User:AnemoneProjectors/List of EastEnders episodes (2016)
| EastEnders (2016) | |
|---|---|
 | |
| No. of episodes | 210 |
| Release | |
| Original network | BBC One |
| Original release | 1 January – 30 December 2016 |
| Season chronology | |
EastEnders is a British soap opera, examining the domestic and professional lives of working class people who live in the fictitious London Borough of Walford in the East End of London. The show airs on BBC One and entered its 31st broadcasted year on 1 January 2016 with its 5,202nd episode, with Dominic Treadwell-Collins continuing his role as executive producer. Treadwell-Collins' departure from EastEnders after two-and-a-half years was announced on 18 February 2016, with Sean O'Connor taking over the role in May and being credited from July. In the typical week, EastEnders airs four half-hour episodes in a time slot of 8.00 pm on Mondays and Fridays, and 7.30 pm on Tuesdays and Thursdays. There were 210 episodes in 2016.
Storylines in 2016 included Stacey Branning (Lacey Turner) suffering from postpartum psychosis, Lucas Johnson's (Don Gilet) prison escape attempt, Abi Branning's (Lorna Fitzgerald) fake pregnancy, Linda Carter (Kellie Bright) and Mick Carter's (Danny Dyer) baby son Ollie Carter suffering a head injury, Ronnie Mitchell (Samantha Womack) being stalked by Andy Flynn (Jack Derges), Jay Brown (Jamie Borthwick) discovering his girlfriend Linzi Bragg (Amy-Leigh Hickman) is underage and becoming a registered sex offender, Babe Smith (Annette Badland) blackmailing Les Coker (Roger Sloman) over his crossdressing, Peggy Mitchell's (Barbara Windsor) return and suicide, the death of Paul Coker (Jonny Labey) following a homophobic attack, Phil Mitchell (Steve McFadden) alcohol relapse and later cirrhosis, and Lee Carter's (Danny-Boy Hatchard) depression and attempted suicide.
Two new regular cast members playing new characters were introduced in 2016: Derges (Andy Flynn), who left in the same year at the end of his storyline, and Shaheen Jafargholi (Shakil Kazemi). Guest actors portraying new characters included Leon Lopez (Linford Short), Amy-Leigh Hickman (Linzi Bragg), Denise Welch (Alison Slater), Gary Webster (Neville Peacock) and Ned Porteous (Mark Fowler). Aaron Sidwell (Steven Beale) was the only cast member to return on a regular basis in 2016, while there were guest stints for former regular cast members Glynis Barber (Glenda Mitchell), Gilet (Lucas Johnson), Derek Martin (Charlie Slater), Windsor (Peggy Mitchell), Neil McDermott (Ryan Malloy), Janet Dibley (Lorna Cartwright), Ross Kemp (Grant Mitchell), Pam St. Clement (Pat Butcher), Danniella Westbrook (Sam Mitchell), John Partridge (Christian Clarke), Lynda Baron (Linda Clarke), Michael Cashmore (Colin Russell), Ian Lavender (Derek Harkinson), Heather Trott (Cheryl Fergison, voice only) and Danny Mitchell (Liam Bergin), and former recurring cast members Maisie Smith (Tiffany Butcher) and Devon Higgs (Morgan Butcher). Characters that returned in 2016 with new actors were Belinda Peacock (Carli Norris), Louise Mitchell (Tilly Keeper), Jordan Johnson (Joivan Wade), Johnny Carter (Ted Reilly), Courtney Mitchell (Alice Nokes) and Michelle Fowler (Jenna Russell). Departing regular cast included Jessie Wallace (Kat Moon), Shane Richie (Alfie Moon), Rakhee Thakrar (Shabnam Masood), Matt Di Angelo (Dean Wicks), Maddy Hill (Nancy Carter), Himesh Patel (Tamwar Masood), Labey (Paul Coker), Karl Howman (Buster Briggs), Lin Blakley (Pam Coker), Sloman (Les Coker), Derges (Andy Flynn), Nitin Ganatra (Masood Ahmed), Ellen Thomas (Claudette Hubbard) and Riley Carter Millington (Kyle Slater). Natalie Cassidy (Sonia Fowler) and Kellie Bright (Linda Carter) also made temporary on-screen departures after taking maternity leave, while Jake Wood (Max Branning) returned following a temporary break.
Cast and characters[edit]
On 17 December 2015, Treadwell-Collins said there would be "some big returns" of characters in 2016. On 18 October 2015, it was announced that Derek Martin, who played Charlie Slater regularly from 2000 until 2011, would return to the role.[1] He returned for five episodes in January[2] and was killed off in a "tearjerker" storyline.[3] On 16 December 2015, it was announced that the character of Louise Mitchell, daughter of Phil Mitchell (Steve McFadden), would return to the series, with the part recast to Tilly Keeper.[4] The next day, it was reported that Glenda Mitchell, played by Glynis Barber, would return for the two episodes on New Year's Day.[5] On 20 December 2015, the return of Belinda Peacock was announced, with the part recast to Carli Norris.[6] The second episode broadcast on 1 January features a surprise return appearance of Lucas Johnson, played by Don Gilet,[7] and on 9 January, it was announced that Lucas's son, Jordan Johnson, would return, with the part recast to Joivan Wade.[8] The next day it was confirmed that Gilet would return as Lucas later in the year.[9] Barbara Windsor made an unannounced return to the show as Peggy Mitchell in the episode broadcast on 15 January, and it was subsequently announced that the character would be killed off later in the year.[10] Three days later, it was confirmed that Ross Kemp would return as Peggy's son Grant Mitchell for her death.[11] The episode of 22 January featured the unannounced return of Neil McDermott in the role of Ryan Malloy, confirmed to be a "brief" return.[12] However, on 20 July 2016, it was reported that McDermott had returned to filming and would return to screens in September.[13]
On 6 February 2016, it was confirmed that the character of Johnny Carter would return, with the part to be recast after Sam Strike left the role in 2014.[14] Subsequently, it was announced that Ted Reilly would take over the role.[15] On 27 February 2016, the return of Peggy's daughter, Sam Mitchell, played by Danniella Westbrook, was confirmed for "a few" episodes, for Peggy's funeral.[16] Janet Dibley also returned to the cast as Lorna Cartwright, 18 years since she departed, in the episode broadcast on 17 March.[17] On 23 March 2016, it was reported that Pam St. Clement would return to the role of Pat Butcher, said to be Peggy's hallucination as the character was killed off in 2012;[18] though no official announcement was made, Pat appeared as a hallucination in the episode shown on 17 May 2016 in which Peggy dies.[19] Returns for Christian Clarke (John Partridge) and Linda Clarke (Lynda Baron), brother and mother respectively of Jane Beale (Laurie Brett), were confirmed on 8 April 2016.[20] Jacqueline Jossa (Lauren Branning) returned to filming after taking maternity leave in 2015, and Jake Wood (Max Branning) also returned following a break from the series.[21][22] The return of Aaron Sidwell in his role of Steven Beale was announced on 2 May 2016.[23] On 4 August 2016, Grant's daughter Courtney Mitchell made an unannounced appearance, with the part recast to Alice Nokes.[24]
A two-episode return for Michael Cashman in the role of Colin Russell, last seen on screen in 1989, was announced on 25 August, making him the first character to be brought back by executive producer Sean O'Connor.[25] Maisie Smith and Devon Higgs made unannounced temporary returns to their roles of Tiffany Butcher and Morgan Butcher in the episode shown on 3 November,[26] and the next day, a brief return for Ian Lavender as Derek Harkinson, who left in 2005, was confirmed for the Christmas period.[27] O'Connor also brought back original character Michelle Fowler, recast to Jenna Russell after original actress Susan Tully retired from acting.[28][29] The character of Heather Trott, played by Cheryl Fergison, also returned for a single episode, though Fergison only provided a voiceover as the character was killed off in 2012.[30] Glenda Mitchell (Glynis Barber) made her second return guest return of 2016, this time unannounced, in the final episode of the year, along with her on-screen son, Danny Mitchell (Liam Bergin).[31]
The first new character to be announced was Linford Short, a foster son of Claudette Hubbard (Ellen Thomas), played by Leon Lopez, who would be appearing in a guest role.[32] Amy-Leigh Hickman joined the series in a recurring role as Linzi Bragg,[33] and a guest role for Denise Welch as Alison Slater, mother of Kyle Slater (Riley Carter Millington), was announced on 24 March.[34] The first new regular character announced was for Welsh singer Shaheen Jafargholi, playing Shakil Kazemi, 15-year-old son of Carmel Kazemi (Bonnie Langford) and brother of Kush Kazemi (Davood Ghadami).[35] A guest role for Gary Webster as Neville Peacock was announced on 2 May.[36] Ned Porteous joined the cast for a short stint, with an unannounced arrival on 11 August, as the character Mark Fowler, son of Michelle Fowler and Grant Mitchell.[37]
The first regular characters to leave the cast in 2016 were Alfie Moon (Shane Richie) and Kat Moon (Jessie Wallace); on 20 January, actor Richie confirmed that they would leave their roles that month to appear in a six-part spin-off, Redwater, but did not think they would then return to EastEnders.[38] Shabnam Masood, played by Rakhee Thakrar, made a previously unannounced departure on 5 February 2016.[39] Dean Wicks, played by Matt Di Angelo, made his last appearance on 5 February after his departure was announced on 22 October 2015.[40][41] Departures for Maddy Hill (Nancy Carter) and Himesh Patel (Tamwar Masood) were announced on 12 March 2016;[42] they left together on 22 April.[43] Jonny Labey's "explosive" departure from his role as Paul Coker was announced on 19 April;[44] the character was killed off and made a final appearance on 8 September.[45] Andy Flynn (Jack Derges), who joined the show in 2016, departed on 8 August, at the conclusion of the storyline that the character was created for.[46][47] On 26 July it was confirmed that Karl Howman had already filmed his exit as Buster Briggs.[48]
The first characters to leave under O'Connor's decision were husband and wife Les Coker (Roger Sloman) and Pam Coker (Lin Blakley), when it was decided their storyline had run its course.[49] Nitin Ganatra's decision to leave after nine years playing Masood Ahmed was announced on 2 September 2016.[50] The latter part of the year also saw temporary departures for actresses Natalie Cassidy and Kellie Bright, who play Sonia Fowler and Linda Carter respectively, as both took maternity leave.[51][52] A departure for the character Claudette Hubbard, played by Ellen Thomas, was announced on 13 September 2016,[53] though Thomas confirmed it was a termporary story break.[54] The departure of Riley Carter Millington in his role as Kyle Slater was announced on 14 September when it was said his storylines had come to a "natural end".[55] Norris made an unannounced departure from her role as Belinda Peacock in the episode shown on 11 November.[56]
The following is a full list of the EastEnders 2016 cast, followed by their respective episode count out of 210 total episodes.[57]
Regular cast[edit]
- Danny-Boy Hatchard as Lee Carter (142 episodes)
- Danny Dyer as Mick Carter (141 episodes)
- Gillian Taylforth as Kathy Sullivan[α] (137 episodes)
- Kellie Bright as Linda Carter (136 episodes)
- James Bye as Martin Fowler (135 episodes)
- Harry Reid as Ben Mitchell (135 episodes)
- Letitia Dean as Sharon Mitchell (130 episodes)
- Shona McGarty as Whitney Dean[β] (130 episodes)
- Lacey Turner as Stacey Branning[γ] (124 episodes)
- Diane Parish as Denise Fox (123 episodes)
- Steve McFadden as Phil Mitchell (119 episodes)
- Davood Ghadami as Kush Kazemi (118 episodes)
- Lisa Hammond as Donna Yates (115 episodes)
- Bonnie Langford as Carmel Kazemi (114 episodes)
- Samantha Womack as Ronnie Mitchell (111 episodes)
- Adam Woodyatt as Ian Beale (108 episodes)
- Annette Badland as Babe Smith (106 episodes)[δ]
- Linda Henry as Shirley Carter (104 episodes)
- Perry Fenwick as Billy Mitchell (102 episodes)
- Luisa Bradshaw-White as Tina Carter (101 episodes)
- Jamie Borthwick as Jay Brown (100 episodes)[ε]
- Scott Maslen as Jack Branning (99 episodes)
- Emma Barton as Honey Mitchell (95 episodes)
- Jasmine Armfield as Rebecca "Bex" Fowler (93 episodes)
- Tilly Keeper as Louise Mitchell (93 episodes)
- Laurie Brett as Jane Beale (91 episodes)
- Ted Reilly as Johnny Carter (89 episodes)
- Rudolph Walker as Patrick Trueman (89 episodes)[ζ]
- Tameka Empson as Kim Fox-Hubbard (87 episodes)
- Lin Blakley as Pam Coker (85 episodes)
- Rita Simons as Roxy Mitchell (80 episodes)
- Lorna Fitzgerald as Abi Branning (78 episodes)[η]
- Karl Howman as Buster Briggs (76 episodes)
- Richard Blackwood as Vincent Hubbard (75 episodes)
- Nitin Ganatra as Masood Ahmed (75 episodes)
- Natalie Cassidy as Sonia Fowler (74 episodes)
- Roger Sloman as Les Coker (73 episodes)
- Riley Carter Millington as Kyle Slater (67 episodes)
- June Brown as Dot Branning (65 episodes)
- Jacqueline Jossa as Lauren Branning (65 episodes)
- Jonny Labey as Paul Coker (62 episodes)[θ]
- Ellen Thomas as Claudette Hubbard (62 episodes)
- Shaheen Jafargholi as Shakil Kazemi (61 episodes)
- Aaron Sidwell as Steven Beale (58 episodes)[ι]
- Maddy Hill as Nancy Carter (56 episodes)
- Carli Norris as Belinda Peacock (49 episodes)
- Jack Derges as Andy Flynn (35 episodes)
- Himesh Patel as Tamwar Masood (33 episodes)
- Linda Marlowe as Sylvie Carter (27 episodes)
- Paul Nicholas as Gavin Sullivan (15 episodes)
- Rakhee Thakrar as Shabnam Masood[κ] (15 episodes)
- Jessie Wallace as Kat Moon (14 episodes)
- Shane Richie as Alfie Moon (13 episodes)
- Laila Morse as Mo Harris (10 episodes)
- Jake Wood as Max Branning (7 episodes)[λ]
- Matt Di Angelo as Dean Wicks (5 episodes)
- Jenna Russell as Michelle Fowler (5 episodes)
- Maria Friedman as Elaine Peacock (3 episodes)
Recurring and guest cast[edit]
- Bleu Landau as Dennis Rickman (51 episodes)
- Aine Garvey as Lily Branning[μ] (50 episodes)[ν]
- Abbie Knowles as Amy Mitchell (48 episodes)
- Freddie Phillips as Will Mitchell (36 episodes)
- Henri Charles as Ricky Mitchell (35 episodes)
- Arian Chikhlia as Kamil Masood (25 episodes)
- Grace as Janet Mitchell (25 episodes)
- Eliot Carrington as Bobby Beale (20 episodes)
- Ian Lavender as Derek Harkinson[ξ] (17 episodes)
- Belinda Owusu as Libby Fox[ξ] (17 episodes)
- Amy-Leigh Hickman as Linzi Bragg (16 episodes)
- Zayden Kareem as JJ Johnson (14 episodes)
- Alice Nokes as Courtney Mitchell (13 episodes)
- Ned Porteous as Mark Fowler (13 episodes)
- Joivan Wade as Jordan Johnson (13 episodes)
- Ross Kemp as Grant Mitchell[ξ] (12 episodes)
- Sian Webber as Ritchie Scott (12 episodes)
- Emmanuella Cole as Eve Igwe (11 episodes)
- Noah Maxwell-Clarke as Osman "Oz" Bolat (11 episodes)
- Poppy Rush as Sophie Dodd (11 episodes)
- Jade Williams as Nurse Anya Barowski (11 episodes)
- Amaya Edward as Jade Green (10 episodes)
- Shay Crotty as Tommy Moon (8 episodes)
- Martina Laird as DC Angie Rice (8 episodes)
- Lorraine Stanley as Thelma Bragg (8 episodes)
- Tristam Summers as Tom Pepper (8 episodes)
- Barbara Windsor as Peggy Mitchell[ξ] (8 episodes)[ο]
- Ben Champniss as Shrimpy (7 episodes)[π]
- Don Gilet as Lucas Johnson[ξ] (7 episodes)
- Leon Lopez as Linford Short (7 episodes)
- Neil McDermott as Ryan Malloy[ξ] (7 episodes)
- Gwyneth Strong as Geraldine Clough (7 episodes)
- Glynis Barber as Glenda Mitchell[ξ] (6 episodes)
- Lynda Baron as Linda Clarke[ξ] (6 episodes)
- Silas Carson as Haroon Zaman (6 episodes)
- Tom Palmer as Simon Atmore (6 episodes)
- Charlie Baker as Tim Reynolds (5 episodes)
- Rachel Bavidge as Dr Natasha Black (5 episodes)
- Derek Martin as Charlie Slater[ξ] (5 episodes)
- Christopher Dane as Jørgen Christensen (4 episodes)
- Jan Harvey as Margaret Midhurst (4 episodes)
- Tom Holloway as Tom Eden (4 episodes)
- Mia Jenkins as Hannah Reynolds (4 episodes)
- Anna Karen as Aunt Sal (4 episodes)
- Alison Newman as DI Samantha Keeble (4 episodes)
- Bailey Patrick as Mike Rendon (4 episodes)
- Carolyn Pickles as Dr Delia Forde (4 episodes)
- Leon Tennant as Frankie Byrne (4 episodes)
- Glen Wallace as DS Cameron Bryant (4 episodes)
- Chris Waller as Neil Crossley (4 episodes)
- Gary Webster as Neville Peacock (4 episodes)
- Danniella Westbrook as Sam Mitchell[ξ] (4 episodes)
- Ross Anthony-McCormack as Connor Parry (3 episodes)
- Daniel Attwell as Keith Howard (3 episodes)
- Emmanuelle Bouaziz as Delphine Rousseau (3 episodes)
- Janet Dibley as Lorna Cartwright[ξ] (3 episodes)
- Hazel Ellerby as Diane Atmore (3 episodes)
- Tommy French as Sid Yexley (3 episodes)
- Sam Gittins as Moose (3 episodes)
- Aneirin Hughes as Andy Jones (3 episodes)
- Michael Keating as The Reverend Mr Stevens (3 episodes)
- Daniel Llewelyn-Williams as Dr Rhys Thomas (3 episodes)
- Simon Lowe as Derek Evans (3 episodes)
- Tony O'Callaghan as Ollie Walters (3 episodes)
- John Partridge as Christian Clarke[ξ] (3 episodes)
- Gillian Wright as Jean Walters[ξ] (3 episodes)
- Jack Bence as Beanbag (2 episodes)
- Emily Bowker as Jemima Benjamin (2 episodes)
- Criselda Cabitac as Nurse Rosie Riviera (2 episodes)
- Michael Cashman as Colin Russell[ξ] (2 episodes)
- Helen Cotterill as Miriam Crabbe (2 episodes)
- Victor Gardener as DC Fred Cole (2 episodes)
- Ian Gelder as Dr Adam Gorman (2 episodes)
- Raj Ghatak as Dr Vikram Suresh (2 episodes)
- Devon Higgs as Morgan Butcher (2 episodes)
- Cameron Jack as Estate Agent Rob (2 episodes)
- Emily Joyce as Dr Janice May (2 episodes)
- Amy Marston as Jenny Rawlinson (2 episodes)
- Sandy McDade as Sister Judith (2 episodes)
- Shanaya Rafaat as Dr Avizeh Faraji (2 episodes)
- Sally Rogers as Karen Beckworth (2 episodes)
- Tallulah Sheffield as Laura Crowe (2 episodes)
- Kevin Shen as Eddie Tsang (2 episodes)
- Sadie Shimmin as Hilary Taylor (2 episodes)
- Maisie Smith as Tiffany Butcher (2 episodes)
- Paul Stocker as DS Howard South (2 episodes)
- June Whitfield as Sister Ruth (2 episodes)
- David Ajao as Craig Washington (1 episode)
- Zee Asha as Maggie O'Shea (1 episode)
- Mark Bagnall as Harry Beckett (1 episode)
- Liam Bergin as Danny Mitchell[ξ] (1 episode)
- Gareth Berliner as Ozzy Fletcher (1 episode)
- Julian Bird as Clive Morris (1 episode)
- Sophia Brown as Amelle Ellington (1 episode)
- Tim Chipping as Geoff Golightly (1 episode)
- Elly Condron as Jill Hanson (1 episode)
- Cheryl Fergison as Heather Trott[ξ] (1 episode)
- Andy Gillies as Stuart Ashe (1 episode)
- Nicholas Goh as Mr Henry Chen (1 episode)
- Cate Hamer as Dr Leah Goldberg (1 episode)
- Lesley Harcourt as Katie Wagstaff (1 episode)
- Jenny Howe as Judge Harriet Steele (1 episode)
- Ian Hughes as Dr Glen Mander (1 episode)
- Gina Issac as Dr Melissa Keyes (1 episode)
- Helen Keeley as Sammy Broomhill (1 episode)
- Michael Leader as Michael (1 episode)[ρ]
- Harry Neale as Jimmy Summers (1 episode)
- Ben Onwukwe as Dessie Dunn (1 episode)
- David Paisley as Tom Edwards (1 episode)
- Krupa Pattani as Dr Anjali Mitra (1 episode)
- Gary Pillai as DC Dev Bansal (1 episode)
- Pam St. Clement as Pat Butcher[ξ] (1 episode)[σ]
- Denise Welch as Alison Slater (1 episode)
- Luke Williams as PC Julian Walsh (1 episode)
- Natasha Williams as Nurse Rowan Kennedy (1 episode)
- Nick Wilton as Mr Lister (1 episode)
- Rhys Yates as Rodney Bragg (1 episode)
- Arayah as Pearl Fox-Hubbard (unknown episodes)[τ]
- Freddie and Stanley Beale as Bert and Ernie Moon (unknown episodes)[τ]
- Hot Lips as Lady Di (unknown episodes)[υ]
- Jack, and Charlie Harrington as Ollie Carter[φ] (unknown episodes)[τ]
- Zack Karbritz as Matthew Mitchell Cotton (unknown episodes)[τ]
- Oscar Winehouse as Louie Beale (unknown episodes)[τ]
- Unknown as Arthur Fowler (unknown episodes)[τ]
List of episodes[edit]
During 2016, EastEnders typically aired four half-hour episodes each week in a time slot of 8.00 pm on Mondays and Fridays, and 7.30 pm on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Each episode was repeated the same evening on BBC Three, until 15 February when the channel was discontinued as a television service. The relaunched channel W then took over the same-day repeats, and brought back the weekly omnibus edition on Sundays.[58] Until episodes shown in July, each episode was executively produced by Dominic Treadwell-Collins, whose departure from EastEnders after two-and-a-half years was announced on 18 February 2016. Sean O'Connor, former EastEnders series story producer and then-editor on radio soap opera The Archers, was announced to be taking over the role.[59] Treadwell-Collins left on 6 May[60] and O'Connor's first credited episode was broadcast on 11 July, though due to the scripts and storylines being produced in advance, O'Connor's own creative work was not seen on screen until September.[61]
All official ratings cover a period of 28 days from the original broadcast, and are taken from the Broadcasters' Audience Research Board (BARB).[62] Airdates, credits, running times and episode summaries are taken from episodes, the official EastEnders website[57] and BBC programme schedules.[63] Episode numbers are taken from Radio Times.[64]
January[edit]
The New Year focuses on the wedding of Mick Carter (Danny Dyer) and Linda Carter (Kellie Bright), and the continuing aftermath of Linda's rape by Dean Wicks (Matt Di Angelo), and events within the Slater family. On 27 September 2015, it was revealed that Dyer would be wearing a wetsuit for scenes broadcast on New Year's Day, and executive producer Dominic Treadwell-Collins confirmed there would be "a big resolution" in the episode.[65] The scenes were filmed at the Underwater Stage at Pinewood Studios and on location in a lake at Bricket Wood, Hertfordshire.[66] On 7 December 2015, it was announced that Stacey Branning (Lacey Turner) would give birth at Christmas 2015 and would suffer from postpartum psychosis, a storyline that would continue into "the beginning of 2016 as we explore Stacey's bipolar disorder and its effects on her and those closest to her."[67] Derek Martin returned as Kat Moon's (Jessie Wallace) father, Charlie Slater,[2] and June Whitfield returned as Sister Ruth,[68] who tells Kat that her daughter Zoe Slater (Michelle Ryan) is actually a twin and Kat has a son she does not know about, events which lead to Charlie's death of a sudden heart attack[2] and Kat and Alfie's departures. January's storylines also see Phil Mitchell (Steve McFadden) continue his battle with cirrhosis due to his alcoholism,[69] and Whitney Dean (Shona McGarty) developing an infatuation with Mick, the father of her boyfriend Lee Carter (Danny-Boy Hatchard).[70]
| # | No. in year | Original air date | Running time | Directed by | Written by | Viewers (millions) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5202 | 1 | 30 minutes | Toby Frow | Anya Reiss | 8.09 | ||
|
On Mick and Linda's wedding day, their son Lee is missing; when Mick and Lee's girlfriend Whitney find him, Whitney says she did not mean it when she previously said she wanted to end their relationship, and they hug. Mick's brother Dean arrives at the wedding venue, and his mother Shirley tells him not to ruin it for them, but he says he is there for her, because she tried to drown him after discovering he is a rapist. They argue by the side of a lake where she attempts to call the police, but when Mick sees them, Dean jumps in the lake, taking Shirley with him. Meanwhile, Roxy decides to leave the country following Dean's attempted rape, but her mother Glenda and sister Ronnie try to convince her to stay, and Denise receives a visiting order for her former husband Lucas, who is in prison. Broadcast at 6.30 pm.[71] | |||||||
| 5203 | 2 | 30 minutes | Toby Frow | Anya Reiss | 9.47 | ||
|
Mick jumps in the lake to save Shirley and fights with Dean, punching him until he is unconscious. Shirley and Mick get out but Mick goes back and pulls Dean's body from the water, managing to resuscitate him. Dean is then arrested for the attempted rape of Roxy. Shirley convinces Mick and Linda to continue with the wedding, and they get married. Meanwhile, Roxy tells Ronnie that Ronnie controls her and Roxy needs to be alone, so she leaves. Jack takes his and Roxy's daughter Amy away from Walford, saying they will return soon. Ronnie tells Glenda the feud with the Hubbards is over Phil's father Eric killing Vincent's father Henry 34 years ago, but Glenda says Eric was drunk that night so it is a lie. Denise changes her mind about visiting Lucas, but he calls her from the prison, confused as she said she needed to talk to him, but she says not to contact her again. Broadcast at 8.00 pm.[71] The episode ends with the song "Being Alive" played over the credits, performed by the wedding singer (played by Alice Fearn), and instead of the usual credits, a list of everyone involved in the making of EastEnders in 2015 is shown, plus a dedication to Paul James and Annie Wood. | |||||||
| 5204 | 3 | 30 minutes | David Moor | Leo Richardson | 8.32 | ||
|
Charlie and Mo visit their relatives Kat and Stacey; Stacey registers her son Arthur's birth, leaving the father's name blank. Kat realises from this that Stacey's partner Martin is not his father and urges Stacey to tell the truth. Kat meets Sister Judith to make a donation to the nun's care home, and Judith tells Stacey that Arthur is "an angel". Kyle arrives in Walford and when he finds Stacey, he reveals he is her brother. Alfie agrees to have a brain scan, following the discovery of a mass last year. Shirley and her partner Buster visit their son Dean in prison and tell him they want nothing to do with him and to stay away from his daughter Jade; Buster says he has friends in prison and threatens to make Dean's life hell. Ronnie tells Claudette she knows the truth about Henry, so Claudette tells her son Vincent their feud with the Mitchells is over as it will not change anything. | |||||||
| 5205 | 4 | 30 minutes | David Moor | Daran Little | 8.12 | ||
|
Kyle and Stacey talk but she lies to Martin about who he is. Stacey is upset when Kyle talks about his memories of their father, Brian, because her memories no longer feel special, but ultimately she is glad to have met him. Sister Ruth visits Kat and tells her that her daughter Zoe is a twin and she gave birth to a son that she does not know about—Kat's mother did not want to look after him so he was adopted in Ireland. Ruth says that someone else in her family knows; Kat realises it is either her father, Charlie, or grandmother, Mo. Kyle and Stacey continue to talk but afterwards, he tells his friend Sophie that Stacey seems strange and that he does not want her to know his secret. When Stacey overhears Kat saying her baby was stolen, she becomes paranoid and takes Arthur away in a taxi, saying she will keep him safe. | |||||||
| 5206 | 5 | 30 minutes | David Moor | Sumerah Srivastav | 7.35 | ||
|
Ruth confirms to Kat who knew about her son; Kat confronts Mo, while Charlie denies any knowledge, but urges Mo to tell the truth. Mo reveals Kat's mother, Viv, did not want the boy in case he grew up to be like his father, Kat's rapist uncle Harry (Michael Elphick). Meanwhile, Stacey takes Arthur to the church, where Dot tells her about the Massacre of the Innocents; fearing Arthur is in danger, Stacey tells Dot and Reverend Stevens she needs him baptised immediately, but after Stacey has a vision of her father, she leaves when other people arrive. At home, Kat tells Stacey not to trust Mo with Arthur, so Stacey panics, but Charlie then collapses from a heart attack. Also, Shabnam discovers she is unlikely to be able to have another child, so Shirley lets her spend more time with Jade, her daughter. Broadcast on Wednesday at 8.00 pm.[72] | |||||||
| 5207 | 6 | 30 minutes | David Moor | Lauren Klee | 8.28 | ||
|
Kat realises Charlie is having a heart attack so tells Stacey to find Martin; while looking for him, Carmel tries to touch Arthur so Stacey goes to Dot's, where she tells her Arthur is the son of God. Stacey attempts to baptise Arthur in the sink to protect him, but Dot (who has brought Kush back) tells her it does not count, so Stacey leaves. Charlie tells Kat to find her son and to help Stacey find her sister, Sarah—she does not have a brother called Kyle. Kat forgives Charlie for everything just before he dies. Kush arrives and says Stacey is acting strangely, so he and Martin decide to look for her, but Kat says she may have discovered Kyle is lying. Stacey hides in a shed, and calls Kyle as the only person she can trust. Meanwhile, Alfie tells Phil his results are all clear. "Julia's Theme" plays up to the end credits, over the scene of Kat saying goodbye to Charlie. | |||||||
| 5208 | 7 | 30 minutes | David Moor | Lauren Klee | 7.41 | ||
|
Kyle takes Stacey to a café, where she tells him they should go away together. He is concerned when she says Brian talks to her and that Arthur needs protecting from King Herod, so when she goes to the toilets, Kyle calls Martin, but Martin accuses him of being fake, telling Stacey this when she takes the phone. Stacey accuses Kyle of being the devil and flees. Martin then realises it is all down to Stacey's bipolar disorder. Stacey gets a taxi, where she sees Charlie as the driver, who convinces her to return to Albert Square, but there, she climbs to the roof of The Queen Victoria (The Vic) pub, so Arthur can be closer to God when he comes for him. Meanwhile, Alfie tells Phil he lied and needs an operation, and Phil admits he has cirrhosis. Also, Shabnam overhears her husband Kush talking about Arthur being his son to his mother Carmel. Broadcast at 8.30 pm.[73] There was no episode on 8 January due to coverage of the 2015–16 FA Cup.[74] | |||||||
| 5209 | 8 | 30 minutes | Michael Owen Morris | Andrew Rattenbury | 8.05 | ||
|
Stacey is found by Martin, and she explains that Arthur is the son of God and He is going to take him to protect him from demons. Martin convinces Stacey that God sent him to protect them, and talks her down from the roof, and she believes that Charlie died so he could help God; Martin promises Stacey he will protect Arthur. Shabnam is upset and angry, but Kush says he will never put his child ahead of their relationship. Alfie is about to tell his wife, Kat, about his brain mass when they are interrupted by her sister Belinda, accusing Kat of killing Charlie. Meanwhile, Kyle leaves, telling his friends that things are more complicated than he expected, and Phil tells Shirley that he was driving the car that crashed, causing his stepson Dennis's injuries at Christmas. | |||||||
| 5210 | 9 | 30 minutes | Michael Owen Morris | Daran Little | 8.18 | ||
|
Carmel tells Kush to fight for Shabnam, so he explains that his one-night stand with Stacey was when they were both single, but he is willing to move away so Martin can be Arthur's father; Shabnam says Kush should be with Stacey and decides to pack her things and leave. Kat and Belinda argue and Alfie defends Kat; later Kat tells Alfie she found out she has another son and Alfie says he was a tumour but it is benign; Kat fears he will die. Stacey tells Martin they need to prepare for the Devil's return, and she is scared when Martin leaves, so when he comes back she tells him not to leave again. Dennis has an MRSA infection in hospital, and when his mother, Sharon, says she will never forgive Ian, Phil admits that he was driving, not Ian. | |||||||
| 5211 | 10 | 30 minutes | Michael Owen Morris | Daran Little | 7.63 | ||
|
Shabnam and Kush talk: they love each other and she will not leave; she tears up a photo of her and Stacey and tells Kush that he has to be a father to Arthur and they will tell Martin the truth. A lonely Carmel visits Masood for comfort, leading to a kiss and sex. Ian confirms to Sharon that he not was driving, but was just trying to protect his son Bobby from being investigated for killing his sister Lucy Beale (Hetti Bywater). At home, Sharon tells her husband Phil she is leaving him because of all the lies he has told, and she blames herself for letting him drink. He says he can give up alcohol but cannot give up Sharon, promising to stop doing deals, and that she cannot leave him because he is dying. Sharon refuses to believe this, and leaves after telling Ben, Jay and Abi what has happened. Ben then sees Phil, his father, driving off in a car from the car lot, and shouts at him to make sure he kills himself. | |||||||
| 5212 | 11 | 30 minutes | Michael Owen Morris | Rob Gittins | 7.49 | ||
|
Phil has been sleeping in his car and decides to find his daughter, Louise. Drunk, he goes to his aunt Sal's house, where his mother Peggy is, but she does not speak to him. He says he wanted to tell her something else, but just asks for Louise's address. He finds a school photo, and then Peggy says her cancer has returned and she is dying. Phil tells her he is also dying, but she has shut herself in a room with the television volume so high that she cannot hear him. Phil then goes to Louise's school and gives her a bag of cash, but she rejects him until he collapses in pain. Meanwhile, Gavin visits Sharon, his daughter, but she tells him to leave as she does not want liars in her life, but he says he has never lied to her and asks her and Dennis to live with him abroad. | |||||||
| 5213 | 12 | 30 minutes | Karl Neilson | Natalie Mitchell | 7.95 | ||
|
Louise arrives in Walford to tell Sharon that Phil is in hospital; she does not believe it at first but when she, Shirley and Kathy go to the hospital, they find out it is true but Phil has discharged himself. He is in The Vic, where he insults Lee and Ben and hits Kathy in the face. Sharon tells him to drink himself to death, and then calls Gavin, accepting his offer. Patrick urges Les to try to get his estranged wife Pam back, and Babe thinks Patrick has taken a liking to her but it is actually Claudette he likes. Mo tells Kat she is not welcome at Charlie's funeral, but Stacey tells her to make sure she goes, which she promises to do. Martin tells Sonia that Stacey is unwell, and thinks Arthur is the son of God. | |||||||
| 5214 | 13 | 30 minutes | Karl Neilson | Richard Davidson | 6.30 | ||
|
On the day of Charlie's funeral, Stacey expects to receive a message from God at the church, but does not go because Kyle has returned, hoping to tell Stacey the truth, and she fears Martin will give Arthur to him. Kat convinces Stacey they will be safe in the pub, but when Stacey's mother Jean and her husband Ollie arrive, Jean gives Arthur to Martin and Kyle comes in, so Stacey tells everyone that he is the devil. Kat and Belinda make amends, apologising for everything that has happened over the years. Meanwhile, Shirley tells Buster they have to do something to help Phil but Buster says Phil does not care about anyone, Babe is humiliated when she realises Patrick likes Claudette, and Pam and Les admit they miss each other but she leaves when he goes to hold her hand. | |||||||
| 5215 | 14 | 30 minutes | Karl Neilson | Richard Davidson | 7.66 | ||
|
Kyle is frustrated when Martin says he will call the police if he does not leave, and Kat realises Jean knows who Kyle is. Stacey hides at Kush and Shabnam's home, where Martin convinces her to trust him again, and in a lucid moment, Stacey asks if she is ill. Martin says the only safe place is a hospital, knowing this is the only way to get her any professional help, but Jean is angry that Martin has promised Stacey that she can stay with Arthur while she is there. Kat tells Belinda about her son and Belinda recalls a trip to the village of Redwater in Ireland, where their mother apparently met a couple with a son; Kat tells Alfie this. Paul is upset when Ben plans to move with his girlfriend Abi, and is is apparent that Paul has strong romantic feelings towards Ben. Claudette flirts with Patrick. | |||||||
| 5216 | 15 | 30 minutes | Karl Neilson | Richard Davidson | 7.63 | ||
|
Stacey is assessed in hospital by Dr Delia Forde, nurse Eve Igwe and consultant Mr Henry Chen, who agree she must be sectioned after she fails to voluntarily admit herself when she is told Arthur cannot stay with her. Dr Forde then realises Stacey may be suffering from postpartum psychosis, due to the circumstances of her delusions. Separated from her children, Stacey asks God to look after them, while Whitney calls on her brother—and Stacey's daughter Lily's father—Ryan, to look after her. Kat looks up information about Redwater, but later tells Alfie she has everything she needs there, though Alfie says her children will want her in their lives. Paul tells his grandparents Pam and Les he is in love with Ben, so Les encourages him to tell Ben this; he does so and tells Ben to decide who it is he wants to be with. Pam and Les admit they still love each other but Pam is not ready to take Les back after splitting the previous year. | |||||||
| 5217 | 16 | 30 minutes | Penelope Shales | Julia Honour[χ] | 7.92 | ||
|
Martin visits Stacey, though he worries about how she might react, but she is sedated and does not speak, and he vows to help her be with Arthur. Whitney asks Ryan not to tell Lily he is her father, and he promises not to but later Martin finds him in his home; he has told Lily he is her father and says he is taking her away. Paul tells Ben to decide today, so Ben sends Abi on holiday so he has more time to work out how to tell her. However, Jay sees Ben and Paul kissing and says Ben should tell Abi that he is in love with Paul. Kat and Alfie decide to return to Spain with their young children Tommy, Bert and Ernie, saying that her son will still be in Ireland if they decide to find him in the future. Ian gets news that Bobby can go to his new boarding school immediately, and tells his wife Jane is it because it does not give her time to change her mind. | |||||||
| 5218 | 17 | 30 minutes | Penelope Shales | Christopher Reason | 7.82 | ||
|
Ryan attempts to take Lily, but Whitney takes Martin's side and he is forced to leave without her. Whitney allows him to stay at The Vic, though Nancy is not happy that a murderer is staying. Whitney suggests that Ryan hand himself into the police, but he is angry that she is being selfish. When Lee leaves the safe open, Ryan steals the cash and runs. Nancy attempts to call the police, leading to her and Whitney having a physical fight when Mick and Linda return. Shabnam is thrown a surprise birthday party but she leaves to visit Stacey and realises she needs to be with Arthur, so tells Martin they should try to find her a hospital with a mother and baby unit. Jay helps Ben practice coming out as gay to Abi, and Kathy is upset that her grandson Bobby is being sent away so soon. | |||||||
| 5219 | 18 | 30 minutes | Penelope Shales | Christopher Reason | 7.72 | ||
|
Mick and the other Carters discuss whether to call the police and some of them think Whitney was in on what Ryan did. They learn that Ryan has returned to Walford so Mick gets Whitney to contact him and the three of them meet, where Mick convinces Ryan that the best thing to do is to hand himself in to the police. Ryan agrees, and says a tearful goodbye to Whitney. As Mick takes Whitney back home, she admits she cannot face Lee as she is in love with someone else; she kisses Mick. Meanwhile, Ian and Jane take Bobby to the boarding school, where it is revealed that Ian has sponsored a new science block as a bribe and he tells Jane he is selling the restaurant to pay for it. Kush struggles when he is left to look after Arthur while Martin and Shabnam go to a mother and baby unit. | |||||||
| 5220 | 19 | 30 minutes | Penelope Shales | Gavin James Bower | 6.99 | ||
|
Mick tells Linda what happened with Whitney, and Linda takes Whitney for lunch, telling her to stay away from Mick and be there for Lee. Later, Whitney locks herself in the bathroom and snaps at Lee. At Honey and Billy's engagement party, Phil is drunk and interrupts Honey's speech; he then coughs up blood and collapses. In hospital, Billy and Honey tell Ronnie that her former boyfriend Joel Reynolds (Cavan Clerkin) has died, having read about it in the newspaper, and Dr Rhys Thomas tells the Mitchells that Phil needs an emergency liver transplant and to stop drinking, or he will be dead by the end of the year. Jane emails Bobby and is upset that he is happy, thinking she is no longer needed. Pam and Les reminisce, and Nancy and her boyfriend Tamwar make plans to start their own business. Broadcast at 8.30 pm.[76] There was no episode on 29 January due to coverage of the 2015–16 FA Cup.[77] | |||||||
February[edit]
Stacey Branning's (Lacey Turner) postpartum psychosis continued this month, of which the BBC said, "Stacey's story intensifies and viewers will see her make a life-changing decision that hugely concerns Martin" and it was confirmed that this part of the storyline would form part of the BBC's In the Mind season on mental health.[78] February also sees the departure of Shabnam Masood (Rakhee Thakrar),[39] and the return of Jordan Johnson (Joivan Wade).[79] During this month, Abi Branning (Lorna Fitzgerald) fakes a pregnancy in an attempt to keep her relationship with Ben Mitchell (Harry Reid), who wants to end it because he is gay.[80][81] The storyline develops when Ben later contracts chlamydia, while Abi has sex with Lee Carter (Danny-Boy Hatchard) in a bid to become pregnant.[82][83] For the serial's thirty-first anniversary, producers paid homage to a 1986 scene which sees Den Watts (Leslie Grantham) hand his wife Angie Watts (Anita Dobson) divorce papers when Phil Mitchell (Steve McFadden) hands his estranged wife Sharon Mitchell (Letitia Dean) divorce papers.[84]
| # | No. in year | Original air date | Running time | Directed by | Written by | Viewers (millions) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5221 | 20 | 30 minutes | Neil Alderton | Pete Lawson | 8.00 | ||
|
Phil is told that unless he stops drinking for six months, he cannot have a liver transplant. Sharon has the locks changed at Phil's house; Ronnie accuses her of doing nothing despite knowing of Phil's illness for weeks, but Sharon reveals that Phil caused Dennis's injuries. Honey encourages Ronnie to lay flowers on Joel's grave, but later, Joel's daughter Hannah returns them, accusing Ronnie of killing him. Kush tells Shabnam they should move away from Albert Square, but after he helps Martin take Arthur to see Stacey, Shabnam says that he needs to stay for Arthur but she cannot stay with him. Stacey does not recognise Arthur at first but is soon happy to see him. Nancy and Tamwar open a pop-up restaurant in the launderette but she is upset that he has not quit his day job. Denise feels lonely when she is constantly reminded that she is single. | |||||||
| 5222 | 21 | 30 minutes | Neil Alderton | Laura Poliakoff | 7.89 | ||
|
Hannah tells Ronnie that her mother, Stephanie Reynolds (Claire Lubert), had only recently forgiven Joel for his former affair with Ronnie and they were on a second honeymoon when they died, therefore it is Ronnie's fault. Ronnie takes responsibility, giving Joel's brother Tim £5000 to help raise Joel's children, however, Hannah tears up the cheque, calling it "blood money". Carmel and Masood kiss, but when Shabnam says she is leaving Kush and moving to Pakistan, Carmel tells Masood that it is because Kush is Arthur's father, so Masood accuses Carmel of lying, ending their relationship, and angrily punches Kush, warning him to stay away from Shabnam. Tamwar leaves Nancy in the restaurant, where she suffers an absence seizure with urinary incontinence; later, her parents Mick and Linda stop Tamwar seeing her. Shirley receives a letter from Dean: his plea hearing is this week and she wants to visit him. Lonely Denise makes a phone call. | |||||||
| 5223 | 22 | 30 minutes | Neil Alderton | Pete Lawson | 7.42 | ||
|
Shabnam tells Jade that she is leaving; Jade feels abandoned and says Shabnam is not her mother, and her father Masood tells her that if she walks away from Jade, she will never forgive herself. Nancy talks to Tamwar, and although she wants him to fight for their relationship, he says nothing and it ends, leaving them both heartbroken. Phil is discharged from hospital and wants a drink, but sees sense when Honey calls him selfish and promises that she and Ronnie will help him give up alcohol. Denise and Shirley travel to prison together to visit Lucas and Dean respectively; Shirley tells Dean to plead guilty to the attempted rape of Roxy, while Lucas takes responsibility for his former crimes and says that he constantly thinks about Denise and can tell she thinks about him; he then asks her to help find his son Jordan and help him because he is in trouble. | |||||||
| 5224 | 23 | 30 minutes | Neil Alderton | Pete Lawson | 7.75 | ||
|
Denise contacts Lucas's sister Gloria, who visits and says that Jordan has been violent towards her and was involved in gangs. As Gloria leaves, Denise's surrogate father Patrick asks Gloria to let him know if Jordan makes contact as he needs to protect Denise from him and Lucas. Shabnam tells Jade she is moving away but staying in London, and about her half-brother, Zaair, who was stillborn last year. Shabnam then gathers her family—Masood, Tamwar, Kamil and Jade—to plant a tree in Zaair's name, and Kush and Carmel watch. Shirley, Linda, Mick and Ronnie expect Dean to plead guilty in court, but he pleads not guilty; he is then remanded. Shirley then realises that Jade needs to be with Shabnam, so tells her that Jade can live with her, having cleared it with social services. Kush asks Shabnam to allow him to move with her and Jade, but she refuses and makes him say the triple talaq, ending their marriage. Shabnam and Jade then leave. "Julia's Theme" plays up to the end credits, over Shabnam and Jade's departure scene. | |||||||
| 5225 | 24 | 30 minutes | Mickey Jones | Colin Wyatt | 7.65 | ||
|
Linda hosts an East London Lady Publicans event attended by Thelma, who drunkenly flirts with and equally drunk Kush; Carmel takes him home, where he sees that she is redecorating Zaair's nursery, so he angrily tells her to stop interfering. Abi returns from holiday with a neck injury, so Ben feels unable to end their relationship. Jay meets Linzi and they start talking in the café. Buster, feeling that Shirley has made all the decisions about Jade, tells Mick and Lee he is leaving. Carmel shows Denise how to contact Jordan through social media and she sees he has posted about drugs. Patrick and Denise's sister Kim do not support Denise, so she decides to move back to her own home and out of Kim and her husband Vincent's house. Later, Jordan arrives and tells Denise to leave him alone. | |||||||
| 5226 | 25 | 30 minutes | Mickey Jones | Colin Wyatt | 7.47 | ||
|
Thelma offers Nancy a job managing her pub, and Jay and Linzi exchange numbers before she takes Thelma home. Babe offers Abi a job in the pub and then sees Ben text messaging Paul. Carmel asks for Sonia's help with Kush, so Sonia asks him to help her train for a half-marathon and he accepts; he apologises to Carmel and agrees to redecorate. Buster insists that he is not needed, but Mick and Lee need him; they summon Shirley who admits she loves him but declines his marriage proposal, so he stays. Jordan appears to accept Denise's help but Kim, Patrick and Vincent are against him staying even though he owes money to people who want to hurt him. Jordan pushes Denise and apologises, but Patrick says he is just like Lucas, so Jordan leaves and is kicked and beaten by a gang. | |||||||
| 5227 | 26 | 30 minutes | Mickey Jones | Cat Jones | 7.48 | ||
|
Martin visits Stacey, who insists she no longer wants her children to see her in hospital. Abi tells Babe that she is happy to turn a blind eye to his homosexuality, as long as he still loves her; Babe talks to Ben's mother Kathy to get her on Abi's side, but when Kathy speaks to Ben, he says he is planning to end it with Abi. Nancy has a trial with Thelma, but after Whitney visits Ryan in prison and he urges her to help Lee, she gets Lee a trial with Thelma as well. Denise hears from police that Jordan is in trouble again, so tracks him down to his squat, where he reveals that it was his girlfriend, Amelle, who took drugs but died from an overdose, and now he has inherited her debt. Denise then hears someone else in the flat; back in Walford, Denise has brought Jordan back along with his son, JJ. | |||||||
| 5228 | 27 | 30 minutes | Mickey Jones | Alex Straker | 7.23 | ||
|
Claudette convinces Patrick that Jordan and JJ are his family, but Patrick fears for everyone's safety if they stay; Vincent promises to solve Jordan's debt, telling Claudette he will find the gang, so Jordan and JJ can stay at Denise's, but Kim believes it leaves the door open for Lucas to come back. Martin's daughter Bex helps to organise his life and accompanies him on a visit to Stacey with Arthur; Stacey accepts Martin's help and the fact that being with Arthur can also help her. Lee is offered the job in Thelma's pub, angering Nancy, who calls him a traitor. Jay and Linzi have a date, and while Ben plans to break up with Abi, she finds a gift he got for Paul and realises their relationship is a sham; Babe tells her to fight for him and helps her publicly announce that she is pregnant in the pub. | |||||||
| 5229 | 28 | 30 minutes | John Greening | Anya Reiss | 7.95 | ||
|
Ben asks Abi to have a termination, but soon realises he can be a better role model than his own father so tells Abi he wants them to be a family, leaving Paul heartbroken; Abi worries because she is not really pregnant, so Babe tells her to get pregnant soon. Denise visits Lucas in prison and tells him about Jordan and JJ's sitution, and says she will get Jordan to visit him too, but Patrick warns Jordan that Lucas will manipulate him as he has already manipulated Denise. Kush convinces Martin to have a night out but deliberately takes Martin's phone and leaves it at home so Martin misses a call from a hospital, meaning Stacey misses out on a place in a mother and baby unit; Kush is uncaring so Martin punches him hard in the face. Kathy is shocked to find her husband Gavin in her home. | |||||||
| 5230 | 29 | 30 minutes | John Greening | Daran Little | 7.49 | ||
|
Martin and Kush's fight continues, and Kush admits he has ruined things, but Martin wonders why he is acting strangely. Tina is upset that her girlfriend Sonia is helping Martin instead of spending time with her. Gavin asks Kathy to pass on a message to Sharon because they were on holiday when Sharon left, and although Dot warns Kathy against getting involved, Kathy promises to pass on the message after Gavin says he needs his grandson in his life. Whitney overhears Abi and Babe talking about their plan, so Babe threatens to tell Lee that Whitney kissed Mick. Pam and Les have dinner together but she still cannot get the image of him dressed as his female alter-ego Christine out of her mind. Later, Les burns all of Christine's clothes and photos, so Pam agrees to take things one day at a time, but Babe is watching and finds and pockets a surviving photo of Les dressed as Christine. | |||||||
| 5231 | 30 | 30 minutes | John Greening | Sarah Hooper | 7.32 | ||
|
Tina is upset, so Sonia tells Martin she cannot look after Arthur; Kush nearly tells her about Arthur's true paternity and Sonia spends time with Tina, but Bex informs Sonia that Martin and Arthur have been involved in a traffic collision. Ben insists on attending Abi's first antenatal appointment, but she gets him out of the room to tell Dr Black she is not pregnant, but then tells Ben she has a due date in October. Kathy talks to Sharon who says Gavin hit Dennis; Sharon meets Gavin who says he did it out of love but Sharon wants nothing to do with him. Gavin then tells Kathy he has another plan, and Sharon discovers that he has collected Dennis from school but Dennis is receives a text message from Gavin and is happy. Donna thinks Babe is acting suspiciously when she compliments Pam's blouse. | |||||||
| 5232 | 31 | 30 minutes | John Greening | Mark Stevenson | 7.57 | ||
|
Stacey hears of Martin and Arthur's crash; Arthur is unharmed. She has a medical review and decides she is not ready to go home, so will stay voluntarily. She writes Martin a letter revealing the truth about Arthur's paternity. Martin discharges himself from hospital and visits Stacey, who tells him that he, Arthur and Lily are better off never seeing her again, but Martin says the hospital is causing her to feel that way so vows to break her out. Dennis tells Sharon that Gavin is the only person who cares about him, so Sharon visits Phil, telling him that Dennis misses him. She asks Vincent to buy her half of the Albert bar and offers Gavin £100,000 to leave forever. She visits Phil, thinking that he is seeking help about his alcoholism but he presents her with a letter saying he has filed for divorce. | |||||||
| 5233 | 32 | 30 minutes | Lee Salisbury | Peter Mattessi | 7.60 | ||
|
Martin tries to get Stacey out of the hospital but she refuses to leave and gets him to calm down. He then goes home, where he gets a call from a hospital with a mother and baby unit who have a place for her. Stacey decides not to send Martin the letter, but when Martin and Stacey are leaving the hospital, Nurse Riviera gives it to Martin, having found it. They arrive in Essex and meet Nurse Barowski, the primary nurse there, and are both impressed by the new hospital. Back home, Sonia is impressed with how Tina explains things to Lily and Bex, and tells Martin not to read the letter as they assume it is a suicide note and he was not meant to read it. However, Martin opens it in the night and learns that Kush is Arthur's father. Meanwhile, Sharon signs the divorce papers. | |||||||
| 5234 | 33 | 30 minutes | Lee Salisbury | Peter Mattessi | 7.60 | ||
|
Martin tells Stacey he has read the letter and knows the truth; she insists that they can still be a family, but he leaves. In Walford, Kyle gives Martin a box for Stacey but Martin blames Kyle for Stacey's illness. He then leaves Walford, taking his passport with him. Kim and Claudette clash at Kim's daughter Pearl's first birthday party, and when Claudette's foster son Linford announces that she is a finalist in the Pride of Walford Awards, Kim tries to take the attention away by jumping on Pearl's bouncy castle, which Claudette then punctures; Denise tells Kim that Claudette did this deliberately. Gavin watches the party and later meets Claudette, asking for money in return for keeping a secret of hers. Ben tells Abi he may have caught an STI, putting a stop to her attempt to get pregnant. | |||||||
| 5235 | 34 | 30 minutes | Lee Salisbury | Davey Jones | 7.45 | ||
|
Ben tells Abi he had a one-night stand with a man, and though Abi is angry, she acompanies him to the STI clinic, where the doctor, Tom Edwards, tests him for STIs. His HIV result is negative, and he tells Abi he wants to be a comitted father. Abi tells Babe she has to wait to try to get pregnant by Ben, so Babe says that he does not have to be the father. Babe also threatens to tell Lee that Whitney kissed Mick unless Whitney tells him herself. Jay and Linzi meet up again, and Ian is made an offer on the restaurant from a supermarket, Costmart. Sonia discovers that Martin is in America and tells Stacey; Kush also discovers this. Meanwhile, Anya encourages Stacey to bond with Arthur, and Claudette asks Les to borrow money but he declines, saying they should keep their distance for Pam's sake. | |||||||
| 5236 | 35 | 30 minutes | Lee Salisbury | Kathrine Smith | 6.86 | ||
|
Mick buys Lee a car, which upsets Nancy. Whitney tells Lee that she kissed Mick; he angrily confronts his father and Nancy tells Whitney to move out; Babe is happy to have manipulated this. Babe urges Abi to find a man to get her pregnant, getting her drunk; Abi meets a drunk Lee who compliments her and they have unprotected sex. Kathy encourages Jane to increase trade in the restaurant so that Ian will not sell; this works but he still accepts the offer from Costmart. Dot visits Stacey, worried that nobody is looking after her; Stacey explains her fears about breastfeeding and Arthur not knowing her, but Dot assures her that she is a good mother. Paul encourages Les to remind Pam of the man she first fell in love with; she agrees his moving back in as long as they sleep in separate beds. Broadcast at 8.30 pm. There was no episode on 26 February due to live coverage of the 2016 Six Nations Championship.[85] | |||||||
| 5237 | 36 | 30 minutes | Kate Saxon | Lynne Dallow | 7.54 | ||
|
Honey realises that Ronnie will be lonely when she moves out and that she still loves her former husband Jack, so sends a secret text message. Abi is not pregnant and decides to tell Ben the truth, but he tells her that he has chlamydia. Whitney plans to leave so Lee apologises for not letting her explain and admits he has not taking his medication for his depression, begging her not to go; Whitney says she will help get him well. Nancy thinks Whitney cannot be trusted, and while talking to her, concludes that Whitney is not good enough for Lee, but Whitney tells her about the abuse she has suffered from men in the past and that Lee has made her feel safe; Nancy says Whitney loves who Lee was before his depression and should leave him if she has any doubts. Lee then proposes marriage to Whitney. | |||||||
March[edit]
Executive producer Dominic Treadwell-Collins confirmed on 17 December 2015 that 2016 would see a big storyline for Denise Fox (Diane Parish) and viewers would discover Claudette Hubbard's (Ellen Thomas) "true colours".[86] On 25 February 2016, it was announced that there would be "high drama" for the Foxes and Hubbards, in the week starting 7 March, which would revolve around Claudette and Denise, who finds herself in a "troubling situation" when Jordan Johnson (Joivan Wade) causes problems.[87] In the episodes, Claudette confesses to murdering her husband and allowing the death of Fatboy (Ricky Norwood), is strangled by her son Vincent Hubbard (Richard Blackwood), gets knocked out after falling down stairs and is presumed dead, and is buried by Vincent but then revealed to viewers to be alive, with Vincent and Patrick Trueman (Rudolph Walker) then attempting to cover up a crime that has not actually happened.[88][89] March also features a health scare for Mick (Danny Dyer) and Linda Carter's (Kellie Bright) son Ollie Carter, who is found unconscious in his cot,[90][91] the start of a stalking storyline for Ronnie Mitchell (Samantha Womack),[92] and Phil Mitchell (Steve McFadden) putting someone's life in danger when he destroys the car lot with a digger.[93]
| # | No. in year | Original air date | Running time | Directed by | Written by | Viewers (millions) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5238 | 37 | 30 minutes | Kate Saxon | Matt Evans | 7.32 | ||
|
Ronnie is angry when Honey brings Jack back to Walford, but he admits he came to see her and they kiss. Following advice from Donna, Nancy decides to support Lee in his new job until he reveals that he got the job by telling Thelma that Nancy has epilepsy, so she decides to move out. Denise receives visiting orders for Jordan to see Lucas but when Shirley finds out, she urges her to tear them up; Jordan reveals he is taking a carpentry course to be a good role model for JJ, and finds the binned visiting orders. Abi is tested for chlamydia; Babe warns her that her one-night stand may have caught it too. Vincent decides to convert his basement to a flat for Claudette. Gavin threatens Claudette, telling her he wants money by the end of the week or Vincent will find out "what his mother is". | |||||||
| 5239 | 38 | 30 minutes | Kate Saxon | Matt Evans | 7.35 | ||
|
Jack asks Ronnie to decide straight away if she wants a relationship but she asks for more time, so he leaves; he then meets another woman, Delphine, who has a wedding dress. Jordan tells Denise they can stop Lucas contacting them by visiting him; they do so, and after Jordan and Lucas bond, they ask Denise to help Lucas get a kitchen job in the prison; later, Lucas calls Jordan having made a plan in secret. Donna tells her foster mother Claudette and foster brother Vincent that she plans to have a baby without a father; Claudette is against this but Vincent tells her they can support her financially; Desperate for money, Claudette tells Vincent that Donna will not accept money directly from him so he should give Claudette the money, conning her son. No longer wanting to depend on her parents, Nancy quits her job at The Vic. | |||||||
| 5240 | 39 | 30 minutes | Kate Saxon | Dare Aiyegbayo | 7.07 | ||
|
Donna offers Nancy work on her market stall, and Linda decides to help by getting her friends to buy from her, and Donna encourages Nancy to not avoid her family. When Claudette pressures Vincent for money, he realises she is lying and asks what it is really for, but she refuses to tell him; she then tells Gavin to meet her on Sunday at her home to collect the money. Patrick realises Denise and Jordan are visiting Lucas so insists on going too; they meet the prison governor, Geoff Golightly, to help Lucas get work and more visits, and Patrick is against this, but it works and Lucas tells Jordan he starts working in the kitchen the next week and then he can escape the prison so he, Jordan and JJ can go to France, but Lucas shocks Jordan by saying Denise has to go too. | |||||||
| 5241 | 40 | 30 minutes | Lance Kneeshaw | Jonny O'Neill | 7.43 | ||
|
On Mother's Day, Mick invites Nancy to lunch, where Mick's great aunt Babe reveals that Lee has quit his job at Thelma's pub (because she sexually harrassed him), angering Nancy because it was meant to be her job; after Mick and Linda leave, siblings Nancy and Lee argue and she pushes him, knocking baby Ollie from his highchair. Lucas contacts Jordan, telling him they need to carry out their plan today, so Jordan steals a car and tries to get Denise to join him, revealing that Lucas is escaping from prison. Gavin arrives at Claudette's home and she attempts to pay him with sex, but afterwards he says it is worthless as she used to give sex away; he asks how she killed her husband, Henry, and tells her he wants more money for her wasting his time; she strikes him over the back of the head with a candelabra. | |||||||
| 5242 | 41 | 30 minutes | Lance Kneeshaw | Rob Gittins | 7.61 | ||
|
Jordan tells Denise how Lucas plans to escape prison, so she alerts her daughter Libby via a note and tries to convince Jordan not to go through with it, but he insists, so she tries to stop him taking JJ. Tim returns to give Ronnie something from Joel and her dead daughter Danielle Jones (Lauren Crace). Ollie is seemingly fine but Nancy and Lee's argument continues, so Mick forces them both out via the public bar. Vincent finds Claudette with a seemingly dead Gavin, and she lies that he is a stranger who broke in. When they discover Gavin has gone, Vincent finds Gavin's old photo of him with Henry and Eric, so Claudette claims Gavin was involved in Henry's death, but Vincent soon realises Gavin was blackmailing Claudette and works out that she killed Henry; Vincent chokes her as Patrick arrives. | |||||||
| 5243 | 42 | 30 minutes | Lance Kneeshaw | Rob Gittins | 7.17 | ||
|
Denise tries to convince Jordan that Lucas has manipulated him, and Libby alerts the police. Patrick stops Vincent choking Claudette and as he helps her, Vincent reveals she killed Henry; Patrick decides to call the police but Claudette tries to stop him, falling down the basement stairs as she does so; she strikes her head on a brick. As Patrick goes for help, he is caught up in Denise's problems, as the police arrive to arrest Jordan, and Denise regrets alerting Libby as now JJ is without his father. When Patrick returns to Vincent, Vincent tells him that he has buried Claudette's body and forget about it, as if the police know, they would probably both end up in prison. Ronnie decides she should allow herself to have a relationship with Jack but Honey shows him a photo on social media that looks like he is due to get married. | |||||||
| 5244 | 43 | 30 minutes | Lance Kneeshaw | Jaden Clark | 6.82 | ||
|
Fed up of Phil killing himself, Ronnie takes him to the hospital but the doctor cannot help, and Phil says he should be allowed to die; Ronnie says Mitchells do not give up but Phil says Ronnie has given up, so she decides to find where Jack is getting married and stop it, but when she gets there, Delphine is marrying another man and Jack is a guest. Nancy and Lee apologise to each other. Denise and Patrick visit Lucas, who tells Denise they are soulmates but she says he needs psychiatric help and leaves. Denise vows to look after JJ but Patrick calls social serives, saying he needs to be taken in to care. Vincent's basement is concreted over and he makes up a story to explain Claudette's absense, but Donna discovers it is a lie. It is revealed that Claudette is alive as she arrives in hospital, having been found by a roadside. Broadcast at 8.30 pm.[94] There was no episode on 11 March due to live coverage of the 2015–16 FA Cup.[95] | |||||||
| 5245 | 44 | 30 minutes | Lance Kneeshaw | Jaden Clark | 7.39 | ||
|
Donna asks for the truth; Vincent says Claudette confessed to killing Henry and left; Donna cries that Claudette did not say goodbye. Sharon finally sells her half of the bar to Vincent, and then Gavin comes looking for Claudette, but Vincent says she has left; Gavin says he will track her down so Vincent offers to pay off her debt. Sharon then pays Gavin to leave Walford, but he meets his sister Margaret, who she says his next plan is "insane". Jack gets Ronnie to admit she loves him and they have sex in the shower, but afterwards, Delphine tells Ronnie not to break Jack's heart, so Ronnie leaves. In Walford, Phil tells Ronnie he does not want to die, and then Jack arrives saying he wants to spend his life with Ronnie and they kiss. Meanwhile, someone has placed a wreath on Ronnie's gate saying "RIP Ronnie Mitchell". Nancy moves back to The Vic where Linda finds something wrong with Ollie. | |||||||
| 5246 | 45 | 30 minutes | Toby Frow | Leo Richardson | 7.82 | ||
|
Ollie is not breathing; Nancy calls an ambulance and Linda resuscitates him; he starts breathing but suffers a seizure. In hospital, Ollie is stabalised and Dr Janice May says Ollie has a skull fracture and subdural haemorrhage, likely caused by a head injury; Mick initially blames Lee and Nancy, and Dr May says the hospital will have to contact children's services, they may be visited by the police, and Ollie could be brain damaged. Patrick tells Vincent he cannot cope with the secret, and when Denise overhears part of their conversation, Patrick tells her he called social services about JJ. Later, Vincent tells Patrick he would pay for him to return to Trinidad until things calm down; in the square, Patrick sees Claudette in the shadows. Phil does not recall asking Ronnie for help, but Jack convinces him to get help by hurting his pride. Meanwhile, the wreath, now damaged, goes unseen. | |||||||
| 5247 | 46 | 30 minutes | Toby Frow | Jeff Povey | 7.36 | ||
|
After Nancy is interviewed by the police, Mick tells her nobody is to blame but later tells Shirley that Ollie's situation is Nancy's fault and he cannot look at her. Sonia offers to be Stacey's support for a home visit but Stacey lies that Jean has already offered. Phil attends an alcohol support group but leaves because his former lover, Lorna, is the counsellor. Martin returns and punches Kush. Patrick tells Vincent that Claudette is alive, and he realises it is true when Linford tells him that there was mud on the basement stairs. Vincent visits Donna and Claudette is there; Claudette tells Vincent to give her his money and leave or they will call the police. Donna says Claudette is not capable of killing but Vincent insists that Donna needs to see Claudette for who she really is—she killed Fatboy. | |||||||
| 5248 | 47 | 30 minutes | Toby Frow | Robert Butler | 6.85 | ||
|
Claudette says she did not mean for Fatboy to be killed but blames Vincent, and says Henry's death was an accident. Donna realises that Claudette only fostered her to ease her guilt and Fatboy died because of Claudette's lies, so Vincent tells Claudette to leave and never return or he will tell Gavin where she is. Claudette secretly visits Pearl, saying she will be back soon, and Patrick makes Vincent promise to protect the family and never be involved in crime again. Shirley tells Mick that he cannot blame Nancy for Ollie's condition, but Nancy can tell she is being blamed. Ronnie bars Phil from his own home so he asks Shirley and Buster if he can stay with them. Sonia, Bex and Ian try to stop Martin returning to America, but Martin reveals that Kush is Arthur's father; after Kush says Martin will always be Arthur's dad, Martin visits Stacey and hugs her. Broadcast at 8.30 pm.[96] There was no episode on 18 March due to the Sport Relief 2016 telethon.[97] | |||||||
| 5249 | 48 | 30 minutes | Richard Lynn | Daran Little | 7.38 | ||
|
Buster asks Shirley to get Phil to move out; Phil reminds her of the good times they once had and says that he regrets that their relationship ended; he attempts to kiss her but she declines, and he says she should end her relationship with Buster. Nancy is concerned that nobody has told her that Ollie is due to be discharged from hospital soon. Stacey has a home visit with Martin, who insists he is Arthur's father, but Bex makes things awkward when she asks if Arthur might grow up to look like Kush or have other siblings in the future, so Stacey leaves. Denise convinces Kush that Arthur should know his true parentage, so he tells Stacey this, upsetting her. Kyle then returns to speak to Stacey, who insists he is lying but he then says that he used to be Stacey's sister, Sarah, leaving her confused. | |||||||
| 5250 | 49 | 30 minutes | Richard Lynn | Daran Little | 7.19 | ||
|
Kyle tells Stacey that he is transgender and about his struggles growing up; she accepts him and promises not to tell Martin, and allows him to move in. Stacey tells Kush to sort his life out if he wants to be a part of Arthur's life, and When Martin takes Stacey back to the hospital, she proposes marriage to him and he accepts. Shirley forces Phil out of her home, so he goes to Ben's party but Ben rejects his father and tells Paul he wants Phil back as he used to be. Mick tells Shirley that even though Ollie is coming home, they still will not know if he is brain damaged, and he cannot talk to Linda about it; Shirley tries to convince Mick that Nancy is not to blame, and when she discovers Nancy is planning to leave, that Mick accepts it was an accident. Jay and Linzi agree to take their relationship slowly. | |||||||
| 5251 | 50 | 30 minutes | Richard Lynn | Paul Quiney | 7.03 | ||
|
Martin announces his engagement and things are awkward because Kush is there; Kush overhears Martin saying they cannot be friends, but Sonia tells them to settle their differences for Stacey's sake, to which they agree. Billy and Honey tell Phil he cannot stay with them if he is drinking, but Billy later realises that family matters so decides to help Phil and lets him stay. Ollie comes home and Mick tells Linda that he seems different but she denies it; Mick asks Honey to speak to Linda about raising a child with a disability, but Linda insists Ollie is fine and sends Honey away, and when Mick tells Linda she needs to come to terms with the fact that Ollie might need help, she shouts at him and shuts him out of the room; Mick closes the bar and shouts at Nancy that Ollie's condition is her fault. | |||||||
| 5252 | 51 | 30 minutes | Richard Lynn | Julia Honour[χ] | 6.89 | ||
|
After Kush spends time with Arthur, Martin says he cannot handle the situation and they are no longer friends. Linda is angry that Mick blames Nancy, so he calls her hypocritical over her denial of Ollie's problems, so she leaves. Nancy organises an Easter egg hunt as a way to bring the family together. Abi panicks to Babe as she has tested positive for chlamydia and Ben is insisting on going to a baby scan. Billy is forced to let Phil look after his children Will and Janet, but he drinks and Janet wanders off. Nancy finds Janet, so Billy compliments her to Mick, but Mick still does not speak to her. Billy tells Phil he is no longer welcome at his home, and Ben and Phil argue, and when Phil pushes Ben, Babe pushes Abi into Ben, causing her to fall. After Lee convinces him, Mick attempts to call Nancy, but she and Kush are in bed together, having both been rejected. | |||||||
| 5253 | 52 | 30 minutes | Michael Owen Morris | Darren Rapier | 6.74 | ||
|
Kush finds Nancy fitting in his bed so calls Tamwar for help, who calls Kush selfish and a user; Kush tells Carmel that he ruins lives and Stacey and Martin that Arthur is better off not knowing him. Ben takes Phil home and sends Louise away when she comes to see Phil. Ben tells Ronnie that they need to sort out Phil's businesses but Phil overhears the conversation and gets angry, forcing everyone out of his house. Babe rushes Abi out of The Vic, saying she needs to go to hospital; they wait in a café and return later, where Abi tells Ben she has miscarried. An angry and distraught Ben is comforted by Paul, and blaming Phil for the "miscarriage", Ben attempts to suffocate him as he sleeps. Ian offers Kyle a job, and Jay takes Linzi to the car lot for some quiet time together. | |||||||
| 5254 | 53 | 30 minutes | Michael Owen Morris | Carey Andrews | 7.09 | ||
|
Sharon stops Ben from killing Phil; Ben disappears and Phil trashes his garage and smashes the car lot with a digger; a crowd gathers and Jay thinks Linzi is inside but when Phil stops, they find Louise's belongings in the wreckage; Phil runs away. Ben tells Shirley that Phil does not deserve help, so Shirley calls him a hypocrite and says that Phil thinks he does not deserve help because he knows Ben looks at him with contempt, despite everything Phil has done for Ben in the past. Ben arrives at the scene at the car lot, then finds Phil hiding and says he will help him; Phil breaks down, believing he has killed his daughter. Meanwhile, Babe threatens to reveal Abi's lie, Tamwar tells Linda that Nancy is deeply unhappy and Mick tells Linda that he can never forgive Nancy's behaviour. | |||||||
| 5255 | 54 | 30 minutes | Michael Owen Morris | Carey Andrews | 6.95 | ||
|
Louise has broken ribs and concussion. Phil returns from the police station with his lawyer, Ritchie Scott, and overhears Ben and Ronnie saying he cannot be trusted, cannot stop drinking and is just like his father; Phil goes to his garage and finds alcohol, but pours it away and tells Sharon he will stop drinking, so Sharon takes him home. Linda realises that Ollie has changed when she sings to him and runs away. Tamwar looks after Nancy, and she goes home when Linda misses the health visitor's visit, which Linda's mother Elaine helps with; Linda then vows to get Ollie whatever help he needs. A social worker, Hilary Taylor, tells Denise that they have found JJ's mother, Amelle, and she is not dead. | |||||||
April[edit]
April's storylines include the continuation of Ronnie Mitchell's (Samantha Womack) stalking storyline, in which someone emails funeral director Les Coker (Roger Sloman) that she has died,[98] Louise Mitchell (Tilly Keeper) discovering that Abi Branning (Lorna Fitzgerald) has lied to Ben Mitchell (Harry Reid) that she was pregnant and suffered a miscarriage,[99] using it to take revenge on Ben for his behaviour towards her when they were much younger,[100] and Stacey Branning (Lacey Turner) being released from a mental health facility and her mother Jean Walters (Gillian Wright) refusing to believe that Stacey's half brother Kyle Slater (Riley Carter Millington) is transgender.[101] It was also announced in December 2015 that one of the biggest storylines of the year would be for the character Jay Brown (Jamie Borthwick),[102] a storyline that starts this month when he discovers his girlfriend Linzi Bragg (Amy-Leigh Hickman) is 14 years old and therefore below the legal age of consent. It was said that Jay would face "severe consequences".[103] April also sees the departures of Nancy Carter (Maddy Hill) and Tamwar Masood (Himesh Patel).[43]
| # | No. in year | Original air date | Running time | Directed by | Written by | Viewers (millions) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5256 | 55 | 30 minutes | Michael Owen Morris | Alison Fisher | 7.20 | ||
|
Phil makes amends with Louise and Ben, accepting their help. He tells Sharon she can have half of his assets in their divorce, but Buster is annoyed when Shirley accepts Phil's apology. Linda and Mick take Ollie to hospital but are told it could be years until they know if Ollie has brain damage. Linda seeks support from Honey and asks Mick to forgive Nancy, and though he appears to, he insists that she takes the trip to Italy that she had previously planned. Tina embarrasses Bex at her first gig by getting drunk, which upsets Bex's mother Sonia, who reveals she hoped she and Tina could have a child but she has now changed her mind. Denise visits Jordan in prison and reveals she knows Amelle is alive; Jordan insists she will be a worse influence on JJ and Denise should not give him up; she agrees. | |||||||
| 5257 | 56 | 30 minutes | Ian White | Jesse O'Mahoney | 7.09 | ||
|
JJ hides when Amelle visits Denise, but Amelle says she has never taken drugs and JJ's real name is Jamie; Denise eventually accepts this and realises Jordan has lied to JJ as well as her; Hilary recommends visits for Amelle but Denise says Jamie should live with Amelle and says an emotional goodbye. Tamwar and Nancy reunite. Tina understands why Sonia wants a child but says she is thankful for her freedom and is able to put Sonia first. Ian thinks Kathy wants a relationship with her former husband Phil but she denies it. Phil refuses to go to the support group so Ben tells Louise to deal with him; she asks Phil what it is like to be an alcoholic and convinces him to go to the support group where he tells Lorna he wants to stop drinking. Later, Louise steals Phil's credit card. | |||||||
| 5258 | 57 | 30 minutes | Ian White | David McManus | 7.32 | ||
|
Ben discovers someone has used Phil's credit card and Abi discovers it is Louise; Abi and Babe confront Louise and force her to return everything she has bought or Phil will find out. Babe asks Abi for a favour, but Abi realises that Babe has already assumed that she would say yes, so calls Babe a user who helps people just to use things against them in the future. Babe retaliates by writing Ben a note revealing Abi's pregnancy lie, but tells Abi this after Abi apologises. Louise finds the note and reveals to Abi that she knows the truth. Sharon moves out of Phil's home and in with Ronnie. Jack returns and reunites with Ronnie again. Anya tells Stacey that she will be recommended for discharge. Carmel moves in with Kush after Tamwar realises he needs help. | |||||||
| 5259 | 58 | 30 minutes | Ian White | Katie Douglas | 6.97 | ||
|
After Ben continues to upset Louise, Louise tells Abi to leave Walford with Ben to stop her showing Ben the note. Carmel reveals that her former husband, Umar, has sold their home and she is homeless, so Kush calls her selfish for using Tamwar's call as an excuse to move in and she decides to move back out, however, after speaking to Tamwar, she realises she and Kush need each other and decides to stay. Les receives an email saying that Ronnie is dead, so Jack tries to find out what Ronnie has done to upset someone; Sharon tells him she killed Carl White (Daniel Coonan) and he is angry until Ronnie says he was going to rape her. When Ronnie receives flowers, Paul reveals the name given was Danielle Jones. Stacey prepares to go home but worries that she might not cope. | |||||||
| 5260 | 59 | 30 minutes | Ian White | Katie Douglas | 7.10 | ||
|
Ronnie meets Hannah, accusing her of sending the flowers but she denies it. They bond over their memories of Joel and Ronnie offers her support at any time. Jack finds out that Hannah's paid for the flowers, so tells Ronnie, who tells Hannah she knows it was her; Hannah steps into the path of a car while holding Ronnie's son Matthew, but is saved by Andy; Hannah is arrested, but someone still watches Ronnie. Abi convinces Ben they should leave Walford, and tells Louise she convinced him but realises he trusts her and would believe her over Louise, so tells Louise she will not leave and Louise can do her worst but it will not affect them. Stacey goes home but Kyle worries she is on edge, so she tells him she does not want people asking how she is all the time and later she is able to relax more. | |||||||
| 5261 | 60 | 30 minutes | Mickey Jones | Mark Stevenson | 7.16 | ||
|
Stacey settles back in to life on the square, while Jack offers Linford and Andy work renovating his new property into flats and Mick organises a karaoke night to cheer Linda up. Abi offers Louise more cash to keep her quiet, but Babe recommends that Abi tell Ben the truth; when Abi finds Ben and Louise arguing and Ben saying he found something, Abi assumes it is Babe's letter and inadvertantly reveals to him that she was never pregnant, when in fact he discovered that Louise was using Phil's credit card. In The Vic, Ben gets drunk and puts Louise's head in the toilet after finding out she was blackmailing Abi, and then kisses Abi and starts to undress her, but then drags her into the pub and reveals via the karaoke microphone that she made up her pregnancy, just as Johnny returns from Italy. | |||||||
| 5262 | 61 | 30 minutes | Mickey Jones | Pete Lawson | 7.28 | ||
|
The Carters are thrilled to see Johnny, but he avoids talking about his boyfriend Gianluca Cavallo (Gabriele Lombardo) and senses Linda is hiding something. During a heart-to-heart talk, he admits he and Gianluca have split up, and she tells him she was raped by Dean. Phil is angry at Abi for lying to Ben and takes her in a car but Jay stops them leaving and reminds Ben and Phil that they have also made mistakes and hurt people, and takes Abi to Dot's. Jay then stops Phil drinking; Louise thanks him and tries to kiss him but he stops her, saying that at 14, she is a child. Jay then tells Ben that everything is down to him hiding his sexuality and he should be proud to be gay. Carmel tries to make amends with Masood and to get him to allow Stacey to move on, but he refuses. | |||||||
| 5263 | 62 | 30 minutes | Mickey Jones | Pete Lawson | 7.07 | ||
|
Stacey organises a family lunch with Martin, Kyle, Jean, Ollie and Belinda where she announces she has set a date for her wedding, and Jean refuses to believe Kyle is Brian's son; he explains that he is transgender but Jean accuses him of lying; Stacey tells Jean not to blame Kyle for Brian's actions. Belinda then reveals that Stacey and Martin may have to move out because Kat is due to stop paying their rent. Shirley tells Johnny everything that happaned to the Carters in his absense including Mick and Linda's wedding, Lee's depression and Nancy and Lee's falling out; Johnny tells Mick it is all his fault. Jay tells Linzi that Louise tried to kiss him, so she confronts Louise, telling her to stay away from Jay. Abi quits her job at The Vic and prepares to leave, but when Dot tells Jack that he has not been there for his family, he agrees that Abi should stay. Ben and Paul go for a drink and decide to resume their relationship. | |||||||
| 5264 | 63 | 30 minutes | Mickey Jones | Matt Evans | 7.32 | ||
|
After speaking to Nancy, Johnny apologises to Mick and Mick tells Johnny how he feels he has failed as a husband and father; Johnny then reunites his family by organising a trip to the swimming pool. Afterwards, Johnny says he has decided to stay in Walford, so Nancy asks if she can have his ticket to Italy. Ben attempts to make a romantic gesture to Paul, and Linzi is unsure when Jay invites her to a night in a hotel. Stacey worries how she will pay her rent, so Martin asks Ian if he can sell more exotic fruit on the market stall, but then discovers Ian is planning to sell the restaurant to the Costmart supermarket chain, and tells Kyle he has no money as he has just bought a new van, but does not tell Stacey the problems, allowing her to believe everything has been sorted out. | |||||||
| 5265 | 64 | 30 minutes | John Howlett | Matt Evans | 7.44 | ||
|
Linda is upset that Nancy wants to leave and hopes that Tamwar will stop her going, however, when Tamwar realises that he hates his job, he tells Nancy he will go to Italy with her. Johnny is able to resume his law studies. Martin opens his own market stall selling phone covers and back scratchers, but Stacey is annoyed when he gets stock from Fat Elvis (Shenton Dixon) because it is most likely unfit for purpose or stolen. Linzi sends Jay a video of her in her new underwear before they go to a hotel where they plan to have sex, and Jay convinces Phil not to drink and to go to hospital for his treatment. While Phil is there, Jay goes to Louise's school because she got into a fight on her first day, but Jay then discovers that she was fighting with Linzi, who is in fact an underage schoolgirl. | |||||||
| 5266 | 65 | 30 minutes | John Howlett | Maya Sondhi | 7.13 | ||
|
Bex tells Jay that Linzi is 14 and Linzi later begs him not to end their relationship but he says to forget everything that has happened, and he later tells Bex and Louise not to tell anyone. Masood discovers that his former wife, Zainab Masood (Nina Wadia) is planning to marry in Pakistan and she sends him money for plane tickets for their sons Tamwar and Kamil, but Masood gives Tamwar the money to go to Italy. As it is so much money, Tamwar and Nancy plan to use it to travel the world. Masood gets a date from the internet but the woman, Jill Hanson, leaves when she sees him as he is older than she thought; Masood accuses Carmel of being jealous and sending his date away, so Denise tells him off. He tells Tamwar that he is a failure, prompting Tamwar to decide to stay in Walford. Martin realises the stock he got from Fat Elvis is faulty. | |||||||
| 5267 | 66 | 30 minutes | John Howlett | Richard Davidson | 6.84 | ||
|
Tamwar tells Nancy he is staying in Walford for his father, and she starts selling her belongings. Nancy says an emotional goodbye to Ollie, saying she is sorry that it is her fault he may never be able to travel the world as she plans to. Mick hears this and apologises for being harsh on her, but she says she still needs to go as she feels trapped. Masood apologises to Carmel and she tells him to face Zainab and then go on holiday. Masood agrees and tells Tamwar he should go to Italy and he will go to Pakistan and Thailand. Tamwar tells Nancy this, but Masood then gives Tamwar and Nancy his travel tickets, saying the three of them can go together. When Jay is forced to look after Louise, Ben teases that she fancies him, angering him. Later, Louise attempts to shoplift, so Denise calls the police; when Jay sees the police car, he worries Louise has told them about Linzi, but she promises him she will not do that. For some viewers, the broadcast suffered a technical error at the conclusion of the episode.[104] | |||||||
| 5268 | 67 | 30 minutes | John Howlett | Richard Davidson | 7.23 | ||
|
Tamwar agrees with Nancy that Masood should not go with them, though Mick fails to get Masood to see sense. Masood changes his mind when he reads the speech Tamwar had planned. Tamwar and Nancy say emotional goodbyes to their families and friends, and leave with Kamil. Ben texts Linzi from Jay's phone, inviting her to meet, but when Jay talks to her, he insists it is over between them; Louise catches them talking and accuses Jay of lying that it was over. Stacey asks Andy to keep the noise down on the building site, and Jack tells Andy that the family are having money troubles, so Andy offers Martin work in Sunderland and he accepts, leaving for two weeks. Sharon helps Louise when Denise embarrasses her, and Denise is shocked when Libby arrives, appearing upset. "Julia's Theme" plays up to the end credits, over the scenes of Nancy and Tamwar leaving. | |||||||
| 5269 | 68 | 30 minutes | Nic Phillips | Anya Reiss | 7.29 | ||
|
Libby tells Denise she is pregnant but does not want the baby; Denise states abortion is not an option, however, Libby reveals she has already taken the first abortion pill. Andy invites himself into Stacey's home; Kyle wonders about his intentions, though Stacey seems not to mind. Johnny sees Ben is happy with Paul and urges him to be himself, so Ben kisses Paul in the pub; Phil walks out and tells Sharon, Kathy and Jay that he does not want a gay son, but they tell him that Ben's hiding his sexuality for Phil's sake makes him hate himself, so Phil then attempts to accept Paul. Jay tells Linzi to stay away from him, so she seeks comfort from Bex, who tells Thelma what has happened; in the pub, Thelma demands to know who has had sex with her 14-year-old daughter; Bex says it was Jay. | |||||||
| 5270 | 69 | 30 minutes | Nic Phillips | Anya Reiss | 6.90 | ||
|
Thelma accuses Jay of being a paedophile, but Jay denies that Linzi is his girlfriend; Bex says Thelma is telling the truth. At home, Jay says he did not have sex with Linzi but she flirted with him, and Louise says she would have lied about her age even if he had asked. Phil wonders why Louise is defending Jay, so asks if he has ever touched her; Jay admits that Louise kissed him but he stopped it; Phil is angry. Thelma calls the police, Jay is arrested and Phil gets drunk. Bex and Louise are both questioned by the police. Denise accuses Libby of killing her grandchild, but Libby does not want to be a single mother so Denise calls her selfish. Libby leaves and Denise gets drunk. In the Albert bar, Denise and Phil drunkenly insult each other but end up drinking together and going back to Phil's house where they kiss. Les offers to give Paul and Ben space at home, but Pam says Ben does not deserve a second chance with Paul. | |||||||
| 5271–5272 | 70 | 60 minutes | Nic Phillips | Natalie Mitchell/Colin Wyatt | 6.28 | ||
|
Sexually explicit photos of Linzi are found on Jay's phone and he realises he has no defence so pleads guilty in court. Mitigating factors mean he is not given custody; he must do 150 hours of unpaid work and sign on the Sex Offender Register for five years. Phil refuses to support Jay because he pleaded guilty and tells him to move out. Jay is then beaten up by Linzi's brother, Rodney. Mick refuses to serve Ben and Jay in the pub, and Billy allows Jay to stay with him. Jay reveals he pleaded guilty so that Linzi would not have to give evidence in court and the photos would not be shown. Denise decides to support Libby and then realises she has lost her necklace. She is relieved that Phil has no memory of the previous night and manages to retrieve the necklace from Phil's without it being discovered. She tells Carmel she needs something in her life to concentrate on so decides she will go back to school and get her GCSEs. Sonia's colleague Tom Pepper gives Johnny his phone number. Ian hosts the Pride of Walford Awards. Sonia is nominated but decides to take Bex instead of Tina, so Tina manages to waitress there, as does Sophie who has come to support Kyle. Sonia and her colleagues win the award, but Sonia does not want a fuss so Tom does the talking, but a drunk Tina decides to take the microphone to tell everyone how amazing Sonia is: she raised enough to pay back everything she stole. Sonia is humilated and rejects Tina, who confides in Sophie; Tina and Sophie kiss. Ian is pleased that the event has been so well attended and feels he will regret selling the restaurant but Kathy reminds him he is doing it for Bobby and must tell everyone soon that Costmart is buying it, or she will. Broadcast on Wednesday at 8.00 pm. Schedule changes were made in preparation for summer sporting events to be broadcast on BBC One.[105] | |||||||
| 5273 | 71 | 30 minutes | Sophie Lifschutz | Sumerah Srivastav | 6.77 | ||
|
Sophie and Tina have sex but afterwards, Tina regrets her actions, getting advice from her family. When Tina returns home, Sonia says she has found a lump in her breast. Claudette wins a Special Recognition Award and watches in secret as Donna accepts it on her behalf. Ian wins Walford Businessman of the Year and announces the restaurant will become a Costmart supermarket, which angers the market traders; they all agree to boycott Ian's businesses. Pam lies to Ben to stop him seeing Paul, but when Les asks Pam why she has stopped seeing the good in everyone, she gets upset and promises to accept Ben for Paul's sake. It is revealed that Sophie was in love with Sarah, but Kyle upsets her when he says does not want to "go backwards"; she thinks she is part of his life he wants to forget and leaves. Stacey sees Andy going into the flats he is renovating: he is homeless. | |||||||
| 5274 | 72 | 30 minutes | Sophie Lifschutz | Christopher Reason | 6.65 | ||
|
Tina ignores text messages from Sophie and Sonia forgives Tina for the awards humilation. Tina tells Mick that she cannot tell Sonia the truth because of her lump and when she goes home, Sophie is with Sonia, asking why Tina has not replied to her. Kyle is unhappy when Andy wolf-whistles at Stacey and tells him it is the kind of behaviour that can lead to rape. Stacey makes him apologise but when Andy and Jack call him a feminist, he accuses Stacey of telling them about his past. Masood has a date with Laura Crowe, and the market traders meet, while Kathy lies to Ian that she is spying on them for him. Ben tells Pam it is over with him and Paul because of her, but when she tells Paul, he is angry and she then tells Ben she is jealous that he makes Paul happy and apologises; Ben and Paul reunite. | |||||||
May[edit]
In May, Ronnie Mitchell's (Samantha Womack) stalker is revealed to be Andy Flynn (Jack Derges).[106] Peggy Mitchell's (Barbara Windsor) death takes place this month,[107] after she decides to stop her cancer treatment and spend time with her family. Windsor said it was "the perfect ending" for Peggy.[108] Christian Clarke (John Partridge) returned at the end of the month to be a part of a big Beale family storyline, and the "Who Killed Lucy Beale?" storyline was revisited,[109] with Bobby Beale (Eliot Carrington) confessing to killing his sister Lucy Beale (Hetti Bywater) after brutally attacking his adoptive mother Jane Beale (Laurie Brett).[110] Aaron Sidwell (Steven Beale) and Jacqueline Jossa (Lauren Branning) also reprised their roles in May. Jossa returned after taking maternity leave, while Sidwell returned to the role after an eight year absence. On his return, the actor commeneted, "I was really happy to be asked back. It felt like the right time for me and the right time for the character."[111] This month also sees the start of a storyline in which Babe Smith (Annette Badland) blackmails Les Coker (Roger Sloman) over his crossdressing.[112]
| # | No. in year | Original air date | Running time | Directed by | Written by | Viewers (millions) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5275 | 73 | 30 minutes | Sophie Lifschutz | Christopher Reason | 7.07 | ||
|
Sophie has told Sonia what happened with Tina, so Sonia shouts at Tina to leave, but after they talk, they reunite and Tina promises to discuss her feelings and help out more. Sonia then tells Bex about the lump. Kyle is angry at Stacey; when she returns to the pub, Andy has guessed that Kyle is transgender but is fine about it, and Stacey reveals she knows Andy is homeless. Sophie and Kyle fall out when she calls him selfish. Kyle and Stacey talk about Kyle's mother, Alison, and Stacey calls her, leaving Kyle frustrated. Ian wonders how Buster got the personal email address of the chair of the council's planning committee, Steve Jacobs, who has been bombarded with emails from the market traders. Masood has a second date with Laura, but she and her associate Ozzy Fletcher mug him. | |||||||
| 5276 | 74 | 30 minutes | Sophie Lifschutz | Daran Little | 7.15 | ||
|
Alison visits Kyle but struggles with how he has changed and insists she has only daughters and it is not normal. Stacey fails to encourage her to get to know Kyle and she leaves. Kyle is initially angry with Stacey but she says there will be other chances. When Martin returns, he claims he has more money to come but Andy tells him he knows he was fired and is lying to Stacey. Sonia has her lump checked and is referred for further tests. She later cries to Dot, who encourages her to be strong, so Sonia tells Tina that she wants a double mastectomy regardless of the result. Masood admits to Carmel that his date was a scam; she says he will find someone. She later tells Denise in front of Masood that her son Shakil has overheard her former husband Umar saying he wants to reunite with her. | |||||||
| 5277–5278 | 75 | 60 minutes | Steve Finn | Leo Richardson | 6.53 | ||
|
Ronnie goes to court to support Hannah; the case is dropped, but Hannah says she did not send the death threats; Ronnie must have another enemy. Roxy arrives at Ronnie's house covered in blood and is hospitalised. Glenda returns while Andy is babysitting Matthew, and he overhears her talking to her son Danny Mitchell (Liam Bergin) about money he is due. When Ronnie returns, Glenda insists she did not know what happened to Roxy—Roxy stayed with her but left a few weeks ago. Andy mentions Danny and the money, so Glenda says Roxy borrowed money from him before she left. When Ronnie and Glenda go to see Roxy, she has checked herself out of the hospital. Shakil arrives, telling Carmel to meet Umar in the pub. When he does not come, Shakil admits it was a ruse to get them talking but says that he is no longer welcome at Umar's house, so Carmel asks him to stay. Belinda visits Stacey and Buster realises Belinda is wealthy. Martin gets his old job on the market back from Ian and Andy tells Martin that Jack was delivered 40 extra toilets in error, so they could sell them and share the profits; Martin agrees. Shirley's petition against Costmart is rejected for not having enough signatures. Ian and Jane sack Tina from the café, as they will be working there when the restaurant is sold. Tina realises there is a way to stop Ian selling. Sonia thinks the lump has gone so decides not to go to her appointment, but Shirley convinces her to change her mind. Billy invites Jay to work at Les's funeral home, but Les is against it. Honey and Billy are visited by social worker Derek Evans, who asks that all Jay's contact with their children is supervised. Pam insists that Jay should work for Les, so Les leaves for the pub, where he rejects Babe's offer to talk. Babe then sends Les an anonymous email, blackmailing him. Broadcast on Wednesday at 8.00 pm. Schedule changes were made in preparation for summer sporting events to be broadcast on BBC One.[105] | |||||||
| 5279 | 76 | 30 minutes | Steve Finn | Daran Little | 6.63 | ||
|
Pam notices Les has paid someone £1000; Les reveals he is being blackmailed over his cross-dressing, so Pam suspects Claudette, asking Donna where she is. It is then revealed that Donna has been meeting Claudette in secret. Les suggests that they allow the truth to come out but Pam does not want to be judged, so she tells Jay they cannot afford to employ him. Stuart Ashe goes to Ronnie's house looking for Roxy; he threatens to kill her if something of his is not returned. Andy and Martin tell Stacey about their plan to sell toilets and with Kyle's help, they are able to steal them from the flats. Ian is angry when the market traders block the entrance to his café; Jane says they should take Bobby out of the boarding school but Ian fears his violent streak will return if they do. | |||||||
| 5280 | 77 | 30 minutes | Steve Finn | Daran Little | 6.50 | ||
|
Kathy tells Buster that Ian needs to fund Bobby's place in school, so Buster announces this at Ian's meeting with the traders, angering Ian. Buster asks Kathy why the school is so important, so she tells him to leave her alone as she does not care about him, but then kisses him. Pam wonders who the blackmailer is but says they just need to keep paying. The police know about the stolen toilets, but Andy, Martin, Stacey and Kyle fail to sell them. Roxy goes to Ronnie's saying she needs to leave the country so that people cannot come after her for drugs or money; Ronnie tries to stop her leaving by getting her cash and bringing Amy in, but Roxy rejects Amy and leaves. Roxy then gives Glenda some of the money, telling her to never return. Andy looks at news cuttings he has collected about Ronnie. | |||||||
| 5281 | 78 | 30 minutes | Toby Frow | Lauren Klee | 6.99 | ||
|
Buster's boycott of Ian's businesses does not go well; he apologises to Kathy but she shows her loyalty to Ian by telling potential boycotters that Buster is a criminal. Buster offers Belinda a fish delivery, getting her address, and later goes with Lee to her house to steal her koi carp for money; Lee tells Mick where they are, so Mick stops them and returns the fish as Belinda returns home and sees Mick through her window. Bex is annoyed that Louise is flirting with Shakil. Andy gets Ronnie's house keys to collect something for Jack and uses the opportunity to snoop; he has an excuse when Ronnie finds him and she allows him to use her computer. Later, Ronnie asks Jack and Amy to move in with her, and Roxy watches as they walk home. Peggy then arrives at Ronnie's house. This was the first episode to display an "albert+" badge on the end credits, certifying the programme's efforts in sustainable production.[113] | |||||||
| 5282 | 79 | 30 minutes | Toby Frow | Jaden Clark | 7.13 | ||
|
Belinda visits the Carters and invites Mick and Linda to her house for dinner; when they get there, Belinda's husband Neville makes it clear to Mick that the couple are into swinging and will not allow Mick to refuse because they have CCTV footage of him and Johnny in their garden. Sonia, supported by Stacey, gets the news that her test results are normal. Ronnie tells Jack that Peggy has cancer and he cannot move in yet. While Ronnie is out, Roxy enters the house and Peggy urges her to sort her life out. Peggy's sister, Sal, comes looking for Peggy but Peggy refuses to go with Sal: Walford is her home. Ronnie takes Peggy to see Dr Adam Gorman, who says her cancer has spread to her brain and any further treatment will only delay her death by a few months. | |||||||
| 5283 | 80 | 30 minutes | Toby Frow | Lauren Klee | 6.40 | ||
|
Ronnie tells Phil that Peggy has accepted that she will die; he tries to change her mind by gathering the family, but it does not work. He calls her selfish, saying he needs a liver transplant and is getting healthy for his family so she should do the same; she says there is no point but says that she, not the cancer, will be in control. Sonia decides to have a double mastectomy due to her having inherited the defective BRCA gene, but admits that she is scared of losing her breasts. Mick tells Linda Neville's plan, so she confronts him, accusing him of not having real intimacy in his relationship. They leave and Belinda gets in their car, revealing Neville's CCTV cameras are fake. Neville follows them to Walford, where Belinda ends their relationship because she does not feel loved. He insults her and Mick punches him, forcing him to leave. Belinda then moves in with Stacey, Martin and Kyle. | |||||||
| 5284 | 81 | 30 minutes | Toby Frow | Rob Gittins | 6.93 | ||
|
Having heard Peggy's news, Sharon tells Phil to show her that she cannot give up on life. Peggy talks to Dot, who says she believes things happen for a reason. Phil takes Peggy into London for a boat trip on the Thames and they visit the house where Phil grew up, sharing memories all the way. Phil accepts that Peggy will die but says he wants it to be when there is nothing more that can be done; Peggy says there is no hope already. Meanwhile, Sharon tells Kathy and Shirley the news and they prepare a meal for the Mitchells, sharing memories of Peggy as they do. Phil and Peggy arrive home, and Peggy realises that the women know that she is dying. Peggy asks Phil to be with her when she dies, and Sharon leaves a voicemail for Phil's brother Grant in Portugal, saying his family needs him. | |||||||
| 5285 | 82 | 30 minutes | Michael Owen Morris | Rob Gittins | 7.46 | ||
|
Denise tells Ian that selling the restaurant will lose him his friends while Phil tells Ian that boarding school will not change Bobby; Ian changes his mind about selling the restaurant to Costmart, telling the market traders this; Jane says Bobby will be devastated that he will have to leave the school. Peggy decides to cook a family meal, telling Phil it will be her last. Stacey visits Peggy, who forgives her for killing her husband Archie Mitchell (Larry Lamb) six years previously. Stacey worries when Belinda tries to sell the stolen toilets to Jack. Ben and Louise fail to attend Peggy's dinner, where Peggy tells Phil it is unfair of her to ask for his help—she will end her life on her own; he says he will not let her down or leave her on her own. Grant then arrives, surprising them both. | |||||||
| 5286 | 83 | 35 minutes | Michael Owen Morris | Sarah Phelps | 7.97 | ||
|
Grant tells Peggy and Phil he will only stay a few hours and will take Peggy back to Portugal with him; Peggy reveals her cancer has returned and it is terminal. Grant is angry that Peggy was not going to tell him, so leaves and meets Sharon; after talking, they almost kiss. Peggy visits The Queen Vic to wish Martin and Stacey well, though they are busy trying to return the toilets to Jack's flats. Peggy is in pain, and her senses are fading and playing tricks on her, but she is happy to see all her friends. Grant and Phil fight, and Grant reveals he knows Phil has cirrhosis. Grant asks Phil for the money that he lent him to help Kathy the previous year; he needs it as he is in trouble in Portugal. They agree to be amicable for Peggy's sake, and find her in the pub. They both say she can get more help and will be there for her when she is in pain. They leave, and Grant and Phil take Peggy's pills from her. Back in the pub, Phil tells Grant he will get his money, but Grant says he knows Phil does not have it and he needs it immediately; he threatens Phil and returns to Portugal. Alone at home, Peggy hears the voice of her old friend Pat, who died in 2012, and goes outside to see a blackbird singing, telling Sharon it is perfect. Sharon and Peggy make amends and Sharon promises to look out for Phil. Peggy goes back inside where she sees Pat. Peggy takes another bottle of pills from her bag and tells Pat that she fears she will break hearts when she dies but wants to be remembered as a strong woman, not a helpless person in a bed. Peggy asks Pat to never leave her, and then takes a lethal overdose. Broadcast at 7.25 pm.[114] The episode ends with the credits rolling in silence over a shot of Albert Square, and an extra scene at the end shows a clock ticking and then stopping to indicate Peggy's death. | |||||||
| 5287 | 84 | 30 minutes | Michael Owen Morris | Richard Davidson | 7.70 | ||
|
Phil is distraught when he finds Peggy's body. Martin, Stacey, Kush, Kyle and Belinda finish moving the toilets back; Jack is suspicious when Belinda says the deal fell through and he finds the toilets. Sharon tells Jane that her feelings for Grant came back but she wants to reunite with Phil. Bobby overhears Jane saying that he will be taken out of school, so smashes her car with his hockey stick. Sharon visits Phil and discovers Peggy has died. News of her death spreads around the locals as Phil tells Sharon he knew Peggy's plan and regrets not doing more to stop it. Stacey tells Martin she does not think she can get married now that Peggy has died. Phil reads a letter Peggy wrote him, in which she tells him she was not scared or alone, and that he needs to learn to love himself as much as others love him. "Peggy's Theme", a longer version of "Julia's Theme", plays over the scene of Phil reading Peggy's letter, and throughout the entire credits. | |||||||
| 5288 | 85 | 30 minutes | Michael Owen Morris | Richard Davidson | 7.18 | ||
|
Dot visits Phil and says she thinks Peggy killed herself; Phil confirms this and later tells Shirley, and says it does not need to be a secret. Phil is later comforted by Sharon. Andy tells Stacey that Jack is having CCTV installed so he can no longer stay in the flats; she invites him to stay at hers. Stacey tells Martin she still wants to marry him today. Martin asks Kush to photograph the wedding; Stacey and Martin marry. At the reception party, Shakil and Bex kiss and are seen by a jealous Louise. Kyle finds Andy's folder of news cuttings and sees a photograph of Andy and a girl: Ronnie's dead daughter Danielle. Bobby sneaks home and when Jane goes to collect the wedding cake, she finds him packing his things. He says he is going back to school having overheard her previously; she tries to stop him but he says she is not his real mother, so she goes to call Ian, and while her back is turned, Bobby attacks her with his hockey stick, splattering her blood on the cake. | |||||||
| 5289 | 86 | 30 minutes | Richard Lynn | Matt Evans | 6.75 | ||
|
Ian's best man's speech is interrupted by Bobby saying he has killed Jane, like he killed Lucy. Ian, Kathy, Sharon and Ben rush to Jane's aid and discover she has a pulse so Kathy calls an ambulance. Ben is angry to realise the family knew the truth as he was suspected of Lucy's murder, but says they should get Bobby away, so Ian tells Bobby to change his bloodied shirt and they leave when paramedics arrive. Mick stops Ian leaving, realising that Ian knew long ago that Bobby killed Lucy, and convinces Ian to return to Jane; Ian stops Bobby going in the ambulance. Meanwhile, Andy tells Kyle that the girl in the photo is his sister; he then packs his bags to leave but Ronnie stops him. Louise tells Bex she does not mind that she kissed Shakil, but then tells Shakil that Bex has anger problems. Roxy returns for Amy but Jack refuses to let her see her; later Roxy tells Billy that she has £10,000 worth of cocaine inside her and thinks something has gone wrong. | |||||||
| 5290 | 87 | 30 minutes | Richard Lynn | Matt Evans | 7.05 | ||
|
Bobby confesses to police that he hit Jane, so PC Julian Walsh arrests him. Sharon accompanies him as he is interviewed by DS Howard South. Despite solicitor Ritchie advising no comment, Bobby states what happened. South tells Bobby he will be charged with GBH with intent, but when Bobby mentions hurting Lucy to Sharon, South asks about it; Bobby says he killed his sister. Back on the square, Stacey cannot find anyone who thinks Max is innocent, despite no murder weapon ever being found. Phil tells Ben he bribed the jury foreman in Max's case, and tells Sharon they have a problem in Stacey. South and DI Samantha Keeble interview Bobby but she is reluctant to reopen the case as Max was convicted. Bobby is confused that he will not be punished, and says he knows where the weapon is. Jane requires a spinal operation, Jack learns that Roxy has swallowed cocaine, and Pam is curious when she sees Babe's laptop. | |||||||
| 5291 | 88 | 30 minutes | Richard Lynn | Carey Andrews | 6.72 | ||
|
Bobby tells the police that the jewellery box that killed Lucy is in his school locker; he is bailed, pending a murder charge. Ian is angry with Bobby; they visit Jane, who is in a coma, and Bobby says he had to tell the truth and needs help. Jane's brother Christian and mother Linda Clarke then arrive; Linda blames Ian for what has happened and tells him to stay away. Sharon tries to silence Stacey but she says bullying her will not stop Max finding out what has happened as Bobby has confessed. Pam looks on Babe's laptop but Babe catches her before she can find any evidence and Babe denies sending Les emails. Roxy manages to pass the bags of cocaine and tells Jack and Billy she has flushed them away, but reveals to Jay that she has not; he offers to help her sell them. | |||||||
| 5292 | 89 | 30 minutes | Richard Lynn | Dana Fainaru | 6.45 | ||
|
The hospital tells Ian they will try waking Jane later; he tells Christian and explains Jane's actions regarding Lucy's death. In the hospital, after speaking to Christian, Linda Clarke tells Ian to go home and she will call him if there is news. Lauren returns from New Zealand and Ian expects his son, Lauren's fiancé Peter Beale (Ben Hardy), to be with her but is shocked to see his stepson, Steven. Sharon and Shirley pack Peggy's things and Sharon tells Shirley that her divorce is close to being finalised but she is back with Phil now. When Sharon tells Phil that she packed Peggy's things, he is angry but when Sharon says Peggy will never come back, Phil cries in her arms. Meanwhile, Roxy tells Ronnie and Jack that she is no longer involved with drugs, but when Jack tells her she will never see Amy again, she tells Jay she still wants to deal. Also, Stacey fails to convince Max's daughter Abi to help him, Pam and Les confront Babe with no luck, and Kathy sees Dennis leaving with Gavin. | |||||||
| 5293 | 90 | 30 minutes | Lance Kneeshaw | Peter Mattessi | 6.92 | ||
|
Ian is not happy to see Steven but he insists he is there to help his family. Ian accepts his help but at the hospital, Christian and Linda are horrified that he is there. Jane wakes up and in private, Ian tells her about Bobby's confession. Jane then worries she will be permanently paralysed. Lauren fails to convince Abi to help Max, and Lauren and Steven are revealed to be in a relationship when they kiss. Kathy stops Gavin taking Dennis from Walford, and Dennis tells Sharon he wants to live with Gavin. Thinking of his family, Jay tells Roxy he cannot sell the drugs, and as her contact telephones her, Roxy has second thoughts when she sees Jack with Amy. | |||||||
| 5294 | 91 | 30 minutes | Lance Kneeshaw | Peter Mattessi | 6.10 | ||
|
Bobby is charged with unlawfully killing Lucy and is remanded to a youth detention centre. Lauren convinces Abi that Max is innocent, and Lauren says that she found out earlier that Bobby was guilty. Linda tells Jane that Steven is back and offers to move back to Walford for her. Ian catches Lauren and Steven kissing, and they reveal that Peter wants nothing to do with his family; Ian forces Steven out of the house, saying he will never be his son. Ian tells Jane that Bobby did not get bail, and she tells him she has tried to do the best thing for the family but it is her fault Ian's family has fallen apart and the best thing is that she is not in the family—her relationship with Ian is over. | |||||||
June[edit]
June's storylines include Donna Yates (Lisa Hammond) asking her foster brother Vincent Hubbard (Richard Blackwood) to be a sperm donor[115] and Jay Brown (Jamie Borthwick) trying to find a job after he was put onto the sex offenders register but being unsuccessful and turning to drug dealing,[116] Also this month, Les Coker (Roger Sloman) suffers a heart attack while dressed as his female alter ego Christine and is found by his wife Pam Coker (Lin Blakley)[117] and Sam Mitchell (Danniella Westbrook) returns for her mother Peggy Mitchell's (Barbara Windsor) funeral.[118]
| # | No. in year | Original air date | Running time | Directed by | Written by | Viewers (millions) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5295 | 92 | 30 minutes | Lance Kneeshaw | Andrew Rattenbury | 6.63 | ||
|
Ian tries to carry on as normal by keeping the restaurant running despite it being short staffed; he visits Bobby and brings Ritchie to see Jane, who advises that Bobby pleads not guilty so she can build up a case. Jane insists to Ian that she meant what she said and their marriage is over. Ian goes home to find Steven working in the restaurant, so tells him to get out, and closes the restaurant. Ian tells Masood he blames himself for Jane's situation, and then drives away from Walford. Roxy is serious about turning her life around, working at the restaurant until it closes. Andy flirts with Roxy and Donna fails to convince Vincent to talk to Claudette. With no market inspector, Buster makes his own rules, so Donna and Roxy decide to work together on the market to outsmart him. | |||||||
| 5296 | 93 | 30 minutes | Lance Kneeshaw | Alex Straker | 5.92 | ||
|
With Ian missing, Steven supports Kathy and tells her about his past mental illness; Ian is then found. Denise registers for salsa classes instead of a GCSE course, but Masood registers on her behalf and she thanks him when he offers to help her study. Donna and Roxy fail to execute their plan against Buster, and Donna gets drunk, later asking Kush to father a child for her, which is overheard by Vincent. Ronnie asks why Jack is stopping Roxy from seeing Amy, so Roxy admits to smuggling cocaine; Ronnie tells her to leave. Jack tells Ronnie that he is surprised by Roxy's honesty and they allow Roxy to see Amy. Andy asks Roxy on a date but she punches him when he goes to kiss her; she admits to feeling imprisoned by Dean's attempted rape, so he tells her she is free of him, and they kiss. | |||||||
| 5297 | 94 | 30 minutes | Laurence Wilson | Daran Little | 6.91 | ||
|
Donna regrets her actions with Kush the previous night, and Pam is frustrated that the market is turning to anarchy and encourages Donna to apply to be market inspector. Donna later asks Vincent if he will be the father of her baby. Pam is upset when Babe makes jokes about Les, and tells Paul that she and Les are being blackmailed. Abi and Lauren discover that Max has stopped them from visiting him in prison and fired his solicitor, so they have no way of contacting him. Kim and Carmel clash at Kim's salsa class. Ronnie encourages Roxy to date Andy and she agrees. As she texts Andy, he is with his father, Andy Jones, also Danielle's adoptive father, and says he is getting closer to Ronnie. | |||||||
| 5298 | 95 | 30 minutes | Laurence Wilson | Jonny O'Neill | 7.21 | ||
|
Paul advises Les to call the blackmailer's bluff by threatening to go to the police, so Les gives Babe a payment saying it will be the last one as Pam wants to go to the police. However, Babe overhears Pam saying they should continue to pay, so Babe increases her demands. Les confides in Claudette and says he misses Christine, so she gives him some of her clothes and makeup that she still has. Lauren tries to encourage Ian to come out of hiding, but Ian reveals that Jane's family are planning to have her transferred to Birmingham. Vincent eventually agrees to Donna's request and reluctanty tells Kim the plan; she is shocked. Andy, Roxy, Ronnie and Jack go on a double date, and Kim allows Carmel back into the salsa class. | |||||||
| 5299 | 96 | 30 minutes | Laurence Wilson | Colin Wyatt | 5.75 | ||
|
Abi and Lauren hear that Max is being released from prison but Abi refuses to attend court; they write a letter for Stacey to pass on but they are left waiting for him and he returns the letter and hastily leaves in a taxi before Lauren can catch him. Kim calls Claudette to try to stop Vincent and Donna's plan but Claudette is supportive despite Vincent still hating her; Kim tells Vincent she is scared of losing him but he insists this will not happen and Donna deserves a family, so Kim agrees. Les and Pam allow Paul and Ben to spend time together in their home, and a stressed out Les becomes Christine again but is caught by somebody. When Shakil kisses Bex on the cheek, Louise convinces her to "treat him mean, keep him keen", so he is confused when Bex declines his offer of a drink. | |||||||
| 5300 | 97 | 30 minutes | Laurence Wilson | Paul Quiney | 5.82 | ||
|
A stressed Lauren ends her relationship with Steven. Steven begs Jane not to go to Birmingham for Ian's sake, telling her that leaving will not help her to escape her guilty feelings. Jane calls Ian to the hospital and he asks her not to leave—he does not blame her for anything that has happened and will always care for her; they kiss. Ian thanks Steven and asks for his support through Bobby's court hearing. Donna inseminates herself with Vincent's donated sperm, and Kim, realising how hard it will be on her family, attempts to stop it but she is too late. Paul is revealed as the person who caught Les, and he promises not to say anything for Pam's sake; later he refuses to destroy Christine's things for Les as Les should not suffer for who he is. Shakil thinks Bex is no longer interested so she cancels lunch with Martin to see him; when Martin finds them together, Bex is happy when Shakil calls her his girlfriend. | |||||||
| 5301 | 98 | 30 minutes | David Tucker | Katie Douglas | 6.44 | ||
|
Mick and Linda are frustrated when Dr Glen Mander still tells them to wait and see regarding Ollie's condition, but after speaking to Belinda, Mick decides not to worry and make the most of Ollie's childhood. Belinda receives a letter stating that Neville is filing for divorce, so she meets him and with Mick's support, gets Neville to agree to a £50,000 settlement, but Belinda hopes for more. Mick and Linda are shocked when Mick's grandmother, Sylvie, arrives with police and thinks Mick is her dead husband Stan Carter (Timothy West). Ritchie tells Jane and Ian that Bobby could get a non-custodial sentence, but Sharon warns Ian not to get his hopes up, saying custody might be what is best and Ian agrees. Martin is against Bex seeing Shakil but Belinda tells him not to take away Bex's happiness. Broadcast at 7.00 pm due to coverage of the 2016 UEFA European Championships.[119] There was no episode on 13 June for the same reason.[120] | |||||||
| 5302 | 99 | 30 minutes | David Tucker | Katie Douglas | 6.38 | ||
|
Sylvie, who has dementia, is confused, and when her social worker, Sammy Broomhill, arrives, Sammy says that residents in Sylvie's care home have complained about her sexual advances. The Carters decide Sylvie should go to a new home and stay with them until one is found, but Babe, Sylvie's sister, is against this. Bobby pleads guilty in court to GBH against Jane and unlawfully killing Lucy; Judge Harriet Steele sentences him to three years in custody; Ian inadvertantly reveals he knew Bobby killed Lucy, so DI Keeble asks him when he found out and wishes him luck; DS Cameron Bryant asks about her inaction, so she says that Ian has suffered enough. Ian tells Jane what happened and she is able to squeeze his hand. Sonia confirms her appointment for her elective double mastectomy. | |||||||
| 5303 | 100 | 30 minutes | David Tucker | Jesse O'Mahoney | 6.20 | ||
|
Ian is happy because of Jane's improvements and hopes Bobby will appeal his sentence. Lauren visits Jane to make amends between the Branning and Beale families, and reveals to Ian that Jane wants Bobby to serve his full sentence; Ian visits Bobby to tell him to take his punishment so he can deal with his problems and Jane can recover. When Ian gets home, he has a letter from Max saying he will "never forget". With a month's waiting time for a new care home, the Carters struggle to cope with looking after Sylvie and Linda worries she will harm Ollie. Sonia visits Dr Melissa Keyes with Martin and says she wants a double mastectomy as well as an oophorectomy. When she gets home, she is shocked to see that Tina has allowed Sylvie to move in. Donna tells Kim she is not pregnant. | |||||||
| 5304 | 101 | 30 minutes | David Tucker | Dare Aiyegbayo | 6.65 | ||
|
Sonia tells Martin her doubts about her relationship with Tina and misinterprets his support, kissing him; he rejects her and she vows to tell Tina their relationship is over but when Tina says she wants to care for Sylvie, Sonia promises to help. Ian plans to move to Birmingham with Jane to avoid Max and tells Sharon who insists it is an empty threat but everyone who covered for Bobby could face consequences so they must face them together. After Steven initially rejects the idea, he and Lauren reunite. Kim tells Vincent that fathering another child will cause problems for Pearl as she grows up, but he says he must keep his promise to Donna. Belinda plans to open a salon, and Andy decides to squat in Jack's new flats but Jack and Ronnie catch him using the shower. There was no episode on 20 June.[121] | |||||||
| 5305 | 102 | 30 minutes | Sophie Lifschutz | Anya Reiss | 6.56 | ||
|
Andy moves in with Ronnie and Jack but after Ronnie sends Andy's things to the launderette, Dot calls her having found a news cutting about Danielle. Denise arranges a surprise party for Carmel's 50th birthday and hopes Carmel and Masood will find romance but Masood mistakes Denise's encouragement for flirting and Carmel finds them as he holds her hand. Jay has a job interview with garage owner Dessie Dunn and lies that he has no convictions, and when Dessie says he wants to speak to Phil for a reference, Paul says Ben should call Dessie first pretending to be Phil; Dessie realises it is not Phil and Jay is forced to admit the truth, but Dessie leaves without offering Jay the job. Sharon, Ronnie and Roxy start to plan Peggy's funeral but are shocked by Les's costs. | |||||||
| 5306 | 103 | 30 minutes | Sophie Lifschutz | Anya Reiss | 5.75 | ||
|
Dot shows Ronnie the news article about Danielle and Ronnie realises Andy had it; Andy claims he wanted to find out the truth about Ronnie after hearing gossip and felt a connection as his mother and sister also died; Ronnie asks Andy to move back out but he unplugs the phone and turns sinister. Jay realises his conviction is affecting Billy's family and desperate for money, he asks Roxy if he can sell her drugs; she reluctantly agrees but then they realise Amy's pet rabbit, Hercules, has opened the bag and Amy is missing. Masood is embarrassed when he realises Denise was trying to set him up with Carmel, and Carmel says she does not need help; she later flirts with Buster when he helps her home. Shirley confronts Pam about the cost of Peggy's funeral; Pam says that Babe is the reason for it. | |||||||
| 5307 | 104 | 30 minutes | Sophie Lifschutz | Gavin James Bower | 4.83 | ||
|
Andy is about to threaten Ronnie when Jay arrives, saying Amy is missing; a search ensues during which Ronnie and Jack discover Roxy still had her drugs. Roxy tells Jay to get rid of them, but he lies to her and keeps them. Andy finds Amy, and Jack rushes her to hospital; though she is fine, nurse Rowan Kennedy tells Jack that Social Services will want to speak to them and Jack tells Roxy he wants full custody of Amy. Andy apologises to Ronnie, saying he just wanted time to explain, and she allows him to stay. After speaking to Carmel, Buster meets Kathy and tells her he is with the wrong person but she rejects his kiss. Pam confronts Les about overcharging for Peggy's funeral and Babe tells them she has not told Shirley but increases her demands to £1,000 a week. | |||||||
| 5308 | 105 | 30 minutes | Sophie Lifschutz | Wendy Granditer | 5.65 | ||
|
Pam offers Babe half the money but she demands the full amount by the end of the day and threatens to enlarge the photo of Les and reveal it to everyone; Les takes a deposit for Peggy's funeral which Pam loses gambling, angering Les. Later, when Babe goes to unveil a photo frame, Pam tries to stop her and breaks it but it is a gift for Linda; Pam returns home to find Les dressed as Christine; she chastises him and he suffers a heart attack. Roxy decides to leave Walford to sort herself out and says an emotional goodbye to Amy. Carmel tells Denise she flirted with Buster and invites him on a date; she is embarrassed when he says he only wants to make friends, but he asks Kathy if she wants a relationship and she says yes. This episode included references to the recent United Kingdom European Union membership referendum result and England being knocked out of the 2016 UEFA European Championship.[122] | |||||||
| 5309 | 106 | 30 minutes | John Howlett | Christopher Reason | 6.14 | ||
|
Billy sees Les in an ambulance but Pam lies that nobody saw him. Les says he does not care about people knowing, and later, Pam asks if he meant it and reveals someone did see. Billy worries that Les is a "perv" but when he tries to speak to Pam, she shuts him down. Ronnie stops Roxy from leaving, and Roxy helps Sharon prepare for Peggy's funeral. Peggy's daughter Sam arrives with her son Ricky; Ricky's father Jack sees them and decides to avoid them. Phil returns and wants to relax, but is angry when he sees old photos and news articles of his abusive father that Sharon left on the bed. Sharon also thinks that Sam knows she shared a kiss with Grant, and defends herself saying it was only on the cheek and meant nothing; Sam reveals she did not know but does now. There was no episode on 1 July due to coverage of the 2016 UEFA European Championships.[123] | |||||||
July[edit]
July includes the funeral of Peggy Mitchell (Barbara Windsor),[124] and Whitney Dean (Shona McGarty) discovering she is pregnant by her boyfriend Lee Carter (Danny-Boy Hatchard).[125] Also this month, the Mitchell and Beale families are told that Ben Mitchell (Harry Reid) has died from injuries sustained in an incident, a storyline which will "mark the beginning of a very testing time for several residents of Albert Square as lives are shattered and families are thrown into turmoil",[126] though it is a mistaken identity and Ben's boyfriend Paul Coker (Jonny Labey) is the one who is dead, having been subjected to a homophobic attack.[45] July also includes the exit of Gavin Sullivan (Paul Nicholas) when he is arrested, and of his sister, recurring character Margaret Midhurst (Jan Harvey), whom he kills.[127]
| # | No. in year | Original air date | Running time | Directed by | Written by | Viewers (millions) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5310 | 107 | 30 minutes | John Howlett | Christopher Reason | 6.57 | ||
|
Before Peggy's funeral, Margaret arrives telling Sharon that Gavin is acting strangely, but Sharon dismisses it. The funeral takes place, during which Sam's exit from the church annoys Ronnie and Jack, and Sal tells Sharon something about Peggy; when Phil leaves, unable to make his speech, Sal urges Sharon to tell Phil. Unnoticed, Grant watches the burial in tears. Back home, Sharon tells Phil that Peggy did not watch on as Eric physically abused him as a child, but had him falsely arrested to protect Phil from him. Phil goes to The Vic, apologises for leaving, and says that two Mitchell rules have been broken: "never grass" and "never apologise". Jack asks Sam to meet Ricky later, Buster sneaks off to meet Kathy, and Phil says goodbye to Peggy at her grave. "Peggy's Theme" plays over the scene of Phil at Peggy's grave and over the entire credits. The scene of Grant at Peggy's funeral was filmed separately from the rest of the episode, only a short time before the broadcast.[128] | |||||||
| 5311 | 108 | 30 minutes | John Howlett | Rob Gittins | 5.92 | ||
|
Buster and Kathy agree to meet away from Walford but as Buster waits, Gavin tells Kathy he has Dennis so she gets in his car; Buster sees them leave. Sharon sees that Dennis has been in contact with Gavin. Buster tells Sharon what he saw; they get Gavin's address from Dennis. Kathy and Gavin arrive at a large country house and he locks them in saying they can live there together. Margaret arrives so Gavin locks Kathy in a room; the siblings argue and Margaret knocks Gavin out and lets Kathy out of the room. Gavin regains consciousness and the women try to hide. As Sharon and Buster arrive, a woman falls onto the windscreen of the car and lies dead on the floor; Buster shouts for Kathy. Meanwhile, Jack bonds with Ricky over his love of animals, and Ian tells Jay that he must make people listen when he says his offence was not his fault. There was no episode on 7 July due to coverage of the 2016 UEFA European Championships.[129] | |||||||
| 5312 | 109 | 30 minutes | John Howlett | Rob Gittins | 6.71 | ||
|
Margaret is dead, and Buster and Sharon break into the house to help Kathy. Buster gets to her while Sharon talks to Gavin, urging him to hand himself into the police, who have arrived on the scene, and she promises not to turn her back on him if he does so. He says he will, but then when she lets him out of the room, he tries to escape but is trapped on the balcony. The police arrive on the balcony and he threatens to jump with Sharon but she says he would never do that to himself so he lets her go and is arrested. Sharon, Buster and Kathy return to Walford, where Kathy tells Buster they cannot continue seeing each other, but then they kiss and Phil sees them. Meanwhile, Sam leaves Peggy's wake and Roxy sees she has packed her bags but not Ricky's, so Roxy convinces her to stay but when she leaves anyway without saying goodbye to Ricky. This is the last episode to credit Dominic Treadwell-Collins as executive producer.[61] | |||||||
| 5313 | 110 | 30 minutes | John Greening | Daran Little | 7.23 | ||
|
Jenny Rawlinson arrives in Walford and watches the Cokers as Les returns from hospital. Billy calls Les a "pervert" to Pam, so she fires him from the funeral home. Pam then tells Les they should retire away from London and Les agrees; when Paul and Ben find out, they decide they should take over the running of the funeral home; Les and Pam are overjoyed. Pam answers the door to Jenny and it is revealed she is Paul's mother, and Pam slams the door on her, telling her to never return. Meanwhile, Jane refuses to continue her physiotherapy so Steven suggests she move back home, Lauren and Steven decide to get their own place until Steven says they should move in with Ian and Jane to help out, Linda honours Peggy with a new engraved pub bell, and when Shirley tries to get involved with helping Phil, Linda tells her to stay with Buster. This is the first episode to credit Sean O'Connor as executive producer.[61] | |||||||
| 5314 | 111 | 30 minutes | John Greening | Daran Little | 5.80 | ||
|
Jenny visits Paul on the flower stall and talks about family, and is shocked when Paul reveals his father is dead and Pam told him his mother did not want him; Jenny visits Pam saying she has changed her life and should be able to see Paul, but when Paul arrives, he assumes she is Les's blackmailer and sends her out; Pam fears Jenny will still return. Shirley is happy when she hears Buster talking about love but upset when he does not notice her makeover. Honey and Billy are angry that Janet's school cannot afford to give her the extra support she needs as she has fallen behind the rest of her class, and Honey is angry that Billy has quit his job. Lauren is annoyed when Steven implies she will be Jane's carer, so she decides to become a web designer. | |||||||
| 5315 | 112 | 30 minutes | John Greening | Jessica Lea | 6.40 | ||
|
When Lauren tells the Carters that Abi loved working in the kitchen, they offer Abi her job back. Later, on a night out, a drunk Abi reminds Lee of the night they had sex; at home, Lauren accuses Abi of flirting with Lee and of being jealous of Whitney, saying Lee would never be interested in her, so Abi reveals to Lauren that she has had sex with him. Whitney suspects she may be pregnant. Pam shows Les letters that Jenny sent Paul over the years, and vows to tell him the truth the next day. Honey is annoyed with Billy for quitting but when Pam tells her that they could not afford to keep Billy on, she apologises, and he apologises for getting angry about Janet's schooling. Denise starts training with Kush, and Andy is angry when Kyle asks about the folder again. | |||||||
| 5316 | 113 | 30 minutes | John Greening | Josh Freedman Berthoud | 6.89 | ||
|
Abi confirms to Lauren that what she said is true; Lauren says Whitney should know. Whitney tells Lauren she could be pregnant and tells Lauren about Lee forgiving her when she kissed Mick; she takes a pregnancy test which is positive. Ben worries about telling Phil he is leaving the garage, while Pam plans to tell Paul about Jenny, but when Louise advises Ben not to worry about kissing Paul in public, Ben does so and Ben's plans to tell Phil change, and Pam is forced to wait. Sharon leaves for Florida, not telling anyone why she is going, and Shirley tells Phil that Buster barely notices her anymore and she was better with Phil; Phil tells her to stay with Buster, but when Shirley decides to have a night in with him, Buster tells her he is going away overnight; secretly he meets Kathy. | |||||||
| 5317 | 114 | 30 minutes | David Moor | Carey Andrews | 7.08 | ||
|
Ian takes a call on Kathy's mobile saying that someone the police have identified as Ben is critically injured following an incident. Kathy returns from her night with Buster and learns the news from Shirley. Ian and Phil get to the hospital and are told Ben has died, so while they go to identify the body, Steven informs Kathy and Shirley by telephone; Kathy blames herself because she was not there. Les and Pam assume Paul is at home in bed, but when Ian and Phil see the body, it is Paul who is dead. Meanwhile, Belinda quizzes the residents on beauty as she plans to open a salon, Johnny announces he has passed his law exams, and all Whitney's hints and attempts to tell Lee she is pregnant fail, but Linda realises and is ecstatic when Whitney confirms it. | |||||||
| 5318 | 115 | 30 minutes | David Moor | Carey Andrews | 5.92 | ||
|
Ian and Phil confirm to the police that it is Paul, not Ben, who is dead; a murder investigation opens. Back in Walford, Shirley tells Pam the news but she refuses to listen and then denies that Paul is dead, even up to the point that she and Les go to identify his body; at home, they are distraught but cry in separate rooms. Ben is found and is badly beaten; he explains that he and Paul were victims of a homophobic attack; Phil tells Ben that Paul is dead but refers to him as "your friend", showing he is still uncomfortable with Ben's sexuality, leaving Ben angry. However, urged by Ian, Phil comforts Ben as he cries. Linda tells Mick that Whitney is pregnant, and when Whitney tells Lee, Mick and Linda burst into the room to celebrate before he has a chance to let the news sink in. | |||||||
| 5319 | 116 | 30 minutes | David Moor | Laura Poliakoff | 6.78 | ||
|
Ben gives a statement to the police, but later, they ask him to clarify that it was a random, unprovoked attack as he did not tell them he and Paul were a couple; Ben does not change his statement. Pam decides to go to work but Donna and Claudette convince her to go home, however, she offers to take Belinda's beauty survey and ends up confiding in her. Pam and Les then go to The Vic, where everyone is toasting Paul, and Pam makes a speech. Ben arrives and Pam blames him, saying he is the worst thing that ever happened to Paul and wishes Ben were dead instead; Ben agrees. Pam goes home and locks herself away, crying. Ben then tells Johnny that he confronted the four men, who were verbally abusing them, and that this caused the attack, so he blames himself for Paul's death. | |||||||
| 5320 | 117 | 30 minutes | David Moor | Davey Jones | 6.61 | ||
|
Lauren tells Lee she knows he had sex with Abi, and Whitney decides they should get their own home, but Lee thinks they cannot afford it with a wedding to pay for as well. Lee is clearly troubled and later tells Mick he does not want a baby. Donna tells Kim she no longer wants a baby as she would not cope as be a single mother with money problems and her disability. Pam does not talk to Les about Paul, so he considers dressing as Christine; he explains why he cross-dresses to Billy and gives him his job back. Les then decides to be strong for Pam so tells Claudette he will no longer be Christine. Johnny enlists Jay's help to get Ben to tell the truth to the police; he agrees when they insist Paul did not die because of Ben's actions and he can stop someone else losing someone they love. | |||||||
| 5321 | 118 | 30 minutes | John Dower | Leo Richardson | 6.90 | ||
|
Louise offers to look after Phil's garage and asks Jay to fix the cars; Phil finds out and is angry but Louise says Jay is their only option. Johnny supports Ben, who gives a new statement to DC Angie Rice and confirms the attack was homophobic. Ben tells the truth to Les and then DC Rice tells Ben to attend a line-up as they have someone in custody; it is not one of the attackers but outside the station, Ben recognises another man, Simon Atmore, as one of them. Mick and Buster try to convince Lee that his feelings towards being a father will change; although Lee apparently agrees, he later looks at a leaflet about abortion. Belinda fails to get any customers to sample her treatments before opening her salon because she inadvertantly insults everyone; she agrees to soften her approach. | |||||||
| 5322 | 119 | 30 minutes | John Dower | Leo Richardson | 5.78 | ||
|
Ben has formally identified Paul's killer but he is frustrated when DC Rice says he has been bailed as he has an alibi and they are still checking evidence. Ben accuses Johnny of using him as a case study and calls him fake. Ben calls Ritchie to find an address from the attacker's number plate, which she does but then tells Phil; Phil tells him to let the police do their job, but Ben asks Phil to get him a gun. Phil forces Billy to fire Jay from the garage, and after he does so, catches him dealing drugs. Lee shares his fears with Martin, who advises him to tell Whitney exactly how he feels but before he can do so, Mick reveals he has found the abortion leaflet. Ricky refuses to cooperate with Jack; Ronnie tells Jack to be patient but Jack's tactic is to force him to stop playing video games. | |||||||
| 5323 | 120 | 30 minutes | John Dower | Darren Rapier | 6.60 | ||
|
Phil reluctantly agrees to get a gun, but tells Ben to think about the consequences; Ben does not care, so Phil says he needs Ben to look after the business and family as he might die, saying Paul can never come back no matter how many people Ben kills. Ben finds brake pads in the box that was delivered, so accuses Phil of manipulating him and angrily leaves. Jay tells Billy he pays his rent by dealing drugs; his life is ruined anyway so a drugs charge will make no difference. Billy reveals he once dealt drugs and ended up using them, and warns Jay the same will happen to him; Jay refuses to listen so Billy refuses to allow Jay to stay in his home. Mick tells Lee that he had similar thoughts when Linda was pregnant but adds that nobody can predict the future; Lee bins the abortion leaflet. Ricky locks himself in a cupboard but later insists he misses his friends so agrees to go to Beavers if Jack agrees to volunteer. | |||||||
| 5324 | 121 | 30 minutes | John Dower | Robert Butler | 6.79 | ||
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Ben is missing; Shirley calls Sharon to come back. Whitney is diagnosed with chlamydia and blames a former partner, Rob Grayson (Jody Latham); Babe overhears Lee talking to Abi about it and then finds Whitney's prescription, forcing her to reveal her diagnosis to the family; Lee insists it is Rob's fault. Billy and Jay make amends and Jay insists he will no longer deal drugs, but when Babe refuses to serve him in the pub, it is revealed he has kept them. Kush and Denise realise they have romantic feelings for each other. Andy takes Roxy for drinks, and afterwards they almost have sex but Roxy stops it as it is her first time since Dean's attempted rape; she just needs assurance but he leaves and then tells Kyle he has let Danielle down; Ronnie offers Andy the job of a live-in childminder, and he books travel tickets for himself, Matthew, Amy and Ricky. | |||||||
August[edit]
In August, Whitney Dean (Shona McGarty) discovers that Lee Carter (Danny-Boy Hatchard) cheated on her with Abi Branning (Lorna Fitzgerald) and briefly ends their relationship,[130] Ronnie Mitchell (Samantha Womack) discovers the true identity of Andy Flynn (Jack Derges)[131] and Claudette Hubbard (Ellen Thomas) discovers that Babe Smith (Annette Badland) is blackmailing the Cokers.[132] Babe also becomes the victim of a revenge attack, though viewers are unaware of the attacker, with suspects including Abi, Claudette, Les Coker (Roger Sloman), Pam Coker (Lin Blakley),[133] Whitney, Babe's sister Sylvie Carter (Linda Marlowe), Linda Carter (Kellie Bright),[134] Lee, Ben Mitchell (Harry Reid), Steven Beale (Aaron Sidwell)[135] and Lauren Branning (Jacqueline Jossa).[136] Abi is revealed as the culprit, but Babe manipulates the situation to her own needs and blames Sylvie.[137] Also this month, Honey Mitchell (Emma Barton) finds cocaine in her home belonging to Jay Brown (Jamie Borthwick).[138]
| # | No. in year | Original air date | Running time | Directed by | Written by | Viewers (millions) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5325 | 122 | 30 minutes | Richard Lynn | Natalie Mitchell | 7.29 | ||
|
Babe burns Abi's hand when she says it was Babe's idea to find someone to get pregnant but gave Lee chlamydia in the process. Whitney overhears Abi and Lauren talking and Abi is forced to tell Whitney the truth. Whitney confronts Lee who tries to defend himself; Whitney tells Mick and Linda and ends the relationship because he allowed her to take the blame. Andy tells Ronnie he is taking Matthew, Amy and Ricky to the zoo but instead visits his father, Andy Jones, with them. Roxy tells Ronnie that Dean's trial is coming up and she keeps thinking about what he did. Carmel realises that Kush has a crush on someone; Denise denies to Vincent that it is her after he sees them talking. Kathy decides to go to the police about Ben but Sharon returns and tells her not to. | |||||||
| 5326 | 123 | 30 minutes | Richard Lynn | Liz Lake | 5.95 | ||
|
Whitney considers leaving but Linda says she and her unborn baby are part of the family, while Mick tells Lee to fight for Whitney. Lee and Whitney talk and though she is unsure if she can forgive him, she agrees to give him another chance. Denise tells Kush they should just be friends and Vincent invites Claudette to a family meal. Phil tells Sharon that Ben wanted a gun; Sharon tells Ian that there is someone who can help find Ben but Phil would not like it. Andy's father calls him "Gareth", his real name; back home, Andy is forced to claim he had a call from the care home and then his phone's battery died. Ronnie sees that Andy's phone is fine and speaks to Kyle, who says Andy has a file with photos of her and Roxy. Ronnie sees Amy's rail ticket for Telford and realises who Andy really is. | |||||||
| 5327 | 124 | 30 minutes | Richard Lynn | Lauren Klee | 6.65 | ||
|
Ronnie meets Andy: she knows he is Gareth Jones and that he was her stalker. He says that she killed Danielle and things had not worked out in Walford as he expected. He tries to leave but Ronnie tells him Danielle's death was an accident and they talk about her fondly. Kyle tells Stacey, who tells Jack who Andy is; Jack punches Andy in the face, upsetting Ronnie. Ben has been missing for four days; Sharon goes to meet Grant but his daughter Courtney is there instead: Grant is not coming. Sharon goes to the police station to report Ben missing but finds Grant outside. Lee pleases Whitney by taking her to book a wedding date, and Babe forces Abi to quit her job at The Vic. Claudette does not turn up to the family meal because she visits Pam, who is in shock as Paul's body is being released. | |||||||
| 5328 | 125 | 30 minutes | Richard Lynn | Lauren Klee | 6.62 | ||
|
Grant is at the police station coincidentally: he was drunk the night before. In The Vic, he flirts with Belinda and tells Courtney that Phil killed Peggy. Grant then tells Sharon that he loves her. Having failed to find Paul's attackers, Ben returns but leaves to look again. Ronnie tells Jack and Roxy that Andy is vulnerable and has not grieved properly; Roxy confronts him, saying he is beyond help and should leave; he agrees but Ronnie asks him to stay. Whitney claims that Babe is forcing Abi to leave The Vic and reveals she made Abi fake the pregnancy, tried to blackmail Whitney and probably told Abi to have sex with Lee; Babe denies all but Linda makes her move out and Mick gives Abi her job back; Babe moves in with Tina, Sonia and Sylvie, starts blackmailing Les again and threatens Abi. Claudette vows to Vincent to be good; at Pam's, she discovers that Babe is the blackmailer. | |||||||
| 5329 | 126 | 30 minutes | Steve Finn | Pete Lawson | 6.43 | ||
|
Sharon rejects Grant; he accuses Phil assisting Peggy's suicide and demands his money back; Phil orders him to leave but is crippled with pain. Grant calls Courtney who declines to give him a place to stay; he and Belinda get passionate. Phil finds a letter in Sharon's bag and asks her when he was going to tell her that Michelle Fowler (Susan Tully) had Grant's baby. Pam stops Claudette going to the police; Claudette tells Les that she has to do something about Babe. Paul's body is returned; Jay supports Ben, but insists he should not risk his life looking for Paul's killers. Ben realises Jay has been using drugs. They agree to stick together as brothers: they have nobody else. Andy misreads Ronnie and goes to kiss her; he has messed up and blames himself for Danielle's death. Ronnie insists to move on he must leave and gives him Danielle's locket; after he goes, Ronnie breaks down in tears, and then proposes to Jack. | |||||||
| 5330 | 127 | 30 minutes | Steve Finn | Pete Lawson | 5.66 | ||
|
Sharon tells Phil that Grant and Michelle had a one-night stand 21 years ago, their son, Mark, thinks her husband, Tim, is his father, and no good can come from telling him the truth; Phil thinks he and Grant have a right to know. Ben comes home, telling Phil that Jay convinced him to let the police find Paul's killers. Grant and Belinda are interrupted by her family, so he leaves. Grant does not realise Jane is paralysed; she feels normal for a while. They talk about family but Ian arrives and sends Grant out, telling him to do something good for once. Grant tells Belinda she should stay away from him, and Phil shouts to Grant but Grant leaves. Belinda shares her worries about opening the salon so Stacey offers to work there, Jack accepts Ronnie's proposal, and Roxy tells Ronnie how worried she is about Dean's trial next week. Phil calls Mark from Sharon's phone. | |||||||
| 5331 | 128 | 30 minutes | Steve Finn | Paul Quiney | 6.82 | ||
|
Sharon knows Phil called Mark and confronts him, while Martin also hears from Michelle and worries about the truth coming out. Martin asks Phil not to tell Grant, while Sharon tells Phil that Grant declared his love for her hoping it will stop Phil revealing the truth about Mark. Mark then arrives at Martin's house. Belinda opens her salon, Elysium, while Carmel decides to apply for for the market inspector job and tells Masood she is attracted to him but he says he is planning to leave London with Shabnam. Claudette tells Babe to leave the Cokers alone, and Donna asks Claudette to move in with her; Claudette calls Babe desperate for attention as she has no man in her life, leaving Babe fuming. Dot asks Patrick to go dancing and he worries that she is interested in a relationship. | |||||||
| 5332 | 129 | 30 minutes | Steve Finn | Maya Sondhi | 6.56 | ||
|
Masood is staying and he offers Carmel company, following her to her home later. Kush tells Denise he needs to stop making bad decisions; they kiss and go to her home. Mark tells Ian that Phil told him Tim is not his real father, but Ian stops him looking for answers by insisting his family is with the Beales; Mark decides to stay to get to know them. Babe pays market trader Shrimpy to get his friends to ask for her specials at The Vic, refusing to eat when they are not available; Mick is forced to ask Babe back to work. Babe tells Claudette she wants a payment from the Cokers next week. Patrick tells Dot he can only be her friend, but she has only invited him to celebrate her dead husband Jim Branning's (John Bardon) birthday with her family, leaving him embarrassed. | |||||||
| 5333 | 130 | 30 minutes | Lance Kneeshaw | Jeff Povey | 6.64 | ||
|
Babe insists to Linda she should move back in, and tells Tina and Sonia she will move out. However, Linda tells Babe they are not ready for her to move back yet; Sylvie proclaims that nobody wants Babe. Claudette confronts Babe as she is about to leave Walford, saying that everyone will be dancing in the streets when she goes; Babe decides to stay, claiming "pervert" Les needs to be kept off the streets; Babe tells Les she is the "therapy" for his "sickness". Masood finds one of Abi's hairs in his food; Abi accuses Babe of sabotage but Linda fires Abi. Babe tells Sylvie she is not leaving as she is needed but Sylvie is a liability. Les, Sylvie, Claudette and Abi are all seen going out, and someone confronts Babe at the Vic, locking her in the freezer. Also, Masood and Carmel tell Denise they they are having fun and urge Denise to do the same, so she meets Kush; Carmel is interviewed by Mr Lister for the market inspector job; Belinda asks Masood for help marketing her business on social media but he accidentally posts a photo of a naked man; Dot arranges for Patrick and Claudette to spend time together; Roxy finds out Ronnie has written to Dean, asking him to plead guilty in court this week. | |||||||
| 5334 | 131 | 30 minutes | Lance Kneeshaw | Andrew Rattenbury | 6.75 | ||
|
Linda and Whitney find Babe unconscious; Linda and Donna both suspect Claudette of the attack, but Patrick gives her an alibi but says she went out at the time Babe was attacked. Claudette tells Linda and Mick that Babe has been blackmailing Les and Pam for four months over Les's crossdressing; Babe apologises, telling Claudette it is now over as she realises how bad she has been and regrets everything. Claudette ends things with Patrick over his lack of trust. After Sylvie spends the day with the Carters, Babe tells Linda that Sylvie shut her in the freezer. Carmel is offered the market inspector job and wants to celebrate, so Denise calls off her romance with Kush as his mother is her best friend. Masood decides to go travelling with Kamil for 10 months; Denise says it will harm Kamil's education. Having given evidence at Dean's trial, Roxy tells Ronnie that it did not go well as his barrister made her past sound seedy. Broadcast on Wednesday at 8.00 pm, due to coverage of the 2016 Summer Olympics.[139][140] | |||||||
| 5335 | 132 | 30 minutes | Lance Kneeshaw | Kathrine Smith | 6.80 | ||
|
After Shirley attends court, she reveals Dean's barrister made it look like she was lying and she got angry, and Roxy then discovers the verdict could come in the next day; Linda fears he will be found not guilty. Mick wonders if Babe is lying about Sylvie, but a confused Sylvie states that she did go to The Vic and insults Babe, so the Carters consider putting her back in care. Mick assures Shirley she is a good mother. Babe offers Abi her job back and tells her she did her a favour by shutting her in the freezer as she has got rid of Sylvie, and tells Abi she has learnt well but scares Abi by saying she would have finished what she started. Mark attends a Beale family dinner, and Kathy invites Buster when he supplies free fish; Jane notices how close they seem and warns Kathy to be careful. | |||||||
| 5336 | 133 | 30 minutes | Lance Kneeshaw | Lynne Dallow | 6.44 | ||
|
Roxy, Linda, Ronnie and Shirley discuss the trial; Shirley blames herself for making Dean hate women by abandoning him so many times, but Ronnie says only Dean is to blame as rapists are manipulators, recalling her rape by her father Archie Mitchell (Larry Lamb). Buster feels shut out by Shirley and tells Kathy he created a monster in Dean, but Kathy reveals she was raped twice and says that Linda and Roxy will be okay in time. Buster heads to court and on his return, tells Mick, Linda, Shirley, Roxy and Ronnie that Dean was found not guilty and that he paid Dean to make sure he never returns; Shirley is angry that Dean has been rewarded instead of punished, but Linda insists it was the right thing to do, telling Shirley that Dean will never have his family around him, but that Shirley has a good family and a good man in Buster. However, Buster visits Kathy and they kiss. Linda proclaims to Mick that she is a survivor. | |||||||
| 5337 | 134 | 30 minutes | Nic Phillips | Anya Reiss | 6.90 | ||
|
Kathy and Buster meet at Ian's restaurant where she moves the security camera; later, Steven discovers a break-in and sees CCTV footage of Kathy with a man; Ian tells Kathy he knows who it is. Buster decides to tell Shirley their relationship is over, but Kathy advises him not after talking to Shirley about her family. Billy and Honey return from a weekend away; Jay gifts Will a games console, and Billy lies about where the money for it came from; Honey finds an empty cocaine packet in the house. Shakil is jealous when Bex and Louise talk to Mark. Masood's house is up for let; Carmel accuses him of having a mid-life crisis but he says she should be supportive. Sonia arranges a Carter family dinner for Sylvie's sake and Martin says Tina is not treating Sonia properly. | |||||||
| 5338 | 135 | 30 minutes | Nic Phillips | Anya Reiss | 5.53 | ||
|
Ian accuses Kathy of seeing Grant and Jane asks Kathy if it is Buster; Kathy denies both but tells Jane she has fallen in love with a man in a relationship but she will end it. Honey realises that Jay is dealing drugs and that Billy knew, so she tells them both to stay away from her and her children. With Pam's mind taken off Paul, Les decides to talk about his funeral, but Pam gets upset again and leaves. Martin tells Tina to be there for Sonia, mentioning Sonia's elective breast surgery that Tina did not know about; Tina asks Sonia about it, and Sonia says she cannot talk to Tina as she never acts grown up; Tina insists she can change. Shakil asks Bex to have sex with him before his 16th birthday. | |||||||
| 5339 | 136 | 30 minutes | Nic Phillips | Sarah Hooper | 5.56 | ||
|
Billy begs Honey for another chance and she eventually agrees, saying she wants to help Jay. Jay needs money to buy drugs so steals Billy and Honey's wedding fund cash; Honey calls the police, though Billy is against this. Steven impresses Ian with his ideas for selling the restaurant's stock; Jane later sees an incomplete online credit card application in Lucy's name. Tina considers asking Social Services for more help caring for Sylvie, but after a good day with her mother, Tina believes the family are the only people who should help, leaving Sonia frustrated. Bex tells Shakil she wants to wait before having sex; Louise tells her he will find someone else. Kathy tells Buster not to end his relationship with Shirley, though she wants to continue seeing him herself. | |||||||
| 5340 | 137 | 30 minutes | Nic Phillips | Spenser Frearson | 6.15 | ||
|
Jane confronts Steven about the credit card application; he realises it was Ian and admits to it though later Ian admits the truth to Jane. Ian assigns Steven as manager of the restaurant, but Kyle realises that Steven arranged the burglary. Jay is released from police custody without charge; he apologises to Honey, who still wants to help him. Social worker Derek Evans visits Honey and says that her children could be placed in care due to the drugs allegation, so Jay says he should move out. Ben and Jay agree to take revenge on Paul's killers and then leave Walford together. Tina is forced to leave Sylvie alone; she becomes scared and bites Sonia when she gets home; Sonia hides this from Tina. Louise tells Bex that Shakil is embarrassed to be dating a "goth". | |||||||
| 5341 | 138 | 30 minutes | Dominic Keavey | Mark Stevenson | 6.80 | ||
|
Louise worries that Ben may be about to get into trouble so asks for Les's help; Ben does promise not to track down Paul's killers but when Jay finds an address and says Ben will regret doing nothing, Ben and Jay leave. Courtney and Mark flirt, unaware they are half-siblings. Denise faints and is shocked after looking up her symptoms online, which include back pain, tiredness, headaches, bloating and irregular bleeding. Bex's attempts to change her image lead to her hair turning green; she talks to Stacey about her relationship with Shakil. Lauren buys a laptop for her web design business and hears that Kyle has been sent on a cookery course; Steven admits to Lauren that he sent Kyle away because he found out that Steven arranged the burglary. Dot sees a strange man trying to get into the locked launderette. | |||||||
| 5342 | 139 | 30 minutes | Dominic Keavey | Jaden Clark | 5.52 | ||
|
Louise calls the police; Ben and Jay return as the police arrived and Simon and his friends fled. DC Rice visits Ben to say Simon's alibi has fallen through and he will be rearrested. Ben speaks to Pam and gets her talking about Paul and helps her to move forward. Ben tells Jay he cannot leave with him, angering Jay. Denise believes her symptoms are those of cancer, but after talking about Whitney's pregnancy, she takes a pregnancy test, which is positive. Steven tells Lauren he needed a way to pay debts and she promises not to tell Ian the truth about the burglary as long as they are honest with each other in future. The strange man, Eddie Tsang, delivers a letter to Dot. | |||||||
September[edit]
In September, Ben Mitchell (Harry Reid) and Jay Brown (Jamie Borthwick) are kidnapped by the men who killed Ben's boyfriend Paul Coker (Jonny Labey),[141] and Grant Mitchell (Ross Kemp) discovers that Mark Fowler (Ned Porteous) is his son.[142] Also, Ben offers to donate part of his liver to his father Phil Mitchell (Steve McFadden),[143] Pam Coker (Lin Blakley) accepts that her husband Les Coker (Roger Sloman) needs to cross-dress,[144] Sonia Fowler (Natalie Cassidy) leaves[145] and Denise Fox (Diane Parish) realises that Phil is the father of her unborn child.[146] September also saw the introduction of an ongoing subplot in which Walford Council introduce fortnightly recycling bin collections, causing confusion and annoyance among the characters living on Albert Square.[147][148]
| # | No. in year | Original air date | Running time | Directed by | Written by | Viewers (millions) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5343 | 140 | 30 minutes | Dominic Keavey | Jesse O'Mahoney | 6.42 | ||
|
Shakil wants his birthday party to help him have sex with Bex but she gifts him a chastity bracelet. Martin hears that Bex confided in Stacey that Shakil wants sex and breaks up the party. Shakil tells Martin how much he likes Bex; Martin gives Shakil advice; Bex and Shakil talk and kiss. Carmel finds Denise's pregnancy test so Denise admits she is pregnant; Carmel tells Kush. While Ian convinces Sharon that Grant should not be told that Mark is his son, Courtney and Mark admit they are attracted to each other, worrying Ian and Sharon when they hear they are together. Ben stands by Jay and decides to sleep rough with him until Phil agrees to take them back; he reluctantly agrees. Simon arrives in Walford and calls his friends to say he has found Ben and Jay. | |||||||
| 5344 | 141 | 30 minutes | Dominic Keavey | Jesse O'Mahoney | 6.57 | ||
|
It emerges that nothing has happened between Courtney and Mark but Ian and Sharon buy Mark a plane ticket back to Florida; he says that Courtney is the only person who has ever got him. Jay thanks Phil for allowing him to stay but Phil still does not want him there; Louise tries to convince Phil that Jay is not a paedophile; as they talk upstairs, Ben and Jay are involved in a struggle downstairs when they answer the door. Dot insists she cannot attend Kim's salsa show so has Claudette dance with Patrick in her place; they realise this was Dot's plan; the show is a success. Kush believes he has got Denise pregnant and tells her that he will be a good father, but Dr Natasha Black tells Denise she is around 18 to 19 weeks pregnant; Denise is horrified to realise that Phil is the father. | |||||||
| 5345 | 142 | 30 minutes | Ian White | Rob Gittins | 7.10 | ||
|
Courtney calls Grant, who is at Sal's home, and he tells Courtney and Louise to hide as Simon and his friend Frankie Byrne search for other people in the house; they do not find them; Louise gets their van's number plate as they leave with Ben and Jay locked in the back. Louise and Courtney find Phil locked under the stairs. Sharon asks for Jack's help to track the van as Grant arrives to help Phil; Phil collapses and begs Grant to save Ben from Paul's killers. Denise tells Kush the baby is not his. After Claudette and Patrick tell their friends and families they are in a relationship, Kim realises that Denise is pregnant but she refuses to name the father; Donna thinks Vincent knows who it is. Dot responds to the letter she received, making a call to accept the invitation. Les tells Pam it is her last chance to say a private goodbye to Paul before the funeral. | |||||||
| 5346 | 143 | 30 minutes | Ian White | Rob Gittins | 7.07 | ||
|
Grant takes a baseball bat to rescue Ben and Mark joins him. Jack and Ian both want to call the police, but Ronnie and Kathy tell them not to. Jay gets Simon, Frankie and their friends Neil Crossley and Tom Eden to open the van by pretending Ben has collapsed, and then Ben and Jay run, but Simon grabs Jay and Tom grabs Ben, and Jay is locked back in the van. Simon tells Ben to walk away but Ben says they will all get prison for Paul's murder. Simon grabs a metal pole to kill Ben but Grant and Mark then appear and the four men run away in fear. The police arrive and Grant and Ben flee the scene; when the police open the van, Jay also flees and hides. Phil is in hospital with a damaged liver, and Grant arrives with Ben. Grant tells Phil he no longer wants the money back; Phil tells Grant that Mark is his son. Denise tells Kim that the father of her unborn baby is a bad person and Kim allows Denise to do what she thinks is best, but Carmel warns her that the truth will come out sooner or later, and Louise gives Denise food for thought when she insists Phil is a changed man. | |||||||
| 5347 | 144 | 30 minutes | Ian White | Daran Little | 6.99 | ||
|
Pam's sister Miriam visits on the day of Paul's funeral and convinces her to say goodbye to Paul, and Phil decides to accompany Ben to the funeral. Ben learns that the gang are all in police custody. Grant stops Mark and Courtney kissing, leading to Courtney rejecting her father, and he accuses Ian of knowing about Mark's paternity for years so punches him in the face. Grant then agrees that Mark is better off not knowing the truth, but Jane tells Grant that he could be a good father and Mark can decide what sort of relationship he wants, so Grant invites Mark for a drink in The Vic. Dot tells Sonia she has been invited to a wedding but does not want to go as it is "not right"; Colin arrives saying he had a feeling she would not go to his wedding unless he came for her. | |||||||
| 5348 | 145 | 30 minutes | Ian White | Daran Little | 6.87 | ||
|
Grant and Mark talk; Mark says he would not want any other father despite their differences, so Grant does not tell him the truth. Mark prepares to return to the States, and Grant decides to return to Portugal, saying goodbye to Phil and telling Courtney that he knows he is a bad father but she is the most important thing in his life; as Grant leaves, Courtney decides to go with him. Mark tells Sharon he thinks Grant his is real father; Sharon confirms it before Mark leaves. Jay returns, telling Ben he is leaving immediately as he does not fit in in Walford. Ben tells Phil he wants to donate his liver to him. At Paul's wake, Pam is upset that Les's speech is uncaring, saying he has treated Paul's as he would any funeral; Les admits that he needed a distraction from Christine, and Pam admits that she may need him to be Christine sometimes. Dot tells Colin she cannot come to his wedding to Eddie: marriage should be betweeen a man and a woman; they share memories and she changes her mind, attending the wedding with Sonia. Sonia admits to Dot that she no longer loves Tina. | |||||||
| 5349 | 146 | 30 minutes | Rebecca Gatward | Katie Douglas | 6.91 | ||
|
Sonia is again forced to look after Sylvie following a long night shift, and she later receives a phone call to which Sonia says she is still interested. Carmel starts her new market inspector job and is tough with Buster when he tries to sell shellfish on a different pitch. Denise sets Carmel and Masood up on a date so that their "friends with benefits" arrangement can become more romantic. Patrick accuses Denise of trying to hide herself away because of her pregnancy. Phil tells Ben that he should not be a liver donor but Ben insists. Lee worries about his impending fatherhood but Whitney says they will deal with things together. Jane is frustrated that Ian is avoiding spending time with her. | |||||||
| 5350 | 147 | 30 minutes | Rebecca Gatward | Katie Douglas | 7.08 | ||
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Sonia tells Stacey that she has been offered a job in Kettering; Stacey encourages her, saying she and Martin can take Bex in. Sonia tells Tina and ends their relationship saying she has fallen out of love; Tina is devastated and cries to Linda. Martin calls Sonia selfish, but Stacey says he should be supportive as Sonia always has been; Sonia then worries about telling Bex she is leaving. Ben tells his family that he plans to donate part of his liver to Phil. Carmel tells Kush, Shakil and Denise that Masood has cancelled his travelling plans for her, but Denise hears from Mick that Masood is still planning to go, and Carmel is upset. Jane tells Ian that she wants to be a normal couple again and wants to visit Bobby; Ian says Bobby does not want any visitors. This episode paid tribute to actor Michael Leader, who played the background character of Michael the milkman since the first episode in 1985 until his death in August 2016.[149] | |||||||
| 5351 | 148 | 30 minutes | Rebecca Gatward | Anya Reiss | 6.62 | ||
|
Sonia struggles to tell Bex the news, so Belinda reveals it; Bex is angry and calls Sonia selfish. Denise tells Masood that he has been leading Carmel on. Denise attends her first GCSE English Literature class and is praised by the teacher, Jørgen Christensen, but afterwards has to deal with a drunk Carmel; Denise tells Carmel she wants to have the baby but is wants it adopted. Phil and Ben ask Dr Faraji about the posibility of Ben donating part of his liver; she explains that Phil still needs to be accepted onto the cadaveric list and be sober for six months, and explains the considerable risks; later, Phil still thinks it is a bad idea but Ben insists that he will not let Phil die and that he will continue to stay sober for his family. Linda thanks Mick when he organises darts team practice as a distraction for her from Ollie's potential developmental problems. | |||||||
| 5352 | 149 | 30 minutes | Rebecca Gatward | Sumerah Srivastav | 6.61 | ||
|
Whitney and Lee go for a baby scan, where they see Denise and Kim and discover that Denise is pregnant. The sonographer checks Denise's baby for signs of Down's syndrome. Denise tells Patrick why she is considering adoption and he vows to stand by her whatever she decides, though she worries she might be making a mistake. Kim calls Social Services to find out if she could adopt Denise's child, and tells Vincent that she wants to do this, though he is against it at first. They tell Denise, who thinks it would be awkward, but Kim says that she might change her mind at some point and this way the child would be waiting. Linda hosts a darts match against a rival pub, led by Geraldine Clough, and is forced to play, but misses on her last throw; afterwards, Babe realises the dart was bent by the "random" referee they picked. | |||||||
| 5353 | 150 | 30 minutes | Jennie Darnell | Carey Andrews | 6.93 | ||
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Les and Pam attend court, where Paul's killers are not granted bail; Simon protests his innocence so Les calls him a liar. At home, Pam tells Les that his outburst frightened her and if he does not become Christine, they cannot survive. Sonia tells Tina she is leaving tomorrow and Bex accuses Sonia of ruining her life. Later, Shirley tells Sonia that Tina will struggle with paying rent and looking after Sylvie, but an angry Sonia says it is not her job to do so and the level of care she gave would have cost the Carters a lot; they refused professional but then did nothing themselves. Linda is upset that Lee and Whitney plan to move out but when Mick tries to get Jack to rent them his last flat, he cannot help due to the number of viewings he already has booked. | |||||||
| 5354 | 151 | 30 minutes | Jennie Darnell | Carey Andrews | 6.58 | ||
|
Sonia tells Bex how proud she is of her and that she will always be there for her; Sonia leaves and Bex cries. Les is angry that Pam has changed her mind on Christine but after suffering chest pains and speaking to Linda about Paul and Pam, he speaks to Pam as Christine and discusses his feelings and they agree that after the murder trial, they should move away for a fresh start. Ryan returns, having been released from custody due to a lack of evidence, and tells Whitney that he is moving to Wakefield and she and Lee should move with him; Linda says that Whitney is a part of the Carter family and belongs with them; Ryan is understanding that Whitney is staying. Lauren gives Jane a makeover and Ian compliments her. | |||||||
| 5355 | 152 | 30 minutes | Jennie Darnell | Colin Wyatt | 6.77 | ||
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Mick and Linda are relieved when Dr Suresh tells them Ollie is on target with his development. Buster disappears from his market stall and when Lee finds him, he is putting his shirt on so assumes he is with Shirley but he then sees Shirley, and later tells Mick that Buster is cheating on her. Bex is frustrated at the lack of space in Stacey and Martin's flat and Kyle insists he should move out but Stacey says they just need a bigger home. Kyle asks Steven for a pay rise, saying he has kept quiet about the break in Steven arranged, but Steven refuses. Les decides to sell the funeral business and he and Pam tell their employees, including Billy, this news. Louise suspects Phil is drunk when his speech is slurred and she lies to Sharon but fails to find any traces of alcohol in the house. | |||||||
| 5356 | 153 | 30 minutes | Jennie Darnell | Wendy Granditer | 6.73 | ||
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Deninse confides in Masood that Phil is the father of her baby but that keeping it would be a "terrible idea"; she tells Kim she is not comfortable with her bringing up the child. Mick confronts Buster about cheating on Shirley and tells him to tell Shirley or he will; Buster does not do so and decides to leave; Mick calls him selfish and says their father-son relationship is over; Kathy says she cannot leave her family so Buster goes alone. Sharon and Ben see Phil seemingly drunk; when Phil collapses, Louise enlists Shirley's help and he is taken to hospital. Linda hears that Les cannot afford to move without selling his business so she tells Babe to pay back the Cokers or she will report her to the police for blackmail. | |||||||
| 5357 | 154 | 30 minutes | Laurence Wilson | Alex Straker | 7.06 | ||
|
Shirley is upset that Buster has left but Mick and Lee agree not to tell her why. Tina struggles to cope with Sylvie and tells Shirley how lonely she feels; Shirley invites Tina and Sylvie to move in with her. Tina then suggests that Stacey and her family move into her house; Martin tells Stacey that this is a great idea. Sharon and Ben feel guilty as Phil has hepatic encephalopathy and was not drunk; Sharon convinces Ben to visit him in hospital. Vincent discovers that Kim has received a parking fine in his car for parking in a bus lane; she discovers that Donna has a disabled parking permit so Kim uses Claudette as a way into Donna's flat and steals the permit to go shopping. Sharon worries that Dennis and Will may be being bullied when Dennis comes home with a bloodied nose. | |||||||
| 5358 | 155 | 30 minutes | Laurence Wilson | Pete Lawson | 6.70 | ||
|
Pam wants to visit Paul's killers in prison and get them to plead guilty, but Les makes her promise not to; she tells Honey she still will. Vincent discovers Kim stole Donna's parking badge and tells Donna, who tells her it is wrong; Patrick reveals Kim has never passed her driving test; Vincent bans her from driving his car. Steven worries when Jane asks to look at the restautant accounts as he has stolen money. Ian helps Martin get a deposit for Sonia's old house but Martin discovers the house has already been taken. Will admits that he punched Dennis because Dennis was making fun of Janet; Pam tells Will that hitting is not the answer, and Dennis tells Sharon he was just doing what Phil does. Dot discovers the launderette will become a dry cleaners and she will be interviewed for her own job. | |||||||
| 5359 | 156 | 30 minutes | Laurence Wilson | Pete Lawson | 6.43 | ||
|
The Fowlers discover the Kazemis are moving into Sonia's old house, but Kush tells Martin he did not know and convinces Carmel to let the Fowlers take the house for Arthur's sake; she agrees. Martin gets back the cash deposit from Jane, who has just given it to Steven to bank, and Steven is annoyed; the Fowlers move in. Honey and Pam contact Simon's mother Diane on social media. Vincent takes Kim for a driving lesson and later embarrasses her over talk of her bad driving; she starts to read the Highway Code. Dot is interviewed for her own job by Jemima Benjamin and though she struggles with the technical terminology, she defends herself as a people person. Dennis and Will apologise to each other. | |||||||
| 5360 | 157 | 30 minutes | Laurence Wilson | Jonny O'Neill | 6.50 | ||
|
The Fowlers and Slaters move house on Kyle's birthday. Bex is upset when Louise shows her photos on social media of Shakil with other girls. Vincent arranges for Kim to have a driving lesson with Clive Morris, a former getaway driver, but she complains that he was scared of her driving, and he tells Vincent to make sure she only uses public transport; Kyle suggests that Vincent should teach Kim, so Jack bets Vincent that he will fail. Mick puts pressure on Babe to repay the Cokers, so she attempts to blackmail Abi over locking her in the cold store, but Abi just laughs in her face. Jemima tells Dot that she will not be kept on after the lauderette is refurbished. | |||||||
October[edit]
October's storylines include Whitney Dean (Shona McGarty) suffering a late miscarriage at 14 weeks of pregnancy, which was praised by charity Tommy's, who worked with EastEnders on the storyline. A spokesperson for the charity said, "We were delighted when the EastEnders team got in contact to discuss Whitney's storyline, not just from a medical perspective, but also to understand the emotional devastation miscarriage can cause and how Whitney and Lee are feeling. [...] The EastEnders team were fantastic in showing that Whitney found it much harder, emotionally and physically, to go through miscarriage, than she expected. This is such a service to real women who have suffered miscarriage."[150] Husband and wife Les Coker (Roger Sloman) and Pam Coker (Lin Blakley) also make their departures this month, when the characters retire and move away.[citation needed] The recycling bin collection storyline also continued throughout the month, with scenes often showing litter building up on the street,[151] which Duncan Lindsay from the Metro opined was a way of the new producer Sean O'Connor to make the characters and storylines more relatable to viewers, along with Belinda Peacock's (Carli Norris) debt problems, Kim Fox-Hubbard's (Tameka Empson) driving test storyline, and Dennis Rickman's (Bleu Landau) bad behaviour.[152]
| # | No. in year | Original air date | Running time | Directed by | Written by | Viewers (millions) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5361 | 158 | 30 minutes | David Moor | Lauren Klee | 7.10 | ||
|
Jane has a good day with friends until she suffers incontinence and is humilated; at home, Ian leaves the room when Jane asks him to sit with her. Carmel decides to let Masood's old house but is upset when Kush says he wants to stay in the flat on his own. Linda tells Babe to pay the Cokers today or she will have to move out; Babe is delayed in doing so, so Linda takes her keys, and Babe returns the money to the Cokers. Linda realises that Babe forged her signature to open an account for Ollie but Linda says she still crossed a line; Babe admits that she feels better by making other people feel worse, so Linda says being nice would also make her feel better. No longer needing to sell the business, Les asks Billy to take over the running. Pam gets a reply from Diane, saying she wants to meet. | |||||||
| 5362 | 159 | 30 minutes | David Moor | Lauren Klee | 7.20 | ||
|
Pam meets Diane, supported by Kathy, and tells her the effect of Paul's death and what he was like, and asks about Simon; Diane says Simon is not homophobic and he will not be pleading guilty and she is standing by him. Billy tells Ian that his relationship with Honey works because they are best friends, prompting Ian to spend more time with Jane, helping her to cook and being flirty and romantic. Donna helps Carmel measure up Masood's house and they become friends, and when the estate agent, Rob, finds them there, Carmel is flirtatious but later tells Donna that she is not looking for a relationship at the moment. | |||||||
| 5363 | 160 | 30 minutes | David Moor | Christopher Reason | 6.68 | ||
|
Kathy tells Ben that Paul's killers plan to plead not guilty; Ben is angry and tells Les, who tells Pam that they will get away with it and it will be Pam's fault. Dot tries to contact her boss by telephone but when she finally gets through, he hangs up. Carmel moves into Masood's old house but is shocked when Masood arrives at the door. Jane thinks Steven is making excuses not to let her use the restaurant's laptop; Steven tells Lauren he will fake some invoices. Sharon has an idea so Jane can answer the telephone at the restaurant but Steven asks Jane to work in the kitchen as the restaurant is getting busy so Jane accuses him of not wanting a wheelchair in the restaurant which he denies, but Jane leaves. However, Ian later brings her the laptop so she can check the accounts. | |||||||
| 5364 | 161 | 30 minutes | David Moor | Leo Richardson | 7.11 | ||
|
Supported by their neighbours, Pam, Les and Ben attend court where Diane tells Pam that she has asked Simon to plead guilty; to everyone's relief, he does so, as do Frankie, Neil and Tom. It is the night of Whitney's hen party and she is overjoyed when she feels her unborn baby move, but Tina is unsure about going as Sonia will be there, but Johnny and Stacey tell her to show Sonia what she is missing. Masood is forced to move in with Carmel but claims that he is back because Kamil was homesick, though he admits to Jane that he missed Carmel; however, Masood and Carmel end up arguing over Carmel's furniture. "Julia's Theme" plays up to the end credits, over a scene of Pam and Les walking home. | |||||||
| 5365 | 162 | 30 minutes | Sophie Lifschutz | Dare Aiyegbayo | 7.17 | ||
|
Whitney downplays her baby's movement and gets twinges, so Linda insists she is checked out at the hospital, where she and Lee discover she has miscarried and has to have a small operation; afterwards, she cries as Lee comforts her. Pam, Les and Ben discover that Paul's killers will be sentenced the next day but Pam is reluctant to go as she wants to look forward and it will not change things, and tells Ben to let go of his anger. Ricky learns about harvest festival and leaves a box of food on Dot's doorstep. Kim realises Denise has not told her daughters Libby and Chelsea Fox (Tiana Benjamin) that she is pregnant but Denise says she will tell them when she is ready. Billy worries about running the funeral home when Les and Pam leave. | |||||||
| 5366 | 163 | 30 minutes | Sophie Lifschutz | Pete Lawson | 6.56 | ||
|
Lee blames his giving Whitney chlamydia for her miscarriage, but there is no evidence for why it happened and she tells Lee it is not his fault; she decides to stay with her adoptive mother Bianca Butcher (Patsy Palmer) in Milton Keynes for a while. On Les's birthday, the Cokers and Ben learn that Paul's killers have been sentenced to 30 years in prison, and Pam wishes that Ben can move on and that Jay returns soon; later Ben is already using a gay dating app. Things are tense at Masood's house, and Carmel decides they need to set rules. Dot finds Ricky's box of food and tells Ronnie and Jack that she is not poor or lonely but is pleased he is learning Christian charity; later Dot is upset when Abi leaves Dot on her own. Steven and Lauren are excited when her son Louie Beale says his first word: "mama". | |||||||
| 5367 | 164 | 30 minutes | Sophie Lifschutz | Daran Little | 7.04 | ||
|
Ben has spent the night with a stranger but Pam thinks he has been on a date, which he denies; he tells Johnny that sex with a stranger did not make him feel good. Pam takes Paul's clothes to a homeless shelter where she finds Jay and brings him back to Walford where he reunites with Ben. Billy takes charge at the funeral home after Claudette advises him to show the workers he is the boss, which impresses Les. Whitney returns after realising she missed Lee and insists she still wants to marry him. Steven gets Louie to say "dada" and films it for Lauren; she insists on sending the video to Louie's biological father, Steven's brother Peter Beale (Ben Hardy). | |||||||
| 5368 | 165 | 30 minutes | Sophie Lifschutz | Daran Little | 7.16 | ||
|
Pam convinces Sharon to let Jay move back with the Mitchells, while Les convinces Billy to give Jay a job at the funeral home. Pam tells Les that Christine should have her own drawer in their new home instead of being hidden away, and Pam confronts Babe, calling her sad, lonely and bitter, saying she will never have a loving relationship. Pam and Les's friends give them a send-off at The Vic before they leave for Worthing. Kathy is horrified to learn that Ben wants to donate part of his liver to Phil. Lee is offered a job and his old friend Moose visits for his stag party but he accidentally soaks Whitney with a fire extinguisher. Steven tells Lauren that he sees himself as Louie's father, just as Ian is not his biological father, but Lauren says Peter will always be Louie's father; Steven also worries that Lauren never says she loves him when he says it to her. | |||||||
| 5369 | 166 | 30 minutes | John Greening | Andrew Rattenbury | 6.84 | ||
|
Billy takes charge on his first day without Les at the funeral home, and considers renting Les and Pam's house, but Will tells Honey he does not want to move. Will is bullied by Dennis while helping the Beavers clean the street. Kim discovers that people are betting on her passing or failing her driving test; Denise offers to help her study and Kim says she will help Denise tell Libby and Chelsea about her pregnancy. Ben has a meeting at the hospital to discuss the possibility of donating his liver to Phil; Kathy goes too and angers Ben by telling the consultant, Katie Wagstaff, that Ben is grieving Paul and Peggy and trying to make himself feel better; later Ben rejects Kathy when Katie tells him he needs a psychiatric review before he will be considered. | |||||||
| 5370 | 167 | 30 minutes | John Greening | Darren Rapier | 7.28 | ||
|
Kim decides to drive on her own but collides with Dot's car; Vincent convinces Dot not to claim through her insurance and Kim agrees to apologise to Dot but then fails to do so; Kim and Vincent argue, and she announces that she will not drive again. Carmel tells Masood off for being lazy, which is influencing Shakil, so she sets some rules. Dennis continues to bully Will, hiding his football boots at his house; Honey blames Will for losing them and punishes him. Stacey finds a drawer of Belinda's unpaid bills for the salon, so suggests finding investors; Belinda tries to get Mick and Linda to invest but Mick is against it. Jane's paralysis has improved that she is now able to use a laptop properly so Lauren and Steven come up with a plan to distract her from looking at the restaurant's accounts. | |||||||
| 5371 | 168 | 30 minutes | John Greening | Jessica Lea | 7.06 | ||
|
Belinda fails to get any investors and has no customers at the salon; Martin worries they will be made homeless because of her; in the pub, Belinda flirts with a City banker. Jane looks at the restaurant's accounts and realises payments are being made to a non-existent company so tells Sharon that it can only be Ian or Steven. Vincent books Kim's theory test but she protests against it; later Kim apologises to Dot but takes it back when Dot says Kim had no licence or insurance and Kim claims Dot did not check her mirrors or signal correctly; Dot then locks her car key away. Ronnie suggests that Roxy take Amy shopping at the weekend, but not knowing this, Jack books a trip to Paris, which upsets Roxy when she finds out. | |||||||
| 5372 | 169 | 30 minutes | John Greening | Jessica Lea | 6.98 | ||
|
Jay overhears Dennis bullying Will so confronts him; later, Jay steals money from the funeral home to pay a debt to a drug dealer, Mike Rendon, who demands more within two weeks. Lee worries about colleagues at his new job after failing to deal with six drunk men in the pub. Belinda pays the rent after offering half-price treatments and getting Lauren's help to promote the offer. Jane worries about confronting the wrong person over the restaurant's accounts. Claudette dislikes Patrick's ideas for spending time together; Kim suggests that Patrick take Dot out as friends, and he realises that Kim did not apologise to Dot; Kim feels bad for shouting at an elderly woman. Bex worries when Belinda says that men are no longer interested once they get what they want. | |||||||
| 5373 | 170 | 30 minutes | Kate Saxon | Jaden Clark | 7.06 | ||
|
Jane discovers that Steven set up the fake company and confronts him; he explains he borrowed the money to pay debts to help Peter,[153] who was drinking heavily and getting into fights, and Lauren does not know the whole truth, so Jane tells him to be honest with her, but he tells Lauren that he will make sure that Jane keeps quiet. Dennis worries when Sharon decides to send him to a different secondary school than his friends, but Ben assures him that Sharon will always be there for him. After Lee's first day at work, he uses a credit card to buy Whitney an expensive pair of earrings. Ben continues to reject Kathy but realises he needs to take the psychiatric tests. Martin catches Shakil buying condoms, but Shakil assures him he would not make Bex do anything she does not want to do. | |||||||
| 5374 | 171 | 30 minutes | Kate Saxon | Laura Poliakoff | 7.10 | ||
|
Martin tells Bex that Shakil bought condoms, so she cancels her birthday party to avoid him and talks to Stacey about her fears; Stacey encourages her to talk to Shakil. Bex and Shakil end up kissing but when he pulls his trousers down, she says she is not ready; he calls her "frigid" and leaves. Steven tells Lauren the truth about Peter; she is angry that he was not honest and considers visiting Peter; Steven says he wanted to protect her and Louie, and going to New Zealand out of guilt or pity will be a mistake. Sharon finds fireworks that Dennis bought, so applies for him to attend King Edward's School despite his angry protest. Patrick and Dot go to the cinema together, but a jealous Claudette quits her market job and claims she will leave Walford. Patrick convinces Dot to see an optician. | |||||||
| 5375 | 172 | 30 minutes | Kate Saxon | Josh Freedman Berthoud | 6.85 | ||
|
Johnny worries about the amount of money that Lee is spending on his wedding, but Lee insists he is fine; Lee checks his bank account and sees he is £250 overdrawn, and then applies for a £2000 loan. Shakil apologises to Bex and she says she is not sure exactly what she wants; they agree they do not want to end their relationship, and later when he goes to her house, they kiss but she asks to wait to have sex and he agrees. Denise buys a new outfit and Kim finds out she lied about where she would be that evening, and Kim feels that Denise is cutting her family out. Claudette is upset with Patrick but he insists Dot is only a friend; Patrick buys Dot a pair of glasses to try, but Dot is worried that she damaged Claudette's dress at the lauderette. | |||||||
| 5376 | 173 | 30 minutes | Kate Saxon | Paul Quiney | 6.39 | ||
|
At Lee's stag party, Moose books a stripper but Lee refuses to have sex with her when his friend Beanbag says it is his last chance. Lee realises he should be honest with Whitney about money but he backs out of telling her. Whitney tells Linda she wants to move to Stratford when she is married. Lauren tells Whitney about Peter, but changes her mind about going to New Zealand, deciding to stick with Steven. Claudette lies to Patrick about her plans for their evening to stop him visiting Dot; Dot suffers a fall at home and when Patrick finds out Claudette lied, he tells her to accept their friendship. Donna discovers Billy is putting his rubbish in her bin, so Vincent dumps the rubbish on Billy's doorstep. Shakil is made fun of for being a virgin. | |||||||
| 5377 | 174 | 30 minutes | Lance Kneeshaw | Rob Gittins | 6.88 | ||
|
It is Halloween, and Dot hides from trick or treaters and Patrick, but he invites her to the pub later; when she does not turn up, he leaves Claudette to visit Dot and she claims to fear Halloween but he realises she cannot read her Bible; she admits she fears she is going blind but then sends Patrick out of her home. Abi realises Lee is not over Whitney's miscarriage and tells Lee she should be told him about the chlamydia as she read that it could have caused the miscarriage, but he says doctors told Whitney it had nothing to do with it, so Abi says they are probably right but Lee worries. Belinda is visited by bailiffs at Elysium and tells Masood about her money problems; when he says the value of his house has risen, she offers to buy him a drink. Sharon realises Phil has written a will leaving everything to Louise, with nothing for her, Dennis or Ben, so she forces him to change the will. | |||||||
November[edit]
November's storylines include Dot Branning (June Brown) discovering that she may have age-related macular degeneration,[154] and Shakil Kazemi (Shaheen Jafargholi) sending a nude photo of himself to his girlfriend, Bex Fowler (Jasmine Armfield), and asking her to send photos back in return,[155] a storyline that has ongoing repurcussions into 2017. This month also saw departures for Masood Ahmed (Nitin Ganatra) and his son Kamil Masood (Arian Chikhlia),[156] and Belinda Slater (Carli Norris), who leaves to go travelling with her old school friend, Maggie O'Shea (Zee Asha).
| # | No. in year | Original air date | Running time | Directed by | Written by | Viewers (millions) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5378 | 175 | 30 minutes | Lance Kneeshaw | Rob Gittins | 7.20 | ||
|
Lee confronts Whitney over her miscarriage lie; she admits that she worried how he would cope but now wants complete honesty; he agrees but ignores messages about his payday loan. Patrick takes Dot to lunch, forgetting that he agreed to meet Claudette; Claudette confronts him so he ends their relationship, calling her an evil woman; Claudette asks Vincent to take revenge but he says Patrick is not Eric Mitchell and tells her to stay with Linford; she leaves. Masood realises Belinda wants financial help and turns her down, but later offers to look at her accounts; she flirts with him. Phil tells Ben that his will only reflects his father's, but Ben reminds him that he wished he had stood up to Eric. Kathy confronts Phil over the will; Phil suffers stress and pain, and Ben says he will still donate his liver. | |||||||
| 5379 | 176 | 30 minutes | Lance Kneeshaw | Peter Mattessi | 6.97 | ||
|
Johnny discovers Lee's debts and tells him to be honest with Whitney before they marry the next day. Whitney worries when her flowers arrive a day early and are then destroyed by the Carters' dog, Lady Di, Lauren has norovirus (apparently passed on from Bianca at Whitney's hen party), and Babe is forced to cook more food when Whitney's step-siblings Tiffany and Morgan arrive but Morgan dislikes the food already cooked. Lee attempts to tell Whitney but she thinks he is stressed over not spending time together and tells him not to worry. Ben has his psychiatric assessment but it does not go well; he tells Phil that he is always a disappointment in his father's eyes. Masood writes a business plan for Belinda but fails to get her a loan, and Kim passes her driving theory test. | |||||||
| 5380 | 177 | 30 minutes | Lance Kneeshaw | Natalie Mitchell | 7.02 | ||
|
Johnny realises Lee has not told Whitney about the loan and overhears Lee telling Moose he is not good enough for her; Johnny reassures Lee. Lee and Whitney marry with Ryan giving Whitney away, Stacey as maid of honour, Johnny as best man, and Tiffany and Lily as bridesmaids. At the reception, Babe keeps Sylvie out of the wedding photos, Linda is annoyed when a refuse collection vehicle arrives, Jay steals cash gifts, Ben gets drunk and claims Phil does not care about him, then tries to kiss Johnny, and Johnny tells Lee he is proud of him. Afterwards, Lee pretends to be asleep when Whitney wants to consummate their marriage. Also, Ben tells Jay that he cannot bear to have anyone else in his life die, and Jack decides to set a date for his wedding to Ronnie. | |||||||
| 5381 | 178 | 30 minutes | John Howlett | Liz Lake | 7.35 | ||
|
It is revealed that Lee has lied about his job—he is working in a call centre and is the worst performer, and his boss, Haroon Zaman, realises he called in sick for his wedding, so docks his pay; he cries at home and keeps the truth from his family. Belinda and Masood agree they are attracted to each other, but she still wants him to invest money so he makes her choose either the money or a relationship; she opts for the latter and decides to close Elysium, putting Stacey out of a job. Libby returns to visit Denise and discovers her mother is pregnant; Libby feels they are no longer close and she does not know who Denise is anymore. Donna reveals her rent is being increased and she cannot afford it so will have to move. Louise tells Bex and Shakil how ill Phil is. | |||||||
| 5382 | 179 | 30 minutes | John Howlett | Kathrine Smith | 7.52 | ||
|
Libby wonders if Denise got pregnant deliberately, and worries when Denise suffers pain at work, telling her to leave her job; later, they talk and Denise admits she was ashamed of herself so did not tell Libby the truth, and Libby says she is scared that Denise will get ill but Denise assures her she is fine. Belinda starts selling all her salon products at half price and inadvertently insults Masood's clothes, but later they kiss and have sex on the floor of Elysium. Roxy wants to buy an expensive gift for Amy's birthday but her credit card is declined by the website. Lee agrees to view a flat with Whitney, Ben fails to show up after agreeing to meet Kathy in the pub, and Abi and Kathy decide to audition for the local Christmas show. | |||||||
| 5383 | 180 | 30 minutes | John Howlett | Jesse O'Mahoney | 6.99 | ||
|
Will is unimpressed with his birthday present, a model airplane, but Jay helps him build it; later, Will catches Jay stealing rings from a corpse. Libby is upset that Denise is craving unhealthy foods, so gives her vegan alternatives and offers to stay in Walford to look after her, which irritates Denise and Patrick as they dislike the food. Kathy and Abi attend auditions but discover Geraldine is in charge and has organised a talent show; Geraldine throws them out when they protest. Roxy asks Ronnie to lend her money for a present for Amy, so Ronnie asks her to help Amy with her homework; afterwards Roxy says she enjoyed it so much she does not want any money for it. Whitney surprises Lee at work and assumes Lee's colleague Oz Bolat is his employee. | |||||||
| 5384 | 181 | 30 minutes | John Howlett | Jesse O'Mahoney | 6.01 | ||
|
Belinda hears from an old friend, Maggie O'Shea, and decides to leave Walford with her to follow up a pact they once made to go travelling. Masood hears that Zainab is getting divorced and calls her in Pakistan to comfort her. Having upset Will, Jay has the rings cleaned and returns them, pleasing Billy and Will; Jay meets Mike and his gang and says he does not have the money so they can either beat him up or make him work for them. Denise is suspended from work by the area manager, Harry Beckett, when he sees she is pregnant; Libby offers to help Denise threaten legal action for discrimination so she can get her job back as well as maternity pay. Geraldine tells Kathy that there will now be a Christmas play and puts Kathy in charge, but Geraldine is upset so Kathy is forced to let Geraldine carry on as director. | |||||||
| 5385 | 182 | 30 minutes | Ian White | Davey Jones | 6.90 | ||
|
Masood supports Zainab over the phone and books two tickets to Pakistan, which Carmel sees. Jay is now selling drugs for Mike; he lies to Billy about Mrs Simpson's rings, but Billy realises that Jay stole them and is dealing drugs so sacks him; Jay's drugs are stolen by a user and Mike demands the cash for his sales tomorrow. Whitney asks Lee to put a deposit on a flat but he tells her he was too late; Jack offers one of his flats at a reduced rate so Whitney is happy but Lee still knows he cannot afford it. Also, Masood helps Jane to walk, Louise arranges a family dinner for Phil's first night out of hospital, Stacey looks for work, Vincent is impressed with Kim's driving and the residents learn that the council will not be providing a Christmas tree for the square for the second year running. | |||||||
| 5386 | 183 | 30 minutes | Thomas Hescott | Matt Evans | 6.76 | ||
|
Lee asks Haroon for an advance on his wages but is refused. Linda realises one of her bracelets is missing, and later Lee has it in his pocket. Mike visits Jay at home and demands a payment today; Jay tells Roxy the problems he has so she asks Jack and Ronnie for a loan but they refuse. Phil comes home from hospital and rejects Jay again, but later tells Jay to report Mike to the police; Mike is arrested and Phil lets Jay stay. Carmel tries to stop Masood leaving but he insists he is doing what is best for Kamil; Denise is against him leaving but Carmel warns her not to let things end badly. Derek Harkinson returnsn to Walford to help with the Christmas show, though Kathy initially thinks he works for the council, and Kathy and Geraldine clash further. | |||||||
| 5387 | 184 | 30 minutes | Ian White | Matt Evans | 6.65 | ||
|
On Lee's birthday, he fails to pawn Linda's bracelet and tells Shirley he cannot afford a flat; she says that Whitney will be happy as long as she has him, so he cheers up, but when Whitney buys a picture reading "home sweet home" for the flat, he steals charity money from the pub and tells Jack he has a deposit. After a boy is stabbed and killed outside the local school, Billy offers Jay his job back saying that life is too short to hold a grudge. Jack tells Ronnie he wants to move to Ongar. Denise makes amends with Masood; he explains that all he sees in Walford is ghosts of the past, and he tells her not to let Libby put her education on hold for her, so Denise insists that Libby return to Oxford. Masood says goodbye to his friends and leaves, with Jane saying they will always be here if he needs them. "Julia's Theme" plays up to the end credits, over scenes of Masood and Kamil leaving in a cab. There was no episode on 18 November due to the live Children in Need 2016 telethon.[157] | |||||||
| 5388 | 185 | 30 minutes | Ian White | Robert Butler | 7.24 | ||
|
Now six months sober, Phil is told by Dr Faraji that his liver has shown no signs of recovery but he can be assessed for the transplant list, however, he may still die before one is available; Sharon and Louise decide to show him they are there for him and Ronnie asks him to give her away at her wedding, but he says he will not be there as he does not want a transplant. Whitney and Lee move into their new flat, but Whitney worries when Lee continues to make excuses not to have sex especially when his mood changes from upbeat to subdued. Ronnie and Jack view a house in Ongar and agree to live there; Ronnie tells Roxy, who is angry that they are taking Amy away from her, and she tells Donna that Ronnie would not leave Walford. Dot is angry when Patrick books an appointment for her to have her eyes checked, but he begs her to go. | |||||||
| 5389 | 186 | 30 minutes | Rick Platt | Gavin James Bower | 7.03 | ||
|
Sharon tells Phil he is making a mistake by not wanting a transplant, but he says other people will deserve it more and asks Sharon to stand by him; she says he knows her answer, signalling her agreement.[158] Whitney confides in Lauren about her relationship problems so Lauren mentions Steven's stealing and gives Whitney advice; when Lee returns from work, Whitney seduces him but he suffers erectile dysfunction; Whitney suggests a night out with Lauren and Steven, mentioning how Steven set up a fake company to steal from his family. Kyle receives an offer of a job in France but tells Stacey he will not take it. Geraldine makes Kathy leave her audition after she calls Geraldine desperate for flirting with Keith Howard, a stripper, and not paying attention to the auditions. | |||||||
| 5390 | 187 | 30 minutes | Rick Platt | Christopher Reason | 6.82 | ||
|
Whitney decides to surprise Lee at work but discovers he called in sick, so tells Lauren she thinks he is having an affair; Lee spends the day hiding in the allotments, and when he returns to Whitney, claims he was at work all day. Louise asks Shirley for help convincing Phil to get the transplant, so she, Ronnie and Billy all talk to him, saying his children need him and the family will not survive without him, but he says they will get over it and Billy will keep them together; Louise calls Phil selfish. Kyle worries about taking the job, especially when he thinks his mother only wants him to go so she can pretend he is dead, but when she phones him again and calls him Kyle instead of Sarah, he is happy and accepts the job. Kathy starts working at the café but clashes with Tina. | |||||||
| 5391 | 188 | 30 minutes | Rick Platt | Sarah Hooper | 6.99 | ||
|
Louise and Ben ignore Phil, while Dennis bonds with him and later confides in Louise that he does not want Phil to die, which Phil overhears; Phil tells the family he has changed his mind and wants to go on the transplant list. Whitney accuses Lee of having an affair but he tells her he was out buying her a Christmas present, so she apologises and they finally have sex; at work, Lee is bullied by Oz but reassured by another colleague, Sid Yexley, who says Oz treats all new people that way. Linda finds Sylvie wearing her bracelet and Tina convinces her to give it back. Dot visits Dr Anjali Mitra who thinks Dot may have age-related macular degeneration and refers her to a specialist. Kyle cooks a final dinner for his family and Kathy is annoyed that Geraldine has cast her as a pantomime horse. | |||||||
| 5392 | 189 | 30 minutes | Rick Platt | Jesse O'Mahoney | 6.96 | ||
|
Environmental Health visit the café; Babe tells Tina she reported them as she is planning to sell breakfasts at the pub (forging Mick and Linda's signatures to extend the pub's opening hours) and offers her a job in the Vic's kitchen but Tina tells Kathy of Babe's plan, however, Kathy is unable to offer Tina a pay rise. Jack's offer on the house in Ongar is accepted and he decides to sell Ronnie and Roxy's house; Roxy discovers this and is angry, but when Jack tells her she will get half of the money, she agrees to the sale, but is upset. Lee's bank account is overdrawn by £300 but when his wages are paid in, he immediately looks for Christmas gift ideas. Derek, Kathy, Abi and Patrick are angry that Geraldine has offered the part of Scrooge to Keith, as he cannot act. Abi finds literature about macular degeneration but Dot insists it came through the door and she is fine. | |||||||
| 5393 | 190 | 30 minutes | Penelope Shales-Slyne | Pete Lawson | 5.33 | ||
|
Phil has various assessments in hospital and Louise is optimistic that Phil will get a liver but Phil worries he may not; Sharon assures him he will not die. Jack sets a date for his and Ronnie's wedding: New Year's Day; Ronnie agrees despite the date holding bad memories. Donna tells Roxy that letting Amy live with Jack and Ronnie will be the best thing for Amy. Bex is worried when Shakil suggests instead of having sex they send each other photos of themselves. Jane confides in Stacey that she thinks Ian does not love her anymore and about their lack of sex, so Stacey asks Mick to talk to Ian; Ian says Jane will not want to think about sex. Kathy's protests against Geraldine lead to the performers taking Kathy's side and Geraldine leaving; Kathy then agrees to put on her own Christmas show. | |||||||
December[edit]
On 22 November, EastEnders revealed some teasers as to what would be happening in Christmas storylines, including that Phil Mitchell's (Steve McFadden) family facing the prospect that it could be his last Christmas as his health deteriorates, Lee Carter (Danny-Boy Hatchard) struggling with the burden of his secrets, and the return of Max Branning (Jake Wood) on Christmas Day, after being acquitted of murdering Lucy Beale (Hetti Bywater) and wanting revenge on those who wronged him, including Ian Beale (Adam Woodyatt) and his own daughters Lauren Branning (Jacqueline Jossa) and Abi Branning (Lorna Fitzgerald).[159] In December, a robbery at The Queen Victoria pub is revealed to have been organised by Lee as a way to pay off his mounting debts.[160] On 3 December, it was confirmed that Lee would "reach breaking point" over Christmas, leading to his wife Whitney Carter (Shona McGarty) becoming "concerned" and "fed up" with his behaviour.[161] The show worked with the charity Samaritans to develop Lee's storyline as he contemplates suicide in the episodes broadcast on 29 and 30 December. The charity's media advisor, Lorna Fraser, said she was "pleased" that the show sought guidance from them. Hatchard said that he hoped the storyline would "encourage people to speak out about their problems".[162]
| # | No. in year | Original air date | Running time | Directed by | Written by | Viewers (millions) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5394 | 191 | 30 minutes | Afia Nkrumah | Pete Lawson | 6.68 | ||
|
Shakil sends Bex a naked selfie and Bex worries as she knows this is illegal under the age of 18, but after Tina advises her to make sure she can trust Shakil to keep any photos private, Bex takes a naked selfie as well. Ian attempts to talk to Jane about spending time together but ends up inviting her out Christmas shopping; she refuses. After Linda invites Jane to the pub's ladies' night, Jane accuses Stacey of gossiping, but Stacey says she is just trying to help and knows how it feels to be overprotected by a partner but wanting to be a lover; Jane then tells Ian she wants to go to the ladies' night. Roxy is suspicious when she ses Jack talking to Honey and touching her arm, though he is merely thanking her. Denise agrees to write a script for Kathy's Christmas show. | |||||||
| 5395 | 192 | 30 minutes | Penelope Shales-Slyne | Daran Little | 6.76 | ||
|
Linda hosts a successful ladies' night where a muscular man, Jimmy Summers, flirts with Jane; later, she tells a jealous Ian that it was nice to feel attractive; he says she is attractive and kisses her. As the Carters close the pub, three robbers armed with basball bats enter the bar demanding cash; Johnny is injured and upstairs, Mick is forced to hand them the money; they grab Linda's necklace from her neck and get away but Lee pockets a wallet dropped by one of them. Roxy continues to be suspicious of Jack and Honey. Patrick tells Denise he does not want to play Scrooge as she has written too many words; she cuts down the scripts and he is happy. Bex tells Louise that she took photos of herself but did not send them to Shakil and now thinks he is no longer interested. | |||||||
| 5396 | 193 | 30 minutes | Penelope Shales-Slyne | Spenser Frearson | 6.97 | ||
|
It is revealed that robbers were Lee's colleagues Oz, Sid and Connor Parry and that Lee arranged it; he is angry that his family were left hurt and terrified, but Oz states that he should have expected it; Oz divides up the £5,020 cash but refuses to give Lee a share; Lee cries at the situation and again when he causes Linda to jump. Roxy agrees to move to Ongar to live near Ronnie, Jack and Amy but then tells Ronnie that Jack and Honey are being secretive. Ben is angry that Kathy wants to change her surname to Beale, assuming she means she was happier before he was born; he gets drunk and says he has no family anymore. Kim passes her driving test, Mick joins the Christmas show and Shakil worries that Bex has shared his nude photo with her friends and did not like what she saw. | |||||||
| 5397 | 194 | 30 minutes | Jane Ashmore | Katie Douglas | 6.97 | ||
|
Ronnie confronts Jack who says he and Honey are friends and blames Roxy for trying to ruin things; he is shocked that Roxy plans to move to Ongar too. Ronnie defends Roxy, saying she has changed, but Roxy goes back to her old ways by having sex with a stranger. Lee warns Oz that the police are searching for fingerprints; Oz says if the police visit him, he will send them to Lee. Kim breaks her arm and is annoyed that she cannot drive. Denise decides that she cannot have Kim as her birthing partner as she cannot have her invested in a child without knowing the truth of its paternity. Bex tells Shakil that she did not sent a photo as it is illegal; he admits that he loves her and they kiss. Ian takes Jane for a day out but innjures his back. Ben is annoyed when Phil plays "happy families" with Dennis. | |||||||
| 5398 | 195 | 30 minutes | Jane Ashmore | Katie Douglas | 6.58 | ||
|
Denise tells Kim she does not want her as her birthing partner, and tells Patrick she wants the baby adopted so she can have her own success instead of putting her children first as she has done all her life; she asks Patrick to support and forgive her as she breaks down in his arms. Ronnie suggests that to please Jack, Roxy does not move so close within Ongar, but after realising her mistakes with Amy and her one-night stand, Roxy decides she should not move to Ongar so that Amy can have a better life there. Shakil and Bex try to arrange a place and time for them to have their first sexual encounter. Lee buys Whitney an expensive gift and receives a notification that he will be charged £5 per day for going over his agreed overdraft, while Whitney buys panic alarms. Stacey is forced to help Ian out of the bath after he gets stuck, causing them both embarrassment. Old friends Derek and Martin are reunited after 11 years. | |||||||
| 5399 | 196 | 30 minutes | Jane Ashmore | Wendy Granditer | 6.57 | ||
|
Shakil manages to get the house to himself and he and Bex lose their virginities, but immediately afterwards he sees her talking to Louise and worries about it. Ian misses his children, Peter and Lucy, on their birthday, and thinks Peter will never come back from New Zealand but Jane assures him that things can change. Kim is not talking to Denise, and Denise asks Patrick to be her birthing partner. Dot visits Dr Leah Goldberg, who confirms Dot has macular degeneration, which can be treated; Dot immediately dismisses the idea of treatment but later calls to book an appointment. Roxy tells Tina her fears that Amy will not remember her but Tina says Amy will always love her mother. | |||||||
| 5400 | 197 | 30 minutes | Jane Ashmore | Andrew Rattenbury | 6.83 | ||
|
Roxy is told off for drinking by Phil and she forgets to collect Amy from school; as the Walford Players rehearse, Roxy hears Patrick's line about having the power to change one's ways, so she asks Donna if she can change and Donna suggests that the best thing she can do for Amy may be to allow Ronnie to adopt her. Shakil has not contacted Bex all weekend, so Roxy advises her to talk to him face-to-face; despite joking with her, he says nothing when she asks if they are still together. Dot has her first eye treatment, and tells Patrick the launderette will close on Christmas Eve; Patrick tells her they cannot change what is coming but can face things in their own way, so she puts up Christmas decorations. Whitney and Johnny each suggest the same wedding anniversary gift to Linda and Mick respectively. Carmel decides to organise a Christmas party for the market traders. | |||||||
| 5401 | 198 | 30 minutes | David Moor | Jesse O'Mahoney | 6.41 | ||
|
Phil tells Sharon he wants to spend Christmas alone, and eventually Sharon accepts this decision and books Christmas dinner for the rest of the family in a pub in Essex; Louise refuses to accept this, as she wants to spend Christmas with her father and accuses Sharon of giving up on him; Sharon cries alone. Ronnie cheers Roxy up by getting her involved in her and Jack's wedding. Nobody will suggest a date to Carmel for the market traders' Christmas party so she books it for 29 December, after Christmas. Ian refuses to give Martin time off to watch Lily's Nativity play, which upsets Lily. Linda does not want a Christmas grotto in the Vic so Mick decides to host Jack's stag party so that Linda will get worked up; Linda realises this is Mick's plan and says it will not work. | |||||||
| 5402 | 199 | 30 minutes | Waris Islam | Jesse O'Mahoney | 7.02 | ||
|
A liver becomes available and Phil is taken into hospital, but Ben refuses to attend; Phil makes plans for a Christmas with his family; the doctors discover the liver is not suitable, but Phil does not change his plans, allowing the family to spend Christmas at home with him. Jay is visited by a Public Protection Officer, DC Dev Bansal, who sees he is living in the same house as 15-year-old Louise and says Jay must find alternative accommodation immediately or Louise may be taken into care; Phil refuses to allow either of these things, saying nobody will push him around. Honey and Billy are burgled; their wedding fund and Janet's Christmas gift of a tablet computer are stolen; Billy vows to build Janet a doll's house, and seeing that they are refusing the let the burglary ruin their Christmas, Linda decides to host a Christmas grotto at The Vic. Donna tells Kush that nobody wants to go to Carmel's party, so Carmel announces that she cannot attend. | |||||||
| 5403 | 200 | 30 minutes | David Moor | Natalie Mitchell | 6.17 | ||
|
The children of Walford perform their Nativity play in the church; Stacey is nervous as the last time she was there she was suffering from postpartum psychosis but Ian gives Martin time off so he can support her; Dot does not attend because her eyesight has not improved as much as she hoped. Roxy asks Ronnie to adopt Amy, explaining that Amy would have a stable home and family; after an emotional discussion, Ronnie eventually agrees; Roxy then buys drugs. Jay and Louise rehearse for the Christmas show; Derek requires them to kiss but they refuse, so Denise suggests a recast; Dennis tells Derek he would not mind kissing Louise but Carmel arrives saying Shakil should have the part. Jane realises that Ian's back has been fine for days and Lauren is angry that he has been pretending for attention. Jack has his stag party and afterwards, Billy, who has attended the Council's Christmas dinner, helps the stags steal a Christmas tree from the town hall and erect it in Albert Square. | |||||||
| 5404 | 201 | 30 minutes | David Moor | Sumerah Srivastav | 7.33 | ||
|
Caught on CCTV, Mick is questioned by DC Fred Cole over the theft of the council's Christmas tree; the stags return the tree but while they are gone, Linda and Stacey convince Ian to supply the square with his trees which the residents decorate. Mick and Linda are overjoyed when Ollie walks. Bex asks Shakil if they are still together; he says they are "cool" but later, Louise shows Bex that Shakil has changed his relationship status on social media to "single". Whitney decides to host a Carter family Christmas lunch at her and Lee's home and refuses any financial contribution from Linda as Lee is doing well at work; when Lee hears the plan, he tries to secure another payday loan. Dot's sight has not improved and she turns down Ronnie's offer of paying for surgery. Roxy confirms to Ronnie that she still wants her to adopt Amy and they arrange to meet later, but Roxy does not turn up as she has taken more drugs. The episode ends with the song "All I Want for Christmas Is You" by Lady Antebellum[163] playing over scenes of Ollie's first steps followed by a shot of the decorated square, over which the credits roll. The usual theme tune is not used.[164][165] | |||||||
| 5405 | 202 | 30 minutes | Richard Lynn | Liz Lake | 7.11 | ||
|
After a visit from social worker Derek Evans, Jay tells Sharon he will move into a hostel, but Sharon insists she wants all Phil's family around at Christmas. Kathy's deed poll arrives—she is officially Kathy Beale again; after celebrating, Ben tells Sharon he will be at the Beales' for Christmas. Martin learns of Bex and Shakil's relationship ending and publicly confronts Shakil, humiliating Bex; Shakil tells Kush he assumed Bex was going to end the relationship, and Bex is upset when Louise and Shakil kiss as part of the Christmas show rehearsal. Louise tells Shakil that she heard he was a failure in bed and later deletes him from Bex's phone, while Carmel is ashamed of Shakil's behaviour. Dennis is caught spying on the female members of the Walford Players as they change. Abi invites Dot to spend Christmas in Exeter but Dot says she has plans of her own. Roxy agrees to visit Amy on Christmas afternoon, but Donna sacks her from the market. This episode was the thirteenth-most requested programme on BBC iPlayer in the period 20 December 2016 to 2 January 2017, with 907,952 requests (not including any outside of that period).[166] | |||||||
| 5406 | 203 | 30 minutes | Richard Lynn | Jonny O'Neill | 6.72 | ||
|
Whitney helps Mick choose a Christmas present for Linda, a necklace, and buys matching earrings from herself and Lee; Lee tries to secure another loan but is refused, however, when a package is delivered for his neighbour, he opens it to find a virtual reality headset. Sharon tries to convince Ben to spend Christmas with the Mitchells; he eventually agrees. Phil gives Billy money to arrange his funeral, and when Jay finds out, Phil explains that he can no longer fight and there is nothing for him in Walford anymore. Kim calls Denise on her way to Montserrat. The first night of the Christmas show is sold out, however, Martin has stage fright, Mick is distracted by an audience member who is eating, Dennis ties Steven up in his Jacob Marley chains, Donna is drunk and argues with a heckler, Carmel misses her cue and blames her tight costume, and Kush falls over on stage; the cast blame director Derek, who proclaims that the show is cancelled, leaving Patrick upset that his thespian dream is over. This episode was the seventeenth-most requested programme on BBC iPlayer in the period 20 December 2016 to 2 January 2017, with 850,384 requests (not including any outside of that period).[166] | |||||||
| 5407 | 204 | 30 minutes | Richard Lynn | Matt Evans | 6.48 | ||
|
Denise and Patrick convince Derek and the cast to return and the show is a roaring success; Patrick is happy, saying he feared he would never perform again after his stroke in 2014. Libby returns to spend Christmas with Denise, and Patrick asks Derek to spend Christmas with them. Lee pawns the headset; Whitney is upset about Lee's dismissive behaviour, so Mick speaks to Lee, who says he does not want to disappoint Whitney and admits the truth about his job, saying he will tell her after Christmas. Lee then meets his neighbour, Craig Washington, but denies taking delivery of Craig's parcel. Phil has a heart-to-heart with Dot who says he should fight his illness and not be a coward. At home, Sharon is angry with Phil for not going to the show; he leaves saying the family should enjoy Christmas without him; Sharon angrily tells him she has had enough of his feeling sorry for himself and he can die. This episode was the eighteenth-most requested programme on BBC iPlayer in the period 20 December 2016 to 2 January 2017, with 847,264 requests (not including any outside of that period).[166] | |||||||
| 5408 | 205 | 35 minutes | Richard Lynn | Matt Evans | 6.57 | ||
|
On Dot's final day in the launderette, her friends all assume it will be crowded with wellwishers so she ends up with no visitors; she closes the shop after finding a mixtape recorded by her dead friend Heather Trott; when Dot gets home, she takes in a stray cat. Ben and Louise learn that Phil has left; he visits Peggy's grave and Denise follows him, telling him that his children's lives will be ruined if he lets himself die; Phil watches Dennis perform in the Christmas show and returns home, where he gives Sharon an eternity ring; Sharon is angry and leaves, and is greeted by her old friend Michelle. Stacey is forced to bin her Christmas turkey; a man in a car reads her social media posts on his phone. Linda learns that Elaine has suffered a stroke in Spain, so she decides to go to her immediately. Broadcast on Saturday at 8.25 pm as an extra episode for Christmas Eve.[167] This episode was the sixteenth-most requested programme on BBC iPlayer in the period 20 December 2016 to 2 January 2017, with 868,784 requests (not including any outside of that period).[166] | |||||||
| 5409–5410 | 206 | 60 minutes | Michael Owen Morris | Daran Little | 7.90 | ||
|
The residents of Albert Square celebrate Christmas. The Mitchells' dinner is interrupted when the hospital call—a liver has been found; Phil is taken to hospital and prepared for surgery as the liver is suitable. Michelle goes with Sharon to the hospital but does not want to talk about why she has returned; she calls her son Mark but he ends the call. Denise is annoyed that Kim has told their mother in Montserrat that she is pregnant. Stacey receives a turkey anonymously, while the Mitchells receive a box of Christmas crackers and the Beales are delivered a Christmas pudding with a note saying it is from Lucy; Ian bins it. Dot spends Christmas with her cat, which she names Willy after her old friend Ethel Skinner's (Gretchen Franklin) pet dog, Willy the pug. A power cut interrupts the cooking of several meals, but the Carters realise they can open the pub and allow people to cook their meals on their gas stove. Patrick realises Dot has not gone with Abi to Exeter so visits her. At the pub, everyone apologises to Dot for not going to her leaving party, and they reveal their Christmas gift to her: a new washing machine. The residents celebrate Christmas together in the pub around the piano. Denise realises that Derek has a crush on Patrick, so tells Patrick, who tells Derek he is seeing Dot. Roxy continues to use cocaine. After Shirley tells him to man up, Ben realises he needs to be with the Mitchells. Donna asks Carmel to go to the stallholders' party. After the power is restored, Lee is arrested by DC Cole for conspiracy to commit robbery; he tells Whitney it is a mistake, asking her not to tell Mick. Max greets Stacey in the square revealing the turkey was from him. Broadcast on Sunday at 9.30 pm as an extended extra episode for Christmas Day.[168] This episode was the second-most requested programme on BBC iPlayer in the period 20 December 2016 to 2 January 2017, with 1,276,512 requests (not including any outside of that period).[166] | |||||||
| 5411 | 207 | 30 minutes | Michael Owen Morris | Gillian Richmond | 7.32 | ||
|
Lee is released without charge and tells Whitney and Mick that it was mistaken identity, but when Whitney angrily demands the truth, he admits that he told his colleagues that cash was kept in the pub overnight because he wanted to be liked and accepted; she calls him pathetic but says she will not tell Mick because he is dealing with the stress of Linda and Elaine's situation. Stacey tells Lauren that Max is back and that he has changed; Lauren arranges to meet him in the pub and invites Jane and Ian; Ian tells Jane they need to leave and tells her about the note with the pudding and the one Max left when he was released from prison, however, Jane convinces him to meet Max. They both apologise to Max; he claims to understand their motivation to protect their child and says he wants to move on, shaking both their hands and buying them a drink. Phil's surgery is a success; he texts his friend Tony an apology out of guilt, as Tony was also being assessed for the same liver. This episode was the sixth-most requested programme on BBC iPlayer in the period 20 December 2016 to 2 January 2017, with 1,076,144 requests (not including any outside of that period).[166] | |||||||
| 5412 | 208 | 30 minutes | Michael Owen Morris | Leo Richardson | 7.39 | ||
|
At Ronnie's hen party, Sal reads Tarot cards, dealing Roxy the Death card. When the party runs out of alcohol, Shirley and Tina take some from The Vic's cellar. Roxy tells Ronnie she will not attend her wedding and will be in Tenerife; Ronnie tells Roxy not to go and says she should move to Ongar with her, Amy and Jack. Abi returns and meets Max, refusing to forgive him for not meeting them when he was released from prison, however, she agrees to a drink in the pub and afterwards, she hugs Max. Jack is suspicious of Max's motives and bans him from his wedding. Lee is annoyed to see that Oz is not in prison; later, Oz goes to The Vic where Lee orders him out but he demands that Lee steal alcohol from the cellar; Lee feels he has no choice. Whitney tells Lee she thinks she may be pregnant again. Libby buys baby clothes for Denise, so Patrick is hopeful that Denise will keep her baby, however, Denise insists that she has not changed her mind, so Patrick says Libby should know the truth. The episode ends with the song "You Got the Love" by The Source featuring Candi Staton[169] played over the credits, and instead of the usual credits, a list of everyone involved in the making of EastEnders in 2016 is shown,[170] with a dedication to Mick Brady Snr (a former member of the EastEnders crew) and Michael Leader. This episode was the seventh-most requested programme on BBC iPlayer in the period 20 December 2016 to 2 January 2017, with 1,073,712 requests (not including any outside of that period).[166] | |||||||
| 5413 | 209 | 30 minutes | Toby Frow | Lauren Klee | 6.82 | ||
|
Lee asks Whitney to take a pregnancy test but she says she cannot get over that he was involved in the robbery, calling him "spineless". Lee is frustrated when he is late for work, crying and shouting at a parking attendant, Karen Beckworth, when a machine will not take his money. At work, Lee gets a sale, but Oz says the old woman he convinced to change energy supplier will lose money and could die when she finds out. Lee passes his review with Haroon, who tells him to "man up" in 2017 and Lee then sees a fitness poster reading, "2017, time to be a man". Oz catches Lee crying and calls him a "cry-baby girl", trying to take a photo on his phone and telling Lee that he would lose everything if his family and friends knew the truth, calling him "spineless", and Whitney would leave if if she met a "real man". Lee goes to his car where he vents his frustrations, writes a note saying "I'm sorry", and leaves his car. Meanwhile, Whitney sees that Lee has been looking at baby products online and contemplates buying a pregnancy test. Stacey invites Max to the market traders' party, and Sharon tells Martin that she is worried about Phil finding out that Max is back as he bribed the jury foreman at Max's trial; Martin tells Stacey, saying that Max finding out will change him. Roxy worries about how Jack will react to hearing that she is moving to Ongar, so Ronnie tells Roxy to help out so Jack will feel better about it; she babysits but Ricky is sick; Jack tells Ronnie he is looking forward to cutting ties with Roxy. Max then invites Roxy to the traders' party. This episode was the eleventh-most requested programme on BBC iPlayer in the period 20 December 2016 to 2 January 2017, with 969,728 requests (not including any outside of that period).[166] | |||||||
| 5414 | 210 | 30 minutes | Toby Frow | Lauren Klee | 6.85 | ||
|
Lee heads for the edge of the roof of the car park where he contemplates suicide. Karen finds him; he says that unlike other people, he finds life hard and is pretending all the time, feels worthless and has seriously let his family down; Karen tells him he is not a bad person, and tells him life has its ups and downs, convincing him to come down and go to her office where she gives him a card from the Samaritans; after he leaves, she cries in front of a photograph of a boy. At home, Whitney tells Lee she is not pregnant but she wants to be, and he says they will take things one step at a time. Meanwhile, Sharon decides not to tell Phil that Max is back after he hears his friend Tony has died, but Stacey then tells Max that Phil bribed the jury foreman; Max visits Phil in hospital and tells him he knows; Phil urges him to take revenge by smothering him, but Max shakes his hand and forgives him; outside, Max burns himself with a cigarette, revealing scars from self-harm. At the market traders' party, Roxy gets high on cocaine but realises she needs help, so calls her mother, Glenda, and half-brother, Danny, who collect her saying they will look after her. Donna and market trader Shrimpy kiss under the mistletoe. This episode was the eighth-most requested programme on BBC iPlayer in the period 20 December 2016 to 2 January 2017, with 1,031,216 requests (not including any outside of that period).[166] | |||||||
See also[edit]
Footnotes[edit]
- ^ In 2016, the character is also credited as Kathy Beale.
- ^ In 2016, the character is also credited as Whitney Carter.
- ^ In 2016, the character is also credited as Stacey Fowler.
- ^ Badland's appearance on 20 December is uncredited on screen.
- ^ Borthwick's appearance on 5 July is uncredited on screen.
- ^ Walker's appearance on 30 September is uncredited on screen.
- ^ Fitzgerald's appearance on 29 July is uncredited on screen.
- ^ Labey's appearance on 8 August is uncredited as only his hand is seen.
- ^ Sidwell's first five appearances as Steven in 2016 are uncredited on screen.
- ^ In 2016, the character is also credited as Shabnam Kazemi.
- ^ Wood's appearance on 24 December is uncredited as only his hand is seen.
- ^ In 2016, the character is also credited as Lily Fowler.
- ^ Garvey's appearance on 8 December is uncredited on screen.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q Derek, Libby, Grant, Lucas, Ryan, Peggy, Linda, Glenda, Charlie, Sam, Lorna, Christian, Jean, Colin, Danny, Heather and Pat are former regular characters but made guest appearances in 2016.
- ^ Windsor's voiceover on 19 May 2016 is uncredited on screen.
- ^ Although he appears frequently as an extra, 4 May, 3 June 6 June, 24 November 16 December, and 24 and 30 December are Champniss's only credited appearances in 2016.
- ^ Although he appears frequently as an extra, 13 May is Michael's only credited appearance in 2016.
- ^ St. Clement's appearance as Pat is uncredited on screen.
- ^ a b c d e f As young children, these characters' appearances are not credited.
- ^ Lady Di is the Carter's family dog, and as such, the character's appearances are not credited.
- ^ Ollie is played by Jack until February 2016 and Harrington thereafter.
- ^ a b Julia Honour is a pseudonym used when a member of the editorial staff has to completely rewrite a poor early script draft from a commissioned writer, or when the original writer is unable to finish the script for any reason.[75]
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