Lenny Wallace
Encyclopedia
Lenny Wallace is a fictional character
from the BBC
soap opera
EastEnders
, played by Desune Coleman.
Lenny was a fun loving individual, who didn't take life too seriously. He had a penchant for loud music and an eye for the ladies.
in May 1996. Lenny, along with his Welsh friend, Huw Edwards
, were employed by George Palmer
as barmen for the Cobra Club
.
Lenny and Huw soon moved to the Square and began renting 55 Victoria Road from Mark
and Ruth Fowler
. The house was situated next to Ian Beale
's and they managed to make an enemy of him by continually playing their music extremely loudly in the evening and they also ran a pirate radio
station from the premises for a while. Ian tried to get them evicted several times — once calling the council to complain about noise pollution — and Lenny and Huw did everything they could to wind him up further.
As well as his bar work, Lenny was also hired as a cab
driver by Barry Evans
in 1997. Lenny spent most of his time drinking
, playing poker
and throwing parties. Lenny was also a womaniser, and he took an immediate shine to Bianca Jackson
. He constantly pursued her and even though she was dating the mechanic Ricky Butcher
at the time, they had a one-night stand
, which resulted in a pregnancy
scare. Lenny was mortified at the idea of being a father, but it turned out to be a false alarm. Bianca opted not to tell Ricky about her infidelity
and married him instead.
After the Cobra Club closed following a police raid, Lenny lost his job and both he and Huw were unable to pay their rent on time. Mark and Ruth decided to ask them to vacate the property
, but they refused and claimed squatters' rights
instead. This came at an incredibly bad time for the Fowlers as they were applying to become foster parents
, and needed to resume living in the property in order to show that they had a stable home environment for a child. Although it was initially Huw's idea to claim squatters' rights, when Barry Evans offered him a room at his flat, he jumped at the chance and left Lenny alone. Lenny was furious, but as it was now just him in the house, Mark and Ruth decided to let him stay on as a lodger and they moved back in. He stayed with them for several months until he patched up his differences with Huw and they both then decided to squat in one of the flats at 47 Albert Square
.
Lenny had a keen interest in speedway
motorbike racing, and took Ricky Butcher along with him on one occasion. Ricky turned out to be quite a skilled racer and Lenny was soon persuading him to take up speedway racing professionally so he could be his manager. He was sacked shortly after when Ricky's wife Bianca decided to take over the job in his place. Lenny returned to work as a barman in 1998, firstly for Annie Palmer
at the Market Cellar until she fired him, and then for Steve Owen at the e20.
In 1998 Lenny's womanising finally caught up with him when his ex-girlfriend, Alice, arrived in Walford with the news that she had tested positive for the sexually transmitted disease
, Hepatitis B. She feared that he may also be carrying the disease and instructed him to get tested. She told him that if the test was positive he would have to inform all his sexual partners so they could also get tested. Lenny was stricken with worry following this, but things got worse when Robbie Jackson
overheard their conversation, and immediately informed his sister, Bianca. Bianca was mortified, thinking that her prior tryst with Lenny had put her at risk. Lenny went to get tested, but was told the results would take ten days. Meanwhile, Bianca was severely on edge with Lenny, and everyone began to assume that they were sleeping together behind Ricky's back. Eventually, Ricky heard the rumour from Huw, and confronted Bianca. She denied the affair, but admitted to sleeping with him years earlier. Furious, Ricky stormed out and the future of their relationship looked shaky. With everyone on the Square turning against him, Lenny felt isolated and depressed. Alice eventually persuaded him to confide in Huw about the problem. Huw was understanding and went with him to get the test results. To Lenny's relief, they were negative.
Later in the year Lenny busied himself with the promotion of Mick McFarlane
's band and also went to France
with Huw, Barry, and Robbie to watch the 1998 World Cup
. He also began a relationship with Teresa di Marco, even though his friend Tony Hills
had admitted to fancying her. Their friendship was strained as a result, but Lenny's affair with Teresa was brief and ended when Teresa's brother, Gianni
, found out about it. Gianni was aware of Lenny's womanising past, and refused to allow Teresa to be another notch on his bedpost.
After Huw left Walford in April 1999, Lenny remained behind working in the e20. When Steve Owen, his boss, was imprisoned for the murder of Saskia Duncan, his employment looked uncertain. He earned the wrath of his friends for failing to support Matthew Rose
adequately. Matthew had been falsely accused by Steve of killing Saskia, and Lenny gave the police a statement suggesting that he was acting strangely on the day of the murder, which didn't help his case. Shortly after, Lenny was offered work in a West End
club, so he decided to take the offer and leave Walford in July 1999.
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 Desune Coleman.
Lenny was a fun loving individual, who didn't take life too seriously. He had a penchant for loud music and an eye for the ladies.
Storylines
Lenny was first seen in 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...
in May 1996. Lenny, along with his Welsh friend, Huw Edwards
Huw Edwards (EastEnders)
Huw Edwards is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders, played by Richard Elis. Huw was introduced in 1996 and remained on-screen till 1999.-Storylines:...
, were employed by George Palmer
George Palmer (EastEnders)
George Palmer is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders, played by Paul Moriarty. He appeared between 1996 and 1998, but was one of many characters axed by then Executive Producer Matthew Robinson.-Storylines:...
as barmen for the Cobra Club
Scarlet (EastEnders)
R&R is the name of a fictional nightclub in the BBC soap opera EastEnders, located at the fictional address of 4 Turpin Road.Over the years it has had several different owners and names...
.
Lenny and Huw soon moved to the Square and began renting 55 Victoria Road from Mark
Mark Fowler
Mark Albert Fowler is a fictional character from the popular British BBC soap opera EastEnders. Mark was an original regular character in the series starting February 1985 but became a semi-regular after his original portrayer David Scarboro was written out of the role in April 1985. Scarboro made...
and Ruth Fowler
Ruth Fowler
Ruth Fowler is a fictional character from the popular British BBC soap opera EastEnders, played by Caroline Paterson from 1994 to 1999. Ruth was Mark Fowler's second wife and she was far more comfortable with his HIV status than many of his other girlfriends. However their marriage eventually...
. The house was situated next to 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 and they managed to make an enemy of him by continually playing their music extremely loudly in the evening and they also ran a pirate radio
Pirate radio
Pirate radio is illegal or unregulated radio transmission. The term is most commonly used to describe illegal broadcasting for entertainment or political purposes, but is also sometimes used for illegal two-way radio operation...
station from the premises for a while. Ian tried to get them evicted several times — once calling the council to complain about noise pollution — and Lenny and Huw did everything they could to wind him up further.
As well as his bar work, Lenny was also hired as a cab
Taxicab
A taxicab, also taxi or cab, is a type of vehicle for hire with a driver, used by a single passenger or small group of passengers, often for a non-shared ride. A taxicab conveys passengers between locations of their choice...
driver by Barry Evans
Barry Evans (EastEnders)
Barry Evans is a fictional character played by Shaun Williamson. He appeared in the BBC soap opera EastEnders between 1994 and 2004. The character was portrayed as a "buffoon." Williamson controversially left the serial after ten years in 2003 after executive producer Louise Berridge refused to...
in 1997. Lenny spent most of his time drinking
Alcoholic beverage
An alcoholic beverage is a drink containing ethanol, commonly known as alcohol. Alcoholic beverages are divided into three general classes: beers, wines, and spirits. They are legally consumed in most countries, and over 100 countries have laws regulating their production, sale, and consumption...
, playing poker
Poker
Poker is a family of card games that share betting rules and usually hand rankings. Poker games differ in how the cards are dealt, how hands may be formed, whether the high or low hand wins the pot in a showdown , limits on bet sizes, and how many rounds of betting are allowed.In most modern poker...
and throwing parties. Lenny was also a womaniser, and he took an immediate shine to Bianca Jackson
Bianca Jackson
Bianca Butcher is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders, played by Patsy Palmer. The character was introduced by executive producer Leonard Lewis and appeared initially from 1993 to 1999, when Palmer opted to leave. In 2002 executive producer John Yorke brought the character...
. He constantly pursued her and even though she was dating the mechanic Ricky Butcher
Ricky Butcher
Richard Francis "Ricky" Butcher is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders, played by Sid Owen. Introduced as a school boy in 1988, Ricky is one of the longest-running, male protagonists to feature in EastEnders. Owen originally left the role in 2000 to pursue a music career...
at the time, they had a one-night stand
One-night stand
Originally, a one-night stand was a single theatre performance, usually by a guest performer on tour, as opposed to an ongoing engagement. Today, however, the term is more commonly defined as a single sexual encounter, in which neither participant has any intention or expectation of a relationship...
, which resulted in a pregnancy
Pregnancy
Pregnancy refers to the fertilization and development of one or more offspring, known as a fetus or embryo, in a woman's uterus. In a pregnancy, there can be multiple gestations, as in the case of twins or triplets...
scare. Lenny was mortified at the idea of being a father, but it turned out to be a false alarm. Bianca opted not to tell Ricky about her infidelity
Adultery
Adultery is sexual infidelity to one's spouse, and is a form of extramarital sex. It originally referred only to sex between a woman who was married and a person other than her spouse. Even in cases of separation from one's spouse, an extramarital affair is still considered adultery.Adultery is...
and married him instead.
After the Cobra Club closed following a police raid, Lenny lost his job and both he and Huw were unable to pay their rent on time. Mark and Ruth decided to ask them to vacate the property
Eviction
How you doing???? Eviction is the removal of a tenant from rental property by the landlord. Depending on the laws of the jurisdiction, eviction may also be known as unlawful detainer, summary possession, summary dispossess, forcible detainer, ejectment, and repossession, among other terms...
, but they refused and claimed squatters' rights
Adverse possession
Adverse possession is a process by which premises can change ownership. It is a common law concept concerning the title to real property . By adverse possession, title to another's real property can be acquired without compensation, by holding the property in a manner that conflicts with the true...
instead. This came at an incredibly bad time for the Fowlers as they were applying to become foster parents
Foster care
Foster care is the term used for a system in which a minor who has been made a ward is placed in the private home of a state certified caregiver referred to as a "foster parent"....
, and needed to resume living in the property in order to show that they had a stable home environment for a child. Although it was initially Huw's idea to claim squatters' rights, when Barry Evans offered him a room at his flat, he jumped at the chance and left Lenny alone. Lenny was furious, but as it was now just him in the house, Mark and Ruth decided to let him stay on as a lodger and they moved back in. He stayed with them for several months until he patched up his differences with Huw and they both then decided to squat in one of the flats at 47 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...
.
Lenny had a keen interest in speedway
Motorcycle speedway
Motorcycle speedway, usually referred to as speedway, is a motorcycle sport involving four and sometimes up to six riders competing over four anti-clockwise laps of an oval circuit. Speedway motorcycles use only one gear and have no brakes and racing takes place on a flat oval track usually...
motorbike racing, and took Ricky Butcher along with him on one occasion. Ricky turned out to be quite a skilled racer and Lenny was soon persuading him to take up speedway racing professionally so he could be his manager. He was sacked shortly after when Ricky's wife Bianca decided to take over the job in his place. Lenny returned to work as a barman in 1998, firstly for Annie Palmer
Annie Palmer
Annie Palmer is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders, played by Nadia Sawalha. Annie was portrayed as a hard-nosed businesswoman, who wasn't averse to dabbling on the wrong side of the law...
at the Market Cellar until she fired him, and then for Steve Owen at the e20.
In 1998 Lenny's womanising finally caught up with him when his ex-girlfriend, Alice, arrived in Walford with the news that she had tested positive for the sexually transmitted disease
Sexually transmitted disease
Sexually transmitted disease , also known as a sexually transmitted infection or venereal disease , is an illness that has a significant probability of transmission between humans by means of human sexual behavior, including vaginal intercourse, oral sex, and anal sex...
, Hepatitis B. She feared that he may also be carrying the disease and instructed him to get tested. She told him that if the test was positive he would have to inform all his sexual partners so they could also get tested. Lenny was stricken with worry following this, but things got worse when Robbie Jackson
Robbie Jackson
Robert "Robbie" Jackson is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders, played by Dean Gaffney from 1993 to 2003. The character was axed in 2003 by executive producer Louise Berridge. He made brief returns in 2004 and 2010 for two family weddings.-Backstory:Robbie was the product of a...
overheard their conversation, and immediately informed his sister, Bianca. Bianca was mortified, thinking that her prior tryst with Lenny had put her at risk. Lenny went to get tested, but was told the results would take ten days. Meanwhile, Bianca was severely on edge with Lenny, and everyone began to assume that they were sleeping together behind Ricky's back. Eventually, Ricky heard the rumour from Huw, and confronted Bianca. She denied the affair, but admitted to sleeping with him years earlier. Furious, Ricky stormed out and the future of their relationship looked shaky. With everyone on the Square turning against him, Lenny felt isolated and depressed. Alice eventually persuaded him to confide in Huw about the problem. Huw was understanding and went with him to get the test results. To Lenny's relief, they were negative.
Later in the year Lenny busied himself with the promotion of Mick McFarlane
Mick McFarlane
Mick McFarlane is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders, played by Sylvester Williams.Mick was an easy-going guy, who hoped to make it big as a musician. However his music career failed and he ended up selling CDs on a market stall in Albert Square...
's band and also went to France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
with Huw, Barry, and Robbie to watch the 1998 World Cup
1998 FIFA World Cup
The 1998 FIFA World Cup, the 16th FIFA World Cup, was held in France from 10 June to 12 July 1998. France was chosen as host nation by FIFA on 2 July 1992. The tournament was won by France, who beat Brazil 3-0 in the final...
. He also began a relationship with Teresa di Marco, even though his friend Tony Hills
Tony Hills
Tony Hills is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders, played by Mark Homer.-Storylines:Tony arrives in Walford from Norfolk on 7 September 1995 with his sister, Sarah Hills . He is unsympathetic and sells ecstasy with a friend, Dan Zappieri . Eventually, he quits dealing after Dan...
had admitted to fancying her. Their friendship was strained as a result, but Lenny's affair with Teresa was brief and ended when Teresa's brother, Gianni
Gianni di Marco
Gianni di Marco is a fictional character from the BBC serial drama EastEnders, played by Marc Bannerman from 1998 to 2000.-Storylines:Gianni arrived in Walford along with the rest of the di Marco family in 1998. Gianni was the younger of the two brothers in the family, the other being Beppe di Marco...
, found out about it. Gianni was aware of Lenny's womanising past, and refused to allow Teresa to be another notch on his bedpost.
After Huw left Walford in April 1999, Lenny remained behind working in the e20. When Steve Owen, his boss, was imprisoned for the murder of Saskia Duncan, his employment looked uncertain. He earned the wrath of his friends for failing to support Matthew Rose
Matthew Rose (EastEnders)
Matthew Rose is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders, played by Joe Absolom. He was introduced in 1997. In a deviation from typical casting protocol, the role of Matthew was constructed for Absolom after he auditioned for the production team; they were looking for new, raw...
adequately. Matthew had been falsely accused by Steve of killing Saskia, and Lenny gave the police a statement suggesting that he was acting strangely on the day of the murder, which didn't help his case. Shortly after, Lenny was offered work in a West End
West End of London
The West End of London is an area of central London, containing many of the city's major tourist attractions, shops, businesses, government buildings, and entertainment . Use of the term began in the early 19th century to describe fashionable areas to the west of Charing Cross...
club, so he decided to take the offer and leave Walford in July 1999.