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Alan Jackson (EastEnders)
Encyclopedia
Alan Jackson is a fictional character
from the BBC
soap opera
EastEnders
, played by Howard Antony
. He originally appeared between 1993 and 1997, and returned on 12 October 2010 for three episodes.
Kind-hearted Alan gives the Jackson family some much needed stability. He loves and cares for Carol's
children as if they are his own. Their relationship does not go so smoothly however. Carol's stubborn and nagging nature eventually drives him into the arms of another woman.
when he met Carol Branning
(Lindsey Coulson
). He came to her council flat to unblock her sink and they started dating each other soon after. Carol had gone through a lifetime of struggle and heart-ache. In the past, the fathers of her three children, Bianca
(Patsy Palmer
), Robbie
(Dean Gaffney
) and Sonia
(Natalie Cassidy
), had all deserted her, but Alan was different and he stuck around, giving the family real stability. Soon he had added to her collection of children, fathering Billie (Devon Anderson
) in 1988. Even though Alan and Carol were not married initially, the whole family took Alan's surname. They were lated joined by Alan's grandmother Blossom
(Mona Hammond
).
's (Todd Carty
) fruit and veg stall. However, Alan is living off government benefits, and any form of undeclared income he receives would be viewed as benefit fraud. Knowing this, market inspector Richard Cole
(Ian Reddington
) informs the DSS
about Alan's employment status and they subsequently cancel his benefits. Alan gets a job fixing cars for David Wicks
(Michael French). However he is fired following a series of thefts, which eventually turn out to be Robbie. Alan is furious to be branded a thief and his angst towards David increases soon after when he sees Carol spending time with him. Alan accuses Carol of having an affair, but unbeknown to him, David is actually Bianca's the biological father. Upon discovering this, Alan becomes extremely jealous and annoyed with Carol for keeping it from him and he also finds Bianca and David's father/daughter relationship hard to take.
In 1996, Carol and Alan attend the wedding of Carol's sister, April Branning
(Debbie Arnold
). Carol's father Jim Branning
(John Bardon
) and her brother, Derek
(Terence Beesley
) are opposed to their interracial relationship, and make constant attempts to provoke Alan into violence. Despite Carol's family's prejudices, Alan decides to marry Carol there and then, and they marry in place of April after she is jilted. After the ceremony, Alan is attacked by a drunken Derek, who has driven to Walford to cause trouble. David intervenes and beats up Derek, and Alan and Carol are grateful. However, cracks begin to show in their relationship. Money is a concern for Carol and her continuous nagging about Alan's inability to provide drives him into the arms of another woman. Alan catches the attention of singer Frankie Pierre
(Syan Blake), who does everything she can to seduce him. Despite Alan's initial protests, he soon succumbs and they have sex. Alan regrets it and tries to call off the affair, but Frankie is hell-bent on splitting up his marriage, so she threatens to inform Carol unless he leaves her. When this does not work, Frankie plants lingerie in Alan's clothes and leaves her personal affects around his house. Carol inevitably discovers them and realises what has been occurring. She is furious and after an argument, Alan leaves and moves in with Frankie.
The separation leaves Carol to reignite a romance with David, which infuriates Alan. Frankie grows bored of Alan and acts dismissive towards him. It is revealed that she has a history of chasing unobtainable men, but always grows bored once she had succeeded in getting them. Dumped by both Carol and Frankie, Alan becomes severely depressed and his attempts at a reconciliation with his wife are constantly rejected. Things alter after Carol's son Robbie is beaten up by Ted Hills
(Brian Croucher
). Alan provides Carol with much-needed support and defends her family, which eventually leads to a reconciliation. In 1997, Billie is the only witness to an armed robbery at a building society. He is kidnapped in order to prevent him from testifying in court, leaving both Alan and Carol frantic with worry. Billie is returned safely, but Alan and the rest of the Jackson family (bar Bianca and Robbie) are placed in a witness protection programme and move away from Walford for their safety.
Off screen, Alan suffers a nervous breakdown, which leads to him and Carol splitting up again. Carol gets engaged to a new man, Dan Sullivan (Craig Fairbrass
), but this ends after Dan has an affair with Bianca. Alan and Carol later reunite and live in Balham
with Billie and Blossom. In February 2010, when Bianca's daughter Tiffany
(Maisie Smith
) visits Carol in Balham, it seems that Carol and Alan have split once again. When Sonia returns to Walford, it is suggested that Alan has a new partner. Later in 2010, Alan comes to Walford to see Billie, not knowing that he has died. Carol avoids seeing him, and Bianca tells him before he leaves again. He returns for Billie's funeral where Carol tries to kiss him, but he pushes her away when he reminds her that he is married. He attends Billie's wake alongside his wife and their son Kai and they leave afterwards with Blossom.
1994 was a historic year for EastEnders, as in April, a third weekly episode was introduced. Due to the programme's increased frequency, a number of new characters were introduced to the regular cast in the latter part of 1993 and early 1994. Among them were the Jackson family: mother Carol Jackson
(Lindsey Coulson
), her four children, Bianca
(Patsy Palmer
), Robbie
(Dean Gaffney
), Sonia
(Natalie Cassidy
), and Billie (Devon Anderson
), as well as Carol's partner Alan Jackson (Howard Antony
). Though Carol and Alan were not initially married in the serial, and though Alan was only the biological father of Billie, the whole family took on Alan's surname. The family was created by writer Tony McHale
. None of the actors cast as the Jackson family were matched for appearance or screen compatibility. Cassidy has commented, "it was all decided without doing that. I don't think it particularly mattered that none of us Jackson kids looked like each other because all our characters had different dads!"
Various members of the family began to appear sporadically from November 1993 onwards, but in episodes that aired early in 1994, the Jacksons moved from Walford Towers, a block of flats, to the soap's focal setting of Albert Square
. Their slow introduction was a deliberate attempt by the programme makers to introduce the whole family over a long period. The Jacksons have been described by EastEnders scriptwriter Colin Brake
as a "classic problem family".
Alan has been described as a good, reliable, hard-working father and well integrated into his community. Alan's main storyline during his initial four years in EastEnders surrounded his interracial marriage to Carol Jackson and being a paternal figure to Carol's children, three of whom were fathered by other men. Antony has revealed that his portrayal was partly based on his own life experiences, as he had grown up with siblings with different fathers to his own. Antony told author Larry Jaffee, "Alan was so family oriented, but I liked that a young black guy who was very responsible, mature - that was something that I was very comfortable with because it was something I grew up with to a point. To me, if you love someone you love everything about them. It's not 'I love you, but I don't love your kids'. It was something I was very glad to do. The whole black-and-white thing, I think we're at a stage now that people are more informed."
In 1997, Lindsey Coulson quit her role as Carol, and the majority of the Jackson clan were written out of the serial to facilitate her desire to leave. This was only temporary however, and many of the Jacksons returned shortly after. Antony opted not to re-new his contract. At the time it was reported that he had grown disillusioned with the storylines his character had been given, in particular an affair Alan had with home-wrecker Frankie Pierre
(Syan Blake). Antony is quoted saying "There are those above me who make decisions for my character and they're not always ones I like. There were certain aspects of the Frankie story I didn't like. I was frustrated with Alan taking so much nonsense. I thought 'Why are you investing time in Frankie when the woman you've been with for nine years [Carol] wants you back? As an actor it was a difficult pill to swallow. I've had a great time in EastEnders, but the future looks bright."
In 2003, Antony told Jaffee that when he originally quit he intended to return, but decided against it on his agent's advice: "They said the character is incredibly popular, and we are going to bring you back. I said to myself at the time that I had only wanted to do three years, so having done four I thought it might be a good time to see what the big wide world had in store for me. I was worried about getting typecast as well. I'd saved enough money, so I didn't really need to go back."
Actor Devon Anderson reprised his childhood role as Billie Jackson in 2010 but producer Bryan Kirkwood
made the decision to kill Billie off that year and Alan was reintroduced for three episodes as part of the storyline in October that year. He attended Billie's funeral.
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 Howard Antony
Howard Antony
Howard Antony is a British actor, best known for playing the role of Alan Jackson, in the BBC soap opera EastEnders from 1993 - 1997....
. He originally appeared between 1993 and 1997, and returned on 12 October 2010 for three episodes.
Kind-hearted Alan gives the Jackson family some much needed stability. He loves and cares for Carol's
Carol Jackson
Carol Ann Jackson is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders, played by Lindsey Coulson. The character was introduced in 1993 as part of a new problem family. Coulson decided to quit the role in 1997, but she returned temporarily in 1999 as part of a storyline that marked Carol's...
children as if they are his own. Their relationship does not go so smoothly however. Carol's stubborn and nagging nature eventually drives him into the arms of another woman.
Backstory
Alan was 20, single and a plumberPlumber
A plumber is a tradesperson who specializes in installing and maintaining systems used for potable water, sewage, and drainage in plumbing systems. The term dates from ancient times, and is related to the Latin word for lead, "plumbum." A person engaged in fixing metaphorical "leaks" may also be...
when he met Carol Branning
Carol Jackson
Carol Ann Jackson is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders, played by Lindsey Coulson. The character was introduced in 1993 as part of a new problem family. Coulson decided to quit the role in 1997, but she returned temporarily in 1999 as part of a storyline that marked Carol's...
(Lindsey Coulson
Lindsey Coulson
Lindsey Coulson is an English actress, best known for her role as Carol Jackson in the BBC soap opera EastEnders.- Career :...
). He came to her council flat to unblock her sink and they started dating each other soon after. Carol had gone through a lifetime of struggle and heart-ache. In the past, the fathers of her three children, Bianca
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...
(Patsy Palmer
Patsy Palmer
Patsy Palmer is an English actress. Palmer made an early television appearance on the children's drama show Grange Hill, but is best known for playing Bianca Jackson in the popular British television soap opera EastEnders. Originally in the cast from 1993–1999, Palmer returned to EastEnders in...
), Robbie
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...
(Dean Gaffney
Dean Gaffney
Dean Martin Gaffney is an English actor most notable for his role as Robbie Jackson on the BBC1 soap opera Eastenders from 1993 to 2003, when his character was axed. He has since made guest appearances in the soap in 2004 and 2010. Gaffney went on to appear in various reality television shows,...
) and Sonia
Sonia Fowler
Sonia Ann Fowler is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders, played by Natalie Cassidy. Her first appearance was on 21 December 1993 and she made her final appearance on 2 February 2007...
(Natalie Cassidy
Natalie Cassidy
Natalie Ann Cassidy is a British actress, most commonly known for appearing in the television soap EastEnders where she played Sonia Jackson for many years. She has also appeared in the BBC Two sitcom Psychoville and was a contestant on the seventh series of Strictly Come Dancing.-Career:As a...
), had all deserted her, but Alan was different and he stuck around, giving the family real stability. Soon he had added to her collection of children, fathering Billie (Devon Anderson
Devon Anderson
Devon Carlo Anderson is an English actor who has been acting since an early age and became a CBBC presenter on BBC One and the CBBC Channel...
) in 1988. Even though Alan and Carol were not married initially, the whole family took Alan's surname. They were lated joined by Alan's grandmother Blossom
Blossom Jackson
Blossom Jackson is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders, played by Mona Hammond. The character originally appeared from 1994 to 1997. Hammond was installed as a matriarchal figure of the Jackson clan but quit the role in 1997, reportedly because she was suffering from nervous...
(Mona Hammond
Mona Hammond
Mona Hammond OBE is a Chinese Jamaican actress and co-founder of the Talawa Theatre Company. Born in Jamaica, Hammond emigrated to the United Kingdom in 1959, where she has remained ever since. Hammond has had a long and distinguished stage career...
).
1993–2010
When Alan arrives in Walford with his family, he is unemployed and although he does odd jobs for his neighbours, his inability to bring in a regular wage is a huge source of conflict for him and Carol. He later secures a temporary job working on Mark FowlerMark 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...
's (Todd Carty
Todd Carty
Todd Carty is an Irish actor and director, who has grown up on television screens in a variety of roles. His stage work has varied from pantomime to serious drama, as well as radio plays, voiceovers, commercials, narrations, and films...
) fruit and veg stall. However, Alan is living off government benefits, and any form of undeclared income he receives would be viewed as benefit fraud. Knowing this, market inspector Richard Cole
Richard Cole (EastEnders)
Richard Cole is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders, played by Ian Reddington between 1992 and 1994.-Storylines:...
(Ian Reddington
Ian Reddington
- Early life :Ian Reddington was born in Sheffield. He was educated at Frecheville Comprehensive. He had no formal drama training, but became a leading figure in the Meatwhistle youth theatre project run by youth workers in the city. This gave him his first appearance as The Herald in Peter...
) informs the DSS
Department of Social Security
The Department of Social Security is the name of a defunct governmental agency in the United Kingdom.The DSS replaced the older Department of Health and Social Security, from 1988 until 2001, when it was itself largely replaced as a department of the Government of the United Kingdom by the...
about Alan's employment status and they subsequently cancel his benefits. Alan gets a job fixing cars for David Wicks
David Wicks
David Wicks is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders, played by Michael French. He originally appeared between 1993 to 1996...
(Michael French). However he is fired following a series of thefts, which eventually turn out to be Robbie. Alan is furious to be branded a thief and his angst towards David increases soon after when he sees Carol spending time with him. Alan accuses Carol of having an affair, but unbeknown to him, David is actually Bianca's the biological father. Upon discovering this, Alan becomes extremely jealous and annoyed with Carol for keeping it from him and he also finds Bianca and David's father/daughter relationship hard to take.
In 1996, Carol and Alan attend the wedding of Carol's sister, April Branning
April Branning
April Branning is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders, played by Debbie Arnold. April is the second eldest child of Jim and Reenie Branning, and sister of Carol Jackson, Derek, Suzy, Max and Jack Branning.- Storylines:...
(Debbie Arnold
Debbie Arnold
Jeanette Debbie Arnold is an English actress and voice artiste. She is best known for her work on British television, although she is also a veteran stage actress. She is one of the top voiceover artistes in England.-Career:Arnold was born into showbusiness...
). Carol's father Jim Branning
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 her brother, Derek
Derek Branning
Derek Branning is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders, played by Terence Beesley in 1996 and then Jamie Foreman from 2011 onwards. Derek is the eldest child of Jim and Reenie Branning . He made his first appearance on 29 April 1996 and departed not long after...
(Terence Beesley
Terence Beesley
Terence Beesley is an English actor and writer. He was born in London to Irish parents and trained at the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art....
) are opposed to their interracial relationship, and make constant attempts to provoke Alan into violence. Despite Carol's family's prejudices, Alan decides to marry Carol there and then, and they marry in place of April after she is jilted. After the ceremony, Alan is attacked by a drunken Derek, who has driven to Walford to cause trouble. David intervenes and beats up Derek, and Alan and Carol are grateful. However, cracks begin to show in their relationship. Money is a concern for Carol and her continuous nagging about Alan's inability to provide drives him into the arms of another woman. Alan catches the attention of singer Frankie Pierre
Frankie Pierre
Maxine Francesca "Frankie" Pierre is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders, a long-running serial drama about working class life in a the East End of London. She appeared between 1996 and 1997, played by Syan Blake. Frankie was introduced as a "super-bitch" and home wrecker...
(Syan Blake), who does everything she can to seduce him. Despite Alan's initial protests, he soon succumbs and they have sex. Alan regrets it and tries to call off the affair, but Frankie is hell-bent on splitting up his marriage, so she threatens to inform Carol unless he leaves her. When this does not work, Frankie plants lingerie in Alan's clothes and leaves her personal affects around his house. Carol inevitably discovers them and realises what has been occurring. She is furious and after an argument, Alan leaves and moves in with Frankie.
The separation leaves Carol to reignite a romance with David, which infuriates Alan. Frankie grows bored of Alan and acts dismissive towards him. It is revealed that she has a history of chasing unobtainable men, but always grows bored once she had succeeded in getting them. Dumped by both Carol and Frankie, Alan becomes severely depressed and his attempts at a reconciliation with his wife are constantly rejected. Things alter after Carol's son Robbie is beaten up by Ted Hills
Ted Hills
Ted Hills is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders, played by Brian Croucher. He was introduced in 1995 as the patriarch of the Hills family, who were the extended family of established character Kathy Beale. Ted was axed in 1997....
(Brian Croucher
Brian Croucher
Brian Croucher is an English actor and director perhaps best known for his role as Ted Hills, which he played from 1995 to 1997, in the soap opera EastEnders....
). Alan provides Carol with much-needed support and defends her family, which eventually leads to a reconciliation. In 1997, Billie is the only witness to an armed robbery at a building society. He is kidnapped in order to prevent him from testifying in court, leaving both Alan and Carol frantic with worry. Billie is returned safely, but Alan and the rest of the Jackson family (bar Bianca and Robbie) are placed in a witness protection programme and move away from Walford for their safety.
Off screen, Alan suffers a nervous breakdown, which leads to him and Carol splitting up again. Carol gets engaged to a new man, Dan Sullivan (Craig Fairbrass
Craig Fairbrass
Craig Fairbrass is an English actor. He is known for his distinctive Cockney accent.-Life and career:Fairbrass was born in Stepney, London. He made his acting debut in an episode of the television series Shelley in 1980. This was followed by appearances in series such as Emmerdale, Three Up Two...
), but this ends after Dan has an affair with Bianca. Alan and Carol later reunite and live in Balham
Balham, London
Balham is a neighbourhood of south London, England, and is part of the London Borough of Wandsworth and the London Borough of Lambeth.-History:...
with Billie and Blossom. In February 2010, when Bianca's daughter Tiffany
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...
(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 :...
) visits Carol in Balham, it seems that Carol and Alan have split once again. When Sonia returns to Walford, it is suggested that Alan has a new partner. Later in 2010, Alan comes to Walford to see Billie, not knowing that he has died. Carol avoids seeing him, and Bianca tells him before he leaves again. He returns for Billie's funeral where Carol tries to kiss him, but he pushes her away when he reminds her that he is married. He attends Billie's wake alongside his wife and their son Kai and they leave afterwards with Blossom.
Creation and development
Carol Jackson
Carol Ann Jackson is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders, played by Lindsey Coulson. The character was introduced in 1993 as part of a new problem family. Coulson decided to quit the role in 1997, but she returned temporarily in 1999 as part of a storyline that marked Carol's...
(Lindsey Coulson
Lindsey Coulson
Lindsey Coulson is an English actress, best known for her role as Carol Jackson in the BBC soap opera EastEnders.- Career :...
), her four children, Bianca
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...
(Patsy Palmer
Patsy Palmer
Patsy Palmer is an English actress. Palmer made an early television appearance on the children's drama show Grange Hill, but is best known for playing Bianca Jackson in the popular British television soap opera EastEnders. Originally in the cast from 1993–1999, Palmer returned to EastEnders in...
), Robbie
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...
(Dean Gaffney
Dean Gaffney
Dean Martin Gaffney is an English actor most notable for his role as Robbie Jackson on the BBC1 soap opera Eastenders from 1993 to 2003, when his character was axed. He has since made guest appearances in the soap in 2004 and 2010. Gaffney went on to appear in various reality television shows,...
), Sonia
Sonia Fowler
Sonia Ann Fowler is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders, played by Natalie Cassidy. Her first appearance was on 21 December 1993 and she made her final appearance on 2 February 2007...
(Natalie Cassidy
Natalie Cassidy
Natalie Ann Cassidy is a British actress, most commonly known for appearing in the television soap EastEnders where she played Sonia Jackson for many years. She has also appeared in the BBC Two sitcom Psychoville and was a contestant on the seventh series of Strictly Come Dancing.-Career:As a...
), and Billie (Devon Anderson
Devon Anderson
Devon Carlo Anderson is an English actor who has been acting since an early age and became a CBBC presenter on BBC One and the CBBC Channel...
), as well as Carol's partner Alan Jackson (Howard Antony
Howard Antony
Howard Antony is a British actor, best known for playing the role of Alan Jackson, in the BBC soap opera EastEnders from 1993 - 1997....
). Though Carol and Alan were not initially married in the serial, and though Alan was only the biological father of Billie, the whole family took on Alan's surname. The family was created by writer Tony McHale
Tony McHale
Tony McHale is a British actor, writer and director who has the dubious honour of being best known as a "stooge" to Jeremy Beadle on Game For A Laugh and later, Beadle's About. He trained at Rose Bruford College. He also enjoyed a long stint as a writer/director on the top rated BBC1 soap opera...
. None of the actors cast as the Jackson family were matched for appearance or screen compatibility. Cassidy has commented, "it was all decided without doing that. I don't think it particularly mattered that none of us Jackson kids looked like each other because all our characters had different dads!"
Various members of the family began to appear sporadically from November 1993 onwards, but in episodes that aired early in 1994, the Jacksons moved from Walford Towers, a block of flats, to the soap's focal setting of 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...
. Their slow introduction was a deliberate attempt by the programme makers to introduce the whole family over a long period. The Jacksons have been described by EastEnders scriptwriter Colin Brake
Colin Brake
Colin Brake is an English television writer and script editor best known for his work for the BBC on programs such as Bugs and EastEnders. He has also written spin-offs from the BBC series Doctor Who...
as a "classic problem family".
Alan has been described as a good, reliable, hard-working father and well integrated into his community. Alan's main storyline during his initial four years in EastEnders surrounded his interracial marriage to Carol Jackson and being a paternal figure to Carol's children, three of whom were fathered by other men. Antony has revealed that his portrayal was partly based on his own life experiences, as he had grown up with siblings with different fathers to his own. Antony told author Larry Jaffee, "Alan was so family oriented, but I liked that a young black guy who was very responsible, mature - that was something that I was very comfortable with because it was something I grew up with to a point. To me, if you love someone you love everything about them. It's not 'I love you, but I don't love your kids'. It was something I was very glad to do. The whole black-and-white thing, I think we're at a stage now that people are more informed."
In 1997, Lindsey Coulson quit her role as Carol, and the majority of the Jackson clan were written out of the serial to facilitate her desire to leave. This was only temporary however, and many of the Jacksons returned shortly after. Antony opted not to re-new his contract. At the time it was reported that he had grown disillusioned with the storylines his character had been given, in particular an affair Alan had with home-wrecker Frankie Pierre
Frankie Pierre
Maxine Francesca "Frankie" Pierre is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders, a long-running serial drama about working class life in a the East End of London. She appeared between 1996 and 1997, played by Syan Blake. Frankie was introduced as a "super-bitch" and home wrecker...
(Syan Blake). Antony is quoted saying "There are those above me who make decisions for my character and they're not always ones I like. There were certain aspects of the Frankie story I didn't like. I was frustrated with Alan taking so much nonsense. I thought 'Why are you investing time in Frankie when the woman you've been with for nine years [Carol] wants you back? As an actor it was a difficult pill to swallow. I've had a great time in EastEnders, but the future looks bright."
In 2003, Antony told Jaffee that when he originally quit he intended to return, but decided against it on his agent's advice: "They said the character is incredibly popular, and we are going to bring you back. I said to myself at the time that I had only wanted to do three years, so having done four I thought it might be a good time to see what the big wide world had in store for me. I was worried about getting typecast as well. I'd saved enough money, so I didn't really need to go back."
Actor Devon Anderson reprised his childhood role as Billie Jackson in 2010 but producer Bryan Kirkwood
Bryan Kirkwood
Bryan Kirkwood may refer to:*Bryan Kirkwood , Scottish television producer for British soap operas Hollyoaks and EastEnders *Bryan and Denny Kirkwood, one of a pair of identical twin American actors...
made the decision to kill Billie off that year and Alan was reintroduced for three episodes as part of the storyline in October that year. He attended Billie's funeral.