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DI Jack Branning is a fictional character from the
BBC The British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) is a British public service broadcaster headquartered at Broadcasting House in London, England. Originally established in 1922 as the British Broadcasting Company, it evolved into its current sta ...
soap opera A soap opera (also called a daytime drama or soap) is a genre of a long-running radio or television Serial (radio and television), serial, frequently characterized by melodrama, ensemble casts, and sentimentality. The term ''soap opera'' originat ...
''
EastEnders ''EastEnders'' is a British television soap opera created by Julia Smith (producer), Julia Smith and Tony Holland which has been broadcast on BBC One since February 1985. Set in the fictional borough of Walford in the East End of London, the ...
'', played by Scott Maslen. He made his first appearance on 29 October 2007. He is the youngest child of Jim ( John Bardon) and Reenie Branning (Joy Graham) and the brother of April Branning ( Debbie Arnold), Carol Jackson ( Lindsey Coulson), Derek ( Jamie Foreman), Suzy ( Maggie O'Neill) and Max Branning (
Jake Wood Jake Dylan Wood (born 12 July 1972) is a British actor and podcaster from Westminster, known for his role as Max Branning in the BBC soap opera ''EastEnders''. He has also made guest appearances in series including ''Only Fools and Horses'' a ...
). The character was introduced to the show during a period when ''EastEnders'' was being routinely criticised in the media for its reliance on resurrecting old characters. The casting of Maslen provoked some controversy, being the first time an actor had been poached from one mainstream soap to another. It was quickly established that Jack is a morally ambiguous character with a murky past in the police force resulting in the paralysis of his young daughter,
Penny A penny is a coin (: pennies) or a unit of currency (: pence) in various countries. Borrowed from the Carolingian denarius (hence its former abbreviation d.), it is usually the smallest denomination within a currency system. At present, it is ...
( Mia McKenna-Bruce). On 1 July 2019, Maslen filmed his 1,000th episode as Jack. Maslen took a two-month break from the role in October 2010 to participate in the 2010 series of ''
Strictly Come Dancing ''Strictly Come Dancing'' (commonly referred to as ''Strictly'') is a British dance contest show in which celebrities partner with professional dancers to compete in mainly Ballroom dance, ballroom and Latin dance, Latin dance. Each couple is ...
'', returning in December 2010. Maslen made an indefinite departure from the role on 15 October 2013 after six years on the show. Having turned down a chance to return to the role in April 2015, Jack made a previously unannounced return on 24 December 2015, before leaving once again on 1 January 2016. Maslen returned to filming during the same month and Jack returned on-screen on 1 March 2016. Since returning, his storylines have included reuniting with Ronnie Mitchell (
Samantha Womack Samantha Zoe Womack (''née'' Janus; born 2 November 1972) is an English actress, singer, model and director who has worked in film, television and stage. Womack initially planned a career in singing and she represented the United Kingdom in ...
), gaining custody of his son Ricky Mitchell (Henri Charles/Frankie Day), finding out Ronnie had drowned on their wedding day and his subsequent grief over her death, a custody battle with Charlie Cotton ( Declan Bennett) over his stepson Matthew Mitchell Cotton, supporting his great-niece Tiffany Butcher ( Maisie Smith) over her rape and confronting her attacker, rejoining the police force, relationships with Mel Owen ( Tamzin Outhwaite) and
Denise Fox Denise Fox (also Wicks and Johnson) is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera ''EastEnders'', played by Diane Parish. She made her first appearance on 11 May 2006 and temporarily left ''EastEnders'' in early 2008 to give birth to her se ...
(
Diane Parish Diane Carol Richards (born 6 November 1969), known professionally as Diane Parish, is an English actress, who has been portraying the character Denise Fox on the BBC One soap opera ''EastEnders'' since 2006. A graduate of the Royal Academy of D ...
), discovering that Amy has been
self-harming Self-harm refers to intentional behaviors that cause harm to oneself. This is most commonly regarded as direct injury of one's own skin tissues, usually without suicidal intention. Other terms such as cutting, self-abuse, self-injury, and se ...
, dealing with his son Ricky becoming a father at twelve-years-old, an affair with
Stacey Slater Stacey Slater (also Branning and Fowler) is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera ''EastEnders'', played by Lacey Turner. She first appears in episode 2826, originally broadcast on 1 November 2004. The character is introduced as a feis ...
(
Lacey Turner Lacey Amelia Turner (born 28 March 1988) is an English actress. She gained prominence in the BBC One, BBC soap opera ''EastEnders'' for her portrayal of Stacey Slater, a role she initially played between 2004 and 2010 before returning in 2014 an ...
), helping The Six conceal their involvement in the murder of Keanu Taylor ( Danny Walters), dealing with Amy being temporarily paralysed after a crush at Peggy's Nightclub, framing Penny (now Kitty Castledine) for causing the crush, and being blackmailed by
Harry Mitchell Harry Everett Mitchell (born July 18, 1940) is an American politician and educator who served as a U.S. Representative representing from 2007 until 2011. He is a member of the Democratic Party. Early life, education and career Born and raised ...
( Elijah Holloway).


Creation


Background

Jack Branning was one of several new characters to join the ''EastEnders'' cast in the second half of 2007. At a time when the show was undergoing media criticism for its resurrection of old characters, John Yorke, the BBC's controller of drama production, defended the show's ability to create interesting, new characters. He praised the show's executive producer
Diederick Santer Diederick Santer (born 3 July 1969) is a British television producer and is best known for his work on the popular BBC television soap opera ''EastEnders'', a post which he assumed on 23 October 2006 and left on 1 March 2010. He was Chief Execu ...
for his development of new, "strong characters", including Jack Branning and Roxy (
Rita Simons Rita Joanne Simons (born 10 March 1977) is an English actress and singer. After beginning her career as a member of the short-lived girl group Girls@Play, she became best known for portraying the role of Roxy Mitchell in the BBC soap opera ''Ea ...
) and Ronnie Mitchell (
Samantha Womack Samantha Zoe Womack (''née'' Janus; born 2 November 1972) is an English actress, singer, model and director who has worked in film, television and stage. Womack initially planned a career in singing and she represented the United Kingdom in ...
). Speaking of this new wave of characters, he stated: "It feels like a new dynasty is emerging, which is important." Prior to his introduction in October 2007, the character was referred to once, a week before his arrival. He is a member of the soap's
Branning family The Branning family, together with the Jackson family are a fictional extended family in the BBC soap opera ''EastEnders''. Introduced in 1993 were the Jackson family, consisting of Carol Jackson (Lindsey Coulson), her partner and later husban ...
; his sister Carol first appeared in the serial in 1993, while father Jim had debuted in 1996, and Jack's brother
Max Max or MAX may refer to: Animals * Max (American dog) (1983–2013), at one time purported to be the world's oldest living dog * Max (British dog), the first pet dog to win the PDSA Order of Merit (animal equivalent of the OBE) * Max (gorilla) ...
and his own family were introduced in June 2006.


Casting

Scott Maslen was cast in the role of Jack. Previously best known for his role as DS Phil Hunter in ITV
police drama The police procedural, police show, or police crime drama is a subgenre of procedural drama and detective fiction that emphasises the investigative procedure of police officers, police detectives, or law enforcement agencies as the protagonists, as ...
''
The Bill ''The Bill'' is a British police procedural television series, broadcast on ITV (TV network), ITV from 16 October 1984 until 31 August 2010. The programme originated from a one-off drama, "Woodentop (The Bill), Woodentop" (part of the ''Storyb ...
'', the media were quick to pick up on the fact his new role was notably similar – with TV
critic A critic is a person who communicates an assessment and an opinion of various forms of creative works such as Art criticism, art, Literary criticism, literature, Music journalism, music, Film criticism, cinema, Theater criticism, theater, Fas ...
Jane Simon sarcastically commenting: "What a relief it must be for actor Scott Maslen to get a role that allows him to show off his incredible versatility." Maslen himself pointed out that the character of Jack was actually higher ranking than Phil Hunter, joking: "I've been promoted from playing a DS in Sun Hill!" Maslen's casting marked the first time an established actor had been poached from one mainstream soap to another. Speaking for the first time about his new role, Maslen said: "I was very sad to leave ''The Bill'' but after five years I wanted to explore new opportunities. ''The Bill'' afforded me some fantastic storylines. I'm really looking forward to playing Jack. He's an extremely competitive man who likes to win in business and in pleasure!"


Development

Upon announcing his casting, Maslen described the character of Jack as "an extremely competitive man who always likes to win in business and in pleasure". He mentioned that there would be an "instant attraction" between Jack and fellow newcomer Ronnie Mitchell, and explained that he already had a longstanding friendship with
Samantha Womack Samantha Zoe Womack (''née'' Janus; born 2 November 1972) is an English actress, singer, model and director who has worked in film, television and stage. Womack initially planned a career in singing and she represented the United Kingdom in ...
who plays Ronnie, having known her since he was 16 years old, and being godfather to her children. The relationship between the two characters developed quickly from friendship to romance, with Womack commenting that due to her friendship with Maslen; "Our first kissing scene felt really uncomfortable, it was terrible, but we're over it now." Several media publications commented on the fact that the attraction between the two characters had been obvious, and bound to develop into more than a professional relationship. As the character's personality developed, questions were raised over whether his intentions and motivations were good or bad, with Maslen explaining: "I call him amoral; neither good nor bad. He gets what he wants out of the situation but that isn’t necessarily just a selfish thing. He's not an evil character, but if there are people that are threatening him, his business or his family, he will do whatever he needs to do to eliminate that problem." In April 2011, it was reported that Jack would have a one-night stand in May after trying to get over the loss of his son, and bed Tanya's sister,
Rainie Cross Rainie Highway (also Branning and Cross) is a fictional character from the BBC One soap opera ''EastEnders'', played by Tanya Franks. Introduced as the drug-addicted sister of established character Tanya Branning (Jo Joyner), Franks has had thr ...
(
Tanya Franks Tanya Christine Franks (born 16 August 1967) is an English actress. She is best known for her role as Rainie Cross in the BBC soap opera, ''EastEnders''. Career 1986–2006 Franks worked for 14 years in theatre both in the UK and abroad. Her ...
).


Departure (2013)

In February 2013, it was announced that Maslen had quit his role as Jack and would leave the show later in the year at the end of his current contract. Maslen said, "I've loved playing Jack, and who wouldn't want to work on one of the most successful British TV series, but I've been offered many other roles and just not been able to explore them in the past, simply because of time and commitments to ''EastEnders'', and so now it feels like the time to tread a new path for a while. I've played Jack for five and a half years and had some fantastic storylines, but it's now time to have a break from him and try something different. I'm incredibly attached to Jack, his family and ''EastEnders'', but as an actor I'd like to take on some new challenges for a bit. EastEnders is just incredible, it's phenomenally rewarding and I love working here, but now it's time to move on to pastures new." Executive producer
Lorraine Newman Lorraine Newman (born 1978) is a British scriptwriter, television producer, and the executive producer of the BBC soap opera ''EastEnders'' from 2012 to 2013. Newman, who has worked on ''EastEnders'' for "nearly 20 years", received the role of ...
said, "Since October 2007, Scott Maslen has brought the wonderful Jack Branning to life on our screens. From Scott's heart-wrenching portrayal of a grieving father, to Jack's determination in the coming week to take on Phil Mitchell, the variety in Scott's material shows his fabulous range as an actor. Scott will remain on your screens until late in the year, and there is plenty more drama to be played out before his departure."


Reintroduction (2015)

Maslen made a surprise return as Jack on 24 December 2015 and departed once again on 1 January 2016. He returned full-time on 1 March 2016. Maslen said: "I'm looking forward to working with
Dominic Treadwell-Collins Dominic Treadwell-Collins (born 26 August 1977) is a British television producer, known for his work on the soap operas ''Family Affairs'' and ''EastEnders'', creating the ''EastEnders'' spin-off series '' Kat & Alfie: Redwater'' and Executive P ...
. I worked with him before when he was a storyliner there. I'm really looking forward to working with him and the newer faces. There's so many exciting things going on at the minute. It was like I hadn't left. It felt a bit strange because there are new characters who I don't know – but that fits with the story. When you go away for a while and come back, there's always new people you gotta icget to know and that's part of the fun of it. It felt great!"


Storylines


Backstory

Jack is the youngest child of Jim ( John Bardon) and Reenie Branning (Joy Graham) and brother of
Derek Branning Derek Branning is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera ''EastEnders'', played by Terence Beesley in 1996 and then Jamie Foreman from 2011 to 2012. Derek is the eldest child of Jim Branning (John Bardon) and Reenie Branning (Joy Graham). ...
(
Terence Beesley Terence Beesley (7 September 1957 – 30 November 2017) was an English actor. Early life and education Born in London to Irish parents, he studied at the City Lit in London in 1980, and then trained as an actor at the London Academy of Music ...
/ Jamie Foreman), Carol Jackson ( Lindsey Coulson),
April April is the fourth month of the year in the Gregorian and Julian calendars. Its length is 30 days. April is commonly associated with the season of spring in the Northern Hemisphere, and autumn in the Southern Hemisphere, where it is the ...
( Debbie Arnold), Suzy (Julie Christian-Young; Maggie O'Neill) and Max Branning (
Jake Wood Jake Dylan Wood (born 12 July 1972) is a British actor and podcaster from Westminster, known for his role as Max Branning in the BBC soap opera ''EastEnders''. He has also made guest appearances in series including ''Only Fools and Horses'' a ...
). Having grown up in a large family in a poor area of East London, Jack regularly fought his older brother, Max, for the attentions of his father who was an alcoholic. He was very close friends with Michael Moon (
Steve John Shepherd Stephen John Shepherd (born 1 August 1973) is an English actor. He is known for his portrayals of Jo in the TV drama '' This Life'' and Michael Moon in the soap opera ''EastEnders'' from 2010 to 2013. Early life and education Shepherd was ...
), another local East End boy who went to school with him and had a closer relationship with him than he did with his brothers. As a teenager, Jack stole his grandfather's
World War II World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...
medal, knowing that it was Jim's prized possession as his father had died in combat when he was only six years old, and blamed Max, causing a huge rift between Jim and Max and resulting in Max walking out in 1989. Despite Max and Jack being arch-rivals, they kept in touch as Jack was present at Max's wedding to Tanya Cross (
Jo Joyner Joanne Mary Joyner (born 24 May 1977) is an English actress. She is known for her roles as Tanya Branning in the BBC soap opera ''EastEnders'' and Mandy Carter in the Channel 4 school drama '' Ackley Bridge''. From 2018, she has starred as Lue ...
) in 1994 and watched his nieces
Lauren Lauren is mostly a feminine given name. The name's meaning may be "laurel tree", "sweet of honor", or "wisdom". It is derived from the French name Laurence, a feminine version of Laurent, which is in turn derived from the Roman surname Laurent ...
(
Madeline Duggan Madeline Duggan (born 28 June 1994) is a British actress, known for her portrayal of Lauren Branning in the BBC soap opera ''EastEnders'' from 2006 to 2010. Career In 2003, Duggan portrayed the role of Little Cosette in a production of ''Les Mi ...
;
Jacqueline Jossa Jacqueline Mary Osborne (''née'' Jossa) (born 29 October 1992) is an English actress. She is known for portraying Lauren Branning in the BBC soap opera ''EastEnders''. In 2019, Jossa won the nineteenth series of '' I'm a Celebrity...Get Me Ou ...
) and Abi (
Lorna Fitzgerald Lorna Katie Fitzgerald (born 17 April 1996) is a British actress from Northampton. Her most notable role to date is that of Abi Branning in the BBC soap opera, ''EastEnders''. Since leaving ''EastEnders'' in January 2018, Fitzgerald has develop ...
) grow up. Jack settled down with
Selina Selina () is a feminine given name, considered either a variant of Selene, the goddess and personification of the Moon in Greek mythology and religion, or a spelling variation of the name Celina, which is derived from the Roman name Cecilia, refe ...
(
Daisy Beaumont Daisy Beaumont (born 5 May 1973) is an English actress. Career Beaumont's television work includes a variety of shows, among others '' The Border'', ''EastEnders'', '' Hotel Babylon'', ''A Touch of Cloth'', ''Agatha Christie's Poirot'', ''Mu ...
) and, after they married, they had a daughter,
Penny A penny is a coin (: pennies) or a unit of currency (: pence) in various countries. Borrowed from the Carolingian denarius (hence its former abbreviation d.), it is usually the smallest denomination within a currency system. At present, it is ...
( Mia McKenna-Bruce). Jack built a career in the police force, but got involved in criminal activities and when they backfired, one of Jack's informants knocked Selina and Penny down in revenge for being accidentally sent down. Penny's spinal cord was severed, putting her in a wheelchair and, in the aftermath, Jack and Selina divorced and he retired from the police force.


2007–2013

Jack comes to
Walford Walford is a fictional borough of East London in the BBC soap opera ''EastEnders''. It is the primary setting for the soap. ''EastEnders'' is filmed at Borehamwood in Hertfordshire, towards the north-west of London. Much of the location wor ...
for his nephew
Bradley Branning Bradley Branning is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera ''EastEnders'', played by Charlie Clements. He made his first appearance on screen on 24 January 2006 and last appeared on 22 February 2010 after he was killed-off in the show's ...
's (
Charlie Clements Charlie Clements (born 5 June 1987) is an English actor known for the role of Bradley Branning in the BBC soap opera ''EastEnders'' from January 2006 to February 2010. He has won several soap and magazine awards for his performance. Early li ...
) wedding to
Stacey Slater Stacey Slater (also Branning and Fowler) is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera ''EastEnders'', played by Lacey Turner. She first appears in episode 2826, originally broadcast on 1 November 2004. The character is introduced as a feis ...
(
Lacey Turner Lacey Amelia Turner (born 28 March 1988) is an English actress. She gained prominence in the BBC One, BBC soap opera ''EastEnders'' for her portrayal of Stacey Slater, a role she initially played between 2004 and 2010 before returning in 2014 an ...
). Upon his arrival, Jack soaks Ronnie Mitchell (
Samantha Womack Samantha Zoe Womack (''née'' Janus; born 2 November 1972) is an English actress, singer, model and director who has worked in film, television and stage. Womack initially planned a career in singing and she represented the United Kingdom in ...
) when driving through a puddle, so she soaks him with her water bottle. A fight with Max leads to Jack's wedding invitation being revoked, so he stays at
The Queen Victoria ''EastEnders'' is a British television soap opera created by Julia Smith and Tony Holland which has been broadcast on BBC One since February 1985. Set in the fictional borough of Walford in the East End of London, the programme follows the ...
public house A pub (short for public house) is in several countries a drinking establishment licensed to serve alcoholic drinks for consumption Licensing laws of the United Kingdom#On-licence, on the premises. The term first appeared in England in the ...
and helps Ronnie's sister Roxy (
Rita Simons Rita Joanne Simons (born 10 March 1977) is an English actress and singer. After beginning her career as a member of the short-lived girl group Girls@Play, she became best known for portraying the role of Roxy Mitchell in the BBC soap opera ''Ea ...
) prepare for the reception. Deciding to stay, Jack comes between Ronnie and Roxy when he buys Scarlet Nightclub and offers Ronnie a partnership. Jack causes more disruption in the
Mitchell family The Mitchell family is a fictional family in the UK soap opera ''EastEnders''. They were first introduced in February 1990, when brothers Phil ( Steve McFadden) and Grant Mitchell ( Ross Kemp) bought the local garage, the Arches. Their siste ...
when he sets up Ronnie's cousin,
Phil Mitchell Phil Mitchell is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera ''EastEnders'', played by Steve McFadden. He was introduced on 20 February 1990 and was followed by his brother, Grant ( Ross Kemp), sister, Sam ( Danniella Westbrook/ Kim Medca ...
(
Steve McFadden Steve Robert McFadden (né Reid; born 20 March 1959) is an English actor whose career has spanned three decades. He rose to prominence for his role as longstanding character Phil Mitchell in the BBC One soap opera ''EastEnders'', which he has ...
), by taping him confessing to his part in
Kevin Wicks Kevin Wicks is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera ''EastEnders'', played by Phil Daniels. Kevin made his first appearance on 17 February 2006, when he was introduced to the show alongside his two children, Carly ( Kellie Shirley) and ...
' (
Phil Daniels Philip William Daniels (born 25 October 1958) is an English actor, musician and singer, most noted for film and television roles playing Londoners, such as the lead role of Jimmy Cooper in ''Quadrophenia'', Richards in '' Scum'', Stewart in '' T ...
) death. Jack blackmails Phil with this, demanding the car lot for his silence, which he then rents to Pat Evans (
Pam St Clement Pamela Ann Clements (born 11 May 1942), known professionally as Pam St Clement, is an English actress. She is known for portraying the role of Pat Butcher in the BBC soap opera ''EastEnders'' from 12 June 1986 until 1 January 2012, with a guest ...
). Despite the Mitchells' animosity, Jack develops an attraction to Ronnie and a relationship starts. The other Mitchells, particularly Roxy, try to end the relationship. Jack's ex-wife, Selina, reappears briefly and they have sex, which Roxy discovers and she tells Ronnie, who is due to live with Jack. Ronnie ends the relationship. They reconcile, but Ronnie does not trust Jack and struggles to bond with his daughter, Penny. Jack and Roxy have sex while drunk. They agree to conceal this, but Roxy is pregnant and later gives birth to daughter
Amy Mitchell The following is a list of characters that first appeared in the BBC soap opera ''EastEnders,'' which aired in 2008 (in order of first appearance). All characters were introduced by executive producer Diederick Santer, who introduced four cha ...
(Amelie Conway). Jack romances Tanya, who is now separated from Max. Jack supports Tanya and her children as they strive to cope after discovering Max's affair with Stacey and his departure. When Max returns, he is furious to discover that they are together. Max attempts to buy the family home but Jack outbids him, buying No. 5 Albert Square and sharing the residence with Tanya and the children. Max tries to break them up, but is unsuccessful. Max frames Jack, claiming Jack tried to kill him. Jack is arrested but soon released, due to his connections in the police force. In revenge, Jack takes Max hostage, beating and taunting him before abandoning him in an old warehouse. That night, Max is hit by a car and Jack is the main suspect. Max's daughter, Lauren, later confesses to her family, but Tanya tells the police she did it and is arrested. Tanya is forced to split from Jack. Jack demands a DNA test on Amy, Roxy's daughter. Reluctantly agreeing, Roxy assures him that her husband
Sean Slater Sean Slater is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera ''EastEnders'', played by Robert Kazinsky, he made his first appearance on 22 August 2006. Sean's existence was revealed on 9 December 2005 when his sister Stacey Slater (Lacey Turner) ...
(
Robert Kazinsky Robert John Appleby (born 18 November 1983), known professionally as Robert Kazinsky, is an English actor. He is known for his roles as Casper Rose in the Sky One drama '' Dream Team'' (2005–2006) and Sean Slater in the BBC soap opera ''East ...
) is Amy's father. Jack concentrates on re-building his relationship with Ronnie, with whom he now shares a flat. However, Jack's sister, Suzy reveals the true result, that Jack is Amy's father. Furious, Sean snatches Amy and persuades Roxy to join him on a trip but Sean tries to kill them by driving into a frozen lake. Jack and Ronnie save Roxy and Amy. Roxy tells Jack that he will have no contact with Amy and Ronnie refuses to reconcile with him. Jack tries establishing regular contact with Amy, leading Ronnie to leave Walford. Racing to the airport to stop her, Jack tells Ronnie that he loves her over the airport tannoy. They return to Walford together and Roxy agrees not to interfere. Ronnie and Jack discuss the possibility of a baby but he refuses, telling her she needs to grieve for her deceased daughter, Danielle Jones (
Lauren Crace Lauren Rose Crace (born 25 May 1986) is an English actress and radio presenter, known for her portrayal of Danielle Jones in the BBC soap opera ''EastEnders'' from 2008 to 2009. Early life The daughter of contemporary writer Jim Crace and Pam ...
). Jack asks Ronnie to marry him but catches her piercing condoms. They argue and Jack leaves, but finds Ronnie's ring on the table when he returns. After telling Jack that Ronnie has left Walford, Roxy tries seducing Jack but he pushes her away. When Ronnie returns, Jack begs her to reunite with him, but she refuses. A few weeks later, she asks him to buy her out of the nightclub and to fund this, Jack sells the car lot to
Archie Mitchell Archie Mitchell is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera ''EastEnders'', played by Larry Lamb. He first appeared on 8 July 2008 as a newest member of the Mitchell family—who had first appeared on the soap in 1990—and became the show ...
(
Larry Lamb Lawrence Douglas Lamb (born 1 October 1947) is an English actor and radio presenter. He played Archie Mitchell in the BBC soap opera ''EastEnders'', Mick Shipman in the BBC comedy series ''Gavin & Stacey'' and Ted Case in the final series of ...
), Ronnie and Roxy's father who Ronnie despises. This distances Ronnie further from Jack. The feud between Jack and Phil recommences. Phil discovers that Jack is dealing drugs and when
Shirley Carter Shirley Carter is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera ''EastEnders'', played by Linda Henry. She first appeared on 7 December 2006, during episodes set in Dorset. This is Henry's second role in 'EastEnders', as she previously p ...
(
Linda Henry Linda Valiris (''née'' Henry; born 24 August 1959) is an English actress. She is known for her roles as Yvonne Atkins in the ITV prison drama series '' Bad Girls'' and Shirley Carter in the BBC soap opera ''EastEnders''. She had previously ...
) buys drugs from one of his contacts, Phil forces Jack to buy them back. Humiliated, Jack employs Phil's sister Sam Mitchell (
Danniella Westbrook Danniella Westbrook (born 5 November 1973) is an English actress and television personality. She is best known for playing Sam Mitchell in the BBC soap opera ''EastEnders''. Westbrook has also presented various television shows and was a conte ...
), infuriating Phil. Despite knowing that she is engaged to
Ricky Butcher Ricky Butcher is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera ''EastEnders'', played by Sid Owen. Introduced as a school boy in 1988, Ricky is one of the longest-running male protagonists to feature in ''EastEnders''. Owen originally left the ...
(
Sid Owen Sid Owen (born David John Sutton; 12 January 1972) is a British actor, television presenter and former singer from London, who played Ricky Butcher in the BBC soap opera ''EastEnders'' (1988–2000, 2002–2004, 2008–2012, 2022–2023). He a ...
), Jack and Sam begin an affair. Archie intervenes and pays Jack to keep seeing Sam as part of his plan to take over The Queen Vic. He also tells Jack's niece and Ricky's ex-wife
Bianca Bianca is a feminine given name. It means "white" and is an Italian cognate of Blanche. It is known in the Anglosphere as a character in William Shakespeare's ''The Taming of the Shrew''. It came to greater notice in the 1970s, due to public fi ...
(
Patsy Palmer Julie Anne Merkell (''née'' Harris; born 26 May 1972), known professionally as Patsy Palmer, is a British actress and DJ. After appearing as Natasha in the children's drama series ''Grange Hill'' (1985–1987), she came to prominence for her p ...
) about the affair. Later, Bianca drags Sam into The Queen Vic by her hair and forces her to tell Ricky in front of Jack about the affair she was having. Jack is distraught as Roxy was about to give him Ronnie's address but when the affair is revealed, Roxy changes her mind and throws him out of the pub. Ronnie gets pregnant but she has a miscarriage when Archie pushes her against the bar in the pub during an argument. Jack comforts Ronnie and takes in Ronnie, Roxy and Amy when they are made homeless by Archie. Jack confronts Archie on Christmas Day 2009 and threatens to kill him if he hurts Ronnie again. Archie is murdered that day and an investigation begins. Four weeks later, Jack asks Ronnie to dinner, to which she agrees but not until after Archie's funeral. At the funeral, Jack offers DC Wayne Hughes (Jamie Treacher) to help with any "local information" he might need. He later sees Ronnie tearing up the flowers on Archie's grave and asks her why. She thinks he is accusing her of murder. She later sees him talking to DCI Jill Marsden (
Sophie Stanton Sophie Stanton (born 1971) is an English actress. She is best known for her role as DCI Jill Marsden in the BBC soap opera ''EastEnders'' in which she has appeared on from 2001 to 2015. Career EastEnders Born in London and raised in Suffolk ...
), who is investigating the murder. Ronnie asks Jack how he would feel if he knew she had killed Archie, leading him to suspect her and also tells him, despite Jack's desire, that starting a relationship with him again is not what she wants. At his great-niece Tiffany Butcher's ( Maisie Smith) birthday party, he cuts his hand and Tiffany tells him that she saw Bradley washing blood off his hands on Christmas Day. Jack confronts Bradley who eventually reveals that he found out from Stacey on Christmas Day that Archie had raped and impregnated her, and Bradley punched Archie. Jack urges Bradley to go to the police, saying that if he does not, Jack will. However, Max stops him and when DNA screening starts and Bradley gives a sample, Jack bribes Hughes to make the DNA samples disappear. Janine is arrested when someone plants Archie's mother's missing engagement ring in her flat and Jack hears from Hughes when she is being released. Jack offers Janine money to leave Walford and they accuse each other. He says that he did not set her up and Ryan Malloy (
Neil McDermott Neil McDermott (born 15 December 1980) is a British stage and television actor, who is best known for portraying Ryan Malloy in the BBC television soap opera ''EastEnders''. Career McDermott appeared in the 2008 ''Doctor Who'' episode " The N ...
) stops him from hurting Janine. Later, Jack receives another call from Hughes to say that someone has reported Bradley and he is about to be arrested. Jack tells Bradley he must leave Walford quickly, and says he will meet them soon and help them to go. However, Jack is delayed by police and when Bradley realises he has left his passport behind, he returns to the Square where police see him and chase him to the roof of The Queen Vic, where he stumbles and falls to his death. A distraught Stacey tells Max she killed Archie and then disappears afterwards, but Jack does not find out about this and tells Max at Bradley's funeral that the court has found Bradley posthumously guilty. Jack begins a relationship with
Chelsea Fox Chelsea Fox (also Atkins) is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera ''EastEnders'', played by Tiana Benjamin from 2006 to 2010, and then Zaraah Abrahams from 2020 onwards. Benjamin was cast in the role and she left her role in the ''Harr ...
(
Tiana Benjamin Tiana Opium Benjamin (born 5 October 1984) is an English actress, known for originally playing Chelsea Fox in the BBC soap opera ''EastEnders''. Career Benjamin trained at the Anna Scher Theatre in London. In 2005, she made an appearance in ...
) after helping her escape from a blind date. He organises a party for his niece, Lauren, at R&R, where Kylie (
Elarica Gallacher Elarica Johnson (or Gallacher; born 21 August 1989) is a British actress and model. On television, she is known for her roles in the Starz drama ''P-Valley'' (2020–2022) and the Sky Atlantic fantasy series ''A Discovery of Witches'' (2018). ...
) attempts to shoot Jack's nephew Billie (
Devon Anderson Devon Carlo Anderson (born 25 August 1987) is an English actor. Anderson's roles include Billie Jackson in ''EastEnders'' and Sonny Valentine in ''Hollyoaks''. Early life Anderson was born on 25 August 1987 in London. Acting career Anderso ...
) but Jack is shot instead as he pushes Billie out of the way. Jack is taken to hospital, where doctors tell his family he may be left with severe brain damage. He is put in a medically-induced coma and undergoes an operation due to swelling on his brain, which is successful. When he is brought out of the coma, it is discovered that he is paralysed down the left side of his body but it is not clear whether it is periodic or permanent. Jack then breaks up with Chelsea and attempts to phone Ronnie, but she does not hear her phone ringing as she is spending time with Jack's consultant, Mr. Steele (Simon Wilson). He starts to feel helpless and wants to give up, but after Max refuses to help him, he puts his phone out of reach and manages to pull himself up with one arm. Meanwhile, Chelsea suspects she might be pregnant with Jack's child, and wants to keep the baby but is unsure about telling Jack. However, when she takes another test, she finds out she is not pregnant and Jack never finds out. Max reveals to Jack that he saw Ronnie and Mr. Steele kissing, so Jack punches Mr. Steele out of jealousy. When Ronnie discovers this, she dumps Mr. Steele and rushes to see Jack, telling him that if he were to propose, she would not turn him down. Billie visits Jack to apologise, but Jack ignores his apology as it has taken him weeks to visit him, calling him cowardly. Billie leaves in tears and joins the army to make Jack proud of him. Ronnie visits again and is told that Jack was able to move his toe earlier. She thinks Jack needs better care, so decides to find him a place at a private clinic. Jack later hears from Max that there has been a fire at the club, and Ronnie tells him he is going to the clinic. However, she decides not to claim on the insurance to keep
Billy Mitchell William Lendrum Mitchell (December 29, 1879 – February 19, 1936) was a United States Army officer who had a major role in the creation of the United States Air Force. Mitchell served in France during World War I and, by the conflict's end, ...
(
Perry Fenwick Perry Fenwick (born 29 May 1962) is an English actor. He is known for portraying the role of Billy Mitchell in the BBC soap opera ''EastEnders'', a role which he has played since 1998. Career Television Fenwick's first regular television rol ...
) out of trouble. Roxy hears from Max that Ronnie has no money and is not claiming, so she decides to pay for Jack's treatment and he is moved to the private clinic. Jack makes decent progress and when Ronnie visits him, they end up having sex. A few days later, having been discharged from hospital, Jack turns up in The Queen Victoria for Ronnie's birthday. Later, when they return to his flat, Jack asks Ronnie to marry him and she accepts. When he finds out that Archie raped Ronnie when she was 13 years old, he finds it hard to believe at first because she would have known about it for several years without telling anybody, however, he tells Ronnie he does believe her and vows to not let anyone hurt her again. He becomes frustrated when his progress at physiotherapy slows down. He is determined to walk at his own wedding but Max says he never will, and makes him angry, goading him into getting out of his wheelchair. Ronnie discovers that Sam is pregnant and tells Jack, asking if it could be his even though Sam insists it is Ricky's. After the baby is born, Sam admits she is unsure. Jack and Ronnie visit Sam and the baby in hospital. Even though Sam now says that baby
Richard Richard is a male given name. It originates, via Old French, from compound of the words descending from Proto-Germanic language">Proto-Germanic ''*rīk-'' 'ruler, leader, king' and ''*hardu-'' 'strong, brave, hardy', and it therefore means 'st ...
, is Ricky's, Bianca tells Jack he should see if Richard is his. He and Ronnie both agree and tell Sam, and Ricky agrees to a paternity test. Ronnie tells Jack whatever the result is, they will be okay. Sam reveals that the paternity test confirmed Ricky as the father. Ronnie and Jack are relieved and Ronnie reveals that she is pregnant with Jack's baby. However, a suspicious Bianca gets the paternity results for herself, and reveals that the father is actually Jack. Sam then tells them that Ronnie made her lie. Ronnie tells Jack she did not want to share him with anyone else, and Jack understands. Later, Sam visits Jack and Ronnie saying she cannot cope with the baby on her own, and asks them to have him. Ronnie and Jack agree but when they are due to meet, Sam does not turn up. Ronnie visits Sam and tells her to keep Richard but offers her money to leave Walford as when Jack finds out he will come looking for her. Ronnie returns to Jack but finds Sam has already dropped Richard off. Ronnie then meets Sam with cash and tells her to take Richard back but she will have to leave straight away. Sam leaves the next day. Before Billie's birthday, he visits Jack, but Jack tells him to leave, however, he goes to Billie's party. Billie and Kylie's friend Connor Stanley ( Arinze Kene) turns up and apologises to Jack on behalf of Kylie. Kylie is sentenced to 15 years in prison. The day before Jack and Ronnie's wedding, Jack helps Max take revenge on
Harry Gold Harry Gold (born Henrich Golodnitsky, December 11, 1910 – August 28, 1972) was a Swiss-born American laboratory chemist who was convicted as a courier for the Soviet Union passing atomic secrets from Klaus Fuchs, an agent of the Soviet Union, ...
(
Linal Haft Linal Haft (born 23 March 1945) is an English actor, best known for playing controlling or manipulative characters in both film and television, most notably his role as businessman Harry Gold in the popular BBC soap opera ''EastEnders'' from 20 ...
) who is harassing his ex-wife
Vanessa Vanessa may refer to: Arts and entertainment * ''Vanessa'' (Millais painting), an 1868 painting by Pre-Raphaelite artist John Everett Millais * ''Vanessa'', a 1933 novel by Hugh Walpole * ''Vanessa'', a 1952 instrumental song written by Bernie W ...
(
Zöe Lucker Zöe Elizabeth Lucker (born 11 April 1974) is an English actress. She is known for her roles as Tanya Turner in the ITV drama series, ''Footballers' Wives''; Vanessa Gold in the long-running BBC One soap opera, ''EastEnders''; Carol Barry in ...
), Max's girlfriend. They threaten Harry and tell him to stay away, but afterwards Jack is grabbed by two men and bundled into a car. The next day, nobody is able to find Jack but Max finds his phone. He drives Ronnie to the wedding and finds Jack in the boot of the wedding car, tied up and gagged. Max frees him and Jack and Ronnie get married. After, they leave for their honeymoon. After the honeymoon, Jack goes abroad on business and is unable to return to see Ronnie give birth to their son
James James may refer to: People * James (given name) * James (surname) * James (musician), aka Faruq Mahfuz Anam James, (born 1964), Bollywood musician * James, brother of Jesus * King James (disambiguation), various kings named James * Prince Ja ...
. Before Jack returns, James dies due to cot death. Ronnie swaps their deceased baby with Alfie (
Shane Richie Shane Patrick Paul Roche (born 11 March 1964), known as Shane Richie, is an English actor, comedian, presenter and singer. Following initial success as a stage and screen performer, he became best known for his portrayal of the character Alfie ...
) and
Kat Moon Kat Slater (also Moon and Mitchell) is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera ''EastEnders'', played by Jessie Wallace. She was also played by Kate Peck in a flashback in 2001 and Sumar-Elise Sandford in a flashback in 2018. Kat is the ...
's (
Jessie Wallace Karen Jane Wallace (born 25 September 1971), known professionally as Jessie Wallace, is an English actress. She made her acting debut in the television police series ''The Bill'' and rose to prominence for her role as Kat Slater on the BBC so ...
) newborn baby,
Tommy Tommy may refer to: People and fictional characters * Tommy (given name), a list of people and fictional characters * Tommy Atkins, or just Tommy, a slang term for a common soldier in the British Army * Tommy Giacomelli (born 1974), Brazilian fo ...
. Jack is introduced to Tommy as his own son, and bonds with him. However, he worries about Ronnie's state of mind when she struggles to cope. Jack sells his share in R&R and goes into business with Max at the car lot, renaming it Branning Brothers. He then meets Michael, Alfie's cousin who he knows from his youth, and invites him to stay but Ronnie finds out Michael is Tommy's real father and tells Jack to kick him out, which Jack eventually does. When Jack announces he and Michael are opening a boxing club, Ronnie is infuriated, so she lies that Michael came onto her. Jack punches Michael but Michael tells him that Ronnie is obsessed with him and has stolen a passport photo of him, which Jack later finds with Ronnie's things. He confronts her, but says is she does not know why she took it, but insists she does not want Michael near the baby. He quits the car lot to look after the boxing club full-time. He starts to worry about Ronnie's erratic behaviour. Eventually, she tells Jack that he is not the father, and hands Tommy back to Kat and Alfie. Tommy is taken into care and Jack says an emotional goodbye, while Ronnie is in police custody. Jack visits her in prison, but she tells him to forget he ever met her and find someone else. Jack goes into deep depression and begins drinking heavily. He meets Tanya's sister,
Rainie Cross Rainie Highway (also Branning and Cross) is a fictional character from the BBC One soap opera ''EastEnders'', played by Tanya Franks. Introduced as the drug-addicted sister of established character Tanya Branning (Jo Joyner), Franks has had thr ...
(
Tanya Franks Tanya Christine Franks (born 16 August 1967) is an English actress. She is best known for her role as Rainie Cross in the BBC soap opera, ''EastEnders''. Career 1986–2006 Franks worked for 14 years in theatre both in the UK and abroad. Her ...
), in the club and they have a one-night stand; however, Jack throws Rainie out the following morning. Max tries to help him along with Carol but he brutally beats Max, however, they reconcile on Max's birthday. Jack discovers Ronnie has been released on bail and decides to forgive her, asking her to move back in. On the day of Ronnie's hearing, Jack attempts to flee the country with her to Mexico. Michael frames her by taking Roxy's mobile and asking her to meet at the park. She finds Tommy alone and crying, and attempts to help him. Kat and Alfie then see Ronnie holding Tommy with disbelief, and after slapping her and getting Tommy back off her, Kat says that she will be laughing as Ronnie rots in jail. Later, Roxy finds out Michael did, in fact, frame Ronnie and he later admits this to her and Kat. At the hearing, Ronnie is sentenced to 3 years in prison, but Kat changes her mind and decides she does not want her to go to prison. Kat then runs over to Ronnie and says she forgives her, and that she agrees that they are the same. The two hold their hands to each other separated by the glass. Ronnie is then taken away, leaving Jack devastated. Jack continually tries to visit Ronnie in prison, but she refuses to see him. Michael taunts Jack by claiming he slept with Ronnie, and Jack beats him up in the toilets of The Queen Victoria. The fight is secretly witnessed by Michael's father
Eddie Moon Eddie Moon is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera ''EastEnders'', played by David Essex. Eddie is the father of Michael ( Steve John Shepherd), Tyler ( Tony Discipline) and Anthony Moon ( Matt Lapinskas). Along with his children, Eddi ...
(
David Essex David Essex (born David Albert Cook; 23 July 1947) is an English singer-songwriter and actor. From 1973 to 1994, he attained 19 Top 40 singles in the UK (including two number ones) and 16 Top 40 albums. Internationally, Essex had the most suc ...
) but he walks away as he thinks Michael set his stock on fire. Though Jack and Michael repair their friendship, Jack is dismayed when Michael organises an unlicensed boxing fight between his brother
Tyler Moon Tyler Moon is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera ''EastEnders'', played by Tony Discipline. Tyler is the son of Eddie Moon (David Essex), half brother of Michael ( Steve John Shepherd) and Craig Moon (Elliot Rosen), brother of Anth ...
(Tony Discipline) and a seemingly unbeatable and violent opponent, all as part of Michael's revenge on his father. Though Tyler wins the fight, he is hospitalised and the friendship between Jack and Michael is strained further. Roxy goes on a night out with friends, leaving Ben Mitchell (Joshua Pascoe) babysitting Amy. When he leaves Amy alone for a while to get a DVD from Jack's flat, Amy runs herself a bath, gets in and almost drowns. When Ben finds her, Dr. Yusef Khan (
Ace Bhatti Ahsen Rafiq "Ace" Bhatti is a British actor. Early in his career, he appeared in the BBC series ''Cardiac Arrest'' (1994–1995), '' Holding On'' (1997), '' NCS: Manhunt'' (2001–2002), and '' New Street Law'' (2006–2007), as well as the ITV ...
) is called and revives her. When Jack arrives, he accompanies Amy to the hospital who is still in a critical condition. The next day, Roxy arrives and Jack accuses her of being neglectful. Jack then tells a social worker about Roxy's past and her family. After interviewing Roxy, the social worker awards temporary custody of Amy to Jack. He refuses to give Roxy access to Amy other than at pre-arranged times, and is annoyed when Abi allows Roxy to see Amy. When Abi tells Jack how her family is falling apart, Jack vows to bring Max back to Walford, as he left following the revelation of his affair with Tanya when she was married to
Greg Jessop Greg Jessop is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera ''EastEnders'', played by Stefan Booth. He was introduced as the fiancé of Tanya Branning (Jo Joyner), and first appeared on screen on 1 October 2010 to work on the reconstruction of ...
(
Stefan Booth Stefan Booth (born 4 October 1979) is an English actor and singer, best known for playing Greg Jessop in the BBC soap opera ''EastEnders'' from 1 October 2010 to 21 October 2011. Career Booth played Jamie Nash in ''Hollyoaks'' from 2001 unti ...
). Max returns to Walford with their brother, Derek. Jack is pleased to see Derek, but is concerned when it is revealed that Tanya has
cervical cancer Cervical cancer is a cancer arising from the cervix or in any layer of the wall of the cervix. It is due to the abnormal growth of cells that can invade or spread to other parts of the body. Early on, typically no symptoms are seen. Later sympt ...
. The court decides to award custody of Amy to Jack, however Roxy vows to appeal the decision. When Phil receives a text message saying "I know you killed Kevin", Phil believes Jack is behind the message, so confronts him. Jack denies this, and when he goes to give Phil the recording, he finds it missing, along with a file on all of Phil's past misdemeanors. Phil continues to suspect Jack however, and has Jack's car crushed as a warning. In revenge, Jack prevents Roxy from seeing Amy. Roxy then tells Jack that Ronnie is filing for a divorce from him. On Christmas Day 2011, Jack sees Roxy taunting him into letting her see Amy after showing the toy she was going to give her, so he relents, knowing that he may not be able spend another Christmas with Ronnie. Amy starts pinching and scratching other children at nursery, and
Whitney Dean Whitney Dean (also Carter) is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera ''EastEnders'', played by Shona McGarty. The character is the ward of established character Bianca Jackson (Patsy Palmer) and was introduced on 1 April 2008 when Pa ...
(
Shona McGarty Shona Bernadette McGarty (born 14 October 1991) is an English actress and singer, known for her portrayal of Whitney Dean in the BBC soap opera ''EastEnders'' from 2008 to 2024. Early life Shona Bernadette McGarty was born on 14 October 1991 ...
) tells Roxy and Jack about this. They later talk and agree to not argue in front of Amy. Roxy realises it is the first time they have spoken properly since Amy was born, and they start to compliment each other as parents, which leads to sex. They continue with the custody battle, and Roxy soon discovers that Jack forged her signature to get Amy a passport. Roxy threatens to report this, and Jack drops the case so Roxy gains custody of Amy. Derek then continues to urge Jack to use dirty tactics to get Amy back, but makes things worse by telling Jack lies. Eventually, Derek pays a friend to have Roxy killed, but this does not happen and Jack confronts Derek saying that anything that happens to Roxy also happens to Amy. When Jack apologises to Roxy, she punches him and says that he is an unfit parent, saying that Penny is proof of this. Jack agrees and tells Max that he will not allow what happened to Penny happen to Amy.
Denise Fox Denise Fox (also Wicks and Johnson) is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera ''EastEnders'', played by Diane Parish. She made her first appearance on 11 May 2006 and temporarily left ''EastEnders'' in early 2008 to give birth to her se ...
(
Diane Parish Diane Carol Richards (born 6 November 1969), known professionally as Diane Parish, is an English actress, who has been portraying the character Denise Fox on the BBC One soap opera ''EastEnders'' since 2006. A graduate of the Royal Academy of D ...
) poaches the builder that Jack has hired. Jack argues with Denise, leading to her barring him from the Minute Mart. He later accidentally soaks her with water while washing his car. Jack then agrees to go on a blind date set up by Tanya and
Zainab Masood Zainab Masood (also Khan) is a character from the BBC soap opera ''EastEnders'', played by Nina Wadia.
(
Nina Wadia Nina Wadia (born 18 December 1968) is a British actress. She is known for portraying Zainab Masood in the BBC soap opera ''EastEnders'', Aunty Noor in '' Citizen Khan'', Mrs Hussein in the BBC comedy ''Still Open All Hours'' and for starring i ...
), but is horrified when he discovers it is with Denise. After the pair throw insults at one another, Denise throws water in his face and storms out. Jack later expresses his attraction to
Sharon Watts Sharon Watts (also Mitchell, Rickman and Beale) is a fictional character from the BBC One soap opera, ''EastEnders'', played by Letitia Dean. Sharon was one of ''EastEnders'' original characters conceptualised by creators Tony Holland and Jul ...
(
Letitia Dean Letitia Jane Dean (born 14 November 1967) is an English actress. She is best known for her portrayal of Sharon Watts in the BBC soap opera ''EastEnders''. An original cast member from 1985 to 1995, she reprised the role from 2001 to 2006, and ag ...
), who has jilted her fiancé John Hewland (
Jesse Birdsall Jesse Birdsall (born 13 February 1963) is an English actor, known for his roles as Marcus Tandy in the BBC1 soap opera '' Eldorado'' (1992–1993), Nick Beckett in the adventure series '' Bugs'' (1995–1999), football manager Roger Webb in ''Fo ...
). They flirt and, when Sharon is desperate for money, he buys her engagement ring. Sharon decides to stay at the B&B, but Jack invites her to stay at his flat, where they have sex. Sharon constantly seduces him afterwards and on Sharon's terms, knowing about her addiction to painkillers, they start dating. However, their relationship starts to shake when Sharon agrees to a plan in order to gain custody of
Lola Pearce Lola Pearce (also Pearce-Brown) is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera ''EastEnders'', played by Danielle Harold. She was introduced as the granddaughter of Billy Mitchell (Perry Fenwick) and Julie Perkins (Cathy Murphy), and an exte ...
's (
Danielle Harold Danielle Amy Harold (born 30 May 1992) is an English actress and producer. She rose to prominence playing Lola Pearce in the BBC soap opera ''EastEnders''. Her portrayal of Lola's glioblastoma brain tumour storyline, that ultimately resulted i ...
) baby, pretending to be Phil's fiancée, which makes Jack jealous; however, the lie becomes too much for Phil, so Sharon stops playing the part. Jack and the rest of his family fall out with Derek, and when he suffers a
heart attack A myocardial infarction (MI), commonly known as a heart attack, occurs when Ischemia, blood flow decreases or stops in one of the coronary arteries of the heart, causing infarction (tissue death) to the heart muscle. The most common symptom ...
on Christmas Day, he, along with Max, Kat and Derek's son
Joey Joey may refer to: People *Joey (name) Animals * Joey (marsupial), an infant marsupial * Joey, a blue-fronted Amazon parrot who was one of the Blue Peter pets Film and television * ''Joey'' (1977 film), an American film directed by Horace ...
(
David Witts David Peter S. Witts (born 30 June 1991) is a British actor and model from Southend-on-Sea, England, best known for his portrayal of Joey Branning in the BBC television soap opera ''EastEnders'', in which he appeared from 2012 to 2013. Early l ...
), do nothing to help him as he suffers. Jack tries to pull the group together in hiding this from the police. Phil jaunts the fact to Jack that he is still in love with Sharon on New Year's Eve, prompting a paranoid Jack to propose to her in an argument. However, on the same night, Phil proposes also, but Sharon says yes to Jack. However, he is still unnerved by Phil and sees him an opponent for his lover. When Sharon's son,
Dennis Rickman Jr The following are characters who first appeared in the BBC soap opera ''EastEnders'' during 2012 listed by order of first appearance. New characters were introduced by Bryan Kirkwood, executive producer. He stepped down from the role in April. ...
(Harry Hickles) starts a fight at school, Jack admits he taught Denny to box, angering Sharon. Jack receives a letter from Ronnie saying she is due to be released from prison. He visits Ronnie in secret and realises he will never love Sharon like he loved Ronnie, so he jilts her moments before they are due to marry, and leaves Walford for a while. When he returns, he is stunned to discover that Sharon is now with Phil. Michael is not happy when he sees Jack, saying that he has found it hard to cope with a business on his own and a child on his own. Eventually, Jack sells his share of the boxing gym to Michael's estranged wife
Janine Butcher Janine Butcher (also Evans, Malloy and Carter) is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera ''EastEnders'', introduced in 1989. The character is played by Rebecca Michael, Alexia Demetriou and Charlie Brooks respectively. Brooks initially d ...
(
Charlie Brooks Charlene Emma Brooks (born 3 May 1981) is an English actress, best known for her role of Janine Butcher in the BBC soap opera ''EastEnders''. Brooks has also performed in British television shows ''The Bill'', ''Wired'' and ''Bleak House'', ...
), and runs the car lot with Max, angering Michael. When Max is put in prison, having been set up by
Carl White Carl White is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera ''EastEnders'', played by Daniel Coonan. He first appears in the 4660th episode, originally broadcast in the United Kingdom on 20 June 2013. Carl is the ex-fiancé of Kirsty Brannin ...
(
Daniel Coonan Daniel Coonan is a British actor. Early life Coonan was brought up in Haringey, in north London, moving to Plymouth, Devon in his teens, where he took up acting lessons. He trained at the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art. Career After ...
), Jack supports the rest of the Brannings. Ronnie is released from prison and returns to Walford, though Jack initially refuses to speak to her. Eventually they have an emotional conversation about their baby and reunite with a romantic kiss. She then moves back in with him, angering Phil, who forces her to choose between Jack and her family. She chooses Jack, and Jack buys an engagement ring, but when she tells him she does not want another baby, fearing going through the pain of losing James again, he breaks up with her. Jack soon realises that he will never be able to get over his past with Ronnie as long as he stays in Walford, so he leaves for France to reconnect with his daughter Penny. Ronnie shares a tender goodbye with him before watching him leave Walford in his car.


2015–present

Jack returns to visit Dot and Amy for Christmas in December 2015. Ronnie is initially annoyed but later kisses him. He then finds out she tried to have
Vincent Hubbard Vincent Hubbard is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera ''EastEnders'', played by Richard Blackwood. He was introduced by executive producer Dominic Treadwell-Collins during the show's 30th anniversary celebrations, and was later reve ...
(
Richard Blackwood Richard Clifford Blackwood (born 15 May 1972) is a British actor, presenter, and rapper. Between 2015 and 2018, he played Vincent Hubbard in the BBC soap opera ''EastEnders''. In 2020, he began portraying the role of Felix Westwood in the Chan ...
) killed but admits he has missed her and they reignite their relationship. At
Mick Carter Mick Carter is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera ''EastEnders'' played by Danny Dyer, making his first appearance in the show in the episode originally broadcast in the United Kingdom on 25 December 2013. Dyer's casting was announce ...
's (
Danny Dyer Danial John Dyer (born 24 July 1977) is an English actor and presenter. Dyer's breakthrough role was as Moff in ''Human Traffic'' (1999), with other notable roles Billy the Limpet in ''Mean Machine (film), Mean Machine'' (2001) and as Tommy J ...
) stag party, he and Mick kiss as part of a dare. Mick later tells Jack that Roxy's fiancé
Dean Wicks Dean Wicks (also known as Deano) is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera ''EastEnders'' played by Matt Di Angelo. He made his first appearance on 2 January 2006. It was announced on 18 August 2007 that the characters of Deano and his s ...
(
Matt Di Angelo Mario Angelo Stavrou Constantinou (born 1 May 1987), professionally known as Matt Di Angelo, is a British actor and singer, best known for his role as Dean Wicks in the BBC soap opera ''EastEnders''. He also portrayed Sean Kennedy in the BBC d ...
) raped his wife,
Linda Carter Linda Carter is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera ''EastEnders'', played by Kellie Bright. She first appeared on 19 December 2013 and her casting was announced alongside her on-screen partner, Mick Carter (Danny Dyer). Linda was ...
(
Kellie Bright Kellie Denise Bright (born 1 July 1976) is an English actress. Her roles include Linda Carter in the BBC soap opera ''EastEnders'', for which she won the 2015 British Soap Award for Best Actress and Best Dramatic Performance, Julie in '' Ali G ...
). Jack removes Amy from Roxy's care and warns Roxy that Dean is controlling her. She later realises that he is right, so she ends her relationship with Dean. Jack is furious that Ronnie did not tell him about Dean's history, but reconciles with her while helping Billy propose to his former wife Honey Mitchell (
Emma Barton Emma Louise Barton (born 26 July 1977) is an English actress. She is known for her role as Honey Mitchell in the BBC soap opera ''EastEnders'', which she has portrayed since November 2005. Before her role in ''EastEnders'', Barton appeared in ...
), and Jack decides to stay in Walford for Ronnie. When Roxy arrives at Ronnie's house desperate for her help after Dean attempts to rape her, Jack, unaware of Roxy's ordeal, persuades Ronnie not to answer the door. Roxy leaves without Amy when she returns from the police station. Before leaving, she has a conversation with Ronnie, leading to Ronnie telling Jack that she needs a break and they cannot love each other again as she is broken and he leaves with Amy, promising her they will return to Walford soon. Jack returns when Honey calls him, but when Ronnie sees him, she runs away. As Jack leaves, Ronnie gets in his taxi and they kiss. Ronnie and Jack admit their feelings for each other, but when Ronnie is unable to commit, Jack decides to leave again and is collected by Delphine Rousseau ( Emmanuelle Bouaziz). After seeing something on social media, Ronnie believes that Jack and Delphine are getting married and rushes to the venue to stop it. When Ronnie enters the hall, Jack is a guest at Delphine's wedding. Ronnie and Jack then have passionate sex in the shower. Later, Delphine tells Ronnie not to break Jack's heart, so Ronnie leaves. However, Jack goes to Walford and tells Ronnie that he wants to spend his life with her and they kiss. Jack returns to France, but comes back when he buys Max's old house, intending to convert it into apartments. Jack then discovers that Ronnie killed
Carl White Carl White is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera ''EastEnders'', played by Daniel Coonan. He first appears in the 4660th episode, originally broadcast in the United Kingdom on 20 June 2013. Carl is the ex-fiancé of Kirsty Brannin ...
(
Daniel Coonan Daniel Coonan is a British actor. Early life Coonan was brought up in Haringey, in north London, moving to Plymouth, Devon in his teens, where he took up acting lessons. He trained at the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art. Career After ...
) and is angry until she explains it was in self-defence. Jack and Ronnie are later confused when undertaker
Les Coker The following are characters who first appeared in the BBC soap opera ''EastEnders'' during 2012 listed by order of first appearance. New characters were introduced by Bryan Kirkwood, executive producer. He stepped down from the role in April ...
(
Roger Sloman Roger Sloman (born 19 May 1946) is an English actor known for his work in theatre, film and television. Early life and education He grew up and was educated in South East London. He trained to be a teacher and then went to East 15 acting scho ...
) reveals that he has received an email informing him that Ronnie has died, which unnerves Jack but does not worry Ronnie. Jack believes that Hannah Reynolds (Mia Jenkins) is responsible, and she is arrested. Jack becomes good friends with one of his builders
Andy Flynn Andy Flynn may refer to: * Andy Flynn (footballer) (1895–?), English professional footballer * Andy Flynn (''EastEnders''), fictional character from ''EastEnders'' * Andy Flynn (''The Closer''), fictional character from ''The Closer'' {{hndi ...
(
Jack Derges Jack Derges is a British actor known for portraying the role of Andy Flynn (EastEnders), Andy Flynn in the BBC One, BBC soap opera ''EastEnders''. Career Derges made his acting debut in the 2007 ''Casualty (TV series), Casualty'' episode "Core ...
) and when he discovers that he has nowhere to live, Jack and Ronnie allow him to move in with them. However, it is later revealed that Andy is responsible for the email and is stalking Ronnie in revenge for Danielle, his adoptive sister. This is later revealed and Jack punches Andy, and after apologising to Ronnie and revealing that he grew to like her, Andy leaves Walford. When Roxy begins dealing drugs, Jack refuses to let her near Amy. Jack finally agrees for Roxy to see Amy, however, Amy goes missing the same time that Roxy's drugs are missing. It is assumed that Amy has taken the drugs but in hospital Amy reveals that she has not. Jack decides to file for full custody of Amy, devastating Roxy. When Sam returns to Walford with their son Ricky (Henri Charles), Jack refuses to have anything to do with him. However, at
Peggy Mitchell Peggy Mitchell (also Butcher) is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera ''EastEnders''. Peggy was initially played by Jo Warne when she first appeared in the episode broadcast on 30 April 1991, featuring in 10 episodes. Peggy was rein ...
's (
Barbara Windsor Dame Barbara Windsor (born Barbara Ann Deeks; 6 August 193710 December 2020) was an English actress, known for her roles in the Carry On (franchise), ''Carry On'' films and for playing Peggy Mitchell in the BBC One soap opera ''EastEnders''.
) funeral, Jack decides to see Ricky and they bond. Deciding that he is better off without her, Sam abandons Ricky at Jack's house and goes back to Portugal. Jack and Ricky struggle to get along, with Jack trying to put an end to Ricky's bad habits of constantly playing games and eating sweets, but their relationship soon improves. Jack and Ricky then join the local scouts club together. After a child dies after being stabbed near Amy and Ricky's school, Jack decides that he and Ronnie should move away with the children to Essex. This upsets Roxy as Amy would be moving with them. Ronnie agrees to the move but tells Jack they cannot move without Roxy's consent. Roxy is disgusted when she hears of Jack's plan to sell the house she owns with Ronnie, but Jack promises that she will get half of the money they get. Roxy then agrees to let Ronnie and Jack move. However, when Roxy is reminded of Jack's old philandering ways, she becomes suspicious of him and Honey. She informs Ronnie, who confronts Jack. Furious, Jack declares that he and Ronnie cannot have a new life with Roxy being a part of it. Realising that Ronnie and Jack can give Amy the life she deserves, Roxy says that Ronnie and Jack can move to Ongar alone. Jack is surprised when Max returns to Walford. He questions his motives and tells him to stay away from his wedding but later makes peace with Max and allows him to attend. Jack and Ronnie visit James's grave and proceed to the wedding venue. Ronnie runs out and Jack is furious to find out that Ronnie has allowed Roxy to move to Ongar with them. However, realising Ronnie needs her sister, he accepts this. Jack and Ronnie marry. At the end of the night, Amy and Ricky ask him to read them a story, and while he is doing so, a drunk Ronnie and Roxy drown in the hotel swimming pool after Ronnie attempts to rescue Roxy but is weighed down by her wedding dress. The next day, Jack is informed of the deaths and is heartbroken. He insists he does not want the children to know, but Max tries to convince him that he should tell them. Jack's police liaison officer tells Jack that CCTV shows Ronnie going into the pool after Roxy, so Jack assumes this means that Roxy dragged Ronnie under. Jack and his devastated mother-in-law, Glenda Mitchell (
Glynis Barber Glynis Barber (born Glynis van der Riet; 25 October 1955) is a South African born British actress. She is known for her portrayals of Sgt. Harriet Makepeace in the British police drama ''Dempsey and Makepeace'', Glenda Mitchell in ''EastEnders ...
), identify the bodies. Later, when Amy and Ricky ask where Ronnie and Roxy are, Jack says that they have "gone away" and will never come back, leaving them confused. They question Jack and Max about Ronnie and Roxy, so Jack's stepmother,
Dot Branning Dorothy "Dot" Cotton (also Branning) is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera ''EastEnders'', portrayed by June Brown. In a special episode entitled ''EastEnders: Dot's Story'' (2003) a young Dot was played by Tallulah Pitt-Brown in f ...
(
June Brown June Muriel Brown (16 February 1927 – 3 April 2022) was an English actress and author. She was best known for her role as Dot Cotton on the BBC soap opera ''EastEnders'' (1985–1993; 1997–2020). In 2005, she won Best Actress at the Inside ...
), explains to them with sensitivity that they are "God's angels" and are watching them in heaven. Frustrated with everyone taking pity on him and struggling to cope with Ronnie's death, Jack announces that, after the funeral, he will move to Ongar with the children. Jack is informed by the liaison officer that the coroner's report reveals Roxy suffered a cardiac arrest in the pool from which he concludes that cocaine contributed to her death, so he blames her for Ronnie's death. After Ronnie and Roxy's funerals, Glenda tells Jack she intends to take custody of Matthew. Her son
Danny Mitchell Daniel Mitchell may refer to: * Daniel S. Mitchell (1838–1929), American photographer * Daniel J. Mitchell (born 1958), American economist * Danny Mitchell (''EastEnders''), a fictional character from the BBC soap opera ''EastEnders'' * Danny Mit ...
(
Liam Bergin Liam Bergin (born 24 November 1985) is a British actor of Irish and Trinidadian descent. He trained at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama, graduating in 2008. He is currently best known for playing Danny Mitchell in ''EastEnders'' and Rupe ...
) tries to bribe Jack in return for changing her mind, but Jack beats him up. Glenda tells Jack she is not doing it for financial gain. Realising that Glenda is being sincere and that he needs help, Jack asks Glenda to move in with him. An inquest rules that Ronnie and Roxy's deaths were due to misadventure and drugs in Roxy's system did not contribute, but Jack still blames Roxy for Ronnie's death. Jack is angered when Glenda gets Amy's ears pierced and throws Glenda out but later realises her intentions were good and agrees to still let her be part of Amy, Ricky and Matthew's lives. He refuses to commemorate Roxy with a headstone but reconsiders when Stacey reminds him that it is only punishing her family and Amy. Several months later, Jack decides he needs to move on with his life, but still struggles to cope. Max makes contact with Matthew's father, Charlie Cotton ( Declan Bennett), and he returns the next day, telling Jack that they need to talk about Matthew. Jack is reluctant to let Charlie spend time with Matthew as Matthew does not know him. However, Max convinces him otherwise. Unbeknownst to Jack, Max and Charlie are secretly plotting against him. When Dot lets Jack know of Charlie's plan to return to Ireland with Matthew, Jack is infuriated. He declares that Charlie will never get custody of Matthew as this would mean breaking his promise to Ronnie. When Charlie says that Ronnie got what she deserved, Jack punches Charlie, only to be stopped by Max who tells Jack he may have lost his chances of keeping Matthew. Max is later disappointed when he learns from Jack's solicitor that Jack still has a strong chance of keeping Matthew, despite his fight with Charlie. Max visits Charlie and later, Jack is arrested for assaulting Charlie, though unbeknownst to Jack, Max has attacked Charlie to make his injuries worse and allowed Jack to take the blame. However, the charges against Jack are dropped. Charlie's wife, Liz Cotton (Michelle Connolly), speaks to Jack and Jack realises what is best for Matthew and gives Charlie residence of Matthew. Charlie promises that Jack can still see Matthew, though Jack is unaware that Max has paid Charlie to not contact Jack again. Realising he cannot cope with looking after Amy and Ricky as a single parent, Jack later hires Ingrid Solberg (Pernille Broch) to be their nanny. However, after she shows repeated lateness, Jack offers her to move in with him and when the children start to like her, they decide to go camping together with Honey and her children,
Janet Janet may refer to: Names * Janet (given name) Surname * Charles Janet (1849–1932), French engineer, inventor and biologist, known for the Left Step periodic table * Jules Janet (1861–1945), French psychologist and psychotherapist * Maur ...
(Grace) and
Will Will may refer to: Common meanings * Will and testament, instructions for the disposition of one's property after death * Will (philosophy), or willpower * Will (sociology) * Will, volition (psychology) * Will, a modal verb - see Shall and will ...
(Freddie Phillips). When Jack is reminded that this is the first family trip without Ronnie, Ingrid comforts him telling him that he is venting his grief to the people he cares about. When their chemistry begins to grow, Jack and Ingrid share a passionate kiss which he instantly begins to regret. However they later decide to remain friends and Ingrid continues to look after Amy and Ricky. When the residents learn that Max has been involved in a redevelopment plan of Albert Square with
James Willmott-Brown James Willmott-Brown (also credited as Willmott-Brown and Mr Willmott-Brown) is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera ''EastEnders'', played by William Boyde. The character originally appeared in Albert Square from 1986 to 1989, where ...
(
William Boyde William Boyde (born March 1950) is a British actor, best known for his work on the British soap opera ''EastEnders'' (1986–1989, 1992, 2017). He was educated at Cheltenham College where he appeared as an extra in the film If...which was fi ...
), Jack supports him and discovers Max is self-harming. Jack, Lauren and Abi confront Max about the redevelopment plan where he reveals that his motive was for revenge, as everyone had abandoned him when he went to prison. Max then breaks all of Jack's family photos and tells him that their family is worth nothing. Despite this, Jack refuses to give up on Max. However, Charlie returns to Walford with Matthew and exposes the full extent of Max's betrayal to Jack. Jack is heartbroken when he learns that Max paid Charlie to take Matthew away from him and he also disowns Max, telling him that he is a lost cause and can never change. However, on the anniversary of Ronnie's death, Jack and Max reunite when Jack comforts Max when he breaks down due to Abi being critically ill. After Abi's funeral, Jack tries to woo Mel Owen ( Tamzin Outhwaite) after she returns to Walford and rents a sports car, which initially impresses her but her son, Hunter Owen (Charlie Winter) sabotages the car so it will not start, fearing that Jack would replace his late father Steve Owen (
Martin Kemp Martin John Kemp (born 10 October 1961) is an English musician and actor, best known as the bassist in the new wave band Spandau Ballet and for his role as Steve Owen in ''EastEnders''. He is the younger brother of Gary Kemp, who is also a ...
). Despite Hunter's attempts to stop it, Mel eventually starts a relationship with Jack. Jack proposes marriage to Mel, however, before she can respond, they are interrupted by Mel's estranged husband Ray Kelly ( Sean Mahon). Jack comforts Rainie and they have sex. Jack tells Rainie to keep it a secret from Max, but they kiss again and realise that Amy has spotted them together. Jack panics over whether Amy is aware of their fling, and they are unaware that she has videoed them kissing. Jack becomes suspicious of Ray and his suspicions intensify when he notices that Jeff Reynolds (Andres Williams) is afraid of Ray. Jack shares his doubts with Mel, however, Ray manages to charm her and turn her against Jack. Ray confronts Jack and threatens to expose his past as a police officer and the events that led to Penny becoming paralyzed if he doesn't stay away from Mel. Rainie's mother
Cora Cross Cora Cross is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera ''EastEnders'', played by Ann Mitchell. Cora is the mother of Tanya Branning (Jo Joyner), Rainie Cross (Tanya Franks) and Ava Hartman ( Claire Perkins) and the grandmother of Lauren ( ...
(
Ann Mitchell Ann Mitchell (born 22 April 1939) is a British stage and television actress. She came to prominence in the 1980s when she starred as Dolly Rawlins in the crime series ''Widows'' as well as the sequels '' Widows 2'' and '' She's Out'', all writt ...
) returns and reveals Jack and Rainie's liaison to Max, who confronts Jack and attacks him. In February 2019, Ray's corpse is discovered in Walford Common. Jack witnesses Mel being taken in for questioning and realises that Mel has used him as her alibi on the night of Ray's disappearance. Despite being reluctant, Jack gives Mel a false alibi and demands to know the truth. Mel reveals that Hunter shot Ray in a desperate attempt to stop him from strangling her. Jack tells Mel to report it to the police, but she pleads with him to help her and Hunter flee Walford. Jack agrees to help them escape, but tips off the police about Mel's plans to flee the country with Hunter, leading to his arrest. Mel cannot forgive Jack, and he leaves to visit Penny in France. When Amy goes missing, Jack is devastated. He later discovers that Sean has taken her in hopes of a reconciliation with Roxy. Jack is furious and takes him to Ronnie and Roxy's grave. Sean is infuriated when Jack blames Roxy for Ronnie's death and they end up fighting. In May 2019, Jack becomes close to resident
Denise Fox Denise Fox (also Wicks and Johnson) is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera ''EastEnders'', played by Diane Parish. She made her first appearance on 11 May 2006 and temporarily left ''EastEnders'' in early 2008 to give birth to her se ...
(
Diane Parish Diane Carol Richards (born 6 November 1969), known professionally as Diane Parish, is an English actress, who has been portraying the character Denise Fox on the BBC One soap opera ''EastEnders'' since 2006. A graduate of the Royal Academy of D ...
) and Mick attempts to play match-maker by pushing Jack towards Denise. They go on a date and agree to start dating. Jack's happiness is short-lived when he beats up drug dealer Fraser Shelton (Shanu Hazzan) when he finds out that he has raped his grand-niece Tiffany Butcher ( Maisie Smith). Jack is tipped off by one of his friends in the police, Muski, that there is a warrant out to arrest him, and he asks Denise to provide him with an alibi. When Jack refuses to tell her the truth, Denise briefly ends the relationship. Jack confides in Max about what he has done, and Max suggests that Jack runs away, but he is later arrested. Despite facing charges for grievous bodily harm, Jack is released. He later decides to rejoin the police. When Hunter escapes from prison, he decides to take revenge on Jack for reporting him to the police. He sneaks into Jack's house with a gun aiming to shoot him but instead attacks Denise when she sees him. He finds Jack at The Queen Vic and holds him at gunpoint, attempting to use him as a shield to escape. His plan spirals out of control and leads to Ben Mitchell (
Max Bowden Max Lewis Bowden (born 31 December 1994) is an English actor. He is best known for his roles as Justin Fitzgerald in the BBC One school-based drama series ''Waterloo Road (TV series), Waterloo Road'' (2014–2015), and his portrayal of Ben Mitch ...
) getting shot.
Phil Mitchell Phil Mitchell is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera ''EastEnders'', played by Steve McFadden. He was introduced on 20 February 1990 and was followed by his brother, Grant ( Ross Kemp), sister, Sam ( Danniella Westbrook/ Kim Medca ...
(
Steve McFadden Steve Robert McFadden (né Reid; born 20 March 1959) is an English actor whose career has spanned three decades. He rose to prominence for his role as longstanding character Phil Mitchell in the BBC One soap opera ''EastEnders'', which he has ...
) and Jack's feud is reignited in December 2019, when Phil becomes convinced that Sharon is having an affair. When he sees Sharon and Jack together, along with her necklace in his house, Phil believes that Sharon is cheating on him with Jack. Phil decides to get revenge by beating Jack and threatening to shoot him. Jack begs for his life and persuades Phil that he has moved on from Sharon. His relationship with Denise develops further and the pair are happily together for several years, and marry on Christmas Day 2021. In April 2022, Jack is surprised to see Ricky's (now Frankie Day) mother Sam (now
Kim Medcalf Kim Louise Medcalf (born 8 December 1973) is an English actress and singer. She is best known for portraying the role of Sam Mitchell in the BBC soap opera ''EastEnders'' (2002–2005, 2022–2024). Career ''EastEnders'' In late 2001, Kim Med ...
) back in Walford. Sam tells him it is just a short business visit. She decides she needs Jack’s help and threatens to take Ricky back with her to Spain, if Jack does not help her to scare away her adversary
Jonah Tyler The following is a list of characters that first appeared in the BBC soap opera ''EastEnders'' in 1998, by order of first appearance. Lola Christie Lola Christie is played by Diane Parish. Lola was introduced as a love interest for Mick McF ...
(Mark Mooney). Jack reluctantly agrees and lets Sam move in with him and Denise when she has nowhere to go. Sam continuously winds up Denise, and also conspires with Phil to blackmail Denise into giving her £50,000 to buy
Ruby Allen Ruby Allen is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera ''EastEnders'', played by Louisa Lytton from 18 March 2005 to 23 November 2006, and then again from 18 September 2018 to 17 September 2021, with the recent being on 18 November 2024 un ...
's (
Louisa Lytton Louisa Claire Lytton (born 7 February 1989) is an English actress, best known for portraying the role of Ruby Allen in the BBC soap opera ''EastEnders'' and Beth Green in the ITV police procedural series ''The Bill'' (2007–2009). She also ...
) nightclub – threatening to tell the police that Denise knew the truth about Vincent's death if she does not give her back the money Phil paid, to open her salon "Fox & Hair". Denise reluctantly agrees, but throws Sam out. Later in the year, Jack discovers that Amy (now Ellie Dadd) has a new boyfriend, Denzel Danes (Jaden Ladega) whom he dislikes. Jack is at risk of losing his job when he sees Denzel and Amy kissing and Jack pins Denzel against a wall in a fit of rage, however he keeps his job. Denzel takes revenge on Jack when he videos Sam kissing Jack, although he instantly rejects her, Denzel sends the video to Denise although she realises that Jack did not make any advances and soon forgives him. In January 2023, it is revealed that twelve-year-old
Lily Slater Lily Slater (also Branning and Fowler) is a fictional character in the BBC soap opera ''EastEnders'' and is played by Lillia Turner. Lily's first appearance in the serial is in episode 4023, originally broadcast on 23 June 2010, in which her b ...
( Lillia Turner) has fallen pregnant and she names Jack and Sam’s son Ricky as the father following a
one-night stand A one-night stand is a single sexual encounter in which there is no expectation that there shall be any further relations between the sexual participants. It draws its name from the common practice of a one-night stand, a single night performanc ...
. Amidst the situation, Amy also begins
self-harming Self-harm refers to intentional behaviors that cause harm to oneself. This is most commonly regarded as direct injury of one's own skin tissues, usually without suicidal intention. Other terms such as cutting, self-abuse, self-injury, and se ...
. Struggling with the pressures of his family and professional life, Jack becomes more and more volatile, constantly shouting at his family members and neglecting Denise, which drives her in to the arms of Ravi Gulati (
Aaron Thiara Aaron Singh Thiara (born 4 May 1993) is a British actor. Thiara rose to prominence in 2022, for his portrayal of Ravi Gulati, in the British television soap opera ''EastEnders.'' For his portrayal of the role, he has received nominations at T ...
). Jack then starts his own "on/off" affair with Stacey just before, unbeknownst to Jack, on Christmas Day, 2023, Denise and Stacey are two of five women who witness Linda murder Keanu Taylor ( Danny Walters) to save Sharon's life, later burying him in the café. The murder causes Denise to have a mental breakdown and be committed to a special facility, and, Jack slowly deduces that something is strange about Keanu's disappearance. On Denise's release, the couple are reconciled but, when Martin Fowler (
James Bye James Edward Bye (born 23 February 1984) is an English actor who played Martin Fowler in ''EastEnders'' from 2014 to 2025. He also competed in series 20 of ''Strictly Come Dancing'' in 2022. Early life James Edward Bye was born on 23 Febru ...
) catches Jack kissing Stacey at a family barbecue, a major confrontation ends up with the men brawling and Denise leaving with Chelsea (now
Zaraah Abrahams Zaraah Clover Abrahams (born 7 January 1987) is an English actress and voiceover artist. She is known for her roles as Magda in '' Girls in Love'' from 2003 to 2005, Michaela White in the BBC school-based drama series '' Waterloo Road'' from 200 ...
). In April 2024, Keanu's tomb collapses. Jack catches Stacey and Denise digging up the tomb as Denise's necklace is trapped underneath, which implicates her in the murder. After Denise confesses to Jack the truth about Keanu's death, Jack decides to show his loyalty to Denise by retrieving the necklace himself; he is successful in this and flees just as Keanu's sister
Bernadette Taylor ''EastEnders'' is a BBC soap opera that first aired on 19 February 1985. The following is a list of characters that first appeared in 2017, by order of first appearance. All characters are introduced by the show's executive producer Sean O'Co ...
(
Clair Norris Clair Hayley Norris (born 30 December 1997) is a British actress from London, known for portraying the role of Bernadette Taylor on the BBC soap opera ''EastEnders'' between 2017 and 2025. While on the series, she has also made appearances in s ...
) discovers the body. Jack subsequently assists The Six as they frame
Dean Wicks Dean Wicks (also known as Deano) is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera ''EastEnders'' played by Matt Di Angelo. He made his first appearance on 2 January 2006. It was announced on 18 August 2007 that the characters of Deano and his s ...
(
Matt Di Angelo Mario Angelo Stavrou Constantinou (born 1 May 1987), professionally known as Matt Di Angelo, is a British actor and singer, best known for his role as Dean Wicks in the BBC soap opera ''EastEnders''. He also portrayed Sean Kennedy in the BBC d ...
) for the crime and convinces his colleague
Callum Highway Callum Highway (also known as Halfway) is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera ''EastEnders'', played by Tony Clay. He was introduced in the episode first broadcast in the United Kingdom on 1 January 2018. Callum is introduced as a fri ...
(
Tony Clay Tony David Clay (born 8 August 1991) is an English actor. He is known for playing Callum "Halfway" Highway in the BBC soap opera ''EastEnders'' since 2018. Prior to his tenure on ''EastEnders'', Clay appeared in various stage productions and ha ...
) to not further investigate the case when Dean alleges he is being framed. In August 2024, Amy is severely injured during a crush at Peggy's Nightclub; Jack blames Penny (now Kitty Castledine) whilst it is in fact Chelsea who is responsible, which Denise later discovers. Jack and Denise become closer as they care for Amy and the two have sex, after which Denise reveals to the Brannings that Chelsea caused the crush. Fearing that Chelsea will be separated from her son Jordan Fox if the truth is revealed, Jack convinces a majority of the family that Penny should instead take the blame for the offence. Enraged, Penny swears revenge and convinces Denise to not reconcile with Jack. After this, she and
Harry Mitchell Harry Everett Mitchell (born July 18, 1940) is an American politician and educator who served as a U.S. Representative representing from 2007 until 2011. He is a member of the Democratic Party. Early life, education and career Born and raised ...
( Elijah Holloway) use a video of Jack punching Harry to blackmail Jack in assisting Harry in his stolen car business. In November 2024, Jack becomes desperate to escape Harry's threats. Upon discovering that Harry may be responsible for the disappearance of his ex-girlfriend, Jack has Harry arrested for her murder; he is released when his mother Nicola Mitchell (
Laura Doddington Laura May Doddington (born 2 January 1981) is an English actress, known for portraying the role of Nicola Mitchell in the BBC soap opera ''EastEnders'' since 2024. Her other roles include her portrayal of Zara in several of the ''Doctor Who'' ...
) provides him with a false alibi. As revenge, Harry and Nicola send the video to the police; Jack is subsequently suspended from the force, pending an investigation. Jack and Denise get back together in February 2025.


Reception

Much media response to the character has centred around Maslen's good looks, with the ''
Daily Express The ''Daily Express'' is a national daily United Kingdom middle-market newspaper printed in Tabloid (newspaper format), tabloid format. Published in London, it is the flagship of Express Newspapers, owned by publisher Reach plc. It was first ...
'' commenting: "At last. Someone remotely attractive comes to Albert Square." '' The Mirror'' similarly referred to him as "the new hunk on the Square", as well as "the hottest property on ''EastEnders''". ''
Inside Soap ''Inside Soap'' is a weekly soap opera and television listings magazine published in the United Kingdom. The magazine is currently released every Tuesday. It covers storylines featured in British and Australian soap operas that are broadcast in t ...
'' praised Maslen's transition between roles, declaring his performance as Jack to be "flawless". However, ''
The Times ''The Times'' is a British Newspaper#Daily, daily Newspaper#National, national newspaper based in London. It began in 1785 under the title ''The Daily Universal Register'', adopting its modern name on 1 January 1788. ''The Times'' and its si ...
'' were more critical, writing of 2007's New Year's Eve episode: "The alleged erotic tension between Ronnie Mitchell (Samantha Womack) and Jack Branning (Scott Maslen) was so underplayed as to be invisible." A reporter writing for the '' Inside Soap Yearbook 2017'' (released in November 2016) described Jack's return as "a great arrival", before adding that he "made a very attractive birthday gift for Walford's Ronnie". Maslen was nominated for 'Best Actor' at the 2011 ''Inside Soap'' Awards. In August 2017, Maslen was longlisted for Best Actor at the ''Inside Soap'' Awards. He did not progress to the viewer-voted shortlist. Scenes broadcast on 3 January 2017, in which Jack struggles to tell Amy and Ricky that Ronnie and Roxy have died, were praised by bereaved children's charity Grief Encounter. A spokesperson for the charity said, "We are very thankful that such a high profile TV show has chosen to bring such a relevant issue to the forefront. Children's grief is normally a taboo subject, which needs to be talked about openly. ''EastEnders'' has handled the subject with an honest outlook, in that so many parents don't know how to tell their children the truth." The charity's founder, Dr Shelley Gilbert, said the storyline was "so important to highlight the real struggle parents have when telling their young children that mummy or daddy has died" and said that Jack was having a "very real response in not knowing when and how to tell the children". In 2020, Sara Wallis and Ian Hyland from The ''
Daily Mirror The ''Daily Mirror'' is a British national daily Tabloid journalism, tabloid newspaper. Founded in 1903, it is part of Mirror Group Newspapers (MGN), which is owned by parent company Reach plc. From 1985 to 1987, and from 1997 to 2002, the tit ...
'' placed Jack 44th on their ranked list of the best ''EastEnders'' characters of all time, calling him a "ladies man" and commenting that he "has been hailed one of the Square’s hottest properties since 2007. Lock up your daughters."


See also

* List of ''EastEnders'' characters (2007) *
List of soap opera villains A list is a set of discrete items of information collected and set forth in some format for utility, entertainment, or other purposes. A list may be memorialized in any number of ways, including existing only in the mind of the list-maker, but ...
* " Who's Been Sleeping with Kat?" * " Who Killed Archie?"


References


External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Branning, Jack EastEnders characters Fictional British police officers Fictional criminals in soap operas Fictional businesspeople in soap operas Fictional salespeople Television characters introduced in 2007 Male villains Fictional disabled characters in soap operas British male characters in soap operas Fiction about police misconduct Fictional British police detectives Fictional blackmailers Branning family Mitchell family (EastEnders) Fictional hostages and kidnapped people Fictional police officers in soap operas Fictional characters with neurotrauma