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Janine Carter (also Butcher, Evans and Malloy) is a fictional character 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. ...

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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'', introduced in 1989. The character was played by Rebecca Michael from 1989 to 1993, Alexia Demetriou from 1993 to 1996, and

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 ...

from 1999 onwards. Brooks initially departed on 7 May 2004. She returned for a three episode guest stint in April 2008 before returning permanently on 18 December of that year. Brooks later took a break from September 2012 until April 2013, then departed again on 20 March 2014. In April 2021, it was announced that Brooks will reprise the role once again and would return later in the year. She returned on 6 September 2021. It was announced on 24 September 2022 that Brooks had once again decided to leave the show, and her final scenes will air on 26 December 2022. The character has been described as a "super-bitch" and a "classic villainess". She has proven popular with critics and fans of the show. Her storylines typically involve her in an antagonistic role. She has been married five times; Barry Evans (

Shaun Williamson Shaun Williamson (born 29 November 1965) is an English actor best known as Barry Evans in '' EastEnders'' and as a satirical version of himself in the BBC/ HBO sitcom '' Extras'', 'Barry off EastEnders'. Early life Williamson was born in Park ...

) whom she killed on New Year’s Day 2004,

David David (; , "beloved one") (traditional spelling), , ''Dāwūd''; grc-koi, Δαυΐδ, Dauíd; la, Davidus, David; gez , ዳዊት, ''Dawit''; xcl, Դաւիթ, ''Dawitʿ''; cu, Давíдъ, ''Davidŭ''; possibly meaning "beloved one". w ...

(

Harry Towb Harry Towb (27 July 1925 – 24 July 2009) was an actor from Northern Ireland. Early life and career Towb was born in Larne, County Antrim, to a Russian-Jewish father and an Irish-Jewish mother; he once claimed he was the only Jew ever born ...

Ryan Malloy Ryan Malloy is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera ''EastEnders'', played by Neil McDermott. From his arrival on 28 April 2009, the character remained a mystery in the show for a number of months, until he was revealed as the half-brot ...

(

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 Nex ...

), Michael Moon ( Steve John Shepherd) and

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 annou ...

(

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'', with other notable roles as Mick Carter in EastEnders, Billy the Limpet in '' Mean Machine'' and as Tommy Johns ...

). Her feuds include a long-standing conflict with former stepmothers

Pat Butcher Pat Evans (also Beale, Harris, Wicks and Butcher) is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera '' EastEnders''. She was played by Pam St Clement from 12 June 1986, just over a year after the show first aired, until her departure on 1 Janua ...

(

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 ap ...

) and

Peggy Mitchell Margaret Ann "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. ...

(

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''.

), Sonia Jackson (

Natalie Cassidy Natalie Ann Cassidy (born 13 May 1983) is an English actress. She has played Sonia Fowler in ''EastEnders'' since 1993, appeared in the BBC Two sitcom-horror '' Psychoville'' and was a contestant on the seventh series of ''Strictly Come Dan ...

Lynne Slater Lynne Slater (previously Hobbs) is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera ''EastEnders'', played by Elaine Lordan. The character appears between 18 September 2000 and 2 July 2004. Lynne is a fierce judge of right and wrong, although she ...

(

Elaine Lordan Elaine Bernadette Lordan (born 15 December 1966) is a British former actress, best known for her role as 'Sugar Walls' in the comedy series ''Gimme Gimme Gimme'' and playing Lynne Hobbs in ''EastEnders'' from 2000–2004. Following several tr ...

), Laura Beale (

Hannah Waterman Hannah Elizabeth Waterman (born 22 July 1975) is an English actress. She is best known for her portrayal of Laura Beale in the BBC soap opera ''EastEnders'' (2000–2004). Early life Waterman was born on 22 July 1975 in London to actor Denn ...

Kat Slater Kathleen "Kat" Slater (also Moon) is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera ''EastEnders'', played by Jessie Wallace. She is also played by Kate Peck in a flashback in 2001 and Sumar-Elise Sandford in a flashback in 2018. Kat is the sec ...

(

Jessie Wallace Karen Jane Wallace (born 25 September 1971), known professionally as Jessie Wallace, is an English actress. She is known for portraying the role of Kat Slater on the BBC soap opera '' EastEnders'' since 2000. Her role as Kat won her the Natio ...

Stacey Slater Stacey Slater (also Branning and Fowler) is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera ''EastEnders'', portrayed by Lacey Turner. She first appears in episode 2826, originally broadcast on 1 November 2004. The character is introduced as a fe ...

(

Lacey Turner Lacey Amelia Turner (born 28 March 1988) is an English actress. She is known for portraying the role of Stacey Slater on the BBC soap opera ''EastEnders'' (2004–2010, 2014–present), for which she has won over thirty awards, including four ...

) and

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 ...

). Her initial departure saw Janine being wrongfully charged for the death of Laura Beale. Upon her return, Janine is caught forging a wedding to a wealthy, old-age

pensioner A pensioner is a person who receives a pension, most commonly because of retirement from the workforce. This is a term typically used in the United Kingdom (along with OAP, initialism of old-age pensioner), Ireland and Australia where someone of p ...

, that ends with her new husband abruptly dying of a fatal heart attack upon discovering her false identity. She later accidentally kills local resident 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 Pa ...

) by running her down in her car; conspires with Peggy's husband Archie (

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 ...

) to defraud the

Mitchell family The Mitchell family is a fictional family in ''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 sister Sam ( Danniella ...

from their ownership of

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 wa ...

; becomes a prime suspect in Archie's murder investigation (see

Who Killed Archie? "Who Killed Archie?" is a storyline from the BBC soap opera ''EastEnders''. It began on 25 December 2009, Christmas Day, when the character Archie Mitchell, played by Larry Lamb, was murdered by an unseen person. Events leading up to and following ...

) before attempting to kill her third husband Ryan by poisoning him. She later gives birth to a daughter Scarlett with fourth husband Michael before eventually stabbing and killing him - leading to her third departure from the show. Following her 2021 return, Janine’s storylines have involved her impersonating a doctor, being in a custody battle for Scarlett with Kat, accidentally starting a fire which almost kills Scarlett and Kat’s son,

Tommy Moon The following are characters who first appeared, or returned, in the BBC soap opera '' EastEnders'' during 2010 listed by order of first appearance. Executive producer Diederick Santer left ''EastEnders'' on 26 February 2010, handing over to Br ...

(Sonny Kendall), reigniting her feuds with both Kat and Stacey, framing

Jay Brown Jay Brown (also Mitchell) is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera ''EastEnders'', played by Jamie Borthwick. He made his first appearance on 14 December 2006. Jay's storylines since joining the programme have included being part of a ...

(

Jamie Borthwick Jamie Simon Borthwick (born 23 June 1994) is an English actor who has portrayed the role of Jay Brown in the BBC soap opera ''EastEnders'' since 2006. He is also known for his role in Not Going out as The kid who Kicks Lee Career Borthwick ha ...

) for car theft, manipulating a separation between

(

) and his wife

Linda Linda may refer to: As a name * Linda (given name), a female given name (including a list of people and fictional characters so named) * Linda (singer) (born 1977), stage name of Svetlana Geiman, a Russian singer * Anita Linda (born Alice Lake i ...

(

) in order to have him to herself; regaining custody of Scarlett, starting a feud with Linda in which she frames her for a car accident, blackmailing

Jada Lennox The following is a list of characters that first appeared in the British soap opera '' EastEnders'' in 2021, by order of first appearance. All characters are introduced by the show's senior executive producer, Kate Oates, and executive produce ...

(Kelsey Calladine-Smith) into helping her bring Linda down, discovering she is pregnant with Mick's child and later marrying him.

Storylines

1989–1996

A troublesome child, Janine throws tantrums, runs away, is a bed-wetter, a sleep-walker, a thief, a compulsive liar and a self-harmer, and hates Pat. Unable to discipline her, Pat forces Frank to take Janine to family therapy, which somehow helps. Janine refuses to go to school and Ricky finds out she is being bullied. When Frank has a breakdown and disappears in 1994, Janine stays with Pat but finds her father's absence upsetting. Janine makes friends with

Clare Bates Clare Bates (also Tyler) is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera '' EastEnders'', played by Gemma Bissix. Bissix originally played the character as a schoolgirl from 1993 to 1998. She left the serial with her screen stepfather Nigel Bat ...

(

Gemma Bissix Gemma Bissix (born 6 June 1983) is an English actress. She has been acting since the age of 9. Her most prominent roles have been in soap operas, as Clare Bates in ''EastEnders'' (1993–1998, 2008) and Clare Devine in '' Hollyoaks'' (2006–20 ...

) and Sonia Jackson (

) and they cause trouble for Felix Kawalski (

Harry Landis Harry Landis (born Hyman Jacob Londinsky, 25 November 1926 – 11 September 2022) was a British actor and director. He had a long career in theatre, film and television, spanning over 60 years. Landis was best known for playing barber Felix K ...

), when they spread rumours that he is a pervert who murdered his wife, and keeps her body in his cellar. She is overjoyed when Frank returns, and they move to Manchester in 1996. However, Frank returns to Walford in 1998, leaving Janine with her sister Clare.

1999–2004

Janine returns to live with Frank and his new wife,

(

). She sets about coming between them, constantly trying to antagonise Frank with rebellious behaviour. She sleeps with

Jamie Mitchell Jamie Mitchell is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera '' EastEnders'', played by Jack Ryder. The character debuted on 9 November 1998 and became one of the show's central protagonists until he was killed-off on 25 December 2002. Du ...

( Jack Ryder) and humiliates him by spreading rumours about his inadequate prowess. Frank abandons Janine after the breakdown of his marriage to Peggy. Homeless, Janine is taken in by

Terry Raymond Terry Raymond is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera ''EastEnders'', played by Gavin Richards. Terry is initially introduced briefly in 1996 as the drunken father of Tiffany (Martine McCutcheon) and Simon Raymond ( Andrew Lynford). H ...

(

Gavin Richards Gavin Richards (born 3 July 1946) is an English actor, writer and director. He is best known for playing Captain Alberto Bertorelli in the BBC sitcom Allo 'Allo!'' from 1987 to 1989, and Terry Raymond in the BBC soap opera '' EastEnders'' ...

); they start a business together as estate agents. Terry sees Janine as a surrogate daughter, but Janine's constant manipulation tests his patience. Janine uses him for money, deliberately dresses like his late daughter

Tiffany Mitchell Tiffany Mitchell (also Raymond) is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera ''EastEnders'', played by Martine McCutcheon from 1995 until 1999. The character was created by the writer, Tony Jordan. She was introduced as a school friend of B ...

(

Martine McCutcheon Martine Kimberley Sherrie McCutcheon (formerly Ponting, born 14 May 1976) is an English actress and singer. She began appearing in television commercials at an early age and made her television debut in the children's television drama '' Bluebir ...

), ruins his relationships with women and tries to seduce him. Janine also has a relationship with

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 ...

) until he runs out of money. This behaviour infuriates Terry but Janine starts using

cocaine Cocaine (from , from , ultimately from Quechua: ''kúka'') is a central nervous system (CNS) stimulant mainly used recreationally for its euphoric effects. It is primarily obtained from the leaves of two Coca species native to South Ameri ...

and pesters Terry for money to feed her habit. When he refuses, she resorts to sex with her drug dealer, Lee Vickers (Dermot Keaney), in exchange for cocaine; Vickers beats Terry up when he tries to warn him off. When he sees Janine's lack of remorse, Terry throws her out and leaves Walford, ignoring her pleas for him to stay. Owing Vickers money for drugs, Janine turns to prostitution under the alias "Blonde Bombshell". One of her clients, Matt Lindsay (

Matthew Steer Matthew Steer (born 24 April 1978) is an English actor and writer. He made his stage debut in 1989 and is known for his roles as Ricky Ryan in '' Silent Witness'', Matt Lindsay in '' EastEnders'' and Albert Pemberton in '' Partners in Crime''. ...

), falls in love with her and proposes marriage, but attempts suicide when he learns she is still a prostitute.

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 ...

) begins using her services but she blackmails him, threatening to tell his wife Laura (

) unless he pays her. Depressed, Janine begins drinking heavily and nearly dies of

alcohol poisoning Alcohol intoxication, also known as alcohol poisoning, commonly described as drunkenness or inebriation, is the negative behavior and physical effects caused by a recent consumption of alcohol. In addition to the toxicity of ethanol, the main ps ...

. She gives up prostitution, but when Laura discovers that she has been having sex with Ian, she throws a pan of boiling milk in Janine's face. As a result, Janine becomes

agoraphobic Agoraphobia is a mental and behavioral disorder, specifically an anxiety disorder characterized by symptoms of anxiety in situations where the person perceives their environment to be unsafe with no easy way to escape. These situations can ...

and eats dog food because she is too afraid to go outside to buy food. She eventually gets over this with Billy's help. Janine hopes to rekindle their relationship but is devastated when she learns that he is in love with Little Mo Morgan (

Kacey Ainsworth Kacey Ainsworth (born 19 October 1968) is an English actress, best known for portraying the role of Little Mo in the BBC soap opera ''EastEnders'' and Cathy Keating in ITV drama ''Grantchester''. Early life Ainsworth trained at the Royal Ce ...

). Janine gets a job working at Barry Evans' (

) car lot after becoming friendly with Barry, following the death of his father

Roy Roy is a masculine given name and a family surname with varied origin. In Anglo-Norman England, the name derived from the Norman ''roy'', meaning "king", while its Old French cognate, ''rey'' or ''roy'' (modern ''roi''), likewise gave rise to ...

(

Tony Caunter Anthony Patrick Caunter (born 22 September 1937) is a Retired British actor best known for his role as Jack Shepherd in the Yorkshire TV sitcom ''Queenie's Castle'' and also his portrayal of Roy Evans in ''EastEnders'' from 1994 to 2003. The s ...

). She and her friend,

Paul Trueman Paul Trueman is a fictional character from the British BBC soap opera ''EastEnders'', played by Gary Beadle. The character, who first arrived onto Albert Square on 23 April 2001 and later departed the programme on 23 December 2004, was portraye ...

(

Gary Beadle Gary Beadle (born 8 July 1965) is a British actor, best known for playing Paul Trueman in '' EastEnders'' and Gary Barwick in ''Operation Good Guys''. Life and career Beadle was raised as one of five children in Bermondsey, South London, wh ...

) plan to fleece Barry out of his money. She seduces Barry and moves in with him, but also sleeps with Paul. Eventually, Barry proposes to Janine, and she accepts, thinking that Barry has a life-threatening

heart murmur Heart murmurs are unique heart sounds produced when blood flows across a heart valve or blood vessel. This occurs when turbulent blood flow creates a sound loud enough to hear with a stethoscope. Turbulent blood flow is not smooth. The sound di ...

. They marry on New Year's Eve 2003 in Scotland, but Janine is furious when Barry's illness turns out to be a false alarm. They take a stroll around the hills and cliffs on New Year's Day 2004, but Janine cracks and admits everything. Barry refuses to believe that she does not love him and tries to embrace her. Repulsed, Janine pushes him away and he falls down a cliff, fatally hitting his head on a rock; Janine watches him die. As his widow, Janine inherits Barry's estate and has him cremated in Scotland, denying his friends and family a chance to pay their respects. This makes Barry's ex-wife

Natalie Natalie may refer to: People * Natalie (given name) * Natalie (singer) (born 1979), Mexican-American R&B singer/songwriter * Shahan Natalie (1884–1983), Armenian writer and principal organizer of Operation Nemesis Music Albums * ''Nata ...

(

Lucy Speed Lucy Renee Speed (born 31 August 1976) is an English actress best known for her television roles as Natalie Evans in the BBC One soap opera ''EastEnders'' from 1994 to 1995 and again from 1999 until 2004, and as DS Stevie Moss in the ITV police ...

) suspicious, and she becomes close to Paul, who feels guilty about his role in Barry's death. Spurred on by Natalie, Paul gives a statement to the police, implicating Janine in Barry's death. Janine is arrested, but released without charge, due to lack of evidence, and spitefully tells Natalie that she has managed to get away with murder; however, telling Pat proves to be her downfall. Pat is also friends with Laura, who has a feud with Janine, who in turn angers the locals by reporting Laura for benefit fraud and announces it in

. Janine and Laura are seen fighting just before Laura dies after falling down the stairs. It is noted in the post mortem that Laura had recently been in a fight due to bruising, and Janine's skin is found under her nails. Although Janine was with Pat when Laura died, Pat refuses to give Janine an alibi, and brands her 'pure evil'. In desperation, Janine goes to Paul and offers to sleep with him in return for an alibi, but Paul refuses. She is arrested by the police, charged with Laura's murder and remanded in custody in May 2004. Janine stands trial off-screen in December 2005, and Frank tries to persuade Pat to tell the truth in court, giving Janine an alibi. Pat refuses, but a conversation with Laura's mother Edwina Dunn ( Gay Hamilton) forces Pat to tell the court what really happened. Janine is released but leaves Frank outside the courtroom.

2008–2014

Janine returns for Frank's funeral and is angry that he has not left any money in his will; she scatters his ashes before departing. Pat and Ricky later discover that Janine is masquerading as a Jewish orphan named 'Judith Bernstein' so she can marry an elderly Jewish man named

(

) for his money. They trace Janine to a synagogue, where, just after Janine and David are married, Pat exposes Janine. David has a heart attack and dies, and a now homeless Janine has no choice but to return to Walford. Soon, she makes various enemies, among them

Jack Branning Jack Branning is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera ''EastEnders'', played by Scott Maslen. He made his first appearance on 29 October 2007. He is the youngest child of Jim (John Bardon) and Reenie Branning (Joy Graham) and the brot ...

(

Scott Maslen Scott Alexander Maslen (born 25 June 1971) is an English actor and model, best known for his portrayal as DS Phil Hunter in ITV's ''The Bill'' and Jack Branning on the BBC's flagship soap ''EastEnders'' since 2007. He also took part in the 20 ...

), whom Janine drugs and then restrains so she can gain a taped confession of his past misdemeanours, which she uses as blackmail to gain control of Walford's car lot. Pat and Jack usurp her, reclaiming the business. Whilst driving around the square, Janine accidentally knocks down Danielle Jones (

), the long-lost daughter of Jack's girlfriend

Ronnie Mitchell Veronica "Ronnie" Branning (also Mitchell) is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera, ''EastEnders'', played by Samantha Womack. She and her younger sister Roxy Mitchell (played by Rita Simons) were introduced by executive producer Died ...

(

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 i ...

); moments later, Danielle dies and Janine is left guilt-ridden. Though Janine is cleared of any blame, it causes a rift between her and the Mitchells. In need of money, Janine teams up with Ronnie's father

Archie Mitchell Archibald Lionel "Archie" Mitchell is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera ''EastEnders'', played by Larry Lamb. He first appeared on 8 July 2008 as a newest member of the Mitchell family—who had first appeared on the soap in 1990� ...

(

); they make plans to ruin the Mitchell family by taking The Queen Vic from them. When they manipulate Archie's niece Sam Mitchell (

Danniella Westbrook Danniella Westbrook (born 5 November 1973) is an English actress, best known for originally playing Sam Mitchell in the BBC soap opera ''EastEnders'' on and off from 1990 to 2000 and 2009 to 2016. Away from ''EastEnders'', she has presented va ...

) into breaking her bail terms, the Mitchells lose bail surety and face financial ruin. Ian provides the Mitchells with a loan, on condition they use their pub as

collateral Collateral may refer to: Business and finance * Collateral (finance), a borrower's pledge of specific property to a lender, to secure repayment of a loan * Marketing collateral, in marketing and sales Arts, entertainment, and media * ''Collate ...

. Janine has sex with Ian, recording the tryst, then blackmails him, threatening to show his wife

Jane Beale Lesley Jane Beale (also Clarke and Collins) is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera, ''EastEnders'', played by Laurie Brett. She made her first appearance on 22 June 2004. Brett took maternity leave in 2011 and departed on 19 May. Sh ...

(

Laurie Brett Laurie Brett (born 28 March 1969) is a Scottish actress, best known for her roles as Jane Beale in the BBC One soap opera '' EastEnders'' and Christine Mulgrew in the BBC One school-based drama series '' Waterloo Road''. Early and personal life ...

) unless he sells the Mitchell loan to Archie. Archie subsequently takes control of The Queen Vic when he refuses to allow the Mitchells to meet the terms of the loan. Meanwhile, Janine and her flatmate

(

), with whom Janine is having sex, plan to fleece Archie. He and Janine announce their engagement, but on Christmas Day, Archie – who has realised Janine is intending to con him – throws her onto the street, leaving her distraught. That same day, Archie is murdered by an unknown assailant (see

). Janine becomes a suspect for his murder, though she denies it. While she attempts to frame Ian and the Mitchells for the murder, Peggy attempts to frame her, planting evidence in her flat, which leads to an arrest but no charge. In the end, Janine is cleared and fellow resident

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 ...

(

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. Biograph ...

) is held falsely responsible for the murder - although, unknown to everyone, Archie's killer was in fact Bradley's wife

Stacey Branning Stacey Slater (also Branning and Fowler) is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera ''EastEnders'', portrayed by Lacey Turner. She first appears in episode 2826, originally broadcast on 1 November 2004. The character is introduced as a fe ...

(

) - whom he had previously raped amid his conspiracy with Janine. When Ryan confesses his love for Janine, she recoils, but when he attempts to leave Walford, she admits she loves him too. Despite Janine nearly straying on her hen night, she and Ryan marry, but marital happiness is short-lived when Ryan discovers he is the father of Stacey's daughter

Lily ''Lilium'' () is a genus of herbaceous flowering plants growing from bulbs, all with large prominent flowers. They are the true lilies. Lilies are a group of flowering plants which are important in culture and literature in much of the world. M ...

. A feud erupts between Janine and Stacey when Janine reports her to Social Services for neglecting Lily. Later, Janine kidnaps Lily, suggesting to Ryan they leave Walford with the child to separate Ryan from Stacey. Her games push Ryan and Stacey closer together and they begin an affair. Janine later finds out about Stacey's affair with Ryan and she vows to kill them both. She buys sedatives and poisons Ryan. He is left bedridden but manages to escape, and ends their marriage publicly after being released from hospital. Hurt and angry, Janine discovers Stacey is Archie's murderer and goes public with this, but is largely ignored with no concrete evidence. Desperate, Janine visits Stacey; she stabs herself to try to frame Stacey for her own attempted murder, but Stacey escapes the country before arrest. Blaming Janine for Stacey's departure, Ryan refuses to reunite with Janine and attempts to kill her by removing her oxygen tubing when she is hospitalised. She is saved by Ricky's chance arrival, but both Ricky and Pat denounce Janine's actions when she admits her injuries are self-inflicted. Ricky and Janine receive news that their maternal rich 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 made h ...

(

Margaret Tyzack Margaret Maud Tyzack (9 September 193125 June 2011) was an English actress. Her television roles included '' The Forsyte Saga'' (1967) and '' I, Claudius'' (1976). She won the 1970 BAFTA TV Award for Best Actress for the BBC serial ''The First ...

Heather Chasen Heather Jean Chasen (20 July 1927 – 22 May 2020) was an English actress, known for her roles in soap operas; playing Valerie Pollard in the ITV soap opera, '' Crossroads'', from 1982 to 1986 and guest roles in '' Doctors'', '' Holby ...

) is ill and in need of care. Janine takes her grandmother in, with the ulterior motive of inheriting her fortune. Janine learns that Lydia is very similar to herself, and eventually admits she loves her grandmother, but Lydia's health quickly deteriorates. Janine discovers Lydia has left all her money to charity, but admits to Lydia that she no longer cares, during a heartfelt conversation. Before she dies, Lydia explains that she wanted to look after Janine after her mother died, but Pat and Frank would not allow it. Janine is devastated by Lydia's death, but her family, including Pat, accuse her of killing her. At Ryan's behest, Janine is questioned by police, but released without charge, and Janine is stunned when she inherits Lydia's estate, making her a millionaire. Janine later happily achieves full closure from Ryan after learning that he has fled Walford. Janine buys various properties and businesses; she starts a property management company and a women's fitness centre with her boyfriend Michael Moon ( Steve John Shepherd). She also buys a share in the nightclub R&R, making

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) her reluctant partner; both clash over the running of the club. When Pat needs money to pay debts, Janine gives her a loan, insisting Pat use her house as collateral. She later brings the loan payment deadline forward, refusing to believe Pat is dying. Janine makes peace with Pat before her death, with Pat convincing a pregnant Janine to keep Michael's child. Janine accepts Michael's marriage proposal after he reluctantly agrees to sign a

prenuptial agreement A prenuptial agreement, antenuptial agreement, or premarital agreement (commonly referred to as a prenup), is a written contract entered into by a couple prior to marriage or a civil union that enables them to select and control many of the leg ...

. When

Jean Slater Jean Slater (also Walters) is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera, ''EastEnders'', played by Gillian Wright. Her first appearance is in the episode first broadcast in the United Kingdom on 16 December 2004. Having only been introduce ...

(

Gillian Wright Gillian Wright (born 5 May 1960) is an English actress, best known for portraying the role of Jean Slater on the BBC soap opera ''EastEnders'' since 2004, for which she has won a number of awards. She was a teacher and theatre director before ...

) tells everyone, including Janine, that Michael stole her money and lied to her, Janine refuses to believe Jean's claims and dismisses them because Jean is bipolar. However,

Kat Moon Kathleen "Kat" Slater (also Moon) is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera ''EastEnders'', played by Jessie Wallace. She is also played by Kate Peck in a flashback in 2001 and Sumar-Elise Sandford in a flashback in 2018. Kat is the sec ...

(

) returns and demands Janine repay the funds, or she will go to the police. Michael eventually confesses the truth to Janine on her wedding day and offers her an ultimatum: that she rip up the prenuptial agreement or the wedding is off. Janine is torn between the two but eventually agrees to cancel the pre-nup; Janine and Michael marry but she goes into labour 11 weeks early at the wedding reception. At the hospital, Janine undergoes a cesarean and her daughter is put into an incubator, which distresses Janine. The baby is named Scarlett. Janine begins to doubt Michael's intent when he asks to be a signatory on the business accounts and buys a sports car, so orders Billy to change the combination on the office safe. Michael's strange behaviour continues, leaving Janine convinced he is having an affair. She confronts him, offering him a suitcase of money and saying that if he really loves her, he will refuse to take it. Michael is furious and tells Janine that she cannot hope to be a good mother to their baby. Believing him to be right, Janine packs her bags and hands Scarlett to Michael, taking the money and leaving. Michael is informed that Janine has transferred all the money from her bank accounts and has ordered that her business Butcher's Joints be closed down, transferring all her properties over to another estate agent, leaving Michael with nothing. Several months later, Janine returns to Walford and visits Michael. Janine tells Michael that she is back for Scarlett, and manipulates Michael into giving her custody of Scarlett, denying him parental access. She then hires Michael's former nanny,

Alice Branning Alice Branning is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera ''EastEnders'', played by Jasmyn Banks. Alice is the daughter of Derek Branning ( Jamie Foreman). She made her first appearance on 10 May 2012. The character and casting was annou ...

( Jasmyn Banks) to look after Scarlett, who is Michael’s secret ally. When Janine catches Alice stealing jewellery from her house, Alice explains she is stressed because Michael is putting demands on her to see Scarlett, and she has been letting him do so. Janine agrees that it is better for Scarlett, in the long-run, to have a relationship with both her parents. At Ian's restaurant opening, Janine, as an investor, has the sign and name of the restaurant changed from "Ian Beale @ Le Square" to "Scarlett's". They apparently call a truce, but Janine then leaves in a car with Scarlett, telling Michael that she may never return. Michael eventually tracks Janine down and she returns to Walford. She employs

Danny Pennant 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. ...

(

Gary Lucy Gary Edward Lucy (born 27 November 1981) is an English actor, television personality and model who is best known for playing Will Fletcher in the ITV police drama ''The Bill'', Luke Morgan in ''Hollyoaks'', Kyle Pascoe in '' Footballer's Wives ...

), who buys a share in Michael's boxing club. Janine has sex with Danny but tells him that it is a one off. She rehires Alice as her nanny, unaware that she is still being manipulated by Michael, but fires her again when she tells Janine that she had sex with Michael. The increasing animosity between Janine and Michael leads to her taking out an injunction out against him. Michael then begins a plot to kill Janine, and involves Alice in his plans. Alice has second thoughts and tells Janine of Michael's plans. When Janine confronts Michael, he tries to strangle her, leading to Alice stabbing Michael in the back to stop him. Alice then leaves to answer the door, but realising Michael is still alive, Janine stabs him again in the stomach, killing him. Alice believes she killed him, and Janine tells the police that Alice stabbed Michael twice and also attacked her. Alice's brother,

Joey Branning Joey Branning is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera ''EastEnders'', played by David Witts. Introduced on 22 June 2012 by producer Bryan Kirkwood, Joey is the estranged son of established character Derek Branning (Jamie Foreman) and the ...

(

David Witts David Peter S. Witts (born 30 June 1991) is a British actor and model, best known for his portrayal of Joey Branning in the long-running British television soap opera, ''EastEnders'', in which he appeared from 2012 to 2013. Early life Witts a ...

), seduces Janine in a bid to extract the truth from her, but fails. Janine's former stepbrother

David Wicks David Wicks is a fictional character from the BBC TV soap opera '' EastEnders'', played by Michael French. David originally appeared from 23 December 1993 to 21 November 1996. He returned to the show on 1 January 2012 and departed two weeks late ...

(

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 ...

) suspects that Janine is guilty of the murder, so he manipulates her into allowing him to stay at her house, and then into admitting that she killed Michael. David promises to keep her secret, but has secretly recorded the confession on his phone. Meanwhile, Janine is planning to buy The Queen Vic, and sells her share of R&R and her car to do so. David then reveals the recording to Janine and blackmails her into giving him the £250,000 she has raised. Janine panics, and tries to kill David by hitting him with a car. However, he suffers only minor injuries. After she hands over the cash, he threatens to call the police anyway. She convinces him to give her a day to get away, but

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 ...

(

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 ...

) finds David's phone and plays the confession. She gives the phone to Joey, who calls the police and Janine is arrested for Michael's murder, and is taken away by the police. In February 2014, Kat and Stacey visit Janine in prison and try to convince her to drop the false statement she made against Stacey three years ago. Janine agrees on the condition that Kat provides her with a false witness testimony to Michael's murder, backing up Janine's story that Alice killed him. At the trial, Kat agrees and does as she is told. However, halfway through the trial, Alice tries to kill herself in her cell and is immediately rushed to hospital. Because of this, Janine admits the truth. The jury later returns with a not guilty verdict for both Alice and Janine. Janine briefly returns to Walford and tries to make amends with the locals in The Queen Vic, but everyone, including Carol, is completely hostile towards her and she is forced to leave. Janine then leaves for Paris to join Scarlett and Diane, and it is hinted that she plans to con a couple who have just won the lottery. Off-screen in December 2019, Janine sells the house that the Slater family are living in to

Kheerat Panesar The following is a list of characters introduced to the BBC soap opera '' EastEnders'' in 2019, by order of first appearance. The characters are introduced by the show's executive consultant, John Yorke, or his successors, senior executive pr ...

(

Jaz Deol Jaskiranjit Singh Deol (born 12 March 1989) is a British actor, known for portraying the role of Kheerat Panesar on the BBC soap opera '' EastEnders'' from 2019 to 2022. Career Deol made his onscreen debut in the 2010 television film ''Castin ...

) which leaves them homeless for Christmas.

2021–2022

In August 2021, Scarlett (now Tabitha Byron) contacts Kat's son

(Sonny Kendall) online, under the presumption that he is her cousin. She reveals that she has been in foster care due to Janine's neglect, and is about to be taken into care. She asks Tommy if she can live with him and Kat. In September 2021, Janine is seen impersonating as a doctor, under her former pseudonym "Judith Bernstein", and seduces Zack Hudson ( James Farrar). It is hinted that Janine has been impersonating a doctor to persuade Social Services that she is good enough to look after Scarlett. Janine later returns to Albert Square and confronts Kat, warning her about the lengths she will go to get Scarlett back. Janine attempts to reason with Kat, and reveals that she lost her fortune at some point after her departure from Walford, but this fails when Zack reveals Janine’s pseudonym, and her scam as a doctor is uncovered. Kat reveals the truth to social services, and soon Scarlett goes missing. Janine is accused of abducting Scarlett, however, she finds her hiding at the Mitchell’s with Tommy. Janine tries to get Scarlett to return with her but a scuffle unfolds with Tommy. Whilst trying to retrieve Scarlett, she pulls her cardigan and accidentally throws it onto the open flame of the stove, starting a fire. Tommy locks himself, Scarlett and Janine in his bedroom in an attempt to keep Janine from taking Scarlett. Once they realize the house is on fire, Janine takes control of the situation, and manages to get Scarlett to safety out the front door of the house, but has to go back for Tommy who ran into one of the bedrooms in a panic. She lifts Tommy out of a window, but let's go when an explosion caused by the fire knocks her back. Tommy survives and is taken to hospital, and Janine manages to escape when the firefighters arrive. Despite saving Tommy, Kat still goes against Janine in court to get custody of Scarlett and succeeds in doing so. This leads to Janine deciding to remain in Walford to fight for Scarlett. Despite struggling to get a job, she is employed by

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) at The Queen Vic. However her former business partner, Dr Cole, returns and offers Janine money to continue to impersonate her as a doctor, but Janine turns it down, wanting to prove to Kat and Scarlett that she has changed. Her fling with Zack continues and they sleep together. Kat later discovers that Janine has told Tommy about Michael, who is also his biological father, and kicks her out. Scarlett then finds out Tommy is actually her half-brother and not her cousin. Janine is forced to lodge with Billy,

(

), and Billy’s ex-wife

Honey Mitchell Honey Mitchell (also Edwards) is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera '' EastEnders'', played by Emma Barton. She made her first appearance in the show on 22 November 2005. The character left the show on 2 September 2008. Barton briefly ...

(

Emma Barton Emma Louise Barton (born 26 July 1977) is an English actress. She is perhaps best known for the role of Honey Mitchell in ''EastEnders'' which she has portrayed on and off since November 2005. Before her role in ''EastEnders'', Barton appeare ...

). She later forces Jay to give her a job at the car lot so that herself, her nephew

Liam Butcher Liam Butcher is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera ''EastEnders'', 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 ...

(Alfie Deegan) and Billy, can sell stolen cars to customers and incriminate Jay for car theft. They successfully manage to steal cars and Janine forges Jay's signature on the documents. Jay confronts Janine about the stolen cars and she reveals the truth. He later decides to join in on the scam, but Janine plants a stolen necklace from one of the stolen cars into Jay's belongings, and calls the police, leading to Jay's arrest. When it is revealed that Janine had orchestrated the scam, she is evicted by Honey. She later gets promoted as bar manager at The Queen Vic and becomes close with married landlord

(

), much to the annoyance of Mick's mother and her former nemesis

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 ...

). His daughter Nancy (

Maddy Hill Madeleine Kate Hayley Hill (born 19 March 1990) is an English actress, known for her roles as Nancy Carter in the BBC soap opera '' EastEnders'' and Ruby Spark in the BBC medical drama ''Casualty''. Career Hill trained at Rose Bruford College ...

) becomes suspicious of Janine when she moves into The Queen Vic after Honey evicts her. She later plans to seduce Mick, but he rebuffs her advances and orders her to leave, as he plans to rekindle his relationship with his recovering-alcoholic wife

(

). Janine interrupts Mick's plans by visiting Linda in her mother,

Elaine Peacock The following are characters who first appeared, or returned, in the BBC soap opera ''EastEnders'' during 2014 listed by order of first appearance. All new characters in 2014 were introduced by Dominic Treadwell-Collins, executive producer. ...

’s (

Maria Friedman Maria Friedman ( Freedman; born 19 March 1960) is a British actress and director of stage and screen, best known for her work in musical theatre. She is an eight-time Olivier Award nominee, winning three. Her first win was for her 1994 one-w ...

) pub, pretending her name is Judith Bernstein, and manipulating Linda into drinking again, upsetting Mick. Nancy remains suspicious of Janine and confronts her, leading to a fight in the pub. Janine decides to leave and moves in with her old frenemy Sonia, in an attempt to gain Mick's attention. When social services decide to investigate her, she asks Mick to pretend to be her boyfriend for her meeting with the social worker, in order to convince them that Scarlett will have a stable home. Mick agrees but is adamant that it is kept hidden from residents. Jay uncovers their plan and also gives Janine a bad character reference, forcing her to admit that she had lied, ruining her chances of regaining custody of Scarlett. Janine supports Mick when it is revealed that his aunt Tina Carter (

Luisa Bradshaw-White Luisa Bradshaw-White (born 9 December 1974) is a former English actress, known for playing Tina Carter in '' EastEnders'' and for her previous roles on '' Bad Girls'', '' Holby City'' and ''This Life''. She has also made appearances in televisi ...

) was murdered by serial killer

Gray Atkins The following is a list of characters introduced to the BBC soap opera '' EastEnders'' in 2019, by order of first appearance. The characters are introduced by the show's executive consultant, John Yorke, or his successors, senior executive pr ...

(

Toby-Alexander Smith Toby-Alexander Smith (born 26 February 1991) is an English actor, known for portraying the role of Gray Atkins in the BBC soap opera '' EastEnders'' from 2019 to 2022. Early life and education Smith was born on 26 February 1991 in Lichfield, ...

) and buried under the floorboards of the Arjee Bharjie. She uses Mick's grief to her own advantage and tries to help him overcome his bereavement by taking him to a grassland to vent his anger and he then kisses her, but she emotionally blackmails him by rejecting his advances. After this, Janine leaves to stay with Clare. She returns to support Mick during Tina's funeral, unaware that Linda is also there and recognises her. Linda is furious when she sees Janine comforting Mick and reveals that Janine had encouraged her to leave Mick. However, nobody believes her and Linda confronts Janine, leading to a fight. Linda is devastated when Mick decides to pursue a relationship with Janine. Janine is worried when Mick will not sleep with her, and when she sees Mick talking with her former step-niece

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, ...

), she becomes jealous and tries to intimidate Whitney by warning her off. Mick later reveals to Janine that he is struggling to be intimate with women after he was raped as a child by his social worker Katy Lewis (

Simone Lahbib Simone Nicole Jean Lahbib Ould Cheikl (; born 6 February 1965) is a Scottish actress. She is known for her roles as Helen Stewart in the ITV drama series '' Bad Girls'', DCI Alex Fielding in the ITV crime series ''Wire in the Blood'' and Katy L ...

). In May 2022, Janine re-gains custody of Scarlett after Scarlett tells Kat that she wants to live with Janine. Janine later becomes jealous when Mick spends time with Linda and tries to warn Linda away from Mick by taunting her about her alcoholism, causing Linda to continue drinking. Janine’s jealousy intensifies and she offers Linda money to leave Walford. Linda demands more money, which Janine cannot afford, and she resorts to fleecing Zack and Nancy, by luring her old associate Melissa (Hannah Bennett-Fox) into posing as an investor for their business. They believe that they are investing in a restaurant, however, Melissa steals their money and shares it with Janine. Janine gives Linda the money and she agrees to leave, but eventually decides to stay when she realises that she cannot leave her family, much to Janine’s annoyance. Linda later realises that Janine has stolen Nancy’s money and tries to tell her, but Nancy storms off after an argument. After Linda's car breaks down, Janine offers to drive them back to Walford but they argue and Janine loses concentration, causing her to crash into a tree. After believing that Linda is dead, Janine frames her for the accident, and goes to Australia with Scarlett. She however doesn’t go to Australia, and visits Linda in hospital to keep up her caring pretence. Linda's best friend

Sharon Watts Sharon Watts (also Rickman, Mitchell and Beale) is a fictional character from the BBC One soap opera '' EastEnders'', played by Letitia Dean. Sharon is one of ''EastEnders'' original characters conceptualised by creators Tony Holland and Ju ...

(

Letitia Dean Letitia Jane Dean (born 14 November 1967) is an English actress. She is 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 again ...

) plans to tell Mick about Janine stealing Nancy’s money, but Janine turns the tables on Sharon after finding out the stolen money is now in the hands of Sam Mitchell (now played by

Kim Medcalf Kim Louise Medcalf (born 8 December 1973) is an English actress and singer. She is best known for taking over the role of Sam Mitchell in the long-running BBC soap opera, ''EastEnders'', between 2002 and 2005 and from 2022 onwards. Career '' ...

), who has used it to purchase the local nightclub from

Ruby Allen A ruby is a pinkish red to blood-red colored gemstone, a variety of the mineral corundum ( aluminium oxide). Ruby is one of the most popular traditional jewelry gems and is very durable. Other varieties of gem-quality corundum are called sap ...

(

Louisa Lytton Louisa Claire Lytton (born 7 February 1989) is an English actress. She is known for her roles as Ruby Allen in '' EastEnders'' and Beth Green in ''The Bill''. She also finished fourth in the fourth series of '' Strictly Come Dancing'' in 20 ...

). Janine taunts Sharon by threatening to report Linda and the Mitchells to the fraud department for money-laundering, if Sharon does not pay her back the stolen £50,000; warning Sharon that Linda's alcoholism and Sharon being Phil's ex-wife would lead to the police believing her over Sharon. However, Sharon rebuffs Janine's threats, telling her she is just as guilty as they are. Janine continues feeling threatened by Linda’s presence in her and Mick's relationship and has her baby daughter Annie taken away by social services after blackmailing

(Kelsey Calladine-Smith) into hiding empty wine bottles around the house; however this backfires when Mick temporarily takes in Annie to look after. Janine later finds out she is pregnant with Mick's child and he proposes to her in which she accepts, although she later falls down the stairs at the tube station. Janine becomes paranoid when she sees Mick with Linda and suspects that they are having an affair. She lies to Mick saying their unborn baby's life is in danger, but Sonia discovers the truth and tries to force her to come clean. Janine is furious and lashes out, causing Sonia to call

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 r ...

(

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 ...

) back to Walford to help her.

Creation

Casting

The character was first mentioned in September 1987, when her father

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) first appeared on-screen. Frank and his children

(

) and

Diane Butcher Diane Butcher is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera '' EastEnders'', played by Sophie Lawrence. Diane appeared as a regular character between 1988 and 1991, when Lawrence decided to leave. The character made several brief returns in 19 ...

(

Sophie Lawrence Sophie Lawrence (born 12 June 1972, Ilford, London) is an English actress and singer. She played the role of Diane Butcher in the BBC soap opera ''EastEnders'' as a regular cast member from 1988 to 1991, making subsequent guest appearances ...

) were introduced as regular characters in 1988. However, Janine did not become a regular character until a year later, in June 1989, her arrival completing the Butcher family. Janine was initially seen as a 6-year-old, played by Rebecca Michael. In 1993, following a storyline that saw her stepmother

(

) imprisoned for manslaughter, Janine was sent to stay with her off-screen sister

Clare Butcher The following is a list of characters that first appeared in the BBC soap opera '' EastEnders'' in 1989, by order of first appearance. Maxine Roberts Maxine Roberts, played by Ella Wilder, is the selfish sister of Carmel Roberts (Judith Ja ...

, but she returned later that year, played by 11-year-old Alexia Demetriou who reigned as Janine from 14 October 1993 until 12 March 1996, when the character was written out again, as Demetriou left to concentrate on her studies. Executive producer Matthew Robinson re-introduced Janine in 1999 as a 16-year-old played by

. On her getting the part Brooks said, "It's funny, but for as long as I can remember I knew I was going to make it, I never worried about my career or money, and when I left college I was headstrong and confident and felt very grown. Then I joined ''EastEnders'' and I felt like a lost little girl. I remember the casting director taking me to meet

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 ...

on my first day there and, because I'd been watching ''EastEnders'' since I was little, I actually felt sick".

Characterisation

Janine’s backstory states that she was born just four years before her mother, June, died from cancer and she subsequently went to live with her sister Clare (Lucy Foxell; Caroline O'Neill). Eventually, Janine's father,

Frank Frank or Franks may refer to: People * Frank (given name) * Frank (surname) * Franks (surname) * Franks, a medieval Germanic people * Frank, a term in the Muslim world for all western Europeans, particularly during the Crusades - see Farang Curr ...

( Mike Reid), moved 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 ...

with her older siblings

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 Diane (

) - as well as with his beloved wife

Pat Wicks Pat Evans (also Beale, Harris, Wicks and Butcher) is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera '' EastEnders''. She was played by Pam St Clement from 12 June 1986, just over a year after the show first aired, until her departure on 1 January ...

(

). Soon afterwards, Clare moved to Manchester in 1989 - leaving Janine with Pat and Frank. Janine is described by the ''EastEnders'' website as a "brutal minx whose motto is that money can buy happiness. She will manipulate, marry and murder once she’s had a sniff of the Queen’s head." It continues: "Janine's a great actress who enjoys seducing people, but the clever diva doesn't always get the end results she desires, which has even led to her imprisonment."

Development

Drug addiction

In 2002, a storyline saw Janine using drugs and prostituting to fund the habit. She was shown about to snort cocaine in a scene that sparked viewer complaints to the BBC. Brooks has said about Janine's behaviour: "Sleeping with her pusher is very sad and desperate. But she feels she has to do it to get more drugs. Janine has such low self-esteem that she's deliberately reckless. She thinks, 'Why not take drugs if they make me feel good about myself for a while?' I think she knows she's on a slippery slope but she believes she can get out of it like she's always done before."

Departure (2004)

The character was written out of the series in the spring of 2004 when Janine was charged with the murder of Laura Beale (

) and remanded in custody. Brooks rejected an offer to re-appear in late 2005 for the murder trial, although BBC bosses did persuade Mike Reid to make his final appearances as

for scenes involving his former wife Pat during the duration of the trial.

Reintroduction (2008)

Four years after her initial departure, Brooks was asked to reprise the role by 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 Exec ...

as part of a storyline that was dubbed "Frank Week". Mike Reid died in July 2007, and due to the popularity of the character he played, Santer decided that Frank would also be killed off in the serial. A funeral was held for the character as a tribute to both the actor and the "iconic" character he played. Brooks was one of several actors brought back to the show especially for the storyline. She was joined by

, who played her older sister

, and

as her brother Ricky. Following the conclusion of her three episode guest stint in April 2008, it was announced the following month that Brooks would reprise her role as Janine on a full-time basis. Brooks said she was "thrilled" to be back and admitted her recent appearance gave her "a taste" of being Janine again. Executive producer, Santer, said her recent appearances "reminded us what a fine actress she is, and what an intriguing, watchable and engaging character she plays as Janine". He promised a longer spell on the programme would enable viewers to see "what makes Janine tick" and also find out where she got the "flashy big black car" with which she was seen at the funeral. Janine's return scenes aired in December 2008. In June 2009, she signed a three-year contract.

Relationship with Ryan Malloy

In December 2009, the show's executive producer,

teased about upcoming storylines involving Janine and her flatmate

(

), saying: "There's something really interesting with Ryan and Janine .. They're both people who don't know how to love. So will they fall in love? And if they do, can they cope with it? Will they understand the alien feelings coursing through their bodies?" In August 2010, Janine proposes to Ryan. Brooks said that the idea of getting married would be daunting for the character, but added that she believes Janine is genuinely in love with Ryan. She commented: "It's easy to assume that Janine is playing games or using him for sex, but ..Ryan clearly adores her too, so he may be the man to tame her wild ways." Brooks hinted at possible trouble for the couple if Janine discovers that Ryan fathered a baby with

(

), saying "Janine will be absolutely destroyed when she finds out. She wants Ryan all to herself, and the idea of a baby snatching his attention away would be devastating. All she needs is to be loved." McDermott stated that he believed Ryan was the right man for Janine, and that they could be perfect for each other, saying: "Janine's never loved any of the men she's been with before. She has only ever been in it for the money. Ryan understands her and knows why she does the things she does. They both forgive one another's mistakes very easily, and that's why their partnership works."

Lydia Simmonds

In February 2011, Janine's estranged grandmother,

, "a lady of class and dignity," was announced. Lydia's backstory states that she loved her daughter June but hated the man she married, Frank, so she grew old alone. Lydia and Janine have been estranged for many years and Janine is shocked to have her grandmother back in her life. Executive Producer

Bryan Kirkwood Bryan Kirkwood (born 1976) is a British television producer. He was the producer of the Channel 4 soap opera ''Hollyoaks'' from 2006 until 2009, and was the executive producer of the BBC soap ''EastEnders'' from 2010 until 2012. He returned as ...

said: "I can't wait to see Janine meet her match." An ''EastEnders'' source revealed that Lydia is more of a schemer than Janine, saying "Janine is going to think there's a potential meal ticket arriving in the form of Lydia. But she's a very complex woman—and Janine won't be able to manipulate her as easily as she'd imagined." ''EastEnders'' executive producer stated that Lydia was introduced to help explore Janine's fun side. Kirkwood said to ''Inside Soap'': "After the stories she's had lately, it's time for Janine to have some fun, I think."

Sabbatical and second departure (2014)

In February 2012, Brooks announced that she would take a six-month break from the show later in the year, and departed on 14 September. Brooks returned to filming on 21 February 2013 and returned on screen on 18 April that year. On 28 October 2013, it was announced that Brooks had decided to leave the show for a third time, but to allow for her to return again, the character would not be killed off. Following Janine's arrest on Christmas Day, she returned to screens on 24 February 2014 when Kat (

) and

(

) visited her in prison, and last appeared on 20 March 2014.

Reintroduction and third departure (2021–2022)

In April 2021, numerous media outlets revealed that Janine would return later in the year, as Brooks had agreed to reprise the role once again for a "huge storyline". The show officially confirmed her return on 14 June. The announcement of Janine’s return was positively received by fans of the show especially on social media. Speaking of her return, executive producer

Jon Sen Jon Sen (born 9 October 1974) is a British television and film director, writer and producer. After working as the executive producer of the BBC soap opera ''EastEnders'' from 2018 to 2022, Sen began working as the executive producer of the BBC ...

commented that "she comes back as the character that we all know and love her as" and added "we’d be robbing the audience if we didn’t bring her back in all her glory!" Janine returned on-screen on 6 September 2021 after returning to filming two months earlier. It was announced on 24 September 2022 that Brooks had once again decided to leave the show, and her final scenes will air on 26 December 2022.

Other appearances

In November 2021, Janine appeared in a sketch of

Channel 4 Channel 4 is a British free-to-air public broadcast television network operated by the state-owned Channel Four Television Corporation. It began its transmission on 2 November 1982 and was established to provide a fourth television service ...

show ''

First Dates ''First Dates'' is a British reality television programme that has aired on Channel 4 since 20 June 2013. The programme has been narrated by Brian Protheroe since 2015. Production The programme was filmed at the Paternoster Chop House restaur ...

'' alongside '' Coronation Street'' character Steve McDonald (

Simon Gregson Simon Alan Gregory (born 2 October 1974), better known by his stage name, Simon Gregson, is an English actor. He is best known for his portrayal of Steve McDonald in the long-running ITV soap opera '' Coronation Street'' since 1989. He has re ...

) and ''

Emmerdale ''Emmerdale'' (known as ''Emmerdale Farm'' until 1989) is a British soap opera that is broadcast on ITV1. The show is set in Emmerdale (known as Beckindale until 1994), a fictional village in the Yorkshire Dales. Created by Kevin Laffan, ...

'' character

Eric Pollard Eric Pollard (also Pollock) is a fictional character from the British soap opera ''Emmerdale'', played by Chris Chittell. He made his first appearance in the soap on 30 September 1986. Having appeared continuously since, he is currently the lo ...

(

Chris Chittell Christopher John Chittell (born 19 May 1948) is an English actor, known for his role as Eric Pollard in the ITV soap opera ''Emmerdale''. He has portrayed the role since 1986, making him the longest-serving cast member in the soap's history. ...

) in aid of Children in Need. In the sketch, Janine goes on a date with married Steve, who is unaware that he is on a date. Later, it emerges that the real date is actually Eric.

Reception

Janine has been well received by critics although some of her storylines have come under criticism. She has been described as "the crazy, evil vixen of Albert Square" and journalist Richard Arnold said of the character, "No matter how bad she gets, we welcome her back to Walford with open arms. Because you wouldn't turn your back on her." Executive producer

deemed Janine "the best bitch on TV", while show writer

Tony Jordan Tony Jordan (born 21 July 1957) is a British television writer. He was listed as the number one television screenwriter in the United Kingdom by ''Broadcast'' magazine in 2008 and among British broadcasting's top twenty in ''The Stage'' in 20 ...

called her the "devil" and "evil", but added, "She’s cheated, she's lied her way through Albert Square and we still kind of like her." Charlie Brooks

In 2001, it was reported that education experts blamed delinquent young characters in soap operas, like Janine, for increasing disorder and violence in schools. In 2002, scenes involving the character, when Janine prostituted herself to pay for cocaine that she was about to snort were chastised by Tory MP

Tim Yeo Timothy Stephen Kenneth Yeo (born 20 March 1945) is a British politician. A member of the Conservative Party, he was the Member of Parliament (MP) for the constituency of South Suffolk between the 1983 United Kingdom general election and tha ...

and

Liberal Democrat Several political parties from around the world have been called the Liberal Democratic Party or Liberal Democrats. These parties usually follow a liberal democratic ideology. Active parties Former parties See also *Liberal democracy *Lib ...

Nick Harvey Sir Nicholas Barton Harvey (born 3 August 1961) is a British Liberal Democrat politician. He was the member of parliament (MP) for North Devon from 1992 to 2015 and the Minister of State for the Armed Forces from 2010 to 2012. Early life an ...

The BBC defended the storyline, saying, "Although the storyline implied Janine had taken drugs, there were no scenes that actually showed her using them. ''EastEnders'' has always tackled difficult issues like drug-taking in a responsible way, mindful of its responsibilities to its younger audience."

Awards and nominations

Brooks was awarded "Best Bitch" at the ''Inside Soap'' Awards in 2001. In March 2009, Brooks won the "Best Bad Girl" award at the 2009

All About Soap ''All About Soap'' was a fortnightly UK magazine founded in October 1999. It was released on Tuesdays. Storylines of the shows it covers are from soap operas shown in the United Kingdom and from Australia, including '' EastEnders'', '' Cor ...

Bubble Awards, which are voted for by the public, for her portrayal of Janine, saying: "I'm thrilled that viewers think I am so good at being bad!" Brooks also won "Villain of the Year" at the

British Soap Awards The British Soap Awards (BSAs) are an annual awards ceremony in the United Kingdom which honours the best moments in British soap operas. The ceremony is televised on ITV and has been presented by Phillip Schofield since 2006. The trophies gi ...

in 2004 for her portrayal of the same character, and was nominated in the same category in 2011. Brooks won her third Inside Soap Award for "Best Bitch" in 2009. In February 2011, the love triangle storyline between Janine, Ryan and Stacey was nominated in the "Best Love Triangle" category at the 2011 All About Soap Bubble Awards. She also won the award for "Best Bitch" at the 2012 ''Inside Soap'' Awards. On Digital Spy's 2012 end of year reader poll, Brooks won "Best Female Soap Actor" with 23.0% of the vote.

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Butcher, Janine EastEnders characters Child characters in television Fictional female businesspeople Fictional cocaine users Fictional con artists Fictional drug dealers Fictional murderers Fictional prostitutes Fictional secretaries Television characters introduced in 1989 Fictional waiting staff Fictional bartenders Fictional bookmakers Fictional kidnappers Fictional blackmailers Female villains Fictional salespeople Female characters in television Fictional criminals in soap operas Fictional mariticides Fictional prisoners and detainees Teenage characters in television Fictional mass murderers Fictional torturers Fictional thieves Fictional drug addicts