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Johnny Harris | |
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EastEnders character | |
Portrayed by | Michael O'Hagan |
Duration | 1987-1989, 1991 |
First appearance | 18 June 1987 |
Last appearance | 25 June 1991 |
Introduced by | Julia Smith (1987, 1988) Michael Ferguson (1991) |
Johnny Harris (initially credited as Man, later Harris), played by Michael O'Hagan, is a criminal associate of Den Watts (Leslie Grantham), who shows up in Albert Square occasionally to liaise with Den about various scams they are involved with. He first appears in June 1987 to tell Den to implicate another suspect in order to exonerate the son of the Firm's boss, who has been arrested for drug dealing and that Den has no choice but to comply, which he does. Johnny is next seen in February 1988 when he manages to swindle local conman, Darren Roberts (Gary McDonald), by selling him fake pornographic videos.
In June 1988, Johnny reveals to Den that his latest scam has been uncovered by the police and it is likely that he will serve time in prison. Johnny is sent to Dickens Hill prison on remand, where he meets up with Den in September 1988, after he is imprisoned for the arson of the Dagmar winebar.
Johnny had been promoted to "number 1" of the prison wing (head prisoner), meaning he is in charge of issuing supplies to the other inmates and given a cell on his own. Johnny is also on the payroll of The Firm, and he is instructed to keep a close eye on Den in order to stop him stepping out of line. When The Firm suspect Den of being a "grass", they instruct Johnny to organise a beating for him as a reminder to keep quiet. Johnny does so with the help of his ally Queenie (John Labanowski). Although Johnny orders Den's beating, he takes no pleasure in seeing his former friend hurt.
When The Firm decide that Den is not the "grass" after all, Johnny tries to make peace with him. Before Johnny leaves Dickens Hill to attend his trial, he arranges for Den to take over his position of "number 1". Johnny also informs Den that he suspects Queenie of being the police informant, which Den later proves. Two years after Den's supposed death at the hands of the Firm, Johnny appears in Walford after being asked by Den's adoptive daughter, Sharon Watts (Letitia Dean) to provide information on her fiancée Grant (Ross Kemp) and his brother Phil Mitchell (Steve McFadden). He informs Sharon of the criminal activities that the brothers and their late father Eric (George Russo) have been involved in and tells her they are bad news. She goes on to marry Grant anyway, and eventually marries Phil many years later after her marriage to Grant ends in divorce and her second husband Dennis Rickman (Nigel Harman) is murdered.
Barnsey Barnes | |
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EastEnders character | |
Portrayed by | John Hallam |
Duration | 1988–1990 |
First appearance | 13 September 1988 |
Last appearance | 1 May 1990 |
Introduced by | Julia Smith (1988) Michael Ferguson (1990) |
"Barnsey" Barnes, played by John Hallam, is the initial cellmate of Den Watts (Leslie Grantham) at Dickens Hill prison. He is serving time on remand for GBH and he and Den soon become friends.
When Den is branded a "grass", all the prisoners turn against him except Barnesy, who serves as his protector while others, such as Queenie (John Labanowski), attempt to attack him. In order to get to Den the other prisoners need to get rid of Barnsey, so they report him to the prison guards for a crime he did not commit. Barnsey is sent to solitary confinement for the night and the following day, Den is given a severe beating.
When Den is promoted to the "number 1" of the prison wing (head prisoner), he is given a cell on his own. Barnsey's new cellmate turns out to be Nick Cotton (John Altman), who he instantly dislikes. After Barnsey attacks his new cellmate, Nick applies for a cell move, though he instantly regrets it, as he is moved in with Queenie.
Barnsey stands trial in January 1989, and leaves Dickens Hill to await his fate. Den is deeply sorry to see him go. Den is shot in February 1989 and presumed dead. A body is wrongly identified as Den's the following year, and Barnes attends the funeral in May 1990 and encounters Nick, who is also in attendance.
Queenie Price | |
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EastEnders character | |
Portrayed by | John Labanowski |
Duration | 1988–1989 |
First appearance | 15 September 1988 |
Last appearance | 14 February 1989 |
Michael "Queenie" Price, played by John Labanowski is a prisoner, who is serving a sentence in Dickens Hill prison along with Den Watts (Leslie Grantham). He goes by the name of Queenie because he is an effeminate homosexual. The other prisoners refer to him as "she" rather than "he", despite the fact that he is a large, butch looking man, with a moustache. Although Queenie acts in a camp manner, he is actually tough and the other prisoners know not to mess with him. Nick Cotton (John Altman) often gets on his wrong side due to his homophobic slurs, and he is eventually given a beating because of this.
It is revealed that Queenie is on The Firm's payroll along with another prisoner, Johnny Harris (Michael O'Hagan). When The Firm believe that Den is trying to frame them, Queenie and Harris seek Den out, intending to give him a severe beating. Den eludes this for a while, but Queenie and his gang eventually corner him, leaving him bruised and battered with a fractured arm.
After The Firm discover Den is not the informant, he begins to suspect that it is Queenie. Den concocts a plan to catch him out. He gives him the false name of a drug dealer and as he predicts, it isn't long before the police are questioning Den about him, confirming that Queenie is the "grass". Den stuns Queenie with his discovery, but instead of turning him in to The Firm he uses him to provide information on them.
Trevor Kellow | |
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EastEnders character | |
Portrayed by | Peter Doran |
Duration | 1988–1989 |
First appearance | 20 September 1988 |
Last appearance | 14 February 1989 |
Trevor Kellow, played by Peter Doran, is an inmate at Dickens Hill prison. Originally from the north of England, Trevor has been imprisoned on remand for the mugging of an old lady. It is the second time he has been imprisoned for this offence, though he claims to be innocent this time.
Because the other prisoners, Barnsey (John Hallam) in particular, feel that Trevor's crime is despicable, they immediately take against him. They begin to bully him mercilessly. Trevor looks to Den Watts (Leslie Grantham) for support, and although he seems sympathetic, he can do little to stop the bullying. He manages to prevent a few attacks, but the abuse of Trevor still continues behind his back.
In 1989 Trevor's friend contacts him with new evidence that proves he is not guilty of the mugging. However, the following month his friend disappears with the evidence, meaning he has no chance of avoiding a prison sentence. His solicitor instructs him to plead guilty to the crime to ensure a shorter sentence, but Trevor feels he cannot cope with imprisonment for a crime he didn't commit. His mental health swiftly deteriorates and he becomes depressed, morose and severely paranoid.
Shortly after, Trevor is found dead in his cell, having hanged himself on the morning of his trial. Den is disturbed to discover that Trevor died in vain, as his solicitor had uncovered evidence to exonerate him.
Victor Hampton | |||||
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EastEnders character | |||||
Portrayed by | Michael Brogan | ||||
Duration | 1988–1989 | ||||
First appearance | 29 September 1988 | ||||
Last appearance | 5 January 1989 | ||||
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Victor "Vic" Hampton, played by Michael Brogan, is an inmate at Dickens Hill prison. He is imprisoned on remand for the theft of antique furniture. Vic is married to a woman named Gillie (Clare James), but the marriage has come under strain due to Vic's continuous infidelities. Gillie visits and expresses her concerns about Vic's promiscuity. She asks him to get tested for any STDs that he may have picked up.
When the prison officers find out about Vic's concerns he is quarantined in isolation, as they fear he could spread diseases to the other prisoners. Vic is tested and is told by the prison chaplain that he is HIV positive. He becomes severely depressed and berates himself for giving the virus to his wife. He talks of the humiliation he feels, having the entire prison know about his condition, being segregated from the other prisoners and treated like a leper. He talks about the dreams he had for the future, which will now have to be forgotten. Gillie is supportive and Vic is relieved to discover that she has actually tested negative. She promises to stay with him no matter what.
Victor is the first character in EastEnders to be diagnosed as HIV positive, paving the way for the controversial virus to feature in a storyline surrounding a much higher profile character - Mark Fowler (Todd Carty) - a couple of years later.
Ms. Martin | |
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EastEnders character | |
Portrayed by | Karen Archer |
First appearance | 13 September 1988 |
Last appearance | 21 February 1989 |
Ms. Martin, played by Karen Archer, is The Firm's solicitor who is employed to defend Den Watts' (Leslie Grantham) who is incarcerated in Dicken's Hill on remand for Arson.
Gillie Hampton | |||||
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EastEnders character | |||||
Portrayed by | Clare James | ||||
Duration | 1988–1989 | ||||
First appearance | 6 October 1988 | ||||
Last appearance | 5 January 1989 | ||||
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Gillie Hampton, played by Clare James, is the messy-haired wife of prisoner Victor (Michael Brogan), who is in prison on remand for theft. The couple have a young son. Gillie comes to Dickens Hill prison to visit Vic. Their marriage has come under strain due to Vic's adulteries. Gillie had been visited by one of Vic's partners and she begins to fear that Vic has unwittingly passed on an STD to her. She had blood tests to put her mind at rest and pleads with Vic to do the same.
Vic eventually does and it turned out he is HIV positive. He is deeply sorry that he has passed the disease on to his innocent wife, but to his relief she informs him that she has tested negative. She is supportive and promises to stay with him no matter what.
Dennis Alan "Den" Watts is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders, played by actor Leslie Grantham. He became well known for his tabloid nickname, "Dirty Den".
Dennis Rickman is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders, played by Nigel Harman. He made his first appearance on 14 April 2003 at the funeral of his late mother, Paula, before going on to become one of the show's central protagonists from 1 May 2003 up until his last appearance in the episode broadcast on 30 December 2005, when the character was fatally stabbed at the start of the New Year Fireworks.
Leslie Michael Grantham was an English actor, best known for his role as "Dirty" Den Watts in the BBC soap opera EastEnders. He was a convicted murderer, having served 10 years for the killing of a West German taxi driver, and had significant press coverage resulting from an online sex scandal in 2004.
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.
Chrissie Watts is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders, played by Tracy-Ann Oberman. She first appeared on 29 April 2004 and transpired to be the second wife of the show's "most enduring character", Den Watts - and thus became a prominent regular for the next 18 months. In 2005, Chrissie was the focus of one of "the programme's biggest and most high-profile narratives" when she killed her husband in self-defence at the end of the special 20th anniversary episode. The broadcast, airing on 18 February, was watched by 14.34 million people - with "almost 60% of possible viewers" tuning in to see Chrissie killing Den. The character was credited by former head of BBC Drama Serials, Mal Young, as "anchoring the success of the anniversary storyline", and was described on the news programme BBC Breakfast as the "centrepiece" of the show, with the on-screen drama playing out over the course of 2005 and culminating in Chrissie's departure on 9 December 2005. On 3 July 2024, it was announced that Oberman would be reprising the role later in the year for a short stint. Chrissie's return aired on 5 September 2024 in prison, and she departed the show on 12 September, following her release after serving nearly 19 years for the murder of Den.
Andy Hunter is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders, played by Michael Higgs. He first appeared in the episode broadcast in the United Kingdom on 3 July 2003 and, following the murder of his gangland boss Jack Dalton, became the show's main antagonist up until the character was axed and killed off in the series' 20th Anniversary episode, shown on 18 February 2005.
John William Francis Hallam was a character actor from Northern Ireland, who frequently played hard men or military types.
Jake Moon is a fictional character from the British soap opera EastEnders, played by Joel Beckett. Jake appears in the show in episodes originally broadcast in the United Kingdom between 30 December 2004 and 20 October 2006. His casting was announced by executive producer Kathleen Hutchison on 20 October 2004. Jake is introduced alongside his younger brother Danny Moon and upon his arrival was described as "the sensitive brother who had an eye for the ladies", while Beckett expressed his happiness at joining the show. In March 2005, Beckett and Maskall were axed but Jake was reintroduced to the show later in the year and remained until late 2006 when actor Joel Beckett decided to leave.
Angie Watts is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders, played by Anita Dobson from the first episode of the series until 1988, when Dobson decided to leave, and the character was written out.
"Sharongate" is the term used for a storyline in the BBC soap opera EastEnders, which reached its climax on 24 October 1994, attracting 25.3 million viewers. The plot was written by EastEnders scriptwriter Tony Jordan. In the storyline, Sharon Mitchell confessed on tape that she had had sex with her husband's brother, Phil. The truth comes out in the middle of The Queen Victoria pub. Sharon's husband Grant attacked his brother and Phil was lucky to survive.
Nick Cotton is a fictional character from the British soap opera EastEnders played by John Altman on a semi-regular basis from the soap's debut episode on 19 February 1985. Altman has stated that his initial exit was due to producer Julia Smith demanding he was written out after he opposed a decision to make his character gay. After Smith's departure, the character made numerous brief or more protracted stints until his onscreen death in February 2015, which was written to coincide with the 30th anniversary of EastEnders.
Roderick "Rod" Norman is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders, played by Christopher McHallem from July 28, 1987, to February 27, 1990. Rod is depicted as a roadie and a modern-day vagabond, regularly squatting and never staying anywhere for long periods. However, he returned to Albert Square in several episodes. Rod is attracted to rebellious women and tries to help out several 'women in need' throughout the series.
Joanne Francis is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders, played by Pamela Salem. She appears on screen between 16 June 1988 and 3 January 1989, as the Manager of Strokes Wine Bar.
Paul Priestly is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders, played by Mark Thrippleton, from 20 April 1989 to 1 March 1990.
The Watts family are a fictional family in the BBC soap opera EastEnders. The family consists of Den, Angie, Sharon, Dennis, Chrissie, Vicki, Dennis Jnr, Albie and Alyssa. Sharon's half-brother Zack Hudson is also considered to be part of the family.