Dennis Rickman

Name: Dennis Rickman
First Appeared: 14th April 2003
Last Appeared: 30th December 2005
Played by: Nigel Harman

Dennis Rickman, a name that stirred quite a bit of excitement and drama in Albert Square, was introduced as the son of the notorious “Dirty” Den Watts. Dennis’s entrance was nothing short of dramatic, making his first appearance in handcuffs, on day release from prison to attend his mother’s funeral. This tough guy image was reinforced when he floored Phil Mitchell with a single punch during his full-time character debut, marking the start of a fierce rivalry.

It soon became clear that Dennis had a troubled past. Neglected by his mother and abused by her boyfriends, he spent time in a children’s home. Den was unaware of Dennis’s existence until Sharon discovered she had a brother. Their meeting brought a mix of conflict and connection, especially when Den returned from Spain, confirming Dennis’s suspicions and uniting the family in a tumultuous bond.

Dennis’s relationship with his father was a rollercoaster, to say the least. They teamed up to settle scores with Phil Mitchell, tricking him into an armed robbery and leaving him with incriminating evidence. Dennis also formed a close, albeit complicated, relationship with Sharon Watts, Den’s adopted daughter. Their secret affair and Den’s attempts to keep them apart added layers of tension, leading to explosive confrontations and emotional turmoil.

The drama escalated when Dennis discovered his girlfriend, Zoe Slater, was never pregnant and had been sleeping with Den. This betrayal led Dennis back to Sharon, and they returned as a couple. After marrying Sharon, they sought justice for Den’s murder, bringing Chrissie Watts to justice and selling The Queen Victoria back to the Mitchells. The Watts/Mitchell feud seemed to reach a conclusion, but the turmoil was far from over.

On Christmas Day 2005, Sharon’s suspected food poisoning turned out to be pregnancy, and the couple planned to move to the United States. However, Johnny Allen’s threat on Dennis’s life created a deadly situation. Manipulated by Phil, Dennis beat Johnny to the brink of death, only for Johnny to order a hit on him. As Dennis made his way to meet Sharon, he was fatally stabbed by Danny Moon. Dying in Sharon’s arms, Dennis’s final words, “we did it,” referred to their unborn child, later named Dennis in his honour.