robbie and Sonia return to Walford with Dan, and it is revealed that Dan was in a relationship with Bianca when she was 15 and he was married. Bianca keeps this a secret from Carol, but they begin an affair during a family holiday. The affair only ends when Carol becomes pregnant with Dan's baby, however, Carol finds an old photo of Bianca and Dan and quizzes him about it. He tells only part of the truth and says that they had a relationship long before he ever met Carol. Carol believes this but is angry at Bianca for not telling her. Carol confronts Bianca who reveals the affair, not knowing what Dan had said. Carol throws Dan out, tells Bianca's husband Ricky Butcher about the affair and disowns her daughter. She aborts Dan's child and leaves Albert Square in 1999. Off-screen, in the years following, Carol moves to Balham with Billie. She tends to her father in 2007 following his stroke, but remains estranged from Bianca and her children.
Carol turns up uninvited to Bianca and Ricky's second wedding to stop her son Billie attending. Despite initial animosity, Carol and Bianca make amends for the past and Carol moves back to Walford, having lost her job in Balham as a school secretary. Billie and Carol regularly clash regarding Carol's controlling parenting and Billie's connection with a gang. When a gang member attempts to shoot Billie, Carol's brother Jack is accidentally shot instead. Blaming himself, Billie joins the army and despite initial opposition, Carol gives her blessing.
Billie is given leave on his birthday, so Carol arranges a party for him and his friends. Copious amounts of alcohol are consumed by Billie and the next day he is found dead on the settee. Distraught, Carol pushes away her family, suggesting they are responsible for Billie's death, until her brother Max tells her Billie only joined the army to get away from her. When Carol sees a video on Billie's laptop in which he says she is a control freak and wants her to die, she is devastated. She bans her family from attending Billie's funeral, and it is only she, Alan and Blossom who attend. In her grief, Carol attempts to kiss Alan, but he rejects her as he is now married with a young son. Struck by sadness, Carol plans to commit suicide by overdose, but is interrupted by Connor Stanley, one of Billie's friends and a gang member; they comfort each other and end up having sex. Carol disapproves of Connor's criminality and so their relationship ends and reignites several times. On one break, Connor begins dating Bianca's stepdaughter, Whitney Dean. Connor sleeps with Carol and Whitney simultaneously, until Bianca finds out and attacks Connor with a metal pole. Bianca is imprisoned and Connor's mother Kendra warns Carol to leave Connor alone.
In 2011, Carol meets a love-interest, Eddie Moon, but their relationship ends when Carol discovers Eddie has been seeing Vanessa Gold. Old feelings resurface between Carol and David Wicks when he returns to Walford in 2012 after years away, to visit his dying mother Pat. Carol's brother Derek still loathes David because of their rivalry in their youth and for getting an underaged Carol pregnant; he forbids Carol and David's reunion. David's feud with Derek escalates to violence. After convincing Carol to leave Walford with him, David changes his mind when he sees how much her grandchildren need her; he devastates Carol by leaving without her.
Upon being released from prison, Bianca struggles to support her family and gets into debt. In desperation, she steals money from a market trader; the police are called and Bianca is sent back to prison, in Suffolk, for six months. Wanting to be near Bianca, Carol temporarily moves to Suffolk with her grandchildren in May 2012.

9th Den Watts- 35 votes

Den grew up in Walford. He had a villainous past, engaging in petty crime and associating himself with criminal East End organisations. Den developed a reputation as a womanizer, and among others in his youth he had sex with Pat Beale, the first wife of his best friend Pete Beale. He then settled down at a young age with his school friend Angie Shaw; they married in February 1968.
Together Den and Angie leased the tenancy for The Queen Vic, but their marriage was tempestuous and Den had affairs. One affair with a woman named Paula Rickman resulted in a pregnancy, and she gave birth to Den's son, Dennis, in 1974; Den knew nothing of the child. Unable to have children together, Den and Angie adopted a young girl named Sharon; both doted on her. Den and Angie's relationship was mainly sexless, and in 1980 Den began a long-running affair with the upper-class Jan Hammond; Angie knew about the affair and developed alcoholism.
Despite being married and having a mistress, Den is unable to turn down the advances of his daughter's best friend, Michelle Fowler, in 1985; they have sex one night after closing time in the Queen Vic. When 16-year-old Michelle falls pregnant, she refuses to name the father, fearing repercussions for Den and herself. When she gives birth to a daughter Vicki in 1986, Den is prohibited from having anything to do with her; he is allowed to hold his daughter once, and provided money for Michelle in secret. For many years the secret is kept hidden, but Michelle's mother Pauline is one of the first to realise the truth, igniting a feud between Den and Pauline.
Den and Angie's marriage continues to sour, despite their strong professional personas. However, Angie struggles to contain her jealousy regarding Den's mistress, she grows desperate and depressed and attempts suicide. Still, Den makes plans to leave Angie permanently; in a bid to prevent this, Angie fabricates that she is dying and has only six months to live. Den opts to stay with her and he attempts to rebuild his relationship with Angie, promising to be there with her until her death. He takes Angie to Venice for a second honeymoon, but liases with Jan who is also there. Guilty about her lie, Angie gets drunk on the return journey via the Orient Express and confesses the truth to a barman, that she is not actually dying. Angie is unaware that Den has overheard her drunken confession; he bides his time, and gains revenge on Angie by serving her divorce papers on Christmas Day.
The Wattses divorce and Angie damages Den by demanding a large divorce settlement. Den runs the Vic alone, initially assisted by Jan, but this relationship ends when Jan grows dissillusioned with Den's treatment of her. Den has a fling with the Vic's caterer Magda Czajkowski, but is scorned when she eventually opts to date Simon Wicks instead. When single again, Den begins to realise that the Vic's trade is floundering without Angie. With some meddling from Sharon, Den and Angie decide to reunite as business partners, and she returns to live at the Vic. However, it is short-lived, because Angie falls in love with her friend Sonny. Realising that Angie is planning on leaving him, Den visits a solicitor and makes certain that Angie has no claim on the Vic. Angie leaves Walford for Spain in May 1988 with nothing.
Having always been connected with the criminal organisation known as The Firm, Den's involvement escalates in 1988. He gives up tenancy at the Vic to run Strokes winebar with Joanne Francis (Pamela Salem), which is really the Firm's illegal gambling den. When Kathy Beale is raped by James Willmott-Brown, Den manipulates a Firm member, Brad Williams, to burn down James's business in revenge. The revenge attack goes against the Firm's wishes and when the police begin an investigation, they start to suspect the Firm's involvement and the true nature of Strokes winebar is close to being discovered. The Firm's bosses, including Gregory Mantel, force Den to take the blame for the arson in order to distances their organisation from the attack. They take Den to a safe house, promising to alter his identity. Den soon realises this is a cover and in truth the Firm are planning to kill him. Den manages to escape and hands himself in to the police to save his life, and in September 1988 he is remanded in custody at Dickens Hill prison.
In Dickens Hill, Den struggles initially, with many of the inmates refusing to trust him. Inmate Queenie Price takes an instant dislike to Den and suspects him of being a "grass", one night cornering him in his cell with some friends and beating him. Despite this, Den unveils Queenie as the true prison-snitch and gains respect, rising through the prison ranks to become "No.1" of his landing. On the outside, the Firm decide that Den is still a liability; they fear he will inform the police about their dealings and again decide that Den has to die. They break Den out of captivity and kidnap him while he is being accompanied to trial in February 1989. However, Den escapes again and makes plans to flee the country. He contacts Michelle, requesting that they meet by a canal where they have held secret meetings in the past, so he can say goodbye to her and Vicki. Unaware that the Firm is following her, Michelle unwittingly brings them right to Den and he is shot by a man who is hiding a gun in a bunch of daffodils. A splash is heard, indicating that Den's body has fallen into the canal. The police search for Den's body. Initially it is not found, however after Sharon finds Den's signet ring being sold on a market stall in 1990, she requests that the canal be searched again, unaware that Den had not been wearing the ring at the time of the shooting. This time, a body is found, and Sharon identifies it as Den. The body is buried that year.
In the intervening years, Sharon and Vicki grow up and discover Den has a son whom he did not know of, Dennis, who joins them in Walford. Like Den, Dennis has involvement with the Firm, and after some digging he discovers that Den is not actually dead; after surving the shooting in 1989, he fled to Spain with help from Jan and went under cover. Hearing this, Vicki traces Den and brings him back to Walford in September 2003. Sharon has mixed emotions: upset and anger, having assumed him dead for so many years. Den explains that the body found in the canal was that of Mr Vinnicombe, a senior member of the Firm, who was murdered as punishment for Den's escape and dumped in the canal, his teeth having been bricked out to prevent dental identification. Vinnicombe's body had wrongly been identified as Den's and Jan had assisted in this cover-up by planting Den's signet ring by the canal. Den's grievances with the Firm are pardoned by its acting boss, Andy Hunter, and Den returns to live in Walford to assist Sharon in managing her nightclub.
Den gets embroiled in a feud with Sharon's ex-boyfriend Phil Mitchell after hearing Phil has hit her. He sleeps with Phil's sister Sam, then dumps her promptly as part of his revenge tactic. He then promises another of Phil's former girlfriends, Lisa Fowler, that he will help her get back her daughter, who is in Phil's custody. Den talks Phil into accompanying him and Dennis on a warehouse robbery, but during the robbery, Den takes the money then obstructs Phil's getaway, and Phil is caught by the police and remanded. Phil manages to escape several weeks later, confronting Den on Christmas Day; in order to stop Phil attacking him, Den pays Phil off and Phil flees.
Family problems arise when Den discovers that Sharon and Dennis are in a romantic relationship; Den accuses it of being incest, despite Sharon and Dennis not being blood-related. He attempts to split them up, goading Dennis about his neglected childhood and the sexual abuse he experienced in a children's home. In fury, Dennis assaults Den and accidentally hits Sharon in a rage. Den tells Dennis that, in order to remain part of the Watts family, he must split from Sharon; Dennis obliges and begins a relationship with Zoe Slater.
In 2004, it is revealed that Den had remarried whilst in Spain in 1999, and his estranged wife Chrissie moves to be with him in Walford. Den still cannot remain monogomous, and when Chrissie discovers that he has been sleeping with Kate Mitchell, she threatens to kill him if he ever cheats again. To rebuild his family, Den attempts to regain the Vic from the Mitchells; he blackmails their lawyer Marcus Christie into convincing Sam that Phil, who is still on-the-run, needs immediate money. Sam sells the Vic to Den at a vastly reduced price and he reinstates his family at the pub in time for Christmas. Things go awry when Den discovers that Sharon and Dennis have resumed their affair, and in order to split them up, Den persuades Zoe to lie that she is pregnant with Dennis's baby. Unwilling to allow Dennis to leave his unborn child, Sharon leaves Walford with Vicki leaving Dennis and Zoe unhappily together. In apparent retribution towards Dennis for inadvertently being the cause of Sharon's departure, Den manipulates Zoe into having sex with him so she can get pregnant and pretend the baby is Dennis's; when Dennis catches them having sex, Den appears pleased.
In the wake of this, Dennis leaves in search of Sharon but not before telling Chrissie about Zoe and Den's affair. When Zoe discovers she is pregnant with Den's child, Chrissie persuades her to abort and concocts a plan of revenge on Den to ruin him in the eyes of Sharon and gain ownership of the Vic. She recruits Zoe and Sam (both scorned by Den) and they confront him, setting it up for Sharon to discover Den's deeds. Sharon subsequently disowns Den in February 2005 and in a rage, Den assaults Chrissie and is only stopped by Zoe, who hits him over the head with an iron doorstop in the Vic. Den is assumed dead, but when Chrissie is alone with him, he stirs and grabs her ankle exclaiming "You'll never get me out of the Vic!"; Chrissie responds by hitting him on the head with the doorstop, this time killing him. Sam secretly witnesses the fatal blow, but Chrissie continues to allow Zoe to think it is she who has killed Den. The three women bury Den in the Vic cellar and concrete it over. Arguments between the women occur, and Sam and Chrissie become embroiled in a feud to regain ownership of the Vic, with Sam blackmailing Chrissie and digging up Den's body in the hope that Chrissie will be imprisoned, and Chrissie subsequently framing Sam for Den's murder, which leads to Sam's imprisonment. Eventually the truth is revealed, and Chrissie is imprisoned after pleading guilty.

[dullagj2]

8th Phil Mitchell- 36 votes

Phil is the eldest child of Peggy and Eric Mitchell. He endured an unhappy childhood due to his abusive father, whose violence continued until Phil was old enough to fight back. Phil and his younger brother Grant were close, and had a reputation for their thuggish behaviour.
Phil and Grant arrive in Walford to open an automobile repair shop, known as The Arches. Phil later goes into partnership at The Queen Vic with Grant and his fiancée Sharon Watts, and moves in with them. Phil grows close to Sharon, who turns to him for comfort during Grant's violent outbursts. Sharon and Phil have sex but she chooses to stay with Grant, who remains unaware of their betrayal. Sharon and Grant's 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 a reformed man, Sharon reconciles with him, leaving Phil heartbroken. On the rebound, Phil enters into a marriage of convenience with Nadia Borovac, a Romanian refugee, enabling her to stay legally in the UK, with Nadia departing after the wedding. 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 after Nadia informs her. Nadia then disappears after Grant threatens to kill her, though Phil later bribes her into agreeing to a divorce.
Kathy agrees to marry Phil in 1994 despite discovering that he torched Frank Butcher's car lot in an insurance scam, accidentally killing a homeless boy trapped inside. Intent on winning him back, Sharon kisses Phil, but he stops the kiss going further. During Phil and Kathy's engagement party, Grant listens to a cassette of Sharon confessing to the affair and plays it at the party. Kathy is incensed, and Grant beats Phil so badly that he is hospitalised with a blood clot to the brain. Phil undergoes surgery, which stirs remorse in Grant. He pressures Phil into blaming Sharon for their affair and Grant chases her out of Walford. Phil and Grant make peace, but things between them are not the same.
Kathy and Phil eventually sort out their differences and marry. Kathy gives birth to their son Ben in 1996, leaving Phil feeling neglected and depressed by Kathy's diverted attention. He turns to alcohol, developing an addiction. He becomes abusive and neglectful of Ben, so Kathy leaves him. Realising what he has lost, Phil gives up alcohol to rebuild his marriage. He attends Alcoholics Anonymous, which helps reveal the basis of his problem—the physical abuse he received from his father and his fear he may abuse Ben. Kathy takes him back but when he attends counselling, he begins an affair with fellow alcoholic Lorna Cartwright, who starts stalking him. With his marriage in jeopardy, Phil takes Kathy to Paris, hoping that it will bring them closer, but it has the opposite effect when Phil confesses to the affair with Lorna and Kathy throws her wedding ring into the river. Phil begins sleeping rough, gambling, and blaming Kathy for his decline. Kathy decides to leave Walford for South Africa, letting it be known that an offer of reconciliation from Phil would make her reconsider. Phil waits until the last minute but is stalled by Lorna, who locks herself in his bathroom and attempts suicide. Kathy leaves for the airport and Phil follows but is accosted by Kathy's son Ian Beale, who persuades him that Kathy is better off without him. Phil agonises over the loss of his son.

To take his mind of things, Phil gets involved in a protection racket with Annie Palmer, who he is also having casual sex with, but he grows tired of being bossed around by her and quits. He starts seeing Lisa Shaw, but the relationship stalls when Kathy returns briefly in 1999 and has sex with Grant. Before Kathy returns to South Africa, she asks Phil to leave with her but Phil declines as Grant has planned an armed robbery and Phil refuses to let his brother do the job alone. Infuriated with Phil's loyalty to Grant, Kathy reveals their recent tryst, leading to Phil confronting Grant after the heist and Grant's confession that he slept with Kathy as revenge for Phil's affair with Sharon. While trying to escape the police in a getaway car, Phil pulls out a handgun and shoots at the dashboard, causing Grant to crash into the River Thames. Phil is rescued, but Grant's body is not recovered, though he survives and flees to Brazil. When Grant sends Phil deeds for his half of The Queen Vic, he sells it to Dan Sullivan for £5 to spite Peggy due to her favouritism towards Grant.
Phil and Dan's allegiance ends after Dan tells the police about a motor scam Phil has been involved in, and Phil cons Dan into giving control of the pub back to Peggy. Phil is unsupportive when Lisa has a miscarriage and she becomes unstable. He turns his attention to her best friend Melanie Healy and they sleep together. Phil grows jealous when Melanie reunites with Steve Owen and becomes abusive to Lisa. Thinking a baby will improve things, Lisa stops taking the contraceptive pills. However, Melanie overhears Phil stating he does not want another baby, so she encourages Lisa to end the relationship, confessing to their affair. Lisa leaves Phil, but unknown to him, she is pregnant with his baby. Mark Fowler persuades her to pretend the baby is his. Phil gains many enemies: Lisa; Steve, who has discovered Melanie slept with Phil; Ian, who wants revenge for Phil's bullying; Mark, who wants to avenge Lisa; and Dan. On Steve and Melanie's wedding night, Phil is shot in the back by someone hiding in the bushes, collapsing in a pool of blood. Steve is prime suspect and is arrested. However, it was not Steve and after being discharged from hospital a month later, Phil confronts the real culprit, Lisa. She had stolen Steve's gun in a moment of madness. Realising he drove Lisa to it, Phil decides to let her off and frames Dan for the deed with the help of Ritchie Stringer, who supplies Dan with the gun used to shoot Phil. Not realising he is being set-up, Dan holds Phil at gunpoint, demanding money. However, the police arrive, arresting Dan for attempted murder. Steve is called as a witness at Dan's trial, and Phil persuades him to give a false testimony, further implicating Dan, but to everyone's astonishment he is found 'not guilty'. Dan seeks revenge, kidnapping Mel, the only common link between Phil and Steve, and threatens to kill her unless they each give him £100,000. Steve and Phil work together to rescue Mel but Dan escapes with the money.
Phil begins a second relationship with Sharon when she returns in 2001; they run The Queen Vic together. Phil wants children, but Sharon reveals she is infertile and before ending their relationship, she tells him Lisa's baby, Louise, is really his daughter. Phil confronts Lisa, demanding to be part of his child's life. Steve and Mel offer to take Lisa to California, but when she is unable to leave, Steve absconds with Louise. Phil chases after Steve in his car until Steve crashes into a wall. Phil rescues Louise but cannot save Steve, who dies when the car explodes. Phil knows he must win Lisa back from Mark to gain custody of Louise, and Lisa is easily swayed. Phil slowly begins excluding Lisa from Louise's life, so in desperation, Lisa flees to Portugal with Louise. Phil's nephew Jamie helps her escape, earning him a beating from Phil. Phil goes to Portugal and returns a month later with Louise. Some of Phil's neighbours suspect he has murdered Lisa.
Phil falls for Kate Morton, not knowing she is an undercover police officer, investigating Lisa's disappearance. After gaining a confession from Phil that he manipulated Lisa into handing over Louise, Kate reveals her true identity, and says she loves him and will quit her job, but Phil threatens to kill her. Kate disappears, but several months later, Phil finds her working undercover for gangster Jack Dalton. Phil saves Kate's life when Jack orders her dead, with Jack calling off the hit but telling Phil to kill Dennis Rickman as repayment. Phil corners Dennis at gunpoint, but Dennis promises to kill Jack instead, so they can both be free of him, which he does.
Phil and Kate marry, but Lisa returns on their wedding day, demanding access to Louise. She plans to shoot Phil again, but fails. She breaks down until Den Watts vows to get revenge on Phil for her. Den plans an armed robbery and coaxes Phil to join him, but Den sets Phil up and he is arrested. Kate is forced to give Louise to Lisa, who disappears. Phil cannot forgive Kate for this and their marriage ends. Phil escapes from prison and confronts Den, who supplies Phil with money to survive 'on the run'. Phil returns 18 months later needing more money; he attacks Ian, who calls the police and Phil is arrested. However, the case falls through after Grant pays a witness to change his testimony and Phil is released. Johnny Allen makes an enemy of Phil after threatening Peggy. Dennis gets involved in the feud when Phil reveals Johnny has threatened Dennis's wife Sharon. Dennis beats Johnny, but Johnny has Dennis murdered, leaving Phil feeling responsible and vowing to make Johnny pay. Phil and Grant confront Johnny, but he escapes and a car chase ensues. The brothers' squabbling allows Johnny to capture them, and Johnny orders Danny Moon to kill them. However, Danny's brother Jake shoots Danny, killing him, and Johnny surrenders.
Following Kathy's death in 2006, Phil's son Ben returns to live with his half brother Ian. Phil tries to build a relationship with Ben and they slowly begin to bond, eventually leading to Ben moving in with his father. Phil begins a relationship with Stella Crawford, but she psychologically and physically abuses Ben, manipulating him into persuading Phil to propose to her. The abuse is revealed by Ben during the wedding ceremony, and Stella flees to an abandoned warehouse with Phil in pursuit, where she jumps from the roof to her death.
Phil proposes to his girlfriend Suzy Branning when she falsely tells him she is pregnant. Phil does not believe his friend Shirley Carter when she tells him Suzy is conning him; he stays with Suzy until he discovers she has schemed with his malevolent uncle Archie Mitchell. Although still troubled by lapses in alcoholism due to numerous family upsets, Phil begins to settle into a relationship with Shirley, who becomes a mother figure for Ben and Louise after she runs away from Lisa to be with Phil. Phil is parted from both his children in 2010: Ben is sent to a juvenile offenders' unit for assault and Louise is returned to her mother by Peggy, who fears Phil is unfit to parent. Depressed, Phil begins a sexual relationship with Rainie Cross, a drug addict; he starts using crack cocaine, developing an addiction. Peggy tries to wean Phil off drugs against his consent by locking him inside her home; however, Phil, who is suffering withdrawal symptoms, escapes and confronts Peggy. Following a row, Phil sets Peggy's pub on fire. Within minutes the pub is ablaze and the roof collapses on Phil. He is rescued, but Peggy departs Walford the next day, realising Phil is better off without her.
Shirley supports Phil through recovery. They steal large amounts of money from Phil's cousin Roxy Mitchell so they can buy a house together. Roxy's mother Glenda Mitchell finds out, but instead of telling Roxy, Glenda propositions Phil and they embark on an affair. When Phil discovers Glenda has also slept with his enemy Ian Beale, he threatens to inform Ian's wife unless he pays him £5,000. Phil's bullying of Ian almost costs him his life: when Ian discovers Phil having a heart attack, Ian threatens to let Phil die but eventually helps Phil for Ben's sake. Phil reevaluates his life following his near-death experience and proposes to Shirley. Shirley initially accepts, but when she discovers Phil's infidelity with Glenda, she forgives him but refuses to marry.
Phil reacts badly when he discovers Ben is gay, showing a preference for his relative Billy's foster child, Jay Brown. Jay is so enamoured with Phil that he changes his surname to Mitchell, becoming Phil's surrogate son. Ben secretly enacts revenge on Phil for this rejection, terrorising him by anonymous text and letters, inferring he has evidence to incriminate Phil for past misdemeanours. Among other deeds, Ben sends Denise Fox evidence revealing Phil supplied the cut and shut car responsible for her husband Kevin Wicks's death, in 2008. Denise's attempts to get Phil imprisoned fail; however, DCI Jill Marsden, who has hoped to imprison Phil for many years, gets involved in the investigation and is told by Ben that Phil forced Stella Crawford to jump to her death in 2007. Phil is imprisoned for Stella's murder and Ben delights in the distress he causes his father. It is Ian who eventually gets Phil released after discovering Ben is setting-up his father; however, Ben mistakingly believes Heather Trott, Shirley's best friend, is responsible for informing the police about the set-up. Fearful and angry, Ben retaliates by murdering Heather, just as Phil returns to confront him. Blaming himself for Ben's actions, Phil (with Jay's help) covers-up the murder to look like a burglary. To protect Ben, Phil spurns a grieving Shirley, allows his neighbours and family to become murder suspects, and intimidates Ian into keeping silent after Ben confesses to him.
Shirley and Phil are now back together but it's only a matter of time before the truth comes out....

[04ikhan]

7 left to go - it seems Sharon, Stacey, Janine, Pat and Grant will be in top 7

[dullagj2]

T6th Dot Branning

Dot was born in Walford, but during the Second World War, she was evacuated to Wales. She became very close to her guardians, Gwen and Will, who wished to adopt her. She came back to Walford after Will’s death and spent the remainder of her childhood helping her mother care for her siblings, Gerry, Tim, and Rose.
She married Charlie Cotton at the age of 20 and a year later he forced her to have an abortion. He threatened to leave if she did not, then left anyway because it was a bigamous marriage. While Dot was giving birth to their only son Nick in 1956, Charlie was having an affair with her sister Rose in Liverpool.
Dot is introduced as the gossiping Christian friend of Ethel Skinner and Lou Beale who works with Pauline Fowler at the Walford launderette. She has a difficult life with a criminal husband, Charlie, and their son Nick, who is even worse. Charlie comes and goes, always treating Dot badly and stealing from her, until he dies in a lorry accident in 1991. Nick is also a criminal; he is involved in drugs, robberies, and murder and tries to cheat Dot out of her money. He attempts to poison her in 1990 to inherit her bingo winnings, but is unsuccessful. Despite Nick's deeds, Dot believes he can be redeemed. In July 1993, Nick arrives in Walford with his wife Zoe, and introduces Dot to their son Ashley. Dot becomes close to Ashley and eventually Zoe asks her to move to Gravesend with them. Dot leaves the Square, and isn’t seen again for nearly 4 years.
Dot returns to Walford on 14 April 1997, revealing that Nick has been arrested for drugs possession and Zoe and Ashley have moved away. Dot is shocked by Nick's surprise return in April 1998. He tries to steal her money again by claiming he has AIDS and needs money to travel to France where Ashley and Zoe live. Dot believes him but later discovers that he was lying and on the run from the police. She contacts the police, and he is arrested a week after his return. Dot later moves in with fellow senior citizen Lilly Mattock, and is arrested for the illegal use of cannabis, which she confuses for herbal tea. Lilly leaves the Square after she is mugged, and Dot moves in with Pauline. Later, her best friend Ethel becomes terminally ill and begs Dot to end her life. Torn between her Christian beliefs against euthanasia and her best friend's wishes, she helps Ethel die, but later she feels that she should be jailed for murder.
In November 2000, Nick and Ashley reappear in Walford. Nick's feud with Mark Fowler causes Ashley's death in June 2001, after Nick cuts the brakes on Mark's motorbike and Ashley steals it and crashes it in Bridge Street. Dot finally disowns Nick for good soon after Ashley's funeral. She starts a relationship with neighbour Jim Branning, but when he proposed in 2001, she is overwhelmed and leaves Walford. But Jim perseveres, and when they go on the London Eye on Christmas Eve 2001, he proposes again and she accepts. Dot spends much time before the wedding worrying about the wedding night. The pair eventually decided that they will have a platonic marital relationship.
In 2004, Dot is diagnosed with cancer of the kidney and decides not to tell anyone except her friend Dennis Rickman. She refuses treatment and plans to die quietly. However, after an argument with Den Watts, Dot confides in Jim, and decides to undergo chemotherapy after being persuaded by Dennis. This is a success, and she makes a full recovery. In May 2006, Jim receives a call from Nick, who is in a prison hospital, suffering from throat cancer. Jim tries to keep this a secret from Dot, but she finds out. She goes to visit Nick to care for him, fearing he will soon die. However, Nick makes a full recovery and Dot returns to the Square within weeks. On Christmas Day 2006, Dot's oldest remaining friend, Pauline Fowler dies. Dot discovers that Pauline's husband, Joe Macer, murdered her, and tries to call the police. A scuffle ensues, and ends with Joe losing his footing and falling from a first floor window to his death. Dot keeps Pauline's ashes for several months, until Jim refuses to "share" Dot with Pauline any more and orders her to dispose of them. Dot buries her ashes at the grave of Pauline's first husband, Arthur, bidding her friend farewell.
In April 2007, Dot finds an abandoned baby in a church. She takes the baby, Tomas, home, leaving her contact details at the church. Tomas's mother Anya arrives in Walford, revealing she is an illegal immigrant. Jim anonymously reports her, and when she is deported, Dot hides Tomas from the authorities, vowing to take care of him. Dot and Jim struggle to look after the baby, and after talking to the local vicar and her old friend Dr. Legg, Dot decides to hand him over to social services in June 2007. In August 2007, Jim goes to stay with his daughter, Carol. In October 2007, Dot learns that Jim had had a stroke and is seriously ill. She later asks Jim's friends to record messages for him, and when she records her own, decides that she could not cope with looking after Jim at home and that he will have to go into a nursing home.
Around Christmas 2008, there are numerous good deeds done around the Square, including paying for new decorations for the vandalised communal Christmas tree, and a large donation to the church roof fund. Heather Trott discovers Dot has given large amounts of money to good causes and decided to tell the local paper. On Christmas Day, Nick returns after a seven year absence. He tells Dot he has changed, and is now a plumber, introducing her to his six-year-old daughter Dotty. Dot soon discovers, however, that Nick does not have a job and is only there for her money. With Dot refusing to give in to his demands, Nick gives her an ultimatum – the money or her granddaughter. Dot decides to give Nick the money, and in exchange, looks after Dotty. It is later revealed Dotty and Nick are planning to kill Dot for her life insurance. They convince her that she has symptoms of dementia, but their plan backfires when Dotty exposes the plot and in a rage, Nick holds various members of the community hostage, resulting in an explosion. Nick survives and after being disowned by Dot, he informs her that Dotty had masterminded the murder plot before fleeing. Dotty is retrieved by her mother in 2010 following various devious deeds, such as accusing Dot of beating her, which leads to Dot being questioned by the police for child abuse. Nevertheless, Dot is sorry to see Dotty go; she concentrates on caring for Jim following his return home, but finds being a full-time carer exhausting and lonely. Eventually, after Dot experiences ill-health brought on by stress of caring for Jim, it is decided that Jim should return to a hospice.
Believing that she will soon die, Dot decides to reconcile with her sister Rose; they bond and Dot asks Rose to live with her, despite discovering that Rose's son, Andrew, is also the son of Dot's first husband, Charlie Cotton. When Dot's friend Heather is murdered the night before her wedding to Andrew in 2012, Dot is distraught. When Andrew is accused of Heather's murder, Dot, Rose and their friend Cora Cross help to exonerate him. Still devastated by Heather's murder, Dot leaves Walford temporarily to visit her granddaughter, Dotty.

T6th David Wicks

David is the son of Pat Evans and her first husband Pete Beale. Pat and Pete split up when David and his brother Simon were young and Pat remarried to Brian Wicks, who adopted both David and Simon (who turned out to be Brian's biological son). Meanwhile Pete remarried to Kathy Hills and had another son, Ian. Pete had no further contact with David and Simon when they moved away from Walford in 1976.
During his teenage years David got his girlfriend Carol Branning pregnant. David and the rest of the Branning family tried to persuade Carol to have an abortion and after Carol's brother Derek severely beat David up. The Wicks family left Walford, so David never really knew whether Carol did have the abortion or not. For the next few years David, along with his mother and brother, suffered at the violent hands of his abusive stepfather Brian. Pat also proved to be a negligent mother due to her alcoholism and constant promiscuity and after turning 17, David began living with his girlfriend Lorraine Foster away from his parents. During this time Lorraine fell pregnant by him and after they married she gave birth to their son Joe in 1980 when David was 18. This was shortly followed by the birth of their daughter Karen in 1982. However David was a restless man who felt he had been tied down too young and after embarking on several affairs he walked out on his wife and children in 1988, losing all contact with them.
David returns to Albert Square on 23 December 1993 for the funeral of his father Pete, who had died in a car crash two weeks earlier. A few weeks later he moves in with his mother Pat and soon goes into business with her stepson Ricky Butcher with a car lot that they name "Deals on Wheels". David receives a stark reminder of his past in the form of Carol and her large brood of children, and soon finds himself falling for her oldest daughter Bianca. Carol is very hostile towards him, and is horrified when she witnesses the growing relationship between David and Bianca. This results in Carol telling David that Bianca is his daughter in March 1994. David is stunned but agrees to keep his distance from Bianca, much to her chagrin. The truth is revealed to an embarrassed Bianca in March 1995 when, after drunkenly trying to kiss David after he rescues her from being mugged, David is forced to confess that she is his daughter. Despite being initially hostile towards David, Bianca soon forms a close relationship with her father.
David's estranged son Joe arrives in Walford in April 1996. With him comes the news that his daughter Karen died in a car accident nine months previously. Joe's return causes many problems for David, and at first David rejects the idea of having his son back in his life. However, after Joe runs away and arrives back at David's again, he becomes more receptive to Joe and the idea of having him in his life again. Eventually Joe and Lorraine move down to London from Bolton and Joe moves in with David. However, Joe seriously blames himself for Karen's death, and this leads to Joe developing schizophrenia. Joe exhibits increasingly strange behaviour that gets progressively worse. This is one of the main reasons that David eventually leaves Walford.
David is a notorious womaniser. He has relations with Sam Mitchell and an affair with Cindy Beale, the wife of his half-brother Ian. Cindy becomes obsessed with the idea of running off with David, and hires a hit man to kill Ian. Ian is shot but survives, and when David finds out he ends the relationship, but not before helping Cindy escape with her two sons. Shortly after, David has a fling with ex-partner, Carol. Eventually, the truth is revealed about David's affair with Cindy and his fore-knowledge of the attempted murder of Ian. The loss of friends and alienation of his family, together with Joe's worsening mental condition with schizophrenia leads David to decide leave Albert Square for Milan. David leaves in a torrent of tears after telling Joe he is going.
In 2010, David sends Bianca £10,000 for her wedding as he is unable to attend. In December 2011, Pat phones David after she learns that he has had an affair with his brother Simon's wife. Pat argues with David on the phone about his infidelity, and ends the call on bad terms.
David returns to Walford on 1 January 2012, after hearing that Pat is severely ill. David is stunned to discover that Pat is in fact dying of cancer. When he is reunited with his mother, he reveals that he has broken up with his partner but that his son, Joe, is doing very well. The pair argue and David resolves to leave, but Carol persuades him to stay. Derek Branning arrives and provokes David, and a fight breaks out. David tells Derek he is staying around and returns to Pat, where he forgives her for her past mistakes and she dies in his arms. David decides to stay in Walford to plan his mother's funeral and is furious when he discovers Bianca's husband Ricky Butcher had sex with Mandy Salter behind her back. Later, he flirts with Roxy Mitchell and goes to have sex with her, but has second thoughts and nothing happens. David then declares his love for Carol. She reciprocates, and the pair reunite.
David visits Derek to try to settle their differences, but Derek repeats his threats. Michael Moon suggests to David that they should team up to bring Derek down and get him arrested. David is not initially keen on the idea, but when Derek upsets Carol he agrees to a scheme with Michael. They then attempt to set Derek up by Michael planting stolen goods in Derek's home. However, Derek catches Michael in the act, and Michael blames the entire scheme on David. When David learns of this he begs Carol to leave Walford with him. Carol agrees, but after Pat's funeral, David is confronted by Derek and his brothers Jack and Max. Derek threatens David with a knife, but Jack and Max let him go. As he returns to his car to meet Carol, he sees her saying an emotional goodbye to Bianca and her family, so realises her family needs her and leaves without her.

6 & 7
Dot Branning
David Wicks
tied on 37 votes.

Top 5 on its way.

[dullagj2]

5th Grant Mitchell- 44 votes

The second son born to Eric and Peggy Mitchell, Grant was close to his older brother Phil growing up and protective of his much younger sister Sam. Grant was a paratrooper in the army where he undertook a mechanic's course, but being involved in the Falklands War deeply scarred him, so he dropped out and began to adapt to life as a civilian. The memories of war troubled him greatly. He was plagued with nightmares, and was prone to terrible rages as a result.
Grant arrives in Albert Square with his brother Phil in February 1990, as the owners of the local garage, the Arches. After a brief fling with Julie Cooper and getting involved in various dodgy deals, Grant starts wooing the local barmaid, Sharon Watts. Sharon is attracted to his machismo, and soon their flirting progresses into a relationship. Fiercely protective of his girlfriend, most of Grant's initial problems in the Square revolve around his over-possessive nature and jealousy. He puts the landlord of The Queen Vic, Eddie Royle, in hospital after he makes a pass at Sharon; he later becomes prime suspect for Royle's murder in 1991, but Nick Cotton eventually owns up to the crime. In the wake of this, Grant decides to re-enlist in the army, but is rejected when he fails their psychiatric tests.

Despite his hot-headed tendencies, Sharon sees a different side to Grant, and when he proposes marriage to her, she accepts on the condition that he buys her her childhood home, the Queen Vic pub, which he does. Grant marries Sharon in December 1991 and together they run The Queen Victoria. Their marriage is stormy and punctuated with violent rows and fights. Grant is desperate for a child, and when he discovers Sharon is still taking contraception, he smashes up the pub and then disappears. In his absence, Sharon is comforted by Phil and they begin an affair, although this comes to an abrupt end when Grant returns and promises to change his ways. He cannot live up to his promises however, and on Sharon's birthday in 1992, Grant sets fire to the Queen Vic to generate insurance money to pay off debts. He does not check to see if Sharon is out of the way, and she and her dog Roly nearly die in the blaze. The insurance money is insufficient, and Sharon reacts with fury when she discovers what Grant has done. She leaves Grant for a while, and when she return attempts to seize control of the Vic; Grant turns violent, assaults Sharon and her friend Michelle Fowler and is imprisoned on remand. While he is in prison, Sharon and Phil rekindle their affair, but neither can confess to Grant, and it ends when he is released from prison. Sharon and Grant patch up their relationship; however, in 1994, Grant discovers a tape on which Sharon talks about her affair with Phil, and plays it to a packed pub at Phil and Kathy Beale's engagement party. Grant batters Phil in revenge, leaving him with a ruptured spleen, and bullies Sharon until she fled to America. She returns briefly in 1995 to enact revenge, making Grant realise that he is still in love with her, he chooses to be with Sharon over his family. Sharon is ready to turn him down in front of a packed pub and his family. However, in the end, she cannot go through with it, and stops him from publicly proposing before he humiliates himself. She then confesses to him that she still loves him, before moving back to America, leaving Grant shattered.
Sharon's best friend Michelle Fowler has a volatile relationship with Grant but, following Sharon's exit, falls pregnant following a one-night stand with him and then flees to the States without telling Grant that he is to be a father. Grant never finds out the baby is his. Grant goes on to wed a pregnant Tiffany Raymond in 1996, although it is unclear whether he or Tiffany's ex-partner Tony is the father. When Grant discovers this, he is incensed and throws Tiffany out. He begins a relationship with Lorraine Wicks, until a paternity test reveals that Grant is the father of his baby, Courtney. He reunites with Tiffany to be near his daughter, but by this time his marriage has deteriorated. When Tiffany discovers that Grant has had an affair with her mother Louise Raymond, she plans to flee to Spain with Courtney on New Year's Eve 1998, but Grant traces her and retrieves Courtney. Tiffany attempts to snatch Courtney but is hit by a car driven by Frank Butcher, Grant's stepfather, and dies as the clock struck midnight. Grant tries to move on by dating barmaid Nina Harris for a while but dumps her her after her past as a prostitute is uncovered.
Grant and brother Phil plan to cheat some gangsters to pay off a debt in October 1999 by intercepting an drug deal and stealing a large amount of cash. Before doing the job with Phil, Grant punches Steve Owen. However, the job goes awry when Phil finds out that Grant has slept with his ex-wife Kathy before doing the job. He confronts Grant after the job and Grant admits he did it in revenge for Phil sleeping with Sharon. Phil pulls out a gun, and shoots the steering wheel in their getaway car, causing Grant to plunge the car into the River Thames. Phil is rescued but Grant is not found and presumed dead. A week later it is revealed that Grant is alive. He departed with Courtney and the stolen money to Rio de Janeiro.
Grant returns to Walford in October 2005 with Phil to exonerate his sister Sam Mitchell for the murder of Den Watts; she is being framed by the real murderer Chrissie Watts. Grant manages to put his differences with both Phil and Sharon behind him, forgiving Sharon when she confesses that she aborted his child in 1995. Grant and Phil manage to persuade Sharon, Den's daughter, that Chrissie (Den's second wife) is the real killer. He finds CCTV evidence of Chrissie admitting she is the murderer to gangster Johnny Allen. Johnny has a grudge against the Mitchell brothers because of their mother Peggy and uses the tape as bait to try to kill them. The brothers eventually beat Johnny at his nightclub office in order to get the tape, Sam is released from prison and Chrissie is imprisoned. Following this, Grant returns to Rio.
He returns in March 2006 with his daughter Courtney, citing family and financial problems back in Brazil. Phil tricks Grant to help him in his quest for revenge against Johnny, who killed Sharon's second husband Dennis Rickman. Amidst arguing amongst the Mitchell brothers, Johnny, armed with a shotgun, captures them and orders his henchman Danny Moon to take them to a forest and kill them. They are rescued by Danny's brother Jake Moon, who shoots his brother dead at the last second - saving Phil and Grant. Jake secretly buries his brother in the woods and Johnny turns himself into the police.
Grant flirts with Jane Collins, Ian Beale's girlfriend; he seduces her after getting a job working for Jake at the newly reopened Scarlet nightclub. Their affair ends when Phil catches them together and Grant then has a one-night stand with 19-year-old Chelsea Fox - to his mother's outrage. Shortly after, his estranged Brazilian wife, Carla, shows up in Walford. Grant and Carla resume their relationship, but Carla's ex-partner Ray soon arrives to retrieve £12,000 that Carla has stolen from him. Carla and Ray resume their affair and plan to fleece Grant for £25,000. Grant learns of Carla's scam; unbeknown to Carla he chases Ray away and leads Carla to believe he has fallen for her lies. Grant catches her attempting to steal his money and reacts by dumping her in a litter bin, ending their marriage. Grant and Courtney then leave together for Portugal.

[dullagj2]

4th Stacey Slater- 46 votes

Stacey arrives in Walford age 15, moving in with her great-uncle Charlie after being thrown out by her mother Jean. She initially causes trouble through her promiscuous and immoral behaviour, but eventually begins to settle down when joined by her mother and older brother Sean. It is revealed that Stacey had a troubled childhood, due to Jean's bipolar disorder and the death of her father when she was 11, after which Sean abandoned the family and left Stacey as Jean's sole carer. In 2005 Stacey becomes heavily embroiled in the murder of Den Watts when she gives her cousin Zoe Slater a false alibi for his murder, landing innocent Sam Mitchell in prison. Sam's family and Den's adopted daughter Sharon Rickman pressure her into telling the truth, but eventually Den's wife Chrissie Watts is arrested for the murder.
Despite initially being unimpressed by Walford newcomer Bradley Branning, Stacey falls in love with him and becomes pregnant with his child. Bradley insists on Stacey having an abortion, and their relationship subsequently deteriorates. Bradley breaks up with Stacey when she embarrasses him at a work party, and in revenge, she begins an affair with his father Max. Max agrees to leave his wife, Tanya, until he learns that she is pregnant. He then terminates the affair, after which Stacey and Bradley reunite, eventually marrying. Max propositions Stacey after the wedding ceremony and they share a brief kiss, which is recorded on Max's daughter Lauren's hidden video camera. Lauren gives a DVD of the recording to Bradley as a Christmas present, revealing the affair when he plays it in front of the family. Devastated, Bradley separates from Stacey for six months. He ultimately decides to give their marriage another chance, suggesting that they start a family. Stacey is uncertain and continues taking birth control pills. She shares a kiss with Callum Monks, which she regrets. Although she tries to make her marriage work, Stacey eventually breaks up with Bradley. She briefly dates Callum, but breaks up with him over his harsh treatment of her mother.
Following the death of her best friend Danielle Jones, Stacey begins behaving erratically. She steals money from her family, seduces various men and drinks heavily. She is diagnosed with bipolar disorder, but is non-compliant with her medication and becomes paranoid, experiencing hallucinations. Stacey sleeps with Ryan Malloy and is attacked by Archie Mitchell; she believes that they are both planning to kill her. After attacking Archie with a broken glass and accusing her friends and family of planning to hurt her, Stacey is involuntarily committed to hospital, where she befriends Becca Swanson.
Upon her release, Bradley admits that he still loves Stacey and they reconcile, but shortly after, Stacey discovers she is pregnant. She tells Bradley that Archie raped her and is the father; Archie is murdered that night by an unknown assailant. Stacey and Bradley agree to pretend the baby is theirs, and re-marry on 18 February 2010. A jealous Becca reveals the rape to Archie's daughter Ronnie Mitchell, who tells Stacey that Archie was infertile. Becca informs the police Bradley had a motive to kill Archie. He and Stacey attempt to flee Walford, but Bradley is caught by the police and falls to his death while trying to escape. A distraught Stacey confesses to Max that she killed Archie.
Stacey decides not to tell Ryan that he must be the father of her baby. He exhibits a romantic interest in her, which is later revealed to be part of a bet with his girlfriend Janine Butcher. Upset by this revelation, Stacey goes into labour. Ryan stays with her as she gives birth to a daughter, whom she names Lily. When Ryan later rescues them from a fire at The Queen Vic, Stacey admits that he is Lily's father. Ryan initially refuses to act as a parent to her, but bonds with her when Stacey and a jealous Janine are arrested for fighting during a night out. Janine's jealousy escalates to kidnapping Lily, but Ryan convinces her to return her. He and Stacey become closer and kiss. During this time, Lauren discovers Stacey's guilt in Archie's death and records a confession on her phone. Stacey attempts to flee to Palma, Majorca, but Ryan stops her, telling her he wants to be with her. They begin an affair, which unbeknownst to them is discovered by Janine, who poisons Ryan in revenge. Ryan is hospitalised and on his return, he convinces Janine he still loves her but publicly declares his love for Stacey in The Queen Vic. Janine walks in as they are kissing. She concedes defeat until Lauren, who still believes Max is emotionally involved with Stacey, gives Janine the recorded confession. The next day, Janine attempts to play the recording in front of punters in The Queen Vic, but is has been recorded over because Lauren warned Max. Janine then reveals that Stacey killed Archie. Stacey leaves the pub in tears, followed by Ryan. She then confirms to him that it is true.
The next day, Christmas Day, Stacey tells Jean she killed Archie, so Jean takes Lily away from her. Ryan convinces Stacey to leave with him as Janine will call the police. Stacey lets Janine in and she attempts to set Stacey up by grabbing a knife, placing it into Stacey's hand and stabbing herself. Stacey runs out of the house and Janine convinces Jean to call the police. Stacey contemplates suicide but Max stops her and says he will help her to escape. Stacey convinces Jean that Janine has framed her, and Ryan comes to take Stacey away, but Stacey says that events have happened too fast, and she is unsure whether she loves him. Ronnie and Roxy confront her, and Stacey confesses that she did kill Archie. Ronnie tells her to go, and Max drives her to the airport as the police arrive on the Square. At the airport, Max says he still loves her and offers to leave with her, but she tells him she only ever loved Bradley. She and Lily then leave the country on an aeroplane; where they went remains unknown. However, it is later revealed that they are in Mexico when Stacey phones Kat the following day.