Denise Fox (also Wicks and Johnson) is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders, played by Diane Parish. She made her first appearance on 11 May 2006 and temporarily left EastEnders in early 2008 to give birth to her second child. Her leave-taking had coincided with the departures of Matt Di Angelo (Dean Wicks), Phil Daniels (Kevin Wicks) and Kellie Shirley (Carly Wicks). She returned to Walford on 6 June 2008. This is Parish's second role in EastEnders, as she previously played singer Lola Christie in 1998.
Moving to Walford, Denise has a tempestuous encounter with Kevin Wicks (Phil Daniels); however, an attraction develops and they begin dating. Denise's ex-spouse Owen Turner (Lee Ross), an vituperative alcoholic, soon turns up and wishes to reunite with their daughter Libby Fox (Belinda Owusu). When Denise prevents this from happening, Owen kidnaps Libby and tries to drown them both - but she recovers and Owen is arrested. Denise, who never knew her father but knows he played in a band called "The Five Hectors", thinks that her lodger Patrick Trueman (Rudolph Walker) may be her father as he was in the band but a DNA test proves that he is not. The band also consisted of Aubrey Valentine (Joseph Marcell), Cedric Lucas (Ram John Holder), Dwight and Earl. The identity of Denise's father is never discovered, up to the point where Aubrey also dismisses himself; nonetheless, Patrick quickly bonds with Denise and becomes a father figure towards her.
When Kevin's former wife, Shirley Carter (Linda Henry), arrives in Walford, she causes problems for Denise and Kevin. Shirley reveals Kevin's secret, that he is not Deano (Matt Di Angelo) and Carly's (Kellie Shirley) biological father. After Shirley tells everyone this, Kevin flees. Upset, Denise threatens to move away but stays when Kevin returns and proposes marriage. Shirley unsuccessfully tries to ruin the wedding and Denise deals with various problems, including Chelsea and Dean's imprisonment for framing Sean Slater (Robert Kazinsky), Kevin's attempts to conceal the crime, and a feud with her boss at the post office, Zainab Masood (Nina Wadia). Kevin starts selling cars for Phil Mitchell (Steve McFadden), but discovers they are cut-and-shuts; he tries to destroy the cars but dies in an accident. Denise and Carly leave Walford after the funeral, seeking the right place to scatter Kevin's ashes.
Denise as she appeared in 2008
Denise returns, but is angry to discover her eldest daughter Chelsea (Tiana Benjamin) is using drugs and in contact with her father Lucas Johnson (Don Gilet). At first Denise is initially hostile due to Lucas formerly being a drug addict in the past, but she warms to him when she sees he has changed and they eventually reunite. Denise proposes to Lucas but he is still married to Trina (Sharon Duncan Brewster). Trina attempts to seduce Lucas but he accidentally kills her. Denise helps Lucas' son Jordan come to terms with his mother's death, with them believing it to be an overdose. With Trina dead, Denise and Lucas are able to marry, though further complications arise when Owen is released from prison. He desperately tries to show Denise that she cannot trust Lucas but they marry regardless. Lucas kills Owen on their wedding day and his body is discovered eight months later. Lucas confesses to Denise, claiming self-defense. At first, she agrees to protect him but convinces him to go to the police. However, he instead drives her to a canal. When she refuses to submit to God, he chokes and kidnaps her. He murders a prostitute, Gemma (Rita Balogun), and identifies her as Denise, her family believing she committed suicide. Lucas keeps Denise prisoner in the house next door but she escapes after a few weeks and Lucas is arrested, later sentenced to life imprisonment. Chelsea, needing a fresh start, moves to Spain with Owen's mother, Liz Turner (Kate Williams) and Libby joins them for a holiday before returning to university. Denise is heartbroken to see her girls leave but is distracted by her sister, Kim Fox (Tameka Empson), arriving and saying that she has left her boyfriend, Dexter Mulholland (Robbie Gee), and asks to move in with them.
Kim and Denise later buy the house next door and open a bed and breakfast. Denise talks to Zainab, who helps her move on by destroying memories of Lucas. Denise starts dating Yusef Khan (Ace Bhatti), Zainab's former husband, but ends it after realising he is still in love with Zainab. On Christmas Day 2011, Denise opens a present containing a broken toy car and a USB stick with a recording of Phil talking about his part in Kevin's death. Horrified, Denise calls Phil a murderer and tries to get him arrested but fails to do so.
Yusef starts a fire at the bed and breakfast, damaging it so badly that Denise, Kim and Patrick are forced to move out. The insurance company refuse to pay out as it was arson so Patrick gives Denise and Kim the Minute Mart but Zainab gives them Yusef's money so they can rebuild the bed and breakfast. When the B&B opens, Denise is angry that Kim simply flirts with the customers, leaving all the work to her. They have an argument and Denise quits but returns on the condition that Kim puts in more effort. When Zainab's brother-in-law. AJ Ahmed (Phaldut Sharma), arrives in Walford, he attempts to con Denise but fails. The two later have drinks but AJ leaves. Denise attends Christian Clarke's (John Partridge) stag party where a man gives her unwanted attention. She has sex with Fatboy (Ricky Norwood) when he defends her from an overly-persistent interest and allows him to walk her home. The next day, Denise is embarrassed and tells Fatboy it was a mistake. However, it is revealed she has feelings for Fatboy and after she welcomes him into her home, they have sex again. Denise agrees to pursue a secret relationship with Fatboy. When Fatboy tries to encourage her to make their relationship public, Denise calls it off, telling Fatboy she will treasure the memory of their time together. After a lonely Christmas, Kim and Zainab decide to set up a date for her. However, this fails and when Kim's boyfriend Ray Dixon (Chucky Venn) comforts her, they share a kiss. Ray tells Kim about it but says Denise made the first move, so Kim slaps Denise and says she is dead to her. Denise and Kim reconcile until Ray ends his relationship with Kim. Kim blames Denise so Denise stays with Ian Beale (Adam Woodyatt). When Ray tells Kim the truth, Denise and Kim reconcile and Denise moves back in with Kim.
When Denise and Ian get locked in the Minute Mart's storage cupboard and share a kiss, it leads to a relationship. This becomes public, thanks to Ian's daughter, Lucy Beale (Hetti Bywater). Denise helps Ian open a restaurant and supports him when Carl White (Daniel Coonan) threatens and blackmails him. Denise moves in with Ian and his children and are joined by Cindy Williams (Mimi Keene), daughter of Ian's dead former wife. Denise begins to feel part of the family and supports Ian when he intends to testify that he saw Max Branning (Jake Wood) tampering with the brakes of Carl's car. However, Ian fails to do this and Denise is devastated to learn that Ian was intending to lie to frame Max on Carl's orders. The return of Ian's former wife, Jane Beale (Laurie Brett), causes Denise to have doubts about their relationship. She accepts Ian's marriage proposal and during their engagement party, she shares a kiss with Fatboy. They come to their senses when they are caught by Cora Cross (Ann Mitchell). Fatboy's girlfriend, Poppy Meadow (Rachel Bright), learns of the kiss and posts a letter to Ian, before leaving Walford but Lucy reads it and challenges Denise. For the sake of her father's mental health, Lucy agrees to keep it a secret. Denise and Ian drift apart due to his busy lifestyle. After visiting Libby in Oxford, she plans to leave Ian. However, when Lucy is murdered (see Who Killed Lucy Beale?), Denise feels forced to stay and support him. Denise is sidelined by Ian and decides to leave, confiding in Patrick that she feels trapped. However, worried that she will look like a bad person, Denise changes her mind and returns but still feels ostracised. She does not attend Lucy's funeral after seeing Ian and Jane comforting one another. Under advice from Libby, Denise tells Ian she can no longer be with him but he begs her to stay. Denise agrees to stay when Ian admits he has taken her for granted and encourages her to go with Libby to Spain to celebrate Chelsea's birthday.
On Denise's return, things are much better between her and Ian and he arranges for them to visit Libby in Oxford for a weekend. As she is about to leave, Patrick tries to stop her, but fails and leaves a message, asking her to call him as soon as possible. However, she learns that Patrick has had a stroke and they return to Walford. When he leaves hospital, he stays with Ian and Denise. Denise learns that Ian had sex with prostitute Rainie Cross (Tanya Franks) on the night Lucy died. Feeling betrayed, Denise locks herself in the Minute Mart. On returning home, she discovers that Cindy has returned and that Ian has delivered her newborn daughter, Beth. She tells Ian that she forgives him but leaves him the next day, taking Patrick back to live in his own house, declaring that Ian isn't the man she loved. Going into Patrick's house, Denise is devastated to find that the house has been broken into. Denise struggles to care for Patrick alone, despite support from Shabnam Masood (Rakhee Thakrar). She finds that Denise has been stealing alcohol from the shop but does not report it if Denise returns the value. Patrick is devastated to learn that he may lose his allotment so Denise goes there, intending to maintain it, only to dig up Lucy's phone and purse. Although hesitant, she returns them to the Beales.
On New Year's Eve, a pregnant Kim surprises Denise and accuses Ian of ruining Denise's life. The next day, Kim finds bruises on Patrick's arms and realises Denise had beaten him and confronts her. At the pub, Denise gets drunk, and after hearing of Emma Summerhayes' (Anna Acton) death, drunkenly slurs that Lucy's killer would be jailed if Emma had done her job properly. In anger of Denise's disrespectfulness, Ian says that despite what Kim said, Denise has been ruining her own life. On arriving home, she tells Kim she cannot be Patrick's carer any more. After an argument with Denise in The Queen Victoriapublic house, Kim goes into labour and gives birth to a daughter named Pearl. Although she disowns Denise, they eventually reconcile the next day. After Pearl's christening, she tells Denise that her husband doesn't exist and she made him up because of fear of being alone. However, Kim's confessions to Shirley, Kat Moon (Jessie Wallace), Linda Carter (Kellie Bright) and Patrick reveal that her husband does exist but she left him when she found out that he was a criminal. Eventually, when her husband Vincent Hubbard (Richard Blackwood) tracks her down in Walford, Kim works up the courage to tell Denise the truth about him and explains her experience when she went to tell him she was pregnant. Denise and Patrick soon become wary of Vincent's intentions.
Denise is visited by the police, saying someone in their custody has given her address as theirs. Eventually she realises that it is Jordan (now played by Joivan Wade). She discovers that Jordan stole from Chelsea and Libby advises Denise to stay away from him. Denise visits Lucas in prison and he tells her that he thinks about her, asking her to find Jordan. Despite her family begging her not to, Denise sends Jordan a message online. He does not reply but visits and tells her to leave him alone. However, when Kim hits Jordan, he allows Denise to clean the wound. Jordan is received badly by the rest of the family but Denise defends him after he pushes her in frustration, he leaves when Patrick says he is just like Lucas. The police visit Denise and tell her that Jordan was attacked by a gang but discharged himself from hospital. She tracks him down and learns that Jordan's girlfriend died from a drug overdose. Denise brings Jordan and his son, JJ Johnson (Zayden Kareem), home and although Patrick comes around to the idea, Kim believes it will bring Lucas back into Denise's life. Denise visits Lucas again and he wants Jordan to visit too. He does and Denise agrees to help Lucas get a job in the prison kitchens, but Lucas asks Jordan to help him in his plan for him to escape from prison. When Jordan tells Denise, she refuses to help and alerts Libby to call the police - after which Jordan reveals to them the truth about Lucas' plan before he is arrested. Denise vows to look after JJ until Jordan is released,but Patrick secretly calls social services.[2] Denise is told by social worker Hilary Taylor (Sadie Shimmin) that JJ's mother, Amelle, is alive.[3] Amelle visits Denise and JJ, but he refuses to come out from under the table. Denise learns JJ is called Jamie and she talks to him, he says Jordan told him that Amelle left because she found him "hard work" and he is only hiding because he is scared of putting Amelle off him. Denise persuades him to see his mother, and when Hilary talks about increased contact, Denise decides JJ should live with Amelle.[4] Denise finds out Libby is pregnant and attempts to stop a termination but fails; distressed, Denise turns to drink and has a one-night stand with an equally drunk Phil, but Phil has no memory of this.
Denise befriends Carmel Kazemi (Bonnie Langford) and has a brief fling with her son, Kush Kazemi (Davood Ghadami). Denise ends it, saying she does not want to ruin her friendship with Carmel. When Denise faints, she researches her symptoms and initially fears that she has cancer but discovers that she is pregnant.[5] Kush learns about Denise's pregnancy and believing he is the father, goes with Denise to her appointment. Denise learns she is 18 to 19 weeks pregnant, meaning Phil is the father.[6] Denise tells her family but refuses to name the father. Denise tells Carmel that she has decided to have the baby and put it up for adoption. Kim finds out about Denise's plans and tries to talk her out of it whilst Patrick agrees to support her. Kim tells Denise that she and Vincent will adopt her baby, but Denise declines their offer. Shirley suspects that her former boyfriend, Buster Briggs (Karl Howman), is the father but Denise admits that Phil is the father. Unbeknownst to Denise and Shirley, Phil's wife, Sharon Mitchell (Letitia Dean), overhears this. Denise is later taken to hospital to be induced. Kim and their mother, Emerald Fox (Doña Croll), also go to the hospital. Kim and Emerald are angry when they learn that Denise is putting her son up for adoption but Denise refuses to change her mind and says an emotional farewell to her son alone. Sharon tells Phil the truth about his son and he goes to the hospital, demanding to see him but then agrees to the adoption. Libby, Emerald and Carmel come to accept Denise's decision but Kim is against it, calling her selfish and saying Denise is dead to her. Denise is injured in a bus crash, but rejects Kim when she tries to support her. After a check up at the hospital, Denise admits to Mick Carter (Danny Dyer) that Kim was right and that she should never have given up her son for adoption, though he reassures her that it is the best decision she has made for him.[7] Denise soon realises that Kim still sees her as a mother figure since Emerald abandoned them as children and thinks that if Denise can give up her son, then she can abandon Kim, so Denise tells to consider herself abandoned.[8] Denise later goes to Emerald's farewell party where Emerald criticises Kim's parenting; Denise stands up for Kim and Kim admits that she is thankful for her sister, to which Emerald replies that they are not sisters and that Denise was brought to her as a baby. Emerald then leaves and Kim and Denise hug. Denise confronts schoolboy Keegan Baker (Zack Morris) after he vandalises the garden in the square. After continuously insulting Denise, she hits him in the face. Using witnesses to his advantage, Keegan reports Denise to the police and she is consequently fined £250.
Denise later learns that her son's potential adoptive parents have named him Raymond and she signs the adoption forms. While she is adamant that she will not change her mind after that, she continues to struggle with her decision and angrily tears up a newly arrived letter from Raymond's adoptive parents without reading it. Kim then wrongly believes that Ian is Raymond's biological father and confronts him, causing Denise to break down and admit to her that Phil is the father, shocking Kim, and she begs Kim not to tell anyone. With Kim's help, Denise finds the letter from Raymond's parents in the recycling bin, informing her that he is happy with them, which comforts and reassures her. Denise and Kush start a relationship, but when Denise talks to a reporter, criticizing the community and the Minute Mart, she quits her job after they decide to send her on a course. Denise struggles financially and is unable to buy food, taking food from bins. She ends her relationship with Kush because she does not want to admit her problems. Carmel later confronts her over this, but Denise slaps her when she makes a remark about Raymond, ending their friendship. Denise eventually claims for Universal Credit, but is stunned that she will not receive money for ten weeks as she left her job voluntarily, but is given a referral to a food bank. Denise leaves the food bank when she sees Cora, who works there. Cora persuades Denise to get some food and explains that when she first used the food bank, she was abusive, but it saved her life. Denise gives her food to the children of a young mother, Candice (Maia Watkins), who has no voucher. On the day of her final exam, Denise faints, but she is delighted later in the year when she passes her GCSE exam with high marks. Kush and Denise decide to try dating again, but when Kush asks Denise to move in with him, she declines, feeling that things are moving too fast for them. When Kush suffers a heart attack shortly afterwards, Denise regrets rejecting him and spontaneously proposes to him in the hospital; he accepts. Denise discovers that Kim is pregnant, but Kim suffers a miscarriage and continues to lie that about her "pregnancy". Kim later cracks up and tells Denise and Carmel that she is not pregnant and is lying and they support her. For her birthday, Kim asks Denise to do a DNA test and she agrees. When the results come, Denise finds a card for her by Kim, which says they are not sisters, but Kim explains she has not seen the results and got cards for both outcomes. Denise and Kim agree not to find out, but Kim gives in and fools Denise that the results say they are not sisters, but is delighted when Kim says they are.
Denise and Kush's relationship continues and she supports him through the death of his brother Shakil Kazemi (Shaheen Jafargholi). They become engaged, however Denise is unaware that Kush has had a one-night stand with a waitress, Talia. After growing apart, Denise decides to end their relationship. In March 2019, Denise and Kim set up a beauty salon, Fox & Hair, funded by Patrick, and they employ Lola Pearce (Danielle Harold) and Mitch Baker (Roger Griffiths). Denise and Kim clash over their vision for the business and Kim begins a feud with employee Chantelle Atkins (Jessica Plummer) who Denise grows close to. Soon after, she starts dating Jack Branning (Scott Maslen). In September 2019, Denise is attacked by Hunter Owen (Charlie Winter) after he escapes from prison. When Patrick returns with his new wife Sheree Trueman (Suzette Llewellyn), Denise grows suspicious of her. She suspects that Sheree is having an affair and confronts her, leading to her departure. Denise later learns that Sheree had been contacting her son Isaac Baptiste (Stevie Basula). In September 2020, Denise learns through Callum Highway (Tony Clay) that her son Raymond has been involved in a car accident, which has killed his adoptive parents Jonah and Lydia. She is reunited with Raymond and meets his adoptive grandmother Ellie Nixon (Mica Paris). Denise continues to visit Raymond in hospital, disguising herself as a friend of his adoptive mother Lydia. She keeps this a secret from Jack and refuses to tell Phil, but they both find out and Phil also starts visiting Raymond, despite Denise's attempts to stop him. Ellie discovers the truth and forbids them from seeing Raymond. Phil discovers that Ellie is a gangster and he persuades Denise into seeking custody of Raymond, but she only agrees to do so on the condition that Phil has no involvement in his life. This strains her relationship with Jack and they briefly separate. After Phil blackmails Ellie, she relinquishes custody of Raymond and he moves in with Denise. Denise initially struggles to bond with Raymond but is supported by Jack. She decides to take Raymond to church on Christmas Day 2020 and is reunited with Chelsea and Lucas, who has recently been released from prison. Denise is upset that Chelsea has been secretly contacting Lucas, and she remains fearful that Lucas is back to settle a few scores. When she learns that Chelsea is taking Lucas on holiday, she is devastated, and later goes to confront him when he upsets Chelsea by refusing to follow her. He lashes out at Denise and they disappear, leading to a search for her after it is assumed that Lucas has hurt her when they discover blood in his flat. It is later revealed that Chelsea's ex-fiancé Caleb Malone (Ben Freeman) has kidnapped Denise, and Chelsea later reveals that she owes Caleb money and is using Lucas to smuggle drugs for him. Denise reluctantly agrees to help Chelsea plant drugs on Lucas, believing that he owes Chelsea. Lucas discovers the truth and agrees to help, although he is later caught and sent back to prison. Denise and Jack become engaged.
Kim revives her interest in finding Vincent and Phil convinces Denise to stop Kim, wary that his nemesis Aidan Maguire (Patrick Bergin) will return to Walford to hurt Kim and possibly Raymond. He agrees to repurchase Fox & Hair for Denise and Kim, in exchange for her silence. Denise struggles to hide Vincent's death from Kim and secretly pays for Pearl to attend private school. Kim discovers the truth, disowns Denise, and decides to leave for Scotland. Denise stops her and decides to aid her in reporting Vincent's disappearance and Phil's involvement with the police. On Christmas Day 2021, Denise marries Jack. Her happiness is short-lived when Phil discovers that the Foxes have reported him to the police and he decides to flee with Raymond. Denise decides to call the police but his ex-wife Sharon Watts (Letitia Dean) reminds her that she could lose Raymond as his legal adoption has not been completed. After contemplating, Denise eventually calls the police; Phil is arrested, and Raymond is returned back to her. Denise supports Chelsea when it is discovered that her husband, Gray Atkins (Toby-Alexander Smith) had murdered his wife Chantelle, alongside Kush and Tina. When Chelsea decides to have her son Jordan Atkins adopted, Denise is devastated but manages to convince her to keep him. Denise later enters into a feud with Jack’s former fling Sam Mitchell (Kim Medcalf), when she returns and causes trouble by threatening to take her and Jack’s son Ricky (Frankie Day) back with her to Spain, if Jack does not help her to scare away her adversary Jonah Tyler (Mark Mooney). Jack reluctantly lets Sam move in with him and Denise when she has nowhere to go. However, Sam continuously winds up Denise, and also conspires with Phil to blackmail Denise into giving her £50,000 to buy Ruby Allen's (Louisa Lytton) nightclub - threatening to tell the police that Denise knew the truth about Vincent's death if she does not give her back the money Phil paid, to open her salon, Fox & Hair. Denise reluctantly agrees but proceeds to throw Sam out. Sam continues to make things difficult for Jack and Denise, and Denise is furious when she sees a video of Sam kissing Jack.
In early 2023, Denise starts struggling with family issues, including her stepdaughter Amy Mitchell's (Ellie Dadd) self-harming and her twelve-year-old stepson Ricky (Frankie Day) impregnating Lily Slater (Lillia Turner). Denise does her best to support the children and acts as Jack's voice of reason, as the pressures of family life lead him to become stressed and constantly angry. Due to the stresses of home and work, Jack begins to neglect Denise and publicly berates her every time. Denise seeks comfort in Ravi Gulati (Aaron Thiara) and he becomes attracted to her. Denise enjoys the attention he gives her and kisses him but regrets it. She is constantly tempted to sleep with him and cheat on Jack but decides to remain loyal. Ravi starts flirting with Chelsea in order to make Denise jealous. On Valentine's Day, Denise is hurt when Jack only makes an effort to spend time with her at Amy’s request and she also hears Jack laughing about it with Sam. Denise decides to give in to her temptation and meets with Ravi at a hotel. However, Denise can not sleep with Ravi and leaves. Ravi continues to pester Denise and refuses to leave her alone. When Callum Highway (Tony Clay) sees video footage of Denise and Ravi together at a hotel, he warns her to end her affair with Ravi. Denise soon discovers that Jack and Callum have been working together to bring down Ravi, and she informs him in the hopes that he will leave her alone. Ravi then threatens to tell Jack about their affair unless Denise gives him the files of the investigation. She rebuffs his threats and tells Ravi that he means nothing to her. Ravi resumes flirting with Chelsea and Denise is furious when Chelsea brings him along to a family game night. When Denise tries to warn him away, he tells Denise that he will continue to play with Chelsea's feelings unless Denise gives him the evidence that Jack has built against him.
Denise gives Kim her phone for an event, and Ravi, unaware, sends text messages to her phone. Kim reads this whilst driving in a car with Denzel Danes (Jaden Ladega) and crashes into the Argee Bhargee. Denise is forced to tell Kim and she agrees to keep quiet. However, Ravi's son Davinder "Nugget" Gulati (Juhaim Rasul Choudhury) overhears Denise and Ravi discussing their affair and reveals this to Denzel, who later informs Amy. Amy begins drinking heavily and truanting school, and tells Denise that she knows about her affair with Ravi. Denise is then forced to admit her infidelity to Jack who throws her out. Denise and Jack decide to reconcile because of their children, but Jack struggles to forgive Denise for her affair with Ravi. Denise is furious when Chelsea and Ravi resume their relationship and during their housewarming party, Denise steals Ravi’s laptop and sees footage of Ravi murdering his adoptive father Ranveer (Anil Goutam) and not his stepmother Suki Panesar (Balvinder Sopal), who he had mislead into believing that she killed Ranveer. Ravi finds her and after a confrontation, he destroys the laptop. Denise escapes and reveals this to Chelsea and the Panesars, and she works alongside Suki to take down Ravi and exonerate her son Kheerat (Jaz Deol) who had taken the blame for Suki. This fails when Ravi has Kheerat attacked in prison, and when Suki is threatened into silence by Ravi and her husband Nish (Navin Chowdhry).
When Denise returns to Walford after visiting Emerald in Montserrat, she and Jack struggle once again, and he has a one- night stand with Lily’s mother Stacey (Lacey Turner). Jack hides this from Denise but she discovers Stacey’s necklace and he lies to her that it belongs to a random woman he had slept with. However Denise soon discovers that the woman is Stacey, and upset, she decides to end their marriage. Amy almost returns to self-harming when she discovers that Denise is leaving, and Jack uses this to force Denise into staying. On Christmas Day 2023, Denise accompanies Sharon, Kathy Cotton (Gillian Taylforth) and Linda Carter (Kellie Bright) into The Queen Vic after Sharon jilts her fiancé Keanu Taylor (Danny Walters). They are soon joined by Suki and Stacey who are running away from Nish. Nish arrives in The Vic and after Suki ends their marriage, he grabs and assaults her, causing Denise to strike Nish with a champagne bottle. Nish is presumed dead and Linda calls the ambulance but hangs up to not incriminate Denise. When the paramedics arrive, Denise impersonates Linda and lies that it was an accidental call. Nish is later revived by Suki but remains unconscious, just as Keanu walks into The Vic and strangles Sharon when she humiliates him by ending their relationship and revealing that her son Albie Watts is Phil’s son and not his. After a struggle, Linda stabs Keanu in order to save Sharon from his violence; Keanu dies instantly. Denise, Sharon, Kathy, Stacey, Suki and Linda decide to frame Keanu for Nish’s attack and then bury him under the floorboards of Kathy’s Cafe. They lie to the police that Keanu had attacked Nish in a fight, forced them to lie to the paramedics, and then fled Walford. Denise struggles in the aftermath of Keanu's death, and during an argument with Linda and Stacey over the coverup, Denise falls onto Keanu's corpse, underneath the floorboards of the cafe. Her necklace is lost under the cafe's floorboards and a paranoid Denise becomes scared that it will implicate her in Keanu's murder. She begins to suffer a mental breakdown which ruins her marriage and pushes Jack towards Stacey. During a heart to heart with an empathetic and guilty Stacey, Stacey realises that Denise (who is imagining Keanu's presence and that he is talking to her) is in the early throes of psychosis and tries to help her with no success. Denise visits Lucas in prison and admits that she helped to bury Keanu’s body, but he doesn’t believe her. Denise decides to leave Walford after being convinced that Linda’s son Johnny (Charlie Suff), who knows about Keanu’s murder, is the devil and planning to frame her for the crime. Amy goes with her when she drives off but Denise abandons her in the car and wanders off into woodland. Jack finds Denise and brings her back home and she is involuntarily committed.
Following her release, she and Jack reconcile and plan a family barbecue, however, Jack and Stacey's affair is exposed by Martin Fowler (James Bye). Denise then leaves with Chelsea. Following her return home and after a chat with Amy and Ricky, she tells Jack she wants a divorce. When the concrete in the cafe cracks, the six become worried that Keanu's body will be found. Stacey accompanies Denise to retrieve her D necklace and whilst they are in the process of digging the concrete, Jack walks in. Denise is forced to admit that Keanu's body is buried under the floor and that she and Stacey helped to cover up his murder. Jack decides to help Denise but she refuses to reconcile with Jack when he asks to resume their marriage.
Creation and development
Casting and introduction
On 7 November 2005, the BBC announced that Diane Parish had been cast in EastEnders as a "sassy, strong" character with links to the established Wicks family, who would be "a force to be reckoned with."[9] Parish had previously appeared in the serial as singer Lola Christie in 1998.[9] In January 2006, Parish's character was revealed to be Denise Fox, who would embark on a romance with fellow newcomer Kevin Wicks (Phil Daniels). Tiana Benjamin was cast as Denise's daughter Chelsea, and spoke of her admiration for Parish, eagerly anticipating the opportunity to work with her.[10] Lara Gould of the Sunday Mirror described the new characters as the "feisty Fox family", revealing that Denise would have a second, younger daughter, Elizabeth ["Libby"], played by Belinda Owusu. Gould reported that the family would "arrive in Albert Square with a bang and [...] cause friction from the off", expanding: "The Fox girls don't take any nonsense – they'll be a force to be reckoned with."[11]Lee Ross was later cast as Denise's former husband and Libby's father Owen Turner. Kris Green of media and entertainment website Digital Spy described Owen as having had "a disappointing life", revealing that Denise had separated from him as a result of his heavy drinking.[12]
Storyline development
Denise went on to marry Kevin, acting as stepmother to his children Carly (Kellie Shirley) and Dean (Matt Di Angelo). Parish briefly departed from the show to take maternity leave, and when Daniels declined to renew his contract, he, Shirley and Di Angelo were written out permanently, coinciding with Parish's temporary exit.[13] In Denise's absence, Chelsea reunited with her estranged father Lucas Johnson, with Don Gilet cast in the role.[14] Upon Parish's return, Denise and Lucas ultimately reunited, with Gilet commenting: "He's found a woman who's strong-willed, strong-minded, a good mother to their shared child and to Libby and [Lucas' son] Jordan (Michael-Joel David Stuart). It's kind of ideal and he's worked so hard for it. Nothing, but nothing, should stop that – he deserves to have this. It's one of these situations where he likes the idea that he's earned this relationship. That seems to be more of a priority than the pure love he has for her. He loves what he's earned and he's now this respectable person who wants to hold on to what he has by any means necessary."[15]
When Lucas' former wife Trina (Sharon Duncan Brewster) began interfering in their relationship, Lucas was instrumental in her death,[16] and went on to kill Owen when he came close to discovering the truth.[17] In May 2010, Green reported that in an upcoming episode, Lucas would be seen to strangle Denise and dispose of her body in a canal. He questioned whether Parish was to be written out of the soap,[18] following the announcements that both Benjamin and Owusu would be leaving EastEnders later in 2010.[19][20] Discussing the storyline, Gilet refused to reveal whether Lucas would kill Denise, but indicated that events may not be as they seemed.[21] Parish commented: "It looks really bad as he gets Denise in a headlock and chokes her. If she survives, it'll be a miracle."[22] Following the episode where Denise appeared to be strangled by Lucas, entertainment journalist Sharon Marshall appeared on This Morning, saying there would be "twists and turns" but would not confirm whether Denise was dead or alive.[23] It ultimately transpired that Lucas had faked Denise's death to hold her hostage in a basement. Parish found it difficult to keep details of the storyline a secret, and struggled to lie when questioned by members of the public.[24]
Questioned about the future for Denise following the departure of her daughters, Parish responded: "She is lost without her babies, but then her sister Kim comes along and she's a brilliant distraction. As for men, I think Denise should give them up and get a cat, but I'm sure she'll end up in another destructive relationship."[24] She told Daniel Kilkelly of entertainment website Digital Spy: "I don't think she'll be looking for a new man any time soon. I think she's just going to take it easy on the man front. I think what needs to happen with the family is that everybody just needs to find their own way to find their own peace. I think that's the future really for all of them."[25]
In October 2012, it was confirmed that a new storyline would see Denise and Fatboy (Ricky Norwood) spend the night together after he rescues her when she gets unwanted attention from a man. Norwood told Inside Soap, "I don't think Fatboy is looking for love—but he's happy to be swept off his feet by Denise, who's this hot older woman he never imagined he could be with. Denise is a scorching woman—she's got a dynamite body and a beautiful smile. She's way out of his league, but there is a lot of chemistry between them. I think they'd make a really good couple. That would be cool. Fatboy may be young, but he's got an old soul and he's not just some young boy messing about. There is potential there if Denise could see it, but because of the age thing, I think she might worry that people were saying things about her. Right now, she's just enjoying herself." Norwood added that while the pair's relationship was sexual, a serious future for them could be possible.[26]
In February 2013, it was reported that Denise would enter a relationship with EastEnders long running character Ian Beale, portrayed by Adam Woodyatt. On the match, Parish said that Denise had "always had a soft spot for Ian", but also commented that "whether they go the distance in the next few months remains to be seen."[27]
Reception
Parish has been nominated for several awards for her portrayal of Denise. In 2007, she was nominated for the "Best Actress" award at The British Soap Awards 2007,[28] while Denise was nominated in the "I'm A Survivor" category at the All About Soap Bubble Awards.[29] In 2009, Parish was nominated for the "Best Actress" award at the Inside Soap Awards,[30] and in 2010, she received a nomination for the "Best Soap Actress" award at the TV Choice awards.[31] In January 2011, Parish was nominated for "Serial Drama Performance" at The National Television Awards 2011 for her portrayal of Densie but did not make it through to the shortlist.[32] In 2014, she was longlisted for "Best Actress" again at The British Soap Awards 2014,[33] but did not progress to the shortlist and the award was won by rival soap Coronation Street's Julie Hesmondhalgh, who plays Hayley Cropper in the serial.[34] In August 2017, Parish was longlisted for Best Actress at the Inside Soap Awards.[35] She did not progress to the viewer-voted shortlist.[36]
In 2009, Ruth Deller of entertainment website Lowculture—who runs a monthly feature chronicling the most popular and unpopular soap opera characters—profiled Denise, stating: "The Foxes are one of the strongest families on EastEnders at the moment, and that's pretty much all down to Denise, who is a-mazing. We also love her frenemy-ness with Zainab."[37]Jim Shelley of the Daily Mirror questioned the credulity of the storyline which saw Lucas hold Denise hostage having faked her suicide. He quoted Denise's line: "Another thing I don't get. Why am I supposed to have killed myself? What 'reason' did I have?!" observing: "NO REASON of course. The writers hadn't even made one up – although that didn't stop Walford CID quickly deciding Denise had killed Owen and Trina even though they had no evidence and she had a watertight alibi."[38] Nathan Bevan of the Wales on Sunday also deemed the storyline far-fetched, commenting: "she'd been kept prisoner in the basement of the abandoned house next door [...] and no one heard her screaming for help through the walls? What part of the East End is this?"[39]Inside Soap stated in January 2011 that whilst Denise headed up the Fox family, they were "a right bunch of miseries" and opined they would party with lively sister Kim and only let Denise come if she "promises to crack a smile".[40] The magazine published a feature about Denise in April 2013, naming the scene where Lucas told Denise she had 'died', her "classic scene".[41] Mark James Lowe called Denise "fiery" and when reviewing Denise's time on the show said, "Denise has never had it easy both blokes. Getting knocked up as a teen by a drug addict – who later became a serial killer – was just the start of her traumas with men. No wonder she considers Ian Beale a catch..."[41]
In 2020, Sara Wallis and Ian Hyland from The Daily Mirror placed Denise 77th on their ranked list of the best EastEnders characters of all time, calling her "formidable" and commented that the character "has survived everything from a bus crash and poverty, to giving up a child for adoption and endless doomed relationships".[42]
Sharon Watts is a fictional character from the BBC One soap opera EastEnders, played by Letitia Dean. Sharon was one of EastEnders' original characters conceptualised by creators Tony Holland and Julia Smith. She first appeared in the first episode broadcast on 19 February 1985 as the teenage adopted daughter of pub landlords Den and Angie Watts. Dean originally quit the role in 1995 after ten years, with Sharon departing following the breakdown of her marriage. In May 2001, Sharon was reintroduced by producer John Yorke, before departing in January 2006. Dean's return was announced in February 2012, and she later made her on-screen return on 13 August 2012 in a special week of episodes. Dean took a temporary break from the show and departed on 9 January 2024, and Sharon returned on 1 April 2024.
Patrick Trueman is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders, played by Rudolph Walker. He made his first appearance on 13 September 2001. On 7 December 2015, Walker filmed his 1,000th episode as Patrick.
Ian Albert 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 one of four remaining original characters, the others being his mother Kathy Beale, Sharon Watts and Tracey. The character appeared in his 2,000th episode in the show on 26 March 2007, and his 3,000th on 27 May 2016. Woodyatt took an extended break from EastEnders on 22 January 2021. He made appearances on 12 December 2022 and 22 June 2023, prior to a full-time return on 22 August.
Phil Mitchell is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders, played by Steve McFadden. He was introduced to the soap opera on 20 February 1990 and was followed by his brother Grant, sister Sam and mother Peggy. Phil was one of the major characters introduced by executive producer Michael Ferguson, who wanted to bring in some macho male leads. Phil and his brother Grant became popularly known as the Mitchell brothers in the British media, with Phil initially portrayed as the more level-headed of the two thugs. Storylines featuring the Mitchell family dominated the soap opera throughout the 1990s, with Phil serving as one of the show's central characters and protagonists since the 1990s. McFadden temporarily left the series in late 2003, then returned in April 2005 for a brief appearance before making a permanent return in October 2005, and has now overtaken Dot Cotton as the second-longest-serving character in EastEnders, surpassed only by original character Ian Beale. A teenage version of Phil, played by Daniel Delaney, appeared in a flashback episode broadcast on 5 September 2022, which focuses on the Mitchell family in the 1970s.
Melanie "Mel" Owen is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders, played by Tamzin Outhwaite. Mel was introduced by executive producer Matthew Robinson and made her first appearance on 19 October 1998. Outhwaite made her departure on 12 April 2002. Outhwaite's return to the series was announced in October 2017 and she returned on 9 January 2018. The actress chose to leave the soap again in July 2019 and her final episode aired on 14 November 2019 when Mel was killed-off. Outhwaite proved popular in the role, winning multiple awards and critical acclaim for her portrayal of Mel as the character became prominent in the show.
Dean Wicks is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders played by Matt Di Angelo. He made his first appearance on 2 January 2006. It was announced on 18 August 2007 that the characters of Deano and his sister Carly Wicks were being axed by executive producer Diederick Santer. Deano made his final appearance on 7 February 2008. On 15 January 2014, it was announced that Deano, now called Dean, would be returning and he first reappeared on 11 April of that year. Di Angelo took a three-month break from the soap from January to April 2015, with a one-off appearance in February to tie in with the show's 30th anniversary celebrations. In October 2015, it was announced that Di Angelo would be leaving the show in early 2016. The character is arrested for attempted rape with his final scenes set in court airing on 4 and 5 February 2016. On 19 August 2016, Dean is acquitted of attempted rape after standing trial off-screen. On 30 October 2023, Di Angelo made an unannounced return as Dean.
Chelsea Fox is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders, played by Tiana Benjamin from 2006 to 2010, and then Zaraah Abrahams from 2020 onwards. Benjamin was cast in the role and she left her role in the Harry Potter film series to appear in the soap; she made her first appearance as Chelsea in episode 3147, broadcast on 5 May 2006, when she is introduced as part of the all-female Fox family alongside her mother, Denise Fox, and half-sister, Libby Fox. Benjamin announced her departure from the show in April 2010, and she left in episode 4047, broadcast on 5 August 2010. In October 2020, the character's return was announced alongside Abrahams' casting. Chelsea returns in episode 6188/6189, broadcast on 25 December 2020.
Libby Fox is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders, played by Belinda Owusu. She made her first appearance on 22 May 2006 and left in 2010. She is the daughter of Denise Fox and Owen Turner, and half-sister of Chelsea Fox. The Fox family were introduced by executive producer Kate Harwood. The character of Libby was featured in a prominent storyline in 2006, when Owen attempts to murder her. The character then cultivates a relationship with her peer Darren Miller. She is portrayed as intelligent and competitive. The character was axed in April 2010 and her departure episode was broadcast on 5 August 2010. Libby returned in April 2014 as part of the beginning of the Who Killed Lucy Beale? storyline. Since then she continued to make various guest appearances up until 31 January 2017.
Owen Turner is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders, played by Lee Ross. He originally appeared in the show on 15 June 2006 and left the show in late 2006. In 2009, it was announced that Ross would return to the show; he appeared on 30 July 2009. Ross' character made his final appearance on 26 November 2009 after being murdered by his ex-wife's new fiancé - Lucas Johnson.
Kim Fox is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders, played by Tameka Empson. She is the half-sister of Denise Fox, and aunt to Chelsea Fox and Libby Fox. She first appeared as a guest character on 24 November 2009, and was reintroduced in 2010 as a regular character after piquing the interest of new executive producer Bryan Kirkwood. Empson took maternity leave in October 2013 and after appearing several times during her break via webcam, Kim returned to Albert Square on 30 December 2014. It was announced on 16 July 2019 that Empson would be taking a break from the show but will return at some point in the future. She departed on 23 July 2019. Kim made a special appearance via webcam on 25 December 2019. Empson returned following her maternity break in the episode broadcast on 16 November 2020. Empson took a brief break in early 2024, with Kim departing on 25 January 2024.
Lucas Johnson is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders, played by Don Gilet. He made his first on-screen appearance on 3 April 2008. Lucas is introduced as a reformed drug addict and criminal-turned-preacher who appears as the estranged father of established character Chelsea Fox. He also has a young son, Jordan, and later goes on to marry Chelsea's mother Denise - whom he had previously been in a relationship with prior to their reunion.
Arthur "Fatboy" Chubb is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders and its Internet spin-off EastEnders: E20, played by Ricky Norwood. He made his first appearance in EastEnders on 5 January 2010 before appearing in the spin-off. Fatboy is one of four main characters in the first series of E20 and makes cameo appearances in the second and third series. He was created by the EastEnders: E20 writing team during a BBC summer school in August 2009. He frequently uses London street slang and is described as brash, confident, caring, a hustler and a womaniser. Norwood won the Best Newcomer award at the 2010 Inside Soap Awards and Most Popular Newcomer at the 2011 National Television Awards for his portrayal of Fatboy, and has been nominated for two further awards. In 2014, Norwood was temporarily suspended from the soap for two months after a tape of improper conduct involving him leaked onto the internet. In November 2015, the character lost his nickname and was simply credited as Arthur Chubb from 20 November until his final appearance.
Vincent Hubbard is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders, played by Richard Blackwood. He was introduced by executive producer Dominic Treadwell-Collins during the show's 30th anniversary celebrations, and was later revealed to be the husband of Kim Fox. He made his first appearance on 17 February 2015 during the show's 5015th episode, and returned on two occasions on 19 February, one of which was in a flashback episode in which he gives Ronnie Mitchell a gun. During these appearances, he is only credited as "Vincent", concealing his connection to Kim. He returned as a regular character on 21 April 2015.
Keanu Taylor is a fictional character in the BBC soap opera EastEnders, played by Danny Walters. He was introduced in episode 5511, broadcast on 15 June 2017, as a member of the Taylor family. Keanu is the son of Karen Taylor and half-brother of Chantelle Atkins, Keegan Baker, Bernadette Taylor, Riley Taylor, and Chatham Taylor. He is described as a charming, hardworking, and happy-go-lucky man of morals. In his original stint, his storylines focused on an affair with Sharon Watts and a feud with Phil Mitchell. In November 2019, it was announced that Walters "bowed out" of the soap for the development of his storyline with Sharon, with his first departure being depicted in episode 6084, which aired on 21 February 2020.
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