April Branning
Encyclopedia
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
.
in December 1995 to invite Carol and her boyfriend Alan
to her wedding. April had been living and working in Greece
for eight years selling time-share apartments, where she met and got engaged to a native named Nikos. Carol initially refused the invitation as she knew that her black boyfriend would not be well received by her racist father, Jim Branning
. However, Alan decided that he wanted to go so April enlisted her niece Sonia
as bridesmaid.
The ceremony was due to take place in April 1996 but just at the last minute the groom's best man turned up with the news that Nikos had fled back to Greece, leaving April distraught and humiliated. The day wasn't a complete waste though as Alan and Carol got married in their place.
April returned to Walford
in July that year to visit her sister, and after meeting the market inspector Michael Rose (who she was extremely attracted to) she decided to stay. She got herself a job working in Kathy Beale's café, where she was witness to her brother-in-law's flirtations with the vindictive Frankie Pierre
. When it became obvious that Frankie was involved with Alan, April informed Carol, which eventually led to the end of Alan and Carol's relationship.
April and Michael's relationship continued over the next few months and eventually Michael fell in love and begged April to move in with him. April was unsure whether she wanted to take such a big step, and while she was considering what to do, her ex, Nikos, showed up and tried to worm his way back into her affections. He demanded to marry her and despite the fact that he had previously jilted her at the altar, April decided to give him another chance. She left Walford with him and managed to get him down the aisle, leaving Michael to marshal his stalls and mull over what might have been.
April's last appearance was in October 1996. Eleven years later it was revealed that April was unable to come over from Greece
to attend her nephew Bradley
's wedding to Stacey Slater.
(Lindsey Coulson
). Her entrance storyline was part of a plot that lead to the marriage of Carol and her boyfriend Alan
(Howard Antony
) - when April was jilted at the altar, Carol and Alan married in her place. The character was turned into a regular in 1996, moving to the soap's setting of Albert Square.
At the time, Jaci Stephen, television critic for The Mirror described April as a kind of character "who, from the moment they open their mouths, appear to have been around for ever." She added, "She has bleached blonde hair, overdresses and has the kind of flirtatious manner guaranteed to drive the Square's women to violence. As April grows more glamorous Cindy
(Michelle Collins
) grows more dowdy."
April's most high profile storyline was a romance with market inspector Michael Rose (Russell Floyd
). In August 1996, less than a year after her arrival, it was announced that actress Debbie Arnold was quitting her role as April Branning, despite previously being quoted as saying "If they try to get rid of me, I'll chain myself to the railings of Albert Square." Arnold reportedly said, "I want to move on" and a friend of hers is quoted as saying " Debbie has already appeared in Coronation Street
and Emmerdale
. She's terrified of getting in a rut and wants to try her hand at other TV work - she's had plenty of offers already."
It was reported at the time that April's leaving storyline would revolve around an affair with her sister's husband Alan Jackson. According to The Mirror, "the show's bosses are planning a sensational storyline for her departure - April will start a steamy affair with her screen sister's husband Alan, played by Howard Anthony. But his missus finds out and viewers will be treated to an emotional confrontation between the two. April ends up packing her bags and leaving the Square because she still holds a torch for her brother-in-law." This proved to be false, and April instead departed after dumping Michael Rose and reuniting with her former lover to start a new life in Greece. She last appeared in October 1996.
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 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...
. April is the second eldest child of 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....
and Reenie Branning, and sister of Carol Jackson
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...
, 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...
, Suzy
Suzy Branning
Suzy Branning is a fictional character from the BBC One soap opera EastEnders, played by Maggie O'Neill, but was played by Julie Christian-Young for a brief appearance in 1996. O'Neill began filming in May 2008, and she made her first on-screen appearance on 8 July 2008....
, 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...
and 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...
.
Storylines
April arrived in Albert SquareAlbert 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...
in December 1995 to invite Carol and her boyfriend Alan
Alan Jackson (EastEnders)
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....
to her wedding. April had been living and working in Greece
Greece
Greece , officially the Hellenic Republic , and historically Hellas or the Republic of Greece in English, is a country in southeastern Europe....
for eight years selling time-share apartments, where she met and got engaged to a native named Nikos. Carol initially refused the invitation as she knew that her black boyfriend would not be well received by her racist 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....
. However, Alan decided that he wanted to go so April enlisted her niece 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...
as bridesmaid.
The ceremony was due to take place in April 1996 but just at the last minute the groom's best man turned up with the news that Nikos had fled back to Greece, leaving April distraught and humiliated. The day wasn't a complete waste though as Alan and Carol got married in their place.
April returned to Walford
Walford
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 July that year to visit her sister, and after meeting the market inspector Michael Rose (who she was extremely attracted to) she decided to stay. She got herself a job working in Kathy Beale's café, where she was witness to her brother-in-law's flirtations with the vindictive 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...
. When it became obvious that Frankie was involved with Alan, April informed Carol, which eventually led to the end of Alan and Carol's relationship.
April and Michael's relationship continued over the next few months and eventually Michael fell in love and begged April to move in with him. April was unsure whether she wanted to take such a big step, and while she was considering what to do, her ex, Nikos, showed up and tried to worm his way back into her affections. He demanded to marry her and despite the fact that he had previously jilted her at the altar, April decided to give him another chance. She left Walford with him and managed to get him down the aisle, leaving Michael to marshal his stalls and mull over what might have been.
April's last appearance was in October 1996. Eleven years later it was revealed that April was unable to come over from Greece
Greece
Greece , officially the Hellenic Republic , and historically Hellas or the Republic of Greece in English, is a country in southeastern Europe....
to attend her nephew Bradley
Bradley Branning
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....
's wedding to Stacey Slater.
Character creation and development
The character of April Branning, played by Debbie Arnold, was introduced in December 1995 as the "fun-loving" sister of Carol JacksonCarol 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 entrance storyline was part of a plot that lead to the marriage of Carol and her boyfriend Alan
Alan Jackson (EastEnders)
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....
(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....
) - when April was jilted at the altar, Carol and Alan married in her place. The character was turned into a regular in 1996, moving to the soap's setting of Albert Square.
At the time, Jaci Stephen, television critic for The Mirror described April as a kind of character "who, from the moment they open their mouths, appear to have been around for ever." She added, "She has bleached blonde hair, overdresses and has the kind of flirtatious manner guaranteed to drive the Square's women to violence. As April grows more glamorous Cindy
Cindy Beale
Cindy Beale is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders, played by Michelle Collins.Cindy always had an eye for the lotharios of Walford and despite trying to settle down repeatedly with the more reliable Ian Beale, she was unable to remain faithful to him. She had a selfish...
(Michelle Collins
Michelle Collins
Michelle Danielle Collins is a British actress best known for her roles on television in the BBC soap opera EastEnders, as Cindy Beale, Coronation Street as Stella Price, and BBC dramas Sunburn and Two Thousand Acres of Sky...
) grows more dowdy."
April's most high profile storyline was a romance with market inspector Michael Rose (Russell Floyd
Russell Floyd
Russell Floyd is a British actor. He played Michael Rose in the BBC soap opera EastEnders from 1996 to 1999, and DC Ken Drummond in the ITV police drama, The Bill, from 2002 to 2005...
). In August 1996, less than a year after her arrival, it was announced that actress Debbie Arnold was quitting her role as April Branning, despite previously being quoted as saying "If they try to get rid of me, I'll chain myself to the railings of Albert Square." Arnold reportedly said, "I want to move on" and a friend of hers is quoted as saying " Debbie has already appeared in Coronation Street
Coronation Street
Coronation Street is a British soap opera set in Weatherfield, a fictional town in Greater Manchester based on Salford. Created by Tony Warren, Coronation Street was first broadcast on 9 December 1960...
and Emmerdale
Emmerdale
Emmerdale, is a long-running British soap opera set in Emmerdale , a fictional village in the Yorkshire Dales. Created by Kevin Laffan, Emmerdale was first broadcast on 16 October 1972...
. She's terrified of getting in a rut and wants to try her hand at other TV work - she's had plenty of offers already."
It was reported at the time that April's leaving storyline would revolve around an affair with her sister's husband Alan Jackson. According to The Mirror, "the show's bosses are planning a sensational storyline for her departure - April will start a steamy affair with her screen sister's husband Alan, played by Howard Anthony. But his missus finds out and viewers will be treated to an emotional confrontation between the two. April ends up packing her bags and leaving the Square because she still holds a torch for her brother-in-law." This proved to be false, and April instead departed after dumping Michael Rose and reuniting with her former lover to start a new life in Greece. She last appeared in October 1996.