Mitchell family
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Mitchell family | |||||
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EastEnders family | |||||
First appearance | Episode 526 20 February 1990 | ||||
Introduced by | Michael Ferguson | ||||
Duration | 1990–present | ||||
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The Mitchell family is a fictional family in the UK soap opera EastEnders. They were first introduced in February 1990, when brothers Phil (Steve McFadden) and Grant Mitchell (Ross Kemp) bought the local garage, the Arches. Their sister Sam (Danniella Westbrook/Kim Medcalf) was introduced later in 1990, and their mother Peggy (Jo Warne) shortly after in 1991, before being reintroduced as a regular character in 1994, with the role recast to Barbara Windsor. Since then, the family has been significantly expanded to include both the immediate and extended families. Phil has been the longest running Mitchell on the show, and the family has expanded significantly in the years since, remaining a large presence on the square.
The Mitchell's have mostly been associated with the ownership of local pub
As of 2024, a total of ten Mitchell blood relatives appear on the program: Phil; his sons
Story lines
Following the Mitchells' arrival in 1990, Phil starts an affair with Grant's wife,
After the affair is discovered in October 1994, Sharon and Grant divorce, and Grant and Phil's mother Peggy is introduced as the new landlady of the Queen Vic, replacing Sharon, who had lived in the pub all her life, but leaves Walford to live in America with her mother.
In 1993, Phil marries
Grant marries
The extended Mitchell family is introduced in 1998; Jamie Mitchell (Jack Ryder) is taken in by Phil as he flees from his abusive guardian and uncle, Billy Mitchell (Perry Fenwick). Billy, Phil and Grant's cousin, moves to Walford as well, and becomes a lackey for the Mitchell brothers and their schemes. Jamie is killed off in December 2002, while Billy remains a regular after being reformed.
In the spring of 2001, Phil is at the center of the
Following Phil's departure, Sam (now
The Mitchell brothers return in October 2005 and become a dominating force in Walford, quick to avenge any misdoings towards them.
When
Roxy and Ronnie's relationship becomes complicated when Roxy has a one-night stand with Ronnie's on-off boyfriend,
Danielle Jones (Lauren Crace) arrives in the square in 2008, and is soon revealed to be the daughter Ronnie gave up for adoption many years earlier. Danielle keeps her identity a secret ("The Secret Mitchell"), until it is discovered by Archie. He manipulates her into thinking that Ronnie hated her and would reject her if she knew who she is. Archie and Peggy become engaged, and at the wedding reception Danielle reveals her true identity to Ronnie, who refuses to believe her, as Archie had stolen the locket that would have been proof to what Danielle was saying. However, Ronnie discovers the locket in her wine glass, and heads off to reunite with her daughter, who is killed by Janine Butcher's (Charlie Brooks) speeding car.
Sam returns in 2009. The Mitchells bail her out, but when she flees Walford a few months later, they lose their bail money, which cause them to go bankrupt. Archie and his new girlfriend, Janine, prey on their vulnerability and take over the Queen Vic pub. On Christmas Day 2009, Archie is murdered by an unknown assailant ("
Following Archie's death, Ronnie and Roxy's mother,
Sam returns to Walford in late 2010 and reveals that she is pregnant; she initially lies and says that the child is Ricky Butcher's (Sid Owen) to try and reconcile with him, but Ronnie exposes that the baby is the son of her now fiancé Jack Branning: Ronnie and Jack married in November 2010 and Ronnie gave birth to their son James in late December. However, days after he was born he died of
Phil has an affair with Glenda behind Shirley's back. In January 2011, he has a heart attack, and asks Shirley to marry him, but on their wedding day he calls it off. Glenda leaves Walford after having been rejected by Ronnie and Roxy for her actions. Ben (now
Ben's stalking is revealed when D.C.I. Jill Marsden (Sophie Stanton) returns to arrest him and accuses him of murdering Stella Crawford after her abuse is exposed. Phil is sent to prison, but found not guilty. Ben panics about his father's return, and kills Shirley's best friend Heather Trott (Cheryl Fergison) while arguing with her. Phil covers up the death, despite Shirley's devastation at her friend's death. Ben's crime is exposed several months later and he is sent to prison, while Shirley ends her relationship with Phil.
Lola is accused of not being able to care for her baby,
Sharon, now Sharon Rickman, returns in 2012 and begins a relationship with Phil after her engagement to Jack fails. Ronnie is released from prison in 2013. Billy resumes custody of Janet in 2014 when Honey moves to Canada with William. Roxy briefly marries Alfie, but their marriage is annulled when she realises on their wedding day that he is still in love with Kat. In the aftermath of her rejection, Roxy enters into a relationship with Carl White (Daniel Coonan), who has a troubled relationship with Phil, after sending him to the hospital earlier in the year as part of his plan to put Max Branning (Jake Wood) in prison. Ronnie tries to warn Roxy about Carl, but he attacks her, being killed by her in self-defence when he threatens to rape her. She disposes of the body and tells Phil what she did. Phil sells the Queen Vic to Mick Carter (Danny Dyer), unaware that he is Shirley's brother. Phil and Sharon become engaged when she is badly injured in an attack on Phil's bar, The Albert, which she runs. Phil was behind the attack, and wanted to scare Sharon into becoming more reliant on him, and he proposes out of guilt. Ronnie discovers she is pregnant and leaves Walford.
Ben (now
In 2017, Ronnie remarries Jack, but on the wedding night, she and Roxy drown in a hotel swimming pool. In April 2022, Sam returns to Walford permanently. In January 2023, Sam's twelve-year-old son Ricky (Frankie Day) has a one-night stand with Stacey Slater (Lacey Turner)'s twelve-year-old daughter Lily (Lillia Turner) resulting in Lily's pregnancy.
Family members
- Edward Mitchell (deceased); married to Betty Mitchell (deceased)
- Phillip Mitchell (deceased); married to Sandra Mitchell (deceased)
- Eric Mitchell (deceased); married to Peggy Martin(deceased)
- Sharon Rickman and Kat Slater
- Callum Highway
- Lexi Pearce, daughter of Ben and Lola Pearce(deceased)
- Louise Mitchell, daughter of Phil and Lisa Fowler
- Peggy Taylor, daughter of Louise and Keanu Taylor(deceased)
- Dennis Rickman (deceased), son of Sharon and Dennis Rickman(deceased), adopted by Phil during his marriage to Sharon
- Jada Lennox
- Raymond Dawkins, son of Phil and Denise Fox
- Albie Watts, son of Phil and Sharon
- Carla Mitchell
- Mark Fowler, son of Grant and Michelle Fowler
- Courtney Mitchell, daughter of Grant and Tiffany
- Sam Mitchell, daughter of Eric and Peggy, married to Ricky Butcher and Andy Hunter (deceased)
- Ricky Branning, son of Sam and Jack Branning
- Charli Slater, daughter of Ricky and Lily Slater
- Archie Mitchell (deceased), married to Glenda Mitchell and Peggy Mitchell
- Ronnie Mitchell (deceased), daughter of Archie and Glenda, married to Jack Branning and Charlie Cotton
- Joel Reynolds(deceased)
- James Branning (deceased), son of Ronnie and Jack Branning
- Matthew Mitchell Cotton, son of Ronnie and Charlie
- Roxy Mitchell (deceased), daughter of Archie and Glenda; married to Sean Slater and Alfie Moon
- Amy Mitchell, daughter of Roxy and Jack Branning
- Ronnie Mitchell (deceased), daughter of Archie and Glenda, married to Jack Branning and Charlie Cotton
- Clive Mitchell; married to Elaine Mitchell
- Kenneth Mitchell; married to Barbara Mitchell
- Vi Mitchell
- Stephen Mitchell; married to Janet Mitchell (deceased)
- Charlie Mitchell(deceased); married to Lynne Mitchell (deceased)
- Jamie Mitchell (deceased), son of Charlie and Lynne
- Honey Edwards
- Dan Pearce (deceased), son of Billy and Julie Perkins
- Emma Harding, married to Jay Brown
- Lexi Pearce, daughter of Lola and Ben Mitchell
- Janet Mitchell, daughter of Billy and Honey
- Will Mitchell, son of Billy and Honey
- Dan Pearce (deceased), son of Billy and
- Madge Mitchell
- Phillip Mitchell (deceased); married to Sandra Mitchell (deceased)
Peggy Mitchell's sister, Sal, occasionally appears but is not a blood relation to the main Mitchell family. Tucker Mitchell was referenced at Sal's funeral in 2024.
Reception
The Mitchells won the Best Family accolade at the 2006 Inside Soap Awards.[2] They received a nomination in the same category at the 2009 ceremony.[3]
In 2019, Rebecca Koncienzcy of the Liverpool Echo called the Mitchells "one of the soap's most iconic families",[4] and said: "The Mitchells have dominated storylines in the award-winning soap for decades and show no sign of stopping with the Sharon's affair with Keanu set to explode this Christmas."[4]
The Mitchell family was longlisted for "Best Family" for the 2023 Inside Soap Awards.[5]
See also
References
- ^ "22M TUNE IN TO SEE PHIL CONFRONT EAST ENDERS LISA", Evening Standard. URL last accessed on 2007-03-02.
- ^ "Rival soaps tie on awards night". BBC News. 26 September 2006. Retrieved 26 December 2019.
- ^ "Inside Soap Awards shortlist announced". BBC Online. 22 September 2009. Archived from the original on 27 September 2009. Retrieved 26 December 2019.
- ^ a b Koncienzcy, Rebecca (23 November 2019). "What happened to the BBC EastEnders family the Mitchells? And where they are now". Liverpool Echo. Retrieved 26 December 2019.
- ^ Daniel Kilkelly (13 September 2023). "Inside Soap Awards 2023 announces full list of nominees". Digital Spy.