Pat Butcher (also Harris, Wicks and Evans) 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
Pam St Clement from 12 June 1986, just over a year after the show first aired, until her departure on 1 January 2012. Pat was also portrayed by Emma Cooke in a soap 'bubble', ''
Pat and Mo: Ashes to Ashes'', delving into her past with sister-in-law
Mo Harris
Mo Harris (also Porter, also known as Big Mo), is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera ''EastEnders'', who made her first appearance on 18 September 2000, played by Laila Morse. Mo was also played by Lorraine Stanley in the 2004 spin-of ...
(
Laila Morse
Maureen Lesley Bass (' Oldman; born 1 August 1945), better known by her stage name Laila Morse, is an English actress. After making her acting debut as Janet in the drama film '' Nil by Mouth'' (1997), she went on to join the BBC soap opera ' ...
), which aired in 2004. The character was
killed-off on 1 January 2012, shortly after being diagnosed with
pancreatic cancer
Pancreatic cancer arises when cell (biology), cells in the pancreas, a glandular organ behind the stomach, begin to multiply out of control and form a Neoplasm, mass. These cancerous cells have the malignant, ability to invade other parts of ...
. Her funeral was on 13 January 2012. Pat was one of the longest serving characters on the show, appearing for 25 years and six months. She returned, along with other women from
Ian Beale's (
Adam Woodyatt
Adam Brinley Woodyatt (born 28 June 1968) is an English actor. He is known for his role as Ian Beale in the BBC One, BBC soap opera ''EastEnders'', a role he has portrayed since the show's inception in 1985, making him one of the shows longest ...
) past, in a concussion-related dream sequence for a
Children in Need
''BBC Children in Need'' is the BBC's UK Charitable organization, charity dedicated to supporting disadvantaged children and young people across the country. Established in 1980, the organisation has raised over £1 billion by 2023 through its ...
special on 14 November 2014. She also made a return as a spirit for
Peggy Mitchell'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''. )
suicide
Suicide is the act of intentionally causing one's own death.
Risk factors for suicide include mental disorders, physical disorders, and substance abuse. Some suicides are impulsive acts driven by stress (such as from financial or ac ...
on 17 May 2016.
Creation and development
The character of Pat was conceived by the creators of ''EastEnders'',
Tony Holland
Anthony John Holland (18 January 1940 – 28 November 2007) was a British screenwriter and actor. He is best known as the writer and co-creator (with Julia Smith (producer), Julia Smith) of the BBC soap opera ''EastEnders''.
Early life
Holland ...
and Julia Smith, in 1984. Although not one of the serial's original protagonists, Pat is referred to in the character outline of
Pete Beale
Pete Beale is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera ''EastEnders'', played by Peter Dean (actor), Peter Dean. He makes his first appearance in the programme's first episode, on 19 February 1985. The character was introduced by Tony Holl ...
, who appeared on-screen in ''EastEnders first episode, as written by Smith and Holland in their book, ''
EastEnders: The Inside Story'': "
etemarried very young to Pat—it turned out to be a total disaster. They were too young, rushing into a difficult life for all the wrong reasons, and truthfully,
atwas a vicious shrew...
etedivorced
atand married
Kathy
Kathy is a feminine given name. It is a pet form of Katherine, Kathleen and their related forms.
Kathy may refer to:
People
In sports
* Kathy Bald (Born 1963), Canadian freestyle swimmer
* Kathy May (Born 1956), American tennis player
* K ...
when he was 24...His two sons by his first marriage are nineteen and twenty and he hardly sees them..."
Pat was first seen on-screen in June 1986, over a year after the show debuted. The character's introduction was the result of a deliberate policy "to add an extra edge of toughness to the show." Prior to this point, Holland and Smith had begun to feel that ''EastEnders'' was starting to get "a bit soft". During a meeting with scriptwriters, the programme makers decided to try to recapture some of the soap's "original grittiness that seemed to be getting lost in its own success". Thus the character of Pat was introduced to "add a new hardness to the atmosphere."
Pat, played by actress
Pam St Clement, was initially introduced on a three-episode trial basis. She was given an extensive backstory, heavily intertwined with various focal characters within the serial, including all of the Beale and Fowler family, who mostly disliked her, particularly her ex-husband Pete Beale (
Peter Dean), her son
Simon Wicks (
Nick Berry
Nicholas Berry (born 16 April 1963) is a retired English actor and pop singer. He is best known for his roles as Simon Wicks in ''EastEnders'' from 1985 to 1990, and as Constable, PC Nick Rowan in ''Heartbeat (British TV series), Heartbeat'' f ...
), and Pete's mother
Lou Beale (
Anna Wing). In addition, she was an old friend of
Angie Watts (
Anita Dobson
Anita, Lady May (born 29 April 1949), known as Anita Dobson, is an English actress and singer. She is best known for playing Landlord, landlady Angie Watts in the BBC soap opera ''EastEnders'' from the show's inception in 1985 until 1988. She ac ...
), a former lover of Angie's husband
Den (
Leslie Grantham
Leslie Michael Grantham (30 April 1947 – 15 June 2018) was an English actor who played "Dirty" Den Watts in the BBC soap opera ''EastEnders''. He was a convicted murderer, having served 10 years for the killing of a West Germany, West German ...
) and, as a supposed former resident of Walford, she was known to many of the other regular characters such as
Dot Cotton (
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 ...
) and
Ethel Skinner (
Gretchen Franklin
Gretchen Franklin (7 July 1911 – 11 July 2005) was an English actress and dancer with a career in show business spanning over 70 years. She played Ethel Skinner in the long-running BBC 1 soap opera ''EastEnders'' on a regular basis from 198 ...
).
The character's initial three-episode stint marked the beginning of what has been described as one of the soap's most complicated storylines, the paternity of Simon Wicks.
Pat immediately "threw a spanner in the works" by telling Pete that he was not Simon's biological father, as she had previously claimed.
After causing havoc Pat then disappeared; however, she was reintroduced later in the year, returning as a regular character, barmaid of
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 ...
. St. Clement had reservations about returning to the soap. In 1995 she told ''
The Independent
''The Independent'' is a British online newspaper. It was established in 1986 as a national morning printed paper. Nicknamed the ''Indy'', it began as a broadsheet and changed to tabloid format in 2003. The last printed edition was publis ...
'', "I couldn't envisage how this character, who creates absolute havoc everywhere she goes and is not at home with herself or with anybody else in the Square, could possibly fit in".
However, she was persuaded to continue by producer Julia Smith, who said: "'We've only seen one layer of the onion skin—the defensiveness—now we'll start to peel away more and get to the vulnerability that lies behind it'."
Friendship with Peggy Mitchell
In 1998, Pat and her friend Peggy develop a feud with each other after Frank had an affair with Peggy. An ''EastEnders'' insider said: "Viewers will see the lot - tears, screaming and fighting. The romance has brought the studios to a standstill," said the insider. "There are TV screens around Elstree where staff can see what is being filmed and it has literally stopped people in their tracks. For the two days it was being filmed, staff on the lot talked about nothing else. Frank and Peggy are two of the show's strongest, most popular characters and the writers have hit on the idea of bringing Pat, another of the show's big names, in on the plot. Devoting a whole episode to just two characters is a tactic which has proved successful in the past. We have used it for Michelle and Lofty and also for Dot Cotton and Lou Beale. St. Clement and Barbara are both first-class actresses and everyone at the BBC feels they will carry the explosive episode off with flying colours."
The scenes showing the characters' first fight had to be cut in order to be broadcast before the 9pm watershed; they were reported as "powerful" and "set to be one of the most impressive episodes of all time". Barbara Windsor told the ''
Sunday Mirror
The ''Sunday Mirror'' is the Sunday sister paper of the ''Daily Mirror''. It began life in 1915 as the ''Sunday Pictorial'' and was renamed the ''Sunday Mirror'' in 1963. In 2016 it had an average weekly circulation of 620,861, dropping marked ...
'': "The writer didn't want a namby- pamby cat fight between two silly girls. We were throwing chairs and bottles and the adrenaline was at a high. When I saw the programme I couldn't believe how good it was. Pam and I were really proud."
Departure and death

On 7 July 2011, it was announced that St. Clement had quit ''EastEnders''.
The actress revealed that she wanted to try other things, saying "I have enjoyed 25 and a half wonderful years in ''EastEnders'' creating the character of Pat but feel it's time to hang up her earrings. Leaving the ''EastEnders'' 'family' will be akin to a bereavement. But I'm looking forward to the other work and life opportunities that I will have the time to pursue."
Pat would leave later that year, and executive producer
Bryan Kirkwood said her departure would be a "fitting" storyline.
Pat's son
David Wicks returned for her departure storyline.
Pat was killed-off in the special New Year's Day episode. On 31 December 2011, it was announced that Pat would be getting her own exit theme. ''EastEnders'' music composer
Simon May reworked the tune to create "Pat's Theme". An ''EastEnders'' insider told ''
Digital Spy
Digital Spy (DS) is a British-based entertainment, television and film website and brand and is the largest digital property at Hearst UK. Since its initial launch in 1999, Digital Spy has focused on entertainment news related to television pro ...
'': "It's only right that as we say goodbye to the iconic Pat Evans we pay tribute to such a character with a wonderfully touching special theme tune. As we say farewell to a legend of over 26 years, we welcome in what will be a truly remarkable New Year in E20 by adding the Olympic Park into the opening title sequence."
Barbara Windsor, who played Peggy Mitchell, predicted that Pat would be "sorely missed" by fans. Speaking of Pat's exit, Windsor told ''
This Morning'': "Oh, I can't bear it - Pam! And she will be sorely missed - more than I was missed in the show, because she could go to anybody - any family she could go into. I am devastated. She definitely wanted to leave, but I don't know if she wanted to be killed off - that's the chance you have to take," Windsor continued. "I was positive that I was going to go up in a load of flames with The Vic - I thought that was going to happen, but of course it didn't. With Pam, I was very, very surprised, because she could always go back. But she's accepted it now and she'll have a new life."
St. Clement stated that she did not want her character to die, but said her final scenes were "fantastic". St. Clement commented: "Simon Ashdown had this idea for the character, which fitted in with her history in a sense," she explained. "They said, 'This is how we'd like it to happen - we think it's a fitting end and tribute to the character'. And as far as I can say, I read the script and I thought, 'Oh, this is fantastic - it's every actor's dream'. And I have to say, it also challenged me in a way that I hadn't been challenged. It was moving, it was challenging and it was a script that I needed to get my teeth into. The script, the performances, the direction - it all turned out to be a fantastic ensemble piece, if you like… Everybody was pulling in, everybody was doing the most wonderful performances and it was fantastic."
St. Clement said she was "moved" by the ''Farewell Pat'' tribute. Speaking on ''
Daybreak'', St. Clement explained: "I wasn't going to watch
he final episodewith anybody - I was going to record it and then watch it in a darkened room somewhere, where I could be terribly critical and jump about saying, 'Stupid woman - why did you play it like that?' But everybody said, 'Oh no, sit down'. I said, 'I don't want to disturb you all' - but I did make myself behave! And I was quite dispassionate, actually. The strange thing is, after I read the script, I was very moved by it. But as soon as I started working on it, I think everybody did start getting quite emotional - but I couldn't. Even about myself leaving - people in the cast would come up and say, 'How do you feel?' and I'd say, 'I can't go there, I can't think about that, because the work's not finished'. The strange thing is, the only thing that moved me was the Farewell Pat programme. Which is strange, but I suppose that was personal in a sense."
St. Clement also explained the experience of filming her final episode: "It was a great challenge, that script," she commented. "I looked at it and thought, 'Oh, heck, how do I give light and shade to something where somebody is actually dying?' And some of the scenes could have been interpreted as being somewhat similar with Janine and David. So I had to make them different - but I had to make them different within the confines of the illness."
It was later confirmed that ''EastEnders'' would air a special tribute episode to Pat after her funeral episode on 13 January 2012.
An ''EastEnders'' insider commented: "Pat is EastEnders - she was the heart and soul of the show and bosses have pulled out all the stops for her funeral. Not only is the episode extra long, with plenty of nods to the iconic lady, it really is the end of the earring. We are hoping that everyone dons their biggest and tackiest earrings to mark one of the saddest days in the history of Walford."
Co-star
Lindsey Coulson said that Pat's departure was a "real-loss".
She told ''This Morning'': "They were really difficult scenes to play, because we didn't want Pam to leave," Coulson explained. "So apart from not wanting to lose the wonderful character of Pat, we were mourning the loss of Pam. You don't see everybody all the time
t ''EastEnders''at all, and sometimes you can go for months without seeing somebody. And most of the time you're on this big wheel and when people leave, you go, 'Oh, that's really sad', but you get back on. But actually Pam is a real loss up there."
Former ''EastEnders'' cast member
Martin Kemp said that the decision for Pat to leave was the "right" thing to do.
He told ''Bang Showbiz'': "I still watch ''EastEnders'' from time to time. I did quite a few scenes with Pam, I remember we spent three or four days locked in a cellar once so we had quite some scenes. She's a great actress, I'm sure she'll go on to other things. I think she's making the right move, it's nice to spread your wings a bit. Although viewers will miss her I don't think anyone is bigger than the show, it doesn't matter who comes or who goes. When I was there I always thought the star of the show was and always will be the pub, The Queen Vic. Everything else is an extra around it."
Storylines
Backstory
Pat is the youngest of four children. Her sister, Joan, had
Down syndrome, and was sent to a mental institution when Pat was four. Joan married Michael, who also had Down's. Their mother, Lydia, disowned Joan and claimed she had died at the age of 22.
After leaving school at 15, Pat unsuccessfully tried to become a model. She and her best friend,
Mo Porter (
Laila Morse
Maureen Lesley Bass (' Oldman; born 1 August 1945), better known by her stage name Laila Morse, is an English actress. After making her acting debut as Janet in the drama film '' Nil by Mouth'' (1997), she went on to join the BBC soap opera ' ...
), entered a beauty contest in
Clacton at 16, winning the title of "Miss
Butlins
Butlin's is a chain of large Seaside resort, seaside resorts in the United Kingdom, incorporated as Butlins Skyline Limited. Butlin's was founded by Billy Butlin to provide affordable holidays for ordinary British families.
Between 1936 and 1 ...
". There she met
Frank Butcher
Frank Butcher is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera ''EastEnders'', played by Mike Reid (actor), Mike Reid. Frank makes his first appearance on-screen as a guest character in 1987, but due to a positive viewer reception, he is reintr ...
(
Mike Reid), who was holidaying with his girlfriend, June Simmonds. Frank was besotted with Pat, and they slept together. Frank was the first of what would be many lovers in Pat's life, and they began a love affair. However, June became pregnant with Frank's child, so Frank married her, breaking Pat's heart. Pat and Frank would meet up from time to time, and on each occasion the affair would be rekindled, but Frank would not leave June. Pat began working for shady club owner
Tony Cattani (Vas Constanti), who got her involved in
prostitution
Prostitution is a type of sex work that involves engaging in sexual activity in exchange for payment. The definition of "sexual activity" varies, and is often defined as an activity requiring physical contact (e.g., sexual intercourse, no ...
. This shamed her family, particularly her brother
Jimmy
Jimmy may refer to:
Arts and entertainment Film and television
* ''Jimmy'' (2008 film), a 2008 Hindi thriller directed by Raj N. Sippy
* ''Jimmy'' (1979 film), a 1979 Indian Malayalam film directed by Melattoor Ravi Varma
* ''Jimmy'' (2013 f ...
(Alex King), and their relationship suffered. When Pat discovered that Mo, now Jimmy's wife, had slept with Tony, she informed her brother; Mo denied it, and Jimmy subsequently disowned Pat. While working as a prostitute, Pat was offered more money to work for up-and-coming gangster
Johnny Allen (
Billy Murray). Pat then worked as a well-known woman of the underworld for many years.
Pat embarked on numerous relationships. She had flings with
Den Watts
Den Watts is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera ''EastEnders'', played by actor Leslie Grantham. He became well known for his tabloid nickname, "Dirty Den". Den was the original landlord of The Queen Victoria public house from Albert ...
(
Leslie Grantham
Leslie Michael Grantham (30 April 1947 – 15 June 2018) was an English actor who played "Dirty" Den Watts in the BBC soap opera ''EastEnders''. He was a convicted murderer, having served 10 years for the killing of a West Germany, West German ...
) and
Kenny Beale (
Michael Attwell), both restless men who were unwilling to settle down with her. Kenny's younger brother
Pete (
Peter Dean) proved more reliable; he married Pat when he thought she was pregnant by him—a false alarm which his mother
Lou (
Anna Wing) believed was Pat's ploy to trap her son. While they were together, Pat had two sons,
David
David (; , "beloved one") was a king of ancient Israel and Judah and the third king of the United Monarchy, according to the Hebrew Bible and Old Testament.
The Tel Dan stele, an Aramaic-inscribed stone erected by a king of Aram-Dam ...
(
Michael French
Michael French (born Michael Clark, 17 September 1962) is an English actor, known for his roles as David Wicks in ''EastEnders''; Nick Jordan, a consultant and Clinical Lead, Senior Consultant in emergency medicine in '' Casualty'' and former ...
) and
Simon (
Nick Berry
Nicholas Berry (born 16 April 1963) is a retired English actor and pop singer. He is best known for his roles as Simon Wicks in ''EastEnders'' from 1985 to 1990, and as Constable, PC Nick Rowan in ''Heartbeat (British TV series), Heartbeat'' f ...
), who Pete believed to be his. Yet Pat could not settle down and embarked on an affair with
Brian Wicks (
Leslie Schofield). Pete eventually left her and they divorced. Soon after this, Pat married Brian and he took on responsibility of her two sons. They left Walford due to David's feud with fellow schoolboy
Derek Branning (
Terence Beesley/
Jamie Foreman) who terrorised the entire family because his sister
Carol (
Lindsey Coulson) had a relationship with David to the point where he got her pregnant. They moved to
Romford
Romford is a large List of places in London, town in east London, east London, England, located northeast of Charing Cross. Part of the London Borough of Havering, the town is one of the major Metropolitan centres of London, metropolitan centr ...
,
and Pat stayed with Brian until 1986, when he started
physically abusing her.
1986–2016
Pat comes to Walford in June 1986 to tell Pete that he is not Simon's father. Many arguments erupt, but Lou steps in to convince a devastated Pete that Simon is his. When Pat starts work as a barmaid in
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 ...
pub later that year, she finds that Lou thinks Simon is Kenny's son, following an affair, and she is adamant that Pat should keep this secret and not upset her close-knit family. However, Pete's twin sister
Pauline Fowler (
Wendy Richard
Wendy Richard (born Wendy Emerton; 20 July 1943 – 26 February 2009) was an English actress, best known for her television roles as Miss Shirley Brahms on the BBC sitcom ''Are You Being Served?'' from 1972 to 1985, and Pauline Fowler on the ...
) overhears and tells Pete everything.
Pat lives up to her promiscuous reputation and, with encouragement from
Mehmet Osman (
Haluk Bilginer
Nihat Haluk Bilginer (; born 5 June 1954) is a Turkish people, Turkish actor. For his role in ''Şahsiyet'' (2018), Bilginer won the International Emmy Award for Best Actor, Best Actor award at the 47th International Emmy Awards. His movie ''Wi ...
), ends the year prostituting herself. Animosity between Pat and Pete continues. When Pat is assaulted in February 1987 — left unconscious and close to death in the middle of the Square — Pete is prime suspect in the police investigation. He is later cleared when the real culprit, the
Walford Attacker, is caught.
The arrival of Kenny in 1988 brings the question of Simon's parentage to the fore once again. Pat tells Simon and the Beale brothers that she does not know who the father is, adding further confusion. She also says that Den is a possibility, but later rules Den out and demands that he has sex with her, or she will tell people that he is the father. That July, a dying Lou pleads with Pat to finally tell Simon the truth. Pat reveals that Brian, the man that Simon believed to be his stepfather, is actually his biological father.
Following Lou's death, Pat forms a close friendship with Pete's second wife
Kathy Beale (
Gillian Taylforth). The pair were formerly foes, but find themselves having had a common bond, with the dominance of both Lou and Pete in their lives. As such, Pat gradually elevates herself as a surrogate mother and close relative of Pete and Kathy's son
Ian (
Adam Woodyatt
Adam Brinley Woodyatt (born 28 June 1968) is an English actor. He is known for his role as Ian Beale in the BBC One, BBC soap opera ''EastEnders'', a role he has portrayed since the show's inception in 1985, making him one of the shows longest ...
).
Frank comes back into Pat's life in 1987. June has died and he and Pat reunite, taking over the tenancy of The Queen Vic. Pat has a hard time in her role as the stepmother to Frank's children, particularly with his troublesome youngest daughter
Janine (Rebecca Michael). On 22 June 1989, Pat and Frank marry in Cockney style by driving out of Albert Square in a horse-drawn cart.
By the end of 1989, the Butchers have moved from The Queen Vic to the B&B across the Square, which Pat runs while Frank opens a used car lot. Despite family and marital problems, Frank and Pat are happy until 1992 when they begin to struggle financially, forcing them to sell the B&B. Pat tries to turn their fortunes around by starting a cab firm, PatCabs. However, disaster strikes on
Christmas Eve
Christmas Eve is the evening or entire day before Christmas, the festival commemorating nativity of Jesus, the birth of Jesus in Christianity, Jesus. Christmas Day is observance of Christmas by country, observed around the world, and Christma ...
that year, when Pat — doing a short run for a regular customer — hits a teenage girl who later dies from her injuries. She struggles to cope with the guilt, particularly when confronted by the girl's mother. When breathalysed, she is found to be just over the limit. When Pat appears in court several months later, she is imprisoned for six months.
Pat returns in the autumn, but by then the Butchers are in financial ruin. In desperation, Frank pays local hardman
Phil Mitchell (
Steve McFadden) to torch the car lot in an insurance scam. When this goes wrong and a homeless boy dies, Frank has a breakdown and in April 1994, he abandons Pat and his children, leaving Pat destitute and heartbroken. Eventually, Frank's eldest daughter
Diane (
Sophie Lawrence) brings news that Frank is alive and so Pat begins getting on with her life.
Local car dealer
Roy Evans
Roy Quentin Echlin Evans (born 4 October 1948) is an English former footballer who played as a defender for Liverpool, where he also had a spell as manager. Aside from his time at Liverpool, he had a short spell in the United States; and also ...
(
Tony Caunter) arrives in Albert Square and is attracted to Pat, but early attempts to woo her get him nothing but refusals. Pat later softens, and goes on a cruise with him, although she makes it clear that sex is not on offer. Her carnal abstinence is a blessing for Roy, as he later admits he is
impotent and can offer nothing more than platonic love. Pat is relieved to discover that, for once, a man wants something from her other than sex.
In November 1995, Roy moves in with Pat, but on Christmas Day, Frank returns. Pat finds it hard to contain her rage and emotion when she sees her estranged husband, but despite him stirring up old feelings, she chooses to stay with Roy and they marry in 1996. Pat and Roy weather money problems, Roy's ill-health, and his depression, brought on by his jealousy of Pat and Frank's shared past, which almost makes him commit suicide in 1998. Pat finally convinces Roy that it was him she wants, although she finds it hard to let go of Frank completely. Frank goes on to marry Phil's mother
Peggy (
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''. ), but Frank begins to have second thoughts upon realising that he still loves Pat.
In 2000, Pat and Frank go on a holiday with their respective spouses, alongside fellow couple
Terry Raymond (
Gavin Richards) and his wife
Irene Raymond (
Roberta Taylor) in Spain. During this time, Frank seduces Pat, and she tries to end the affair; however, when Frank turns up on her doorstep with no clothes and a comedy bow-tie on his neck, she realises that she had never stopped loving him either. The duo continue their affair, and eventually decide to elope to
Manchester
Manchester () is a city and the metropolitan borough of Greater Manchester, England. It had an estimated population of in . Greater Manchester is the third-most populous metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, with a population of 2.92&nbs ...
. The couple are due to depart on
Guy Fawkes Night
Guy Fawkes Night, also known as Guy Fawkes Day, Bonfire Night and Fireworks Night, is an annual commemoration list of minor secular observances#November, observed on 5 November, primarily in Great Britain, involving bonfires and firewor ...
in November 2000, when Pat has second thoughts.
However, it is too late, as Peggy has already found Frank's farewell letter, and shames the cheating duo by reading it to the entire pub before slapping Frank and Pat. Peggy throws Frank out, and he leaves Walford alone. Roy is initially willing to forgive Pat, and explains that certain things have got to change, but his son
Barry (
Shaun Williamson), alerts him to a suitcase containing massage oils, along with fishnet stockings and a red Basque, which Pat was planning to take with her for Frank. Enraged by her betrayal, Roy throws Pat out and she is left penniless and homeless. Roy later asks Pat for a divorce.
In February 2001, Pat decides to join Simon in New Zealand, though Roy follows her to the airport and tells her that he wants to be with her, despite Barry's objections. Grateful that Roy has given her a second chance, Pat is adamant that she will not mess things up again. This starts off well throughout the rest of 2001 and the entirety of 2002, during which Pat reunites with her stepson and Frank's son
Ricky (
Sid Owen) in the process.
However, in March 2003, Roy discovers that Pat knew about Ricky having an affair with Barry's wife
Natalie (
Lucy Speed) not long ago. Roy believes that Pat has again chosen to support Frank's offspring over his own, and the stress causes Roy's second and fatal
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 ...
. Roy dies intestate, leaving Pat bereft and homeless, as Barry — beneficiary of Roy's estate — evicts her, despite Pat's efforts to support Barry and help rebuild his life after the double blow of his marriage break-up and the death of his father.
Pat moves into a
bedsit
A bedsit, bedsitter, or bed-sitting room is a form of accommodation common in some parts of the United Kingdom which consists of a single room per occupant with all occupants typically sharing a bathroom. Bedsits are included in a legal categor ...
. Janine (now played by
Charlie Brooks) marries Barry and plans to con him out of all of his money and possessions. The day after the wedding, Janine admits everything and pushes Barry down a cliff to his death. She later brags about it to a disgusted Pat and starts to bully Ian's estranged wife
Laura (
Hannah Waterman), who is living with Pat at her house. When Laura accidentally falls down the stairs and dies, Janine is arrested on suspicion of murder. Pat, who is Janine's alibi, lies to the police, and so Janine is implicated as revenge for Barry's death.
Pat is given a job at the bookies by the square's crime kingpin
Andy Hunter (
Michael Higgs) in 2004. They develop a rapport, until Pat finds out that Andy has arranged for his employee
Paul Trueman (
Gary Beadle) to be killed in retribution for attempting to entrap him to the police. She is nevertheless surprised when Andy is murdered by his gangland rival
Johnny Allen (
Billy Murray) in 2005, before later finding out that Andy has left her his house in his will. It is at this point that it transpires that Pat and Johnny are old acquaintances, as she used to work for Johnny in the past. She immediately suspects him of killing Andy, but Johnny convinces her otherwise and the pair attend Andy's funeral.
However, Pat eventually learns from Johnny's henchman
Jake
Jake may refer to:
Name
* Jake (given name), including a list of persons and fictional characters with the name
* Katrin Jäke (born c. 1975), German swimmer
* Jake (gamer), American ''Overwatch'' player and coach
* Jake, a member of the band Enhy ...
(
Joel Beckett) that in the end Johnny did kill Andy, and has also ordered Jake's brother
Danny (
Jake Maskall
Jake Maskall is an English television, film and theatre actor.
Career
Jake has guest starred in '' Casualty'' as Paul Vessey and Scobie in '' Murder City''.
Jake's most notable role came in the BBC television soap opera ''EastEnders'' where h ...
) to murder Sharon's step-brother-turned-husband
Dennis Rickman
Dennis Rickman is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera ''EastEnders'', played by Nigel Harman. He made his first appearance on 14 April 2003 at the funeral of his late mother, Paula, before going on to become one of the show's centra ...
(
Nigel Harman).
Towards the end of 2005, Pat is summoned as a witness for the prosecution at Janine's trial in December that year. She is later surprised to see that Frank has returned, and the pair greet each other. They later have sex, but Pat soon realises that his primary motive is to convince her to alter her testimony at Janine's trial. At first, Pat refuses, to the point where she tells Frank that Janine killed Barry, but eventually relents. Afterwards, Frank tells Pat that he will always love her and the two reconcile, before parting ways one last time.
In February 2006, missing male company, Pat begins flirting with Paul's adopted father
Patrick (
Rudolph Walker), who is married but unable to resist the chance of a casual fling with Pat. Soon enough, Patrick's young assistant
Stacey Slater (
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 ...
) sees them together and tells Patrick's wife,
Yolande (
Angela Wynter) about it; this ends the affair, and causes Yolande to resent Pat as a result.
In August 2007, Pat discovers that her mother lied about the date of her sister Joan's death. She and a kind stranger,
Len Harker (
Christopher Ellison), break into Joan's care home and learn that Joan died only a few years earlier after marrying a man with Down's syndrome. Pat is touched to discover that Joan often spoke of how much she loved her.
In March 2008, Pat announces she is leaving Walford for Spain, but gets news that Frank has died of
throat cancer
Head and neck cancer is a general term encompassing multiple cancers that can develop in the head and neck region. These include cancers of the mouth, tongue, gums and lips ( oral cancer), voice box ( laryngeal), throat ( nasopharyngeal, orophar ...
. She is devastated, and despite initial feuding, she and Peggy support each other through Frank's funeral. Pat opts to remain in Walford when her granddaughter
Bianca Jackson (
Patsy Palmer) turns to her for help soon after, moving in with her four children.
Having reconciled with one grandchild, Pat severs her bond with another when she discovers Ian's stepson
Steven Beale (
Aaron Sidwell) is in hiding with his runaway half-sister,
Lucy Beale (
Melissa Suffield). Pat threatens to tell Ian the truth, and is hit by a car driven by
Roxy Mitchell (
Rita Simons) whilst trying to apprehend Steven. She spends time in hospital, where Steven attempts to smother her before she can tell Ian. His plan fails, and Lucy returns to Ian.
Pat suffers a heart attack in January 2010 amidst increasing animosity with Janine. It is revealed that she has an underlying condition and needs a pacemaker, but refuses to have the operation. Janine persuades Pat to have the pacemaker fitted, and she makes a full recovery.
Disgusted with the litter in Albert Square, Peggy and Pat both decide to run for the council. They are interviewed by journalist
Harvey Freeman (
Martin Jarvis), but eventually they both pull out of the election. Harvey secretly woos them both, causing various rows between the women when they find out. They both finally unite against Harvey and humiliate him in punishment.
Pat and Peggy's friendship strengthens, so Pat is hurt when Peggy leaves Walford without saying goodbye, upset to lose her best friend. When Pat discovers that Janine stabbed herself in order to frame Stacey after making the discovery that she killed Peggy's late former husband
Archie (
Larry Lamb), she denounces Janine once more and goes to New Zealand to visit Simon. She returns in April to find that Bianca is in prison and that her adopted great-granddaughter
Whitney Dean (
Shona McGarty) is missing, although she is relieved when Whitney returns home shortly after.
When Pat discovers that Ricky and Janine's maternal grandmother,
Lydia Simmonds
Lydia Simmonds is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera ''EastEnders'', initially played by Margaret Tyzack and then by Heather Chasen. She is the maternal grandmother of Ricky ( Sid Owen) and Janine Butcher ( Charlie Brooks). She ma ...
(
Margaret Tyzack and
Heather Chasen), is staying with Janine, she believes that Janine is only interested in Lydia's inheritance, and Janine jokingly admits this to Pat, although a close bond soon forms between Janine and Lydia. When Lydia dies in the night, Pat comforts Janine, but later turns on her, believing that she killed Lydia to get her money, despite the fact Janine had already seen the will and knew that Lydia was donating her money to charity.
When the police take Janine in for questioning over Lydia's death, Janine believes it was Pat who phoned them, although it is later revealed that it was Whitney's half-brother
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 ...
) who made the call. Pat is still adamant that Janine murdered Lydia, which causes an emotional argument. When it is discovered that Lydia has changed her will and left her whole estate to Janine, Pat persuades Lydia's son
Norman (
George Layton
George Layton (born George Michael William Löwy; 2 March 1942) is a British actor, director, screenwriter and author best known for three television roles – junior doctor Paul Collier in the comedy series ''Doctor in the House'' and its sequ ...
) to contest the will. He initially agrees, but after Janine agrees to share the money with Ricky, Pat convinces Norman to change his mind. Although Norman likes Pat and wants to see her again, Pat is oblivious to this.
When Pat discovers that Simon is about to lose his home in New Zealand, she fails to get a loan to help him because of her age. Norman offers to help, and organises a loan for her. After speaking to her great-grandson
Liam
Liam is a short form of the Germanic name William, or its Irish variant Uilliam.
Etymology
The original name was a merging of two Old German elements: ''willa'' ("will" or "resolution"); and ''helma'' ("helmet"). The juxtaposition of these ...
(James Forde) about it, Pat decides she likes Norman; they kiss, and she asks him to stay. The next day, Norman tells Patrick that he regularly earns commission organising loans for people.
Patrick then warns Pat about this, and once Pat finds out that the terms of the loan mean that if she misses a payment she could lose her house, she rejects Norman, tells him to leave, and says she never wants to see him again. Derek Branning subsequently arrives in Walford and recognises Pat. She runs away, but he chases her and forces his way into her home. Pat is fearful of Derek, and he taunts her, asking Pat if she is still a prostitute. Derek also tells her to tell David that he has not forgotten about their fight.
When Roxy asks Pat about Derek's past, Pat confirms that he is dangerous. Pat struggles to keep up the loan repayments on her house, and counts on Ricky's bonus money to cover the debt. When Ricky returns from Dubai, he reveals that he has lost all his money, so Pat explains that they will lose the house by the end of the week if a payment is not made. A desperate Pat turns to Janine and asks for money. Janine gives her £50,000 without hesitation, but insists on Pat using the house as
collateral, although this does not thaw the animosity between the pair.
In the build-up to Christmas 2011, Pat gets acquainted with Jake and Danny's cousin
Michael
Michael may refer to:
People
* Michael (given name), a given name
* he He ..., a given name
* Michael (surname), including a list of people with the surname Michael
Given name
* Michael (bishop elect)">Michael (surname)">he He ..., a given nam ...
(
Steve John Shepherd), who is conveniently also Janine's boyfriend. They find themselves sharing an enemy in Derek, as the latter begins to spark trouble in the square. When Michael spots Derek and Liam together, he forms an allegiance with Pat over their hatred of him and they proceed to call his probation officer to check up on him, infuriating Derek. He later confronts Pat, angrily threatening her.
Shortly after this, Patrick drops into Pat's and finds her collapsed on her kitchen floor. Pat is admitted to hospital, having suffered a
pulmonary embolus
Pulmonary embolism (PE) is a blockage of an artery in the lungs by a substance that has moved from elsewhere in the body through the bloodstream (embolism). Symptoms of a PE may include shortness of breath, chest pain particularly upon breathin ...
, and the doctors run some tests, but she discharges herself secretly, telling Ricky she has been allowed to go. Janine then goes to see Pat, telling her she is moving the repayment deadline to the following day after an argument with Bianca. Pat rings Simon to find out whether he can pay her the money, but is left horrified when he tells her his brother David slept with his wife.
As her stress increases, Pat's chest pains continue, and Patrick persuades her to return to the hospital. There, she is diagnosed with
pancreatic cancer
Pancreatic cancer arises when cell (biology), cells in the pancreas, a glandular organ behind the stomach, begin to multiply out of control and form a Neoplasm, mass. These cancerous cells have the malignant, ability to invade other parts of ...
, which has metastasised to her lungs, bones and abdomen. Pat refuses all further
palliative treatment, and returns to Walford to be with her loved ones, sharing one last drink with her family and friends in The Queen Vic.
On New Year's Day 2012, Pat's health rapidly deteriorates, and she is visited by old friends, including her longtime friend
Dot (
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 ...
), as well as Ian. Janine soon arrives to evict the family, after Pat is unable to pay all her debts back, but soon realises that Pat is not faking her illness and is devastated. Visiting her sick stepmother, Janine confesses to Pat that she is pregnant, and Pat convinces her to keep the baby, after which the two finally reconcile.
Later, David arrives to see Pat, but the pair argue; David leaves, and is persuaded to return by Carol. David tells Pat that he is sorry for the mess he has made of things over the years. David then tells Pat that he forgives her for all the times she let him down when he was a child. Despite admitting that she is scared, Pat is able to make peace with her son moments before she ultimately succumbs and dies. Everybody on the Square mourns for Pat the next day, and Norman comes back with a bunch of flowers for her, not knowing that she has already died. Pat's funeral, which is paid for by Janine, takes place, and is attended by many Albert Square residents. Simon turns up with flowers after the funeral has ended, and lays them down at her grave.
Nearly three years later, in May 2016, Peggy reappears in the square with terminal cancer that has spread to her brain. Peggy begins hallucinating the smell of cigarette smoke, which then manifests to a vision of Pat. As the two sit and reminisce about past memories, Peggy decides to commit suicide in order to prevent her family watching her deteriorate. Pat promises not to leave her side as she does this and watches sadly as Peggy dies by suicide via an overdose.
In popular culture
The character of Pat has been spoofed in the cartoon sketch series ''
2DTV''. The
impressionist
Impressionism was a 19th-century art movement characterized by visible brush strokes, open Composition (visual arts), composition, emphasis on accurate depiction of light in its changing qualities (often accentuating the effects of the passage ...
who provided the voice is
Jan Ravens
Janet Ravens (born 14 May 1958) is an English actress and impressionist, known for her voice work on '' Spitting Image'' and '' Dead Ringers''.
Early life
Ravens grew up in Hoylake, then in Cheshire, on the west side of the Wirral with her f ...
, who has not only provided the voice of Pat, but also acted the part on-screen in several episodes of the BBC's ''
Big Impression'', which devoted a regular sketch to various ''EastEnders'' characters. Ravens also played Pat in the other impressionist series, ''
Dead Ringers''. ''
The Impressions Show with Culshaw and Stephenson'' contains sketches in which impressionist
Debra Stephenson
Deborah Lee Duffield (' Stephenson; born 4 June 1972), known professionally as Debra Stephenson, is an English actress, comedian, impressionist and singer, best known for her roles as Diane Powell in '' Playing the Field'' (1999–2000), Shell ...
portrays Pat in situations, often with ''
Coronation Street
''Coronation Street'' (colloquially referred to as ''Corrie'') is a British television soap opera created by ITV Granada, Granada Television and shown on ITV (TV network), ITV since 9 December 1960. The programme centres on a cobbled, terraced ...
'' character
Ken Barlow, played by
Jon Culshaw
Jonathan Peter Culshaw (born 2 June 1968) is an English actor, comedian and Impressionist (entertainment), impressionist. He is best known for his work on the radio comedy ''Dead Ringers (comedy), Dead Ringers'' since 2000.
Culshaw has voiced ...
.
In the first episode of Series 3 of ''
The Inbetweeners
''The Inbetweeners'' is a British coming-of-age television sitcom, which originally aired on E4 from 2008 to 2010 and was created and written by Damon Beesley and Iain Morris. The series follows the misadventures of suburban teenager Willi ...
'', Jay gets his ears pierced with large round earrings and is mocked by his friend Simon Cooper, who calls it the "Pat Butcher look". The character Pat Butcher, portrayed by
Jim Howick in the BBC sitcom ''
Ghosts
In folklore, a ghost is the soul or Spirit (supernatural entity), spirit of a dead Human, person or non-human animal that is believed by some people to be able to appear to the living. In ghostlore, descriptions of ghosts vary widely, from a ...
'', is named for the ''EastEnders'' character.
Reception
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 Pat fifth on their ranked list of the best ''EastEnders'' characters of all time, calling Pat a "Former beauty queen and prostitute whose character was as bold and attention-grabbing as her ear rings" and noting that she was "involved in many memorable slanging matches with Peggy including the classic pair of "You bitch! You cow!" slapping altercations that took place ten years apart". In 2021, Angie Quinn from ''
MyLondon
MyLondon is a British news website operated by Reach plc, publishers of the ''Daily Mirror'', covering the wider London
London is the Capital city, capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of both England and the ...
'' called Pat one of the "icons who are no longer on the square" and noted how fans missed her.
Joe Anderton of Digital Spy called Pat a "
gay icon
A gay icon is a public figure who is regarded as a cultural icon by members of the LGBTQ community. Such figures usually have a devoted LGBTQ fanbase and act as allies to the LGBTQ community, often through their work, or they have been "openly app ...
".
References
External links
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Butcher, Pat
Television characters introduced in 1986
EastEnders characters
Fictional bartenders in soap operas
Fictional prostitutes
Fictional models
Fictional bookmakers
Fictional businesspeople in soap operas
Fictional waiting staff in soap operas
Fictional female murderers
Fictional salespeople
Fictional ghosts
Fictional victims of domestic abuse
Fictional characters with cancer
British female characters in soap operas
English female characters in television
Beale family (EastEnders)
Butcher family (EastEnders)
Fictional landlords
Fictional murderers of children