Storylines of EastEnders (1980s)

Storylines of "EastEnders" provides a year by year summary of the most notable storylines in the popular BBC soap opera "EastEnders" in the 1980s.

1985

"EastEnders" started with the discovery of a badly beaten Reg Cox, found in his dilapidated house by Den Watts, Arthur Fowler and Ali Osman. Reg died in the second episode. The killer was later revealed as Nick Cotton, although he was never arrested.

Meanwhile, 39-year-old Pauline Fowler discovered she was pregnant, much to the dismay of her mother, Lou Beale. She demanded that she abort the baby, but Pauline refused. Arthur Fowler had been made redundant from the toy factory a year earlier, and struggled to find another job. This meant that money was tight for the Fowlers throughout the year.

Publicans Den and Angie Watts's marriage is on the rocks. Den took a holiday with his mistress Jan Hammond, while Angie had a brief affair with Tony Carpenter in revenge. Their Sharon Watts and her best friend Michelle Fowler competed for the attentions of Kelvin Carpenter. He chose Michelle, but dumped her soon after to concentrate on his exams.

In April Debbie Wilkins and Andy O'Brien successfully campaigned against local council plans for demolition of the Square.

There was heartbreak for café owner Ali Osman and his wife Sue in June, with the cot death of their one-year-old son Hassan. While the Osmans were grieving the loss of their child, Arthur and Pauline Fowler celebrated the birth of their son Martin in July, ironically on the 16th birthday of their daughter Michelle.

A young Simon Wicks showed up on the Square to reunite with his alleged father, Pete Beale - Pauline Fowler's twin brother. The Beales then had to deal with the news that Nick Cotton had stolen Kathy Beale's medical records from the local surgery, and discovered she had a baby at 14, which she gave up for adoption. He demanded money in return for his silence. Kathy was forced to admit to her husband, Pete, that the baby was a result of rape and he found this hard to take. Pete and Kathy's 16-year-old son Ian took up boxing.

In September, Queen Vic landlady Angie Watts, in an attempt to make her unfaithful husband Den jealous, unsuccessfully tried to seduce barman Lofty Holloway.

Single mother Mary Smith took up stripping to support her baby daughter Annie.

16-year-old Michelle Fowler, who had only recently left school, announced to her best friend Sharon that she herself was pregnant, but refused to name the father. In true whodunit style, pregnant Michelle, who had consistently refused to name the father of her child, arranged to meet him secretly by the canal. Millions of viewers watched as the pub's poodle Roly jumped from the car — followed by Den Watts himself, thus earning him his "Dirty Den" title.

In December, Saeed and Naima Jeffery's arranged Islamic marriage finally crumbled when Naima discovered that Saeed had visited prostitutes. A series of thefts from the Vic were blamed on Lofty, but was later revealed to be Sharon. 17-year-old Mark Fowler ran away from home, only to be tracked down at Southend in December. He was acting as a surrogate father to a middle-aged woman's two children and refused to return to Walford just before Christmas.

1986

The troubled marriage of Den and Angie Watts worsened when his mistress Jan visited the Queen Vic, and in despair, Angie took a near-fatal overdose.

Cassie Carpenter moved in with her father, Tony, after her mother's boyfriend beat her. Hannah and Tony also tried to patch up their failed marriage, with little success.

Michelle's daughter Vicki was born towards the end of May, and subsequently Michelle jilted Lofty at the altar in late September. Arthur had dipped into the Christmas Club money to pay for the reception and when the missing money was noticed he staged a fake robbery, but was soon found out and arrested. This in term, resulted in Arthur's breakdown — he spent whole days doing jigsaw puzzles or locked in his shed at the allotment. Later in the year, Lofty and Michelle tied the knot in a quiet registry office ceremony.

Ethel Skinner's adored pug Willy was kidnapped, but was found weeks later by Detective Roy Quick, who spent most of the year trying to woo Debbie Wilkins and even proposed, whilst Andy had a brief affair with Angie Watts. Debbie turned Quick down and agreed to marry Andy instead. Sue Osman, still affected by her son's death, invented a phantom pregnancy, and confessed to her deception a few weeks later during a visit to new mother Michelle Fowler.

Pat Wicks arrived in Walford in June and told her son, Simon, that Pete Beale was not his real father, and that he was the son of Pat's husband Brian Wicks.

Mehmet and Ali Osman opened a cabfirm, Ozcabs, from inside the café. The youths of Walford tried to break into pop music with their group The Banned, but didn't have much success.

Andy O'Brien died in August after being hit by a lorry, while saving the life of a young boy.

Mehmet Osman slept with Mary Smith for a bet, and then acted as Pat's pimp, and then persuaded her to coax Mary into prostitution too.

Pauline was distressed to discover that Mark had been placed in a detention centre for burglary and assault.

New arrivals in the Square during 1986 were gay graphic designer Colin Russell and wealthy businessman James Willmott-Brown, and by the end of the year Colin was joined by his young boyfriend, Barry Clark.

The Carpenters worried about their son when he began dating the middle-aged health visitor, Carmel Roberts.

Throughout the year, Den and Angie's relationship became more strained. Den asked for a divorce; Angie said she was dying: "Six months to live"; Den agreed to stay. They took a trip to Venice where Den had a chance meeting with Jan, and Angie started drinking. While confessing to a barman that she was not really dying, Angie was overheard by Den who, in a ratings-record Christmas Day episode, demanded a divorce. Arthur Fowler smashed up his living room as his depression hit rock bottom.

1987

Arthur Fowler spent the early part of the year in hospital following his breakdown. When he recovered he stood trial for the theft of the Christmas club money and was imprisoned for 28 days.

Simon Wicks and Sharon Watts began dating, but he soon grew bored when she refused to sleep with him. The Angie and Den saga continued with the pair operating as professional rivals. Den carried on running the Queen Vic and Angie managed The Dagmar for Den's arch rival, James Wilmott-Brown. Den soon began an affair with the Vic's new caterer Magda Czajkowski, but she dumped him for Simon Wicks.

The Walford prowler was a serious threat to the women of Walford with Sue and Sharon both having narrow escapes while Pat Wicks was battered. Simon Wicks and Pete Beale were supects, and Pete was arrested after attacking an arresting police officer. The real attacker was eventually caught whilst trying to attack Debbie Wilkins in the launderette. Debbie began a relationship with detective Terry Rich. They got engaged and moved to South London in May. Naima Jeffery also found love with another cousin, Farrukh, and returned to Bangladesh.

This year saw the departure of the entire Carpenter family. Hannah and Tony split, Tony returned to Trinidad and in September Kelvin left for university. It was also the year of the highly-publicised gay kiss between Colin and Barry, which at the time was seen as controversial. The press reacted with 'outrage' and 'fury' at this 'filth' and, for a while dubbed the show "EastBenders". Many residents on the Square revealed their bigotry when they discovered Colin's sexuality too.

Den got involved with the criminal organisation known as The Firm and was sent to Morocco as a courier. The ladies darts team entered a tournament that took them to the Isle of Dogs. Whilst on the trip Pat met her old flame, Frank Butcher. They had slept together at a holiday camp almost 30 years earlier. He wanted to get back together with her, but she was hesitant.

Charlie Cotton's appearance was a nice surprise for Dot Cotton, and he met her son Nick for the first time. They were soon causing trouble.

Struggling with her unhappy home environment, Sharon sought solace at the church and met the curate Duncan Boyd. By the end of the year they were engaged.

Carmel Roberts brother Darren arrived in Walford with his two young children, and proceeded to run various dodgy scams.

Kathy's daughter contacted her and requested to be reconciled. Unable to face a daughter born from such horrific circumstances, Kathy refused to see her. Her daughter, 22-year-old Donna Ludlow, moved to the Square anyway, and kept her identity a secret. Ethel Skinner had a fall and Dr. Legg tried to talk her into moving into sheltered accommodation.

Single mum Mary tried to support herself and baby Annie as she veered dangerously towards a life of prostitution. Mary's parents took baby Annie away to live with them after Mary had left the child on her own and a fire broke out. Later in the year her relationship with Rod Norman, the roadie, helped her to get Annie back. At the end of the year Angie and Den had reunited to run the Vic, but only as business partners.

1988

Michelle became pregnant by Lofty, but aborted the baby without telling him. Lofty soon discovered the truth, and left her. Later in the year, he left Walford for good to become a handy man in a children's home.

Pauline confronted Den and he admitted he was Vicki's father. Furious, Pauline threatened to run him out of Walford.

Ashraf Karim took over the First til Last grocery store in Bridge Street and his family moved to the Square.

Angie was hospitalised due to her years of alcohol abuse. She took a holiday with her friends Sonny and Rene to recover, and began an affair with Sonny. She left Den to be with Sonny in May. Den gave up tenancy at the Vic and began working as the new manager for Strokes winebar, which was really a front for The Firm's illegal gambling den.

Pat was reunited with old flame Frank Butcher and he arrived in the Square with his children, Diane and Ricky, leaving his other daughters back in Manchester. Pat and Frank became the owners of the Vic. Frank's mother Mo also moved to the Square and made Pat's life hell.

The big question this year was who fathered Simon Wicks. More than 20 years after her son's birth, Pat could not give a clear answer as she did not know whether the father of Simon was Kenny Beale or Pete Beale; she also did not rule out Den Watts as a contender. However the father was later revealed to be Brian Wicks; the man who had always been portrayed as Simon's father.

Donna Ludlow tried to grow close to Kathy. She eventually confessed her true identity. Kathy rejected her and told her the circumstances of her conception. Donna was unhinged by this and spent the rest of the year in a downward spiral. She developed a heroin addiction and took up prostitution and backmail to fund her habit.

Tom Clements, the Vic's elderly potman, died of a heart attack in the toilets.

Sue Osman gave birth to another son, Little Ali, and became irrationally obsessed with his welfare.

Kathy took a job at The Dagmar and Wilmott Brown tried to seduce her. When she resisted his advances, he raped her and left her to be found by Den Watts, who then firebombed The Dagmar in revenge. This act eventually led to Den's own downfall. He double-crossed his mafia (known as "The Firm") friends and they decided they wanted him dead, so he went on the run. He gave himself up to the police and was remanded in prison at the same time as Nick Cotton.

Lou Beale died in her sleep at the age of 73, and her son Pete broke down at the funeral. Pete's marriage to Kathy also disintergrated after her rape, and Pete began drinking heavily. Cindy Williams arrived in Walford and caught the eye of both Simon Wicks and Ian Beale. After dating Wicksy for a while, she turned her attentions to Ian.

Darren Roberts disappeared abandoning his two children, Junior and Aisha, in Carmel's care.

Ethel Skinner began dating Benny Bloom, much to Dot's disgust.

Mary Smith fled when her father, Chris, moved to Walford.

Colin Russell became ill and Dr. Legg discovered it was multiple scelerosis, but decided to keep it from Colin.

1989

Unable to cope with the events in their lives, Kathy and Pete's marriage crumbled in January. Wilmott Brown tried to convince Kathy to drop the charges, but a trial was held and he was sent to prison for three years.

Den Watts, who had taken the blame for the Dagmar fire, managed to escape from the police on the way to his trial and arranged to meet Michelle at the canal. The Firm, who were involved in the fire, decided to silence Den for good. The hit men followed Michelle to their meeting place and after she left they shot him, with a gun hidden in a bunch of daffodils. He was presumed dead, but no body was found at the time, despite spots of blood being found on the towpath, and underwater divers searching the canal.

Michelle confessed that Vicki was Sharon's half sister, and this turmoil led Sharon to take up with Wicksy again. Cindy found this hard to take and secuded Simon one night, which left her pregnant. Simon refused to take responsibility for his child, so Cindy pretended the baby was Ian's.

Colin Russell discovered the truth about his illness and left Walford.

Sue discovered that her husband, Ali, had slept with prostitute Donna Ludlow. In a bid for revenge she seduced her brother-in-law in front of Ali. Ali was furious and had a huge fight with Mehmet, and Guizin (Mehmet's wife) left for Cyprus with his children in tow. Sue left Walford with her baby, but Ali snatched the baby back at the grave of their first son. Sue became deranged and flipped out and was sent to a psychiatric hospital.

Donna became depressed, took an overdose of heroin and died on the floor of Dot Cotton's house after choking on her own vomit.

Dr. Legg failed to diagnose Vicki's meningitis and she was hospitalised. Dr Legg and his nephew Dr. David Samuels argued over the way the practice was to be run.

Pat and Frank tied the knot in true East End style, with horse, carriage and pearly kings. Frank started up the car lot, and he and Pat also bought the B&B and moved into the house next door. Mo Butcher and Marge Green struggled to curtail the deviance of the wayward Walford brownies. Carmel and Matthew Jackson married, but within weeks he was beating her. Junior tried to protect his auntie and stabbed Matthew.

Dot Cotton discovered Charlie was a bigamist when she met his other wife, Joan Leggett. Hazel, Nick's girlfriend, arrived in Walford and conned Dot into thinking that her baby daughter was her grandchild.

Ethel called off her marriage to Benny Bloom, when he refused to allow her dog Willy to live with him. He later died and left her £2000 in his will. Ian bought Ali's café with underhand tactics. Ali and Ian spent the rest of the year battling with each other. Ali's money worries continued and he turned to gambling to sort the problem. He lost and was evicted from his flat. His family forced him to leave Walford.

Cindy and Ian married, but the wedding ended in tears with Ian arguing with his new wife. Best man Simon "Wicksy" Wicks knew one reason for Cindy's sorrow — she was carrying his baby.

The senior ladies of Walford all went to Clacton for a dancing competition and while away Marge's 93-year-old mother died.

Paul Priestly broke Diane Butcher's heart when he returned to Leeds without saying goodbye. Pauline Fowler spent Christmas in hospital after having a hysterectomy.

Births, marriages and deaths

Births