Robbie Jackson | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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EastEnders character | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Portrayed by | Dean Gaffney | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Duration | 1993–2004, 2010, 2015, 2017–2019 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
First appearance | Episode 926 16 December 1993 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Last appearance | Episode 5996 19 September 2019 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Classification | Former; regular | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Created by | Tony McHale | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Introduced by |
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Robbie Jackson is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders , played by Dean Gaffney. The character was introduced in 1993, but axed in 2003 by executive producer Louise Berridge. He made brief returns in 2004 and 2010 for two family weddings and again on 22 September 2015 to tie in with the exit of his on-screen mother, Carol Jackson (Lindsey Coulson) on 2 October 2015. The character's reintroduction was announced on 17 April 2017 and he returned permanently on 26 June 2017. The character left the series on 19 September 2019, which was confirmed as a permanent departure the following month due to concerns over Gaffney's off-set behaviour.
Robbie Jackson arrives in Albert Square from 1993 with the rest of the Jackson family: mother Carol Jackson (Lindsey Coulson), her partner Alan Jackson (Howard Antony), and his half-siblings, Bianca (Patsy Palmer), Sonia (Natalie Cassidy) and Billie Jackson (Devon Anderson). Initially a troublesome teen, Robbie has little success at school and is frequently in trouble for his behaviour, along with his friend Kevin (John Pickard). In November 1994, the pair find a dog which Robbie names Wellard. Robbie manages to persuade the dog's owner to relinquish care to him, after he discovers that Wellard was being neglected, and Wellard then becomes Robbie's pet. As he ages, Robbie becomes more responsible, but has little success in anything he chooses to do. He has several careers in Albert Square including radio control for the Evans' mini cab company, a job as manager in the local video rental store, and is hoping to return to the video shop.
During his time on the square, Robbie is generally unsuccessful with women. He has a crush on Sarah Hills (Daniela Denby-Ashe) and is responsible for taking her virginity in 1997. Although Sarah initiated the intercourse, she is unable to cope with what has occurred and runs away, leaving her father Ted Hills (Brian Croucher) to assume that Robbie has raped his daughter. Ted assaults Robbie; he is hospitalised and has to undergo a splenectomy, before Sarah returns to reveal the truth. Robbie forms a more serious relationship with Kerry Skinner (Gemma McCluskie) in 2000. They get engaged; however, when Robbie discovers that Kerry has cheated on him with Darren (Stephen Hoyle), the engagement ends.
As such, Robbie often gets involved in conflicts with many people. He has a quarrel with gangster Steve Owen (Martin Kemp) after the latter framed Robbie's friend Matthew Rose (Joe Absolom) for killing Steve's former girlfriend Saskia Duncan (Deborah Sheridan-Taylor); when in fact Steve had killed her in self-defence.
Soon Robbie decides to track down his birth father, Gary Bolton (Bruce Byron), in 2001. He finds him in Portsmouth, and discovers he has a half brother, Kevin (Rupert Hill). The meeting ends up being a disappointment for Robbie, when he discovers Gary had left his own mother to be with his half-brother's mother. He leaves angrily, but Gary later traces Robbie to Walford and gives him a large cheque which allows him to travel around India, and pay for sister Sonia's nursing training.
When Robbie comes back to Walford, he meets young widow Nita Mistry (Bindya Solanki) and they begin a slow-burning relationship despite Nita's initial reticence. Eventually they move in together with Nita's son Anish (Ali Zahoor), but Nita decides to return to India in 2003 to live with her parents, who can provide for Anish better than she can. Robbie goes with her and Anish to live in Mumbai, and he leaves Wellard in the care of his friend, Gus Smith (Mohammed George).
Robbie returns briefly for Sonia and Martin Fowler's (James Alexandrou) wedding in 2004. He returns again for Bianca's wedding to Ricky Butcher (Sid Owen) in February 2010, and is upset to hear that Wellard has died. When asked about Nita he reveals that she cannot attend the wedding as she is six months pregnant. Robbie walks Bianca down the aisle on her wedding day and returns to India after the wedding. When Robbie's half brother Billie suddenly dies several months later, Robbie, Nita and Sonia are unable to attend his funeral due to the flight costs, their newborn baby, Sami Jackson, and the fact that Sonia is visiting Robbie and Nita in Mumbai.
In 2014 Carol has the BRCA2 gene mutation and Robbie and his siblings need to be tested. In April 2014, Robbie's test results come back negative. The following year, in September, Robbie returns with his son Sami, surprising Carol. He reveals that he and Nita have split up and he is moving to Milton Keynes and offers Carol the chance to move with him there. Although she agrees, she later decides that she wants an adventure and plans to travel the world on Jim's motorbike, but not before buying Robbie and Sami a puppy, Wellard II, for their move to Milton Keynes.
In June 2017, Carmel Kazemi (Bonnie Langford) decides to just work part-time as the market inspector. Robbie arrives at the café and reveals to the market traders that he is the new market inspector. [1] Robbie runs a training session for the market traders, but they end up walking out. [2] Martin (now James Bye), Kush Kazemi (Davood Ghadami) and Donna Yates (Lisa Hammond) become increasingly irritated by Robbie's way of running the Market, so much that Kush and Martin throw him into a bin as a prank. Robbie then removes Donna's stall from her pitch, giving it to a young hipster named Felix Moore (George Maguire) until she can pay her fees, however, after a talk from Sonia, Robbie decides to change his tactics and give Donna her pitch back, earning him thanks from Donna and Martin. However Mr Lister (Nick Wilton) orders Robbie to reinstate Felix, demanding modernisation of the market by Christmas. [3] [4] When the deadline is up, Mr Lister is unimpressed, but organises for an independent visitor to shop at the market as a shopper without the date announced. Mr Lister is not happy when Felix quits his stall due to a breakage and Robbie did not make the person responsible pay and Robbie decides to quit his job as it saves the council money. Robbie starts a relationship with Donna after being set up by Whitney Carter (Shona McGarty). However, Robbie and Donna later split. After visiting Nita and Sami in Mumbai, Robbie returns with his son. He ignores phone calls and messages from Nita, so she returns to Walford to collect Sami. Robbie barricades himself and Sami inside his flat and Nita threatens to call the police, but Sonia persuades her not to. Robbie then unlocks the door and returns Sami to Nita. After saying goodbye, they leave again. Several months later, Robbie receives a call from Nita who tells him Sami has been injured in an accident and he leaves to join them.
1994 was a "historic" year for EastEnders, as in April, a third weekly episode was introduced. [5] Due to the programme's increased frequency, a number of new characters were introduced to the regular cast in the latter part of 1993 and early 1994. [5] Among them were the Jackson family: mother Carol (Lindsey Coulson), her four children, Bianca (Patsy Palmer), Robbie (Dean Gaffney), Sonia (Natalie Cassidy), and Billie (Devon Anderson), as well as Carol's partner Alan Jackson (Howard Antony). Though Carol and Alan were not initially married in the serial, and though Alan was only the biological father of Billie, the whole family took on Alan's surname.
Various members of the family began to appear sporadically from November 1993 onwards, but in episodes that aired early in 1994, the Jacksons moved from Walford Towers, a block of flats, to the soap's focal setting of Albert Square. Their slow introduction was a deliberate attempt by the programme makers to introduce the whole family over a long period. [5] The Jacksons have been described by EastEnders scriptwriter Colin Brake as a "classic problem family". [5]
Introduced as a 15-year-old school boy, Robbie was initially portrayed as troublesome; frequently playing truant, occasionally shoplifting and, as author Kate Lock suggests, "generally making a nuisance of himself". However, Lock observes that this aspect of the character was toned down eventually, and "the unfortunate Robbie became less of a lout and more of a [...] prat, forever mucking things up and being the fall guy." [6]
In November 2002, executive producer Louise Berridge announced that Robbie Jackson was being axed from EastEnders, along with his screen girlfriend Nita Mistry (Bindya Solanki). The decision was allegedly a "mutual one" taken by producers, writers and actors. [7] Robbie and Nita departed together on-screen in the spring of 2003. [8]
Gaffney reprised the role briefly in 2004, when he returned as Robbie to attend his sister Sonia's wedding. A BBC source is quoted as saying, "[Dean] is very excited [...] After ten years in the show he was disappointed to leave. But he’s really pleased to be going back to Albert Square and seeing his old pals. He particularly missed working with Natalie [Cassidy]." [9] The character's return was only scripted for a couple of episodes. Gaffney has expressed an interest in returning, commenting in 2006, "never say never [...] the scriptwriters have always been very complimentary about the character and Robbie could make a return next week, next year, or maybe never." [10]
On 25 October 2009, it was announced that Gaffney would once again reprise his role, along with other Jackson family members Carol, Sonia and Billie. Gaffney is quoted as saying "I am really looking forward to returning to EastEnders for what looks set to be a really exciting storyline. I was thrilled when Diederick [Santer, executive producer] called me personally to ask for Robbie to return once more and working alongside Lindsey [Coulson], Natalie [Cassidy] and Patsy [Palmer] again makes it all the more special. I'm sure with the family being reunited it will mean that there must be a lot of drama in store." [11] A source told entertainment website Digital Spy: "Everything's being kept hush-hush about the Jacksons' return at the moment, but there are certainly a load of questions to be answered. Will the frosty relationship between Carol and Bianca thaw? Are Sonia and Martin still together? And how will Robbie react when he learns of his beloved Wellard's death? Everyone's so pleased to have them back." [11] The family will return for Bianca's second wedding to Ricky Butcher as part of the show's 25th anniversary. Executive producer Diederick Santer explained that he wanted great stories to get people talking, saying "The wedding is the perfect opportunity for us to bring back the much-loved Jackson characters – Carol, Sonia, Robbie and Billie." [12]
Gaffney reprised the role again in late 2015, as part of Carol's exit storyline. [13] Robbie returned on 22 September, [14] and departed on 2 October along with Carol.
Gaffney expressed an interest at rejoining the show's main cast in October 2015. [15] In 2017, Gaffney was invited to return by the show's executive producer, Sean O'Connor, which Gaffney called "a privilege". [16] When O'Connor called him to offer him the role, Gaffney became emotional and found the call unexpected. [17] Robbie's reintroduction was publicised on 17 April 2017. Of his return, Gaffney said, "I'm really happy to be back. I'm so lucky to be given the chance to work again with such a talented group of people. A big thank you to Sean and the team. I think it's going to be a lot of fun." [18] O'Connor expressed his delight at Robbie's reintroduction, branding the character "one of EastEnders' most loved and most popular characters". [18] He quipped that "Bridge Street Market has never quite been the same without Robbie policing it in his hi-viz jacket" and added, "Dean brings a wonderful warmth and fun to his portrayal of Robbie and I'm sure that audiences will take him to their hearts again, just as they have always done." [18]
Gaffney signed a one-year contract upon his return, securing Robbie's appearance until 2018. [17] He also explained that Robbie returns "with a vengeance", promising that he would not return to be a background character, and added that Robbie would be "straight back on the square causing some ructions with the market traders." [16] Gaffney said that Robbie returns with more maturity, although his job as market inspector leads him to clash with Martin Fowler (James Bye), Donna Yates (Lisa Hammond) and Kush Kazemi (Davood Ghadami). [17] The actor compared Robbie to the character David Brent from the BBC mockumentry The Office , and noted that due to his job as a road sweeper, Robbie "knows the market like the back of his hand." [17] Robbie returned in episode 5517, broadcast on 26 June 2017. [19]
In the episode broadcast on 19 September 2019, Robbie left Walford to look after his son Sami after he was involved in an accident. Gaffney's departure on the show was not announced. However, on 13 October, it was confirmed that these scenes had been Gaffney's final ones, as bosses had decided not to renew his contract following allegations that he had asked a stranger to send him inappropriate photos. [20]
In 2009, Robbie Jackson came sixth in a poll by British men's magazine Loaded for 'Top Soap Bloke'. [21]
In 2020, Sara Wallis and Ian Hyland from The Daily Mirror placed Robbie 80th on their ranked list of the best EastEnders characters of all time, calling him a "Hapless romantic roadsweep" who was a "bit of a joke in Walford", but called his "devotion" to Wellard "a joyful thing". [22]
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.
David Wicks is a fictional character from the BBC TV soap opera EastEnders, played by Michael French. David originally appeared from 23 December 1993 to 21 November 1996. He returned to the show on 1 January 2012 and departed two weeks later on 13 January. French returned to the role on 26 September 2013. David has been involved in various storylines, such as his troubled and dysfunctional reconciliation with his biological children Bianca Jackson and Joe Wicks, his volatile and equally dysfunctional relationship with his mother Pat Butcher, an affair with his sister-in-law Cindy Beale, reuniting with Carol Jackson and struggling to cope with her diagnosis of breast cancer. On 17 May 2014, it was announced that French had once again decided to leave the show. David last appeared on 30 May 2014, after his relationship with Carol broke down. In July 2024, it was announced that French would be reprising the role for a short stint after ten years away, with David returning on 3 October 2024 and departing a week later on 10 October 2024.
Gus Smith is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders, played by Mohammed George. He made his first appearance on 28 May 2002. It was announced in January 2008 that Gus would leave the show later in 2008, and he made his last appearance on 1 May 2008.
The Beales and the Fowlers are a fictional family in the BBC soap opera EastEnders. They were the main family for storylines in early episodes of EastEnders, and remained as such ever since. With at least one member of the family having been a member of the cast from the first episode in February 1985, they are the show's longest serving family. The original Beale/Fowler family consisted of matriarch Lou Beale and her children Pete and Pauline, alongside their families including their children Ian, Mark, Michelle and their spouses Kathy Hills and Arthur Fowler. Additionally, several members of the family have been introduced at a later point, including Pauline and Arthur's son Martin who was the first baby to be born into the show in 1985. The family has been headed with a matriarch first seen with Lou, and over the years, Lou's daughter Pauline, Ian's wife Jane Collins and more recently Pete's wife Kathy, have filled this role.
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.
Bianca Jackson is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders played by Patsy Palmer. The character was introduced by executive producer Leonard Lewis and appeared initially from 1993 to 1999, when Palmer opted to leave. In 2002 executive producer John Yorke brought the character back for a special spin-off show. She returned to EastEnders as a full-time character in April 2008, reintroduced by executive producer Diederick Santer. Palmer took maternity leave in late 2010 and Bianca left the series in January 2011. The character returned in December 2011 after Palmer signed a "working mums" contract, which granted her leave from the soap between April and November 2012. The actress quit EastEnders for good in 2014 and Bianca departed on 12 September 2014. Palmer reprised the role on 2 September 2019 for a guest stint and a second guest stint was scheduled for 2020, but later cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Carol Jackson is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders, played by Lindsey Coulson. The character was introduced in 1993 as the mother of the Jackson family. Coulson decided to quit the role in 1997, but she returned temporarily in 1999 within a storyline that contributed to both the introduction of her boyfriend Dan Sullivan and the departure of her daughter Bianca ; in the storyline, Carol discovers that Bianca had previously had a relationship with Dan and they resumed their affair – which prompted her to end her relationship with Dan, disown Bianca, and leave the square on her own.
Blossom Jackson is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders, played by Mona Hammond. The character originally appeared from 16 May 1994 to 29 May 1997. Hammond was installed as a matriarchal figure of the Jackson clan but quit the role in 1997, reportedly because she was suffering from nervous exhaustion. She reprised the role on 25 October 2010 for two episodes.
Alan Jackson is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders, played by Howard Antony. He originally appeared between 16 November 1993 and 16 October 1997, and returned on 12 October 2010 for three episodes.
Billie Jackson is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders, played by Devon Anderson from 1993 to 1997, and by Bluey Robinson for a brief return in 2004. The character returned in 2010, along with other members of the Jackson family. It was confirmed in November 2009 that Anderson would reprise the role, 13 years after he was last seen on the soap. He made his return on 4 February 2010. The character was killed off in October 2010, and made his last credited appearance on 14 October.
The Branning family, together with the Jackson family are a fictional extended family in the BBC soap opera EastEnders. Introduced in 1993 were the Jackson family, consisting of Carol Jackson, her partner and later husband Alan Jackson, and Carol's four children, Bianca Jackson, Sonia Jackson, Robbie Jackson, and Billie Jackson ; he is the only child fathered by Alan. The family becomes a more dominating presence in 1999, when Carol's father Jim Branning moves to Walford following the death of his wife Reenie due to cancer. Since then, all six of Jim's children have appeared, many of them with their own families.
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.
Dean Martin Gaffney is an English actor, best known for his role as Robbie Jackson on the BBC soap opera EastEnders from 1993 to 2003 and 2017 to 2019; he also made guest appearances in 2004, 2010 and 2015. In 2006, he competed in the ITV series I'm a Celebrity...Get Me Out of Here! and finished in fifth place.
Wellard is a Belgian Tervuren dog from the BBC soap opera EastEnders. His character first appeared in the series on 18 October 1994, and became EastEnders' longest-serving pet, before being killed off on 15 August 2008. Although the character is male, he has been played primarily by three female dogs: Zenna, her daughter Chancer, and her granddaughter Kyte. A fourth dog briefly served as a replacement for Zenna in 1996, when she was given time off from the show to have a litter of puppies.