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[[Image:Chrissiegreen.jpg|left|thumb|220px|Chrissie's style was a prominent aspect of the character. [[Tracy Ann Oberman]] wanted to bring an element of ''Sex and the City'' to the character.]]A key facet of Chrissie’s personality is her wardrobe and style, with ''EastEnders'' costume designer Di Humphreys noting that "Chrissie’s clothes reflect her strong, upfront character."<ref name="style">{{cite news |title=How is Chrissie's look created? |url=http://web.archive.org/web/20050403020607/www.bbc.co.uk/eastenders/haveyoursay/yourquestions/yourq_content/yourq_chrissie_s_look.shtml |publisher=bbc.co.uk |date=3 March 2005 |accessdate=2010-1-31 |archiveurl=http://web.archive.org/web/20050403020607/www.bbc.co.uk/eastenders/haveyoursay/yourquestions/yourq_content/yourq_chrissie_s_look.shtml |archivedate=3 March 2005 }}</ref> According to Oberman the production team was keen to emphasise this in the manner of her dress: "For Chrissie's wardrobe, we decided she is dressy and over co-ordinated",<ref>{{cite news |title=A WestEnder's Den |author=Rosanna Greenstreet |url= |newspaper=The Mail on Sunday |date=8 August 2004 |page=20 }}</ref> explaining how the character's fashion sense was informed by her own observations of British expatriates: "When I heard I had the part of Chrissie I was on holiday in Spain, where she had been living, and I remember looking at all the ex-pat women, and thinking how co-ordinated they are. Their hair is always perfect, their bags match their gloves and shoes and scarves."<ref name="Star chat"/> The show's make-up artist, Elizabeth Armistead, has also spoken of the way Chrissie's "glamorous, polished look" informs her characterisation and personality: "Chrissie's a confident person who rarely leaves anything to chance. Even in moments of despair, though her facial expression reflects her turmoil, she never has a hair out of place."<ref name="style"/> The look was part of a desire to represent the character as a "strong" and "forceful" figure, with one interviewer describing Chrissie as "quite flashy" and "glam".<ref name="Star chat"/> According to Humprehys this is manifested in "Chrissie’s outfits, [which] are a mixture of designer and High Street... Chrissie's got a great sense of style. She makes High Street clothes look made to measure."<ref name="style"/> Oberman felt Chrissie's fashion sensibilities to be a critical element of the character: "she's like Angie with 15 more years of ''[[Sex and The City]]'' thrown in",<ref name="sex"/> referring to an American televisied serial notable for fashion.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.mb.com.ph/articles/236381/fashion-s-lookback-decade |title=Fashion’s look-back decade|publisher=[[Digital Spy]]| date=31 December 2009|accessdate=2010-01-01}}</ref> Even before stepping foot on set Oberman spent eight hours with Humphreys shopping for Chrissie's clothes at [[Selfridges]] where they "spent a fortune!"<ref name="Star chat"/> The character's highly stylised representation on-screen earned Oberman the award for best-dressed soap star in 2005,<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/soaps/news/a24750/eastenders-named-best-soap-at-awards.html |title='EastEnders' named best soap at awards|publisher=[[Digital Spy]]| date=27 September 2005|accessdate=2009-12-07}}</ref> and reflected Chrissie's new-found role as the "voluptuous landlady" of The Queen Vic.<ref name="interview">{{cite news|url= http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/soaps/s2/eastenders/interviews/a166888/tracy-ann-oberman.html|title=EXCLUSIVE: Tracy Ann Oberman interview|publisher=[[Digital Spy]]|author=Green, Kris|date=24 July 2009|accessdate=2009-12-09}}</ref> In the media the character was widely regarded as the show's ultimate ''femme fatale'' and resident "sex symbol",<ref name="sex symbol">{{cite news|url=http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1G1-135293761.html|title=I love being a sex symbol for teenage boys|author=Sally Brockway|publisher=The People|date=21 August 2005|accessdate=2010-01-02}}</ref> being described by John Dingwall of the ''[[Daily Record (Scotland)|Daily Record]]'' as Walford's "black widow".<ref>{{cite news |title=EastEnders brothers reunite after 6 years |author=Dingwall, John |url=http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1G1-137651300.html |newspaper=Daily Record |location=Glasgow, Scotland |date=18 October 2005 |accessdate=2010-1-31 }}</ref>
[[Image:Chrissiegreen.jpg|left|thumb|220px|Chrissie's style was a prominent aspect of the character. [[Tracy Ann Oberman]] wanted to bring an element of ''Sex and the City'' to the character.]]A key facet of Chrissie’s personality is her wardrobe and style, with ''EastEnders'' costume designer Di Humphreys noting that "Chrissie’s clothes reflect her strong, upfront character."<ref name="style">{{cite news |title=How is Chrissie's look created? |url=http://web.archive.org/web/20050403020607/www.bbc.co.uk/eastenders/haveyoursay/yourquestions/yourq_content/yourq_chrissie_s_look.shtml |publisher=bbc.co.uk |date=3 March 2005 |accessdate=2010-1-31 |archiveurl=http://web.archive.org/web/20050403020607/www.bbc.co.uk/eastenders/haveyoursay/yourquestions/yourq_content/yourq_chrissie_s_look.shtml |archivedate=3 March 2005 }}</ref> According to Oberman the production team was keen to emphasise this in the manner of her dress: "For Chrissie's wardrobe, we decided she is dressy and over co-ordinated",<ref>{{cite news |title=A WestEnder's Den |author=Rosanna Greenstreet |url= |newspaper=The Mail on Sunday |date=8 August 2004 |page=20 }}</ref> explaining how the character's fashion sense was informed by her own observations of British expatriates: "When I heard I had the part of Chrissie I was on holiday in Spain, where she had been living, and I remember looking at all the ex-pat women, and thinking how co-ordinated they are. Their hair is always perfect, their bags match their gloves and shoes and scarves."<ref name="Star chat"/> The show's make-up artist, Elizabeth Armistead, has also spoken of the way Chrissie's "glamorous, polished look" informs her characterisation and personality: "Chrissie's a confident person who rarely leaves anything to chance. Even in moments of despair, though her facial expression reflects her turmoil, she never has a hair out of place."<ref name="style"/> The look was part of a desire to represent the character as a "strong" and "forceful" figure, with one interviewer describing Chrissie as "quite flashy" and "glam".<ref name="Star chat"/> According to Humprehys this is manifested in "Chrissie’s outfits, [which] are a mixture of designer and High Street... Chrissie's got a great sense of style. She makes High Street clothes look made to measure."<ref name="style"/> Oberman felt Chrissie's fashion sensibilities to be a critical element of the character: "she's like Angie with 15 more years of ''[[Sex and The City]]'' thrown in",<ref name="sex"/> referring to an American televisied serial notable for fashion.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.mb.com.ph/articles/236381/fashion-s-lookback-decade |title=Fashion’s look-back decade|publisher=[[Digital Spy]]| date=31 December 2009|accessdate=2010-01-01}}</ref> Even before stepping foot on set Oberman spent eight hours with Humphreys shopping for Chrissie's clothes at [[Selfridges]] where they "spent a fortune!"<ref name="Star chat"/> The character's highly stylised representation on-screen earned Oberman the award for best-dressed soap star in 2005,<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/soaps/news/a24750/eastenders-named-best-soap-at-awards.html |title='EastEnders' named best soap at awards|publisher=[[Digital Spy]]| date=27 September 2005|accessdate=2009-12-07}}</ref> and reflected Chrissie's new-found role as the "voluptuous landlady" of The Queen Vic.<ref name="interview">{{cite news|url= http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/soaps/s2/eastenders/interviews/a166888/tracy-ann-oberman.html|title=EXCLUSIVE: Tracy Ann Oberman interview|publisher=[[Digital Spy]]|author=Green, Kris|date=24 July 2009|accessdate=2009-12-09}}</ref> In the media the character was widely regarded as the show's ultimate ''femme fatale'' and resident "sex symbol",<ref name="sex symbol">{{cite news|url=http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1G1-135293761.html|title=I love being a sex symbol for teenage boys|author=Sally Brockway|publisher=The People|date=21 August 2005|accessdate=2010-01-02}}</ref> being described by John Dingwall of the ''[[Daily Record (Scotland)|Daily Record]]'' as Walford's "black widow".<ref>{{cite news |title=EastEnders brothers reunite after 6 years |author=Dingwall, John |url=http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1G1-137651300.html |newspaper=Daily Record |location=Glasgow, Scotland |date=18 October 2005 |accessdate=2010-1-31 }}</ref>


In an interview with the [[Sunday Mirror]], Oberman revealed that she was attracted to the mesh of sexuality and humour in the personality of Chrissie, declaring, "What I really like is she's got the sex and dry sarcasm".<ref name="Mirror article">{{cite news |title=My lover hired a yacht...it was so J-Lo. I thought it was all over |author=Danielle Lawler |url=http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qn4161/is_20041024/ai_n12911867/?tag=content;col1 |newspaper=Sunday Mirror |date=24 October 2004 |accessdate=2010-1-31 }}</ref> Speaking to the official ''EastEnders'' website, she expanded on the importance of Chrissie’s sense of humour and wit to her "feisty" characterisation: "What I love about Chrissie is that she's a good strong, funny female character... she's got a really good sense of humour which is necessary to deal with Den. She's very good at wisecracks. Den has the one-liners, but Chrissie bats them right back."<ref name="website interview">{{cite news |title=Tracy Ann Oberman interview |url= |publisher=bbc.co.uk |date= |accessdate=2010-1-31 |archiveurl= |archivedate= }}</ref> Chrissie's barbed and biting remarks became a hallmark of the character{{Citation needed|date=January 2010}}; even when cornered by Den's adopted daughter [[Sharon Watts]] ([[Letitia Dean]]) after attempting to flee the country, she remarks: "You really are your father's daughter, Sharon. No shaking you off either."<ref>{{Cite episode |title=Chrissie's hunted down |episodelink= |url= |series=EastEnders |serieslink= |credits= |network=BBC1 |station= |city= |airdate=2005-11-08}}</ref>
In an interview with the [[Sunday Mirror]], Oberman revealed that she was attracted to the mesh of sexuality and humour in the personality of Chrissie, declaring, "What I really like is she's got the sex and dry sarcasm".<ref name="Mirror article">{{cite news |title=My lover hired a yacht...it was so J-Lo. I thought it was all over |author=Danielle Lawler |url=http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qn4161/is_20041024/ai_n12911867/?tag=content;col1 |newspaper=Sunday Mirror |date=24 October 2004 |accessdate=2010-1-31 }}</ref> Speaking to the official ''EastEnders'' website, she expanded on the importance of Chrissie’s sense of humour and wit to her "feisty" characterisation: "What I love about Chrissie is that she's a good strong, funny female character... she's got a really good sense of humour which is necessary to deal with Den. She's very good at wisecracks. Den has the one-liners, but Chrissie bats them right back."<ref name="website interview">{{cite news |title=Tracy Ann Oberman backstage |url=http://web.archive.org/web/20040605020355/www.bbc.co.uk/eastenders/backstage/cast/interviews/interview_content/interview_tracy_o.shtml |publisher=bbc.co.uk |date=19 June 2004 |accessdate=2010-1-31 |archiveurl=http://web.archive.org/web/20040605020355/www.bbc.co.uk/eastenders/backstage/cast/interviews/interview_content/interview_tracy_o.shtml |archivedate=19 June 2004 }}</ref> Chrissie's barbed and biting remarks became a hallmark of the character{{Citation needed|date=January 2010}}; even when cornered by Den's adopted daughter [[Sharon Watts]] ([[Letitia Dean]]) after attempting to flee the country, she remarks: "You really are your father's daughter, Sharon. No shaking you off either."<ref>{{Cite episode |title=Chrissie's hunted down |episodelink= |url= |series=EastEnders |serieslink= |credits= |network=BBC1 |station= |city= |airdate=2005-11-08}}</ref>


===Mrs Den Watts===
===Mrs Den Watts===

Revision as of 06:19, 2 February 2010

Chrissie Watts
File:Chrissie watts ee.jpg
Portrayed byTracy-Ann Oberman
Duration2004–05
First appearance29 April 2004
Last appearance5 December 2005
ClassificationFormer, regular
Introduced byLouise Berridge
In-universe information
OccupationLandlady (previously hairdresser)
FamilyWatts
HusbandDen Watts (1999–2005)
Steve
StepsonsDennis Rickman
StepdaughtersSharon Watts
Vicki Fowler

Christine "Chrissie" Watts is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders, played by Tracy-Ann Oberman. She first appeared in April 2004 as the second wife of the show's "most enduring character", Den Watts, becoming a prominent regular for the next 18 months. In 2005 she was the focus of one of "the program’s biggest and most high-profile narratives" when she killed her husband, Dirty Den, in a fit of rage during the special 20th anniversary episode.[1] The broadcast, airing on 18 February, was watched by 14.34 million people,[2][3] with "almost 60% of possible viewers" tuning in to see Chrissie take revenge.[4][5] The character was credited by former head of BBC Drama Serials, Mal Young, as "anchoring the success of the anniversary storyline",[6] and was described on the news programme BBC Breakfast as the "centrepiece" of the show, with the on-screen drama playing out over the course of the year and culminating in Chrissie's departure at December.

Chrissie Watts was created by the production team to be more the "equal" of her notorious and villanous husband than his long-suffering first wife, Angie. The character was described by Oberman as being like Angie "but with 15 more years of feminism behind her", and was hailed by the TV editor of the Evening Standard as "the only strong woman left in Walford".[7] She became well known for her deviousness and "scheming",[8] echoing the traits of her husband,[9] with the official EastEnders website characterising her as "happy to play mind games" and "often two steps ahead" of Den. As part of the Watts family her storylines centre on her tumultuous marriage to Den, relationship with his children, and the on-going feud with the rival Mitchell family. She was involved in numerous clashes with other female characters, Oberman noting that Chrissie had "had more fights on EastEnders than most women have in their whole lives", and was constantly scheming against those who got in her way, earning her the sobriquet of "super-bitch".[10]

Oberman won praise for her "three-dimensional portrayal of a classic soap bitch",[11] with Chrissie hailed as "helping revive the show's fortunes that had being lagging somewhat in recent years".[12] According to The Mirror reporter Elizabeth Hassell the character became a "national TV heroine" to viewers shortly after arriving, for standing up to the antics of her dastardly husband,[13] and is most often cited as a "strong" and "clever" woman;[14][15] "hard as nails" in "the grand tradition of landladies of the Queen Vic".[16] Critics have variously called Chrissie a "witch",[17] "venomous", and the show's resident "black widow".

Creation and casting

The creation of a second wife for Den Watts, the show's "most enduring character"[18] and "one of the best-loved villains in soap history",[19] came 15 years after his first wife had departed the screen. Angie Watts was an iconic character in British television history, with her troublesome marriage to Den largely anchoring EastEnders extraordinary success when it was launched in the mid-80s.[20] In an interview shortly after she first appeared on-screen as Chrissie Watts, Tracy Ann Oberman noted how coming into the show after Angie was an intimidating prospect and a "a big act to follow".[21]

Casting for the character was hectic, with Oberman describing the process as a "whirlwind" affair.[22] The role of the second Mrs Den Watts was highly sought after with Oberman eventually beating out high profile stars like Patsy Kensit, Cheryl Baker and Joanna Lumley for the part.[21][23] In a 2004 'Star Chat' interview featured in The People, Oberman commented on her casting: "I couldn't have wished for a better part. I mean the Watts family are a national institution. When I realised I was auditioning for the role of Dirty Den's wife, my jaw just dropped. I never thought I'd get it. Amazing, swanky actresses, like Joanna Lumley and Patsy Kensit, were all considered, but Leslie Grantham and I had great chemistry from the off and I think he said: 'I want her.'"[24] Oberman was on holiday when she received a call saying she had been cast in the role and was required to be on set the next Tuesday. All told the audition process had taken just two weeks, with Oberman beginning filming a mere ten days after her initial screen test. In fact the schedule was so tight that Oberman was on set and taping scenes before a contract had even been signed.[21]

"I think there is a good chemistry between me and Leslie on-screen."

Tracy Ann Oberman[21]

The arrival of Chrissie Watts was announced barely a month before she was set to first appear on-screen,[25] and came at a time when EastEnders was undergoing immense media criticism and falling ratings.[26] The rush of casting meant Oberman had little time to process the enormity of the part she had taken on, declaring: "my feet haven't even touched the ground yet. [...] I haven't had time to think about what this role is going to do to my life! I'm very excited to be part of such a fantastic show and one I have been a fan of for many years."[22] She admitted, however, to being "slightly intimidated" by the high media profile and press interest surrounding the show at the time.[21] Indeed, joining EastEnders "proved to be something of a baptism of fire for Oberman",[11] as she was playing opposite Leslie Grantham whose recent return to the show had been a highly publicised event.[27] Twenty-four hours after Chrissie's first episode went to air a scandal surrounding Grantham hit the tabloid papers. According to Oberman, the atmosphere on set the next day "was a bit tense" but, she added, "the Watts are pulling together and we're getting on with it and working".[21] However Oberman was also reportedly finding things difficult, having walked into a highly complicated situation: "Tracy-Ann is still really finding her feet on the show... she feels really left out because all the cast are blackballing Grantham and refusing to talk to him. Since most of her scenes are with Grantham, it's really hard for her."[28] Looking back on the incident after she had left EastEnders, Oberman remarked, "I respect Leslie for fronting it out; he emerged from his dressing room and started working. No one mentioned the story. That's life in EastEnders; the machine never stops."[11]

The increasing prominence of Chrissie in EastEnders meant that Oberman, more than most, had to endure the gruelling schedule of working on a soap, taping up to twenty scenes a day.[21][16] Although she was only in EastEnders for 18 months, such was the centrality of Chrissie to the show and storylines Oberman felt she had done 4 years worth of acting,[29] noting that by the time of her departure "Chrissie has packed into a year what most soap characters do in three."[30] This all came during a period of great uncertainty for the show; media criticism and negative publicity created immense pressure behind-the-scenes, with large-scale cast culls and speculation in the press and on the set over who may be next.[31] In an interview with the Sunday Mirror, Oberman described the atmosphere as like a "vacuum", with the cast "just waiting to see what the next stage is – It can be a bit tense but it's exciting. I really don't know what's going to happen."[32] However, the prominent role of Chrissie in the show as it moved forward meant that Oberman came out of the uncertainty with more to show than most, receiving an improved deal and extending her contract for a year, with the BBC's head of drama John Yorke declaring he had "big plans" for Chrissie.[33]

Character development

Personality

"You have to understand why she is the way she is. Otherwise, you're playing a cartoon character. Behind every bitch, there's someone who was really hurt somewhere in her life."

Tracy Ann Oberman[34]

Unlike Angie, Den's first wife, Chrissie "has a strong will and fights for what she wants".[35] Oberman discussed the similarities and differences between her character and Angie in an interview for BBC Radio 4: "I like to think of Chrissie as Angie with benefits; she's like Angie with 15 more years of feminism behind her. She's his [Den's] equal a bit more than Angie was."[21] Oberman later expanded: "Chrissie, unlike Angie, won't hit the bottle as soon as Den starts playing away. She's proved she's ready to sit and wait for her revenge. She's a great, strong character".[24] According to the official EastEnders website, Chrissie is "happy to play mind games" and is "often two steps ahead of her husband", further describing her as "the type of person to be your best friend. But if you cross her, she'll get her own back in the end."[36] Her strong-willed persona has led reviewers to label the character as "venomous",[29] "sinister"[37] "devious", and "hard as nails" in "the grand tradition of landladies of the Queen Vic",[38] manipulating others to ensure matters go her way. She was characterised by executive producer Kate Harwood as a survivor, someone who "thinks on her feet" whatever the situation.[16] Oberman has stated that she was thrilled to be "playing such a strong female character",[22] whom she described as not a bad person at heart but one willing to stand and "fight in her corner".[16]

File:Chrissiegreen.jpg
Chrissie's style was a prominent aspect of the character. Tracy Ann Oberman wanted to bring an element of Sex and the City to the character.

A key facet of Chrissie’s personality is her wardrobe and style, with EastEnders costume designer Di Humphreys noting that "Chrissie’s clothes reflect her strong, upfront character."[39] According to Oberman the production team was keen to emphasise this in the manner of her dress: "For Chrissie's wardrobe, we decided she is dressy and over co-ordinated",[40] explaining how the character's fashion sense was informed by her own observations of British expatriates: "When I heard I had the part of Chrissie I was on holiday in Spain, where she had been living, and I remember looking at all the ex-pat women, and thinking how co-ordinated they are. Their hair is always perfect, their bags match their gloves and shoes and scarves."[24] The show's make-up artist, Elizabeth Armistead, has also spoken of the way Chrissie's "glamorous, polished look" informs her characterisation and personality: "Chrissie's a confident person who rarely leaves anything to chance. Even in moments of despair, though her facial expression reflects her turmoil, she never has a hair out of place."[39] The look was part of a desire to represent the character as a "strong" and "forceful" figure, with one interviewer describing Chrissie as "quite flashy" and "glam".[24] According to Humprehys this is manifested in "Chrissie’s outfits, [which] are a mixture of designer and High Street... Chrissie's got a great sense of style. She makes High Street clothes look made to measure."[39] Oberman felt Chrissie's fashion sensibilities to be a critical element of the character: "she's like Angie with 15 more years of Sex and The City thrown in",[32] referring to an American televisied serial notable for fashion.[41] Even before stepping foot on set Oberman spent eight hours with Humphreys shopping for Chrissie's clothes at Selfridges where they "spent a fortune!"[24] The character's highly stylised representation on-screen earned Oberman the award for best-dressed soap star in 2005,[42] and reflected Chrissie's new-found role as the "voluptuous landlady" of The Queen Vic.[43] In the media the character was widely regarded as the show's ultimate femme fatale and resident "sex symbol",[44] being described by John Dingwall of the Daily Record as Walford's "black widow".[45]

In an interview with the Sunday Mirror, Oberman revealed that she was attracted to the mesh of sexuality and humour in the personality of Chrissie, declaring, "What I really like is she's got the sex and dry sarcasm".[46] Speaking to the official EastEnders website, she expanded on the importance of Chrissie’s sense of humour and wit to her "feisty" characterisation: "What I love about Chrissie is that she's a good strong, funny female character... she's got a really good sense of humour which is necessary to deal with Den. She's very good at wisecracks. Den has the one-liners, but Chrissie bats them right back."[47] Chrissie's barbed and biting remarks became a hallmark of the character[citation needed]; even when cornered by Den's adopted daughter Sharon Watts (Letitia Dean) after attempting to flee the country, she remarks: "You really are your father's daughter, Sharon. No shaking you off either."[48]

Mrs Den Watts

Chrissie entered the show as the estranged wife of "one of the most iconic characters in soap history", Den Watts.[49] When EastEnders began in 1985 the troubled marriage between Den and his first wife, Angie, had provided much of the drama, as viewers watched Den's affairs and manipulation gradually take their toll on his wife who was unable to compete in the games he played. Chrissie was very different to the first Mrs Watts; where Angie turned to alcohol, Chrissie was more Den's "equal" and could be just as devious and calculating. Comparing Den's two wives, Oberman remarked: "Chrissie's much cooler than Angie. Her motto is, 'revenge is a dish best served cold'. She's tougher than Angie and she can hold it together much better."[47] Indeed according to Oberman, producers deliberately wanted to take Den's second marriage down a different path to his first; whereas the relationship between Den and Angie had been likened to Richard Burton and Elizabeth Taylor, that between Den and Chrissie was modelled on Spencer Tracy and Katherine Hepburn.[21] Like Den, Chrissie had an acerbic tongue and their relationship was marked by verbal fencing in the manner of Hepburn and Tracy: "What's great is that they've written Den an equal", Oberman noted, "It'll be interesting to see their little sparring matches."[47] The attraction was intended to be mutual, unlike Den's one-sided marriage to Angie. Trying to win Chrissie around into giving their marriage another try, Den declared: "I know we've got a great relationship even when we're tearing lumps out of each other, you give as good as you get and that's the sort of marriage I've always wanted".[50] Commenting on the complicated nature of their relationship, Oberman observed,

I think for Chrissie, who was brought up in a family of all men, she understands male psychology very well. She knows how to play men and I think Den is the only man she has ever met that she can't actually pin down... there's a constant game of who will be the victor because they are very much equals.[21]

The equality of their marriage was dramatically underscored towards the end of 2004, when Den, as a sign of faith and in an effort to woe back her sympathies, revealed to Chrissie his plans to reclaim The Queen Victoria by scamming the rival Mitchell family: "If you ever needed proof that we're in this together or how badly I need you in my life, this is it. I wasn't going to show this to another soul, but I'm showing you because you're my wife; because it's me and you together."[51] Their blackmailing and scheming resulted in the financial ruin of the Mitchells and the restoration of The Queen Victoria to the Watts family.

As a couple, they delighted as much in the battle as each other, stressing the difficulties two strong-willed and independent people can face when trying to establish marital equality. This dynamic was constantly set in the context of Den's womanising and wandering eye. However, "instead of collapsing in tears" as many female characters in EastEnders are wont to do, "she proves that hell hath no fury like a woman scorned".[52] Oberman revealed that one of her highlights working on EastEnders was when Chrissie took revenge on her friend Kate Mitchell (Jill Halfpenny) for having an affair with Den: "cutting off Jill Halfpenny's hair in the salon... was a really great episode. I loved working with Jill and I think that put Chrissie on the map."[43] Chrissie left Den but eventually took him back; Oberman saw this ebb and flow in their marriage as part of the game of their relationship: "I think there's a challenge in it, and I think she would like to be the one who would ultimately tame him."[21] This further reflected the games they played and the relish each took in trying to outwit the other. Den had an established reputation at intellectual games, outwitting Phil Mitchell (Steve McFadden) and saw little challenge in Angie's aptitude, but considered Chrissie to be "as sharp as they come".[53] Indeed, Den's extra-marital dalliances were used by writers to showcase and highlight Chrissie's "strong-willed persona".[34] When Zoe Slater (Michelle Ryan) chastised Den for caring only about Chrissie's reaction should she learn of their affair, Den fired back: "And so should you. You think I've treated you badly? Well you don't have a clue what's going to happen if she ever finds out! The best thing you can do is keep your mouth shut."[54] By the time Chrissie left the Square, Oberman dryly observed that she had "had more fights on EastEnders than most women have in their whole lives."[55]

Witches of Walford

In November 2004 it was announced that Leslie Grantham had not renewed his contract and that Den Watts would depart EastEnders in a "spectacular" and final exit.[56] The storyline, which would see Den being killed off for the show's 20th anniversary episode in February, would dominate the entire year and make the character of Chrissie Watts the "centrepiece" of the show.[16] The storyline was immensely prominent, with Chrissie, Sam Mitchell, and Zoe Slater being dubbed by the popular press "the three Witches of Walford", in reference to Shakespeare's play, Macbeth.[57][58] Such was public interest that writers took the step of "fiercely guarding" the storylines "so that even the cast weren't sure how they would play out" with "the show's producers shooting multiple endings to ensure the cast couldn't leak the plot."[59] The plot revolved around Chrissie's plans for revenge after, having taken Den back, he has an affair with Zoe. Chrissie proceeds to manipulate Zoe and Sam into "wreaking their revenge on Den" but, in a fit of rage, kills him and buries his body in the cellar of The Queen Victoria.[60] Oberman "begged the producers to let Chrissie do it to prove she wasn't a sap", adding, "It was a real rush for me."[61] Indeed, the storyline increasingly highlighted and accentuated Chrissie's manipulative character and conniving personality and her representation as a "strong female character".[62] When she secretly learnt that Zoe was pregnant with Den's child, she played on Zoe's insecurities and "coerces" her into having an abortion.[63] The pregnancy was a double blow to Chrissie, as Den had always resisted having children with her, and as with Kate Mitchell, Chrissie wanted to teach Zoe a harsh lesson in "messing with other people's husbands".[64] As Den noted of his wife, "She tends to blame the women that lead me astray."[65]

In the aftermath of Den's death, Chrissie's character was increasingly "transformed" into a manipulator, as she "played" and "spun" her way "out of every situation".[16] Her manipulation of Sam and Zoe over Den's death was a prominent feature of scripts over the coming months, and marked a shift in characterisation as the writers took "her down a darker route", often framed in the continuing love-hate relationship with her, now deceased, husband.[44] In one of her most poignant and macabre scenes, Chrissie enters The Queen Victoria cellar, stamping three times on the place where Den lies buried beneath the cement, and confides in her husband:"You'd be so proud of me darling. Do you know that? I'm really sorting those girls out. I'm not leaving anything to chance. I'm starting to enjoy it. And do you know what the irony is: the only person who could appreciate how well I'm doing is you."[66] The moment aptly reflects on the complicated relationship between husband and wife, which extends even after death, and underscores the extent to which Chrissie, like Den, excels at manipulating others and the importance of this to her characterisation. Indeed, Sam is eventually "driven over the edge" by Chrissie's machinations,[21] and in desperation "sensationally" digs up Den's body in the hope of bringing Chrissie down.[67] However, playing the grieving widow, Chrissie outwits Sam again and frames her for the murder.

The storyline commenced its conclusion with the return of the Mitchell family to help Sam, and would culminate in Chrissie's "explosive" departure from the show.[68] But like Den before her, Chrissie had little trouble running rings round the Mitchells, her clashes with Peggy (Barbara Windsor), Phil, and Grant (Ross Kemp) part of the final showdown between the Watts and Mitchells in a confrontation which, in the words of one presenter, "grips the nation".[16] Indeed, the story's climax, resulting in Chrissie's exit, was such a significant moment for the show that BBC bosses took the highly unusual step of keeping the "manner of her departure" a "complete mystery even to the soap's [own] producers", with reports claiming that "no less than four separate storylines [are] to be filmed for her departure from EastEnders".[69] Commenting at the time to NOW, Oberman said, "I think Chrissie deserves to get away with murder. She was heavily provoked. I'd love to see her make it to Argentina... [and] run a beach bar with a young Latin lover by her side."[55] The immense public focus on the figure of Chrissie was used by executives in the intensifying ratings war, with the BBC "using the Chrissie Watts departure as the major weapon in our armoury... to snatch back viewers" from rival soaps.[69]

Victim or Villain

To mark Chrissie's departure from the show, BBC Three aired a special episode of EastEnders Revealed on 22 September 2005. Entitled "Chrissie Watts: Victim or Villain?" the episode featured comments from Oberman, Grantham, Dean, Kim Medcalf (Sam Mitchell), and Barbara Windsor profiling Chrissie and exploring the nuanced nature of the character. "A lot of viewers, and myself," Oberman later remarked, "really wanted Chrissie to get away with it, especially as Den was such a monster. But soap and film noir have a lot in common – the bad girls have to be punished."[34] However, critics considered Chrissie to be a "three-dimensional soap bitch", rather than a flat pantomime figure.[11] Her feelings of guilt and remorse were represented side-by-side her desire to escape blame and manipulate others, and even led her on two separate occasions to the cusp of self-confession (both times stopped by Jake Moon at the last minute). And despite having killed her father, Chrissie highly valued her friendship with Sharon, declaring at one point: "my friendship with you is the only good thing to come out of my relationship with Den, and I mean that!" Oberman characterised Chrissie as "part victim part villain",[70] declaring "I think of her as a villain with a heart".[44] She felt that, although "no excuse" for murder, Chrissie was driven to what she did:[16] "She's not a cold blooded murderer, it was all done in a fit of pique",[44] and that "these characters are made, not born."[11] Chrissie was haunted by the alcoholic fate of Den's first wife, which she vowed at Angie's grave to avoid. But in spite of her efforts, and indeed because of them, she failed, as she came to recognise: "You know it's funny; when Den used to talk about Ange he used to describe her as this weak sad, cow. And I used to think 'not like me, oh no, not like me'. Who's having the last laugh now, Ange?"[71]

Storylines

Backstory

Chrissie Watts first appeared in EastEnders on the 29 April 2004. She and Den had met in Spain and married some years earlier, during which time he was believed to be dead by his family and associates. Their marriage was tumultuous, with Chrissie eventually leaving Den after she saw him "pawing all over that tourist guide." She then learnt that Den had sold their bar and returned to the UK with "some girl"; Chrissie followed intent on recovering her share of the money.[72]

2004–05

Chrissie arrives in Walford in search of her husband Den. Their marriage has turned sour and he has sold their bar in Spain and taken the money. Den manages to persuade her to give their marriage another try, and to stay in Walford with him. She is shocked to discover he has children, Sharon (Letitia Dean), Dennis (Nigel Harman), and Vicki (Scarlett Johnson), and that while he was in Spain with her, he was in exile after faking his own death. She starts work as a hairdresser in Kate Mitchell's (Jill Halfpenny) nail salon but she discovers Den and Kate are having an affair, so confronts Kate, hacking off most of her hair. She patches things up with Kate and forgives Den, but promises that she will kill him if he ever cheats on her again. Den buys The Queen Victoria public house and the family move in to the flat above the bar.

Dennis catches Den and his girlfriend Zoe Slater in bed together and tells Chrissie who is stunned. Zoe discovers she is pregnant by Den. Chrissie persuades her to abort the baby, and later reveals that she knows it was Den's baby. Chrissie, Zoe and Sam Hunter plan revenge on Den; Chrissie for his lies and adultery, Zoe for forcing her to fake a pregnancy and then sleep with him, and Sam for losing her pub to Den in a corrupt scheme that both he and Chrissie were involved in. Chrissie plans to intimidate Den into signing the pub over to her. They confront Den but he takes it in his stride and openly talks about his sins, unaware that Sharon is hiding at the other side of the pub, listening to her father's confessions. Sharon berates Chrissie for tricking her into coming back to Walford with the lie that her father is ill. She storms out of the pub and Den follows. Chrissie knows that Sharon is the one person Den truly loves and cares about and knows that losing Den the love of his favourite child will destroy him. Den walks back in and she taunts him that he now knows what it is like to lose what he loves most. Unable to contain his rage, Den attacks his wife and hits her head against a fruit machine. Zoe picks up the nearest object (a metal, dog-shaped doorstop) and hits Den over the head with it and he falls to the ground. Perceiving him to be dead, Zoe and Sam go out the back to lock all the doors. Den grabs Chrissie's leg and she picks up the doorstop and delivers a fatal blow to his head, secretly watched by Sam. The three women bury him in a hole in the pub's cellar, which is filled with cement the next morning.

Chrissie kneeling over Den's body during the 20th anniversary episode. All told the episode was seen by over 17 million viewers (nearly 1/3 of the British population).[11]

Despite knowing her innocence, Chrissie allows Zoe to believe that she has killed Den. Consequently a power struggle breaks out between Sam — who wants her pub back in return for her silence — and Chrissie with each woman trying to gain control of Zoe. Chrissie claims that Den has run off with another woman and attempts to make her story convincing by throwing his clothes into the street and engaging in a bogus phone conversation with him in front of a packed pub. She successfully removes Zoe from the Square and Sam's descent into binge-drinking and depression enables her to exploit her. Sam takes the doorstop and hides it at her flat, and begins to blackmail Chrissie by saying that, unless she hands over the pub, she will tell Zoe the truth. Despite months of threats, Chrissie stands up to Sam, which leads to her telling Zoe everything. Zoe punches Chrissie before fleeing to Spain and telling her mother Kat Moon (Jessie Wallace) what has happened.

Dennis and Sharon return to Walford in search of their father. Sam grows frustrated and smashes up Den's grave in the hope that Chrissie will be sent down for his death. This backfires and Sam is arrested on suspicion of murder as Den's blood stains are found under her sink and her story constantly changes. Chrissie gets Kat to get her cousin, Stacey Slater (Lacey Turner), to give a false alibi that Zoe and Chrissie were with her on the night Den died. Sam's mother, Peggy Mitchell (Barbara Windsor), returns to Walford to free Sam, and slaps Chrissie during Den's funeral. The slap causes Chrissie to fall into Den's grave on top of the coffin.

Chrissie and her boyfriend, Jake Moon (Joel Beckett), to whom she has confessed the murder, plan to sell the pub to Johnny Allen (Billy Murray) and a mystery second buyer, and flee the country, although Phil (Steve McFadden) and Grant Mitchell (Ross Kemp) taunt Chrissie, and convince Sharon of Chrissie's guilt after arranging a visit with Sam in prison. They also try to break Stacey's alibi to no avail. Jake and Chrissie argue in Johnny's nightclub and she makes intimate references to murdering Den. This is caught on CCTV by Johnny who informs Jake, who tells Chrissie, who begs Johnny him not to show anyone the tape. She asks to get the money for The Queen Victoria right away, and Johnny takes advantage saying the only way she will get the money is if she sleeps with him. Chrissie starts crying, saying she cannothurt Jake. Johnny tells her she will not get the money, and tells the Phil and Grant about the tape.

Chrissie discovers that Ian Beale (Adam Woodyatt) is the mystery buyer of the pub, and she and Jake make a quick sale to Ian before fleeing the Square. At the airport, they see Sharon, Phil and Grant with the police. Sharon punches Chrissie, who is then arrested for Den's murder. Chrissie says that she will only co-operate in exchange for a meeting with Sharon. This is earned, and she tries to make Sharon realise why she killed her father, to no avail. She reveals that she forged Den's signature on the document in which Den handed over the pub to Chrissie, thus the pub legally belongs to Sharon. Jake visit Chrissie in jail and asks her to marry him. She finds out he has lost the £25,000 that was to be her bail money, and storms out of the visiting room, calling Jake an idiot. She begins plotting revenge on Sharon for sending her to prison by trying to force her to testify in court about what Den was really like, wanting to see Sharon crumble at confessing how he cheated and supposedly beat her mother (which he never did). After a week in prison, she gives up and sacks her solicitor, and decides to plead guilty to murder. She walks into her cell with a contented smile.

Though Chrissie is not seen again, when Sam (now played by Danniella Westbrook) returns to Walford in September 2009, she is arrested for her role in Den's murder and expresses a fear of running into Chrissie in prison.

Reception

According to media and press critics, Tracy-Ann Oberman “became a national TV heroine”[13] who "gripped audiences with her turn as Queen Vic murderess Chrissie Watts."[70] As the wife of Den Watts, one of British soap's biggest figures, Chrissie was a high profile character, with the turns in her storylines regularly splashed across the tabloid papers.[73] The plot involving Den's death was among the most prominent of the decade, and generated intense media and public interest. Looking back on the period, Oberman noted the remarkable nature of the story:

At the time, you get so involved with the work you don't think about it. However, I didn't realise how much of an enormous impact that storyline had. When I think back to how Michelle, Kim [Medcalf] and I were on the cover of the magazines week in and week out for about a month. The whole country was talking about it. That was a real moment for me. I took it a bit in my stride at the time but going to the National TV Awards and being nominated for Best Newcomer was very exciting. I was only working there for a few weeks before becoming the landlady of The Queen Vic![43]

Such was the prominence of the storyline and of Chrissie, that the character continuously appeared on the cover of soap magazines, such as All About Soap and Inside Soap. The special 1-hour 20th anniversary episode where Chrissie killed Den gained 14 million viewers and almost 60% of the audience share,[74] with figures rising to over 17 million when factoring in digital and recorded viewings.[11] It was one the highest rating episode of EastEnders that year, and has since only been bested by a showing on Christmas Day 2007 (which drew anomalous large audiences for all BBC One programmes). Oberman revealled that she could not stop laughing during filming of the scenes, as Grantham's hair was stuck to the floor: "We did lots of takes and poor Leslie was on his back for hours with fake blood all around his head. The liquid dried and his hair was glued to the floor. When he got up it ripped his hair out![61]

Oberman has described her time on the show as "hectic". During Chrissie's tenure there was constant shuffling behind the scenes, with three different executive producers taking the reigns, with each new producer bringing in new writing teams.[29] Uncertainty came to be manifested in writing and scripts, with character inconsistencies and plot holes working their way into production. One notable example was ownership of The Queen Victoria, with Chrissie legally owner of half the pub after Den legitimately signed over the deed before they nenewed their vows in February. However, in November this fact was forgotten, with Chrissie represented as forging Den's signature in order to nullify her ownership of the pub which legally became Sharon's. Problems with the script did not escape Oberman, who criticised her character's storylines after she left the show, saying the writers "must have been on crack", adding how "plots didn't make logical or emotional sense — but they said, 'That's the soap convention, dear, get used to it'".[29] She also considered some scenes to be irresponsible, saying "I was worried when four-year-olds said to me, 'I saw you kill Den.' I don't agree with censorship but there has to be a level of responsibility."

One of the consequences of all the uncertainty behind the scenes was Chrissie's final fate, which was left largely unresolved. Oberman revealled in July 2009 that originally there were plans for a trial, but that poor timing ultimately shelved the storyline. She recalled how the storyline "was put on hold and then there was a whole different team involved after that. I know that if they couldn't get me, Michelle and Kim together, [they wouldn't do it]. And I'd moved straight on to Doctor Who, too. Nobody was available until the following year, by which point Michelle was in Bionic Woman, I was pregnant and Kim was in Cabaret." Because of this "I never felt it was finished off and I would have loved to have wrapped it up." She went on to declare her desire to return for a proper resolution. "I'd love to finish off Chrissie's storyline because I love the character and I do feel that she was left in limbo. To know what happened to her would be great. Even if she went back to say goodbye or wanted to make peace with Sam. Or maybe we could see her in prison?"[43]

However, Oberman has continuously affirmed that she loved playing Chrissie, and of all her roles misses playing her the most.[37] In a 2009 interview she commented on the significance of the character to EastEnders and viewers, saying "I can't believe that I'm still recognised so much as Chrissie. I still get a lot of letters about her, too. I think that she had as much of an impact as Janine [Butcher] did, which surprised me. Chrissie wasn't around for that long but she was an amazing character with an epic storyline."[43]

Oberman was nominated for a number of awards for her portrayal of Chrissie Watts. In 2004 for Most Popular Newcomer at the National Television Awards;[75] She also received four nominations at the British Soap Awards, for Best Newcomer in 2004, Villain of the Year in 2005 and 2006, and Soap Bitch of the Year in 2006.[75][76] In 2005, she was nominated for Best Actress and Best Bitch at the Inside Soap Awards.[76]

References

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  65. ^ EastEnders episode airdate 2005-02-14, "Chrissie's cornered".
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  74. ^ "14 million tune in for Den's demise". Digital Spy. 19 February 2005. Retrieved 2009-12-10.
  75. ^ a b "Awards for "EastEnders"". Internet Movie Database. Retrieved 27 March 2009.
  76. ^ a b "British Television Soap Awards". thecustard.tv. Archived from the original on 2 February 2008. Retrieved 20 April 2009.
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