Jack Branning

Jack Branning
EastEnders character
File:Jackbranning.jpg
Portrayed by	Scott Maslen
Duration	2007—
First appearance	29 October 2007
Classification	Present; regular
Introduced by	Diederick Santer
In-universe information Occupation Police officer (before 2007) Club owner (since 2007) Businessman (since 2007) Family Branning family Father Jim Branning Mother Reenie Branning Brothers Derek Branning Max Branning Sisters Carol Jackson Suzy Branning April Branning Wife Selina Branning (1997–2007) Sons Richard Mitchell Daughters Penny Branning Amy Mitchell Nephews Robbie Jackson Billie Jackson Bradley Branning Oscar Branning Nieces Bianca Jackson Sonia Fowler Lauren Branning Abi Branning

Jack Branning is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders, played by Scott Maslen. He made his first appearance on 29 October 2007. He is the youngest child of Jim and Reenie Branning and the brother of April Branning, Carol Jackson, Derek Branning, Suzy Branning and Max Branning. The character was introduced to the show during a period when EastEnders was being routinely criticised in the media for its reliance on resurrecting old characters. The casting of Scott Maslen provoked some controversy, being the first time an actor had been poached from one mainstream soap to another. It was quickly established that Jack is a morally ambiguous character, with a murky past in the police force resulting in the paralysis of his young daughter. Tabloid media have praised the character for his role as resident Romeo, commenting frequently on his good looks and attractiveness, however broadsheet press have been more critical of Maslen's acting.

Creation

Background

Jack Branning was one of several new characters to join the EastEnders cast in the second half of 2007. At a time when the show was undergoing media criticism for its resurrection of old characters, John Yorke, the BBC's controller of drama production, defended the show's ability to create interesting, new characters. He praised the show's executive producer Diederick Santer for his development of new, "strong characters", including Jack Branning, and Roxy and Ronnie Mitchell. Speaking of this new wave of characters, he stated: "It feels like a new dynasty is emerging, which is important."

Prior to his introduction in October 2007, the character was referred to once, a week before his arrival. He is a member of the soap's Branning family; his sister Carol first appeared in the serial in 1993, while father Jim had appeared from 1996. More recently, brother Max and his own family were introduced in June 2006.

Casting

It was first announced on 13 July 2007 that actor Scott Maslen had been cast in the role of Jack. Previously best known for his role as DS Phil Hunter in ITV police drama The Bill, the media were quick to pick up on the fact his new role was notably similar - with TV critic Jane Simon sarcastically commenting: "What a relief it must be for actor Scott Maslen to get a role that allows him to show off his incredible versatility." Maslen himself pointed out that the character of Jack was actually higher ranking than Phil Hunter, joking: "I've been promoted from playing a DS in Sun Hill!" Maslen's casting marked the first time an established actor had been poached from one mainstream soap to another. Speaking for the first time about his new role, Maslen said: "I was very sad to leave The Bill but after five years I wanted to explore new opportunities. The Bill afforded me some fantastic storylines. I'm really looking forward to playing Jack. He's an extremely competitive man who likes to win in business and in pleasure!"

Development

Upon announcing his casting, Maslen described the character of Jack as "an extremely competitive man who always likes to win in business and in pleasure". He mentioned that there would be an "instant attraction" between Jack and fellow newcomer Ronnie Mitchell, and explained that he already had a longstanding friendship with Samantha Janus who plays Ronnie, having known her since he was 16 years old, and being godfather to her children.

The relationship between the two characters developed quickly from friendship to romance, with Janus commenting that due to her friendship with Maslen; "Our first kissing scene felt really uncomfortable, it was terrible, but we're over it now." Several media publications commented on the fact that the attraction between the two characters had been obvious, and bound to develop into more than a professional relationship.

As the character's personality developed, questions were raised over whether his intentions and motivations were good or bad, with Maslen explaining: "I call him amoral; neither good nor bad. He gets what he wants out of the situation but that isn’t necessarily just a selfish thing. He’s not an evil character, but if there are people that are threatening him, his business or his family, he will do whatever he needs to do to eliminate that problem."

Storylines

Backstory

Jack is the youngest child of Jim and Reenie Branning, and brother of Derek, Carol, April, Suzy and Max. Having grown up in a large family in a poor area of East London, Jack regularly fought his older brother, Max, for the attentions of his father Jim, who was an alcoholic. As a teenager, Jack stole his grandfather's World War II medal, knowing that it was Jim's prized possession as his father had died in combat when he was only 6-years-old, and framed Max, causing a huge rift between Jim and Max and resulting in Max walking out on his family in 1989. Despite the fact that Max and Jack were arch-rivals, they kept in touch as Jack was present at Max's wedding to Tanya Cross in 1994 and has watched his nieces Lauren and Abi grow up, unlike their father, who was unaware of their existence.

Jack himself settled down with a woman named Selina and upon marrying, they had a daughter, Penny. Jack also built up a career in the police force, but got involved in criminal activities and when they backfired, Penny's spinal cord was severed when one of Jack's informants knocked her down in revenge for Jack accidentally getting them sent down. Penny was thereafter a wheelchair user, and in the aftermath, Jack and Selina divorced and Jack retired from the police force.

2007—

Jack comes to Walford on 29 October 2007 for Bradley's wedding to Stacey Slater. Upon his arrival, he soaks Ronnie Mitchell when he drives through a puddle and she retaliates by soaking him with her water bottle.

A fight with his brother, Max, leads to his invitation being revoked so he stays at The Queen Victoria public house and helps Roxy Mitchell, Ronnie's sister, prepare for the reception. Deciding to stick around, Jack comes between the sisters when he buys Scarlet Nightclub and offers Ronnie a partnership (the club is subsequently renamed R&R after Ronnie and Roxy). Jack causes more disruption in the Mitchell family when he sets up Ronnie's cousin, Phil, by taping him confessing to his part in Kevin Wicks's death by selling him cut-and-shut cars. Jack blackmails Phil with this, demanding the car lot for his silence (which he then rents to Pat Evans).

Despite the Mitchells' animosity, Jack falls for Ronnie, and after kissing on Christmas Day 2007, they start dating. However, their relationship is rocky as the Mitchells, particularly Roxy, try repeatedly to split them up. Jack's ex-wife, Selina, reappears briefly and has a one-night stand with Jack, which Roxy finds out about. Ronnie, meanwhile, was about to move in with Jack until Roxy told her about his infidelity so she changed her mind, ending their relationship. They reconcile briefly in April but Ronnie doesn't trust Jack and struggles to bond with his daughter, Penny. Raw from losing Ronnie again, Jack and Roxy get drunk and have a one-night stand. Both immediately regret it and agree not to tell anyone but Roxy is pregnant. Roxy convinces her on/off boyfriend Sean Slater that he is the father, and they get married but prematurely gives birth to her daughter, Amy, on 14 November 2008.

In May 2008, Jack starts dating Tanya Branning, Max's estranged wife. Jack looks after Tanya and her children when they struggle to cope after discovering Max's affair with Stacey Slater and his departure. However, Max returns and is furious to discover that they are together. Max tries to buy the family home but Jack goes higher, buying 5 Albert Square and moving in with Tanya and the children. Max tries coming between them, telling Tanya about Penny's accident and asks how Jack can buy the house and the nightclub without a mortgage. Jack tells Tanya that he was a bent policeman who helped out drug dealers. Much to Max's horror, Tanya forgives him and in desperation, Max tries to frame Jack by getting him to touch a gun. Max fires it in his flat and calls the police, claiming that Jack tried to kill him. Jack is arrested, but is soon released, due to his connections in the police force. In revenge, Jack takes Max hostage, beating him and taunting him, before abandoning him in an old warehouse. Later that night, Max is mowed down by a car and Jack is prime suspect. Max's daughter, Lauren, later confesses to knocking her father down and, to save Lauren from prison, Tanya confesses to the police and is arrested in November 2008. While in prison, Tanya ends her relationship with Jack.

Depressed after losing Tanya, Jack demands a DNA test on Amy, Roxy's daughter. Roxy reluctantly agrees but tells him that Sean is Amy's father on receiving the results. Jack concentrates on re-building his relationship with Ronnie, with whom he now shares a flat. However, on Christmas Day 2008, Jack's sister, Suzy Branning, reveals the true result of the DNA test - Jack is Amy's father. Furious, Sean snatches Amy and persuades Roxy to join him on a trip to Dagenham. However, Sean tries to kill them by driving into a frozen lake. Jack and Ronnie appear and save Roxy and Amy. On returning to Walford, Roxy tells Jack that he will have no contact with Amy and Ronnie refuses to reconcile with him.

Jack tries establishing regular contact with Amy, leading Ronnie to leave Walford. Racing to the airport to stop her, Jack tells Ronnie that he loves her over the airport tannoy. They return to Walford together and Roxy agrees not to interfere. Ronnie and Jack discuss having a baby but he refuses, telling her she needs time to grieve for her daughter, Danielle Jones. Jack asks Ronnie to marry him but catches her piercing condoms, hoping she will get pregnant. They argue, and Jack storms out, but finds Ronnie's ring on the table when he returns. After telling Jack that Ronnie has left Walford for good, Roxy tries seducing Jack but he pushes her away and states his love for Ronnie. When Ronnie returns, Jack begs her to reunite with him, but she refuses. A few weeks later, she asks him to buy her out of the nightclub and to fund this, Jack sells the car lot to Archie Mitchell, Ronnie's father (who she despises). This distances Ronnie further from Jack.

The feud between Jack and Phil recommences. Phil discovers that Jack is dealing drugs and when Shirley Carter buys drugs from one of his contacts, Phil forces Jack to buy them back. Humiliated, Jack employs Phil's sister Sam Mitchell, infuriating Phil. Despite knowing she is engaged to Ricky Butcher, Jack and Sam begin an affair. Archie intervenes and pays Jack to keep seeing Sam, part of his plan to take over The Queen Victoria pub. He also tells Jack's niece/Ricky's ex-wife Bianca about the affair. Later, Bianca drags Sam into The Queen Victoria and forces her to tell Ricky (in front of her uncle Jack) about the affair she was having. Jack is distraught as Roxy was about to give him Ronnie's address but when the affair is revealed, Roxy changes her mind and throws him out of the pub.

Ronnie gets pregnant but she has a miscarriage when Archie pushes her against the bar in the pub during an argument. Jack comforts Ronnie and takes in Ronnie, Roxy and Amy when they are made homeless by Archie. Jack confronts Archie on Christmas Day and threatens to kill him if he hurts Ronnie again. Archie is murdered that day and an investigation begins. Four weeks later, Jack asks Ronnie to dinner, to which she agrees but not until after Archie's funeral. At the funeral, Jack offers DC Wayne Hughes to help with any "local information" he might need. He later sees Ronnie tearing up the flowers on Archie's grave and asks her why and she thinks he is accusing her of murder. She later sees him talking to DCI Jill Marsden, who is investigating the murder. Ronnie asks Jack how he would feel if he knew she had killed Archie, leading him to suspect her. At his great niece Tiffany Dean's birthday party, he cuts his hand and Tiffany tells him that she saw Bradley washing blood off his hands on Christmas Day. Jack confronts Bradley who eventually reveals that he found out from Stacey on Christmas Day that Archie had raped and impregnated her, and Bradley punched Archie.

Jack urges Bradley to go to the police, saying if he doesn't, Jack will. However, Max stops him and when DNA screening starts and Bradley gives a sample, Jack bribes Hughes to make the DNA samples disappear. Janine is arrested when someone plants Archie's mother's missing engagement ring in her flat, and Jack hears from Hughes when she is being released. Jack offers Janine money to leave Walford and they accuse each other. He says he did not set her up and Ryan Malloy stops him from hurting Janine. Later, Jack receives another call from Hughes to say that someone has reported Bradley and he is about to be arrested. Jack tells Bradley he must leave Walford quickly, and says he will meet them soon and help them to go. However, Jack is delayed by police and when Bradley realises he has left his passport behind, he returns to the Square where police see him and chase him to the roof of The Queen Victoria, where he stumbles and falls to his death.

Jack begins a relationship with Chelsea Fox (Tiana Benjamin) after helping her escape from a blind date. He organises a party for Lauren at R&R, where Kylie attempts to shoot Jack's nephew Billie but Jack is shot instead as he pushes Billie out of the way. Jack is taken to hospital, where doctors tell his family he may be left with severe brain damage. He is put in a medically induced coma and undergoes an operation due to swelling on his brain, which is successful. When he is brought out of the coma, it is discovered that he is paralysed down the left side of his body but it is not clear whether it is periodic or permanent. Jack then breaks up with Chelsea and attempts to phone Ronnie, but she does not hear her phone ringing as she is spending time with Jack's consultant, Mr Steele. He starts to feel helpless and wants to give up, but after Max refuses to help him, he puts his phone out of reach and manages to pull himself up with one arm.

Max reveals to Jack that he saw Ronnie and Mr Steele kissing, so Jack punches Mr Steele out of jealousy. When Ronnie discovers then, she dumps Mr Steele and rushes to see Jack, telling him that if he were to propose, she would not turn him down. Billie visits Jack to apologise, but Jack ignores his apology as it has taken him weeks to visit him, calling him cowardly. Billie leaves in tears and then joins the army to make Jack proud of him. Ronnie visits again and is told that Jack was able to move his toe earlier. She thinks Jack needs better care so decides to find him a place at a private clinic. Jack later hears from Max that there has been a fire at the club, and Ronnie tells him he is going to the clinic. However, she decides not to claim on the insurance to keep Billy Mitchell out of trouble. Roxy hears from Max that Ronnie has no money and is not claiming, so she decides to pay for Jack's treatment and he is moved to the private clinic. Jack makes decent progress and when Ronnie visits him, they end up having sex. A few days later, having been discharged from hospital, Jack turns up in The Queen Victoria for Ronnie's birthday. Later, when they return to his flat, Jack asks Ronnie to marry him and she accepts. When he finds out that Archie raped Ronnie when she was 13 years old, he finds it hard to believe at first because she would have known about it for several years without telling anybody, however, he tells Ronnie he does believe her and vows to not let anyone hurt her again. He becomes frustrated when his progress at physiotherapy slows down. He is determined to walk at his own wedding but Max says he never will, and makes him angry, goading him into getting out of his wheelchair.

Ronnie discovers that Sam is pregnant and tells Jack, asking if it could be his even though Sam insists it is Ricky's. After the baby is born, Sam admits she is unsure. Jack and Ronnie visit Sam and the baby in hospital. Even though Sam now says that baby, Richard, is Ricky's, Bianca tells Jack he should see if Richard is his. He and Ronnie both agree and tell Sam, and Ricky also agrees to a paternity test. Ronnie tells Jack whatever the result is, they will be okay. Sam reveals that the paternity test confirmed Ricky as the father. Ronnie and Jack are relieved and Ronnie reveals that she is pregnant with Jack's baby. However, a suspicious Bianca gets the paternity results for herself, and reveals that the father is actually Jack. Sam then tells them that Ronnie made her lie. Ronnie tells Jack she did not want to share him with anyone else, and Jack understands. Later, Sam visits Jack and Ronnie saying she cannot cope with the baby on her own, and asks them to have him.

Reception

Much media response to the character has centred around Maslen's good looks, with the Daily Express commenting: "At last. Someone remotely attractive comes to Albert Square." The Mirror similarly referred to him as "the new hunk on the Square", as well as "the hottest property on EastEnders". Inside Soap praised Maslen's transition between roles, declaring his performance as Jack to be "flawless". However, The Times were more critical, writing of 2007's New Year's Eve episode: "The alleged erotic tension between Ronnie Mitchell (Samantha Janus) and Jack Branning (Scott Maslen) was so underplayed as to be invisible."

External links

• Jack Branning at BBC Online