List of EastEnders characters introduced in 2017
EastEnders is a BBC soap opera that first aired on 19 February 1985. The following is a list of characters that first appeared in 2017, by order of first appearance. All characters are introduced by the show's executive producer Sean O'Connor or, from 27 November, his successor as executive consultant, John Yorke.
The first character to be introduced was Keegan Baker, a friend of Shakil Kazemi, followed by Emerald Fox, the mother of Denise Fox and Kim Fox-Hubbard. Madison Drake, Alexandra D'Costa and Travis Law-Hughes, three new teenage characters, were also introduced in January as well as their school teacher [|Mr Gethin Pryce] and Hugo Browning, the chairman of Weyland & Co. The following month, Preston Cooper, a student with whom Michelle Fowler had an illegal relationship in the United States, and Konrad Topolski, a love interest for Shirley Carter, made their first appearances.
Josh Hemmings, the son of James Willmott-Brown and love interest for Lauren Branning, and [|Tommy], a friend of Jay Brown, both debuted in March. April sees the first appearance of [|Woody Woodward], a friend of the Carters'. Ted Murray and [|Joyce Murray], an elderly couple, made their first appearances in May. The following month, [|Tom Bailey], a love interest for Michelle, the Taylor family − comprising Karen Taylor, Keanu Taylor, Bernadette Taylor, Riley Taylor and Chatham Taylor − and Ingrid Solberg, a nanny hired by Jack Branning, were introduced. Felix Moore, a market trader, debuted in July. Hope Fowler, the daughter of Martin Fowler and Stacey Fowler, was born in October. Aidan Maguire arrived in November, while Kandice Taylor, Karen's sister, and [|Abi Branning], the daughter of Abi Branning and Steven Beale, made their first appearance in December.
Keegan Baker
Keegan Butcher-Baker, played by Zack Morris, is a friend of Shakil Kazemi who also goes to school with Louise Mitchell, Bex Fowler, Travis Law-Hughes, Alexandra D'Costa and Madison Drake. He first appears in the episode broadcast on 9 January 2017. On 23 February 2022, it was announced that Morris would be leaving his role as Keegan with his exit scenes set to air in the spring. Keegan departed on 17 March 2022, alongside his wife Tiffany Butcher.Emerald Fox
Emerald Fox, played by Doña Croll, is the mother of Denise Fox and Kim Fox-Hubbard. Her introduction to the series was revealed on 1 January 2017, in a trailer for upcoming storylines. It was revealed the character would be appearing in "a handful of episodes". The character was previously referred to in the series as "Ada", though in the 5 January 2017 episode, Denise asks if her mother is "still calling herself ", implying that it is a nickname, rather than the character's name being changed.Emerald and Kim arrive at the hospital for the birth of Denise's son, [|Raymond]. Kim finds out Denise has decided to keep the adoption plans for him and both Emerald and Kim are upset with her. Emerald researches adoption, and is pleased to learn that Denise is allowed to change her mind. Emerald tells Patrick Trueman, Denise and Kim's surrogate father, about what she would have to do to stop the adoption and he advises her to support Denise. Kim decides to cut all ties with Denise as a result of the adoption and when Emerald stands by Denise, Kim angrily throws her mother out leaving Emerald no choice but to move in with Denise, Libby and Patrick.
When a bus crashes into the market and viaduct, Emerald is relieved to learn that Denise has survived the crash with minor injuries. Emerald catches Keegan Baker shoplifting at the local shop where Denise works whilst everyone is in chaos rescuing the injured, and attempts to stop him but he pushes her against the shelves. Emerald tells Kim's husband, Vincent Hubbard, that Kim's behaviour is unreasonable and Kim throws her out, so she moves in with Denise. Before Emerald leaves Walford, Denise defends Kim to Emerald and Kim says she is thankful for her sister, to which Emerald states that they are not sisters. When pushed for more information, Emerald reveals that Denise was brought to her as a baby and she felt she had no choice but to raise her as her own. Emerald says she is still Denise's mother and then leaves. Over a year later, Kim and Denise take a DNA test, which reveals that they are biological sisters and that Emerald lied.
Raymond Dawkins
Raymond Dawkins first appears in the episode broadcast on 13 January 2017. He is the son of established characters Denise Fox and Phil Mitchell. In 2020, Raymond returned to the serial following the death of his adoptive parents in a car accident. Since 2020, he has been played by Michael Jose Pomares Calixte.Raymond was conceived when Denise had a drunken one-night stand with Phil, who was battling with cirrhosis of the liver from his battle with alcoholism. Denise puts him up for adoption immediately after his birth, visiting him in his cot and telling him her reasons. The next day, Phil finds out he is the father after his wife Sharon Mitchell overheard Denise telling Phil's ex-girlfriend Shirley Carter. Denise tells him their ages and lifestyles would make them bad parents, and that adoption is the best thing for the baby. Phil finds his son and holds him, but then leaves the hospital, having accepted Denise's decision. Social worker Trish Barnes visits Denise a few weeks later to inform her how her son is doing with his potential adoptive family and that he has been named Raymond after Ray Charles as the parents are a fan of his. Denise later reads a letter from his adoptive parents informing her that Raymond is living a happy life with them. Months later, Denise gets confirmation that the adoption has been finalised. Denise gives Phil the letter about Raymond's progress. When Phil gets an offer for some land he owns, he tells Sharon that he would like to provide for Raymond. In July, Phil's eldest son, Ben Mitchell, is angry when he finds out about Raymond. Raymond has been mentioned by Phil on some occasions. In September 2020, Raymond is involved in a car accident along with his adoptive parents and sister. Denise visits Raymond in hospital and meets Raymond's adoptive grandmother, Ellie Nixon.
As part of Phil's alcoholism storyline, in April 2016, he has a one-night stand with Denise after being estranged from his wife, Sharon; the "unlikely pair" are brought together by parenting issues. The one-night stand leads to a "much bigger plan" when Denise finds out she is pregnant with Phil's baby. It was reported that this would "spark a huge storyline" due to the "hatred" expressed between them. When it was reported that Denise would opt for adoption, Kim would make the plan "increasingly complicated" when she offers to adopt the baby. Phil discovers he is the father of the baby because Sharon feels she "has been left with no option but to tell" Phil as she wants to give him the option of meeting his child.
Madison Drake and Alexandra D'Costa
Madison Drake played by Seraphina Beh, and Alexandra D'Costa, played by Sydney Craven, are school friends of Louise Mitchell. They first appear together in the episode broadcast on 17 January 2017, and made their final appearances in the episode broadcast on 21 July 2017.Madison and Alexandra attend the drama club at Walford High School with Louise. They are both unfriendly towards her when Louise tries to speak to them. When Travis Law-Hughes greets Louise, they tease her when they notice she has a crush on him. They tell Louise's friend Bex Fowler that they have treated Louise better than she has, following her teasing over the recent bus crash and advise Louise to get her own back. Alexandra and Madison help Louise come up with a plan to get revenge on Shakil Kazemi and Keegan Baker, who have teased Louise about how scared she was during the crash, and Louise inadvertently shows them a naked photo that Shakil sent to Bex. Under Madison and Alexandra's instruction, Louise gets Bex's phone and sends Shakil's naked photo to them and Bex is left distressed when she finds out what Louise did and that the photo has been sent to another person.
Bex receives an anonymous Valentine's card and believes Shakil sent it, however, realises that Madison and Alexandra sent it as a joke. Shakil tells Louise that he has seen Bex and Travis together and Madison and Alexandra tell Louise they believe Bex has been after Travis for a while, causing Louise to confront Bex, but Bex insists they are just friends. After finding out Bex has had sex with Preston Cooper, Madison and Alexandra spread it around online. When a porn video with Bex's face imposed in the model's body is sent around school, the police get involved and the explicit photo of Shakil is discovered and Bex takes the blame. After Bex is told she will be interviewed under caution, she tells Louise she will admit the truth, so Louise confesses that Madison and Alexandra were responsible for sending it on and she should think about bringing them into it. After being given a warning, Bex tells Madison, Alexandra and Louise she took the blame despite being the only innocent person, and they laugh at her.
Madison and Alexandra overhear Bex insult them when she confronts Louise over their friendship. In the toilets, Madison and Alexandra push Bex, Madison tears her shirt and Alexandra writes "dirty" on her face while Louise stands outside. Bex then admits to the headteacher, Mrs Robyn Lund, and teacher Mr Gethin Pryce, that Louise, Madison and Alexandra were responsible for sending the photo, but they deny knowledge of either incident. Madison and Alexandra go to Louise's half-brother's, Ben Mitchell's, 21st birthday party and Jay Brown chats Madison up. When Jay's ex-girlfriend, Star Bragg, turns up, he orders her to leave and she tells him that Madison and Alexandra are underage. Madison and Alexandra are forced to leave. When Bex works alongside her aunt Michelle Fowler in the café, Madison and Alexandra make remarks about them both being with Preston and laugh when Bex shouts at Michelle. When Alexandra sees Bex in the local shop, she knocks the sugar she is buying out of her hands and sticks chewing gum in her hair when she goes to pick it up. Later, Bex goes to the café where her great-aunt Kathy Beale asks her to serve Alexandra and Madison their drinks; they insult her and Alexandra trips Bex, causing Kathy to spill soup on Madison. They leave and order Louise to come with them. They later find Bex in the local chicken shop and Madison tells Bex that she owes her a new top, and Alexandra insults Bex's weight. They then tell Bex that they will always be around and she cannot escape them. Later, Louise, Alexandra and Madison arrive at Bex's house and her stepmother, Stacey Fowler, lets them in, where Alexandra threatens to smash Bex's guitar. Louise tries to stop her from doing it but Alexandra stamps on the guitar, leaving Bex in bits.
The next day, Madison apologises to Bex, saying that she is no longer involved with Alexandra and warns her that Alexandra is planning to cut her hair. Later the same day, Alexandra and Louise tell Bex that they are planning revenge on Madison, so Bex warns Madison of this; Madison thanks her and they meet up, where Madison offers her truffles. As Bex is revulsed by the taste, Alexandra and Louise emerge, filming Bex's reaction, saying it was cat faeces. Bex later watches a video they posted online of them making the fake truffle from mud and showing Bex's reaction. Bex's mother Sonia Fowler reports Bex's bullying to the school but keeps Louise's name out of it on Bex's request.
Bex and Louise try to fix their friendship after Louise agrees to no longer be friends with Madison and Alexandra, but later they bump into Madison and Alexandra, and Louise says she is only talking to Bex and they are not friends again, so Bex leaves, upset. Madison and Alexandra tell Louise they have to report to Mrs Lund every day because of her, and then agree with each other that she has disrespected them and must not get away with it. Madison and Alexandra take Louise's school books and hide them, but later return them to her after she gets detention. This causes Louise to miss a drama rehearsal and they tell her she cannot miss another one or she will be unable to take part in a talent show.
When Michelle starts community service, Louise, Madison and Alexandra tease her. Madison and Alexandra graffiti "cougar" on a wall, targeted at Michelle. They tell Louise she could have a chance at going out with Travis, and though she says Alexandra is more his type, they laugh at Louise's crush when she leaves the room. Later, when Louise's stepmother, Sharon Mitchell and Michelle get home drunk, Alexandra and Madison are amused when Louise berates them and tells them how alcohol has affected her family, so they decide to use it against her. Madison and Alexandra talk about a party they have arranged at Madison's, but later tell Louise that Madison cannot host it and they suggest a girls' night for the three of them at Louise's home, which Sharon agrees to. Madison and Alexandra invite Travis to the party, overheard by Bex. Bex tries to warn Louise that Madison and Alexandra cannot be trusted but Louise just accuses her of jealousy. Madison and Alexandra arrive at Louise's with vodka and people later start arriving, including Keegan and Travis, and Louise frets about alcohol in the house, but Madison and Alexandra reassure Louise that they will make non-alcoholic drinks for the three of them. Louise unknowingly has drinks that Madison and Alexandra spiked, resulting in Louise getting drunk. Madison and Alexandra take selfies with Louise when she is too drunk to know about it. Louise is sick and as she staggers outside, she collapses after bringing up blood, panicking Madison, Alexandra, Keegan, Travis and Bex.
Louise is taken to hospital with paralysis and when she is sent home, Madison and Alexandra turn up and they tell her that Keegan filmed what happened and was going to post it online but they stopped him, and they tell Louise, Sharon and Ben that Travis was responsible for spiking her drink. Louise believes Travis could have been framed, but Madison and Alexandra convince her that he is lying. After speaking to Sharon's son Dennis Rickman Jnr, about the party on Travis's behalf, Bex tells Louise that Alexandra followed Travis into the kitchen, and Alexandra interrupts them. Alexandra gets herself out of trouble by telling Louise and Bex that Travis may not have been responsible for spiking her drink and Louise insists that Madison and Alexandra are still her friends, but Bex worries that they have targeted Louise.
Sharon wants to meet Travis, inviting him for dinner, but Louise calls it off when Madison and Alexandra plant doubts that Travis is a cheat. Keegan tells Louise that they had sex at the party, but Louise says he is lying, but worries after Madison and Alexandra tell her that Keegan is telling people about Louise's birthmark. Madison and Alexandra then tell Louise that Keegan has chlamydia and he gave it to another student. When Travis breaks up with Louise, Madison and Alexandra tell him that he did the right thing.
When Louise decides to pull out of the school showcase, Alexandra asks Travis to sign her up to replace Louise as Juliet in Romeo and Juliet, and later Alexandra tells Louise that she is now playing the part but only because Mr Pryce was desperate and she did not really want it. Bex tells Louise that Alexandra is lying but Louise believes Alexandra. During rehearsal, Alexandra's acting is wooden but she confidentially kisses Travis, though Mr Pryce tells her she should act shy. Alexandra overhears Bex telling Shakil that Alexandra will mess up in the showcase so decides to take revenge.
Before Bex's performance at the showcase, Madison and Alexandra break a guitar string and when Bex looks for one in the classroom, Madison and Alexandra pin Bex up against a wall. Shakil hears the bullying through headphones and intentionally turns up the volume through the soundboard for everyone to hear; exposing them. Alexandra and Madison are publicly shamed and humiliated after Louise smugly tells them that they are caught out. They are then angrily ordered by Mrs Lund to her office. Louise and Bex make statements against Alexandra and Madison to Mrs Lund and Louise realises what they are really like. Madison and Alexandra receive external exclusions and are banned from the school prom. Alexandra asks Keegan for help to ruin the prom. Madison and Alexandra watch the prom from the balcony. Travis arranges an area behind the stage with candles for him and Louise. Alexandra and Madison turn up and Louise berates them and their actions and Alexandra pushes Louise onto lit candles, setting off the fire alarms and sprinklers. Louise is in agony as Mr Pryce and other students help her by cooling the burns with water. Keegan is sickened by Madison and Alexandra's actions and drags them onto the stage, where Alexandra denies it being their fault. The police arrive to get statements where Madison and Alexandra turn against each other as Alexandra tries to blame Madison. Madison and Alexandra are both arrested for GBH and students insult the pair as they are escorted out. Mr Pryce visits Bex and Sonia and tells them that Madison and Alexandra will be prosecuted. A few days later, Sharon finds out that they have both been expelled from school.