The Year Was… 2014

Carol’s Cancer
Carol Jackson was getting sick of her family: Derek had died Christmas Day, Kirsty was a right madame, Lauren was struggling with drinking, Bianca was thinking of moving away and the only bright spot in her life was her relationship with Masood Ahmed, which had started blooming the year prior.

Finally getting rid of everyone else for a quiet night in, the stage was set for romance – until David Wicks came through the door with a whole lot of trouble! He had been having an affair with his boss’s wife Naomi, and he had money which his boss, Don, wanted. Don ordered his henchmen to beat David up, which was so severe, Carol took him in. For the next few weeks, Carol was torn between flaky David and dependable Masood, and couldn’t choose. She eventually opted for David, and left Masood to go on a meltdown.

Carol found a lump on her breast in the new year and feared she may have breast cancer. She had the lump checked out and a few weeks later, Carol was diagnosed with an aggressive form of breast cancer. This devastated Carol, and she only told David, Bianca and Sonia, who returned to the Square for good to help her mum. David was also a tower of strength and the pair actually planned to marry, with Carol’s treatment steadily working.

Unfortunately, David suffered a heart attack and couldn’t commit to Carol, once again fleeing her side and leaving Carol bereft. But as ever, she stood up, dusted herself off and carried on for her family. Later on in the year, Bianca and Terry moved to Newquay for good and Carol positively discovered she no longer had cancer and was in remission, much to the relief of her family.

The Carters in Control?
When Phil sold the Vic at the end of 2013, he had been unexpectedly tricked: New owner Mick was ex-Shirley Carter’s brother! He moved in Boxing Day with not-quite wife Linda, son Johnny and, after stopping her wedding to a loser named Wayne, daughter Nancy. Throw in dog Lady Di (Linda was a royalist of the highest degree) and Shirley’s quirky but loveable sister Tina, and a new era was well and truly upon us.

Mick and Linda were soulmates, through and through – having been together since they were teenagers, the pair knew everything about each other. The only lie so far: they weren’t technically married, but that didn’t matter, cos they would get there, even if her interfering mum Elaine would sometimes push it too far…

The children were also a breath of fresh air: tomboy Nancy was her Dad’s girl and clashed with her mother. Johnny also clashed with Linda when he came out to his father first, and Linda struggled with her son’s lifestyle. Eldest son, army boy Lee arrived later in the year while on leave, although he himself had more issues than he was letting on.

Tina began a relationship with firefighter Tosh, that for a while looked rosy, until it became clear, to Shirley at least, that Tosh was handy with more than a hose. There was also the problem of rotting wood in the Vic, which became bigger when the ceiling caved in!

Needing money, Mick and Tina elected to borrow money of their father Stan. When Stan’s wife Sylvie had left him for parts unknown, he had to raise his children himself, but had failed and they had ended up in care until Shirley, the eldest, got the young siblings out. Stan gladly gave the money – as long as he could move in with family – and ended up living in the Vic, drinking the profits, chatting up the older ladies and bringing grandson Deano back to Walford.

Deano had changed. He went by the more grown-up Dean now and, after some persuading from Stan, started to bond with Shirley finally, after years of estrangement. Shirley found this difficult and eventually confessed to Phil a terrible truth: Mick was not her brother, but her son, born when she was 13 in secret with her Aunt Babe’s help. Nobody bar Babe knew. And Babe Smith was a crafty one, dabbling in growing weed and conducting dodgy dealings in her kitchen.

Dean felt out of place with the bonded and close-knit Carters, but grew close to Linda. Too close. When she showed him sympathy and acceptance as part of the family, he grossly misinterpreted (or made a conscious decision) and viciously raped her in her own kitchen. Horrified and traumatised, Linda scrubbed herself clean and kept the information to herself for long time. When Mick found out Christmas Day about the attack, he understandably went absolutely mental and tried to kill Dean, taking most of the downstairs of the Vic with him in the process. It took Shirley yelling that they were brothers to a stunned family for them to stop. But it wasn’t over… nope, this story would still be having repercussions a full decade later!

Twelve months into their stint on Albert Square, and the Carters had become a dynasty unlike any seen in Walford before!

The Murder of Lucy Beale
The murder of Lucy Beale was the kind of drama that had everyone in Walford clutching their pearls and double-locking their doors. It all started with Lucy, who was living her best life as the queen of deception, juggling a secret affair with Max Branning and some dodgy business dealings. She was the apple of her dad Ian’s eye, but let’s be honest, she was also a bit of a trouble magnet.

On the fateful night of April 18th, Lucy was found dead on Walford Common, and the Square was never the same again. The night itself was a blur of suspicious glances and dodgy alibis. Lucy had been at a party, looking glamorous as ever, but things took a dark turn when she left and never made it home. The discovery of her body sent shockwaves through the community, and the hunt for her killer began.

The list of suspects was longer than Dot Cotton’s laundry list. There was Max Branning, the secret lover with a penchant for trouble. Then there was Jake Stone, the recovering alcoholic who had a bit too much to drink that night. Lauren Branning, Lucy’s best mate, was also in the frame, especially since she had a bit of a temper and a history of falling out with Lucy.

As the year went on, the suspects kept piling up. There was Denise Fox, who had a rocky relationship with Ian and might have had a motive. Abi Branning, the seemingly sweet girl next door, had her own secrets and was acting a bit too shifty for comfort. Even Peter Beale, Lucy’s twin brother, wasn’t above suspicion, especially with his erratic behaviour and emotional outbursts.

By Christmas, the tension was thicker than Phil Mitchell’s neck. The Beale family was falling apart, with Ian spiralling into despair and Jane trying to hold everything together. The Square was buzzing with gossip, and everyone had their theories about who the killer could be. It was the kind of mystery that had everyone hooked, and the residents of Walford were left wondering if they’d ever feel safe again.

In true EastEnders fashion, the storyline was packed with twists, turns, and plenty of “doof doofs.” The murder of Lucy Beale was a game-changer, leaving a lasting impact on the Square and its residents. And while the killer’s identity remained a mystery for now, one thing was certain: Walford would never be the same again.

The Death of Nick Cotton
Dot Branning was minding her own business when she received a visit from the police, informing her that her son, Nick, had died. One of the officers returned later to drop a bombshell: he was actually her grandson, Charlie Cotton, whose existence she had never known about. A devastated Dot held a funeral for Nick and grew close to Charlie in the aftermath. Charlie moved in with Dot, causing Fatboy to move out, much to his dismay.

However, the plot thickened when it was revealed that Charlie was not entirely honest. Although he was indeed Nick’s son, he was not a policeman but a caretaker. He had helped Nick stage his own death to avoid being arrested following a robbery. Nick reappeared in Walford, much to Dot’s shock, and persuaded his mother to hide him at her house. Despite being horrified that Charlie and Nick had lied to her, Dot forgave Charlie and agreed to help Nick escape from the UK, this time for good.

But Nick, being the slippery character he was, decided he did not want to leave. He got embroiled in a feud with Charlie’s new fiancée, Ronnie Mitchell, who tried and failed to ensure his speedy departure. Nick wasn’t giving up that easily and, in true Cotton-style, planned an old trick to take care of his newest arch-enemy in the New Year.

The Other Stuff
Janine is found innocent of Michael’s murder and leaves for Paris and her next target… The Bridge Street market merges with its Spring Lane counterpart, bringing new stall holders and residents to the area. Patrick suffers a stroke and faces a long recovery. Cindy Jr. gives birth to Beth, TJ Spraggan’s baby… Market trader Kush Kazemi sets hearts-a-pounding… Kat sees Stacey in London. She eventually comes home, but confesses to Archie’s murder, spending some time inside… Kat gives birth to twins Bert and Ernie. Kirsty gives up on Max and leaves, while Sharon finally marries Phil and becomes Mrs. Mitchell, again…