Dr. Fred Fonseca

Name: Dr. Fred Fonseca
First Appeared: 13th September 1998
Last Appeared: 1st February 2000
Played by: Jimi Mistry

Dr. Fred Fonseca made a splash in Walford when he arrived in September 1998, stepping into the shoes of the much-loved Doctor Harold Legg. Fred confirmed the joyous news that Bianca Butcher was expecting a baby, but his holistic, non-traditional approach to medicine and reluctance to entertain patients’ complaints outside office hours didn’t initially endear him to everyone. Coming from a wealthy family, Fred hadn’t wanted to pursue medicine, but family pressure led him down that path. Living above the surgery with Mick McFarlane, Fred quickly became a familiar face in the community.

Fred and Mick became good friends, though Fred struggled to share a significant part of his life with Mick – his sexuality. During a trip to a medical convention in Brighton in the summer of 1999, it became apparent to everyone, except Mick, that Fred had something he needed to confess. Taking Mick to a gay club, Fred hoped Mick would figure it out, but Mick remained oblivious until Fred finally came out. Mick’s shock was more about Fred not confiding in him sooner than his actual sexuality. Their friendship survived the revelation, though Mick’s mother, Josie, who also worked as Fred’s receptionist, was not as understanding and denounced Fred’s lifestyle as immoral.

Fred’s sexuality brought homophobic tendencies to the surface in Walford, particularly from Martin Fowler. When Josie’s stepdaughter, Kim, sought Fred’s counsel about homosexuality, Josie accused Fred of trying to “recruit Kim to the gay cause” and insisted he shouldn’t be around children, deeply offending Fred. These tensions, along with the challenges of his holistic approach, made Fred’s position increasingly difficult.

In February 2000, Dr. Fonseca decided to leave Walford for a new practice in Islington.