Episode 6550

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Episode 6550
EastEnders episode
Episode no.Episode 6550
Directed byToby Frow
Written by Simon Ashdown
Produced byChris Clenshaw
Original air date5 September 2022 (2022-09-05)
Running time30 minutes
Episode chronology
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"Episode 6550" of the British television soap opera EastEnders was broadcast in the United Kingdom on BBC One on 5 September 2022. The episode was directed by Toby Frow and written by Simon Ashdown. It takes the form of a flashback episode, set in both the present and in January 1979, and explores the reason for DCI Samantha Keeble's vendetta against the Mitchell family.

Contents

The episode was first announced in July 2022, when it was reported that Jaime Winstone, who had previously portrayed a young Barbara Windsor in the 2017 biopic film Babs , would appear as Peggy. The episode also featured the first on-screen appearance of Peggy's husband, Eric, as well as other members of the Mitchell family. The episode won praise among critics and viewers alike, with viewers calling for further flashback episodes to be made. Executive Producer Chris Clenshaw signalled his interest in making further flashback episodes.

Plot

DCI Samantha Keeble (Alison Newman) meets with Phil Mitchell (Steve McFadden) in her car. Keeble tells Phil that she wants him to inform on his cousin Billy Mitchell (Perry Fenwick), to which Phil refuses to do so.

In January 1979, the United Kingdom is in the grip of the Winter of Discontent, and the Mitchells are living in the London district of Limehouse. As the family eat dinner, patriarch Eric Mitchell (George Russo) learns that Phil (Daniel Delaney) has found a job as a garage mechanic and is furious. He also tries to dissuade Phil's brother Grant (Teddy Jay) from his wish to join the British Armed Forces, telling them both they should do a real job and he is going to give them some "work experience". He leaves his wife Peggy (Jaime Winstone) at home with their young daughter Sam (Laila Murphy) and forces Phil and Grant to join him in an armed robbery at a warehouse alongside his cousin Stephen (Dean Roberts), and his sons Charlie (Charlie Heptinstall) and Billy (George Greenland). When Peggy objects to his actions, Eric assaults her.

While Eric and the boys are away, Peggy is visited by Eric's brother Archie (Henry Garrett), his wife Glenda (Rose Reynolds), and their two young daughters Ronnie (Lucia De Wan) and Roxy (Elodie De Rohan Willner). Archie and Peggy have a conversation before he leaves for the evening to meet with a mistress, and it is suggested there is some mutual attraction between him and Peggy.

Peggy and Glenda then talk in the kitchen, sharing a drink and discussing their husbands, while their children play in the front room. However, Peggy furiously scolds Ronnie and Roxy after they encourage Sam to draw on the wallpaper, leading to an argument between her and Glenda, which ends with Peggy ejecting her sister-in-law.

At the warehouse, Eric and the boys steal video recorders when they are caught by a security guard (Christopher Pizzey). Billy falls from a ladder while trying to steal a VHS package before Eric orders everyone to leave and abandon him. However, Phil and Grant decide to save Billy, leading to Phil holding the security guard at gunpoint while Stephen and Charlie leave. Eric attempts to goad Phil into shooting the security guard with the words "Let him have it!", but the guard pleads with Phil, telling him he has a young daughter. When Phil cannot bring himself to pull the trigger, a frustrated Eric takes the gun from him, orders the others to leave and then shoots the security guard dead.

Phil later confronts Eric about the shooting. When he, Grant and Eric return home, Eric threatens to beat Phil with a belt for challenging him. Peggy, having had enough of his abuse, grabs a knife and threatens him. Eric turns his abuse on Peggy and attacks her; enraged, Phil attacks Eric, ultimately overpowering him before threatening to kill him if he harms Peggy again.

Back in the present, Keeble reveals to Phil that the security guard that Eric killed that night was her father, Malcolm. She once again orders Phil to inform on Billy, warning him he will go back to prison if he does not do so.

Cast

Announcement

Details of the episode were first announced on 26 July 2022, when it was revealed that a flashback episode taking place in 1979 and featuring a younger version of Peggy Mitchell would air in the autumn, with Jaime Winstone having been chosen to play the part of Peggy. [1] The character had first been introduced in 1991, when she was played for a few episodes by Jo Warne, before Barbara Windsor played the role from 1994 to 2016. Winstone played Windsor in the 2017 BBC biopic Babs , portraying the actress in her 20s and 30s. [2] [3] It was reported the episode would explore some of the Mitchell family's history, and Winstone spoke of her delight at being chosen to play the role of Peggy: "It's been such an honour to step into Peggy Mitchell's shoes for the first time, and into Barbara's shoes for the second time". The episode would also feature the first onscreen appearance of Peggy's husband, Eric Mitchell, who would be portrayed by George Russo, as well as other previously unseen family members, and take place in early 1979, against the backdrop of the Winter of Discontent, where "clues to [Phil]'s present" would "undoubtedly be revealed". [4] [5]

Winstone said that Windsor, who died in 2020, was happy with her selection for Babs, telling her, "You're more me than me but you've got to make this your own", but spoke of feeling intimidated by the thought of playing the younger version of Peggy. She ultimately decided to accept the part after seeing a "beautiful blonde butterfly knocking around my garden for a couple of days" while considering whether to take on the role, and feeling this was Windsor signalling her approval. [6] [7] [8] Speaking about his role as Eric Mitchell, Russo described how he connected with the character: "I try and find a piece of music that sort of encapsulates the character so that when you listen to the music it can put you in that mind frame and put you into the characters quickly. I listen to a few pieces of music, the main one was Folsom Prison Blues by Johnny Cash." [9]

A preview image of the Mitchells in 1979 was released on 24 August, while it was also confirmed the episode would air on Monday 5 September at 7:30 pm, on BBC One and BBC iPlayer. [10] Further pictures from the episode were released on 4 September, along with a brief outline of the plot. [11]

Reception

Writing in The Daily Telegraph , Michael Hogal gave the episode four out of five stars, and described it as "a pacy caper" that was "Life On Mars meets kitchen-sink drama, sensitively weaving together past and present". He praised Winstone's Peggy Mitchell, saying "within just half an hour, she made the character her own – respectfully nodding to Windsor's incarnation but succeeding on its own terms". He also described Delaney's portrayal of Phil as "terrific", but questioned why Keeble would seek her revenge against Billy rather than Phil himself, suggesting it was an aspect of the story that "wasn't clearly explained" in the episode [12] (the following day's episode revealed that Billy had procured the gun which was used in the robbery). [13] Winstone's Peggy was also praised by Caroline Frost, writing in the i newspaper, describing her as having "brought a subtle nuance to her portrayal bringing out the softer layers in the character that the older woman had presumably buried in the years since". [14]

Laura Denby, writing in The Radio Times also praised the episode, saying it had "surpassed all expectations, covering far more than just DCI Keeble's vendetta against the Mitchells and paving the way for more trips down memory lane". She noted Delaney's likeness to Steve McFadden's Phil, who "delivered a stunning character study". [15] In the Metro , Soaps Editor Duncan Lindsay felt that "the beauty of the episode was in the fact that you could watch it without being up to date with EastEnders, and be drawn in and able to follow it", and wondered why the idea of exploring characters' back stories had not been done before: "in the same breath as I applaud the ingenuity of this episode’s concept and execution, I wonder why it has taken so long. It is setting a very interesting precedent for soap as a whole and one which could be a game changer for the better." [16]

The episode proved to be popular with viewers, many of who took to social media to congratulate the producers for their choice of actors. In particular, Delaney's portrayal of Phil won praise, with one viewer writing that his "mannerisms are spot on. Grant & Peggy too. Great acting". [17] Following the positive comments, Winstone thanked viewers on her Twitter account: "Thank you for all your lovely messages, I am truly honoured to play such an iconic character Peggy Mitchell. This was such a special and emotional job for me. Barbara opened many doors for actresses like me and I’m eternally grateful to have known her and witness her magic, here’s to you, Barbara Windsor." [18] The Radio Times conducted a poll asking viewers if they would like to see further flashback episodes, with 71.6 per cent of responders saying they would. [19] EastEnders Executive Producer Chris Clenshaw has spoken of his interest in doing further flashback episodes. [20]

Figures compiled by the Broadcasters' Audience Research Board (BARB) indicated the episode had been watched by 3.98 million viewers. [21]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Barbara Windsor</span> English actress (1937–2020)

Dame Barbara Windsor was an English actress, known for her roles in the Carry On films and for playing Peggy Mitchell in the BBC One soap opera EastEnders. She joined the cast of EastEnders in 1994 and won the 1999 British Soap Award for Best Actress, before ultimately leaving the show in 2016 when her character was killed off.

<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.

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 January 2002, Sam was introduced for a fourth time, but the role was recast to Kim Medcalf, who stayed in the role until November 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">Phil Mitchell</span> Fictional character from EastEnders

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.

Grant Mitchell (<i>EastEnders</i>) EastEnders character

Grant Mitchell is a fictional character from the British soap opera EastEnders, played by Ross Kemp. He was introduced by producer Michael Ferguson to revamp the show, and originally served as one of the show's leading protagonists throughout the 1990s; with the character first appearing in 22 February 1990 and then departing on 25 October 1999 after Kemp had opted to leave the show. He then returned to the show on 24 October 2005 for a few weeks and returned again between March and June 2006. Kemp was persuaded to return to the role for brief stints during a period of heavy media criticism aimed at EastEnders. The return proved to be a ratings success. Kemp reprised the role of Grant for various guest stints in 2016, appearing in twelve episodes between 13 May and 9 September. An archived recording of his voice was heard on 25 January 2022. On 26 July 2022, it was announced that Grant would feature in a flashback episode focusing on the Mitchell family in 1979. Teddy Jay played the role of Grant for this special episode, which aired on 5 September 2022.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jamie Mitchell</span> Fictional character

Jamie Mitchell is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders, played by Jack Ryder. The character debuted on 9 November 1998 and became one of the show's central protagonists, until he was killed-off on 25 December 2002.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jaime Winstone</span> English actress (born 1985)

Jaime Margaret Winstone is an English actress, best known for her roles in Kidulthood, Dead Set, After Hours and her portrayal of Barbara Windsor in Babs.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Aunt Sal</span> UK soap opera character, created 1996

Aunt Sal is a recurring fictional character in the BBC soap opera EastEnders, played by Anna Karen Introduced in 1996, she appeared sporadically from 21 March 1996 until 29 December 1997, then from 28 September 2001 until 17 September 2004, 19 July 2007 until 4 April 2011 and 22 November 2013 to 20 January 2017. She appears for just a few episodes at a time and has been collectively featured in 58 episodes of the show.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ronnie Mitchell</span> UK soap opera character, created 2007

Veronica "Ronnie" Branning is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders, played by Samantha Womack. She and her younger sister Roxy Mitchell were introduced by executive producer Diederick Santer in July 2007. Ronnie is described as the "ice" to Roxy's "fire". As an extension to the already established Mitchell family, Ronnie quickly became a prominent character, taking over the square’s local nightclub. She later formed an on-off relationship with her business partner, Jack Branning.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Archie Mitchell</span> UK soap opera character, created 2008

Archibald Lionel "Archie" Mitchell is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders, played by Larry Lamb. He first appeared on 8 July 2008 as a newest member of the Mitchell family—who had first appeared on the soap in 1990—and became the show's main antagonist until the character was killed-off on Christmas Day 2009; with Archie making his last appearance as a corpse on 28 December 2009 and later serving as a posthumous impact throughout the majority of 2010, which involves making a brief voice appearance on 19 July 2010 on a family video tape overheard by his ex-wife Glenda and their two daughters Ronnie and Roxy respectively.

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

Suzy Branning is a fictional character from the BBC One soap opera EastEnders, played by Julie Christian-Young for a brief appearance in April 1996, and Maggie O'Neill in 2008, who began filming in May that year, and she appeared from 8 July to 26 December 2008. Soon after her reintroduction in 2008, Suzy begins a relationship with Phil Mitchell and enters into a rivalry with Phil's other love interest Shirley Carter. She schemes to con Phil out of his money and after her intentions are discovered, Suzy leaves Walford.

The Mitchell family is a fictional family in the UK soap opera EastEnders. They were first introduced in February 1990, when brothers Phil and Grant Mitchell bought the local garage, the Arches. Their sister Sam was introduced later in 1990, and their mother Peggy shortly after in 1991, before being reintroduced as a regular character in 1994, with the role recast to Barbara Windsor. Since then, the family has been significantly expanded to include both the immediate and extended families. Phil has been the longest running Mitchell on the show, and the family has expanded significantly in the years since, remaining a large presence on the square.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Glenda Mitchell</span> Fictional character from the British soap opera EastEnders

Glenda Mitchell is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders, played by Glynis Barber. The character first appeared in the programme on 7 January 2010. She was axed in February 2011, departing on 8 March 2011. She later returned for two episodes in January 2016 and three in May 2016. She made an unannounced return on the 30 December 2016 episode for the departures of her two daughters. She made her second departure from the show on 10 February 2017. Glenda has been described as "complex", "vulnerable"," "demure, dynamic and assured". She is the former wife of Archie Mitchell ; and mother of both her son Danny and Archie's two daughters Ronnie and Roxy.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Danny Mitchell (EastEnders)</span> Fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders

Danny Mitchell is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders, played by soap newcomer Liam Bergin, who appeared from 21 January 2010 to 18 June 2010. He, along with his mother Glenda, made a previously unannounced return on 30 December 2016, before departing again on 20 January 2017.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Queen Vic Fire Week</span> Four 2010 episodes of soap opera EastEnders

"Queen Vic Fire Week" is a group of four episodes of the BBC soap opera EastEnders, broadcast between 6 and 10 September 2010 on BBC One. The episodes included a fire at The Queen Victoria public house, also known as The Queen Vic or The Vic, and the departure of the character Peggy Mitchell, portrayed by Barbara Windsor, who left the series after sixteen years in the role. During the episodes, Peggy—the pub landlady—has her crack cocaine-addicted son Phil imprisoned in The Queen Victoria, forcing him to go cold turkey. She later learns that her deceased husband Archie was murdered by the person he raped: Stacey Branning. Before she can report Stacey to the police, Phil escapes and sets the pub on fire. Stacey and her infant daughter Lily are trapped inside, but are rescued by her lover Ryan Malloy – prompting Stacey to reveal to him that he is Lily's father. In light of the incident, Peggy decides against reporting Stacey for Lily's sake. She then plans to make a fresh start, bidding her family goodbye and leaving Walford.

Jill Marsden (<i>EastEnders</i>) UK soap opera character, created 2001

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<i>Babs</i> (2017 film) British TV drama

Babs is a BBC biopic about the life of British actress Dame Barbara Windsor. Details of the film were announced by Charlotte Moore, the BBC's Acting Director of Television, on 26 May 2016, a week after Windsor made her final appearance in EastEnders as the long-running character Peggy Mitchell. The film, written by EastEnders scriptwriter Tony Jordan, shows Windsor in the 1990s as she prepares to go on stage and recalls events from her life, including her childhood and marriage to gangster Ronnie Knight, as well as her rise to fame as part of the Carry On cast.

References

  1. ↑ "Jaime Winstone set to play a young Peggy Mitchell as EastEnders announces flashback episode". BBC Media Centre. 26 July 2022.
  2. ↑ "EastEnders fans, Peggy Mitchell is back on TV!". www.newsletter.co.uk. 4 September 2022. Retrieved 7 October 2022.
  3. ↑ Roper, Kerri-Ann (26 July 2022). "Jaime Winstone to play Peggy Mitchell in EastEnders flashback episode". Evening Standard. Retrieved 7 October 2022.
  4. ↑ "EastEnders casts Jaime Winstone as Peggy Mitchell in flashback episode". Radio Times. Retrieved 5 October 2022.
  5. ↑ "EastEnders: Jaime Winstone to play young Peggy Mitchell in flashback episode". 27 July 2022. Retrieved 5 October 2022– via www.bbc.co.uk.
  6. ↑ "EastEnders' Jaime Winstone talks "scary" Peggy Mitchell episode". Digital Spy . 26 August 2022. Retrieved 7 October 2022.
  7. ↑ "Jaime Winstone says Barbara Windsor sent her sign over EastEnders' Peggy role". Radio Times. Retrieved 7 October 2022.
  8. ↑ Corcoran, Rachel (30 September 2022). "Jaime Winstone reveals Barbara Windsor's sign from beyond the grave". Metro. Retrieved 7 October 2022.
  9. ↑ Kitson, Calli (1 September 2022). "EastEnders Mitchell flashback gets political as it shows economy crisis in 70s". Metro. Retrieved 7 October 2022.
  10. ↑ "EastEnders reveals first look at Mitchell family flashback". Radio Times. Retrieved 5 October 2022.
  11. ↑ "EastEnders reveals more ahead of Monday flashback show". 4 September 2022. Retrieved 5 October 2022– via www.rte.ie.
  12. ↑ Hogan, Michael (5 September 2022). "EastEnders' Peggy Mitchell flashback episode is the bold shake-up soap needs" . Retrieved 5 October 2022– via www.telegraph.co.uk.
  13. ↑ Patterson, Stephen (6 September 2022). "EastEnders reveals reason why Keeble is targeting Billy over her dad's murder". Metro. Retrieved 5 October 2022.
  14. ↑ Baker, Emily (5 September 2022). "Jamie Winstone's Peggy is spot on in EastEnders flashback, but it made me miss Barbara Windsor". inews.co.uk. Retrieved 7 October 2022.
  15. ↑ "EastEnders flashback review: Mitchell origin story leaves room for more". Radio Times. Retrieved 5 October 2022.
  16. ↑ Lindsay, Duncan (5 September 2022). "EastEnders' Mitchell flashback was a masterclass – let's have the full series". Metro. Retrieved 5 October 2022.
  17. ↑ Allday, Jasmine (5 September 2022). "EastEnders fans hail 'incredible casting' of Mitchells in flashback episode". Irish Mirror. Retrieved 5 October 2022.
  18. ↑ "EastEnders fans praise Jaime Winstone as Barbara Windsor's Peggy Mitchell in flashback episode | Virgin Radio UK". virginradio.co.uk. Retrieved 9 October 2022.
  19. ↑ "EastEnders fans call for flashback spin-off series after revealing episode". Radio Times. Retrieved 5 October 2022.
  20. ↑ Rodrigues, Charlotte (6 September 2022). "EastEnders flashback episode leaves fans all saying the same thing". Entertainment Daily. Retrieved 5 October 2022.
  21. ↑ "Weekly Top 30 Programmes". Broadcasters' Audience Research Board . Retrieved 9 October 2022.
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