| Janet Mitchell | |||||||||||||||||||||||
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| EastEnders character | |||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Portrayed by | Grace | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Duration | 2006–2011, 2014–present | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| First appearance | Episode 3217 5 September 2006 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Classification | Present; recurring | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Introduced by |
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| Spin-off appearances | Billy's Olympic Nightmare (2012) | ||||||||||||||||||||||
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Janet Mitchell (briefly known as Petal) is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders , played by Grace, [1] who has Down's syndrome.
Janet is born in September 2006, the day of Billy and Honey's wedding. Billy and Honey had already agreed to name the baby Janet after their mothers. Janet is diagnosed with Down's syndrome shortly after her birth. Honey has trouble coming to terms with Janet's condition, and when it is revealed that Janet needs a heart operation, Honey says it will be better for everyone if Janet dies. Honey then refuses to let her daughter be named Janet, as she does not visualise her daughter's future that way. Billy has already started calling her "Petal" as a term of affection, so suggests that they name her that.
Janet (now called Petal) is brought home from the hospital, and Honey finds it hard to cope, wanting to have her adopted. She considers smothering Janet with a pillow, but cannot do it. Honey runs away to her father, Jack Edwards' (Nicky Henson) canal boat in Kent. Billy tracks her down and takes Janet with him. He puts her by the canal, saying that people used to leave babies with Down's syndrome outdoors overnight, and if the baby survived, they'd keep it. Honey is shocked by Billy's actions and he picks her up and they go home. Despite Billy's courage and love for her, Honey's fear of bringing up Janet wins out, and Billy and Honey put her up for adoption, giving her up to a foster family, Kim (Lorraine Arnold) and Tony Smith (Enzo Squillino Jr.), just prior to Christmas. However, when Janet is taken into hospital for major surgery, Billy goes to see her, and when Honey reads Billy's letter to a woman named Petal, she follows, walking in on her Christening. The doctors say she will be fine after surgery. In September 2008, Janet moves away with Honey and her brother Will Mitchell (Toby Warpole), after Billy's relationship with Honey does not work out. However, they still go to visit Billy.
In May 2010, Billy is forced to look after Janet and William, after Honey and Jack are involved in a car crash. He struggles to tell them that Jack has died, and that Honey is in a critical condition. Later that night, Billy finds Janet playing with the drugs that he had been attempting to sell before he found out about the crash, and with that, he sends her to Phil Mitchell's (Steve McFadden). In July 2011, Janet and William meet Billy's granddaughter Lola Pearce (Danielle Harold). Janet returns in February 2014, with William. She returns again on 27 May 2014, when Honey visits Walford to tell Billy that she is moving to Canada with Janet and William. Billy is devastated and burns Janet's passport to try to stop them from leaving. Honey remains determined, but decides to leave Janet with Billy when she realises how well she is doing. Janet says goodbye to Honey and William, before officially moving in with Billy, Lola and Lola's daughter, Lexi Pearce (Dotti-Beau Cotterill), until Lola and Lexi leave in July 2015.
In November 2015, Honey and Will (now Freddie Phillips) return from Canada and Billy and Honey decide to give their relationship another go. In October 2016, Billy, Honey, Will and Janet move into the flat above the funeral parlour, where Billy is made a partner in the business. When Janet is struck by a car and hospitalised in October 2017, Billy hurts Honey when he accuses her of treating Janet differently from Will. Janet initially cannot feel her legs, but makes a full recovery. Billy wants to get Janet a dog, so Karen Taylor (Lorraine Stanley) agrees that Billy can have her dog Bronson for a few nights for Janet.
The storyline involving the birth of Janet Mitchell was criticised by the Royal College of Midwives, who claim the storyline was inaccurate and unrealistic. They claim that Honey should not have been refused an epidural and should not have been told about her daughter's condition without her husband being present. Further to this, Honey and the baby were being looked after by a character who was repeatedly referred to as "nurse Cheryl", when in fact, a midwife would be present, and would check on the baby continuously, rather than leave the mother alone to worry and then disappear without being noticed. They also claim that the baby appeared rigid when in fact she should have been floppy, and that nobody opened the baby's blanket to check. [2]
The BBC say a great deal of research was undertaken, such as talking to families with children who have Down's syndrome, and liaising with a senior midwife, as well as the Down's Syndrome Association. The BBC say Honey was not refused an epidural, but had actually locked herself away in the bathroom. They were also unable to cast a baby with Down's syndrome for the first few episodes, which is why the baby appeared rigid. [2] The Down's Syndrome Association say that the way in which Billy and Honey found out about their baby's condition and their subsequent support is not a best practice model, but is still a realistic situation. [3] Conversely, learning disability charity Mencap praised the soap, saying it would help to raise awareness. [4]
Grace received a nomination at The British Soap Awards 2016 in the "Best Young Performance" category. [5]
Maureen "Little Mo" Slater is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders, played by Kacey Ainsworth from 18 September 2000 to 26 May 2006.
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.
Billy Mitchell is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders, played by Perry Fenwick, who made his first appearance on 2 November 1998. Billy was originally introduced by producer Matthew Robinson as a guest character, facilitating the introduction of Jamie Mitchell to the show. Early on, Billy was Jamie's abusive uncle and guardian - which results in Jamie being taken away from Billy by his relative Phil Mitchell. Billy was then brought back to the serial on 2 August 1999 and Fenwick was offered a longer-term contract, and Billy ended up becoming a regular character. Frequently portrayed as a small-time criminal, Billy is a luckless resident of Albert Square who often struggles financially. His most prominent storylines include two failed marriages with Little Mo Morgan and Honey Edwards and having a daughter Janet (Grace) born with Down syndrome. Fenwick filmed his 1000th episode on 6 August 2010, and later his 2000th on 24 September 2022.
Honey Mitchell is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders, played by Emma Barton. She made her first appearance in the show on 22 November 2005. Barton was axed from the show in April 2008, and the character left the show on 2 September 2008. Barton briefly reprised the role of Honey in 2014, appearing from 27 May to 6 June 2014; however, it was later confirmed in September 2015 that the character would be making a permanent return, and Honey returned full-time from 12 November 2015. She took a break in 2020, departing on 17 January. She returned in the episode broadcast on 24 September 2020.
Ben Mitchell is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders, who has been played by six different actors since his on-screen birth on 21 March 1996. Matthew Silver appeared as an infant Ben between 1996 and 1998, and Morgan Whittle played him as a toddler between 1999 and 2001. After a five-year absence from the series, Charlie Jones assumed the role of Ben in 2006. In 2010, the character was recast with Joshua Pascoe in the role, who made his first appearance on 13 December 2010. Pascoe quit the role in 2012 and Ben departed on 24 August 2012. Ben's return was announced in May 2014 with Harry Reid in the role; Ben returned on 22 September 2014. Reid was written out of the series in 2017 and Ben departed on 12 January 2018. Ben was reintroduced in 2019 with the role recast to Max Bowden. Ben returned on 1 April 2019. In December 2023, it was announced Bowden would exit the role. Ben departed the series on 28 March 2024, after being extradited to America for credit card fraud.
Jay Brown is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders, played by Jamie Borthwick. He made his first appearance on 14 December 2006.
Veronica Elizabeth "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.
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.
Lola Pearce-Brown is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders, played by Danielle Harold. She was introduced as the granddaughter of Billy Mitchell and Julie Perkins, and an extension to the already established Mitchell family. Lola made her first appearance on 12 July 2011. Her storylines have mainly focused on her relationship with her family, a teenage pregnancy after a one-night stand with her third cousin once removed Ben Mitchell, fighting to keep newborn daughter Lexi out of care, her friendships with Abi Branning, Dexter Hartman and later Frankie Lewis, relationships with Peter Beale and Jay Brown, improving her situation by becoming a hairdresser, having an abortion after becoming pregnant by Jay, and being diagnosed with a glioblastoma brain tumour which resulted in her death.
Lorraine Newman is a British scriptwriter, television producer, and the executive producer of the BBC soap opera EastEnders from 2012 to 2013. Newman, who has worked on EastEnders for "nearly 20 years", received the role of executive producer when her predecessor stepped down in 2012. Newman was also the executive producer of Babs, a BBC biopic about Dame Barbara Windsor.
Tina Carter is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders, portrayed by Luisa Bradshaw-White. The character first appeared on 18 November 2013, and was introduced as the sister of established character Shirley Carter. She was the first of a set of new characters that expanded the Carter family in 2013, It was created by incoming executive producer Dominic Treadwell-Collins. Tina and Bradshaw-White's casting were announced on 19 September 2013. The character was previously mentioned on-screen due to her daughter, Zsa Zsa Carter, appearing on the show in 2010.