EastEnders: The Wicked Women of Walford (Guest Article)

This week's guest article comes from Danny Lovesey who writes about the wicked women of Walford.

With the confirmation of one of EastEnders biggest villains – Janine Butcher set to make a dramatic comeback, let’s take a look down memory lane to remind ourselves of other villainesses who have graced Walford with their wicked ways!

Compiling the list has proved tricky as EastEnders has seen plenty of female villains over its 36-year history, but here are a few you may remember…

1) CINDY BEALE

BBC

One of the shows first original ‘bitches’ appeared in 1988. Cindy (Michelle Collins) embarked on a relationship with hapless Ian Beale. Soon their marriage deteriorated after having children and Cindy began being unfaithful with a number of men including David Wicks.

After giving their marriage another go, Ian began to suspect Cindy was playing away again and hired a private detective to follow her and caught Cindy and David having another affair. David soon lost interest in Cindy and Ian threatened to take custody of the kids.

She took drastic action and by having Ian shot by a hitman. Realising the net was closing in on her she tried to flee London on the Eurostar with her sons; Steven and Peter and said she would later return for daughter Lucy.

A year later Cindy is finally caught and arrested for attempted murder. In 1998 Ian received news that Cindy had died during childbirth, her daughter survived and is named Cindy after her mother.

2) DR MAY WRIGHT

BBC

Albert Square’s deranged doctor 'Mad' May (Amanda Drew) arrived in 2007 and was yearning to have a child of her own with husband Rob. However, he ended up getting mistress Dawn Swann pregnant.

Instead of chucking him out, May offered Dawn 10 grand to give them the child. Dawn ended up deciding on keeping the baby and in true Misery style the psychotic GP chained Dawn to a bed wanting to give her a DIY caesarean and snatch the baby with Rob.

Fortunately, Dawn managed to escape and gave birth to Summer – on a tube train! A year later, on Summer’s first birthday, 'Mad' May returned. Once again plotting to take Summer, May ended up causing an explosion in Dawn’s house killing herself in the process.

3) CHRISSIE WATTS

BBC

CHRISSIE WATTS! MURDERER! Who can forget that iconic scene of Peggy Mitchell knocking Chrissie into Den’s grave? Back in 2004 Chrissie (Tracy-Ann Oberman) arrived in Walford searching for husband ‘Dirty’ Den Watts.

She soon discovered Den had been ‘dirty’ and up to his old tricks again bedding other women including friend; Kate Morton. Chrissie gives Den one final chance, vowing to kill him if he hurts her again.

Chrissie begins developing relationships with Den’s adoptive daughter; Sharon and biological children Dennis and Vicki. Den soon cons his way into having the Queen Vic from The Mitchell’s with the help of Chrissie. True to her word, after discovering Den had been bedding his own son’s girlfriend, Chrissie caved in Den’s head with a doggy door stop and later buried him beneath his beloved Queen Vic pub.

To top it all, Chrissie framed Sam Mitchell as his murderer which led to the iconic Peggy vs Chrissie graveyard scene. Den’s princess Sharon soon rumbled her wicked step mother and had her arrested as she was attempting to flee the country.

4) STELLA CRAWFORD

BBC

Stella played by Sophie Thompson first appeared in 2006 and soon began dating hardman Phil Mitchell. A young Ben didn’t approve of his father’s new relationship and tried to split the pair up.

Stella tricked Ben into liking her and after some time she began physically and mentally abusing him. After months of abuse, things came to a head on Stella and Phil’s wedding day.

Ben plucked up the courage to come clean, leaving Phil livid. Stella ran off with Phil in pursuit. They ended up at a disused factory where the pair had a final confrontation, before Stella jumped from the roof and fell to her death.

5) RONNIE MITCHELL

BBC

Ronnie (Samantha Womack) descended into Walford with younger sister Roxy in 2007. During her ten-year stint on the show, Ronnie was involved with some of the show’s most controversial storylines.

Ronnie clashed heavily with her father Archie, who raped her as child and kept the fact that she had a long lost daughter – Danielle.

Danielle was killed (by Janine) when she was hit by her car. Later that year Archie was killed in the ‘Who Killed Archie Mitchell’ storyline. Soon afterwards, Ronnie swapped her dead baby with Kat and Alfie Moon’s son – Tommy, leading to Ronnie’s exit.

After a short break, Ronnie returned and was involved in more twisted storylines including killing Carl White and attempting to poison Dean Wicks. In 2017, on her wedding day to Jack Branning, Ronnie met her shocking demise when she drowned in a pool trying to save her sister Roxy.

6) JANINE BUTCHER

BBC

Troublesome Janine first appeared in 1989, with Charlie Brooks taking on the role in 1999. Abandoned by her father and left devastated by the death of her mother, wherever Janine was, trouble was right behind her.

Power, cash and conning men was always high on her agenda. She chucked first husband Barry Evans off a cliff, attempted to kill third husband Ryan Malloy after having an affair with Stacey Slater. Janine stabbed her fourth husband Michael Moon after a custody battle for their daughter – Scarlett, framing nanny Alice Branning for his murder.

Janine was last seen waiting for the Eurostar at London’s St Pancras, eyeing up her next potential victim. Janine’s return is to cause a stir amongst the Walford residents. She has plenty of history with the likes of Ian Beale, Phil Mitchell and Stacey Slater to name a few.

There are also many new feisty females for Janine to cross paths with including Suki Panesar, Ruby Allen and Dotty Cotton. Bring on the drama!

Is your favourite wicked woman of Walford on this list?

If you would like to submit your EastEnders article to be published next Sunday, send and email to guest@walfordmarket.co.uk