List of EastEnders characters introduced in 2006
The following is a list of characters that first appeared in the BBC soap opera EastEnders in 2006, by order of first appearance. 2006 was a year when many families joined EastEnders. First, Deano Wicks, his sister Carly Wicks and father Kevin Wicks joined. Then, the Fox family appeared, with the characters of Denise Fox, Chelsea Fox and Libby Fox as members. The Branning family was extended with Max Branning, Tanya Branning, Abi Branning and Lauren Branning all joining. Also, May Wright, Jay Brown, SJ Fletcher and Shirley Carter, the biological mother of Deano and Carly, all joined the show. Also, Owen Turner, Denise's abusive ex-husband, and his mother Liz both arrived in this year.
Dean Wicks
Dean "Deano" Wicks, played by Matt Di Angelo, arrives in Walford and is taken in by Kevin's in-law Pat Evans after he lies that his father, Kevin Wicks, has died. Deano is soon joined by Kevin and his sister, Carly Wicks. He is also unwittingly reunited with his estranged mother, Shirley Carter, during a family holiday in Dorset. Deano is imprisoned for framing Sean Slater for an assault. He finds prison hard, and when he is released, Deano has changed vastly.Bradley Branning
Bradley Branning, played by Charlie Clements, moves to Walford from Tring to live with his grandfather Jim and his step-grandmother Dot. Later that year, Bradley's father Max moves to Albert Square with his family. Bradley befriends Stacey Slater upon his arrival, and eventually a romance develops between them. They marry in November 2007, but Bradley discovers on Christmas Day that Stacey has been having an affair with his father. They split and Bradley eventually has a relationship with Syd Chambers, though it is Stacey who proves to be Bradley's ultimate love.Oliver Cousins
Oliver Cousins, played by Tom Ellis, is a Walford doctor. He first appears in episode 3092, first broadcast on 30 January 2006. His last appearance is in episode 3159, first broadcast on 26 May 2006. In 2011, Ellis said he would not consider returning to the show.When Oliver first appears, he is knocked over by Dot Branning and is locked out of his house naked. Mo Harris picks the lock for him, but as his towel is caught in the door, he then has just his hands to cover himself. Cousins gives Honey Edwards advice about her unborn baby, finds Ben Mitchell when he runs away, and talks to Little Mo Mitchell about her baby Freddie, thinking that she is suffering from stress. He then develops romantic feelings for Little Mo.
Oliver goes on a date with Little Mo, where she confides in him that she sometimes struggles with Freddie. He walks her home that night and they share a kiss on the doorstep. Little Mo later confides in Oliver that she has nearly hit Freddie in the past when he has been crying. When Freddie is injured, Oliver tells his colleague, Briony Campbell, what Little Mo has told him. Briony tells Social Services, who suspect Little Mo has caused Freddie's injuries. However, Little Mo suspects 10-year-old Ben has caused them. Little Mo discovers that Oliver has betrayed her and ends their relationship. Oliver is offered a job in Leeds and decides to leave Walford.
At the same time, Ben tells Oliver that he has hit Freddie on purpose, confirming Little Mo's suspicion, but Ben's father Phil tells Oliver to keep quiet. Oliver takes Little Mo for dinner and tries to convince her to go to the police and clear her name but she refuses. They go to The Queen Victoria public house together and Peggy Mitchell calls Little Mo a child beater. Oliver stands up for her and is about to tell everyone the truth about Freddie's injury. Little Mo is angry with Oliver for not respecting her decision and she storms out of the pub.
Oliver gets drunk the following day and barmaid Dawn Swann has to help him get into his flat at the end of the night. Little Mo's cousin Stacey Slater sees this but doesn't tell her. Oliver finally admits to Little Mo that he loves her and proposes to her on 25 May 2006. Happy with the outcome, the two prepare to leave Walford for Leeds, but Oliver first apologises to Dawn for throwing her out of his flat the day he got drunk. She gives him a friendly kiss but Stacey also sees this and tells Little Mo who then confronts Oliver and pushes him to the ground; in response, he ends their relationship. As Little Mo prepares to leave for Barnstaple, Oliver realises that he still loves her and decides to ask her to go with him to Leeds. He runs to the tube station and tries to convince her to join him. Little Mo chooses not to go with him, and she leaves with Freddie. Oliver leaves Walford for Leeds on the same day.
Carly Wicks
Carly Wicks, played by Kellie Shirley, moves to Albert Square with her father Kevin and her brother Deano after the breakdown of her marriage to Nico Pappas. She is also unwittingly reunited with her estranged mother, Shirley Carter, during a family holiday in Dorset. Carly has brief relationships with Martin Fowler, Jake Moon and Sean Slater, despite there being a feud between Sean and Deano.Kevin Wicks
Kevin Wicks, played by Phil Daniels, moves to Albert Square with his children Deano and Carly. He starts a relationship with Denise Fox, and the two marry in April 2007, despite Kevin's ex-wife Shirley's attempts to stop them. Kevin runs a car lot, but when he agrees to sell "cut-and-shut" stolen cars for Phil Mitchell the enterprise leads to tragic consequences.Bert Atkinson
Bert Atkinson, played by Dave Hill, makes his first appearance in Albert Square on 24 February 2006. He is last seen leaving Walford on 23 July 2007. Bert is from Slaithwaite in Huddersfield, Yorkshire and is proud Yorkshireman, who frequently mentions his origins. He can often be found boasting around Albert Square about how Southerners do not match up to him and his fellow Northerners. He returned unannounced on 28 August 2017 for two episodes.He is a friend of Joe Macer, and comes to Walford to visit him, having heard from Joe's daughter Megan of his marriage to Pauline Fowler. On the day he arrives, he is mistaken for a tramp by Bradley Branning and interrupts Martin and Sonia Fowler's evening by letting himself into their house while Joe and Pauline are on their honeymoon.
He flirts with Mo Harris and takes her back to Pauline and Joe's house, where the newlyweds walk in on them kissing on the sofa. Mo identifies a tattoo on his upper left arm as one obtained in prison, and realises that Bert knows Joe from prison. When Mo finds Bert in an alley in a tight embrace with Ina, a local market stall holder, she splits up with him and reveals his secret to Dot Branning. After Pauline discovers Joe and Dot's betrayal, Bert moves in with Dot, Jim, Sonia and Bradley at No. 25 Albert Square. He later makes up with Mo and their passion starts again.
In November 2006, Bert receives a visit from a man telling him that his ex-wife [|Evie] wants to see him. She is dying of breast cancer, and tells Bert that she still loves him, even after 38 years of not seeing each other. She also reveals that their daughter, Karen, died of breast cancer in 2004. Bert brings Evie back to Walford to stay with Pat Evans while the rest of her family are away, and Bert moves in with her, breaking up with Mo. Evie dies days after arriving in the Square but she shocks Bert by telling him that he has a grandson called Jay. At Evie's funeral Bert meets Jay for the first time but does not introduce himself because he is too afraid of what may happen. Bert moves out of Pat's house and in with Patrick and Yolande Trueman.
On 5 February 2007, Beryl, the carer of Bert's grandson, Jay, brings Jay to live with Bert, saying she cannot look after him any more. Bert tries to teach Jay not to steal, as he steals from Deano Wicks' stall and Patrick and Yolande's shop. Pat later persuades Ian Beale to let Bert and Jay live at 15a Turpin Road. He is referred to an eye specialist with a suspected glaucoma after a check up at his optician's. Initially Bert refuses to have anything to do with surgery but after Jay discovers how serious his condition is and threatens to move out, Bert has the surgery and appears to make a full recovery.
In July 2007, Jay's father, Jase Dyer, appears in Albert Square, looking for his son. After an initially hostile meeting, Bert allows him to meet Jay. The father and son get on together, and Jase moves into the flat. On seeing his grandson is being well looked after, Bert takes his cue to pack his bags and move on from the Square on 23 July 2007.
Bert returns to Walford ten years later when Phil Mitchell tells Jay that Jase is not his biological father. Bert backs up Phil's story but it is later revealed that Max Branning blackmailed Phil into lying about Jay's paternity.
Jack Edwards
Jack Edwards, played by Nicky Henson, is the father of Honey Mitchell. The character was to have been played by former musician David Essex, originally for only 3 weeks, but Essex pulled out when the role expanded and he was unable to commit to the increased time. The role was re-cast and Nicky Henson played the part.Jack has a dog called Dalgliesh and a narrowboat called Patonia. He initially shows a strong dislike of his daughter's fiancée, Billy Mitchell, and poses as a plumber to get to know what Billy is really like. He also has a crush on Peggy Mitchell. Jack leaves Walford to complete a job, but returns in July for Billy and Honey's wedding and continues flirting with Peggy. They get together, but split up when Peggy refuses to accept Jack's newborn granddaughter, Janet, who has Down's syndrome. He reappears again in November when Honey runs away from Billy and Janet.
Since his departure, Jack is mentioned in February 2008 when Billy and Honey announce to Peggy that they are going to visit him for a week on his narrowboat with Janet and a newborn baby Will Mitchell. He is then mentioned again in September 2008 by Billy, who tells Archie Mitchell that Honey has taken the children and left him, moving in with Jack. In May 2010, Billy is told that Honey and Jack have been involved in a car accident and Jack has died.