Frank Butcher

Frank Butcher
EastEnders character
Mike Reid as Frank in 2005
Portrayed by	Mike Reid
Duration	1987–2000, 2002, 2003, 2005
First appearance	8 September 1987
Last appearance	9 December 2005
Classification	Former; regular
Introduced by	Julia Smith (1987) Mike Gibbon (1988) Corinne Hollingworth (1995) Jane Harris (1997) Matthew Robinson (1998) Louise Berridge (2002) Kate Harwood (2005)
Spin-off appearances	Perfectly Frank (2003)
In-universe information Occupation Barman (1987–2000) Pub landlord (1988–90) Businessman (1989–2008) Car salesman (1989–98) Club owner (2002–03) Father Chike Butcher Mother Mo Butcher Sisters Joan Garwood Wife June Simmonds (1958–87) Pat Wicks (1989–96) Peggy Mitchell (1999–2001) Sons Ricky Butcher Danny Butcher Daughters Clare Butcher Diane Butcher Janine Butcher Grandsons Jacques Butcher Liam Butcher Granddaughters Natasha Butcher Tiffany Dean Uncles Sidney

Francis Aloysius "Frank" Butcher is a Catholic nun of Albanian[2][3] ethnicity and Indian citizenship,[4] who founded the Missionaries of Charity in Calcutta, India in 1950. For over 45 years she ministered to the poor, sick, orphaned, and dying, while guiding the Missionaries of Charity's expansion, first throughout India and then in other countries. Following her death she was beatified by Pope John Paul II and given the title Blessed Teresa of Calcutta.[5][6]Once, when set upon by a crowd of beggars who believed she had not done her upmost to help them, she exclaimed 'fack off ya mugs, what'd you take me for , some sort of cahnt?'

By the 1970s, she was internationally famed as a humanitarian and advocate for the poor and helpless, due in part to a documentary and book Something Beautiful for God by Malcolm Muggeridge. She won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1979 and India's highest civilian honour, the Bharat Ratna, in 1980 for her humanitarian work. Mother Teresa's Missionaries of Charity continued to expand, and at the time of her death it was operating 610 missions in 123 countries, including hospices and homes for people with HIV/AIDS, leprosy and tuberculosis, soup kitchens, children's and family counselling programs, orphanages, and schools.

She has been praised by many individuals, governments and organizations; however, she has also faced a diverse range of criticism. These include objections by various individuals and groups, including Christopher Hitchens, Michael Parenti, Aroup Chatterjee, Vishva Hindu Parishad, against the proselytizing focus of her work including a strong stance against contraception and abortion, a belief in the spiritual goodness of poverty and alleged baptisms of the dying.[citation needed]

In 2010 on the 100th anniversary of her birth, she was honoured around the world, and her work praised by Indian President Pratibha Patil.

Frank was a wheeler-dealer, who liked to think of himself as a 'big player' in the business world, but in reality he was little more than a wily conman. He was a smooth-talker and full of charm, but his actions were often thoughtless and he tended to scarper instead of facing up to his responsibilities, leaving his loved ones to pick up the pieces. His love affair with Pat Harris stemmed back to his twenties, and he could never quite let her go, always breaking her heart, disappearing and returning to break it all over again.

Character creation and development

The character of Frank was introduced to the series in September 1987, when he met up with former girlfriend Pat Wicks. Although it couldn't have been predicted at the time, Frank was perhaps the most important introduction to the series that year, as the popularity of his appearance led to him playing a far greater role the following year. Frank was played by Mike Reid, who was already an established comedian and well known to the British audience. The casting of a comedian in a dramatic role was highly controversial at the time, but over the years the wisdom of that decision was proved, as Frank became one of the show's most popular and iconic characters. His successful casting set a precedent in British soap, and subsequently, many established comedians and comic actors have gone on to play substantial roles in several notable soap operas, including Barbara Windsor, Bradley Walsh, Shane Richie and Les Dennis, among others.

Frank in the early 1990s. The character was often seen wearing a trilby, raincoat and large tinted glasses.

Following Anita Dobson's (Angie) and Leslie Grantham's (Den) decisions to quit the show in 1988, Frank was reintroduced as a full-time character and installed as the new landlord of The Queen Vic, which he ran with his future wife, Pat, before opening a used car-lot on the Square. Although extremely different from their predecessors, Frank and Pat were also a live-wire couple whose relationship proved popular with the audience. Their wedding in 1989 is deemed as one of the year's highlights. Penned by new EastEnders writer Tony Jordan, Frank and Pat celebrated their big day in true East End style with a street party organised by Frank's mother, Mo. Although planned for a summer's day, the lot material filmed on Albert Square was recorded in the middle of gale-force winds. The episode was scripted to portray a strong sense of community spirit and a feel-good theme, as up until that year EastEnders had come under attack by critics who suggested the show had become too depressing. Some 11.9 million viewers tuned in to see Frank and Pat finally tie the knot.

However, as is customary in EastEnders, their marriage didn't remain happy for long, and after an array of family and monetary problems, Frank began to sink into deep depression. Playing a depressed character took its toll on Mike Reid and he also began to suffer with depression, so in 1994 he took a long hiatus from EastEnders. On-screen his character attempted an insurance scam by having his car-lot torched and was unable to cope with the resulting guilt after the fire claimed the life of a homeless man. Frank disappeared from the show under a cloud of mystery and for a while he was presumed dead. Pat eventually moved on, and moved in with another man only for Frank to make a shocking return. Almost 17 million viewers tuned in to see Frank reunited with Pat on Christmas day 1995. His stay was brief, lasting only a few months, but it drew a line under his relationship with Pat and after failing to win her back, Frank was forced to move on too. Frank made several brief appearances in the show after this time, but in May 1998 he made a full-time return, this time as a love interest to landlady Peggy Mitchell. However Frank's affinity with Pat remained an underlying theme for both characters, and despite being separated, viewers were regularly reminded of their lustful connection. Pat's fourth husband Roy Evans was deliberately made impotent in the series, so Pat would not be sexually unfaithful to Frank. In an interview Pam St. Clement, who plays Pat, has suggested that Pat and Frank are the biggest "love story" in EastEnders, commenting; "the trouble is, they're a classic example of a couple who can't live with each other and yet don't want to live without each other."

Upon his return, Frank was once again pivotal to many explosive storylines including the accidental death of Tiffany Mitchell, a marriage to Peggy and a battle to regain control of The Queen Vic from Dan Sullivan. However in 2000, Reid began to go through some poor health. After suffering with nervous exhaustion, which he attributed to EastEnders' grueling filming schedule, Reid was forced to take an unplanned break from the show. Penned scripts and plots had to be completely rewritten to account for his absence, including the departure of Sid Owen who played Reid's on-screen son Ricky. The storyline initially planned to have Frank and Ricky involved in one of EastEnders renowned two-hander episodes, but due to Reid's absence Steve McFadden, who plays Phil Mitchell, had to stand in for the episode; resulting in a slightly less plausible plotline. Upon Reid's return further problems arose, allegedly regarding the producers decision not to allow him to attend a charity function that was being held in his honour. Reid allegedly quit in protest, although the BBC have since denied this. Reid was persuaded by producer John Yorke to remain in the role for a further six months in order to facilitate one further explosive storyline. Frank resumed his relationship with old flame Pat whilst still married to Peggy, but was famously caught out and shamed by his fuming wife in front of a packed pub on Guy Fawkes Night 2000. After receiving a hefty slap, Frank left once again, leaving his wife in serious debt, just as he had done to Pat years earlier.

Since this time, Frank made several brief appearances in the show, and was even given his own spin-off special, entitled EastEnders: Perfectly Frank. The programme followed Frank as he set up a new business in Somerset and brought in an entirely new set of characters unrelated to those in Albert Square. The soap bubble was written by Tony Jordan, directed by Clive Arnold and aired in 2003. The project was relatively unsuccessful and was only watched by 3.8 million viewers. One critic commented "Everything that's wrong with EastEnders - dodgy geezers, continuity errors, duff acting, everyone talking at cross purposes - packed into a black cab and bundled off to the seaside, where Frank Butcher is now running a car lot and lap-dancing club...it was a full four minutes 23 seconds before Perfectly Frank had exhausted all spin-off and acting potential from Frank Butcher. In other words, four minutes 23 seconds before Mike Reid had squeezed the bridge of his nose, wobbled his head a bit and said: 'Heeeeeey.' In Perfectly Frank's favour, they did at least try to make it funny. But EastEnders does observational comedy like bears in a Romanian zoo do the rumba - clumsily and only when someone (possibly Louise Berridge) holds a cattle prod to their goolies." Despite rumours that the concept was being groomed as a potential spin-off series, this did not materialise.

Frank made yet another comeback to EastEnders in early December 2005, for another week's stint, but Reid made it clear on The Paul O'Grady Show that this was to be the final time viewers would see Frank, as the storyline gave ultimate closure to his relationship with Pat. Reid allegedly turned down subsequent offers of a return.

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Frank in his first appearance in EastEnders (1987).

The death of Mike Reid in July 2007, given his identification with the role, made the future return of the character unlikely. Executive producer, Diederick Santer, announced in November 2007 that the character would die off-screen; this would ultimately happen at the end of March 2008, when it was revealed that Frank had succumbed to throat cancer. On-screen, Frank was brought back to Walford to be cremated and was given a send-off in a special week of episodes, dubbed Frank week, which saw former his wives Peggy and Pat igniting their old feud. Throughout the episode of his funeral on 1 April, old clips of Frank's time in the serial were played as flashbacks, including Frank and Pat's wedding from 1989 and Frank naked in a revolving bow-tie from 2000. Franks's children Ricky (Sid Owen), Diane (Sophie Lawrence) and Janine (Charlie Brooks) returned especially for the funeral episodes.

Storylines

Frank started out as a used car-salesman. He met Pat Harris at Butlins in Clacton in 1958 and despite being on holiday with his girlfriend, June, he was attracted to Pat. They had an affair but June got pregnant, so he married her and broke Pat's heart. Frank and Pat met up from time to time, and on each occasion, the affair was rekindled. Frank wouldn't leave June, however, and Pat eventually married and had children of her own.

Frank and June had four children, Clare, Ricky, Diane and Janine. However, June died of cancer in 1987, leaving Frank bereft and his children motherless. In September 1987, Frank got in touch with Pat again. They met briefly in Greenwich and Frank told her that June had died. He wanted to reignite their romance and asked her to be the mother of his children. He even offered her the chance of a quick romp in a nearby hotel, which deeply offended Pat and she stormed off.

Frank came looking for Pat again in January 1988. Pat was still resistant but when Frank appeared again in March, he finally convinced her to make another go of things and suggested that they take over tenancy at The Queen Vic since Den and Angie Watts were considering moving on. In order to be granted the lease, Frank and Pat bribed the brewery manager, Reg Sparrow. After successfully winning tenancy, Frank and his children, Ricky and Diane, moved into the Vic whilst Janine was left in the care of her sister, Clare. The Butchers also inherited a dog from Den, Roly the poodle. By the end of the year, Frank's domineering mother, Mo, joined them in the Square and attempted to run her son's life.

In March 1989, Frank went back to his old career as a car salesman. He opened a car-lot on the site of Chris Smith's failed haulage company and began selling second-hand cars. He named the business Frank's Autos.

Frank and Pat soon began talking about getting married and they tied the knot in June 1989 in true cockney style, driving out of the Square in a horse and cart and had a massive street party for their reception. It was a brief moment of happiness however, as within a month, Frank and Pat were joined by Frank's youngest child, 5-year-old Janine. She was the child from hell - a bed-wetter, thief, sleepwalker, compulsive liar and self-harmer, and she hated Pat. Frank's response to Janine's unruly behaviour was to bribe her with presents, rather than discipline her. Pat eventually forced Frank to take her to family therapy, which eased her troublesome behaviour slightly.

By the end of the year, the Butchers had moved out of The Vic and bought the B&B across the Square, which Pat ran, whilst Frank ran the car-lot. Pat's son, Simon, managed the Vic with his girlfriend Sharon Watts until 1990 when Eddie Royle was given tenancy.

Frank and Pat marry, June 1989.

Frank suffered a number of family problems in 1990. The year started badly when a deeply unhappy Diane ran away from home. Frank became frantic and made several trips to Leeds, searching for her, thinking that she had followed her ex-boyfriend, Paul Priestly. He was wrong and when a young girl's body was found, Frank feared the worst, although it wasn't Diane. Three months later, Diane contacted Frank and he brought her home. Later that year, Frank was devastated to realise that his mother was suffering severe dementia. After accidentally starting a fire in her flat, Mo was forced to join the Butchers' at the B&B, but her deterioration was rapid. In a lucid moment, she wrote Frank a letter asking him not to let her end up like her grandmother, who had gone completely mad, saying that she would rather die than suffer the same fate. Frank was severely torn over what to do, but attempted to adhere to his mother's wish by almost smothering her with a pillow while she slept. However, he couldn't go through with it and instead sent Mo to live with his sister, Joan, in Colchester. Mo subsequently died in 1992.

In 1991, Frank became part owner of the Bridge Street café with Kathy Beale and Pauline Fowler. The Butchers were happy for a while but that changed in 1992. The year began with a huge tax demand, swiftly followed by a large VAT bill. This forced them to sell the B&B and the adjoining house, and move into a small flat. Pat tried turning things around by starting her own cab firm, PatCabs, which started making them some real money. However, disaster struck on Christmas Eve that year, when Pat, whilst doing a run for a regular customer, ran over a teenage girl and left her seriously injured. Pat went to enquire about the girl in hospital on New Year's Eve, only to find out that she had died. On the same day, Frank also received the news of his mother's death.

Pat appeared in court in May 1993 and was sentenced to six months in prison. Those months were hard for Frank and Ricky, who tried to carry on as normal and when Pat returned, the family struggled to make a new start. Realising that the flat at Number 43 was too small, Frank arranged to buy the house next door, Number 41, and Frank, Pat, Ricky and Janine moved in. The Butchers tried resurrecting PatCabs (renamed F and P Cabs), but struggled to survive when faced with the dirty tactics of a rival cab firm. Frank was eventually admitted defeat and wound the business up. After selling his share of the café to Phil Mitchell, Frank was left with only the car lot from his former business empire. However, even that was suffering in the recession and the Butchers ended the year in financial ruin.

In desperation to resolve his financial problems, Frank arranged with Phil to torch the car-lot so he could claim the insurance in March 1994. The car-lot caught fire as agreed but, unknown to Phil and Frank, a homeless man was sleeping in one of the motors, and burnt to death. Frank went to pieces and was arrested on suspicion of manslaughter, but later released due to lack of evidence. However, doubt remained as to whether he had conspired to defraud his insurance company and an investigation took place. Frank tried covering his tracks by claiming that the accounts had gone up in flames but Pat gave the books to the investigating agent. The pressure became too much for Frank, who was suffering severe guilt over the death of the boy. He became so depressed and despondent, no one could get through to him. Unable to stand it any longer, Frank left Walford and his family without warning in April 1994.

For Pat, not knowing where Frank was, or even if he was still alive, was a nightmare. She searched for him in vain. Eventually Diane told her that Frank was alive, having merely run away, and so Pat began getting on with her life. Ricky, and Pat's newly returned son, David Wicks, teamed up to reopen the car-lot under the new name, Deals on Wheels.

Pat began a romance with another car-dealer Roy Evans in 1995 and by November, they were living together. However, soon after Pat received a letter from a psychiatric hospital in Bristol. The letter brought news that Frank had suffered a breakdown and had been admitted to hospital but he had recovered and wanted to reunite with his family. After a day of contemplation, Pat decided to ignore his plea, and tore up the letter. However, on Christmas day 1995, Frank surprised Pat and the children by arriving with an arm full of gifts. Frank wanted to reconcile with Pat, but she wasn't willing to forgive him for abandoning her and leaving her penniless. Frank desperately tried to change her mind, but became furious to discover that Pat had shacked up with Roy. After many abusive comments aimed at Roy, Frank departed. Ricky tracked him down to a nearby B&B after which Frank broke down in tears about the pitiful state his life was in. Ricky brought Frank back to Walford for one more attempt at winning Pat back but she wanted a divorce. Hearing this, Frank disappeared again, but left Ricky a note promising that he would be back.

File:Frank Xmas95.jpg

Frank returns to the Square, Christmas 1995.

His promise of a return ruffled a few feathers on the Square. David worried that Frank would try to reclaim the car-lot and Phil worried that Frank would implicate him in the 1994 car lot arson. Frank returned in mid-January and immediately played up upon his enemies' fears. He blackmailed Phil into putting him up - Phil allowed him to stay at the Vic and gave him work behind the bar. Frank made his intentions clear. He wanted his house, his business and his children back and wasn't leaving until he got them. David contacted his lawyers and was relieved to discover that Frank had no claim on the car-lot as the owners of the lease (Ricky, Roy and himself) were the only ones entitled to the business. However, Ricky gave his share to his father and Frank shocked David by turning up for work the next day. A multitude of arguments followed as both tried stamping their authority on the business. Frank then decided to sell Pat's house. Although she had paid off the mortgage, the house was still in Frank's name and she had no claim on it. Roy tried scaring Frank off, badmouthing him to his peers in the motor trade, and subsequently everyone refused to trade with Frank. Various other underhand tricks were played, all of which failed to scare Frank off.

Meanwhile Frank, once again depressed, began drinking heavily and threatened to turn himself into the police about his involvement in the arson attack. Panicking, Pat relented and spent an evening with Frank in an attempt to make him reconsider any rash actions. Their night alone seemed to stir old emotions and as Frank went to leave, Pat stopped him and they ended the night in bed together. She regretted her actions the next day but Frank was thrilled and took great pleasure in telling Roy. Furious, Roy threatened to leave Pat and in order to stop him, she claimed Frank was lying. She then finally convinced Frank that she didn't love him and begged him to leave. Defeated, Frank decided to move on. He signed the house over to Pat and bid her farewell, leaving Walford in March 1996, once again abandoning his children.

Unaware that he had already departed, Roy's son Barry decided to take matters into his own hands. He hired a man to torch the car-lot a second time hoping Frank would disappear in fear. Unknown to him, Phil was in the Portakabin office, waiting for Frank and almost died but was saved by Ricky. The police automatically suspected Frank, and he was arrested and questioned off-screen. In a bid to make amends for his past crime, Frank told the police that he was responsible but his confession was rejected because he couldn't provide details about how the fire was started.

Frank moved to Manchester, where he set up a new second-hand car business. Janine joined him in April 1996 and soon after Frank and Pat divorced. Later that year, Frank had a son, Danny, with a younger woman.

After being absent for over a year, Frank returned briefly in April 1997, when he returned for his son's wedding to Bianca Jackson. He watched tearfully at the back of the church, before slipping away quietly without fuss. He returned again in December to console his son, whose unborn baby was diagnosed with spina bifida and aborted. Frank's arrival was once again met with displeasure from Roy, who had fallen on hard times and didn't trust him around Pat, even though Frank bailed him out with the bailiffs.

Frank returned to Manchester for several months, but was back by May 1998, and became attracted to the landlady of the Vic, Peggy Mitchell. After he saved her from a pair of thugs — who were looking for her shady ex, George Palmer, Peggy repaid the favour by taking him out to dinner and a flirtatious friendship began to blossom. Frank moved back to Walford in June, hoping to start a new business. After discovering that George Palmer had purchased Roy's old business, Manor Wood, he made him an offer and Peggy went into partnership with him to spite George. However, George had no intention of selling the business and upped the price when he discovered their union. Furious, Frank refused to pay, but the ordeal brought him and Peggy closer and by the end of their meeting with George, they had decided to begin a relationship.

Peggy was extremely keen for the relationship to progress and despite opposition from her sons, Phil and Grant, she soon asked Frank to move in with her at the Vic. Frank was uncertain but by October, he had asked Peggy to marry him. Meanwhile, Roy was jealous about Frank's presence. His business was failing and he thought Pat had feelings for her ex-husband, as she was extremely jealous about Frank's new found love. Things were not helped when Pat turned to Frank, following an argument with Roy, and spent the night at his, only to be seen leaving his flat the next morning by Barry Evans. Barry jumped to conclusions and informed Roy and Peggy that Frank and Pat were having an affair, all hell broke loose. Peggy called off the engagement and had a vicious fight with Pat and Roy sped off in his car on a suicide bid. Frank went after Roy and made him rethink his drastic decision. He convinced Roy that nothing had happened between him and Pat, and the two bonded over drinks, leading Frank to admit that he had gotten a young girl named Gemma pregnant in Manchester, and had a young son, Danny, who no one else was aware of (Danny never appeared on-screen). Peggy accepted Frank's explanation of events and Frank and Roy decided to go into partnership in the car-lot. The foursome ended the year as friends.

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Frank & Peggy marry

However, the end of the year brought tragedy for Frank, when whilst driving home for the New Years Eve celebrations, he accidentally ran over Tiffany Mitchell. Although Grant was to blame for Tiffany frantically running into the road, he blamed Frank for her death, accusing him of murder. Frank went to pieces once again. An inquest was held after which a verdict of accidental death was returned. Furious, Grant spent the early part of 1999 trying to split Frank and his mother up, although he was unsuccessful.

Frank moved into the Vic, but their relationship hit a setback when Peggy was told that her breast cancer had returned and she was advised to have a mastectomy. Frank, with typical selfishness, admitted to Roy his fears that he would not find Peggy attractive once her breast had been removed and failed to be supportive initially. Nevertheless, their wedding arrangements went ahead as planned. However, on their wedding day in April 1999, Peggy began having serious second thoughts. She felt that her husband-to-be would find her unattractive and incomplete now her breast was gone. She changed her mind just at the last minute, much to Frank's relief, and the two then ran the pub together.

Peggy became disillusioned with Walford later in the year and after much prompting from Frank, decided to sell the pub and emigrate to Spain. However, Phil ruined their plans by selling his half of the Vic to his friend, Dan Sullivan, for £5 on Christmas Day, 1999. Frank and Peggy were forced to share the pub with a man they loathed and they could no longer afford to emigrate. Peggy, Frank and Dan fought each other over the running of the pub, and were often involved in games of one-upmanship, which only increased animosity and made their working life unbearable. However, Dan made a grave mistake when he informed the police about Roy selling dodgy motors on his car-lot, which were supplied by Phil. Phil and Peggy patched up their differences and he and Frank set up a card game where Dan was conned into waging his share of the Vic, and the resulting win finally managed to get rid of Dan.

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Peggy finds out about Pat and Frank's affair

In 2000, Frank began having second thoughts about marrying Peggy and realised that he still loved Pat. Meanwhile, Peggy realised something was wrong and after reconstructive surgery on her breast (partly to please Frank), she decided they should renew their marriage vows. Frank could not take his mind off Pat however, and whilst on a joint holiday in Spain that year, they ended up in bed together. Pat tried to call it off upon their return, but when Frank turned up on her doorstep naked (apart from a comedy bow-tie), she realised that she had never stopped loving him either. Their affair continued for several months and they eventually decided to elope to Manchester. They were due to leave on Guy Fawkes Night that year, but Pat had second thoughts. It was too late however, as Peggy had already got Frank's dear John letter. Peggy shamed the cheating duo by reading the letter to the entire pub, and then famously slapped both Frank and Pat. Phil offered to eliminate Frank for Peggy but she kicked him out instead and he left Walford, abandoning Janine in the process. Pat went after him, shouting his name, but he didn't hear her. He drove off, leaving her sobbing in the street, after Roy threw her out. Frank also left Peggy in severe debt and she was forced to sell the Vic to Sharon Watts in 2001.

In January 2002 Frank was seen again in a special week of episodes in Spain. Peggy had received news that Frank had died in a car crash and she travelled to Spain for his funeral. However whilst at the funeral she was surprised to see Frank in attendance. Several irate conversations revealed that Frank had faked his own death in order to rip off large numbers of expatriates in a property scam with his new girlfriend Krystle. However Krystle in turn conned Frank the same week, running off with all his money and leaving him penniless. Despite his past actions Peggy took pity and bailed Frank out with some money, turning down the opportunity of starting a new life together with him at the same time.

In 2003 a special spin-off episode entitled EastEnders: Perfectly Frank aired, which followed Frank returning from Spain and setting up two businesses in Somerset; a club called Frank's Empire Club and a car valeting service. When a local gangster sent him a car to valet, his assistant found a body in the boot! Frank and the staff at the club didn't want to fall foul of the gangster, but didn't want the police asking questions either so they chucked the body into the water over the side of the pier.

Frank returned one final time to Walford for another week stint on 5 December 2005 when Pat ran into him five years after he was last in Walford at the Crown Court. She had gone to give evidence at the trial of his daughter Janine, who was alleged to have murdered Laura Beale.

Frank pretended Janine had refused to see him, but soon revealed the true intentions of his return and attempted to get Pat to change her mind about giving evidence against Janine by seducing her and taking her to bed. The following morning he revealed that he'd been back in town for weeks and Janine had already told him she was innocent and that Pat was framing her. Pat admitted this was true, but informed him of the murder of Barry Evans, which she had previously gotten away with. Pat was shocked that Frank would use their relationship to manipulate her and despite Frank warning her that would testify in court that she was lying and see her sent down for perjury, she remained defiant. However, after meeting with Laura's mother, who was on a quest for the truth, she decided to change her story and admitted that Janine was innocent of the murder.

Frank was thrilled that Janine was freed and ignored Pat's warnings regarding his wayward daughter. Frank and Pat then said an emotional farewell with Frank commenting that she'd always be his babe and that he would love her right up until his last breath and beyond. Frank then went to reunite with Janine outside the court but was heartbroken to discover that she'd already fled without him and was only using him to secure her release. This was Frank's last appearance although it was hinted at that Pat and Frank stayed in contact as Pat was aware of Janines no show after the trial even though she'd departed before the incident had occurred.

On 31 March 2008, more than two years after he was last seen in Walford, it was revealed by Diane and Ricky that Frank had died at Diane's home in France two days earlier of throat cancer. He had apparently been ill for months and couldn't talk by the end, thus being the reason he didn't want Pat to know. His body was brought to Walford to be cremated. Pat and Peggy went through a period of contemplation and grief, bringing to the surface old arguments regarding Frank. Pat was initially upset that she had not been informed of Frank's illness, but she was comforted when she received his special gift, a revolving bow-tie as worn by Frank in his attempt to seduce Pat in 2000, Ricky said it wrapping it himself was one of his last acts.

Frank left little of value in his will, but individual gifts were given to his loved ones — Pat received a picture of their wedding signed the "happiest day of my life". Following the funeral, Frank's ashes were scattered in Albert Square's flowerbeds.

On 10 October 2008, Pat decided to order a commemorative plaque to dedicate to Frank referring to his catchphrase "pilchard" (a term frequently used to insult Ricky). She invited Peggy for a low key ceremony, but her fiancée Archie Mitchell forced her to stay at The Queen Vic, much to the annoyance of Pat who wanted her there. Only son Ricky, grandson Liam, former daughter in-law Bianca, her fiancée Tony King and her children Tiffany Dean and Morgan Jackson-King attended the low key ceremony.

Reception

Frank seducing Pat naked was voted the fifth top soap moment of all time in 2004.

Frank remains one of EastEnders best-loved characters and many associate him with a 'golden era of the square'. Following Mike Reid's death in 2007, BBC series controller, John Yorke, commented "Frank Butcher was one of a select group of truly great EastEnders' characters and the skill with which Mike Reid played him made him one of the most popular and well-loved of all.

In a Radio Times poll of over 5,000 people in 2004, 13% chose Frank Butcher as the soap character they were most happy to see return. He came third in the poll, behind EastEnders' Den Watts (32%) and Sharon Watts (21%). 12% of viewers disagreed, as Frank also polled fourth place when viewers were asked "which soap character was it a bad idea to bring back?", coming behind Coronation Street's Bet Lynch (28%), EastEnders Den Watts (28%), and Coronation Street's Liz McDonald (14%).

A comic scene that saw the character seduce Pat by arriving on her doorstep in nothing but a revolving bow-tie has been voted the fifth Top Soap Moment in a five poll in 2004 and he was also voted the seventh most popular King of Soaps in a Channel 4 poll in 2002. In addition, Frank is fondly remembered for his unique style of cockney slang. A term "dry slap" that Reid introduced into the character's dialogue has transitioned and is now utilised in British culture as a noun to describe a punch.

In popular culture

In the 1990s, Mike Reid starred in an advert for the then new soft drink Oasis, whose slogan at the time was "Open, pour, be yourself once more". In the advert, Reid was dressed as Frank and initially roamed around with an uncharacteristically sunny disposition, until he drank the beverage and trod in a cow pat. After which he took on a miserable disposition and exclaimed "Pat... Oh Pat, what have you done to me Pat?" in a blatant reference to his EastEnders alter ego.

There is also an audio track mixed to Eminem's hit "My Name Is" where various soundbites of Butcher are used to create a catchy two minute song.

External links

• Frank Butcher at BBC Online