David Wicks
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This article consists almost entirely of a plot summary and should be expanded to provide more balanced coverage that includes real-world context. Please edit the article to focus on discussing the work rather than merely reiterating the plot. (January 2012) |
| David Wicks | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| David as he appeared in 1996 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| EastEnders character | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Portrayed by | Michael French | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Introduced by | Leonard Lewis (1993) Bryan Kirkwood (2012) |
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| Duration | 1993–96, 2012 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| First appearance | 23 December 1993 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Last appearance | 13 January 2012 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Classification | Former; regular | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Date of birth | 21 April 1962 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Occupation | Car salesman | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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David Wicks (né Beale) is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders, played by Michael French. He originally appeared between 1993 and 1996. He returned on 1 January 2012, for the departure storyline of his mother Pat Butcher (Pam St. Clement), and departed again on 13 January 2012.[1]
Contents |
Storylines
Background
David is the son of Pat Evans (Pam St Clement) and her first husband Pete Beale (Peter Dean). Pat and Pete split up when David and his brother Simon (Nick Berry) were young and Pat remarried to Brian Wicks (Leslie Schofield), who adopted both David and Simon (who turned out to be Brian's biological son). Meanwhile Pete remarried to Kathy Hills (Gillian Taylforth) and had another son, Ian (Adam Woodyatt). Pete had no further contact with David and Simon when they moved away from Walford in 1976.
During his teenage years David got his girlfriend Carol Branning (Lindsey Coulson) pregnant. David and the rest of the Branning family tried to persuade Carol to have an abortion and after Carol's brother Derek (Terence Beesley, later Jamie Foreman) severely beat David up. The Wicks family left Walford, so David never really knew whether Carol did have the abortion or not. For the next few years David, along with his mother and brother, suffered at the violent hands of his abusive stepfather Brian. Pat also proved to be a negligent mother due to her alcoholism and constant promiscuity and after turning 17, David began living with his girlfriend Lorraine Foster (Jacqueline Leonard) away from his parents. During this time Lorraine fell pregnant by him and after they married she gave birth to their son Joe (Paul Nicholls) in 1980 when David was 18. This was shortly followed by the birth of their daughter Karen in 1982. However David was a restless man who felt he had been tied down too young and after embarking on several affairs he walked out on his wife and children in 1988, losing all contact with them.
1993–96
David returns to Albert Square on 23 December 1993 for the funeral of his father Pete, who had died in a car crash two weeks earlier. A few weeks later he moves in with his mother Pat and soon goes into business with her stepson Ricky Butcher (Sid Owen) with a car lot that they name "Deals on Wheels". David receives a stark reminder of his past in the form of Carol and her large brood of children, and soon finds himself falling for her oldest daughter Bianca (Patsy Palmer). Carol is very hostile towards him, and is horrified when she witnesses the growing relationship between David and Bianca. This results in Carol telling David that Bianca is his daughter in March 1994. David is stunned but agrees to keep his distance from Bianca, much to her chagrin. The truth is revealed to an embarrassed Bianca in March 1995 when, after drunkenly trying to kiss David after he rescues her from being mugged, David is forced to confess that she is his daughter. Despite being initially hostile towards David, Bianca soon forms a close relationship with her father.
David's estranged son Joe arrives in Walford in April 1996. With him comes the news that his daughter Karen died in a car accident nine months previously. Joe's return causes many problems for David, and at first David rejects the idea of having his son back in his life. However, after Joe runs away and arrives back at David's again, he becomes more receptive to Joe and the idea of having him in his life again. Eventually Joe and Lorraine move down to London from Bolton and Joe moves in with David. However, Joe seriously blames himself for Karen's death, and this leads to Joe developing schizophrenia. Joe exhibits increasingly strange behaviour that gets progressively worse. This is one of the main reasons that David eventually leaves Walford.
David is a notorious womaniser. He has relations with Sam Mitchell (Danniella Westbrook) and an affair with Cindy Beale (Michelle Collins), the wife of his half-brother Ian. Cindy becomes obsessed with the idea of running off with David, and hires a hit man to kill Ian. Ian is shot but survives, and when David finds out he ends the relationship, but not before helping Cindy escape with her two sons. Shortly after, David has a fling with ex-partner, Carol. Eventually, the truth is revealed about David's affair with Cindy and his fore-knowledge of the attempted murder of Ian. The loss of friends and alienation of his family, together with Joe's worsening mental condition with schizophrenia leads David to decide leave Albert Square for Milan. David leaves in a torrent of tears after telling Joe he is going.
In 2010, David sends Bianca £10,000 for her wedding as he is unable to attend. In December 2011, Pat phones David after she learns that he has had an affair with his brother Simon's wife. Pat argues with David on the phone about his infidelity, and ends the call on bad terms.
2012
David returns to Walford on 1 January 2012, after hearing that Pat is severely ill. David is stunned to discover that Pat is in fact dying of cancer. When he is reunited with his mother, he reveals that he has broken up with his partner but that his son, Joe is doing very well. The pair argue and David resolves to leave, however Carol persuades him to stay. Derek Branning (Jamie Foreman) arrives and provokes David and a fight breaks out. David tells Derek he is staying around and returns to Pat, where he forgives her for her past mistakes and she dies in his arms. David decides to stay in Walford to plan his mother's funeral and is furious when he discovers Bianca's husband Ricky Butcher (Sid Owen) slept with Mandy Salter (Nicola Stapleton) behind her back. Later, he flirts with Roxy Mitchell (Rita Simons) and goes to sleep with her, although he has second thoughts and calls it off. David then declares his love for Carol. She reciprocates, and the pair reunite.
David visits Derek to try to settle their differences, but Derek repeats his threats. Michael Moon (Steve John Shepherd) suggests to David that they should team up to bring Derek down and get him arrested. David is not initially keen on the idea, but when Derek upsets Carol he agrees to a scheme with Michael. They then attempt to set Derek up by Michael planting stolen goods in Derek's home. However Derek catches Michael in the act, and Michael blames the entire scheme on David. When David learns of this he begs Carol to leave Walford with him. Carol agrees, but after the funeral of Pat, David is confronted by Derek, Jack (Scott Maslen) and Max Branning (Jake Wood). Derek threatens him with a knife, but Jack and Max let David go. As he returns to his car to meet with Carol, he sees her saying an emotional goodbye to Bianca and her family, so realises her family needs her and leaves without her.
Development
In September 2011, it was rumoured that David and Simon were to return to EastEnders for Pat's departure storyline.[2] The Sun reported producers were working to get French and Berry on board.[2] A BBC spokesperson declined to comment on the report, saying "There has been a lot of speculation surrounding Pat's departure, however we are not going to comment on rumours at this stage as we don't want to spoil the storyline for viewers."[2] On 13 November 2011, it was confirmed French would be reprising his role as David after an absence of 15 years.[3]
References
- ^ Kilkelly, Daniel (12 January 2012). "Ricky desperately tries to save his marriage". Digital Spy (London: Hearst Magazines). http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/soaps/s2/eastenders/spoilers/a357762/ricky-desperately-tries-to-save-his-marriage.html. Retrieved 12 January 2012.
- ^ a b c Kilkelly, Daniel (12 September 2011). "'EastEnders' Simon and David Wicks tipped for return". Digital Spy (London: Hearst Magazines). http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/soaps/s2/eastenders/news/a339910/eastenders-simon-and-david-wicks-tipped-for-return.html. Retrieved 13 November 2011.
- ^ Daniels, Colin (13 November 2011). "'EastEnders' David Wicks returns for Pat's funeral". Digital Spy (London: Hearst Magazines). http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/soaps/s2/eastenders/news/a350609/eastenders-david-wicks-returns-for-pats-funeral.html. Retrieved 13 November 2011.
External links
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