Charlie Cotton

Name: Charlie Cotton
First Appeared: 6th March 1986
Last Appeared: 14th June 1990
Played by: Christopher Hancock

Charlie Cotton was the quintessential rogue of Albert Square, first stepping into the scene in 1986 after a nearly 30-year absence. Born in 1931 in Walford, he married Dot Colwell in 1956, and the pair had a son, Nick, in 1959. Charlie worked as a lorry driver but wasn’t content with just one family. In 1963, he bigamously married Dot’s half-sister, Rose Taylor, and had another son, Andrew. This double life set the stage for much of the drama that would follow.

Charlie’s return to Walford was anything but smooth. He quickly conned Dot into thinking he had changed, only to disappear with her money. When he met his son Nick in 1987, their shared goal of conning Dot led to a rivalry rather than a partnership. Each tried to outdo the other, with Charlie discovering Nick’s shady dealings and ultimately teaming up with Graham Clark to force Nick out of Walford. However, this family feud saw Dot kicking both men out after learning of their deceit.

In 1989, Charlie’s duplicity was further exposed when Joan Leggett revealed their bigamous marriage to Dot. Undeterred, Charlie returned the next year to con Dot out of her bingo winnings, only to find Nick plotting a more sinister scheme. Their attempts to outmanoeuvre each other ended with Dot once again sending Charlie packing. Charlie’s life came to an abrupt end in July 1991, with news of his death in a lorry accident, marking a dramatic end to his physical presence on the show.

Charlie’s legacy continued to haunt Walford. In 2000, he appeared as a ghost in Nick’s dream, ominously warning him of impending doom. This prophecy came true when Nick’s son Ashley died in a motorcycle accident. Years later, Rose’s revelation about her marriage to Charlie and Andrew’s paternity added another layer to his chaotic life. Dot, initially furious, eventually realized Charlie’s deceit affected them both, choosing to move past the betrayal.