Suzy Branning

Last updated

Suzy Branning
EastEnders character
Suzy Branning-08.jpg
Maggie O'Neill as Suzy Branning (2008)
Portrayed byJulie Christian-Young (1996)
Maggie O'Neill (2008)
Duration1996, 2008
First appearanceEpisode 1282
29 April 1996 (1996-04-29)
Last appearanceEpisode 3708
26 December 2008 (2008-12-26)
Classification Former; regular
Introduced by Corinne Hollingworth (1996)
Diederick Santer (2008)
In-universe information
OccupationBeautician
Family Branning
Father Jim Branning
Mother Reenie Branning
Stepmother Dot Cotton
Brothers Derek Branning
Max Branning
Jack Branning
Sisters April Branning
Carol Jackson
HusbandKen
Sons Kevin
Daughters Rebecca
Nephews Joey Branning
Robbie Jackson
Billie Jackson
Bradley Branning
Oscar Branning
Ricky Branning
James Branning
Nieces Alice Branning
Bianca Jackson
Sonia Fowler
Lauren Branning
Abi Branning
Penny Branning
Amy Mitchell
Annie Carter
Other relatives Liam Butcher
Tiffany Butcher
Morgan Butcher
Bex Fowler
Sami Jackson
Charli Slater

Suzy Branning (originally known as Sue) 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 (Steve McFadden) and enters into a rivalry with Phil's other love interest Shirley Carter (Linda Henry). She schemes to con Phil out of his money and after her intentions are discovered, Suzy leaves Walford.

Contents

Storylines

Suzy first appears in 1996 for her sister April Branning's (Debbie Arnold) wedding to her fiancé Nikos (Yorgos Glastras), along with her children, Rebecca (Alice Dawnay) and Kevin (Jamie Dispirito). Nikos jilts April at the altar, so Suzy's other sister Carol Jackson (Lindsey Coulson) and her boyfriend Alan Jackson (Howard Antony) marry instead. After the wedding, Suzy is not heard of until October 2007, when it is revealed she is unable to attend her nephew Bradley Branning's (Charlie Clements) wedding to Stacey Slater (Lacey Turner).

In July 2008, her brother Max Branning (Jake Wood) receives a series of calls from Suzy, asking for financial help. Max arranges for his friend Phil Mitchell (Steve McFadden) to take some money to Suzy at the salon she's looking after for a friend, Tantasy. Suzy presumes that Phil has been sent by her ex-partner, and knocks him out by hitting him around the head with a figurine. After some heavies turn up at the salon, Phil takes her to his home, The Queen Victoria public house, and she thanks him for saving her by sleeping with him. She later returns to see Phil, during Roxy Slater's (Rita Simons) wedding reception. Phil is delighted to see her, and they share a kiss. Phil says she can stay the night. Suzy meets Max, asking him if she can stay with him. She buries something in the allotments and the following day, Patrick Trueman (Rudolph Walker) accuses her of stealing the potatoes he was growing. She assures him she did not, despite looking suspicious.

Suzy takes the spare room at Dot Branning's (June Brown) house and looks after Tanya Branning's (Jo Joyner) salon while she is away. She later asks Phil to dig something up for her, revealed to be a bar of gold. Phil then moves in with Suzy, but his son Ben (Charlie Jones) takes a disliking to her. Phil cheats on Suzy with Shirley Carter (Linda Henry), which Suzy discovers. She tells Phil she is pregnant but it is a lie and she plans to con him out of his money to pay her ex-boyfriend Ahmet (Tamer Hassan). Phil proposes to Suzy who accepts. Shirley and her best friend Heather Trott (Cheryl Fergison) discover that Suzy is still buying tampons and realise she is not pregnant. She lies to Phil that she had a miscarriage. When she reveals that she lied to Phil, they break up. However, Archie Mitchell (Larry Lamb) uses Suzy to plant DNA results in a Christmas cracker, showing that Sean Slater (Robert Kazinsky) is not the father of Roxy's baby. Suzy leaves after insulting the entire Mitchell family, before Sean finds the results. Phil discovers that £10,000 is missing and blames Suzy so he and Shirley go to find her. In The Queen Vic, Shirley trips Suzy and she is knocked out. Shirley takes the money back and when Suzy comes around, she burns it, telling Suzy to get out. Suzy then leaves Walford.

Suzy writes to Phil's mother Peggy (Barbara Windsor) a few months later on a postcard from Dubai telling her she did not need Archie's money after all, but after being found by Danielle Jones (Lauren Crace), Archie is able to dispose of it before Peggy receives it. However a few weeks later Danielle exposes Suzy’s involvement with Archie to the Mitchells at Archie and Peggy’s wedding. Following her father Jim's (John Bardon) death in 2015, Max declared during his eulogy that his sisters hated Jim so much they did not make any effort to attend his funeral. Max leaves Albert Square in February 2018 in order to stay with Suzy following the death of his daughter, Abi Branning (Lorna Fitzgerald).

Creation and development

The character, then referred to as Sue, was seen at the wedding of her sister, April (Debbie Arnold) in 1996, appearing in two episodes, played by Julie Christian-Young. On 23 April 2008, it was announced Suzy will be returning to EastEnders. Maggie O'Neill was cast in the role, taking over from Julie Christian-Young. [1] Suzy was re-introduced as a love interest for established character Phil Mitchell (Steve McFadden) and makes a strong love rival of Shirley Carter (Linda Henry). [1] Of her casting, O'Neill commented: "The Brannings are a great family and I am really excited to become one of them. Suzy is a woman to be reckoned with and I'm looking forward to playing her." [1] Diederick Santer added: "I've long-admired Maggie's work from her outstanding performance in Take Me Home to her hilarious and moving Sheila in Shameless. She's yet another top drawer addition to our wonderful cast." [1] O’Neill made her first appearance as Suzy on 8 July 2008. [2] In an interview with Digital Spy , Santer said that viewers will soon notice that Suzy Branning is never far from her large pink handbag and viewers will always be unsure of its contents. [3]

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Queen Victoria</span> Fictional pub in the television series EastEnders

The Queen Victoria is the Victorian public house in the BBC soap opera, EastEnders. It has the fictional address of 46 Albert Square, Walford, London E20.

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.

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

Darren Miller is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders, played by Charlie G. Hawkins. He made his first appearance on 6 September 2004 and departed in the episode broadcast on 20 September 2011.

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.

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

Jack Branning is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders, played by Scott Maslen. He made his first appearance on 29 October 2007. He is the youngest child of Jim and Reenie Branning and the brother of April Branning, Carol Jackson, Derek Branning, Suzy Branning and Max Branning. The character was introduced to the show during a period when EastEnders was being routinely criticised in the media for its reliance on resurrecting old characters. The casting of Maslen provoked some controversy, being the first time an actor had been poached from one mainstream soap to another. It was quickly established that Jack is a morally ambiguous character with a murky past in the police force resulting in the paralysis of his young daughter, Penny. Tabloid media have praised the character for his role as resident Romeo, commenting frequently on his good looks and attractiveness, although broadsheet press have been more critical of Maslen's acting. On 1 July 2019, Maslen filmed his 1,000th episode as Jack.

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

Rainie Highway is a fictional character from the BBC One soap opera EastEnders, played by Tanya Franks. Introduced as the drug-addicted sister of Tanya Branning, Franks has had three separate guest stints in 2007, 2008 and 2010 and between 12 April and 8 December 2011. Rainie returned on 16 June 2014, when she was revealed as Ian Beale's mystery phone contact, having been with Ian on Good Friday, the night of Lucy Beale's murder but departed again not long after. In January 2015, it was confirmed that Rainie would return for the conclusion of the "Who Killed Lucy Beale?" storyline. Rainie made another guest appearance on 19 January 2018 and returned full-time to the show on 24 April 2018, now married to her former brother-in-law, Max Branning. In June 2022, it was announced that Franks had left the show, with Rainie's final episode airing on 29 June 2022. She reappeared for a brief stint on 23 until 25 August 2022 to coincide with the departure of her husband Stuart Highway.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Vinnie Monks</span> Fictional character

Vinnie Monks is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders, played by comedian Bobby Davro. He made his first appearance on 8 October 2007. It was announced on 19 July 2008 that Davro quit the show to do other projects. He made his final appearance on 1 December 2008.

<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.

"The Secret Mitchell" was a storyline in the BBC soap opera EastEnders, involving the characters of Ronnie Mitchell and Danielle Jones, starting in May 2008 and climaxing on 2 April 2009. It became one of the most dramatic storylines in EastEnders and also impacted on the "Who Killed Archie?" storyline.

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, they have 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 and departed on 8 March 2011. She returned for two episodes in January 2016 and three in May 2016. She made an unannounced return on 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.

"Who Killed Archie?" is a storyline from the BBC soap opera EastEnders. It began on 25 December 2009, Christmas Day, when the character Archie Mitchell, played by Larry Lamb, was murdered by an unseen person. Events leading up to and following the murder put several characters in the frame, in the style of a Whodunit mystery. The culprit was kept a tight secret within the production crew as well, with only seven people knowing the identity of the killer. The murderer was revealed as Stacey Slater during a live episode titled "EastEnders Live", broadcast on 19 February 2010, the show's 25th anniversary. Turner was told thirty minutes before the broadcast that Stacey was the killer, and actors rehearsed several possible endings. Finally, a two-hander episode between Stacey and her ex-lover Max Branning on 26 March 2010 explained how she killed Archie - who had previously been the show's main antagonist prior to the character's death and murder storyline.

<i>EastEnders</i> Live 2010 live episode of EastEnders

"EastEndersLive" is a live episode of the British television soap opera EastEnders, broadcast on BBC One on 19 February 2010. It was also simulcast to Irish viewers on RTÉ One. The episode was commissioned as part of the show's 25th anniversary celebrations, and was the first EastEnders episode to be broadcast live. It was the series' 3,952nd episode, and was written by Simon Ashdown, directed by Clive Arnold and produced by Diederick Santer. The episode concludes a "Whodunit" storyline "Who Killed Archie?", about the murder of Archie Mitchell, revealing his killer to be Stacey Slater. It also sees the exit of Charlie Clements as Stacey's husband Bradley Branning, who dies after falling from the roof of The Queen Victoria public house.

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

DCI Jill Marsden is a fictional character in the BBC soap opera EastEnders, played by Sophie Stanton. She made her first appearance on 5 March 2001 investigating the shooting of Phil Mitchell, which was part of the whodunit storyline "Who Shot Phil?". Marsden returned in 2002, 2003 and 2009. She returned on 5 January 2012 for her third whodunit storyline, "Who's Stalking Phil?", departing four months later on 10 May 2012. Marsden returned for two episodes on 17 August 2012 to conclude the latter storyline. On 16 July 2015, she returned for part of the "Who Killed Lucy Beale?" whodunit storyline.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 Reynolds, Simon (23 April 2008). "'Shameless' actress joins 'EastEnders'". Digital Spy . Hachette Filipacchi UK . Retrieved 22 February 2012.
  2. Director: Michael Owen Morris; Writer: Jeff Povey (8 July 2008). "Episode dated 08/07/2008". EastEnders. BBC. BBC One.
  3. Green, Kris (29 April 2008). "Diederick Santer (Executive Producer, 'EastEnders')". Digital Spy . Hachette Filipacchi UK . Retrieved 22 February 2012.