List of EastEnders characters (2021)

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The following is a list of characters that first appeared in the British soap opera EastEnders in 2021, by order of first appearance. All characters are introduced by the show's senior executive producer, Kate Oates, and executive producer, Jon Sen. The first character to be introduced in 2021 is Caleb Malone (Ben Freeman), who joined as part of a storyline involving Chelsea Fox (Zaraah Abrahams) and Lucas Johnson (Don Gilet). Zack Hudson (James Farrar) made his debut in March, followed by Dana Monroe (Barbara Smith) and Estelle Jones (Sue Holderness) in April. Violet Highway was then introduced (Gwen Taylor) in May. Tom "Rocky" Cotton (Brian Conley) made his first appearance in May pretending to be Terry Cant, the father of Sonia Jackson (Natalie Cassidy); he is later confirmed to be the father of Dotty Cotton (Milly Zero). Dani Dyer guest-starred as Jeanette in June and Harvey Monroe (Ross Boatman) made his debut in July. Kate Robbins was then cast in the guest role of music agent Jen Glover, making her first appearance in August. In October, Delroy Atkinson, Charlie Wernham and Heather Peace made their debuts as Howie Danes, Aaron Monroe and Eve Unwin, respectively, as well as Alyssa, the child of Jada Lennox (Kelsey Calladine-Smith) and Dennis Rickman (Bleu Landau). Additionally, multiple other characters appear throughout the year.

Caleb Malone

Caleb Malone
EastEnders character
Portrayed by	Ben Freeman
First appearance	Episode 6209 25 January 2021 (2021-01-25)
Last appearance	Episode 6238 16 March 2021 (2021-03-16)
Classification	Former; guest
Introduced by	Kate Oates and Jon Sen

Caleb Malone, played by Ben Freeman, made his first appearance on 25 January 2021. The character and casting details were announced on 12 January 2021, and it was explained that Caleb would appear "in a number of episodes" in a storyline involving Chelsea Fox (Zaraah Abrahams) and Lucas Johnson (Don Gilet). Digital Spy hinted that Caleb "could have something to do" with Chelsea's "ulterior motive in forgiving her father". Freeman was contracted in a guest role, with Duncan Lindsay of Metro stating that he is set to appear in a "handful of episodes".

Caleb arrives in Walford to meet Chelsea, having spoken previously on the phone about a "job" in which Cheslea is using Lucas as a "courier". Caleb comments to Chelsea that her clothes appear expensive so she clearly knows how to spend the money she took from him. She insists he will get it back and he says to make sure nothing goes wrong, making a veiled threat towards her.

Zack Hudson

Zack Hudson
EastEnders character
Portrayed by	James Farrar
Duration	2021–present
First appearance	Episode 6237/6238 16 March 2021 (2021-03-16)
Classification	Present; regular
Introduced by	Kate Oates and Jon Sen
In-universe information Occupation Chef Barman Father Gavin Sullivan Half-sisters Sharon Watts Nephews Dennis Rickman Jnr Albie Watts Other relatives Alyssa

Zack Hudson, played by James Farrar, made his first appearance on 16 March 2021. The character and casting was announced on 31 January 2021, and it was confirmed that he would begin filming in February. Zack was billed as a "charismatic" character who will "ruffle feathers when he arrives in Walford". It was added that he is a "lone wolf" and an "unpredictable troublemaker who lives life in the fast lane", and that due to a difficult childhood, he became "determined to never rely on anyone" or become attached to someone. On joining the soap, Farrar commented: "I'm thrilled to be joining EastEnders. As a born and bred Londoner myself, I can't wait to bring my experience of a place I love and know to such a well-respected long-running show, with such iconic characters. Zack certainly has a very complicated past and there is a real depth to him that I can't wait to explore." Executive producer Jon Sen opined his joy at Farrar's casting, stating that himself and the production team are excited to see him portray Zack, describing him as "a wonderful addition" to the cast.

Zack attends Gavin Sullivan's (Paul Nicholas) cremation and at the wake, he raises a scathing toast to Gavin and is chased by his cousins. Zack hides out in Kathy Beale (Gillian Taylforth) and Sharon Watts' (Letitia Dean) car until the coast is clear and when Sharon asks about his identity, he tells her that Gavin was his father. Zack later arrives in Walford after receiving a call from Sharon's friend, Jean Slater (Gillian Wright). He reveals he has nowhere to live and has been sleeping his car. He is then rude to Jay Brown (Jamie Borthwick) and Kheerat Panesar (Jaz Deol). Zack tells Sharon about his abusive childhood with Gavin, detailing how he hit him and Sharon tells him he did the same thing to her son Dennis Rickman Jnr (Bleu Landau). Zack then takes Sharon's keys and sneaks into her flat looking for something but is caught by Sharon. Zack tells her that he is looking for a safety deposit box, left to Sharon in Gavin's will, which Gavin left him the key for. Sharon accuses Zack of being like Gavin and he says he is nothing like their father. They then agree to share whatever is in the box. Zack opens it and is enraged to find a birthday card he made for Gavin as a child and little else of value. He throws the box on the floor, frightening Sharon. Zack tells Sharon about a time when he baked Gavin some cakes at school but he was unappreciative and stubbed out his cigarette in one, leaving him humiliated. As he goes to leave, Sharon tells him that Dennis died the previous year and asks Zack to stay, to which he initially refuses, although returns later with food and wine for them both. Zack finds himself on the wrong side of Martin Fowler (James Bye), who punches him when he believes that he has been sleeping with his wife Ruby Allen (Louisa Lytton). He later becomes friends with Martin and starts working as a barman at the Queen Victoria public house.

Zack starts dating Nancy Carter (Maddy Hill) and also flirts with her half-sister Frankie Lewis (Rose Ayling-Ellis). He gives Frankie driving lessons and in one of the lessons, he stops off at the Queen Vic to have a drink and continues. Zack resumes flirting with Frankie and winds her up, causing her to take her eyes off the road. They are involved in a hit-and-run accident, in which Nancy gets hit by the car. Zack persuades Frankie to cover up the accident but it proves too daunting for her and she confesses to Nancy’s father Mick (Danny Dyer). Mick agrees to hide it from Nancy and warns Zack away. However he cannot resist and continues to see Nancy, keeping it a secret from Mick. Whilst upstairs in The Queen Vic, Nancy's mother Linda (Kellie Bright) is threatened by burglars who attempt to steal money, but Zack stands up to them and they leave. Mick discovers that Zack is sleeping with Nancy, but he ignores Mick’s threats to leave her. Zack then admits the truth to Nancy and she subsequently ends their relationship. After this, Zack sleeps with Janine Butcher (Charlie Brooks) but realises he loves Nancy and attempts to make amends. When Alyssa is left on Sharon's doorstep, both Zack and Martin believe that they could be her father, however when Alyssa's mother Jada Lennox (Kelsey Calladine-Smith) arrives in Walford, she reveals that Zack's nephew, Dennis, is Alyssa’s father. Jada moves in with Sharon and Zack soon realises that Sharon and her ex-husband Phil Mitchell (Steve McFadden) are planning on battling Jada for custody of Alyssa. He tells Jada and she flees with Alyssa. When Sharon finds out that Zack told Jada about her intentions, she evicts him and he is left homeless. He manages to find Jada and convinces her to return with Alyssa, and they all move into 43 Albert Square with Sharon.

Zack builds his relationship with Nancy, and she supports him when he has the opportunity to participate in a cooking competition, letting him use The Queen Vic's kitchen for practice. They grow closer and resume their relationship. He supports Nancy when she learns that her aunt Tina Carter (Luisa Bradshaw-White) – who is thought to have been on the run – has been murdered by Gray Atkins (Toby-Alexander Smith). Zack and Nancy decide to open a restaurant together, and they meet with Melissa (Hannah Bennett-Fox), who they believe is an investor. Unbeknownst to the both of them, Melissa is working with Janine to swindle the pair, so she can use the money to pay Linda into leaving Walford. Melissa tricks Nancy into transferring money into her account, and they become suspicious when they do not hear back from the investor; they later discover that Nancy has been conned. Zack bonds with Jada and she tries to kiss him, but Zack rebuffs her advances. She lies to Sharon that Zack tried to kiss her, and Sharon threatens to throw Zack out in order for Jada to admit the truth. Jada later admits to Sharon that she lied. During a stormy time with Nancy, Zack drowns his sorrows at the club, where he sleeps with Sam Mitchell (Kim Medcalf). Nancy finds out and after much consideration, she decides to make a fresh start by leaving Walford without Zack, thus ending their relationship.

Dana Monroe

Main article: Dana Monroe

Dana Monroe (initially credited as Dana Adams), played by Barbara Smith, made her first appearance on 1 April 2021. She is introduced as a love interest for Bobby Beale (Clay Milner Russell), who meets her under a false alias. Smith previously appeared on EastEnders in 2019 as Ellie. Smith auditioned for the role of Dana over Zoom due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on television and despite thinking that she had not performed well, Smith was cast as Dana. She was initially cast in a 6-month guest stint, but was promoted to a regular cast member and had her family introduced to the soap. Dana has been shown to be a bubbly and likeable character and critics have noted that it has been refreshing to have a character with good intentions on EastEnders.

As well as her on-off relationship with Bobby, her tumultuous relationships with her relatives have been central to Dana's storylines. Father Harvey Monroe (Ross Boatman) is shown to be a strict father to Dana and attempts to control her, while brother Aaron Monroe (Charlie Wernham) disgusts Dana with his racist and Islamophobic attitudes. Smith noted that despite Dana being at the bottom of the Monroe family's power hierarchy, it would not stop her from attempting to change their family's old-fashioned mindsets. Her relationship with Bobby has been well received by viewers and critics, with one of their scenes nominated for Feel Good Moment at the 2021 Inside Soap Awards. Smith was also nominated in the newcomer categories at the 2021 I Talk Telly Awards and the Digital Spy Reader Awards for her portrayal of Dana.

Estelle Jones

Estelle Jones
EastEnders character
Portrayed by	Sue Holderness
First appearance	Episode 6261 26 April 2021 (2021-04-26)
Last appearance	Episode 6264 30 April 2021 (2021-04-30)
Classification	Former; guest
Introduced by	Kate Oates and Jon Sen
In-universe information Occupation Theatrical agent

Estelle Jones, played by Sue Holderness, made her first appearance on 26 April 2021. She appeared in 4 episodes until 30 April 2021. Her character and casting was announced on 26 March 2021, where it was revealed that Holderness had already filmed for the role, with her appearances airing the following month. It was confirmed that the role would be a guest stint. Of her role, Holderness said “I was absolutely delighted to have been given the chance to visit Walford. It felt very surreal to be popping into the actual fish and chip shop, Ruby's club, The Queen Vic, and wandering around the iconic Albert Square. I was ridiculously excited about the whole thing! After more than fifty years in the business it was my first time working on a soap and I loved the whole experience." Holderness later expressed an interest in returning on a more long-term basis.

Estelle is theatrical agent who Billy Mitchell (Perry Fenwick) meets at when dropping his daughter Janet Mitchell (Grace) off for a photoshoot. They go on a date and Estelle asks Janet’s mother and Billy’s ex wife Honey Mitchell (Emma Barton) if she is okay with them dating. Honey approves but is upset to learn that Estelle is paying Janet less than the other children, believing it to be because Janet has Down syndrome. Estelle states that this isn’t the case and that she is paid less because of her inexperience. Estelle is later seen again whilst she is on a date with Billy and Honey appears, refusing to take Janet to any more photoshoots.

Vi Highway

Vi Highway
EastEnders character
Portrayed by	Gwen Taylor
Duration	2021–present
First appearance	Episode 6265 3 May 2021
Classification	Present; regular
Introduced by	Kate Oates and Jon Sen
In-universe information Husband Freddy Highway Sons Jonno Highway Christopher Grandsons Stuart Highway Callum Highway Other relatives Zara Highway Roland Highway

Violet "Vi" Highway, played by Gwen Taylor, made her first appearance on 3 May 2021. Vi was introduced as the grandmother of established characters Callum Highway (Tony Clay) and Stuart Highway (Ricky Champ). Her casting and character details was announced on 17 March 2021. It was confirmed that Vi's arrival would happen in the lead-up to Callum's marriage to fiancé Ben Mitchell (Max Bowden), despite having not spent a lot of time with Callum throughout his life. Executive producer Jon Sen said that Callum and Stuart will want her visit in Walford to be "fleeting", but Vi has "other ideas". On Vi's entrance in Walford, Taylor stated that one of her first comments to Ben regards how Callum was good until he met Ben. She then "summons" Ben's father Phil (Steve McFadden) for a chat, but since she is not yet in "fighting mode", Phil does not view her as an enemy. After filming with McFadden, Taylor hoped to work with him again since she found him to be "sweet and kind". She then suggested that "it will be pistols at dawn between Vi and Phil at some point".

Justin Harp of Digital Spy wrote that Vi's "steely attitude might even intimidate Ben" and that she is "a grandmother not to be messed with". Despite this, Callum and Stuart will see her as "someone they can depend on because buried deep is a very warm heart". Sen described her as "quick-witted and blunt". He stated that having Taylor join the cast of EastEnders "is an honour", billing her as "the perfect actress to play the multi-faceted Violet Highway, a grandmother not to be messed with". He also expressed his excitement as seeing "the audience watching her make her mark". Taylor stated that she could remember the first episodes of EastEnders premiering, and said that she was "desperate" to join the cast. In an interview with Johnathan Hughes of Radio Times, she revealed that she auditioned for the original cast of EastEnders. She did not get far enough into the audition process to know her character's name, as she was turned away due to not being from the London area. Talking to Hughes, she explained that Vi is a "sharp but honest" woman who values family and that Stuart is her favourite brother since she cared for him a lot as a child. Taylor also likened her character to her own mother. She explained that like her mother, Vi is honest which leads her to "put her foot in it" despite never meaning to hurt anybody.

Tom "Rocky" Cotton

Tom "Rocky" Cotton
EastEnders character
Portrayed by	Brian Conley
Duration	2021–present
First appearance	Episode 6670 18 May 2021 (2021-05-18)
Classification	Present; regular
Introduced by	Kate Oates and Jon Sen
Crossover appearances	Emmerdale (2021)
In-universe information Other names Terry Cant Thomas Cotton Occupation Car salesman Father Charlie Cotton Half-brothers Nick Cotton Andrew Cotton Nieces Dotty Cotton

Tom "Rocky" Cotton, played by Brian Conley, made his first appearance on 18 May 2021. Tom is initially introduced using the stolen identity of Terry Cant, the estranged father of established character Sonia Fowler (Natalie Cassidy). His casting was announced on 15 February 2021. Prior to his debut appearance, Terry is referenced on-screen by Sonia in June 2020 when she is shown to be looking for her father on genealogy websites, but she is unable to find any contact details. Digital Spy said that Terry's arrival in Walford will be a "huge shock" for Sonia. They also wrote that Terry "will be quick to charm everyone on the Square and make himself at home". Actor Conley stated that since he is from London, joining EastEnders is "an incredible moment", and that his father would be proud of him for it, since it was his favourite television series. Conley added that it "really is an honour to be part of such an iconic show and to be working with an incredibly talented team on camera and off", and joked that he is excited to order his first pint at The Queen Victoria public house. Executive producer Jon Sen stated that he is "delighted" to welcome Terry onto the series. Sen explained that the casting process for his character took a long time, but that when they met Conley, they "knew instantly" that he was right for the role. He explained that Conley's "charm, wit and charisma" attributed to him being right for the role, and added that the producers have "some wonderful stories in store for him".

Terry arrives in Walford and instantly bumps into Rainie Highway (Tanya Franks) after leaving the tube station. He asks her for directions to Albert Square and then arrives at Ruby's, where he charms punters with stories. Sonia walks into the club and argues with Dotty Cotton (Milly Zero) and comes face with Terry but is unaware of who he is and leaves after labelling him a pervert. Terry then arrives at The Queen Vic looking for Sonia, who hides from him but he finds her and introduces himself as her father, confirming that he received a letter that she had sent to him. After Sonia tells Terry that her mother, Carol Jackson (Lindsey Coulson) told her that he had walked out on them, Terry tells Sonia that he loved Carol and says they would have remained together, if it had not been for Carol's next partner Alan Jackson (Howard Antony). He asks Sonia to have a drink with him, which she agrees to and recognises Carol's brother, Jack Branning (Scott Maslen). Terry tries to build bridges but Sonia is unwilling to.

Jeanette

Jeanette
EastEnders character
Portrayed by	Dani Dyer
Appears in	Episode 6289 15 June 2021 (2021-06-15)
Classification	Former; guest
Introduced by	Kate Oates and Jon Sen
In-universe information Occupation Taxi driver Sons Michael

Jeanette, played by Dani Dyer, appeared in the first of two episodes broadcast on 15 June 2021.

On 5 May 2021, it was reported that Dyer would be making a guest appearance on EastEnders in scenes opposite her real-life father Danny Dyer. Further details on her character were revealed on 7 June 2021. Dyer revealed that she drew on experiences with her own pregnancy for her role and that she had had to learn to drive the cab used in her scenes. On acting alongside her father, she said, "We have acted together before but this was definitely a lot more than what we've done in the past and it was brilliant. I really love working with my dad he really does make work easy with whatever we do together."

Jeanette is flagged down by Mick Carter (Danny Dyer) after his car suffers a flat tyre in his attempts to get to the hospital where his wife Linda (Kellie Bright) is having a baby scan. Jeanette is heavily pregnant herself, and when they stop for her to use the loo her waters break. She panics as her partner is away, but Mick takes charge of the situation and drives her to the hospital. Once there, she pleads with Mick not to leave her, calling him her guardian angel (something which Mick called her when they first met), and Mick accompanies her as she has the baby. She gives birth to a boy, who she names Michael.

Harvey Monroe

Harvey Monroe
EastEnders character
Portrayed by	Ross Boatman
Duration	2021–present
First appearance	Episode 6311 22 July 2021
Classification	Present; regular
Introduced by	Kate Oates and Jon Sen
In-universe information Occupation Taxi driver Sisters Fern Monroe Sons Aaron Monroe Daughters Dana Monroe

Harvey Monroe, played by Ross Boatman, made his first appearance on 22 July 2021. Harvey is the father of Dana Monroe (Barbara Smith), who is dating Bobby Beale (Clay Milner Russell). The character and Boatman's casting were announced on 9 June 2021. At the British Soap Awards 2022, Boatman won 'Best Newcomer' for his portrayal of Harvey.

Harvey is described as "traditional and a real family man", and has cared for Dana on his own forging a close bond. Of his casting, Boatman said "Some actors long for all the glamour of the Hollywood Hills. Others dream about the bright lights of London's West End. All I ever wanted was jellied eels, Albert Square and cheeky pint at The Queen Vic. Words can hardly express how happy and excited I am to be here at last. I absolutely love the show and can’t wait to get started. I feel truly blessed." Executive producer Jon Sen said, "We can't wait for Ross to join us in Albert Square as Harvey. He's perfect to play the affable father to Dana who's over the moon his daughter's found a match in Bobby but secrets aren't likely to stay hidden on the Square so Bobby's attempts at re-invention may well be futile. We're looking forward to Harvey's arrival, he'll certainly shake up the Beale family dynamics."

Jen Glover

Jen Glover, played by Kate Robbins, made her first appearance on 5 August 2021. Robbins' casting was announced on 11 July 2021, when it was confirmed that she had been cast in a guest role. Jen is a music agent that is friends with Terry Cant (Brian Conley); Terry contacts her after he learns that Whitney Dean (Shona McGarty) can sing. Susannah Alexander of Digital Spy described Jen as "old-school rocker" and "non-nonsense" and noted that she becomes determined to make Whitney famous. Robbins expressed her excitement at appearing on EastEnders and described being in The Queen Victoria public house amongst "legends of Albert Square" as a surreal experience.

Howie Danes

Howie Danes
EastEnders character
Portrayed by	Delroy Atkinson
Duration	2021–present
First appearance	Episode 6357 11 October 2021 (2021-10-11)
Classification	Present; regular
Introduced by	Kate Oates and Jon Sen
Spin-off appearances	Kimfluencer (2022)
In-universe information Other names Vince Hubbard Occupation Security guard Party entertainer Sons Denzel Danes

Howie Danes, initially credited as Vince Hubbard, played by Delroy Atkinson, is a children's entertainer who Kim Fox (Tameka Empson) finds after she believes that he is her husband Vincent Hubbard (Richard Blackwood). However, she discovers that Howie has been using Vincent's name after discovering his wallet. Howie makes his first appearance on 11 October 2021 and Atkinson's casting was announced on 10 October.

Howie is a children's entertainer who goes under the alias of Vince Hubbard. Kim overhears Mitch Baker (Roger Griffiths) cab booking for someone using the name "Vince Hubbard" and decides to investigate it as she believes it is her husband, Vincent. She traces the booking to Walford East and meets Howie instead of Vincent. Howie reveals that he was a security guard at a junkyard and found Vincent's wallet. Kim discovers that Vincent is dead and pleads with Howie to accompany her to report his death to the police. Phil Mitchell (Steve McFadden) realises their plan and scares Howie away leaving Kim devastated. Howie appears again when Kim visits the junkyard where Vincent was murdered. Kim has decided to seek the truth about his death and Howie reveals his intentions to help her were stopped by Phil who threatened him not to go to the police. Howie returns for Christmas with presents for Kim's children and decides to follow Kim to report Vincent's death.

He returns in February 2022 to help Kim film a scholarship video for her daughter Pearl (Arayah Harris-Buckle). Howie decides to change the video without Kim's permission and she orders him to leave. She comes around when Pearl gets the scholarship. Kim assumes that Howie is gay but is unaware that he has feelings for her, and she sets him on a date with another man until Howie confesses his feelings. Kim is initially not keen on a relationship with Howie and he leaves, however when Howie injures his leg, Kim decides to help him and invites Howie to move in with her at 20 Albert Square. Howie struggles with Kim's eagernesses to help and decides to move back to Walford Towers after recovering. Kim drops a bag on his leg resulting in him staying longer. Howie pursues a relationship with Kim once again and they start dating.

Howie starts receiving phone calls from an unknown person and he tells the caller that he loves them. He meets with a woman, Delilah (Chereen Buckley), who is revealed to be his ex-girlfriend and mother to his son, Denzel (Jaden Ladega). She leaves Denzel to stay with Howie and Kim and they struggle to bond together. Denzel causes trouble and when Amy Mitchell (Ellie Dadd) collapses after taking drugs, Denzel is accused of providing her with the drugs until Lily Slater (Lilia Turner), admits the truth.

Aaron Monroe

Aaron Monroe
EastEnders character
Portrayed by	Charlie Wernham
Duration	2021–2022
First appearance	Episode 6363 21 October 2021 (2021-10-21)
Last appearance	Episode 6475 26 April 2022 (2022-04-26)
Classification	Former; regular
Introduced by	Kate Oates and Jon Sen
In-universe information Occupation Businessman Father Harvey Monroe Sisters Dana Monroe

Aaron Monroe, played by Charlie Wernham, is the son of Harvey Monroe (Ross Boatman) and the brother of Dana Monroe and is a part of the newly established Monroe family. Aaron makes his first appearance on 21 October 2021 Wernham's casting was announced in August 2021 Aaron was described as a cocky business man. Talking about his arrival on the show, Wernham said: "It was always a childhood dream of mine to be in EastEnders. It's a show that's constantly on TV in my household as my family are massive fans so it's always been close to my heart. I can't wait to get cracking and join an incredibly talented cast!" On 8 June 2022, it was confirmed that Wernham had left the series, his final scenes having aired on 26 April that year.

Aaron was revealed to be a member of a hostile far right terrorist organisation specifically against people in the Muslim/Islamic community, engaging in racial defacement with nazi symbols, and nearly causing a massive terrorist explosion at The Arjee Bhajee mosque. It is believed he was motivated by his childhood friend Neil Hughes (Thomas Coombes).

Eve Unwin

Eve Unwin
EastEnders character
Portrayed by	Heather Peace
Duration	2021–present
First appearance	Episode 6369 29 October 2021 (2021-10-29)
Classification	Present; regular
Introduced by	Kate Oates and Jon Sen
In-universe information Occupation Lawyer Wife Stacey Slater (2021–present) Stepsons Arthur Fowler Stepdaughters Lily Slater Hope Fowler

Eve Unwin, played by Heather Peace, made her first appearance on 29 October 2021. Eve is the former cellmate and friend of Stacey Slater (Lacey Turner), who Stacey married whilst in prison to secure Eve a better future. Peace's casting was announced on 2 September 2021. Kate Oates stated that upon her arrival, she is introduced as Stacey's best friend. Her backstory involves having been imprisoned for a short stint, but repeatedly having her sentence extended due to crimes committed whilst in prison. Oates also hinted that where Eve goes, "chaos follows". Executive producer Jon Sen voiced his excitement about Eve, specifically mentioning how Eve and Stacey's friendship would be unique due to their shared prison experience.

Eve is first mentioned by Jean Slater (Gillian Wright) on 20 September 2021 when Jean visits Stacey in prison and asks if the pair are still friends, but Stacey brushes over her question without answering. In an interview with Inside Soap, Turner explained that her character became platonically close with Eve in prison and that Eve helped to make Stacey's stretch in prison bearable. She also said that the pair have "great chemistry".

Jada Lennox

Jada Lennox
EastEnders character
Portrayed by	Kelsey Calladine-Smith
Duration	2021–2022
First appearance	Episode 6373 8 November 2021 (2021-11-08)
Last appearance	Episode 6548 31 August 2022 (2022-08-31)
Classification	Former; regular
Introduced by	Kate Oates and Jon Sen
In-universe information Other names Karen Lennox Occupation Hairdresser Father Sonny Daughters Alyssa

Jada Lennox, played by Kelsey Calladine-Smith, made her first appearance on 8 November 2021. Jada was a friend of Dennis Rickman Jnr (Bleu Landau) and the mother of their daughter Alyssa. Calladine-Smith's character and casting was announced on 2 November 2021. On 10 June 2022, it was announced that she had been axed from the show as part of a shake-up of the cast by new producer Chris Clenshaw, and made her final appearance on 31 August 2022.

Jada is first seen on 8 November 2021 when she watches Alyssa from a distance. When Alyssa drops her teddy, Jada keeps it and tries to leave it on the doorstep of Sharon Watts (Letitia Dean). She is noticed by Sharon's brother Zack Hudson (James Farrar) and when she tries to run, she is chased by Zack and Sharon. Jada reveals that she is Alyssa's mother and that Sharon's deceased son, Dennis Rickman Jnr (Bleu Landau) is Alyssa's father, but Sharon accuses Jada of lying. When Jada reveals intimate details of Dennis' life, including Sharon's affair with Keanu Taylor (Danny Walters), she comes around and decides to take Jada in. Sharon later gets a DNA test which proves that Alyssa is Dennis' daughter. Dennis' adoptive father Phil Mitchell (Steve McFadden) believes that Jada is struggling to look after Alyssa and convinces Sharon to go for full custody. Zack overhears their plan and reveals their intentions to Jada and she flees with Alyssa.

She reappears in February 2022 when Zack meets her to return Alyssa's toy after seeing them in Bethnal Green. He persuades her to return to Walford, and whilst outside the train station, Jada is inattentive to Alyssa causing her pram to roll into an upcoming car. Sharon saves her and asks Jada and Alyssa to move in with her and promises to let Jada keep Alyssa. Jada starts working for Denise Fox (Diane Parish) at her salon Fox & Hair. She befriends Will Mitchell (Freddie Phillips) and bumps into her old friends Chess Newland (Liani Samuel) and Melody Wiles (Niamh Longford). When Sharon decides to go on holiday with her infant son Albie, Chess and Melody decide to plan a party without Jada's permission. Jada persuades Zack and Martin Fowler (James Bye) to leave the house, however, Martin's ex-wife Sonia Fowler (Natalie Cassidy) overhears the music and ends the party after she catches Will smoking. Zack and Martin decide to tell Sharon but they change their mind. Jada learns that Denise is selling her salon, causing Jada to lose her job. She is comforted by Zack and they spend time together, however, Jada gets the wrong idea and makes a move on him. Zack rejects her and Jada lies to Sharon that Zack had kissed her instead. Sharon decides evicts him but Jada later admits that she lied. Linda Carter (Kellie Bright) decides to buy Denise's salon, and Jada is reemployed.

When Jada sees Stuart Highway (Ricky Champ) purchasing pills, they have a heart-to heart and he realises his mistake. He asks Jada to dispose the pills but Denise discovers the pills on Jada, and confiscates them. Lily Slater (Lilia Turner) later steals them, giving it to Amy Mitchell (Ellie Dadd), who collapses. Jada is confronted by residents, including Linda, and she sacks Jada. She struggles to find another job and Linda's arch-enemy Janine Butcher (Charlie Brooks) convinces Jada to help her scheme against Linda. When Linda reinstates Jada back at the salon, she refuses to help Janine, but Janine has recorded Jada admitting her intentions for revenge, and blackmails her. She forces Jada to plant alcohol on Linda's belongings and to report her to Social Services for neglecting and harming her daughter, Annie. Jada is guilt-ridden and confesses the truth to Sharon before fleeing Walford with Alyssa.

Other characters

Character	Episode date(s)	Actor	Circumstances
DS Latham	1 January 2021	Kumbi Mushambi	A police officer who asks Stuart Highway (Ricky Champ) to talk in his car; Stuart is taken to the police station and Latham is present while Stuart is questioned by DI Steve Thompson (Philip Wright) off the record about Stuart's attack on Thompson.
Elspeth	7 January 2021	Jo Coffey	Lucas Johnson's (Don Gilet) parole officer. He meets with her and says a recent attack on him was a coincidence and not targeted towards him. He tells her he is sticking to his parole conditions and she says she is impressed that he is not looking for revenge.
Dr Robinson	11 January 2021	Jane Garda	A doctor who Jean Slater (Gillian Wright) visits after finding a lump in her breast. Dr Robinson is due to take a biopsy but Jean says she knows it is cancer. While Dr Robinson is out of the room, Jean leaves before having the biopsy.
Dr Shah	14 January 2021	Bhawna Bhawsar	A doctor looking after Patrick Trueman (Rudolph Walker) following his stroke. She tells Patrick there should be no lasting damage. Patrick refuses to take his blood thinning medication but his wife, Sheree Trueman (Suzette Llewellyn) tells Dr Shah that she will make sure he does.
Ibrahim Ramzen	15 January 2021	Valmike Rampersad	A GP who Ian Beale (Adam Woodyatt) visits with his wife, Sharon Beale (Letitia Dean), when he is feeling unwell. He thinks he is struggling to recover following an attack the previous month and Sharon suggests it could be his mental health rather than something physical, so Dr Ramzen offers to give him blood tests and a mental health assessment.
Dr Hobbs	18–22 January 2021 (2 episodes)	Tim Lewis	A private doctor who Ian Beale (Adam Woodyatt) visits when he is feeling unwell. Dr Hobbs offers a toxicology examination in case Ian has taken an overdose. The next day, Dr Hobbs leaves Ian a voicemail saying the test results are concerning and asking Ian to call him.
Jed	25 January 2021	James Backway	A man who Frankie Lewis (Rose Ayling-Ellis) introduces to Linda Carter (Kellie Bright) as the paternal half-brother of her dead maternal half-brother, Harry, on the anniversary of Harry's death. Jed says that his father never wanted anything to do with Harry but allowed him to keep in touch, which raises suspicions in Linda because her husband, Mick Carter (Danny Dyer), was raped by his carer, Katy Lewis (Simone Lahbib), when he was 12, resulting in Frankie's birth. Linda presses Jed for details on his connection to Harry, asking if he is actually Harry's father but Jed denies this and calls Linda sick, but then becomes angry and says he did as he promised and never mentioned Harry or what happened between Katy and "any of us", revealing that he and other boys were victims of Katy's and he is indeed Harry's father.
PC Turner	28 January 2021	Poppy Roe	A police officer who takes a statement from Mick Carter (Danny Dyer) about the abuse he suffered as a child.
Darien	29 January 2021	Alex Austin	A man who watches Lucas Johnson (Don Gilet) and Chelsea Fox (Zaraah Abrahams). Darien leaves something on some flowers, which Chelsea takes. Lucas then confronts Darien as a man who had previously attacked him. Darien asks if Lucas is the person who will be delivering drugs for Chelsea, to which Lucas says he is but does not know many details so Darien tells him details.
Bea	10 February 2021	Maria Leaf	A clairvoyant who visits Max Branning (Jake Wood), however, he changes his mind about seeing her and accuses her of being a con artist. Bea talks about Max's daughter, Abi Branning (Lorna Fitzgerald) and says she can sense her presence. She says that Abi forgives Max for what happened in the past.
Simone Garner	12 February 2021	Teresa Zaylor	A solicitor hired by Ian Beale (Adam Woodyatt) to finalise his annulment from Sharon Watts (Letitia Dean) and to make her the sole proprietor of The Queen Victoria public house.
DI Pine	12 February 2021	Seabert Henry	A police colleague of Jack Branning (Scott Maslen), who tells Jack he is interviewing a victim of child sexual abuse. Jack sees Mick Carter (Danny Dyer) in the interview room.
Nurse Novia Fernandez	16 February 2021	Yvonne Wickham	Nurse Novia Fernandez is nurse who treats Peter Beale (Dayle Hudson) after a fall but he to leave before she can administer pain relief. Mrs Tendaii later arrives to give Peter the pain relief but sees it has already been administered. Peter says he did it himself but she assumes his friend, Ash Kaur (Gurlaine Kaur Garcha), an off-duty nurse who has been drinking, has done it, and suspends Ash from her job pending an investigation.
Mrs Tendaii		Michelle Huirama
Stan "Stas" Saunders	22 February–28 May 2021 (6 episodes)	Adam Young	An employee of Phil (Steve McFadden) and Ben Mitchell (Max Bowden).
Fern Driscoll	23 February 2021	Carrie Bunyan	A pregnant woman that Ruby Allen (Louisa Lytton) meets at a clinic. She carries around a photo of her 12-week scan photo, which Ruby steals to pretend that she is pregnant.
Mike	4 March 2021	Charlie MacGechan	Two men at the E20 nightclub that harass Tiffany Butcher-Baker (Maisie Smith) whilst she is serving them drinks.
Tony		Lewis Rainer
Sally	16 March 2021	Jill Stanford	Gavin Sullivan's (Paul Nicholas) sister. She informs Gavin's ex-wife Kathy Beale (Gillian Taylforth) of his death and later meets Kathy and Gavin's daughter, Sharon Watts (Letitia Dean), at his wake.
Molly Ellis	6 April–17 May 2021 (5 episodes)	Juliette Alexandra	The owner of a dog that Bailey Baker (Kara-Leah Fernandes) and Bernadette Taylor (Clair Norris) have been taking care of. After retrieving her dog, Molly asks Bernadette on a date. However, she learns that Bernadette has plans to be a surrogate mother for Rainie (Tanya Franks) and Stuart Highway (Ricky Champ), which Molly vocalises her disagreement with. Bernadette explains that their payment is to benefit her family, who come first for her, and she tells Molly that they are done.
Nyangi Marwa	30 April–1 June 2021 (3 episodes)	Lucy Vandi	The mother of Mila Marwa (Ruhtxjiaïh Bèllènéa). She finds Mila in Walford and tries to persuade her to marry a man named Joseph. However, Kathy Beale (Gillian Taylforth), who Mila is living with, affirms that Mila is gay and that the marriage would not be good for her. Nyangi continues to tell Mila that she will marry Joseph until Mila states that she has done enough for their family. Mila learns that Nyangi plans to take her sister Kioni (Florisa Kamara) away on a supposed holiday. Mila recalls to when her mother told her the same story when she was Kioni's age and realises that Nyangi is having Kioni undergo female genital mutilation. Kathy calls the police on her and Nyangi is subsequently arrested.
Kioni Marwa	24 May 2021 – 3 February 2022 (15 episodes)	Florisa Kamara	The sister of Mila Marwa (Ruhtxjiaïh Bèllènéa) who informs Mila that their mother Nyangi (Lucy Vandi) plans to take her on a trip to see an unnamed aunt. Mila later reveals that Nyangi is planning to have her taken to be genitally mutilated, as she was when she was younger. Mila's girlfriend, Iqra Ahmed (Priya Davdra), gets Nyangi sent to prison and Mila is given custody of Kioni.
Dwayne	25–28 May 2021 (3 episodes)	Emmanuel Ogunjinmi	A man that Kim Fox (Tameka Empson) meets at The Queen Victoria public house selling hand sanitiser. She approaches him and asks if he would like to go on a date, to which he says yes. When Kim's niece Chelsea Fox (Zaraah Abrahams) meets him, she informs Kim that he previously dated her best friend and cheated on her with four other women. The two pair up against Dwayne and mess up his car.
Waseem Qureshi	12 August–3 December 2021 (3 episodes)	Faraz M. Khan	Imran Qureshi's (Reda Elazouar) brother. He helps Bobby Beale (Clay Milner Russell) to open a Mosque in Walford, but disagrees with the Mosque being located next to a gay bar.
Annie Carter	13 September 2021–present	Uncredited	The daughter of Linda Carter (Kellie Bright) and Max Branning (Jake Wood). She is raised by Linda and her husband Mick Carter (Danny Dyer).
Alex Atkins	17 September 2021	Charlie Roe	The father of Gray Atkins (Toby-Alexander Smith) who walked out of his life when Gray was young. Alex calls Gray and tells him that he is currently dying in hospital. Alex later dies from natural causes.
Alyssa	29 October 2021 – 31 August 2022	Uncredited	The baby daughter of Dennis Rickman Jnr (Bleu Landau) and Jada Lennox (Kelsey Calladine-Smith). She is left on Zack Hudson (James Farrar) and Sharon Watts' (Letitia Dean) doorstep. They initially believe her father to be Zack. Martin Fowler (James Bye) also suspects that he is the father of Alyssa; to clear up their beliefs, they both participate in a paternity test. The test results conclude that neither of them are the father of Alyssa.
Neil Hughes	2 December 2021 – 12 April 2022 (12 episodes)	Thomas Coombes	A childhood friend of Aaron Monroe's (Charlie Wernham) who is part of a far-right terrorist group. He arranges numerous crimes to be committed to minority groups, including having Butcher-Baker (Zack Morris) beaten up, a bomb being planted at a mosque in Albert Square and assaulting a group of LGBTQ+ people which included Ben Mitchell (Max Bowden), Callum Highway (Tony Clay), Stacey Slater (Lacey Turner), Eve Unwin (Heather Peace) and Ash Panesar (Gurlaine Kaur Garcha).
Jordan Atkins	27 December 2021–present	Uncredited	The son of Chelsea (Zaraah Abrahams) and Gray Atkins (Toby-Alexander Smith) who is born prematurely at 24 weeks.