Bradley Branning
Encyclopedia
Bradley Branning is a fictional character
from the BBC
soap opera
EastEnders
, played by Charlie Clements
. He made his first appearance on screen on 24 January 2006 and last appeared on 22 February 2010. Clements has won multiple awards for his portrayal.
and Rachel, were just 18 years old. The three of them lived happily as a family for nearly six years. However, Max could not cope with being a young husband and father and eventually began an affair with an 18 year old girl, Tanya Cross
. When Tanya became pregnant, Max left his wife and son to marry his mistress. Bradley never fully recovered from his father's abandonment.
from Tring
to live with his grandfather Jim
(John Bardon
) and his step-grandmother Dot
(June Brown
) when he gets a job as a banker in the city. Later that year, Max
(Jake Wood
) moves to Albert Square
, and at first Bradley wants nothing to do with him, but they eventually bond. Bradley befriends Stacey Slater (Lacey Turner
) upon his arrival, and eventually a romance develops between them. Stacey discovers she is pregnant by Bradley, but he persuades her to have an abortion, and tells their friends and families that she had a miscarriage. They drift apart and when Bradley doesn't invite Stacey to his work's Christmas party, she turns up and embarrasses him, leading to their breakup.
Bradley has romances with his colleague Lydia Asler (Amy Noble
) and beautician Preeti Choraria (Babita Pohoomull
). Unknown to Bradley, Stacey has embarked on an affair with Max, in revenge for the abortion. Max ends the affair by taking his family to Spain for six weeks, and while he is away, Bradley and Stacey reconcile and get engaged. They marry in November 2007, although Stacey has one last kiss with Max after the wedding, which is recorded by Max's daughter Lauren
's (Madeline Duggan
) hidden camcorder. Lauren makes a DVD, which is played on Christmas Day, revealing the affair. Bradley and Stacey separate, and he moves away from Walford.
Bradley returns after Stacey tracks him down and he asks for a divorce. He grows close to Clare Bates (Gemma Bissix
), but turns her down when she makes a pass at him. He is sexually harassed by his boss, Maggie Townsend (Angeline Ball
), who sacks him after Dot berates her for her behaviour. In June 2008, Stacey's mother Jean
(Gillian Wright
) and Dot lock Bradley and Stacey in Dot's house, and Bradley reveals that he is still in love with Stacey. She says that she cannot reunite with him as she has not forgiven herself for the affair, but Bradley later kisses her and she responds, and they get back together. Their relationship runs smoothly until August 2008, when Stacey confesses to Bradley that she may be pregnant, which turns out to be untrue. They then decide to try for a baby, but Stacey is secretly taking contraceptive pills. They break up again when Bradley discovers that Stacey kissed Callum Monks (Elliott Jordan
). Bradley falls into a state of depression, refusing to go to work and taking up drinking at home. He blames Max for all his problems and punches him.
Bradley becomes the owner of a St. Bernard
dog named Gumbo, when his original owner abandons him and gives him to Bradley. He meets Syd Chambers (Nina Toussaint-White
) and they eventually begin a relationship. She moves to the Square, but Bradley thinks he will lose her if she knows he lost his job due to the recession
. He eventually tells her, but then he doesn't hear from her for some time. He decides to leave Walford for Edinburgh
, but is interrupted by Syd, who persuades him to stay and introduces him to her son Noah (Micah Thomas).
Bradley is taken hostage by Nick Cotton
(John Altman) in Ian Beale
's (Adam Woodyatt
) café with other diners. After a fire starts in the kitchen, Bradley helps the hostages to escape, and returns inside to help Nick. Nick refuses assistance and leaves by the back door, while Bradley falls foul to a gas explosion
, knocking him unconscious. He has flash burns and glass in one eye, but makes a quick recovery and is discharged the next day. In June 2009, he asks Stacey for a divorce.
Bradley is shocked when he discovers Gumbo's owner, Don, is in Walford, and wants Gumbo back. Bradley fights for Gumbo, but is devastated when the dog chooses to go with Don. Syd is offered a job in Canada, and Noah responds by running away. Bradley and Syd find him at the arcade, playing car games. Syd throws a party to celebrate her and Bradley leaving for Canada, despite Bradley not revealing this to his family yet. At the party, Stacey tells Bradley that she has bipolar disorder
to which Bradley wishes he could have been there for her. He tells Syd he is not ready to leave his family and friends and she suspects that Stacey put him off, however, he later tells Syd he wants to go to Canada. They hold a leaving party and leave on 9 October 2009, during which Stacey admitted to hospital due to her mental health. When Bradley's mother Rachel (Pooky Quesnel
) is injured in a car crash and hospitalised, Bradley, Syd and Noah return from Canada where Jean tells Bradley that Stacey would love to see him but he says they are not staying for long.
As they prepare to return to Canada, he goes with Jean to pick up Stacey, telling Syd he is going to check on his mother. Bradley reveals that Syd has asked him to officially adopt Noah. Jean leaves Bradley and Stacey together at home where Stacey apologises for ruining Bradley's leaving party. He then tells her he cannot go back to Canada because he loves her. Stacey tells Bradley she thinks she loves him and they kiss. Stacey tells Bradley he should go back to Canada to think about it but he goes to tell Syd it's over. Bradley tells Syd that he went to pick up Stacey and he had lied. He then says he is staying in Walford with Stacey. Syd angrily says he won't last because she will just cheat on him again. She begs for another chance and begs him not to stay with her for Noah. Bradley hugs Noah goodbye and Syd and Noah leave. Bradley and Stacey resume their relationship. They go on a short break, and when they return, Stacey collapses and Bradley finds work at Masala Queen. On Christmas Day, Stacey tells Bradley she is pregnant and was raped by Archie Mitchell
(Larry Lamb
). Bradley confronts him, punching him twice. Later that night, Archie is murdered. Stacey asks if Bradley did it and believes him when he says he did not. They agree to say that the baby is hers and Bradley's. The police question Stacey and Bradley about the murder and they lie about the last time they both saw Archie. Bradley then reassures Stacey that her ordeal is all over.
Jean finds out that Stacey is pregnant and works out that Bradley cannot be the father when she finds baby scan photos. Bradley worries that Jean will blurt it out but she says he can trust her not to say anything. Max overhears part of the conversation and Mo jokes that Bradley is about to confess to murder. Bradley then tells his family he cheated on Syd with Stacey. He goes for a job interview but Max is also being interviewed for the same job. They later agree to go into business together. When Bradley attends the reopening of The Queen Victoria, he feels uncomfortable and leaves in a hurry. After Ian is arrested for murder, Bradley wonders why.
When Stacey invites her friend Becca Swanson (Simone James
) from the hospital to stay, Bradley does not want her there and Becca goes back, but the next day Bradley brings her back to the Square because Stacey would not eat anything all day without her. Max starts renting the car lot for his and Bradley's new business. That night Bradley lets Becca sleep in his bed as she is paranoid about Archie's killer still being on the loose. The next morning, Bradley hides an engagement ring for Stacey.
Bradley and Stacey attend Archie's funeral, though Stacey does not want to. After the funeral, Stacey spits in the grave. Later, Becca overhears them talking about Christmas Day. Bradley leaves and Becca finds him in the Square, saying he should not be too hard on Stacey, and she has told her about what Archie did. However, Stacey tells Bradley that Becca only knows that Archie was a creep, and knows nothing about Christmas Day or the baby. Bradley proposes to Stacey, she accepts and they have sex in the car lot. Becca lets slip that Stacey is pregnant and everyone finds out, and Bradley worries that it will ruin everything. Bradley begins acting strangely whenever someone mentions the police or the murder. Then at Tiffany Dean
's (Maisie Smith
) birthday party, Tiffany tells her great uncle (also Bradley's uncle) Jack Branning
(Scott Maslen
) that she saw Bradley washing blood off his hands on Christmas Day. Jack demands to know why he had blood on his hands, and Bradley breaks down and tells Jack and Max about punching Archie and Stacey's rape. Jack threatens to go to the police if Bradley does not, but Max stops him and convinces him not to. However, Bradley is scared when DCI Jill Marsden (Sophie Stanton
) reveals that a new forensic profile has been found and DNA screening will start soon. Max says Bradley should stay with his mother until everything has blown over, but while Bradley is in the car lot, the police come in and ask him to give a DNA sample. Following this, Jack bribes DC Wayne Hughes (Jamie Treacher
) to make the samples disappear. When Janine Butcher (Charlie Brooks
) is arrested for Archie's murder, Stacey tells Bradley everything will be fine.
Bradley and Stacey announce they are getting married, and Becca feels left out as only Max and Jean are invited. Becca is further upset by Bradley after the wedding when he tells her he and Stacey are planning to live together and that she should get a boyfriend. Becca blurts out to Archie's daughter Ronnie Mitchell
(Samantha Womack) about the rape and Ronnie tells Stacey that Archie cannot be the father of the baby as he was infertile due to chemotherapy. Stacey tells Bradley that the baby is not Archie's but she does not know whose it is, while Becca phones the police. Jack receives a call from Hughes that Bradley is to be arrested, so he tells Bradley he must get out of Walford quickly. As he attempts to flee with Stacey, he realises that he has forgotten their passports and goes to recover them from his home, telling Stacey to stay where she is until he returns. He successfully retrieves the passports without being noticed by the police, however his phone rings as he walks back to Stacey, and DCI Marsden spots him. He attempts to flee up a fire escape, and subsequently across rooftops. When he reaches the roof of the Queen Vic, he shouts to Stacey to run, before losing his balance and falling to his death. He lies in a pool of blood as the residents look on in horror. As Max pulls a distressed Stacey aside, Stacey admits to him that it is her fault Bradley is dead and confesses that she is Archie's killer. The police close the investigation and an Inquest court finds Bradley guilty. Bradley is last seen in the hospital's chapel of rest where he is visited by Max and the Slaters. Bradley's funeral takes place on 5 March 2010 and he is cremated. Six months later, Stacey confesses to Peggy Mitchell
(Barbara Windsor
) that she is Archie's killer and not Bradley. When Stacey flees the country after she is exposed as Archie's killer, she tells a heartbroken Max, after he reveals that he still loves her and wants to run away with her, that Bradley is the only love of her life.
(John Bardon
). The character first appeared on-screen in January 2006. 18 year old actor Charlie Clements
was cast in the role. On his casting, Clements commented, "I'm very excited to be joining EastEnders and joining such a great family [...] it's wicked."
The character was allegedly conceived in the Hertfordshire town of Tring
, where one of the EastEnders storyline conferences was held. As a result, Bradley was said to have originated from Tring on-screen before his move to East London to develop a career as a banker. Bradley was portrayed as a character who'd had a "sheltered life because his dad left him when he was young."
, played by Lacey Turner
. Mismatched, one reporter commented, "geeky...goody-twoshoes Bradley doesn't seem like the type of lad [Stacey] would normally go for", however he/she added that the couple "may be chalk and cheese, but with [Stacey's] history of emotional turmoil, [Bradley] is probably just the stabilising influence she needs." The couple were hailed as the nearest thing Walford had to Romeo and Juliet
. Explaining the characters' attraction, scriptwriter Sarah Phelps
has said, "Bradley's gentleness makes Stacey a little bit gentler, and Stacey's toughness makes Bradley a little bit tougher." Discussing the union between her character and Bradley, Turner has said, "I love working with Charlie — he's such a laugh. They're such different characters. It's nice, because it's not what anyone expected for her."
The couple were shown to face problems in August 2006, when Stacey declared she was pregnant with Bradley's child and, on the advice of his father, Max
(Jake Wood
), Bradley convinced Stacey to have an abortion; Jane Simon of The Mirror described the episode as "incredibly powerful". Scriptwriter Sarah Phelps has described Stacey's abortion as "a dagger in [her] heart [...] Stacey thought that if this is what [Bradley] really wants [...] 'OK i'll go through with it', but she really didn't want to. He broke her heart." Bradley and Stacey were shown to grow steadily apart after this, as Bradley invested time in a new job he acquired in city bank, neglecting Stacey's needs and ignoring her depression over her lost baby. When Bradley purposefully excluded Stacey from a work function, she showed up anyway and humiliated him in front of his colleagues. In scenes shown directly after, Bradley dumped Stacey, declaring that the reason that he wanted to abort their baby was because he could not bear the idea of bringing up a child with Stacey. The end of Stacey and Bradley's relationship facilitated a plot twist that saw Stacey seducing Bradley's father Max. In episodes that aired on Christmas Day 2006, Stacey slept with Max as payback for Bradley's mistreatment. A BBC insider commented, "Stacey likes the idea that even if Bradley doesn't want her, his dad does."
In December 2009, Clements was asked if he wanted Bradley and Stacey to get back together. He replied: "Yes I do. I love working with Lacey. We have a great friendship and bounce off one another on screen."
Diederick Santer
promised "a big exit" for the character, saying "I know viewers will miss him hugely, just as all of us who have worked with him will miss him too." Santer commented in December 2009: "I always see departures as an opportunity. They're a shame if a much-loved actor wants to move on, but they're a chance to give characters an exciting and significant exit. Bradley's departure relates to some of the stories we're playing either side of the 25th anniversary and I can certainly promise a memorable exit for him."
Show producers denied that Bradley would kill himself after becoming a suspect for the murder
of character Archie Mitchell
, played by Larry Lamb
, who was killed off on 25 December 2009. Bradley discovered that Archie had raped Stacey and got her pregnant so confronted Archie by punching him twice in the face. A spokesperson said: "We will not comment on Bradley's exit storyline other than to say he does not commit suicide.". At the end of the live episode
on 19 February 2010, Bradley fell to his death after being pursued by a policeman across the roof of the Queen Victoria pub.
EastEnders received criticism for their portrayal of Bradley from resident of the Hertfordshire
town where the character allegedly hailed from, Tring
. Some residents of Tring believed that scriptwriters of the east London-based soap had portrayed their town as "snobbish", and there were complaints to Tring's Mayor, Mike James, who claimed that a lot of people were quite offended by the new character, who plays golf and drinks soya milk. A spokesperson from the soap apologised for the offence caused: "The character of Bradley Branning was by no means set to cause offence to the residents of Tring. In fact Tring was chosen after one of our storyline conferences in Tring, as the production team thoroughly enjoyed their stay [...] Bradley is by no means a snob. He has led a sheltered life because his dad left him when he was young. His mother wanted to teach him the value of money so encouraged him to get a job, which is why he worked as a caddy at the local golf course. He has a dairy intolerance and is allergic to nuts".
Bradley's death was voted the third most emotional moment in television entertainment in a 2010 poll of 3,000 British people conducted by Freeview HD.
Fictional character
A character is the representation of a person in a narrative work of art . Derived from the ancient Greek word kharaktêr , the earliest use in English, in this sense, dates from the Restoration, although it became widely used after its appearance in Tom Jones in 1749. From this, the sense of...
from the BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
soap opera
Soap opera
A soap opera, sometimes called "soap" for short, is an ongoing, episodic work of dramatic fiction presented in serial format on radio or as television programming. The name soap opera stems from the original dramatic serials broadcast on radio that had soap manufacturers, such as Procter & Gamble,...
EastEnders
EastEnders
EastEnders is a British television soap opera, first broadcast in the United Kingdom on BBC One on 19 February 1985 and continuing to today. EastEnders storylines examine the domestic and professional lives of the people who live and work in the fictional London Borough of Walford in the East End...
, played by Charlie Clements
Charlie Clements
Charlie Clements is an English actor, best known for the role of Bradley Branning in the BBC soap opera EastEnders from January 2006 to February 2010. He has won several soap and magazine awards for his performance.-Biography:...
. He made his first appearance on screen on 24 January 2006 and last appeared on 22 February 2010. Clements has won multiple awards for his portrayal.
Backstory
Bradley was conceived when his parents, MaxMax Branning
Max Branning is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders, played by Jake Wood. He made his first appearance on 27 June 2006.-Backstory:Max is the fifth child and second son of Jim and Reenie Branning...
and Rachel, were just 18 years old. The three of them lived happily as a family for nearly six years. However, Max could not cope with being a young husband and father and eventually began an affair with an 18 year old girl, Tanya Cross
Tanya Branning
Tanya Lauren Jessop is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders, played by Jo Joyner. She made her first appearance on 27 June 2006. She left the show temporarily on 25 December 2009 for maternity leave and returned for one episode on 23 June 2010. She made her full-time return on...
. When Tanya became pregnant, Max left his wife and son to marry his mistress. Bradley never fully recovered from his father's abandonment.
2006–2010
Bradley moves to WalfordWalford
Walford is a fictional borough of east London in the BBC soap opera EastEnders. The name Walford is both a street in Dalston where one of the series' creators, Tony Holland, lived and a blend of Walthamstow, where Holland was born, and Stratford. The suffix 'ford' is also found throughout East...
from Tring
Tring
Tring is a small market town and also a civil parish in the Chiltern Hills in Hertfordshire, England. Situated north-west of London and linked to London by the old Roman road of Akeman Street, by the modern A41, by the Grand Union Canal and by rail lines to Euston Station, Tring is now largely a...
to live with his grandfather Jim
Jim Branning
James Archibald "Jim" Branning is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders, played by John Bardon, first appearing on 29 April 1996 and becoming a regular character in 1999 and has remained in the series right up to 2011....
(John Bardon
John Bardon
John Bardon, is an English stage and screen actor. He was awarded the Laurence Olivier Award in 1988 as 'Best Actor in a Musical' for Kiss Me, Kate, sharing the award with co-star Emil Wolk.-Acting career:Bardon is best known for playing Jim Branning in the popular British soap opera EastEnders...
) and his step-grandmother Dot
Dot Branning
Dorothy "Dot" Branning is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera, EastEnders, played by June Brown since 1985. In a special episode entitled EastEnders: Dot's Story a young Dot was played by Tallulah Pitt-Brown in flashbacks. Dot first appeared in EastEnders in July 1985 as the mother of...
(June Brown
June Brown
June Muriel Brown, MBE is a British actress, best known for her role as the busy-body, chain-smoking gossip Dot Cotton in the long-running British soap opera EastEnders and for making other high profile television appearances on shows such as Doctor Who, Coronation Street, Minder, The Bill and...
) when he gets a job as a banker in the city. Later that year, Max
Max Branning
Max Branning is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders, played by Jake Wood. He made his first appearance on 27 June 2006.-Backstory:Max is the fifth child and second son of Jim and Reenie Branning...
(Jake Wood
Jake Wood
Jake Dylan Wood is an English actor, best known in his homeland for playing Max Branning on "EastEnders" and in the United States as the current voice of the GEICO gecko.-Biography:...
) moves to Albert Square
Albert Square
Albert Square is the fictional location of the BBC soap opera EastEnders. It is ostensibly located in the equally fictional London borough of Walford in London's East End. The square's design was based on the real life Fassett Square in Hackney, and was given the name Albert Square after the real...
, and at first Bradley wants nothing to do with him, but they eventually bond. Bradley befriends Stacey Slater (Lacey Turner
Lacey Turner
Lacey Amelia Turner is an award-winning English actress. She is best known for portraying the role of Stacey Slater on the BBC soap opera EastEnders, a role for which she has won 33 awards...
) upon his arrival, and eventually a romance develops between them. Stacey discovers she is pregnant by Bradley, but he persuades her to have an abortion, and tells their friends and families that she had a miscarriage. They drift apart and when Bradley doesn't invite Stacey to his work's Christmas party, she turns up and embarrasses him, leading to their breakup.
Bradley has romances with his colleague Lydia Asler (Amy Noble
Amy Noble
Amy Noble is an actress from Surbiton in Surrey.She has played Becky Martin in Holby City, and Lydia Asler in EastEnders. She also appeared Peter Kosminky's Bafta award-winning Britz on Channel 4, and in the My Family Christmas special "Ho Ho... No" in 2008...
) and beautician Preeti Choraria (Babita Pohoomull
Babita Pohoomull
Babita Pohoomull is a British. She played Preeti Choraria in EastEnders from 27 October 2006 to 3 January 2008. She also played Gita Dhatri in Casualty. As of September 2009, Pohoomull also appears in CBBC's Planet Ajay.-External links:...
). Unknown to Bradley, Stacey has embarked on an affair with Max, in revenge for the abortion. Max ends the affair by taking his family to Spain for six weeks, and while he is away, Bradley and Stacey reconcile and get engaged. They marry in November 2007, although Stacey has one last kiss with Max after the wedding, which is recorded by Max's daughter Lauren
Lauren Branning
Lauren Branning is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders. She first appeared in the show on 3 July 2006 played by Madeline Duggan, was absent from 23 June to 27 September 2010, and returned as played by Jacqueline Jossa.-Storylines:...
's (Madeline Duggan
Madeline Duggan
Madeline Elizabeth Duggan is an English actress best known for her portrayal of Lauren Branning in the BBC soap opera EastEnders.-Personal life:...
) hidden camcorder. Lauren makes a DVD, which is played on Christmas Day, revealing the affair. Bradley and Stacey separate, and he moves away from Walford.
Bradley returns after Stacey tracks him down and he asks for a divorce. He grows close to Clare Bates (Gemma Bissix
Gemma Bissix
Gemma Bissix is an English actress. She has been acting since the age of 9. Her most prominent roles have been in soap operas, as Clare Bates in EastEnders and Clare Devine in Hollyoaks ; she was awarded with two British Soap Awards for the latter role...
), but turns her down when she makes a pass at him. He is sexually harassed by his boss, Maggie Townsend (Angeline Ball
Angeline Ball
Angeline Ball is an award-winning Irish actress who currently resides in London, England. She is a trained dancer in ballet, tap and modern dance. Her breakthrough role came in 1991 when she starred alongside Maria Doyle Kennedy and Bronagh Gallagher as back-up singer Imelda Quirke in Alan...
), who sacks him after Dot berates her for her behaviour. In June 2008, Stacey's mother Jean
Jean Slater
Jean Elaine Slater is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders, played by Gillian Wright. She appeared in December 2004 briefly and in December 2005. She returned as a recurring character in June 2006 and returned again as a regular character from November 2006...
(Gillian Wright
Gillian Wright
Gillian Wright, is an English actress who is best known for portraying the role of Jean Slater on the long running BBC soap opera EastEnders...
) and Dot lock Bradley and Stacey in Dot's house, and Bradley reveals that he is still in love with Stacey. She says that she cannot reunite with him as she has not forgiven herself for the affair, but Bradley later kisses her and she responds, and they get back together. Their relationship runs smoothly until August 2008, when Stacey confesses to Bradley that she may be pregnant, which turns out to be untrue. They then decide to try for a baby, but Stacey is secretly taking contraceptive pills. They break up again when Bradley discovers that Stacey kissed Callum Monks (Elliott Jordan
Elliott Jordan
Elliott Jordan Elliott Jordan Elliott Jordan (born 22 April 1983 in London, England, is an English actor who has appeared in Film, Theatre and Television. Following a successful time with the National Youth Theatre, Jordan went on to work on a number of UK film projects. He played Callum Monks in...
). Bradley falls into a state of depression, refusing to go to work and taking up drinking at home. He blames Max for all his problems and punches him.
Bradley becomes the owner of a St. Bernard
St. Bernard (dog)
The St. Bernard is a breed of very large working dog from the Italian and Swiss Alps, originally bred for rescue. The breed has become famous through tales of alpine rescues, as well as for its large size.-Appearance:The St. Bernard is a large dog...
dog named Gumbo, when his original owner abandons him and gives him to Bradley. He meets Syd Chambers (Nina Toussaint-White
Nina Toussaint-White
Nina Toussaint-White is an English actress, best known for playing Syd Chambers in 2009 in the BBC One soap EastEnders.Raised in Plumstead, South East London, Toussaint-White trained at the Italia Conti Academy of Theatre Arts Clapham on their 3 year BA Acting Course...
) and they eventually begin a relationship. She moves to the Square, but Bradley thinks he will lose her if she knows he lost his job due to the recession
Recession
In economics, a recession is a business cycle contraction, a general slowdown in economic activity. During recessions, many macroeconomic indicators vary in a similar way...
. He eventually tells her, but then he doesn't hear from her for some time. He decides to leave Walford for Edinburgh
Edinburgh
Edinburgh is the capital city of Scotland, the second largest city in Scotland, and the eighth most populous in the United Kingdom. The City of Edinburgh Council governs one of Scotland's 32 local government council areas. The council area includes urban Edinburgh and a rural area...
, but is interrupted by Syd, who persuades him to stay and introduces him to her son Noah (Micah Thomas).
Bradley is taken hostage by Nick Cotton
Nick Cotton
Nick Cotton is a fictional character from the British soap opera EastEnders played by John Altman on a recurring basis from the soap's debut episode in February 1985, through to his last appearance to date in 2009. Nick is the son of characters Charlie and Dot Cotton, and the father of Ashley and...
(John Altman) in Ian Beale
Ian Beale
Ian Albert Beale is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders, played by Adam Woodyatt. He is the longest-serving character and the only remaining original character to have appeared continuously since the first episode on 19 February 1985...
's (Adam Woodyatt
Adam Woodyatt
Adam Brinley Woodyatt is an English actor and media personality, best known for his role as Ian Beale in the long-running BBC soap opera EastEnders...
) café with other diners. After a fire starts in the kitchen, Bradley helps the hostages to escape, and returns inside to help Nick. Nick refuses assistance and leaves by the back door, while Bradley falls foul to a gas explosion
Gas explosion
A gas explosion is an explosion resulting from a gas leak in the presence of an ignition source. The principal explosive gases are natural gas, methane, propane and butane, because they are widely used for heating purposes. However, many other gases like hydrogen, are combustible and have caused...
, knocking him unconscious. He has flash burns and glass in one eye, but makes a quick recovery and is discharged the next day. In June 2009, he asks Stacey for a divorce.
Bradley is shocked when he discovers Gumbo's owner, Don, is in Walford, and wants Gumbo back. Bradley fights for Gumbo, but is devastated when the dog chooses to go with Don. Syd is offered a job in Canada, and Noah responds by running away. Bradley and Syd find him at the arcade, playing car games. Syd throws a party to celebrate her and Bradley leaving for Canada, despite Bradley not revealing this to his family yet. At the party, Stacey tells Bradley that she has bipolar disorder
Bipolar disorder
Bipolar disorder or bipolar affective disorder, historically known as manic–depressive disorder, is a psychiatric diagnosis that describes a category of mood disorders defined by the presence of one or more episodes of abnormally elevated energy levels, cognition, and mood with or without one or...
to which Bradley wishes he could have been there for her. He tells Syd he is not ready to leave his family and friends and she suspects that Stacey put him off, however, he later tells Syd he wants to go to Canada. They hold a leaving party and leave on 9 October 2009, during which Stacey admitted to hospital due to her mental health. When Bradley's mother Rachel (Pooky Quesnel
Pooky Quesnel
Joanna Quesnel, known professionally as Pooky Quesnel, is an English actress, screenwriter and singer.-Background:Quesnel was raised in Eccles, Lancashire, along with her six siblings. She read English at Oxford University before spending a year at drama school...
) is injured in a car crash and hospitalised, Bradley, Syd and Noah return from Canada where Jean tells Bradley that Stacey would love to see him but he says they are not staying for long.
As they prepare to return to Canada, he goes with Jean to pick up Stacey, telling Syd he is going to check on his mother. Bradley reveals that Syd has asked him to officially adopt Noah. Jean leaves Bradley and Stacey together at home where Stacey apologises for ruining Bradley's leaving party. He then tells her he cannot go back to Canada because he loves her. Stacey tells Bradley she thinks she loves him and they kiss. Stacey tells Bradley he should go back to Canada to think about it but he goes to tell Syd it's over. Bradley tells Syd that he went to pick up Stacey and he had lied. He then says he is staying in Walford with Stacey. Syd angrily says he won't last because she will just cheat on him again. She begs for another chance and begs him not to stay with her for Noah. Bradley hugs Noah goodbye and Syd and Noah leave. Bradley and Stacey resume their relationship. They go on a short break, and when they return, Stacey collapses and Bradley finds work at Masala Queen. On Christmas Day, Stacey tells Bradley she is pregnant and was raped by Archie Mitchell
Archie Mitchell
Archibald Lionel "Archie" Mitchell is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders, played by Larry Lamb.The character of Archie is the father of already established characters Ronnie and Roxy Mitchell , and a member of the Mitchell family, who have appeared in the soap since 1990...
(Larry Lamb
Larry Lamb (actor)
Lawrence Douglas "Larry" Lamb is an English actor who has worked frequently in television. He is best known for playing one of the greatest villains of British soap Archie Mitchell in the BBC television soap EastEnders, Michael Shipman in the BBC television show Gavin & Stacey and Mischievous...
). Bradley confronts him, punching him twice. Later that night, Archie is murdered. Stacey asks if Bradley did it and believes him when he says he did not. They agree to say that the baby is hers and Bradley's. The police question Stacey and Bradley about the murder and they lie about the last time they both saw Archie. Bradley then reassures Stacey that her ordeal is all over.
Jean finds out that Stacey is pregnant and works out that Bradley cannot be the father when she finds baby scan photos. Bradley worries that Jean will blurt it out but she says he can trust her not to say anything. Max overhears part of the conversation and Mo jokes that Bradley is about to confess to murder. Bradley then tells his family he cheated on Syd with Stacey. He goes for a job interview but Max is also being interviewed for the same job. They later agree to go into business together. When Bradley attends the reopening of The Queen Victoria, he feels uncomfortable and leaves in a hurry. After Ian is arrested for murder, Bradley wonders why.
When Stacey invites her friend Becca Swanson (Simone James
Simone James
Simone James is a British actress best known for her role as Becca Swanson in television soap opera, EastEnders.- Career :James trained at Corona Theatre School and Rose Bruford College. She received minor roles in various television programmes including Holby City...
) from the hospital to stay, Bradley does not want her there and Becca goes back, but the next day Bradley brings her back to the Square because Stacey would not eat anything all day without her. Max starts renting the car lot for his and Bradley's new business. That night Bradley lets Becca sleep in his bed as she is paranoid about Archie's killer still being on the loose. The next morning, Bradley hides an engagement ring for Stacey.
Bradley and Stacey attend Archie's funeral, though Stacey does not want to. After the funeral, Stacey spits in the grave. Later, Becca overhears them talking about Christmas Day. Bradley leaves and Becca finds him in the Square, saying he should not be too hard on Stacey, and she has told her about what Archie did. However, Stacey tells Bradley that Becca only knows that Archie was a creep, and knows nothing about Christmas Day or the baby. Bradley proposes to Stacey, she accepts and they have sex in the car lot. Becca lets slip that Stacey is pregnant and everyone finds out, and Bradley worries that it will ruin everything. Bradley begins acting strangely whenever someone mentions the police or the murder. Then at Tiffany Dean
Tiffany Dean
Tiffany Butcher is a fictional character from the BBC One soap opera EastEnders, played by Maisie Smith. Tiffany is the daughter of established characters Bianca Jackson and Ricky Butcher , though originally she was believed to be Bianca's daughter with a man named Nathan Dean...
's (Maisie Smith
Maisie Smith
Maisie Lily Smith is an English actress. She has appeared in the feature film The Other Boleyn Girl and has played the regular role of Tiffany Butcher in the BBC soap opera EastEnders since 2008.- Career :...
) birthday party, Tiffany tells her great uncle (also Bradley's uncle) Jack Branning
Jack 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...
(Scott Maslen
Scott Maslen
Scott Alexander Maslen is an English actor and model, best known for his portrayal as DS Phil Hunter in ITV's The Bill and now Jack Branning on the BBC's flagship soap EastEnders.-Early and personal life:...
) that she saw Bradley washing blood off his hands on Christmas Day. Jack demands to know why he had blood on his hands, and Bradley breaks down and tells Jack and Max about punching Archie and Stacey's rape. Jack threatens to go to the police if Bradley does not, but Max stops him and convinces him not to. However, Bradley is scared when DCI Jill Marsden (Sophie Stanton
Sophie Stanton
Sophie Stanton is an actress and playwright. She is known for her role as Detective Chief Inspector Jill Marsden in the television series EastEnders , Rose in 'Dressing For Breakfast' and as Dilly in The Wilsons...
) reveals that a new forensic profile has been found and DNA screening will start soon. Max says Bradley should stay with his mother until everything has blown over, but while Bradley is in the car lot, the police come in and ask him to give a DNA sample. Following this, Jack bribes DC Wayne Hughes (Jamie Treacher
Jamie Treacher
Jamie Treacher is an English actor best known for playing DC Wayne Hughes in the British soap opera EastEnders. He is the son of former EastEnders actor Bill Treacher.-References:...
) to make the samples disappear. When Janine Butcher (Charlie Brooks
Charlie Brooks
Charlene "Charlie" Brooks is a Welsh actress, best known for playing Janine Butcher on the BBC soap opera EastEnders.-Acting career:...
) is arrested for Archie's murder, Stacey tells Bradley everything will be fine.
Bradley and Stacey announce they are getting married, and Becca feels left out as only Max and Jean are invited. Becca is further upset by Bradley after the wedding when he tells her he and Stacey are planning to live together and that she should get a boyfriend. Becca blurts out to Archie's daughter Ronnie Mitchell
Ronnie Mitchell
Veronica Elizabeth "Ronnie" Branning is a fictional character from the British BBC soap opera EastEnders, played by Samantha Womack. Ronnie and her sister Roxy were introduced by executive producer Diederick Santer in July 2007; Ronnie is the "ice" to Roxy's "fire"...
(Samantha Womack) about the rape and Ronnie tells Stacey that Archie cannot be the father of the baby as he was infertile due to chemotherapy. Stacey tells Bradley that the baby is not Archie's but she does not know whose it is, while Becca phones the police. Jack receives a call from Hughes that Bradley is to be arrested, so he tells Bradley he must get out of Walford quickly. As he attempts to flee with Stacey, he realises that he has forgotten their passports and goes to recover them from his home, telling Stacey to stay where she is until he returns. He successfully retrieves the passports without being noticed by the police, however his phone rings as he walks back to Stacey, and DCI Marsden spots him. He attempts to flee up a fire escape, and subsequently across rooftops. When he reaches the roof of the Queen Vic, he shouts to Stacey to run, before losing his balance and falling to his death. He lies in a pool of blood as the residents look on in horror. As Max pulls a distressed Stacey aside, Stacey admits to him that it is her fault Bradley is dead and confesses that she is Archie's killer. The police close the investigation and an Inquest court finds Bradley guilty. Bradley is last seen in the hospital's chapel of rest where he is visited by Max and the Slaters. Bradley's funeral takes place on 5 March 2010 and he is cremated. Six months later, Stacey confesses to Peggy Mitchell
Peggy Mitchell
Margaret Ann "Peggy" Mitchell is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders. Peggy was initially played by Jo Warne when she first appeared on 30 April 1991, featuring in the series on a recurring basis over several weeks. Peggy was reintroduced in 1994, recast and was then played by...
(Barbara Windsor
Barbara Windsor
Barbara Ann Windsor, MBE , better known by her stage name Barbara Windsor, is an English actress. Her best known roles are in the Carry On films and as Peggy Mitchell in the BBC soap opera EastEnders....
) that she is Archie's killer and not Bradley. When Stacey flees the country after she is exposed as Archie's killer, she tells a heartbroken Max, after he reveals that he still loves her and wants to run away with her, that Bradley is the only love of her life.
Creation
In November 2005, the BBC announced the arrival of an upcoming character, Bradley Branning. Bradley was introduced as the grandson of the already established character Jim BranningJim Branning
James Archibald "Jim" Branning is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders, played by John Bardon, first appearing on 29 April 1996 and becoming a regular character in 1999 and has remained in the series right up to 2011....
(John Bardon
John Bardon
John Bardon, is an English stage and screen actor. He was awarded the Laurence Olivier Award in 1988 as 'Best Actor in a Musical' for Kiss Me, Kate, sharing the award with co-star Emil Wolk.-Acting career:Bardon is best known for playing Jim Branning in the popular British soap opera EastEnders...
). The character first appeared on-screen in January 2006. 18 year old actor Charlie Clements
Charlie Clements
Charlie Clements is an English actor, best known for the role of Bradley Branning in the BBC soap opera EastEnders from January 2006 to February 2010. He has won several soap and magazine awards for his performance.-Biography:...
was cast in the role. On his casting, Clements commented, "I'm very excited to be joining EastEnders and joining such a great family [...] it's wicked."
The character was allegedly conceived in the Hertfordshire town of Tring
Tring
Tring is a small market town and also a civil parish in the Chiltern Hills in Hertfordshire, England. Situated north-west of London and linked to London by the old Roman road of Akeman Street, by the modern A41, by the Grand Union Canal and by rail lines to Euston Station, Tring is now largely a...
, where one of the EastEnders storyline conferences was held. As a result, Bradley was said to have originated from Tring on-screen before his move to East London to develop a career as a banker. Bradley was portrayed as a character who'd had a "sheltered life because his dad left him when he was young."
Romance with Stacey Slater
In 2006, scriptwriters decided to pair Bradley with the character Stacey SlaterStacey Slater
Stacey Branning is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders, played by Lacey Turner. She made her first appearance on 1 November 2004. The character was introduced as a feisty and troublesome teenager, an extension of the already established Slater clan...
, played by Lacey Turner
Lacey Turner
Lacey Amelia Turner is an award-winning English actress. She is best known for portraying the role of Stacey Slater on the BBC soap opera EastEnders, a role for which she has won 33 awards...
. Mismatched, one reporter commented, "geeky...goody-twoshoes Bradley doesn't seem like the type of lad [Stacey] would normally go for", however he/she added that the couple "may be chalk and cheese, but with [Stacey's] history of emotional turmoil, [Bradley] is probably just the stabilising influence she needs." The couple were hailed as the nearest thing Walford had to Romeo and Juliet
Romeo and Juliet
Romeo and Juliet is a tragedy written early in the career of playwright William Shakespeare about two young star-crossed lovers whose deaths ultimately unite their feuding families. It was among Shakespeare's most popular archetypal stories of young, teenage lovers.Romeo and Juliet belongs to a...
. Explaining the characters' attraction, scriptwriter Sarah Phelps
Sarah Phelps
Sarah Phelps is a British television, radio, film and freelance playwright who was working for the Royal Shakespeare Company when she took part in a BBC initiative to find new writers...
has said, "Bradley's gentleness makes Stacey a little bit gentler, and Stacey's toughness makes Bradley a little bit tougher." Discussing the union between her character and Bradley, Turner has said, "I love working with Charlie — he's such a laugh. They're such different characters. It's nice, because it's not what anyone expected for her."
The couple were shown to face problems in August 2006, when Stacey declared she was pregnant with Bradley's child and, on the advice of his father, Max
Max Branning
Max Branning is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders, played by Jake Wood. He made his first appearance on 27 June 2006.-Backstory:Max is the fifth child and second son of Jim and Reenie Branning...
(Jake Wood
Jake Wood
Jake Dylan Wood is an English actor, best known in his homeland for playing Max Branning on "EastEnders" and in the United States as the current voice of the GEICO gecko.-Biography:...
), Bradley convinced Stacey to have an abortion; Jane Simon of The Mirror described the episode as "incredibly powerful". Scriptwriter Sarah Phelps has described Stacey's abortion as "a dagger in [her] heart [...] Stacey thought that if this is what [Bradley] really wants [...] 'OK i'll go through with it', but she really didn't want to. He broke her heart." Bradley and Stacey were shown to grow steadily apart after this, as Bradley invested time in a new job he acquired in city bank, neglecting Stacey's needs and ignoring her depression over her lost baby. When Bradley purposefully excluded Stacey from a work function, she showed up anyway and humiliated him in front of his colleagues. In scenes shown directly after, Bradley dumped Stacey, declaring that the reason that he wanted to abort their baby was because he could not bear the idea of bringing up a child with Stacey. The end of Stacey and Bradley's relationship facilitated a plot twist that saw Stacey seducing Bradley's father Max. In episodes that aired on Christmas Day 2006, Stacey slept with Max as payback for Bradley's mistreatment. A BBC insider commented, "Stacey likes the idea that even if Bradley doesn't want her, his dad does."
In December 2009, Clements was asked if he wanted Bradley and Stacey to get back together. He replied: "Yes I do. I love working with Lacey. We have a great friendship and bounce off one another on screen."
Departure
On 13 November 2009, it was announced that Clements had quit the show and would depart in 2010, saying it is "time to move on and take on some new roles". Executive producerExecutive producer
An executive producer is a producer who is not involved in any technical aspects of the film making or music process, but who is still responsible for the overall production...
Diederick Santer
Diederick Santer
Diederick Santer is a British television producer and is best known for his work on the popular BBC television soap opera EastEnders, a post which he assumed on 23 October 2006 and left on 1 March 2010...
promised "a big exit" for the character, saying "I know viewers will miss him hugely, just as all of us who have worked with him will miss him too." Santer commented in December 2009: "I always see departures as an opportunity. They're a shame if a much-loved actor wants to move on, but they're a chance to give characters an exciting and significant exit. Bradley's departure relates to some of the stories we're playing either side of the 25th anniversary and I can certainly promise a memorable exit for him."
Show producers denied that Bradley would kill himself after becoming a suspect for the murder
Who Killed Archie?
"Who Killed Archie?" is a storyline from the BBC soap opera EastEnders, which began on 25 December 2009, Christmas Day, when the character Archie Mitchell, played by Larry Lamb, was murdered by an unseen person. Events leading up to and following the murder put several characters in the frame, in...
of character Archie Mitchell
Archie Mitchell
Archibald Lionel "Archie" Mitchell is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders, played by Larry Lamb.The character of Archie is the father of already established characters Ronnie and Roxy Mitchell , and a member of the Mitchell family, who have appeared in the soap since 1990...
, played by Larry Lamb
Larry Lamb (actor)
Lawrence Douglas "Larry" Lamb is an English actor who has worked frequently in television. He is best known for playing one of the greatest villains of British soap Archie Mitchell in the BBC television soap EastEnders, Michael Shipman in the BBC television show Gavin & Stacey and Mischievous...
, who was killed off on 25 December 2009. Bradley discovered that Archie had raped Stacey and got her pregnant so confronted Archie by punching him twice in the face. A spokesperson said: "We will not comment on Bradley's exit storyline other than to say he does not commit suicide.". At the end of the live episode
EastEnders Live
"EastEnders Live" is a live episode of the British television soap opera EastEnders, broadcast on BBC One on 19 February 2010. The episode was commissioned as part of the show's 25th anniversary celebrations, and was the first EastEnders episode to be broadcast live...
on 19 February 2010, Bradley fell to his death after being pursued by a policeman across the roof of the Queen Victoria pub.
Reception
In 2006, actor Charlie Clements received a TV Quick and TV Choice award for "Best Soap Newcomer" for his role as Bradley.EastEnders received criticism for their portrayal of Bradley from resident of the Hertfordshire
Hertfordshire
Hertfordshire is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in the East region of England. The county town is Hertford.The county is one of the Home Counties and lies inland, bordered by Greater London , Buckinghamshire , Bedfordshire , Cambridgeshire and...
town where the character allegedly hailed from, Tring
Tring
Tring is a small market town and also a civil parish in the Chiltern Hills in Hertfordshire, England. Situated north-west of London and linked to London by the old Roman road of Akeman Street, by the modern A41, by the Grand Union Canal and by rail lines to Euston Station, Tring is now largely a...
. Some residents of Tring believed that scriptwriters of the east London-based soap had portrayed their town as "snobbish", and there were complaints to Tring's Mayor, Mike James, who claimed that a lot of people were quite offended by the new character, who plays golf and drinks soya milk. A spokesperson from the soap apologised for the offence caused: "The character of Bradley Branning was by no means set to cause offence to the residents of Tring. In fact Tring was chosen after one of our storyline conferences in Tring, as the production team thoroughly enjoyed their stay [...] Bradley is by no means a snob. He has led a sheltered life because his dad left him when he was young. His mother wanted to teach him the value of money so encouraged him to get a job, which is why he worked as a caddy at the local golf course. He has a dairy intolerance and is allergic to nuts".
Bradley's death was voted the third most emotional moment in television entertainment in a 2010 poll of 3,000 British people conducted by Freeview HD.