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Liam Butcher is a

fictional character In fiction, a character (or speaker, in poetry) is a person or other being in a narrative (such as a novel, play, radio or television series, music, film, or video game). The character may be entirely fictional or based on a real-life person, ...

from the

BBC #REDIRECT BBC #REDIRECT BBC Here i going to introduce about the best teacher of my life b BALAJI sir. He is the precious gift that I got befor 2yrs . How has helped and thought all the concept and made my success in the 10th board exam. ...

...

soap opera A soap opera, or ''soap'' for short, is a typically long-running radio or television serial, frequently characterized by melodrama, ensemble casts, and sentimentality. The term "soap opera" originated from radio dramas originally being sponsored ...

EastEnders ''EastEnders'' is a Television in the United Kingdom, British 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 Ea ...

'', played by Sonny Bottomley for two months in 1998 and 1999, twins Jack and Tom Godolphin from 1999, Gavin and Mitchell Vaughan in 2002, and Nathaniel Gleed from 2002 to 2004. Upon his reintroduction in 2008, the character was portrayed by James Forde. Liam is the son of

Bianca Jackson Bianca Jackson (also Butcher) is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera ''EastEnders'' played by Patsy Palmer. The character was introduced by executive producer Leonard Lewis and appeared initially from 1993 to 1999, when Palmer opted ...

(

Patsy Palmer Julie Anne Merkell (''née'' Harris; born 26 May 1972), known professionally as Patsy Palmer, is an English actress and DJ, known for her roles as Natasha in the children's drama series ''Grange Hill'' (1985–1987), and Bianca Jackson in the ...

) and

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 ro ...

(

Sid Owen Sid Owen (born David Sutton; 12 January 1972) is an English actor, television presenter and former singer, who played Ricky Butcher in the BBC One soap opera ''EastEnders'' on and off since 1988. He also appeared in the tenth series of ''Stric ...

) and his stories have mostly revolved around his family. The character took a six-month break in 2012 for story purposes. Following his return, producers used Liam in a story about gangs, working with the charity

Comic Relief Comic relief is the inclusion of a humorous character, scene, or witty dialogue in an otherwise serious work, often to relieve tension. Definition Comic relief usually means a releasing of emotional or other tension resulting from a comic episo ...

. Forde was written out permanently in 2015 and Liam departs in the episode first broadcast on 17 August 2015. Liam was reintroduced for a short stint in 2021, with the role recast to Alfie Deegan.

Storylines

The son of

Ricky Ricky may refer to: Places *Říčky (Brno-Country District), a village and municipality in the Czech Republic *Říčky v Orlických horách, a village in the north of the Czech Republic * Rickmansworth, a town in England sometimes called "Ricky" ...

(

) and

Bianca Butcher Bianca Jackson (also Butcher) is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera '' EastEnders'' played by Patsy Palmer. The character was introduced by executive producer Leonard Lewis and appeared initially from 1993 to 1999, when Palmer opted ...

(

), Liam is born prematurely on

Christmas Day Christmas is an annual festival commemorating the birth of Jesus Christ, observed primarily on December 25 as a religious and cultural celebration among billions of people around the world. A feast central to the Christian liturgical year, ...

1998, in

The Queen Victoria The Queen Victoria (more often referred to as The Queen Vic or The Vic) is the Victorian public house in the BBC soap opera, ''EastEnders''. It has the fictional address of 46 Albert Square, Walford, London E20. Appearance and developmen ...

public house A pub (short for public house) is a kind of drinking establishment which is licensed to serve alcoholic drinks for consumption on the premises. The term ''public house'' first appeared in the United Kingdom in late 17th century, and was ...

. In September 1999, Liam's parents separate and Bianca takes him to

Manchester Manchester () is a city in Greater Manchester, England. It had a population of 552,000 in 2021. It is bordered by the Cheshire Plain to the south, the Pennines to the north and east, and the neighbouring city of Salford to the west. The t ...

. Despite returning 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 work i ...

briefly in April 2000 to visit his father, Liam rarely sees Ricky. In May 2002, Ricky visits him with his fiancée Cassie to discuss custody of Liam. After a series of events, Bianca gives Liam to Ricky. Shortly afterwards, Ricky and Liam return to Walford but leave in 2004. Off-screen, Liam is returned to Bianca in 2008, following Ricky's engagement to

Melinda Melinda is a feminine given name. Etymology The modern name ''Melinda'' is a combination of "Mel" with the suffix "-inda". "Mel" can be derived from names such as Melanie meaning "dark, black" in Greek, or from Melissa (μέλισσα) meaning ...

(

Siobhan Hayes Siobhan Teresa Hayes (born 21 July 1974) is an English actress. She is known for her roles as Abi Harper in the BBC sitcom ''My Family'' and Sandy in the BBC radio series '' Absolute Power''. Career Hayes portrayed Abi Harper, a clumsy and dim- ...

), who did not want children. Liam returns to Walford with his mother and siblings,

Tiffany Dean Tiffany Butcher-Baker (also Dean and Butcher) is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera ''EastEnders'', played by Maisie Smith. Tiffany is the daughter of established characters Bianca Jackson (Patsy Palmer) and Ricky Butcher (Sid Owen) ...

(

Maisie Smith Maisie Louise Collender Smith (born 9 July 2001) is an English actress and singer. She appeared in the feature film ''The Other Boleyn Girl'' (2008) and played the regular role of Tiffany Butcher in the BBC soap opera ''EastEnders'' from 2008 ...

Morgan Jackson-King The following is a list of characters that first appeared in the BBC soap opera ''EastEnders'' which aired in 2008 (by order of first appearance). All characters were introduced by executive producer Diederick Santer. Santer introduced four c ...

(Devon Higgs) 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 long-running character Bianca Jackson (Patsy Palmer) and was introduced on 1 April 2008 when Pa ...

(

Shona McGarty Shona McGarty (born 14 October 1991) is an English actress and singer who portrays Whitney Dean in the BBC soap opera ''EastEnders''. Career Before joining ''EastEnders'', McGarty had been involved in amateur musical theatre for six years, in ...

), in April 2008 after they are evicted by their landlord. He and his siblings spend a week in care due to the police finding them homeless and Bianca assaulting a police officer, Liam settles back in Walford, living with Bianca, Ricky and his great-grandmother 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 June 1986 until January 2012, with a guest appe ...

). Later that year, Liam begins skipping school, feigning illness and it is subsequently revealed that he is

dyslexic Dyslexia, also known until the 1960s as word blindness, is a disorder characterized by reading below the expected level for one's age. Different people are affected to different degrees. Problems may include difficulties in spelling words, r ...

, explaining his inferior grades and repeated absences. Ricky takes an active role in Liam's schooling, helping to improve his grades. With secondary school approaching, Liam is denied a place at Walford High and is offered a place at King Edward V, which Bianca and Ricky think is too far away. Their appeal is unsuccessful so Bianca decides to

homeschool Homeschooling or home schooling, also known as home education or elective home education (EHE), is the education of school-aged children at home or a variety of places other than a school. Usually conducted by a parent, tutor, or an onlin ...

Liam instead. However, when Bianca and her mother Carol (

Lindsey Coulson Lindsey Coulson (born 13 April 1960) is an English actress, known for her role as Carol Jackson in the BBC soap opera '' EastEnders''. For this role, she won the 2000 British Soap Award for Best Dramatic Performance. Coulson is also well kno ...

) argue, Liam says he will go to King Edward V and will work hard. However, before he starts there, he worries that none of his old friends will be there and sneaks out to the park, where Carol's date Lewis Daley (Deka Walmsley) gives him encouragement and tells him that life is never easy. At Liam's uncle

Billie Jackson Billie Jackson (credited as Billy until 2004) is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera '' EastEnders'', played by Devon Anderson from 1993 to 1997, and by Bluey Robinson for a brief return in 2004. The character returned in 2010, along w ...

's (

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 ...

) birthday party, Liam sees

Kim Fox Kim Fox (also Fox-Hubbard) is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera ''EastEnders'', played by Tameka Empson. She is the half-sister of Denise Fox ( Diane Parish), and aunt to Chelsea Fox ( Tiana Benjamin/ Zaraah Abrahams) and Libby F ...

(

Tameka Empson Tameka Empson (born 16 April 1977) is an English actress and comedian. She appeared as one of the three protagonists in the hidden-camera comedy sketch show ''3 Non-Blondes''. In 2009, she began portraying the role of Kim Fox in the BBC soap ...

) drunkenly kiss Ricky. The morning after, Liam, Tiffany and Morgan are told Billie is unwell, but Liam correctly guesses that he has died. Later, he is angry at Kim and sends her away when she brings food to the house. He then talks to Ricky, and Bianca overhears him saying Kim kissed Ricky. When Morgan accidentally squirts tomato ketchup over Billie's hoody, Liam tries to wash off the stain but is caught by Carol; who slaps him on his face, causing his forehead to bleed. Although they make amends, Bianca discovers the cut, which causes an argument. Carol then bans the family from attending Billie's funeral. Carol embarks on an affair with a friend of Billie's, Connor Stanley (

Arinzé Kene Arinzé Mokwe Kene () is a Nigerian-born British actor and playwright. Early life In 1987, Kene was born in Lagos, Nigeria and moved to London when he was four. Kene's father was a taxi driver. Kene was bullied growing up and was encouraged ...

), but Connor continues to see Whitney. Tiffany sees this and tells Liam, who encourages her to keep quiet as he worries it will split up the family. Liam eventually tells Ricky but Bianca has already found out and beaten Connor, leaving him unconscious. Liam is upset when Bianca gives herself in to the police. He is then suspended from school for hitting another boy. Bianca is subsequently sent to prison, and Ricky later leaves for a six-month job in Dubai. Liam makes friends with

Eddie Moon Eddie Moon is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera '' EastEnders'', played by David Essex. Eddie is the father of Michael Moon ( Steve John Shepherd), Tyler Moon (Tony Discipline) and Anthony Moon (Matt Lapinskas). Along with his child ...

(

David Essex David Essex (born David Albert Cook; 23 July 1947) is an English singer, songwriter, and actor. Since the 1970s, he has attained 19 Top 40 singles in the UK (including two number ones) and 16 Top 40 albums. Internationally, Essex had the most ...

), who Carol is interested in romantically. However, when Eddie allows Liam to skip school for three days so Eddie can teach him about antiques, Carol tells Eddie to stay away from her and Liam. Liam continues to be friends with Eddie and is looking after his stock when

Lola Pearce Lola Pearce is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera ''EastEnders'', played by Danielle Harold. She is introduced as the granddaughter of Billy Mitchell ( Perry Fenwick) and Julie Perkins (Cathy Murphy), and an extension to the already ...

(

Danielle Harold Danielle Amy Louise Harold (born 30 May 1992) is an English actress. She is known for her role as Lola Pearce in the BBC soap opera ''EastEnders'', which she played from 2011 to 2015, and reprised the role from 2019 to 2023. Career Before H ...

) takes him away and burns the stock. Eddie gives Liam a job after he moves his antiques business to Walford, and Lola confesses to Liam that she started the fire. Liam is happy when Carol and Eddie begin a relationship, but is saddened when they break up and Eddie leaves Walford. When Lola, Ben Mitchell (Joshua Pascoe) and Liam's cousin

Abi Branning Abi Branning is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera '' EastEnders'', played by Lorna Fitzgerald. She was introduced by executive producer Kate Harwood on 3 July 2006 as an extension to the Branning family, along with father Max (J ...

(

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 develo ...

) want to steal alcohol from a party at

's (

) bed and breakfast, they get Liam to dress up in a Halloween costume to do it for them. He steals a bowl of punch, which they drink in the local launderette. Kim later finds them and takes the punch back. Lola pays Liam to take a bag from

Phil Mitchell Phil Mitchell is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera ''EastEnders'', played by Steve McFadden. He was introduced to the soap opera on 20 February 1990 and was followed by his brother Grant Mitchell (EastEnders), Grant (Ross Kemp), s ...

( Steve McFadden) but is caught, forcing him to reveal that Lola told him to take the bag. In December 2011, the family begin to have financial difficulties, and Liam becomes hostile towards Ricky, blaming him for their situation. After the local bed and breakfast burns down, Liam is paid by his uncle

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 Graha ...

(

Jamie Foreman Jamie Foreman (born 25 May 1958) is an English actor best known for his roles as Duke in ''Layer Cake'' (2004) and Bill Sikes in Roman Polanski's ''Oliver Twist'' (2005). Career Foreman played opposite Ray Winstone and Kathy Burke in Gary Oldm ...

) to enter the building and find scrap metal. Liam is upset by the death of Pat and the departure of his father, Ricky. Although Bianca and Ricky tell Liam it is only temporary, Liam knows it is permanent. Liam then gets a part-time job cleaning to help out the family with money. Bianca is later caught stealing money and returns to prison, but this time located in Suffolk. Liam then moves to Suffolk with the rest of his family to be near his mother, but returns to Walford with his family in November 2012. After the death of Derek on Christmas 2012, Liam finds the smuggled goods Derek has been hiding in the Jackson garage he tells Bianca who calls the police but when Bianca opens the garage to show the police the smuggled goods, everything is gone. It is revealed that Liam has done a deal with Michael Moon ( Steve John Shepherd) to sell them. Liam starts truanting from school and is brought home to Bianca by the police. Bianca is warned that if he continues, she could receive a fine or go back to prison. Liam promises to go to school the next day but does not, and tells Bianca she thinks he is a loser and knows nothing about him. Liam becomes involved in a gang, who mug

Tamwar Masood Tamwar Masood is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera '' EastEnders'', played by Himesh Patel. He made his first appearance on 1 October 2007. On 12 March 2016, it was announced that Patel would be leaving the show, with Tamwar making hi ...

(

Himesh Patel Himesh Jitendra Patel (born 13 October 1990) is a British actor, musician, and singer. He is known for portraying Tamwar Masood on the BBC soap opera '' EastEnders'' from 2007 to 2016, for starring in the 2019 musical romantic comedy film '' Y ...

). The gang leader, Kane (Harry Rafferty) gives Liam Tamwar's money belt, which Bianca finds. She suspects he has joined the gang, and confronts them at an estate, where she tells Liam to come home, but he stays with them. The next morning, Liam returns home and refuses to go to school, so Bianca locks him in his room to stop him seeing the gang, and also slaps him. Liam manipulates Whitney into letting him out, and he runs away. He returns to the gang, who initiate him into the gang by making him shoplift alcohol, smash a car window and mug his colleague

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 playe ...

(

Linda Henry Linda Varilis (''née'' Henry; born 24 August 1959) is an English actress. She is known for her roles as Yvonne Atkins in the ITV drama '' Bad Girls'' and Shirley Carter in the BBC soap opera ''EastEnders'', a role she has played since 200 ...

). Shirley realises it is Liam and sends him away with £10. The gang then throw Liam a party, but the police arrive and arrest the gang over Tamwar's mugging. Liam refuses to talk to the police and is released on bail without charge. Liam wants to talk to Kane, and when he finds the gang, they blame him for their arrests, and one of the gang members, Little Chris (Rizwan Shebani) stabs Liam on Kane's orders. Bianca sees this and Liam is rushed to hospital, where the police offer him help but only if he tells them the truth. Bianca leaves the decision to Liam. He eventually tells them the truth but this only makes the situation worse when the entire gang including Little Chris are bailed without charge once again as they deny any involvement in Liam's stabbing. Fearing the gang may harm his family, Liam arranges to live with his father Ricky but later changes his mind. Liam receives death threats from Kane, which leads to a final confrontation after which Kane is arrested again and Liam goes to stay with Ricky. Liam then returns for the court case, but does not need to give evidence because Little Chris changes his plea to guilty. Liam settles into living in Walford again and soon develops a crush on

Cindy Williams Cynthia Jane Williams (born August 22, 1947) is an American actress and producer, known for her role as Shirley Feeney on the television sitcom ''Happy Days'' (1975–1979), and ''Laverne & Shirley'' (1976–1982). Early life Williams was bo ...

(

Mimi Keene Mimi Keene (born 5 August 1998) is an English actress. She is best known for her roles as Cindy Williams on the BBC One soap opera ''EastEnders'' (2013–2015) and Ruby Matthews on the Netflix comedy-drama series ''Sex Education'' (2019–presen ...

). Liam is shocked when

Ian Beale Ian Beale is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera ''EastEnders'', played by Adam Woodyatt. He is the drama's longest-serving main character and, following the departure of Pauline Fowler ( Wendy Richard) in 2006, became the only one ...

(

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 soap opera '' EastEnders'', which he played between 1985 and 2022. Early life and education Woodyatt was born on 28 June 1968 in W ...

) accuses him of having had underage sex with Cindy and threatens to report him to police, forcing Cindy to confess that she made it up to impress

TJ Spraggan The following are characters who first appeared in the BBC soap opera '' EastEnders'' during 2013, listed by order of first appearance. New characters were introduced by Lorraine Newman, executive producer until December 2013, when Dominic Trea ...

(

George Sargeant George Sargeant (born 30 November 1997) is a British actor. He is best known for playing the role of TJ Spraggan in the BBC soap opera '' EastEnders''. Career Sargeant made his acting debut during a two part episode of the BBC medical drama '' D ...

). A drunk Cindy later kisses Liam and he loses his virginity to her. Ian discovers that Cindy is pregnant but Liam denies responsibility and is furious when TJ reveals himself to be the father. Liam discovers that Carol has

breast cancer Breast cancer is cancer that develops from breast tissue. Signs of breast cancer may include a lump in the breast, a change in breast shape, dimpling of the skin, milk rejection, fluid coming from the nipple, a newly inverted nipple, or a re ...

and supports her through her treatment. Bianca decides to move the family to Milton Keynes following Carol's recovery but a reluctant Liam is eventually allowed to stay in Walford. Cindy kisses Liam after she tells him that she is struggling to be a mother to Beth. Liam stops the kiss, knowing that Cindy is upset. Liam develops a sexual relationship with Cindy. Liam supports Cindy through her parental struggles, but Beth is eventually handed over to TJ. Ian throws Cindy out, so Liam hides her in his room, which Carol eventually discovers. Cindy tells Liam that Bobby killed Lucy and Liam threatens to tell the police, but Ian gives Liam and Cindy a ticket to leave for good. Carol finds out about this and Liam demands £100,000 for him and Cindy to leave Walford to live with Ricky in Germany or he tells Carol and the police that Bobby killed Lucy. However, Ricky informs Liam he cannot take any money, but he relents when Jane promises him recurring payments. He and Cindy then leave Walford together after saying goodbye to their families. Liam returns to Walford in October 2021, deciding to reunite with Tiffany and Whitney. He enters into a rivalry with Tiffany’s husband Keegan Butcher-Baker ( Zack Morris) over his liaison with

Dotty Cotton Kirsty "Dotty" Cotton is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera '' EastEnders'', played by Molly Conlin from 2008 to 2010 and Milly Zero from 2019 to 2022. She was introduced on 26 December 2008 as the daughter of established char ...

(

Milly Zero Melissa Jasmine Skye "Milly" Zero (born 7 June 1999) is an English actress. She has portrayed Hannah on the CBBC children's sitcom '' All at Sea'' (2013–2015) and Dotty Cotton in the BBC soap opera A soap opera, or ''soap'' for short, is a ...

), which has ended his marriage with Tiffany. Keegan becomes suspicious of Liam, and he tells Tiffany that he is running a garage in Germany, but it is discovered that he has been lying and is penniless. Liam decides to stay in Walford to help Tiffany recover from her separation with Keegan, and approaches Ben Mitchell (

Max Bowden Max 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'', and his portrayal of Ben Mitchell (EastEnders), Be ...

) for a job at The Arches. He soon starts to ignore Cindy's calls and is confronted by her brother,

Peter Beale Peter Beale is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera ''EastEnders'' who has been played by seven actors since being introduced in 1993. Francis Brittin-Snell portrayed the role from 1993 to 1996, followed by Alex Stevens from 1997 to 19 ...

(Dayle Hudson), when Cindy asks Peter for money. He schemes with his aunt

Janine Butcher Janine Carter (also Butcher, Evans and Malloy) is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera '' EastEnders'', introduced in 1989. The character was played by Rebecca Michael from 1989 to 1993, Alexia Demetriou from 1993 to 1996, and Charlie ...

(

Charlie Brooks Charlene Emma Brooks (born 3 May 1981) is a British actress. Known for the role of Janine Butcher in the BBC One soap opera ''EastEnders'', she has received numerous awards since her first appearance on the soap in 1999, with storylines inv ...

) and

Billy Mitchell William Lendrum Mitchell (December 29, 1879 – February 19, 1936) was a United States Army officer who is regarded as the father of the United States Air Force. Mitchell served in France during World War I and, by the conflict's end, command ...

(

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 ro ...

) to steal cars and sell them. One of their operations is nearly unsuccessful when Liam accidentally abducts

Frankie Lewis The following is a list of characters that first appeared in the British soap opera ''EastEnders'' in 2020, by order of first appearance. All characters are introduced by the show's senior executive producer, Kate Oates, and the executive prod ...

(

Rose Ayling-Ellis Rose Lucinda Ayling-Ellis (born 17 November 1994) is an English actress. Deaf since birth, she is a British Sign Language user. She is best known for playing the role of Frankie Lewis in the BBC soap opera '' EastEnders'' (2020–2022). In 2 ...

) when she is trapped inside the booth of the car. He turns on Janine when she refuses to give him his share of the money, and is later manipulated by her to steal the car keys of one of Tiffany's clients. Keegan suspicions of Liam continues and he exposes his plans to Tiffany, but Liam deceives her. He drives a wedge between the pair by convincing Tiffany to start dating resident Aaron Monroe ( Charlie Wernham), making Keegan jealous. After receiving money from his quick money schemes, Liam decides to return to Germany, and Tiffany decides to follow him after the breakdown of her fling with Aaron. Tiffany decides to write a heartfelt letter to Keegan asking him to meet her at the train station so they can reconcile, but Liam switches the letters, leaving Tiffany devastated when Keegan does not show up. Liam and Tiffany then leave together. Months later, Tiffany returns and realises that Liam swapped the letters. She then reconciles with Keegan and they leave for Germany together.

Creation and development

Liam is a character that was born in the serial; the first son of Bianca (

) and Ricky Butcher (

) who was conceived following the

forced abortion A forced abortion may occur when the perpetrator causes abortion by force, threat or coercion, or by taking advantage of a situation where a pregnant individual is unable to give consent, or when valid consent is in question due to duress. This ma ...

of their first daughter in 1997 after she was diagnosed with

spina bifida Spina bifida (Latin for 'split spine'; SB) is a birth defect in which there is incomplete closing of the spine and the membranes around the spinal cord during early development in pregnancy. There are three main types: spina bifida occulta, me ...

. Bianca's pregnancy with Liam was used by the programme makers to spread a public message in 1998; the scriptwriters included scenes of a practitioner advising Bianca to take

folic acid Folate, also known as vitamin B9 and folacin, is one of the B vitamins. Manufactured folic acid, which is converted into folate by the body, is used as a dietary supplement and in food fortification as it is more stable during processing and ...

, which protects against spina bifida. The Association for Spina Bifida and Hydrocephalus (ASBAH) issued a public plea to ''EastEnders'', urging them to allow Bianca's second baby to be born with spina bifida, in order to show parents that having a baby with spina bifida is "not the end of the world". This did not occur, however, and Bianca was shown to give birth to a premature but healthy baby Liam in an episode that aired on

1998. Related to the Branning and the

Beale Beale is an English surname. At the time of the British Census of 1881, its relative frequency was highest in Dorset (6.3 times the British average), followed by Huntingdonshire, Hampshire, Sussex, Oxfordshire, Wiltshire, Warwickshire, Kent and ...

family through his mother and the

Butcher A butcher is a person who may Animal slaughter, slaughter animals, dress their flesh, sell their meat, or participate within any combination of these three tasks. They may prepare standard cuts of meat and poultry for sale in retail or wholesal ...

family through his father, Liam and his sister Tiffany have more relatives than any other character to have appeared in the show. After three separate stints in ''EastEnders'' played by different child/baby actors – most substantially from 2002–2004, when Liam returned to Albert Square as part of his father Ricky's reintroduction – Liam returned in a more prominent role in 2008, played by James Forde. His return was confirmed on 29 October 2007 following the announcement that Patsy Palmer and Sid Owen were reprising their roles as Bianca and Ricky; he reappeared on-screen in April 2008. Upon his return, it was said that Liam had "taken to being the man of the house", and was described as "not very academic, but ..always willing to try new things – a trait which sees him quite often in trouble. His laddish demeanour, however, is softened by the affection he is not afraid to show his mum." As part of the reintroduction of Bianca, four children, including Liam, were scripted into the character's narrative, including

(

), the sixteen-year-old daughter of Bianca's deceased partner;

(

), Bianca's five-year-old daughter; and

(

Devon Higgs The following is a list of characters that first appeared in the BBC soap opera ''EastEnders'' which aired in 2008 (by order of first appearance). All characters were introduced by executive producer Diederick Santer. Santer introduced four ch ...

), Bianca's two-year-old son, "the most poiltout of all of the kids". To promote the family's introduction, the BBC began airing trailers across the BBC network in March 2008. One trailer saw Bianca singing

The Jackson 5 The Jackson 5 (sometimes stylized as the Jackson 5ive, also known as the Jacksons) are an American pop band composed of members of the Jackson family. The group was founded in 1964 in Gary, Indiana, and for most o ...

hit "

I Want You Back "I Want You Back" is the first national single by the Jackson 5. It was released by Motown on October 6, 1969, and became the first number-one hit for the band on January 31, 1970. It was performed on the band's first television appearances, on ...

" and performing a dance routine along with her four children. The promo uses the tag line "Introducing The Jackson 5". Within three days of being posted on the video sharing website

YouTube YouTube is a global online video platform, online video sharing and social media, social media platform headquartered in San Bruno, California. It was launched on February 14, 2005, by Steve Chen, Chad Hurley, and Jawed Karim. It is owned by ...

, the promo had been viewed 52,000 times. Palmer and

, who portrays Liam's grandmother

Carol Jackson Carol Jackson is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera ''EastEnders'', played by Lindsey Coulson. The character was introduced in 1993 as the mother of the Jackson family. Coulson decided to quit the role in 1997, but she returned tem ...

, took a break from the series for six months in 2012. Producers wrote out Liam, Tiffany and Morgan in conjunction with their break. They departed in April 2012.

Gang involvement

In January 2013, it was reported that Liam would be involved in a gang storyline, starting in March.

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 launch in 1999, Digital Spy has focused on entertainment news related to television programmes, ...

said Liam "

oes Oes or owes were metallic "O" shaped rings or eyelets sewn on to clothes and furnishing textiles for decorative effect in England and at the Elizabethan and Jacobean court. They were smaller than modern sequins. Making and metals Robert Sharp obta ...

off the rails when he gets involved with a gang in an upcoming storyline." They said the storyline would run "for a while", and Forde had tweeted about being "very busy" at work with "great stuff coming up". It emerged that ''EastEnders'' producers had worked with charity

to "highlight the growing problem of teen involvement in gangs." The plot was called "hard-hitting", and it was reported that Bianca would try to get Liam to choose between the gang and his family, though his choice remained to be seen. ''EastEnders'' undertook research into why teenagers become involved in gangs and the effects the it can have. 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 of the storyline, "We are delighted to be working with Comic Relief once again. This subject matter is something which is touching the lives of so many young people in London and other cities around the UK. We have taken the opportunity to see the impact from a mother's perspective, and Patsy Palmer gives a powerful performance of a mother doing all she can to protect her son. The telling of this story has also given us the chance to explore the reasons behind the attraction of gangs for teenagers." Judith McNeill, Grants Director for Comic Relief, added: "Comic Relief is really excited to be working with ''EastEnders'' again to highlight an important issue supported by Red Nose Day. ..This year's storyline should play an ..important role in promoting greater understanding of why young people are vulnerable to becoming involved in gangs." The storyline included a six-minute episode broadcast during

Red Nose Day Comic relief is the inclusion of a humorous character, scene, or witty dialogue in an otherwise serious work, often to relieve tension. Definition Comic relief usually means a releasing of emotional or other tension resulting from a comic episo ...

on 15 March 2013.

Departure (2015)

On 27 April 2015, it was announced that Forde would be written out but exact details of his exit were being kept under wraps. James Forde tweeted; "Absolutely honoured to have a world with some of the people I have worked with. It's amazing and the future is exciting." The character made his final appearance on 17 August 2015.

Return (2021)

A return for the character was speculated in September 2021 after his name was released in an upcoming episode synopsis online. The character made an unannounced return in the episode first broadcast on 1 October 2021. Producers chose to recast the role and actor Alfie Deegan took over the role. He returns for a guest stint. Liam's return story sees him arrive to Walford under the guise of supporting Tiffany but with an ulterior motive. Forde, who changed careers after leaving ''EastEnders'', was not disgruntled by the recast and expressed his happiness with his new career. Liam's guest stint ends in the episode first broadcast on 14 December 2021. His exit story ties in with Tiffany's exit from the series as they both move to Germany together.

Reception

Kate White of ''

Inside Soap ''Inside Soap'' is a weekly magazine published in the United Kingdom, released every Tuesday. It covers current and future storylines in soap operas in the United Kingdom, including '' Coronation Street'', ''Doctors'', ''EastEnders'', ''Emmerdal ...

'' praised Forde's acting during Liam's gang involvement storyline, but admitted she could not see the appeal of gangs: "The Bianca and Liam story was brilliantly acted – but we really couldn't see what the great appeal of gang life was supposed to have been. It seemed to be all dingy bedsits and general skulking about."

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Butcher, Liam Child characters in television Television characters introduced in 1998 Fictional gang members Fictional thieves Fictional characters with dyslexia Male characters in television Beale family (EastEnders) Fictional criminals in soap operas Teenage characters in television

Storylines

Creation and development

Gang involvement

Departure (2015)

Return (2021)

Reception

See also

References

External links