Diane Butcher

Last updated

Diane Butcher
EastEnders character
Dianne Butcher1.jpg
Portrayed by Sophie Lawrence
Duration1988–1991, 1993–1994, 1997, 2008, 2012
First appearanceEpisode 341
12 May 1988 (1988-05-12)
Last appearanceEpisode 4452
29 June 2012 (2012-06-29)
Classification Former; regular
Introduced by
In-universe information
OccupationNurse
Father Frank Butcher
MotherJune Butcher
Stepmother Pat Butcher
Peggy Mitchell
Brothers Ricky Butcher
Sisters Clare Butcher
Janine Butcher
Half-brothersDanny
Sons Jacques Butcher
Grandmothers Mo Butcher
Nephews Liam Butcher
Nieces Tiffany Butcher
Scarlett Butcher

Diane Butcher is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders , played by Sophie Lawrence. Diane appeared as a regular character between 1988 and 1991, when Lawrence decided to leave. The character made several brief returns in 1993, 1994, and 1997. In 2008, she returned for her father Frank Butcher's (Mike Reid) funeral, and on 20 June 2012 she returned for her sister Janine Butcher's (Charlie Brooks) wedding, departing on 29 June 2012.

Contents

Over the years, Diane develops from a rebellious teenager who runs away from home, to a free-spirited single mother having difficulty looking after her young son. More recently, a more-mature Diane settled in France and, in a departure from a character previously depicted as heterosexual, she is stated to be in a long-term relationship with another woman.

Storylines

1988–1991

Diane arrives in Albert Square in 1988 as the daughter of second-hand car salesman Frank Butcher (Mike Reid) and sister to Ricky Butcher (Sid Owen). Her mother June died in 1987, and when her father marries Pat Wicks (Pam St. Clement) and he becomes the landlord of the Queen Victoria public house, she lives with them there. Later the family move out of the pub to run a bed and breakfast in Albert Square.

She then falls for the Butchers' lodger Paul Priestly (Mark Thrippleton) in 1989, much to Frank's annoyance. Diane takes the relationship more seriously than Paul, and she is devastated when he finishes with her to begin a fling with hairdresser Julie Cooper (Louise Plowright). Paul and Julie do not last, and he immediately returns to Diane. Scorned, Diane cannot forgive Julie for taking Paul, and she plays various vengeful tricks on her as payback, such as sabotaging her salon's opening day and sending her a male escort to make her look desperate. Julie responds by flirting with Paul to infuriate Diane further, and their feud culminates in a showdown in The Queen Vic one night, at which Julie humiliates Diane. Paul quickly loses interest in Diane. Ignoring his reticence, Diane convinces herself that Paul is contemplating proposing marriage to her, so she is broken-hearted when he returns to his hometown in Leeds in December 1989; he leaves without saying goodbye.

Feeling misunderstood and unloved after believing that her family have forgotten her 16th birthday, Diane runs away from home in January 1990 and joins the down-and-outs on the streets of London. She is fast looked after by teenager Disa O'Brien (Jan Graveson) who takes her under her wing, showing her how to survive. Disa turns to prostitution for extra money, and Diane poses naked for photographs for a man named Matthew Taylor (Neil Phillips) who makes a sculpture of her. She eventually returns to Albert Square in March 1990, after her father has been searching for months, but she struggles to adjust to life back in Walford. As a result of her time away, Diane develops an interest in art. When Taylor turns up trying to woo Diane, he deposits a life-size sculpute of her in Albert Square. Livid, Frank destroys the statue and confronts Taylor, further alienating Diane.

Diane develops a friendship with Mark Fowler (Todd Carty) when he returns to his family home in 1990, and enlists his help to find Disa, who is heavily pregnant and living in "Cardboard City". Disa refuses their help initially; after she gives birth, she abandons the child on Diane's doorstep on Christmas Day. Diane and Mark care for the baby in secret until they find Disa and persuade her to come home with them. Diane takes care of them and attempts to help Disa bond with her child.

Diane is keen for her relationship with Mark to progress, so his hesitance upsets her. Eventually he confesses that he is HIV-positive. She pledges to stick with him although the task is daunting. She acts as a confidante, helping him to face up to his illness and seek counselling and professional help. Diane is unsettled when Mark begins spending time with his HIV+ ex-girlfriend Gill (Susanna Dawson), and when Mark proposes to Diane in June 1991, she gently turns him down. The following month she leaves Walford to go on a fruit-picking holiday in France. She telephones Frank in September to say she will not be returning.

1993–1997

Frank visits Diane in France in 1993. He is horrified to discover she is pregnant and unsure who the father is. After a heated argument Frank storms off, refusing to speak to Diane, but they manage to make peace by the time Frank leaves—Diane drives to the ferry and tearfully waves Frank goodbye. Diane returns for a short stint in 1994 to inform Pat that Frank is alive and well and has left from Walford following a mental breakdown—Frank had visited Diane off-screen in France.

Ricky visits Diane in France in 1997, spending time with her young son Jacques. Diane is in a tempestuous relationship with a Cameroonian musician named Thomas (Robbie Gee), and when this abruptly ends, she and son Jacques turn up in Walford, looking for a place to stay. However a short time later, Thomas visits Diane and asks her to go travelling with him on tour in Africa. Diane goes without informing anyone, leaving Jacques with Ricky and his wife Bianca (Patsy Palmer). Pregnant Bianca struggles to care for Jacques, and even considers having an abortion as a result. Jacques is sent to live in Manchester with Diane's sister Clare (Lucy Foxell), until Diane retrieves him to live with her in Paris.

2008, 2012

In 2008, Frank dies of cancer at Diane's home in Paris, requesting that his funeral be held in Walford. Diane returns on 31 March 2008 with Ricky, where they convey the news of Frank's death to his former wives Pat and Peggy Mitchell (Barbara Windsor). The following day, Diane is glad to see her sister Janine (Charlie Brooks) back for Frank's funeral. During a conversation with Janine, Diane reveals she has been in a relationship with a woman called Suzanne for three years. At Frank's wake in the Queen Vic, Diane is approached by Ian Beale (Adam Woodyatt) to speak about her experience of running away as a teenager, believing her insight might help him find his own missing daughter, Lucy Beale (Melissa Suffield). Frank leaves individual gifts to each of his children. Diane receives some of her old school paintings and drawings. Diane helps Ricky, Janine, and Pat scatter Frank's ashes in the flowerbeds of the Square before departing.

Four years later, Diane returns to Walford to attend Janine's wedding to Michael Moon (Steve John Shepherd). She comforts Janine when Michael is questioned over allegations of fraud before arranging a hen party for her that evening. It is mentioned that Diane is still with Suzanne. She later acts as Janine's maid of honour at her wedding and escorts her to hospital after she goes into premature labour. The day after the birth of her niece Scarlett, she helps the initially-reluctant Janine produce her first breast milk. Diane stays for a week after Scarlett's birth until Janine tells her and Ricky that they should return to their own lives. Diane agrees and tells Ricky that she cannot leave Jacques on his own. Diane stays for Scarlett's christening at the hospital then returns to France. Following Michael's murder and Janine's arrest, Diane becomes Scarlett's guardian. In 2021, Janine reveals that her and Diane are not on speaking terms.

Character creation and development

Background and casting

EastEnders had been on air for three years before the character of Diane made her first screen appearance in May 1988. At the time, big changes were occurring "behind-the-scenes". [1] Co-creator Julia Smith took "a more back-seat role" as Series Producer, which allowed producer Mike Gibbon to take control of the making of the programme. [1]

The arrival of the Butcher family in May 1988 signified an end of an era for the soap, as Den and Angie Watts (Leslie Grantham and Anita Dobson) vacated their positions as landlord and landlady of The Queen Victoria public house, leaving Frank (Mike Reid), and his girlfriend Pat Wicks (Pam St. Clement) to take over tenancy. [1] Ricky (Sid Owen) and Diane, played by Sophie Lawrence, Frank's teenage children came with Frank. Lawrence was 15 at the time, and she got the part in EastEnders straight after leaving stage school. Lawrence has commented, "I always just thought that I would be a dancer and go into a West End musical and that I would be very, very happy. Then I got EastEnders when I was 15 and it kind of changed my life." [2]

Personality

Diane as she appeared in 1989 Diane butcher 1989.jpg
Diane as she appeared in 1989

Diane has been described as "dreamy" and someone who "was always destined for more romantic things than the reality of Walford." [3] "Sensitive and artistic", for a time Diane was portrayed as the least troublesome of the Butcher family, the one who conformed the most, though she began to rebel against her father's heavy-handed paternalism. [4] [5]

EastEnders writer Sarah Phelps has described the character as sharp, smart with elements of her mother in her. Phelps adds "she had a sharp tongue and a quick mind...you could see her looking at her family and looking at Walford...and thinking 'this ain't for me'." Sophie Lawrence has said, "Diane was a bit of a wild child...she was a bit naughty, she was always in trouble. I think it was something to do with losing her mother at an early age...She ran away [from home] to make a statement. I think it was a 'notice me' kind of thing. It worked." [6]

In the 2008 television documentary EastEnders: Ricky and Bianca, Diane was described as "rather normal" for a member of the Butcher family. Upon her return in 2008, the character had altered and matured. Lawrence has commented, "coming back, she seems quite nice actually, she seem more relaxed. She's so much older I suppose, so she's sort of grown up really. She seems nice and kind and settled with her life." [6]

Teenage runaway

The most notable storyline featuring Diane during her initial stint on the soap concerned the character running away from home in 1990. [1] In the on-screen events, Diane was shown to be increasingly unhappy towards the latter part of 1989, exacerbated by the sudden departure of her boyfriend Paul Priestly (Mark Thrippleton). Diane decided to run away from home in January 1990 when it seemed her family had forgotten her 16th birthday—they were actually planning a surprise party for her that she never got to see. Diane's disappearance dominated the programme in the beginning of 1990. Focus was placed upon the effect her departure had on the Butcher family, in particular her father Frank who searched unsuccessfully for his missing daughter. [1]

When the storyline had originally been scripted in 1989, it was left open-ended, meaning that none of the writers or producers of EastEnders had decided whether Diane would ever be found. However, towards the end of 1989, EastEnders acquired a new executive producer, Michael Ferguson, and according to scriptwriter Colin Brake, one of his first decisions was that "Diane must be found". The subsequent story of her returning home and adjusting to life back in Walford was developed. [1]

Diane contacts her father Frank after being missing for three months. He collects her at King's Cross station (1990). Diane frank homeless 1990.jpg
Diane contacts her father Frank after being missing for three months. He collects her at King's Cross station (1990).

The episodes where Diane returned home aired towards the end of March 1990. They were written by Tony McHale and directed by Mike Barnes. The episodes have been described as "extraordinary" and a "radical departure from the normal EastEnders form", because they used flashbacks to tell the story of Diane's three months living on the streets of London as a homeless girl. [1] Simultaneously, they also told the present story of Frank finding Diane, and bringing her back to Walford. Colin Brake has described them as powerful episodes, which "returned EastEnders to the tradition of gritty realism that had been integral to the early episodes." [1] In the flashbacks, it was revealed that Diane had lived rough on the streets and joined a gang of runaways, befriending a young girl named Disa O'Brien (Jan Graveson). Diane also became involved with an artist named Matthew Taylor, who took nude photos of her and then constructed a life-size sculpture of her, which later turned up in Albert Square, enraging Frank. This ignited Diane's own interest in art, which was demonstrated later in the year when she painted a mural on the side of the Butcher household. [1] Actress Sophie Lawrence did research for the storyline among real homeless people. [5]

Departure

Subsequent storylines featuring Diane included involvement in the plight of pregnant runaway Disa, whom Diane brought back to Walford to bond with her baby—Disa had initially abandoned the baby on Diane's doorstep on Christmas Day 1990. [5] The bulk of the character's narrative concerned a blossoming romance with one of EastEnders' original characters, Mark Fowler (Todd Carty), who returned to the serial as a regular character in 1990 after a three-year absence. The relationship was never consummated however, because in January 1991 Mark revealed to Diane that he was HIV positive—he was the first mainstream soap opera character to be diagnosed. The episode, written by Tony McHale, has been described as the "important" beginning to Mark's HIV storyline, as Mark's secret HIV status was finally revealed to the audience as well as Diane. In the on-screen events, Diane tried to be supportive to Mark and persuaded him to have counselling at the Terrence Higgins Trust, though their relationship was never quite the same again; when Mark, prompted by his mother Pauline (Wendy Richard), asked Diane to marry him, she turned him down and left the serial to move to France shortly after. [1]

Off-screen Sophie Lawrence had decided to quit the soap to take on new projects, which included an attempt at a music career. She has commented, "I left because I wanted to play something different. In doing that, you have to grow out of the public's perception of you as an EastEnders character. But I wanted variety of roles. I felt I couldn't just carry on being Diane indefinitely. I wanted to be an actor, not just a personality." [7]

Brief returns

The character has made numerous brief returns to the serial as a guest character. In 1993, she was featured in a special week of episodes, filmed on-location in Paris, France, where Frank discovered, to his horror, that Diane was pregnant with an unknown foreign man's baby. In June 1994, Diane returned to Walford as part of a storyline involving her father's disappearance. In 1997, another week's worth of episodes set in Paris reunited Ricky and Diane. Shortly after, the character returned to the soap's setting of Walford, but Lawrence reportedly quit weeks after making her comeback. She had since commented on her reasons for quitting so soon: "Going back to EastEnders was like going back to school and none of your friends are there. I was [originally] there with people like Nick Berry (Simon Wicks) and Letitia Dean (Sharon Watts) and they'd all gone. One of the young actors, who will remain nameless, made me a coffee and started telling me all about what it was like. He had no idea I'd been in the soap before." [7] In addition, Lawrence was suffering physically as she was still getting over injuries she sustained from a car accident and was forced to remove a neck brace for filming purposes. [7] On-screen, the character departed to travel with her musician boyfriend, abandoning her young son in her brother's care. Bosses at EastEnders had reportedly been keen for Lawrence to remain on the show, as they were hoping for an on-screen reunion of the Butcher family; Mike Reid had agreed to reprise his role as Frank, though Diane departed before his reintroduction. [8]

Lawrence reprised the role of Diane in 1997, but quit weeks after her comeback. Diane 1997.jpg
Lawrence reprised the role of Diane in 1997, but quit weeks after her comeback.

Despite claiming that she would never return to EastEnders in 1997, Lawrence was upset when she discovered that both Sid Owen and Mike Reid (Ricky and Frank) were leaving EastEnders in 2000 as, in her opinion, it ruled out any chance of her character returning to the show. [7] She commented, "It would be great fun to get all the Butcher clan back for a few months. I hear Diane's name mentioned quite a lot on the show — it makes me feel like I've never really left. But all the people I'm connected with are leaving, which makes going back harder and I'm really sorry about that. It would be great to have the Butcher clan come back for Mike's sendoff. But, sadly, I don't think there is the space for me to go back full-time." [7] In 2002, she was asked if she would ever return to the soap and she responded, "If they asked me, I’d love to go back. Not on a long term contract or anything because I love doing other things but I’d definitely like to go back." [9]

The character reappeared in March 2008. Sophie Lawrence was asked to reprise the role by executive producer Diederick Santer as part of a storyline that has been dubbed "Frank Week". [10] Mike Reid died in 2007 and due to the popularity of the character he played, Santer decided that Frank would also be killed off in the serial. A funeral was held for the character as a tribute to both the actor and the "iconic" character he played. [11] Lawrence was one of several actors brought back to the show especially for the storyline. She was joined by Charlie Brooks, who played her younger sister Janine and Sid Owen as her brother Ricky.

Commenting to Digital Spy about her return, Lawrence said: "I've not been in the show for 11 years and it's not like I've ever thought "I'll never go back", you just think that your chance to go back has gone. It never crossed my mind that the occasion would ever arise, so when I got the phone call, it was really odd. There was never any doubt that I'd do it for Mike [Reid] and it's not something that's really been done — I don't think someone's ever died off-screen and then they've done the funeral on-screen. I think everyone was quite wary because it's quite an odd thing to do to have attended his real funeral and then go back to film it all over again. There was some trepidation about how it was going to work. But as soon as we arrived, it was like 11 years of your life had been wiped out and you'd been there the day before [...] I had this really lovely scene with Sid [Owen] where I said: "Isn't it strange, you imagine you’d come back and everything would be here waiting for us just like it was." Diane's saying everything's moved on, but for me it was the opposite, I'd got back there and everything was the same." [10] [12]

The character was brought back for a period of four episodes. Lawrence has revealed that she thought she would have minimal involvement in the storyline and was surprised at how much dialogue she was given. Each of the returning characters were given their own storyline; in Diane's case, she was in a relationship with a female doctor named Suzanne. Lawrence commented, "I think [Diane]'s quite alright now—she's come back and she's sorted. She knows the score." When asked if she would ever make a full-time return, Lawrence said, "Once you're re-established, you're a character that other characters can go and visit. For example, after Diane's left Walford again, Pat goes to stay with her for a couple of weeks. So there's no reason why I couldn't return for a two-week 'holiday' to see the kids!" [10] On 6 May 2012, a Daily Star reporter announced Lawrence would be returning to EastEnders alongside Sid Owen (Ricky Butcher) for the wedding of their on screen sister, Janine, played by Charlie Brooks. [13] She made her on-screen return on 20 June 2012 and departed on 29 June.

Reception

In reference to Diane's return to the soap in 2008 for Frank's funeral, Paul English from the Daily Record accused EastEnders of using actor Mike Reid's real death as "an opportunity to reintroduce some popular old faces. Boiled down, it's cashing in on the dead - but it's how Frank might have done it himself." [14]

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Peggy Mitchell</span> Fictional character from EastEnders

Peggy Mitchell is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders. Peggy was initially played by Jo Warne when she first appeared in the episode broadcast on 30 April 1991, featuring in 10 episodes. Peggy was reintroduced in 1994, recast to Barbara Windsor, who made her first appearance in the episode broadcast on 7 November 1994. Peggy became a regular character, and Windsor played the role until she was forced to take a long break due to poor health and departed on 23 May 2003. She returned for two episodes broadcast on 16 and 17 September 2004, before rejoining as a regular character on 8 September 2005. Windsor announced in October 2009 that she would be leaving the show and departed on 10 September 2010. Windsor returned to the show for guest appearances on 20 September 2013, 25 September 2014, 17 February 2015 and 15 January 2016. She then appeared in six episodes between 9 and 17 May 2016, where the character was killed off. Her voice is last heard in the following episode, on 19 May 2016. Peggy's funeral aired on 4 July 2016. An archived recording of her voice was heard on 25 January 2022. On 26 July 2022, it was announced that Peggy would feature in a flashback episode set in 1979, alongside her husband Eric and their children Phil, Grant and Sam. Jaime Winstone played the role of Peggy for this special episode, which aired on 5 September 2022.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pat Butcher</span> UK soap opera character, created 1986

Pat Evans is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders. She was played by Pam St Clement from 12 June 1986, just over a year after the show first aired, until her departure on 1 January 2012. Pat was also portrayed by Emma Cooke in a soap 'bubble', Pat and Mo: Ashes to Ashes, delving into her past with sister-in-law Mo Harris, which aired in 2004. The character was killed-off on 1 January 2012, shortly after being diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. Her funeral was on 13 January 2012. Pat was one of the longest serving characters on the show, appearing for 25 years and six months. She returned, along with other women from Ian Beale's past, in a concussion-related dream sequence for a Children in Need special on 14 November 2014. She also made a return as a hallucination for Peggy Mitchell's death on 17 May 2016.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sonia Fowler</span> Fictional character from EastEnders

Sonia Fowler is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders, played by Natalie Cassidy. Her first appearance was on 2 December 1993 and she departed on 2 February 2007. She returned briefly in 2010 along with other members of the Jackson family, and re-appeared in the soap from 8 to 18 February 2010 and again in January 2011. Sonia returned as a permanent character on 14 January 2014, as part of a storyline that saw her mother Carol Jackson develop breast cancer. Cassidy took maternity leave in 2016 and Sonia left on 20 September 2016 for her dream job in Kettering. Cassidy made two guest stints during her maternity leave, on 25 December 2016 via webcam and for a three episode arc from 14 to 18 April 2017. She returned full-time on 27 June 2017. On 29 December 2020, it was announced that Cassidy would take an extended break from the show, with Sonia set to leave the Square to return in spring 2021. She departed on 8 January and returned on 16 April.

Sam Mitchell (<i>EastEnders</i>) Fictional character from EastEnders

Sam Mitchell is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders. The third member of the Mitchell family to appear on the soap, Sam was introduced as a 15-year-old schoolgirl in July 1990, originally played by Danniella Westbrook. Westbrook quit in 1993, but Sam reappeared from 1995 to 1996 and from 1999 to 2000. In both stints, Sam was written out earlier than the producers intended due to off-screen controversies surrounding Westbrook. In early 2002, Sam was introduced for a fourth time, but the role was recast to Kim Medcalf, who stayed in the role until late 2005. Diederick Santer later decided to reintroduce Sam for a brief stint in 2009 and opted to bring Westbrook back. Westbrook briefly reprised the role once again in 2016 for the funeral of Sam's mother Peggy Mitchell. In January 2022, it was announced that Sam would be returning to the show, this time played by Medcalf again. Medcalf’s return scenes aired on 18 April 2022. Medcalf took an extended break from the show in 2023, with Sam departing on 13 April 2023 and returning seven months later on 21 November 2023. On 18 January 2024, Sam made an unannounced departure from the show following Medcalf's decision to leave indefinitely.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Janine Butcher</span> Fictional character from EastEnders

Janine Carter 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. Brooks initially departed on 7 May 2004. She returned for a three episode guest stint in April 2008 before returning permanently on 18 December of that year. Brooks later took a break from September 2012 until April 2013, then departed again on 20 March 2014. In April 2021, it was announced that Brooks would reprise the role once again and return later in the year. She returned on 6 September 2021. It was announced on 24 September 2022 that Brooks had only agreed to reprise the role for 12 months and would depart again at the conclusion of her storyline, with her final scenes airing on 26 December 2022. The character has been described as a "super-bitch" and a "classic villainess". She has proven popular with critics and fans of the show. Her storylines typically involve her in an antagonistic role. She has been married five times: to Barry Evans whom she killed on New Year's Day 2004, David, Ryan Malloy, Michael Moon and Mick Carter. Her feuds include a long-standing conflict with former stepmothers Pat Butcher and Peggy Mitchell, Sonia Fowler, Lynne Hobbs, Laura Beale, Kat Slater, Zoe Slater, Stacey Slater, Sharon Watts and Linda Carter. Her initial departure saw Janine being wrongfully charged for the death of Laura Beale. Upon her return, Janine is caught forging a wedding to a wealthy, old-age pensioner, that ends with her new husband abruptly dying of a fatal heart attack upon discovering her false identity. She later accidentally kills local resident Danielle Jones by running her down in her car; conspires with Peggy's husband Archie to defraud the Mitchell family from their ownership of The Queen Victoria public house; and becomes a prime suspect in Archie's murder investigation. Janine later becomes involved in a love triangle with her third husband Ryan and his baby's mother, Stacey. All of this results in Janine framing Stacey for her attempted murder and also attempting to kill Ryan by poisoning him. Janine later gives birth to a daughter, Scarlett, with her fourth husband Michael, and they become embroiled in a custody battle over Scarlett, which leads to Janine murdering Michael, leading to her third departure from the show.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Frank Butcher</span> Fictional character from BBC soap opera Eastenders

Frank Butcher is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders, played by Mike Reid. Frank makes his first appearance on-screen as a guest character in 1987, but due to a positive viewer reception, he is reintroduced in 1988 as a regular. Reid took a long hiatus from EastEnders in 1994 and Frank remained off-screen for over a year and a half. Frank made his return as a recurring character from December 1995 to January 1998. Frank eventually becomes a regular once again from May 1998 to November 2000, when Reid quit the show. Frank makes three brief reappearances after that, the final one in December 2005. Following Reid's death in July 2007, Frank died off-screen and the character was celebrated with a special week of episodes in April 2008.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Liam Butcher</span> Fictional character from EastEnders

Liam Butcher is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders, played by Sonny Bottomley for two months in 1998 and 1999, twins Jack and Tom Godolphin from 1999, Gavin and Mitchell Vaughan in 2002, and Nathaniel Gleed from 2002 to 2004. Upon his reintroduction in 2008, the character was portrayed by James Forde. Liam is the son of Bianca Jackson and Ricky Butcher and his stories have mostly revolved around his family. The character took a six-month break in 2012 for story purposes. Following his return, producers used Liam in a story about gangs, working with the charity Comic Relief. Forde was written out permanently in 2015 and Liam departs in the episode first broadcast on 17 August 2015. Liam was reintroduced for a short stint in 2021, with the role recast to Alfie Deegan.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ricky Butcher</span> Fictional character in EastEnders

Ricky Butcher is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders, played by Sid Owen. Introduced as a school boy in 1988, Ricky is one of the longest-running male protagonists to feature in EastEnders. Owen originally left the role in 2000 to pursue a music career. However, he reprised the role in 2002 before being axed by producer Louise Berridge in 2004. In 2008, producer Diederick Santer introduced the character for a third time, along with his wife Bianca Jackson. Ricky is portrayed as unintelligent, simplistic, easily led and bossed around by dominant personalities. On 26 February 2011, it was announced that Owen would take a temporary break from the show. The character exited on 19 July 2011, returning five months later on 13 December 2011. Ricky left EastEnders on 17 January 2012. Ricky returned to EastEnders on 20 June 2012 for the wedding of his sister, Janine Butcher, before departing for the final time on 29 June 2012. In April 2016 he had voiced his interest in returning to EastEnders during an appearance on Celebrity Juice. He reprised his role as Ricky for an eight-week stint from 1 December 2022 to 26 January 2023.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Natalie Evans</span> Fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders

Natalie Evans is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders, between 18 January 1994 and 10 May 2004, played by Lucy Speed. Natalie first appeared in January 1994, depicted initially as an unhappy, insecure teenager; she was among various regular characters brought in to increase the cast following the BBC's decision to increase episode output to three per week. She featured most often with the characters Ricky Butcher and Bianca Jackson ; Natalie's affair with Ricky ending his relationship with Bianca was one of the prominent storylines aired in the Winter of 1995. Despite producers offering to extend Speed's contract, she opted to leave the serial in 1995.

Barry Evans (<i>EastEnders</i>) Fictional character in the BBC soap opera EastEnders

Barry Evans is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders, played by Shaun Williamson. He first appeared in episode 1072, originally shown in the United Kingdom on 27 December 1994, and made his last appearance in episode 2653, originally shown on 2 January 2004. The character is portrayed as a "buffoon". Williamson controversially left the serial after nine years in 2003 after executive producer Louise Berridge refused to allow him time off to star in a seasonal pantomime, and the character was killed off.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mandy Salter</span> UK soap opera character, created 1992

Mandy Salter is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders, played by Nicola Stapleton. Introduced on 12 March 1992 by producer Leonard Lewis, Mandy was portrayed as a teenage tearaway. She was featured in storylines about teenage homelessness, child abuse and recreational drug taking. Her relationship with Aidan Brosnan was one of the prominent storylines featured in 1993. Due to the character's antagonistic behaviour, it has been suggested that Mandy was one of the most hated characters on television during her initial tenure. The character appeared in a special episode of Doctor Who in 1993, which was set in the fictional soap setting of Walford. Stapleton left the role and Mandy departed on-screen on 13 January 1994. Stapleton returned to the role for a nine-month stint on 29 August 2011, and left again on 31 May 2012.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mo Butcher</span> Fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders

Mo Butcher is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders, played by Edna Doré between 1988 and 1990. She is introduced as the matriarch figure of the Butcher family, Frank Butcher's elderly mother. She is portrayed as a battle-axe, tough and interfering. Her most notable storyline first aired in 1990, when the character is used to portray descent into Alzheimer's disease. Doré opted to leave the serial that same year; Mo was written out of the soap making her last appearance in November. Mo was killed off in 1992, but her death was not screened.

Sophie Lawrence is an English actress and singer. She played the role of Diane Butcher in the BBC soap opera EastEnders as a regular cast member from 1988 to 1991, making subsequent guest appearances in 1993, 1994, 1997, 2008 and 2012. In 1991, Lawrence achieved a top 30 hit in the UK single's chart with her cover of Donna Summer's hit single, "Love's Unkind". Since 2001, she has been most active on stage in musical theatre and pantomime.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Trevor Short</span> Fictional character

Trevor Andrew Short is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders, played by Phil McDermott from 1 June 1989 to 1 March 1990.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Paul Priestly</span> Fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders

Paul Priestly is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders, played by Mark Thrippleton, from 20 April 1989 to 1 March 1990.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tiffany Butcher</span> Fictional character from EastEnders

Tiffany Butcher-Baker is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders, played by Maisie Smith. Tiffany is the daughter of established characters Bianca Jackson and Ricky Butcher, though originally she was believed to be Bianca's daughter with a man named Nathan Dean. Tiffany's surname was changed in the show's credits from Dean to Butcher, which has also been referenced in the show. Tiffany departed, alongside her half-brother Morgan Butcher and their mother Bianca, in September 2014. Tiffany made an unannounced brief return on 3 November 2016 when she and Morgan returned to Walford for Whitney Dean and Lee Carter's wedding.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Brake, Colin (1995). EastEnders: The First 10 Years: A Celebration. BBC Books. ISBN   978-0-563-37057-4.
  2. ↑ "Sophie flies into town!". BBC. 25 November 2004. Retrieved 4 April 2008.
  3. ↑ "Diane Butcher". BBC. Archived from the original on 7 November 2001. Retrieved 4 April 2008.
  4. ↑ Lock, Kate (2000). EastEnders Who's Who. BBC Books. ISBN   978-0-563-55178-2.
  5. 1 2 3 Kingsley, Hilary (1990). The EastEnders Handbook. BBC books. ISBN   978-0-563-36292-0.
  6. 1 2 "EastEnders: Ricky and Bianca". EastEnders Revealed. 4 April 2008. BBC. BBC Three.
  7. 1 2 3 4 5 Rick Fulton (25 September 2000). "I'll hate to see Frank go... it means EastEnders' door could shut on me forever; Square's now out for Sophie". Daily Record. Retrieved 4 April 2008.
  8. ↑ "AND EASTENDER SOPHIE IS LEAVING FOR LAUGHS". Daily Mirror . 12 October 1997. Retrieved 4 April 2008.
  9. ↑ "What's Sophie's choice?". BBC. 10 August 2002. Retrieved 4 April 2008.
  10. 1 2 3 "Charlie Brooks and Sophie Lawrence". Digital Spy . 29 March 2008. Retrieved 4 April 2008.
  11. ↑ "Remembering Mike Reid". MSN. Archived from the original on 9 November 2007. Retrieved 4 April 2008.
  12. ↑ "Charlie Brooks and Sophie Lawrence". BBC. 26 March 2008. Archived from the original on 31 March 2008. Retrieved 4 April 2008.
  13. ↑ "EastEnders guest spot for stars". Daily Star . Northern & Shell. 6 May 2012. Retrieved 6 May 2012.
  14. ↑ Paul English (3 April 2003). "Take A Butcher's At This Lame Comeback". Daily Record. Retrieved 4 April 2008.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.