The Year Was… 2011

Ronnie & Kat: Grieving Mothers
The baby swap storyline was the kind of drama that had viewers glued to their screens, popcorn in hand, and jaws on the floor. It all kicked off when James Branning and Tommy Moon made their grand entrance on December 30, 2010. Kat Moon, ever the multitasker, left her new-born in the capable hands of her father, Charlie Slater. But Charlie, proving that even granddads need a break, joined a party downstairs at The Queen Vic. Meanwhile, Ronnie Branning faced every parent’s worst nightmare when she discovered baby James had died of sudden infant death syndrome. In a moment of sheer desperation, she swapped James with Tommy, who was conveniently crying nearby…

Ronnie’s regret set in faster than you can say “EastEnders Christmas special.” By the time she decided to swap the babies back, it was too late. Alfie Moon had already found James, and Jack Branning had returned, blissfully unaware that he was cuddling Tommy. Kat, ever the sharp-eyed mother, noticed something was off when she saw the baby in the hospital. But Alfie, with his silver tongue, convinced her it was just the trauma of losing Tommy. The midwife’s surprise at James’ miraculous recovery from a club foot was the cherry on top of this absurdly tragic cake. Ronnie, barred from the funeral, lurked behind a tree like a soap opera ninja, before finally deciding to return Tommy during the wake. Her attempts to explain were, of course, met with confusion and Kat’s demand to take the baby away.

As if things couldn’t get more tangled, Ronnie discovered that Michael Moon was Tommy’s real father. She went into full protective mode, trying to keep him away from the baby, even roping in her cousin Phil Mitchell for some classic Mitchell-style intervention. Michael, clueless as ever, demanded answers, and Ronnie spun a tale about his lack of support for Kat and Alfie. The pressure mounted, and Ronnie’s grip on reality slipped. She tried to confide in her sister Roxy, but eventually fled Walford, unable to cope. Jack and Roxy tracked her down, bringing her back to care for Tommy, but her erratic behaviour continued. A visit to the hospital where she gave birth was the final straw, and Ronnie realized she had to come clean.

In a tearful confession, Ronnie told Jack that Tommy wasn’t his son and explained everything to Kat. Kat, understandably, refused to believe it at first but eventually took Tommy back. Ronnie, in a rare moment of clarity, handed herself into the police. Jack’s emotional goodbye to Tommy the next day was a heart-wrenching moment, as he handed the baby over to social services. Alfie faced the social worker’s questions, while Kat, overwhelmed, initially left the hospital. But Jean Slater, ever the voice of reason, convinced Kat that Tommy’s survival was nothing short of a miracle. Kat returned, and the family was finally reunited with Tommy, bringing a bittersweet end to one of EastEnders’ most unforgettable storylines.

Whitney’s Story
With Tony now safely behind bars, Whitney could now move on with her life, which in Walford, was easier said than done. She attracted the attention of a man named Rob Grayson, a shady SOB if ever there was one, who started to woo the girl with declarations and fancy talk. Whitney fell for it and her relationship with her family was at an all time low: betrayed by boyfriend Connor (who had slept with Carol) and with Bianca in prison (for attacking Connor), there was only Ricky left to help her, and he accepted a job abroad to raise money for the kids. Soon, she ran away to stay with Rob, throwing her phone away as she went.

Concerned, Lauren and Janine tried to find Whit, however, when they did she refused to go with them, claiming she and Rob were in love. But things were not as pleasant as they seemed: Rob was forcing Whitney to have sex with people to pay off his debts.

In a Comic Relief segment, while at a party, Whitney finally came to terms with what was happening, after meeting another girl named Chloe. Not allowed to leave and locked in a room, Whitney escaped by jumping out a second-storey window and flagged down a car for help. A month later, the story continued as she called Lauren for help and came home to Albert Square, much to the relief of her family and friends.

But Rob wasn’t done. Just when it looked like Whitney had moved on with a new fella, the boy in question, Lee, turned out to be one of Rob’s lackeys. While away in Southend with Fatboy, Whitney was cornered by Rob, who refused to take no for an answer. Fatboy, who was sweet on Whitney, called brother Ryan, who swooped in like Superman and took Rob with him as they went careening off the pier. Only Rob’s body was recovered, and the police found no sign of the already-wanted Ryan Malloy. But Whit knew he was safe, hidden and more importantly, her brother. He would return one day…

The Mitchells: Betrayed from Within
Ben Mitchell returned home in 2011 with a new head on his shoulders, determined to live his life as a Mitchell through and through. However, while he had been gone, there had been some changes: Shirley was the boss of the house and Billy’s foster son Jay had usurped Ben in father Phil’s affections, even taking the Mitchell surname and having a teenage romance with Ben’s best friend Abi Branning.

Ben had gone through more than one change while inside and took up boxing in a bid to impress his dad. He kissed his sparring partner Duncan though, which Patrick witnessed and, rather than talking it through rationally, Ben told Phil that Patrick had made it up. Cue the drums as Phil decided to step up a campaign against the Truemans unless they apologised – for nothing, remember – which had more than a few racial undertones to it.

Ben eventually told Phil the truth – that he was gay – and Phil, in a rage, threw him out. Straight back to Ian, right? No, right around to Christian, where he was rejected (quite rightly) once again. Phil decided that Christian was a predator (more of Ben’s ‘truth’) and went berserk with a cricket bat – which eventually had Ben break down at last and tell the truth. He even slept with Billy’s granddaughter Lola in an attempt to understand his confusion, but nope – he was gay (and now, obviously, being a soap) Lola was now pregnant!

When Phil started getting reminders in the post of past misdeeds (the death of Steve Owen, the torching of the car lot for Frank, his role in Kevin’s cut and shut deal that killed him), it became clear someone had a grudge and it put the Mitchells on high alert. Phil suspected Janine, but she didn’t even know about her father’s role in the fire and took out all her rage on Pat. DCI Marsden, Phil’s best mate on the police force, gladly opened up a detailed investigation, especially when it was suggested by Ben that Stella Crawford may have been pushed rather than jumped a few years back.

By Christmas Ben revealed himself as the blackmailer, and the police carted Phil away before he could flee. The Mitchell family rejected him and even Ian questioned Ben’s decisions. He was on his own now, and Phil wouldn’t be gone forever…

Max & Tanya: Together Forever?
Tanya Cross made a grand return to Walford with her shiny new fiancé, Greg Jessop, in tow. Of course, no EastEnders wedding is complete without a bit of family drama, so enter Tanya’s mother, Cora, and her sister, Rainie, much to Tanya’s dismay. After tying the knot with Greg, Tanya wasted no time in rekindling her affair with her ex, Max Branning. Because why settle for one man when you can have two, right? Greg, blissfully unaware, bought the beauty salon from Roxy Mitchell and started dreaming of expanding the family, while Tanya was more interested in expanding her list of secrets.

As if juggling a husband and a lover wasn’t enough, Tanya allowed Rainie and Cora to move in, turning her home into a full-blown soap opera set. Tanya and Max, ever the schemers, planned to come clean about their affair, but life threw a curveball when Tanya discovered she might have cervical cancer. In true dramatic fashion, she broke things off with Max, who then spilled the beans to his fiancée, Vanessa Gold. Vanessa, not one to keep juicy gossip to herself, told Greg everything. Heartbroken, Greg left Walford, and Max, realizing Tanya didn’t want him either, followed suit. Tanya’s diagnosis was confirmed, and she confided only in her daughter, Lauren, swearing her to secrecy.

Greg made a brief comeback but couldn’t handle the cancer news and bolted again. Tanya, ever the stubborn one, decided to stop her therapy without telling Lauren. Meanwhile, Cora, having been thrown out by Dot Branning, moved back in with Tanya. Dr. Yusef Khan, Tanya’s doctor, confronted her about halting her treatment, leading to a dramatic hospital visit where Tanya declared she was done fighting. And as the year 2011 drew to a close, viewers were left wondering what more Walford could throw at Tanya Cross…

KHAN!
Okay, so maybe Yusef Khan wasn’t as imposing as his science-fiction namesake, but he was definitely as cold and calculating as him: in fact, when Trek‘s Khan proclaimed he would ‘chase him round perdition’s flames’, he must have had Yusef in mind!

Yusef Khan, a charming yet sinister villain, made his grand entrance in 2010, but it was in 2011 that he truly left his mark. Introduced by his daughter Afia to her boyfriend Tamwar Masood, Yusef initially seemed like a supportive father. However, his dark past quickly surfaced when he reconnected with his ex-wife Zainab, leading to a series of dramatic confrontations. Yusef’s family had once set Zainab on fire, and despite his claims of innocence, the scars on his body told a different story. His return to Walford was anything but peaceful, with Masood Ahmed, Tamwar’s father, delivering a couple of well-deserved punches to Yusef’s face.

As the local GP, Yusef’s bedside manner left much to be desired. He took an interest in Denise Fox, but their relationship fizzled out faster than a damp firework. Yusef’s attempts to integrate into the community were met with suspicion, especially from Dot Branning, who spread rumours about him. Despite his efforts to charm his way into the Masood family, Zainab made it clear that while Afia was welcome, Yusef was not. His manipulative nature shone through as he tried to sabotage Tamwar and Afia’s wedding, only to be thwarted by his own cousin Tariq, who revealed Yusef’s role in the fire that scarred Zainab.

Yusef’s villainy knew no bounds. He manipulated Zainab with pills, leading her to a near-fatal overdose, and even convinced Masood to divorce her. His deceit extended to Syed and Christian, creating a false paternity test to sow discord. Yusef’s web of lies began to unravel, but not before he kidnapped Kamil and threatened Zainab with dire consequences if she left him – he even forced her into marriage and abused her behind closed doors.

His final act of villainy was setting a fire in the B and B that trapped Masood, Phil, and Denise, only to be tricked by Zainab into thinking his daughter Afia was inside. In a fitting end, Yusef perished in the flames he had ignited, leaving behind a legacy of chaos and destruction. As the ashes settled, the Masood family began to rebuild their lives, free from Yusef’s manipulative grasp. But poor Tamwar was burnt in the fire and he and Afia would sadly struggle moving forward.

The Other Stuff
Jim has to go permanently into the care home, as Dot realises she cannot cope. Her half-sister Rose and her nephew Andrew come to stay. Jane leaves Ian and the Square behind… Pat and Jean compete over the affections of Janine’s uncle Norman, while her grandmother Lydia dies and leaves her a fortune… Pat finds out in that she has terminal cancer… Eddie Moon briefly visits Walford, cons people and flees with the money, leaving sons Anthony and Tyler behind…