George "Lofty" Holloway is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders, played by Tom Watt. Lofty is generally depicted as a meek, luckless and hapless victim.
Michelle Accepts Lofty's Proposal | EastEnders: 80s
Michelle Accepts Lofty's Proposal | EastEnders: 80s
EastEnders - Nick Cotton Vs. Lofty Holloway (7th March 1985)
EastEnders - Nick Cotton Vs. Lofty Holloway (7th March 1985)
George Holloway, nicknamed "Lofty" due to his above average height, serves in the army but has to leave because he suffers with chronic asthma; he settles in Walford and gets a job as a barman at The Queen Victoria public house. Lofty is devoted to his aunt Irene (Katherine Parr), who lives in a hospice, stricken with inoperable cancer. He takes on the task of caring and visiting her and is devastated when she eventually dies in 1987. He grows close to Michelle Fowler (Susan Tully) after she becomes pregnant in 1985 and refuses to name the father: Lofty's employer, Den Watts (Leslie Grantham), is the actual father although Lofty never discovers this. Michelle finds the prospect of bringing up a child daunting. Lofty struggles to see Michelle unhappy and chivalrously offers to marry her and help bring up her baby, Vicki, as his own. Although Michelle does not love Lofty, she accepts his proposal, realising that she can never be with her baby's real father. However, on their wedding day, Michelle is visited by Den in secret and this makes Michelle reconsider her options; she jilts Lofty at the altar, devastating him.
Aunt Irene played by Katherine Parr.
When Michelle changes her mind months later, Lofty is overjoyed and sneaks Michelle away for a secret wedding. Money is sparse for the couple and Michelle is never truly happy; she quickly tires of Lofty. When Lofty begins pressuring Michelle to have a baby with him and to allow him to adopt Vicki, she is unwilling. She discovers that she is pregnant with Lofty's child and has an abortion. Lofty is devastated by Michelle's betrayal and their marriage breaks down. He grows depressed about losing the child he wanted so badly and amidst continued hostility with Michelle, he leaves Walford and take a job working as a handyman in a children's home in Bedfordshire, leaving in April 1988 with only Den witnessing his departure. It is subsequently revealed that Lofty has become a social worker.
Michelle Fowler is played by Susan Tully
Michelle Fowler (Susan Tully) and Lofty Holloway (Tom Watt) decorate the Christmas tree in the square.
The invention of Lofty had been an afterthought, and during the casting he was still considered as something of an "enigma" to the creators and writers alike. This had made casting difficult as Holland and Smith were unsure about what they were looking for. The actor Tom Watt was suggested by one of the writers. Holland and Smith liked that his physical appearance (gauche and childlike) made him stand out (they likened him to the accident-prone sitcom character, Frank Spencer). It was decided that these attributes fitted the character perfectly and Watt was subsequently cast in the role.
Over thirty years later in 2019, Lofty returns for the funeral of Dr. Harold Legg (Leonard Fenton), where he reunites with old friends, Dot Branning (June Brown), Mary Smith (Linda Davidson), Sharon Mitchell (Letitia Dean), and Kathy Beale (Gillian Taylforth), and explains that he now owns 15 pubs across London. They reminisce and before leaving, Lofty hands Michelle's brother, Martin Fowler (James Bye), a cheque for £20,000 to be given to Vicki. Lofty returns again three years later, in 2022, for Dot's funeral. He arrives late after initially going to the wrong church.
Lofty Gets a Fright! | EastEnders
Lofty Gets a Fright! | EastEnders
EastEnders - Arthur And Lofty Fight (10 Apr 1986)
EastEnders - Arthur And Lofty Fight (10 Apr 1986)
EastEnders - Mary Smith & Lofty Holloway Return - (19th February 2019) - Part 1
EastEnders - Mary Smith & Lofty Holloway Return - (19th February 2019) - Part 1
EastEnders - Mary Smith & Lofty Holloway Return (19th February 2019) - Part 2
EastEnders - Mary Smith & Lofty Holloway Return (19th February 2019) - Part 2
Characters that have been on the set of EastEnders for a very long time all seem to be given that standout storyline, The story that breaks them or creates them.. The one that nearly kills them and takes them to the edge of living in Walford.. Ian Beale is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders, played by Adam Woodyatt. He is the drama's longest-serving main character and, following the departure of Pauline Fowler (Wendy Richard) in 2006, became the only one to have appeared continuously from its inception. One storyline in particular portrays Ian Beale as a down and out homeless tramp who has not washed for months. He is grotesque and smells badly, he also has a thick and dirty beard.. Financial woes and a marriage breakdown all contributed to Ian Beale choosing to sleep rough rather than face his problems head on.. And we all should have sympathy for homeless people, They have no bed or home to eat sleep and wash, they get stuck in a routine of begging and they may have underlying drug and alcohol problems. Mental breakdowns, depression, bad health all contribute to the person feeling a complete failure..
Ian Beale.
EastEnders - Ian Beale Returns As A Homeless Man (31st August 2012)
EastEnders - Ian Beale Returns As A Homeless Man (31st August 2012)
The actor now lives in a 100k motorhome as he pursues his stage career travelling around the country – following his divorce from wife Beverley.
Ian Beale is homeless and feeling under the weather.
EastEnders - Ian Beale Suffers A Breakdown (25th May 2012)
EastEnders - Ian Beale Suffers A Breakdown (25th May 2012)
A recent photo of Adam Woodyatt 2022
As well as finding out his half-brother Ben Mitchell had killed Heather Trott, he was also jilted by his fiancée Mandy Salter on their wedding day. The character went missing from Walford for a whole month, with his daughter Lucy lying to fellow residents that he was on his honeymoon. He was first spotted by Lauren Branning at a soup kitchen, before Alfie Moon, along with Max and Tanya Branning, found him sleeping rough under an underpass. When he returned to Walford, he had a matted beard, old wooly hat and dirty clothes. Ian's breakdown was a major story as viewers saw him struggle while trying to juggle his financial situation and family drama. At the time, EastEnders bosses worked closely with various mental health experts and charities, including Time to Change - a partnership between Mind and Rethink Mental Illness. Adam - who plays Ian - said he was "overwhelmed" by the viewer response to the story. Speaking to the Daily Mirror, Jenni Regan, of charity Time to Change, said: “We set up a meeting between the scriptwriters and someone who has suffered from depression so they could reflect accurately what Ian has been going through. “Mental health problems can happen to anyone and we hope EastEnders will help eliminate the stigma and taboo that still surrounds the issue.”
Janine Carter (also Butcher, Evans and Malloy) is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders, introduced in 1989. The character was played by Rebecca Michael from 1989 to 1993, Alexia Demetriou from 1993 to 1996, and Charlie Brooks from 1999 to 2022. A troublesome child, Janine throws tantrums, runs away, is a bed-wetter, a sleep-walker, a thief, a compulsive liar and a self-harmer, and hates Pat. Unable to discipline her, Pat forces Frank to take Janine to family therapy, which somehow helps. Janine refuses to go to school and Ricky finds out she is being bullied. When Frank has a breakdown and disappears in 1994, Janine stays with Pat but finds Frank's absence upsetting.
Janine's character has been described as "the crazy, evil vixen of Albert Square" you wouldn't turn your back on her. She is a bitch and a devil with much evil. She cheats manipulates and lies her way through life and is cold hearted with zero feelings for others. In 2002, a storyline saw Janine using drugs and prostituting to fund the habit. She was shown about to snort cocaine in a scene that sparked viewer complaints to the BBC. Charlie Brooks has said about Janine's behaviour: "Sleeping with her pusher is very sad and desperate. But she feels she has to do it to get more drugs. Janine has such low self-esteem that she's deliberately reckless. She thinks, 'Why not take drugs if they make me feel good about myself for a while?' I think she knows she's on a slippery slope but she believes she can get out of it like she's always done before."
Owing Drug dealer Lee Vickers money for drugs, Janine turns to prostitution under the alias "Blonde Bombshell". One of her clients, Matt Lindsay (Matthew Steer), falls in love with her and proposes marriage, but attempts suicide when he learns she is still a prostitute. In May 2002, Ian Beale (Adam Woodyatt) begins using her services but she blackmails him, threatening to tell his wife Laura Beale (Hannah Waterman) unless he pays her. Depressed, in August 2002, Janine begins drinking heavily and nearly dies of alcohol poisoning. She gives up prostitution, but when Laura discovers that she has been having sex with Ian, she throws a pan of boiling milk in Janine's face. As a result, Janine becomes agoraphobic and eats dog food because she is too afraid to go outside to buy food. She eventually gets over this with Billy's help. Janine hopes to rekindle their relationship but is devastated when she learns that he is in love with Little Mo Morgan (Kacey Ainsworth).
Janine Blackmails Ian part 1 - EastEnders - BBC
Janine Blackmails Ian part 1 - EastEnders - BBC
Janine Blackmails Ian part 2 - EastEnders - BBC
Janine Blackmails Ian part 2 - EastEnders - BBC
Barry Evans is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders, played by Shaun Williamson.
In 2003, Janine gets a job working at Barry Evans' (Shaun Williamson) car lot after becoming friendly with Barry, following the death of his father and Pat's husband Roy Evans (Tony Caunter). She and her friend, Paul Trueman (Gary Beadle) plan to fleece Barry out of his money. She seduces Barry and moves in with him, but also sleeps with Paul. Eventually, Barry proposes to Janine, and she accepts, thinking that Barry has a life-threatening heart murmur. They marry on New Year's Eve 2003 in Scotland, but Janine is furious when Barry's illness turns out to be a false alarm. They take a stroll around the hills and cliffs on New Year's Day 2004, but Janine cracks and admits everything. Barry refuses to believe that she does not love him and tries to embrace her. Repulsed, Janine pushes him away and he falls down a cliff, fatally hitting his head on a rock; Janine watches him die. As his widow, Janine inherits Barry's estate and has him cremated in Scotland, denying his friends and family a chance to pay their respects. This makes Barry's ex-wife Natalie Evans (Lucy Speed) suspicious, and she becomes close to Paul, who feels guilty about his role in Barry's death. Spurred on by Natalie, Paul gives a statement to the police, implicating Janine in Barry's death.
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Janine Pushes Barry Off a Cliff! | EastEnders
Paul Trueman got into a relationship with Janine while she was with Barry ( Image: BBC
Janine Pushes Barry Off a Cliff! | EastEnders. You have to feel sorry for Barry when Janine turns into a devil bitch.
Janine Confesses Barry's Murder part 1 - EastEnders - BBC
Janine Confesses Barry's Murder part 1 - EastEnders - BBC
Janine Confesses Barry's Murder part 2 - EastEnders - BBC
Janine Confesses Barry's Murder part 2 - EastEnders - BBC
Janine is arrested, but released without charge, due to lack of evidence, and spitefully tells Natalie that she has managed to get away with murder; however, telling Pat proves to be her downfall. Pat is also friends with Laura, who has a feud with Janine, who in turn angers the locals by reporting Laura for benefit fraud and announces it in The Queen Victoria public house. Janine reports Laura. In April 2004, Janine and Laura are seen fighting just before Laura dies after falling down the stairs. It is noted in the post mortem that Laura had recently been in a fight due to bruising, and Janine's skin is found under her nails. Although Janine was with Pat when Laura died, Pat refuses to give Janine an alibi, and brands her 'pure evil'. In desperation, Janine goes to Paul and offers to sleep with him in return for an alibi, but Paul refuses. She is arrested by the police, charged with Laura's murder and remanded in custody in May 2004.
Lucy Renee Speed (born 31st August 1976) is an English actress best known for her television roles as Natalie Evans in the BBC One soap opera EastEnders from 1994 to 1995 and again from 1999 until 2004.
Janine vs Laura! | EastEnders
Laura Beale (also Dunn) is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders, played by Hannah Waterman. She first appeared on 17th February 2000 and became a regular on the programme until the character was killed-off on 30 April 2004. Laura underwent dire financial straits after a feud with her sworn enemy Janine Butcher (Charlie Brooks). The follow-up of their last confrontation saw Laura's death when she fatally tripped down the stairs, in a departure that became listed as one of EastEnders' best exits.
Janine vs Laura! | EastEnders
Janine stands trial off-screen in December 2005, and Frank tries to persuade Pat to tell the truth in court, giving Janine an alibi. Pat refuses, but a conversation with Laura's mother Edwina Dunn (Gay Hamilton) forces Pat to tell the court what really happened. Janine is released but leaves Frank outside the courtroom.
EastEnders - Danielle Jones Dies (2nd April 2009)
In April 2009, whilst driving around the square, Janine accidentally knocks down Danielle Jones (Lauren Crace); moments later, Danielle dies and Janine is left guilt-ridden. Though Janine is cleared of any blame, it causes a rift between her and the Mitchells.
EastEnders - Danielle Jones Dies (2nd April 2009)
Danielle Jones is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders, played by Lauren Crace. The character appeared between 18th August 2008 and 3 April 2009. Crace's casting in the role was announced in July 2008, when she was described as a love interest for fellow new character Callum Monks (Elliott Jordan). In October 2008, it was revealed that Danielle was actually the long-lost daughter of established character Ronnie Mitchell (Samantha Janus). Crace has disclosed that even she was unaware of this fact upon being cast in the role, but always knew Danielle would only have a short arc.
Michael Moon was a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders, played by Steve John Shepherd. The character is a second cousin once removed of Alfie Moon (Shane Richie), and first appears on 1st October 2010 after Alfie's return. He is also the father to Tommy Moon, whose mother is Alfie's wife Kat Moon (Jessie Wallace). Michael is later joined by his father Eddie Moon (David Essex) and half brothers Tyler Moon (Tony Discipline) and Anthony Moon (Matt Lapinskas).
Michael terrorised Alice in EastEnders (Picture: BBC)
A psychopath, Michael is described as a competitive and manipulative risk-taker who lives dangerously. He is a charmer with an eye for the ladies, but is willing to stab anyone in the back. He has a relationship with Roxy Mitchell (Rita Simons), which is disliked by Roxy's sister Ronnie (Samantha Womack), and marries Janine Butcher (Charlie Brooks). In March 2013, it was announced that Shepherd decided to leave the role. Michael's last episode is on 1st November 2013, when Michael is murdered by Janine. Shepherd quit to explore new roles.
During Roxy's time on the show she has been married twice — to Sean Slater (Robert Kazinsky) and Alfie Moon (Shane Richie) — and engaged an additional three times — to Damian (James Hiller), Aleks Shirovs (Kristian Kiehling) and Dean Wicks (Matt Di Angelo). Her major storylines have included the paternity of her daughter Amy Mitchell (Abbie Knowles), becoming Landlady of The Queen Victoria, becoming a millionairess before squandering all the money on frivolous spending, her popular friendship with Christian Clarke (John Partridge), a feud with Alfie's ex-wife Kat Slater (Jessie Wallace), one-night stands with her sister's two husbands Jack Branning (Scott Maslen) and Charlie Cotton (Declan Bennett), Dean's attempted rape of her, and becoming a drugs mule. Roxanne "Roxy" Lizette Mitchell (also Slater) is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera, EastEnders, portrayed by Rita Simons.
EastEnders’ Rita Simons looks back at her 'life on screen' exclusively with OK!
EastEnders’ Rita Simons looks back at her 'life on screen' exclusively with OK!
Christian Clarke is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders, portrayed by John Partridge.
Image Above Sonny Kendall: When Tommy was born, Michael didn’t not want any involvement in his son’s life and wasn’t around, so Kat’s husband Alfie Moon adopted Tommy and raised him as his own son. Michael Moon didn’t play any fatherly role in Tommy’s life and only took notice and cared for his daughter Scarlett Moon until his death. Tommy didn’t have any idea that Alfie was not his biological father until September 2021 when Kat revealed that Scarlett was in fact Tommy’s sister, not his cousin.
On joining EastEnders...
Arriving on the Square in a heroic fashion, David explained his attraction to this new member of the Moon clan: "It's a great adventure for me. It's like you don't really know what you're doing until a day before, and then you do it. You have to think on your feet." He went on to say that working on the award-winning soap is "daunting. It's like going to a new school. But they've been tremendously respectful and very welcoming." Eddie Moon is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders, played by David Essex.
Anthony, along with brother Tyler, were announced as new characters in May 2011, played by Lapinskas and Discipline respectively, although Tyler made his debut at an earlier date. Described as someone who "will rely on his brains and natural wit to find a more sensitive solution to any conflict", it is found out that Anthony has a gambling problem before his character arrived in Walford, which is later a focus of one of the storylines. Lapinskas said of his relationship with half-brother Michael that Anthony "idolises" him, and that Michael "corrupted" Anthony. When Eddie leaves, Anthony takes charge of his antiques business. Anthony Moon is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders, played by Matt Lapinskas.
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Described as having a short fuse and "quick to use his fist to sort things out", Tyler begins boxing and when half brother Michael pushes him to do an unlicensed fight, Tyler agrees, unbeknown to Tyler that Michael is fixing the fight, putting a boxer in the ring who once killed a man. Tyler wins the fight, though suffers a seizure and undergoes life saving operations. Other than this, he is described as a "heart-throb" and "ladykiller". When Tyler first arrives, he chats up a number of girls and even kisses Roxy Mitchell (Rita Simons). Tyler later starts dating Whitney Dean (Shona McGarty), though their relationship suffers badly due to Whitney's past. A love triangle begins to develop between Tyler, Whitney and Fatboy (Ricky Norwood). When Whitney chooses Fatboy, Tyler has a one-night stand with Lauren Branning (Jacqueline Jossa), though later regrets it after finding out that Whitney still has feelings for him.
In June 2010, it was reported that Phil would develop an addiction to crack cocaine after his troubled personal life leads to depression. The report followed the news that Lucy Benjamin was to return for a single episode, reprising her role as Lisa, the mother of Phil's daughter Louise (Brittany Papple). In the storyline, Phil gains custody of Louise after she is dropped off in Walford by an unseen person, however, Peggy eventually returns Louise to Lisa after Phil punches his mother in the face. A spokesperson for the show said "Lisa Fowler was a major part of Phil's life – she knows him as well as anyone, so she won't be happy about him looking after his daughter. With their history, you know that this storyline is going to be an explosive episode in the Mitchells' history." Phil also loses his son Ben (Charlie Jones), who makes a temporary departure from the show in order for the part to be recast.
EastEnders - Phil Struggles Over His Addiction (21st May 2009)
EastEnders - Phil Struggles Over His Addiction (21st May 2009)
Phil Mitchell on Crack
Phil Mitchell on Crack
Rainie Highway (also Cross and Branning) is a fictional character from the BBC One soap opera EastEnders, played by Tanya Franks. Introduced as the drug-addicted sister of Tanya Branning (Jo Joyner). Described as "the slightly broken sister who's one step away from a vodka bottle", Rainie's storylines have often centred on her addictions to drugs and alcohol. During her seven episode guest stint in 2010, Rainie was involved in a highly criticised crack cocaine storyline with Phil Mitchell (Steve McFadden). It was branded "inappropriate" and "horrid" by the Daily Record. EastEnders star Natalie Cassidy (who plays Sonia Fowler) also criticised the storyline, saying she was "shocked", but Franks defended the storyline, though she herself was not surprised that viewers had complained.
Frank is a wheeler-dealer who likes to think of himself as a "big player" in the business world, but in reality, he is little more than a wily conman. He is a smooth-talker and full of charm, but his actions are often thoughtless and he tends to run instead of facing up to his responsibilities, leaving his loved ones to pick up the pieces. His love affair with Pat Harris (Pam St Clement) stems back to his teens, and he can never quite let her go, always breaking her heart, disappearing, and returning to break it all over again.
Frank's Naked Spinning Bow Tie - EastEnders - BBC
Frank's Naked Spinning Bow Tie - EastEnders - BBC
Wheee Gooper the Clown.
Kim Kardashian has bought the iconic spinning bow-tie used by frank butcher in eastenders for $90k, the daily star reports.
Ask any EastEnders fan which Frank Butcher scene they remember the most and the majority will undoubtedly cite the same - the naked bow tie incident on Pat's doorstep. Having reluctantly married Peggy, Frank struggled to keep his feelings for his ex-wife Pat in check and it wasn't long before the pair embarked on an affair. On their return from holidaying in Costa Blanca - during which Frank and Pat ended up sleeping together - Pat tried to call an end to their liaisons but Frank was persistent, realising that he still truly loved her. Sloping away from Peggy on the night of October 2nd, 2000, Frank turned up on Pat's doorstep wearing nothing but a comedy spinning bow tie.
Peggy Announces Pat and Frank's Affair! | EastEnders: Classic Episodes
Peggy Announces Pat and Frank's Affair! | EastEnders: Classic Episodes - Broadcast on BBC One in the UK on 02/11/2000.
Pat and Peggy get drunk in an ice cream van (20 October 2009)
Pat and Peggy get drunk in an ice cream van (20 October 2009)
Pat soon acknowledged that she felt the same as Frank. The pair resolved to leave together on Bonfire Night but their plan was thwarted when Pat began to have second thoughts. Frank, however, had already written a letter to Peggy and before they knew it, Peggy embarrassed them both in front of the entire pub by reading the letter aloud and doling out slaps to each of them. Mike Reed, as Frank, appears just a further three times before his sad passing in 2007.
Chain-smoking, Bible-bashing Dot Cotton has been an EastEnders fixture since 1985, and has appeared in some of the soap's most dramatic - and sometimes funniest - scenes. Dot showed off her lighter side in several comic plots, including the time she dabbled in "alternative therapies". The senior citizen had returned to Walford in 1997 after some time away, and moved in fellow OAP Lilly Mattock. Things were going swimmingly until Dot confused some cannabis for herbal tea - and found herself under arrest.
Dot's 'HERBAL' Tea! ☕️ | EastEnders
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Dot's 'HERBAL' Tea! ☕️ | EastEnders
The 90-year-old actress, who plays Dot Cotton, is known as a chain smoker of ciggies – but has confessed that she once took an illegal puff. June said: “I tried marijuana and it had the most incredible effect on me. “Now I never liked the sound of Indian music before and it’s all ‘jungle jangle’, but I could hear every line of every instrument and I felt incredibly serene. "I never got addicted to it. The only thing I am addicted to is my cigarettes.” June makes her confession to former drug addict and Happy Mondays singer Shaun Ryder on TV show 100 Years Younger In 21 Days.
Steve Owen's EXPLOSIVE Death | EastEnders
Steve Owen's EXPLOSIVE Death | EastEnders.
Steve Owen is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders, played by Martin Kemp. He first appeared onscreen from 28th December 1998 and remained in the series until 1 March 2002. Introduced by series producer Matthew Robinson, the character Steve was a shady businessman who originally came into Albert Square to buy the local Market Cellar club – which he then renovated and later renamed the E20. He soon became one of the show's primary villains when the character's first major storyline saw Steve murder his old flame Saskia Duncan (Deborah Sheridan-Taylor) during the opening night of his E20 nightclub on Valentine's Day 1999, after which he ended up framing his DJ employee Matthew Rose (Joe Absolom) for the crime. The eventual episode in which Matthew enacted revenge on Steve drew in outstanding viewing figures and brought a storyline that had gripped the nation to a close.
Steve kills Saskia part 1 - EastEnders - BBC
Steve kills Saskia part 1 - EastEnders - BBC
Matthew's guilty verdict - EastEnders - BBC
Steve Kills Saskia (Part 2) | EastEnders | BBC
Steve Kills Saskia (Part 2) | EastEnders | BBC
Matthew's guilty verdict - EastEnders - BBC - The jury delivers their verdict in the Saskia Duncan murder trial. Steve Owen accidentally killed her, but it's Matthew Rose, who helped him bury her body, who is found guilty of manslaughter.
Joe Absolom Played Matthew Rose in EastEnders.
Image Above Mark Fowler - Arguably his biggest and most prolific storyline saw the character announce that he had been diagnosed with HIV, which forced him to grow up fast and accept his responsibilities. He frequently found it difficult to accept the restrictions of the illness, which finally caused his death in April 2004.
Mark's HIV+ announcement part 1 - EastEnders - BBC
Mark's HIV+ announcement part 1 - EastEnders - BBC
Mark's HIV+ Announcement | Part 2 | EastEnders
Mark's HIV+ Announcement | Part 2 | EastEnders
Mark Tells His Parents He Is HIV Positive | EastEnders
Mark Fowler's Farewell | EastEnders
Mark Tells His Parents He Is HIV Positive | EastEnders
Mark Fowler's Farewell | EastEnders -Broadcast on BBC One in the UK on 14/2/2003.
Mark became the first mainstream soap character to be diagnosed as HIV-positive. The storyline came after a government request to "spread the word". Mark lived with the condition for 13 years before dying of an AIDS-related illness. The Terrence Higgins Trust worked with the production team for the duration of Mark's story. Despite all the public health campaigns concerning HIV transmission, the biggest peak in requests for testing in Britain was seen in January 1991 when Mark Fowler was diagnosed HIV-positive. Carty has commented: "I feel that the storyline educated people at a time when there were lots of misconceptions about HIV and AIDS…My main concern was that they'd get it right and, overall, I think they did – because it showed someone living with HIV, as opposed to dying of it."
Nasty Nick Cotton - Bad to the Bone.
Nick's most prominent relationship is with his mother Dot Cotton (June Brown). It is portrayed as complex, dysfunctional and somewhat cyclical, with Nick perpetually entering his mother's life, her forgiving him for past misdemeanours (including an attempt to kill her to steal her bingo winnings), then being let down when Nick's true intentions are revealed, often ending in his banishment, albeit temporarily, before the cycle repeats. Nick's eventual demise in 2015 pays homage to this relationship, with Dot – finally realising the extent of Nick's villainous behaviour and accepting his inability to change – ultimately deciding to allow Nick to die, rather than seeking medical assistance after he has a fatal reaction to heroin, her motive being to let Jesus decide whether Nick should live or die.
Nick tells Dot he has AIDS Part 1 - EastEnders - BBC
Nick tells Dot he has AIDS Part 1 - EastEnders - BBC
Nick tells Dot he has AIDS Part 2 - EastEnders - BBC
Nick tells Dot he has AIDS Part 2 - EastEnders - BBC
Holland decided to invent an entirely new character, in the form of Nick Cotton. The original character outline for Nick read: "His image is exclusively macho. Vanishes for weeks on end. Mum doesn't ask questions... Unlike Den, Nick is a real crook. Worms his way into people's confidentiality and homes. From then on, lives on his wits. Waiting for the moment to strike; to nick the cash and disappear...Usually chooses his victims who, for one reason or another, are frightened to report him...Nick's a heroin addict". As Nick was only intended to be a semi-regular character, Julia Smith was not involved in his casting and the actor John Altman was chosen by the directors. However, she requested he was axed, after he refused to portray Nick having a gay relationship with Lofty Holloway (Tom Watt) because he thought it was out of character.
Nick tries to poison Dot part 1 - EastEnders - BBC drama
Nick tries to poison Dot part 1 - EastEnders - BBC drama.
Nasty Nick Cotton - EastEnders - BBC
Nasty Nick Cotton - EastEnders - BBC
Nick Cotton versus Ethel - EastEnders - BBC
Nick tries to poison Dot part 2 - EastEnders - BBC drama
Nick tries to poison Dot part 2 - EastEnders - BBC drama
EastEnders - Nick Cotton's First Appearance (19th February 1985)
EastEnders - Nick Cotton's First Appearance (19th February 1985)
Video Channel Name
Nick Cotton versus Ethel - EastEnders - BBC
One of Nick's most notable returns to the series occurred in 1990. Nick returned to his mother's life with the claim that he was a born-again Christian, which happened to coincide with her £10,000 win on the bingo. EastEnders writer Sarah Phelps explained: "For Dot, the idea that Jesus had finally spoken to Nick, that was all her Christmases coming at once! Nick knew that. It was sort of obvious that Nick could be saying 'Jesus walks with me' and then just go out and kick somebody or nick their wallet." With the help of a fake priest, Nick managed to convince his mother of his newfound faith and then began a slow campaign to control her eating habits and poison her in order to claim her money. The episode which culminated the storyline, written by P.J. Hammond, was set solely in Dot's house and featured an unusually small cast composed of Nick, Dot, Charlie, Ethel and Alistair, the fake priest. At the last moment, in what Altman has called the "one time we saw a glimmer of Nick's good side", Nick backed out of his plan and stopped Dot from eating the poisoned meal he had intended to kill her with. Once again, Dot was left alone, broken-hearted at what her own son had been prepared to do to her.
Ethel May Skinner is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders, played by Gretchen Franklin. Ethel is an EastEnders original character and in the early years she can always be found wandering the neighbourhood with her adored pug Willy. She and Dot Cotton (June Brown) are lifelong friends, and although they wind each other up, they are completely dependent on each other. Ethel trusts Dot so much that she even asks her to help her die in 2000 after she is diagnosed with terminal cancer.
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 (Douglas Fielding) works on the case and eventually finds Willy in the possession of Mr Pavasars (Sydney Arnold), 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.
Dot and Ethel's Solo Episode part 1 - EastEnders - BBC
Dot and Ethel's Solo Episode part 1 - EastEnders - BBC
Dot and Ethel's Solo Episode part 2 - EastEnders - BBC
Dot and Ethel's Solo Episode part 2 - EastEnders - BBC
Ethel is famous for her questionable ability to read palms and tea leaves, once even earning a living from it.
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 (John Altman). 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.
EastEnders - Ethel & Michelle's graveside heart-to-heart (16th October 1995)
Dot agrees to helps Ethel die - EastEnders - BBC
Dot agrees to help Ethel die - EastEnders - BBC
EastEnders - Ethel & Michelle's graveside heart-to-heart (16th October 1995)
Ethel shocks Dot by revealing that she is suffering from terminal cancer and is not going to live much longer, and 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.
Ethel confides in Dot about Euthanasia - EastEnders - BBC
Ethel confides in Dot about Euthanasia - EastEnders - BBC
Ethel 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 had 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. When Dot herself dies 22 years later, she is buried next to Ethel, reuniting the pair for eternity.
Ethel Skinner was the second out of the original twenty-three characters invented by the creators of EastEnders, Tony Holland and Julia Smith (the first to be created was Lou Beale). Ethel was based on an elderly woman that Smith had encountered in a pub in Hackney. She had bright ginger hair, a face plied with make-up, she laughed a lot and was obviously "the life and soul of the party". She also had a little dog, Willy, who she dressed in a red ribbon, tied in a neat bow on its head. Smith felt that a character like this would be an excellent inclusion to the show.
EastEnders: Julia Smith & Tony Holland, Creators of EastEnders - Sadly both are deceased..
Ethel's original character outline as written by Smith and Holland appeared in an abridged form in their book, EastEnders: The Inside Story.
"Most of her money goes on food for her dog, Willy, a Yorkie, and booze for herself. She has a hopeless memory for actual facts but can tell endless stories about pre-war London, her childhood, and, above all, the war. She does miss the friendliness of the old East-end... She has false teeth and red hair: those are the two things you most notice about her - then the dog... Her greatest joy is telling fortunes, cards, tea-cups and palm-reading. "I've got the gift she says... Born in 1920, in Camden Town... left home, aged 16, to work for a posh Hackney family, as a general undermaid... Ethel came home one day to find her street destroyed by a doodlebug. Her parents had been in the house... Ethel met William, a docker, and they married when Ethel was 25... Ethel and William had no children... As a youngster, Ethel would have been a page three girl, a real pin-up."
Ethel's famous lines were either, "Where's my Willy?" or, in a double entendre, "Has anyone seen my little Willy". It was originally intended for Ethel's dog to be a Yorkshire Terrier, but as no suitable Yorkie could be found, a pug was used instead. Over the seven years they worked together Willy (the actor) and Franklin became very attached to each other. So much so that Franklin even tried to buy Willy at one stage, commenting: "I tried to buy him from the BBC but he's too valuable now, he earns a bomb in personal appearances." Franklin was heart-broken in 1992 when the producers made the decision to retire Willy. On-screen Willy became ill and had to be put down. However just over two weeks after his last appearance on the programme the dog who played Willy died. Franklin has commented: "A woman stopped me in the street and said: 'It was like him committing suicide. When he knew he wasn't wanted on that programme no more, he just turned over and died.'"
Ethel Skinner Is Having Trouble With Her Willy (5th May 1992)
Ethel Skinner Is Having Trouble With Her Willy (5th May 1992)
After the success of EastEnders, Smith and Holland collaborated again on the ill-fated BBC soap opera Eldorado. Holland created the series — based on an original idea by Verity Lambert—and Smith was producer. Eldorado was produced by Lambert through her own company Cinema Verity Productions. The BBC obviously hoped that, after EastEnders, Smith and Holland could make drama gold again; however, the series was cancelled by the new controller of BBC1, Alan Yentob. Smith was blamed for the programme's shortcomings and was fired, which left her bitter towards the BBC, who she believed had not given Eldorado a chance to establish itself. Corinne Hollingworth took over as series producer after Smith left the show, but the series was ended after only one year. The BBC did not appreciate Julia Smith's achievements with EastEnders and she was sacked because Eldorado had low viewing figures. The BBC used to delete entire series to cut costs..
In 1992 "Eldorado" was destined to be the next big thing in television. A joint production by the BBC, Cinema Verity and J.Dark y J.Todesco, it was going to be the show to win the ratings war with ITV.
It's hard to appreciate now just how ambitious this show actually was. It was the first (and last) show the BBC produced to be made entirely overseas. An editing suite was even built on location so that the finished episodes could be shipped to London ready for screening. There had never been such a multi-lingual cast featured before and some of them even spoke in their native language without subtitles. An entire village was created on a remote hillside near Coín, near Malaga in southern Spain, in just three months.
Cast from the soap opera Eldorado..
Much was made of the "£10 million" purpose built set. In reality it cost £2 million to build. The entire year of "Eldorado" cost £10 million - surprisingly little for a primetime show airing 3 nights a week.
The pedigree behind "Eldorado" was impressive. The original idea was conceived by John Dark and Verity Lambert. At the time John Dark had a wealth of successful productions to his name and Verity Lambert's entire career had been spent producing critically acclaimed and popular television shows. They approached the BBC with the concept and it wasn't long before Julia Smith and Tony Holland (creators of "Eastenders") were brought on board. The working title of "LIttle England" was deemed too parochial and changed to "Eldorado". Eldorado was on our TV screens for just 156 episodes,
Eldorado was the soap that only ran for one year before being axed.
Things were looking good, but the BBC were keen to deploy their secret weapon. The launch date was brought forward by six months and the number of episodes increased from two to three per week. That it managed to get on air so prematurely was a minor miracle. Much publicity was given to the "sun, sea and sangria" show and a host of journalists were flown over to Spain for the launch party.
The first episode aired on 6th July, 1992 which attracted a healthy 8m viewers. However the ratings quickly dipped and less than a month later typically 3.5m were tuning in. The press backlash was savage. Much criticism was made of some of the more inexperienced cast members and the whole venture was cited as a prime example of the BBC wasting licence fee revenue in a time when Britain was in recession.
Although viewing figures stabilised around the 5m mark, it was obvious however that "Eldorado" was not courting as much interest as had been hoped. To put it in context, "Eastenders" was pulling an average of 15m viewers and rival "Coronation Street" was nearer the 20m mark.
Crisis meetings were held at BBC Television Centre. An overworked Julia Smith left the production and a new Producer (Corrine Hollingworth) was brought on board. Script writers were relocated to Spain to work more closely with the cast/crew and several members of the cast were unceremoniously axed. By all accounts, it did the trick. The show seemed more assured, morale was reportedly better and by late 1992 the ratings had risen to around 7m. The future for the "sunshine soap" seemed appropriately bright.
One can only have imagined what may have happened had the controller of BBC (Jonathan Powell) not jumped ship to become head of Drama at Carlton Television. In March 1993 the incoming controller, Alan Yentob, was tasked with deciding the future of "Eldorado". After some weeks of deliberation, he decided it had none. On the 14th March 1993 the decision was made to axe "Eldorado".
Whether it was just curiosity or (more likely) a reflection of the growing quality of the programme, the viewing figures continued to steadily rise - culminating in a final episode on the 9th July 1993, watched by over 10m people. Several campaigns tried to save the show but the BBC was not about to change its mind. The set was abandoned and still stands to this day.
The show sold well to other countries and proved surprisingly popular in countries as diverse as Russia, Poland and Mauritius.
The tagline often used for the promotional pieces on BBC1 was "Are you ready for Eldorado?". The ironic thing was that, partly because the BBC were so keen to launch early, "Eldorado" wasn't ready for itself, something that some people never forgave it for.
Alan Yentob (born 11th March 1947) is a BBC presenter and retired British television executive. He stepped down as Creative Director in December 2015, and was chairman of the board of trustees of the charity Kids Company from 2003 until its collapse in 2015. As is typical of new bosses, YOU ARE FIRED!. Example: Multi Billionaire Elon Musk claims that there were 'just under 8,000' staff members when he bought the company. Now, Twitter is left with around 1,500 employees minus 80% of the workforce..
According to The Times, Yentob's reputation was affected when it was revealed that his participation in some of the interviews for Imagine (Imagine is a wide ranging art series) had been faked. Yentob was warned not to do this again, but otherwise not disciplined, much to the disgruntlement of some who had seen more junior staff lose their jobs for lesser misdemeanours.
Yentob has acknowledged signing an email from Kids Company to the government which sought millions in further funding by suggesting certain communities in London might "descend into savagery" if Kids Company ceased its operations. The email, which was subsequently leaked to BuzzFeed News and the BBC's Newsnight programme, spoke of "looting, rioting and arson attacks on government buildings" and warned of possible sharp spikes in "starvation and modern-day slavery". It said that these concerns were "not hypothetical, but based on a deep understanding of the socio-psychological background that these children operate within". Yentob said this email "was not intended in any way as a threat.
Founder Camila Batmanghelidjh
Keeping Kids Company (in liquidation), formerly Kids Company, was an incorporated and registered charity, founded by Camila Batmanghelidjh in 1996 to provide support to deprived inner city children. From its original "drop-in" centre in south London it expanded over the following two decades to be a prominent children's charity operating 11 centres, mostly within Greater London, but also in Bristol and Liverpool. The charity claimed that from 2011 it was supporting 36,000 children per year, although this figure is disputed. Funding was provided by businesses and through government grants. In 2015, it was first reported that Kids Company was in significant financial difficulty. A £3 million grant from the government was temporarily withheld until Batmanghelidjh agreed to resign as chief executive. However, after the grant was made, the government withdrew it and sought to reclaim the amount after alleged breaches of the grant's terms. A police investigation into allegations of sexual abuse at the charity was also announced.
On 5th August 2015 the charity ceased operations and announced it would begin the process of placing itself into compulsory liquidation.
The Commons Public Administration and Constitutional Affairs Committee report heavily criticised Yentob. He was described as someone who condoned excessive spending and lacked proper attention to his duties. The BBC is also accused of poor leadership for failing to take action against him when he tried to make suggestions about the BBC's reporting of Kids Company.
Yentob and Batmanghelidjh
On 15th October 2015 Yentob and Batmanghelidjh made a joint appearance before a parliamentary Select Committee investigating the charity's collapse. Their performance was widely described as disastrous. In the New Statesman, the political commentator Anoosh Chakelian said they were a "duo of epically proportioned egos" who made "as little sense – and as many accusations – as possible" before the panel of MPs. In The Daily Telegraph, the parliamentary sketch writer Michael Deacon called their appearance the "single weirdest event in recent parliamentary history" and wrote of "three solid hours of bewildering excuses, recriminations and non-sequiturs".
Interventions at the BBC..Yentob has acknowledged that he stood in the studio of the Today programme while Batmanghelidjih was being interviewed in July, later saying that he wished to hear what she had to say and was not attempting to intimidate staff. He also telephoned a senior member of staff at Newsnight, asking the programme to "delay a report critical of financial management at Kids Company", and telephoned the Radio 4 presenter Ed Stourton before a report in The World at One. The BBC Trust, under chairwoman Rona Fairhead, investigated these interventions, although senior BBC management were reported to have reassured the Trust that they did not compromise editorial independence at the BBC.