Jay Brown
Encyclopedia
James "Jay" Mitchell (né
NE
-Places:England* NE postcode area, a postcode for the City of Newcastle upon Tyne, Tyne and WearItaly* Ne, Liguria, a comune in the Province of GenoaNiger* Niger, ISO 3166-1 country code** .ne, the country code top level domain for Niger...
Brown) is a fictional character
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 Jamie Borthwick
Jamie Borthwick
Jamie Simon Borthwick is a British actor.-Career:Borthwick portrays Jay Brown in EastEnders, though his first appearance on mainstream television was as an orphan in the Celebrate 'Oliver!' musical alongside Shane Richie and Joseph McManners...
. He made his first appearance during the episode broadcast on 14 December 2006.
Backstory
Jay is the son of Karen Brown and Jase DyerJase Dyer
Jason "Jase" Dyer is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders, played by Stephen Lord between 2007 and 2008. The character was killed off in the serial, making his final credited appearance on 29 August 2008.-Storylines:...
(Stephen Lord
Stephen Lord
Stephen Lord is a British actor probably best known for playing Jase Dyer, in BBC soap opera EastEnders between 2007-2008.- Personal life :...
), and grandson of Bert Atkinson (Dave Hill
Dave Hill (actor)
David "Dave" Hill is a British actor. He was born in Skipton, North Yorkshire. He attended Ermysted's Grammar School for boys in Skipton. He has appeared in The Full Monty as well as many other TV series and films...
) and Evie Brown (Marji Campi
Marji Campi
Marji Campi is a British actress, best known for playing Joyce Watson in Surgical Spirit between 1989 and 1995; and Jessie Hilton in Brookside, from 1998 to 2002....
). Karen died in 2004 of breast cancer. Jay was first mentioned on 5 December 2006, when a dying Evie told Bert that he had a grandson.
2006—
Jay first appears after Evie's funeral, when he is taken to live with Bert, per Evie's wishes. Jay steals from the local shop and the market, and is intrigued by his grandfather's criminal past. Jay tries to befriend a gang of boys who tease him when Yolande TruemanYolande Trueman
Yolande Trueman is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders, played by Angela Wynter. The character made her final appearance on 3 October 2008.-Storylines:...
(Angela Wynter
Angela Wynter
Angela Wynter is a British actress. She is probably most famous for playing the character of Yolande Trueman in the soap opera EastEnders first appearing on 16 October 2003 to her last appearance on 3 October 2008. She based the character on her late sister Merlene and played a similar character...
) mothers him, and tries to impress them by calling her a "black cow". Jay's father Jase then arrives in 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...
, and Bert leaves 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...
, to allow Jay and Jase to bond. Jay continues getting into trouble, becoming involved with a gang of older boys, known as the E20 crew, led by Tegs Teague (Ben Smith). Jay helps them shoplift, and they give him a knife. The gang terrorises Dot Branning
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...
) and Jay steals her keys so the gang can break into her house. When Dot returns, the gang escape, but Jay is left hiding in the house, and he realises he has done wrong. The gang orders Jay to throw a brick through Dot's window, but he refuses and is rejected from the gang. However, Tegs later confronts Jay in a park and a violent fight breaks out, with Jay being stabbed in the leg. Tegs is arrested, and his mother Tina (Kerry Ann White) tries to threaten Jay out of testifying against her son at his trial. However, she is scared off by Jase's girlfriend Dawn
Dawn Swann
Dawn Roxanna Swann is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders, played by Kara Tointon, who first appeared on 26 September 2005...
(Kara Tointon
Kara Tointon
Kara Louise Tointon is a British actress, best known for playing Dawn Swann in BBC soap opera EastEnders. Tointon was the 2010 winner of BBC television series Strictly Come Dancing.-Early life:...
). Jay gives evidence at the trial and Tegs is sentenced to two years in a Young Offenders Institute
Her Majesty's Young Offender Institution
Her Majesty's Young Offenders Institution is a type of British prison intended for offenders aged between 18 and 20, although some prisons cater for younger offenders from ages 15 to 17, who are classed as juvenile offenders...
.
Jay and Jase plan to flee Walford when Jase's criminal past returns in the form of his old gang. Dawn stops them from leaving by setting a date for her and Jase's wedding. Jase's old gang, led by Terry Bates (Nicholas Ball
Nicholas Ball (British actor)
Nicholas Ball is an English actor.He is best known for playing the title role of James Hazell in the television series Hazell....
), holds Jay hostage to get revenge on Jase. Jase is able to save Jay with his friend Billy Mitchell
Billy Mitchell (EastEnders)
William "Billy" Mitchell is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders, played by Perry Fenwick, who made his first appearance on 2 November 1998. Billy was seen when Phil went to visit his godson Jamie. However, he didn't arrive in the Square until 2 August 1999, almost a year after...
's (Perry Fenwick
Perry Fenwick
Perry Fenwick is an English film and television actor. He has one sister, Tracey, and two brothers, Faron and Lee. He is, also, the second cousin of Georgina Hagen, who played Lauren Waters in the series of Britannia High....
) help but is beaten to death by Terry's men, and Billy, too frightened to intervene, leaves Jase to die. Jay accuses Dawn of causing his father's death and decides to go into care to get away from her. Jay is later fostered by Billy, who is wracked with guilt for not saving Jase from the gang. Jay's behaviour worsens when he plans an arson attack against Dawn, but Billy is able to stop him, and Jay later apologises to Dawn. After staying at The Queen Victoria
The Queen Victoria
The Queen Victoria is a fictional Victorian public house in the BBC soap opera, EastEnders. It has the fictional address of 46 Albert Square, Walford, London E20.-Appearance and development:...
public house
Public house
A public house, informally known as a pub, is a drinking establishment fundamental to the culture of Britain, Ireland, Australia and New Zealand. There are approximately 53,500 public houses in the United Kingdom. This number has been declining every year, so that nearly half of the smaller...
for three months, Jay moves into a flat with Billy and 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:...
). Janine tries to get rid of Jay by stealing, and blaming it on Jay. When Billy believes Janine over Jay, he leaves the flat, and he meets and befriends Marissa Moore (Finn Atkins
Finn Atkins
Finn Rosanna Atkins is a British film, television and stage actress.-Early life:Growing up in Clifton area of Nottingham, Atkins attended Greencroft Primary School, Farnborough School and High Pavement College...
), who works at a Massage Parlour. They plan to run away together, but Marissa backs out, leaving Jay to run away alone. Upon his return, Jay lies that he is living with Bert, but is actually sleeping on a park bench. He later decides to move back in with Billy back at The Queen Victoria. Terry's trial for Jase's murder approaches and Jay learns the truth, that rather than attempting to help Jase, Billy hid to save himself. He tells Billy he hates him. Later, Billy meets Terry's wife Viv Bates (Dido Miles) who threatens to hurt Jay if Billy testifies. Jay is taken hostage as a security measure, and Billy risks his own life to save him. Billy and Jay are both rescued by the police, and Billy testifies, which results in Terry receiving life imprisonment for murder, partially redeeming himself in the eyes of Jay.
In November, Billy and Jay are thrown out of The Queen Victoria, and are forced to move in with Billy's relative, Archie
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...
). When Billy is struggling with finding a job, Jay takes matters into his own hands by mugging Lucy Beale
Lucy Beale
Lucy Katherine Beale is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders, played by Eva Brittin-Snell from 1993 to 1996, Casey Anne Rothery from 1996 until 2004, Melissa Suffield from 2004 to 2010 and Hetti Bywater from 2012 onwards. Lucy was introduced in December 1993 as the newborn baby...
(Melissa Suffield
Melissa Suffield
Melissa Hollie Suffield is a British actress from London, best known for her role in the BBC soap opera EastEnders as Lucy Beale. Her first appearance on the show was 28 October 2004 and her last on 27 August 2010.-Career:...
). Jay later feels guilty, and soon he and Lucy begin to develop feelings for one another and they kiss. Jay is then later upset when Lucy is nasty to him in front of her friends. After Archie's murder, Billy and Jay are forced to move house again, this time moving in with Heather Trott (Cheryl Fergison
Cheryl Fergison
Cheryl Fergison is a British actress most notable for playing Heather Trott in the long running BBC soap opera EastEnders.-Career:...
). Several months later, while Jay is visiting Dawn, the house is repossessed, and Billy and Jay move back to The Queen Victoria. However, when the pub is destroyed by fire, they move to Phil Mitchell
Phil Mitchell
Philip James "Phil" Mitchell is a long-running fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders, played by Steve McFadden.Phil first arrived in Albert Square on 20 February 1990, and was soon joined by his brother, Grant, sister Sam and mother Peggy...
's (Steve McFadden
Steve McFadden
Steve McFadden is an English actor, known for his role as Phil Mitchell in the BBC soap opera EastEnders, which he has played since1990.-Early life:...
). Billy receives a letter and a phone call and Jay asks what they were about. Billy lies that they were about money, so Jay steals two drills from Greg Jessop (Stefan Booth
Stefan Booth
Stefan Booth is an English actor and singer currently starring in the BBC soap opera EastEnders as Greg Jessop. He left the series in August 2011 and will return to the show.-Background:...
), hoping to sell them on but leaving Billy angry when he finds them. Phil tells Jay the letter was about Billy's past, so Jay asks Billy about it, calling him pathetic and a coward for not facing up to his past, so Billy punches Jay in the stomach, but is immediately apologetic. Jay is angry and refuses his apology. On Jay's sixteenth birthday, Jay asks Phil for a job and Phil offers him a day's trial. He sees a bruise on his stomach but Jay says it happened at school. However, Phil later learns from Billy that he hit Jay, and then offers Jay the job. When Billy still refuses to talk about his past, Jay returns the phone call pretending to be Billy and a police officer visits, but Billy refuses to talk about Julie Perkins (Cathy Murphy
Cathy Murphy
Cathy Murphy is a British actress who studied at the Sylvia Young Theatre School. She played the role of Lorna in 1991, a love interest of Mark Fowler in soap opera EastEnders. In 2005 she returned to play the recurring role of Trisha Taylor. She had earlier played the ongoing role of Cheryl...
) and orders Jay to see the police officer out. Jay then sets up an internet profile pretending to be Billy and contacts Julie, who visits Billy. Meanwhile, Jay spends time boxing with Phil. At Stacey Slater
Stacey 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...
's (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...
) Halloween party, Jay tries to ask Lauren Branning
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:...
(Jacqueline Jossa
Jacqueline Jossa
Jacqueline Mary Jossa is an English actress from Bexley, London, best known for her role in the BBC soap opera EastEnders as Lauren Branning.Jossa was born in the London Borough of Bexley...
) out, but she isn't interested, so makes sexual remarks and is confronted by her father Max Branning
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:...
). Whilst working at the Arches garage, Phil tells him that he is dealing in stolen jewellery and asks him to deliver a supply of it to Connor Stanley (Arinze Kene
Arinze Kene
-Career:Kene has appeared in stage productions such as playing Simba in The Lion King, Daddy Cool, and in June 2009 played strutting lothario Raymond LeGrendre in the musical Been So Long, based on Ché Walker's 1998 play, which opened at the Young Vic...
). When Jay meets him, Connor under-pays him and threatens him not to tell Phil. Jay tells Shirley Carter (Linda Henry
Linda Henry
Linda Henry is an English actress, best known for her roles as Yvonne Atkins in the ITV television drama Bad Girls and Shirley Carter in the BBC's soap opera EastEnders.- Early life :...
) and she encourages him to retrieve the money. Jay confronts Connor again and beats him up, he also gets the cash. Afterwards, Jay tells Phil that he has got all the money owed, and announces that he intends to change his surname to Mitchell. Phil and Shirley throw Jay a party to mark his name change, but it is interrupted by the return of Phil's son Ben (Joshua Pascoe) who has returned from prison. The following day Ben tells Jay that he is not welcome and he will find a way to get rid of him. However, they soon become friends.
Jay starts dating Abi Branning
Abi Branning
Abigail "Abi" Branning is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders, played by Lorna Fitzgerald. She first appeared in the show on 3 July 2006.- Storylines :...
(Lorna Fitzgerald
Lorna Fitzgerald
Lorna Katie Fitzgerald is a British actress from Northampton. She lives in Hunsbury. Her most notable role to date is that of Abi Branning in the British soap opera EastEnders.- Personal life :...
), but when Max catches them kissing he thinks that Jay is only interested in sex, throws Jay out and bans Abi from seeing him. Max soon softens towards Jay and allows them to date. Jay promises Abi a drink in The Queen Victoria
The Queen Victoria
The Queen Victoria is a fictional Victorian public house in the BBC soap opera, EastEnders. It has the fictional address of 46 Albert Square, Walford, London E20.-Appearance and development:...
but Eddie Moon
Eddie Moon
Edward "Eddie" Moon is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders, played by David Essex. Eddie is the father of Michael Moon , Tyler Moon and Anthony Moon . Along with his children, Eddie was introduced to bring a "new generation" of the Moon family to the programme...
(David Essex
David Essex
David Essex OBE is an English musician, singer-songwriter and actor. Since the 1970s, Essex has attained nineteen Top 40 singles in the UK , and sixteen Top 40 albums...
) refuses to serve them alcohol so he instead gives them squash and patronizes Jay. Jay and Abi break into The Vic but Abi pushes glasses off the bar causing the pair to flee. When Abi confesses the truth, Jay breaks up with her. However, they later reunite and Abi tells Jay she is ready for sex, to which he agrees. However, Abi losses confidence as Lola has made fun of her earlier. Jay gets angry and says he would give Lola a call to have sex, though he immediately apologises, but Abi is hurt and dumps him. However, they soon reunite again.
Jay meets Lola Pearce
Lola Pearce
Lola Pearce is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders, played by Danielle Harold. Lola is the granddaughter of Billy Mitchell and Julie Perkins . Lola made her first appearance on 12 July 2011....
(Danielle Harold
Danielle Harold
Danielle Amy Louise Harold is an English actress from Lewisham, best known for her role in the BBC soap opera EastEnders, as Lola Pearce.-Career:...
), the granddaughter of Billy Mitchell
Billy Mitchell (EastEnders)
William "Billy" Mitchell is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders, played by Perry Fenwick, who made his first appearance on 2 November 1998. Billy was seen when Phil went to visit his godson Jamie. However, he didn't arrive in the Square until 2 August 1999, almost a year after...
(Perry Fenwick
Perry Fenwick
Perry Fenwick is an English film and television actor. He has one sister, Tracey, and two brothers, Faron and Lee. He is, also, the second cousin of Georgina Hagen, who played Lauren Waters in the series of Britannia High....
) and she tries to make Abi jealous by lying to her that she and Jay had sex, but Abi ignores her and Jay chooses her over Lola. Lola begins working for Phil, and fires her after catching her stealing, but when she asks for her job back in exchange for her mobile phone, he refuses, and in a fit of rage, Lola smashes up the Arches, but unknown to her Jay is working underneath the car and kicks a piece of equipment down into the pit, which hits Jay and knocks him unconscious. Lola gets Billy's partner Julie Perkins (Cathy Murphy
Cathy Murphy
Cathy Murphy is a British actress who studied at the Sylvia Young Theatre School. She played the role of Lorna in 1991, a love interest of Mark Fowler in soap opera EastEnders. In 2005 she returned to play the recurring role of Trisha Taylor. She had earlier played the ongoing role of Cheryl...
) who calls an ambulance and takes the blame for the incident, Jay is taken to hospital where he gets stitches on his forehead. He soon returns to the square and tells Lola he remembers what happened; and gives her a day to confess what really happened to Phil or he will. Jay is eventually persuaded by Julie against telling Phil, and Jay recovers from the incident. When Jay learns that Lola is pregnant, he comforts her. However Abi misconstrues the situation and dumps Jay.
Development
Originally a recurring character, Jay was considered a regular from July 2007. He was involved in a minor racismRacism
Racism is the belief that inherent different traits in human racial groups justify discrimination. In the modern English language, the term "racism" is used predominantly as a pejorative epithet. It is applied especially to the practice or advocacy of racial discrimination of a pernicious nature...
storyline, where he called another character a "black cow". EastEnders executive producer
Executive 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...
said this was inspired by the race row
Celebrity Big Brother racism controversy
The Celebrity Big Brother racism controversy was a series of events related to incidents of perceived racist behaviour by contestants on the television series Celebrity Big Brother 2007 shown on British television station Channel 4...
in Channel 4
Channel 4
Channel 4 is a British public-service television broadcaster which began working on 2 November 1982. Although largely commercially self-funded, it is ultimately publicly owned; originally a subsidiary of the Independent Broadcasting Authority , the station is now owned and operated by the Channel...
's reality show, Celebrity Big Brother
Celebrity Big Brother 2007 (UK)
Celebrity Big Brother 2007 was the highly controversial fifth series of the United Kingdom reality television series Celebrity Big Brother, a spin-off of Big Brother. The series was broadcast on Channel 4 in the UK , and involved a number of celebrities referred to as 'housemates', who live in the...
, commenting: "The Celebrity Big Brother race row kicked off as I took charge of my first scripts. I thought it was fascinating because it showed there was a real need for a debate about race in Britain. [Big Brother] didn't do it particularly well, so I thought it could be something EastEnders should do. Our stuff won't be overly moralistic or preachy but it will tackle this serious issue head on."
Another controversial storyline saw Jay get involved with a gang of youths, ending with him being stabbed in the thigh. A BBC spokesperson said "This is easily one of the most shocking and controversial storylines EastEnders has ever done. It is not a decision bosses have taken lightly, but it is an issue that is top of the news agenda. [...] We're going to tread very carefully — it won't be gratuitous. The plan is to screen the episodes in the usual slots before the watershed. Hopefully by showing the suffering that gang violence can cause, some people may think twice about getting involved."
Reception
In January 2008, the BBC received 184 complaints from viewers over 13-year-old Jay's stabbing storyline, angry that children would have seen it. OfcomOfcom
Ofcom is the government-approved regulatory authority for the broadcasting and telecommunications industries in the United Kingdom. Ofcom was initially established by the Office of Communications Act 2002. It received its full authority from the Communications Act 2003...
received a further seven complaints. The BBC allowed the controversial broadcast despite a clampdown on soap violence being ordered. John Beyer of Mediawatch UK said: "I think this shows that at a flagship programme such as EastEnders they are prepared to ignore public opinion, prepared to ignore the regulator and the complaints and carry on regardless." A BBC spokesperson defended the storyline, stating: "EastEnders has always tackled difficult issues and we acknowledge that some viewers could consider this storyline challenging. However, we aim to reflect real issues and during this storyline the audience will see Jay's torment through to him deciding not to yield to peer pressure like his father did many years ago. This is part of a long-running storyline that in no way glamorises the use of knives, or portrays violence in a positive light. In fact the storyline will culminate in the character of Jay doing the right thing."
Borthwick has been praised by critics for his portrayal of Jay. Nancy Banks-Smith
Nancy Banks-Smith
Nancy Banks-Smith is a British television critic; she began writing for The Guardian in 1969. In 1970 she was recommended for the Order of the British Empire, which she declined.*1951- 1955: Northern Daily Telegraph, reporter...
of The Guardian
The Guardian
The Guardian, formerly known as The Manchester Guardian , is a British national daily newspaper in the Berliner format...
wrote that the episode in which his father died "offered Jason's young son, Jay (Jamie Borthwick), a chance to steal the show, which he duly did with a touching torrent of grief. His father, a thief himself, would have been proud of him." Borthwick was nominated in the category 'Best Dramatic Performance from a Young Actor or Actress' at the 2008 British Soap Awards
British Soap Awards
The British Soap Awards is an annual awards ceremony to honour the best of British soap operas.The first event took place in 1999 and takes place in May each year. Although it is an ITV production, the events were held at the BBC Television Centre, in London until 2010. The 2011 awards relocated to...
, and 'Best Child Actor' at the 2008 Digital Spy Soap Awards
Digital Spy Soap Awards
The Digital Spy Soap Awards was an event that honoured the successes in British soap operas in 2007-8. It was hosted by the entertainment website Digital Spy....
.