Watts family
Encyclopedia
The Watts are a fictional family in the BBC
soap opera EastEnders
. The family consists of Den
, Sharon, Dennis
, Chrissie
, Angie
, and Vicki
. Most recently, Dennis Jr was born in 2006, but has yet to be seen onscreen.
The Watts have been a critical part of EastEnders over the years, anchoring its early success in the late 1980s and then again dominating the action with their return in the mid-00s. Their longstanding "feud" with the Mitchell family
has become a hallmark of the show, as has their warring for the Queen Vic pub – original and traditional home of the Watts family. Over the years the fractured family has centred largely on Den and his "princess", Sharon, with familial affairs also being marked by Den's tumultuous marriages with his long-suffering first wife, Angie, and scheming second wife, Chrissie.
Although there have been no Watts in EastEnders since January 2006, they are one of EastEnders original families (together with the Fowlers and Beales) and have been involved in many memorable storylines, bringing the show its biggest ratings, and include some of its most iconic characters.
and Julia Smith
. Holland and Smith had correctly anticipated the importance the Queen Vic setting would be to EastEnders and therefore intended the Watts to be highly dynamic and vibrant characters fuelling the drama of the show, something that has largely been a hallmark of the family ever since, even as new members have been added, with the character of Dennis a popular favourite among audiences, winning various soap and television awards, and Chrissie largely the "centrepiece" of the show during her tenure. The Watts were originally composed of Den and Angie and their adopted daughter Sharon. The early focus of the family was on the tempestuous marriage between Den and Ange, rooted in Den’s womanising. Indeed, Den’s wandering eye is a central element in the family affairs of the Watts and would frame many of their storylines over the years, leading him into affairs with Jan Hammond, Kate Mitchell, and Zoe Slater
. In 1986, Sharon’s school friend Michelle Fowler
gave birth to Vicki, the product of an illicit relationship with Den; whilst in 2003 Dennis Rickman was introduced as Den’s son from an affair he had in 1974.
In 1988 Anita Dobson
left the show as Angie Watts, and a year later Leslie Grantham
, who played Den, followed. Letitia Dean
remained in the role as Sharon for the next 6 years, her character helping to facilitate the introduction of a new family to take on the mantle of the Watts, the Mitchells
, through her marriage to Grant
and her affair with Phil
. The revelation of her affair and the breakdown of her marriage is widely held to be EastEnders most notable storyline of the 90s and is seen by many as the show's finest moment, dubbed “Sharongate
” by the press and fans alike. It is also the culminating point to Sharon’s original run in EastEnders, and in 1995 Dean announced her intention to leave and Sharon departed Walford.
However, the popularity of the Watts to viewers and the importance of the family to the show meant that successive producers and executives continually asked Dean, Dobson, and Grantham to reprise their roles. In 2001 John Yorke succeeded where others had failed, and Sharon made a triumphant return as the new secret owner of the Queen Vic, Yorke having "first floated the idea of Sharon's return" the previous year. The return was part of a highly successful year for EastEnders, and to build upon that success it was decided by Yorke, his succeessor Louise Berridge
and Head of Drama Serials Mal Young
to expand Sharon’s familial connections and bring the Watts back to Walford. In the coming months producers and executives began work on reconstituting the family; although Anita Dobson finally rejected attempts to bring Angie back, Grantham finally agreed to return as Den in 2003, to accompany the re-introduction of his family, with Den's unknown son Dennis being introduced at the beginning of that year. At the same time, Vicki Fowler was brought back into the show, having left with her mother Michelle in 1995. Although a Fowler, Vicki maintained a close relationship with Sharon, with her storylines centring mainly around the Watts saga. The return of Den reunited the fractured Watts family, creating "a real buzz to the show".
Den's return was widely regarded as a coup and seen as instrumental to EastEnders success at the time, which was facing tight competition from the ITV soaps, with Coronation Street
enjoying one of its most successful years ever, and Emmerdale
in the midst of a ratings revival. With Den set to stay, the last of the on-screen Watts was introduced in the shape of his second wife Chrissie, who entered the show in 2004. Although similar to Angie in many ways, Chrissie was intended to be more actively independent and as devious and conniving as her husband.
Again, the family was to be increasingly dominated by the volatile relationship between husband and wife, culminating in Den’s death in February 2005, after Leslie Grantham decided not to extend his current contract. This followed the departure of actress Scarlett Johnston from the programme with Vicki being written out two months earlier during Christmas 2004. However, the importance of the Watts to the dramatic action of the show took its toll on the actors, especially Tracy Ann Oberman, who played Chrissie, with the actress noting how "in 18 months I knocked up four years of acting experience". By the end of 2005, it had been announced that all three actors who played the remaining on-screen Watts would not be seeking to renew their contracts. The Watts finally exited from the show over the course of December and January, with Dennis being sensationally killed-off in a New Year's Eve episode.
Much of the drama in the Watts household centres on responses to Den’s selfish actions and manipulative ways. Angie constantly tried to play games and tricks in the hopes of securing Den’s affections or arousing his jealousy, and later the strife between Sharon and Dennis directly resulted from Den’s manipulation and Machiavellian family politics. In 2004, when Sharon and Dennis planned to elope behind their father’s back on Christmas Day, Den learned the truth and tried to force Dennis into leaving Sharon and staying with his girlfriend, Zoe Slater
. Den manipulated Zoe into pretending she was pregnant by Dennis, declaring: “He’s going nowhere and neither is Sharon. I didn’t come back to Walford to be alone.” Indeed no one knew how to play games like Den, as pretenders like Phil Mitchell found out. Because of this, Dennis seemed never quite sure what he was to Den, and even Vicki ultimately found out how little she could mean to him. Only Chrissie could play Den at his own game and keep up with his conniving, something intended by writers to be a deliberate feature of their marriage, and a quality Den openly found attractive in her: “I know we’ve got a great relationship even when we’re tearing lumps out of each other, you give as good as you get and that’s the sort of marriage I’ve always wanted”.
As adopted mother and stepmother, both Angie and Chrissie were fiercely protective of their charges. Angie often showed concern over the affects her rows with Den had on Sharon, whilst Chrissie actively took on the role of mother to Vicki, helping her apply to art college and watching over her romantic relationships. Yet motherliness was never strongly delineated in the characterisations of either Mrs Watts, unlike figures such as Pauline Fowler
, Peggy Mitchell
, or Rosa di Marco
, who primarily saw themselves as mothers and were cast in that mould. Hence, whilst Angie expressed regret over Sharon’s predicament – being caught between warring parents – she was not above using Sharon to score points against her husband. Similarly, although Chrissie had come to love her stepchildren, as she declared during their Christmas meal in 2004, and sympathised with the difficulties they had with their father, she could also use them in her schemes against Den, particularly his princess, Sharon. Speaking of Den's first wife, the show's creators wrote that she saw Sharon "as something of a rival", a sentiment that became even more pronounced for Den's second wife.
Rather, the two Mrs Watts were highly individual and volatile figures, dominated by their relationship to Den. Angie’s need to be loved by Den often led her to extreme action, at one time attempting to commit suicide and later pretending to have cancer. In trying to play games with Den, as he did with her, she failed, ultimately leading her to take solace in drink. Angie did manage to get some revenge on Den during the year of their separation, where Angie's absence from the Vic caused business to struggle for Den with lack of customer support. But years of alcohol abuse got the better of her by the end and she nearly died in 1988 as a result of kidney failure. Despite his ill treatment of Angie, Den did suffer with guilt for what his actions drove his wife to do, as viewers saw when he helped a desperate Lisa Fowler
who was close to going down the same path as Angie did. It should also be noted that Den continued to carry a picture of Angie in his wallet along with one of Sharon, despite having his wallet lost before his exit in 1989. Unlike Angie, Chrissie was as intelligent and manipulative as Den, as he would come to fatally realise when she destroyed him through Sharon – his only weakness. Although Den bore affection for both Angie (as he found out when he began to miss her in 1987, calling her his 'one in a million') and Chrissie (going so far as to wanting to renew their wedding vows) it was only Sharon that he ever loved unconditionally.
For many viewers and fans, the Vic is synonymous with the Watts; in particular Den, Angie, Chrissie, and Sharon, and Den and Angie often remain its most favoured landlords. Indeed, such is the strong association between the Vic and Den that it was constantly and prematurely reported in the media of his imminent return to ownership, and upon his death he vowed: “You’ll never get me out of the Vic!” With the exception of Vicki, all the Watts have served behind the bar of the Vic, with Den, Angie, Sharon, and Chrissie all at one time or another landlords of the pub.
The link between the Watts and the Vic is reinforced by the fact that only two other families have owned the pub in EastEnders 25 year history, and that the Watts have secured possession on three separate occasions (Sharon in 1991, 2001, and Den and Chrissie in 2004) in addition to their original run in-charge (1985–88).
, even becoming the subject of a special EastEnders Revealed, entitled "Blood Feud: The Watts vs. The Mitchells". The familial contention is rooted in Sharon’s tempestuous relationship with the Mitchell brothers Grant
and Phil
, which began after Den’s disappearance and the departure of Angie. After the breakdown of her marriage to Grant, Sharon’s position became untenable: Grant was capable of violence towards her, and his loud-mouth mother Peggy
was constantly hounding her. The last of the Watts left in 1995, and the Mitchells took over the Vic.
However, the importance of the Vic to the Watts became obvious when Sharon returned to lay claim to the pub after a 6 year absence. Indeed, the Vic was to become a central battlefield in the war between the contending families: the returning Watts seeking to reclaim what now belonged to the Mitchells. Even when Sharon was forced out of the pub, the rivalry with Phil, Peggy, and Sam Mitchell
heated up with the appearance of Sharon’s half-sister Vicki and Den’s long-lost son, Dennis, who particularly clashed against Phil Mitchell.
The return of Den (after 14 years) took the conflict between the two families to another level. Den threatened Phil’s position as top dog and quickly became Phil's "arch enemy", whilst Den developed a hatred for Phil upon learning of the rivalry between Dennis and Phil, and of the way the Mitchells had treated his “princess”, Sharon. In 2003, Den successfully framed Phil for armed robbery, enabling Lisa Fowler
, the estranged mother of Phil's daughter, Louise, to flee the country with their child.
Soon after, Den was joined by his second wife Chrissie, and the pair proceeded to bring down the whole Mitchell financial empire, bankrupting the family in a scam and retaking control of the Vic. In an episode airing soon after Den's death, Sam confronted Chrissie claiming that "the Mitchell name should be above the [Vic] door; you know it and I know it!" to which Chrissie replied: "Not while I've got breath in my body", chucking Sam out of the pub and firing her.
However, with the Mitchells vanquished the Watts soon imploded; and Sharon was (at least for the time being) reconciled with Phil and Peggy, and the Vic returned to them. However, Sharon has yet to learn of Phil’s role in Dennis death and Chrissie’s own enmity towards the Mitchells may yet see the feud return.
It is interesting to note, though, that neither the Watts nor the Mitchells have ever been in strength at the same time; no Mitchell ever met Angie, and Peggy and Grant Mitchell never met Den. Of the Watts, only Dennis, Sharon, and Chrissie met all members of the original Mitchell family.
. Indeed, the connection between the two families resulted in the affair between Den and Michelle, which in turn produced Vicki Fowler. Later, Pauline Fowler
and Chrissie bonded (to an extent) over their desire to look out for Vicki, and indeed Chrissie would do Pauline the honour of killing Den with her doorstop.
The Watts are also strongly connected to the other founding family of EastEnders, the Beales. Den and Pete Beale
were best friends, as were Angie and Kathy, while Sharon grew up alongside their son Ian Beale
.
Aside from the Fowlers, Beales, and later the Mitchells, the Watts have remarkably few connections to other families in EastEnders, and no firm links with the remaining two great families: the Butchers and Slaters. Though, in regards to the former, Den was close friends with Pat Butcher and Den was one of the many potential fathers to Pat's son, Simon Wicks
.
This is largely because of the remarkable insularity of the Watts family, which has all-but entered the realms of incest. There are only 7 members (6 when not including Vicki Fowler), in contrast to the dozens of Slaters and Mitchells; even the Beales, who were originally a small nuclear family like the Watts (Pete, Kathy, Ian) have expanded over time. Indeed, Ian and Sharon occupied similar familial positions when the show began, and both have gone on to numerous romances and marriages; yet Sharon was thought unable to conceive, ultimately having only one child, whereas Ian produced three, even raising a fourth.
Of the show's main families, the Watts have strong ties to the Beales, Fowlers, and Mitchells, and interacted with the Wicks family, Slater family, Moon family, and Miller family.
There have been no Watts in EastEnders since 13 January 2006, and of the family only four remain alive: Sharon, Chrissie, Vicki and Dennis Jr.
When EastEnders began in 1985, the soap focused primarily around the affairs of three families: the Beales, Fowlers, and Watts. However, much of the show’s early success stemmed from the drama surrounding the Watts, (especially the antics of Den), who as owners of the Queen Vic pub (the show’s most prominent set) were usually in the limelight. This prominence, at a time when EastEnders was at its most prolific in terms of both the media and audience, meant the Watts became perhaps EastEnders most eminent family and the characters known even to those who did not watch the show. Such was their success that producers went ahead with an experimental episode format centring around just Den and Angie, during which Angie lied about having cancer; so successful was the airing that it has since been repeated, and the format expanded to include "three" and "four-handers" (between 3 and 4 characters). Such episodes are highly prestigious and feature only the most popular and prominent characters in the show; thus, all the Watts, aside from Vicki, have featured in such episodes.
The 1986 Christmas Day episode during which Den delivered Angie divorce papers is the highest rated airing of any British soap in television history. Den and Angie became perennial favourites of audiences, with many fearing EastEnders would not survive their departures. However, the popularity of their daughter, Sharon, helped to ease the transition to the Watts-less era of the show when her involvement in a love-triangle with the Mitchell brothers became must-see TV. As The Guardian
media critic mused six years later:
The return of Sharon six years later in 2001 became a seminal moment for the show, eclipsed only by the intense media scrutiny surrounding Den’s return two years later. Den's return provided EastEnders with a ratings boost, attracting a 'whooping' 62% of the television audience. Indeed, such was the lure of the Watts, over 17 million people tuned in two years later to see Chrissie finally put an end to Dirty Den's philandering ways. The storyline of Den's death and the scheming aftermath of Chrissie dominated the show for 2005, being popular among viewers, and winning best soap storyline and ensured the show won Best Soap at the Inside Soap Awards
.
However, the Watts family have also received criticism from the press and viewers. In particular, although Den's return was meant to crystallise the return of the Watts family, many felt his re-introduction affected credibility, with Diederick Santer
, executive producer of EastEnders after the Watts had left, saying that it "damaged the show". Grantham's off-air antics also affected the soap's profile, with tabloids like The Daily Mirror predicting the end of the show and blaming Den's return for its demise. Many in the media were also critical of Mal Young, who was a strong supporter of the Watts family, arguing his overly-melodramatic and popularising tastes alienated viewers and especially the media. The sensationalist relationship between Sharon and Dennis was seen to epitomise the tone of the show at the time.
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 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...
. The family consists of Den
Den Watts
Dennis Alan "Den" Watts is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders, played by actor Leslie Grantham. He became well known for his tabloid nickname, "Dirty Den"....
, Sharon, Dennis
Dennis Rickman
Dennis Rickman is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders, played by Nigel Harman. He entered the show on 14 April 2003 and made his last appearance on 30 December 2005, when he was fatally stabbed as the midnight fireworks began. He is part of the Watts family, though his...
, Chrissie
Chrissie Watts
Christine "Chrissie" Watts is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders, played by Tracy-Ann Oberman. She first appeared in April 2004 as the second wife of the show's "most enduring character", Den Watts, becoming a prominent regular for the next 18 months...
, Angie
Angie Watts
Angela "Angie" Watts is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders, played by Anita Dobson from the first episode of the show until 1988 when the actress decided to quit and the character was written out....
, and Vicki
Vicki Fowler
Victoria Louise "Vicki" Fowler is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders, played by Emma Herry from the character's birth in 1986 to 1988, Samantha Leigh Martin from 1988 to 1995, and Scarlett Johnson from 2003 to 2004. The character was born in the serial, conceived in a...
. Most recently, Dennis Jr was born in 2006, but has yet to be seen onscreen.
The Watts have been a critical part of EastEnders over the years, anchoring its early success in the late 1980s and then again dominating the action with their return in the mid-00s. Their longstanding "feud" with the Mitchell family
Mitchell family
The Mitchell family is a fictional family in the BBC soap opera EastEnders. The first Mitchell nuclear family introduced were Eric Mitchell's widow Peggy Mitchell and her three children, Phil, Grant and Sam...
has become a hallmark of the show, as has their warring for the Queen Vic pub – original and traditional home of the Watts family. Over the years the fractured family has centred largely on Den and his "princess", Sharon, with familial affairs also being marked by Den's tumultuous marriages with his long-suffering first wife, Angie, and scheming second wife, Chrissie.
Although there have been no Watts in EastEnders since January 2006, they are one of EastEnders original families (together with the Fowlers and Beales) and have been involved in many memorable storylines, bringing the show its biggest ratings, and include some of its most iconic characters.
Creation and development
The Watts were one of the central families introduced to viewers when EastEnders began in 1985, created by the show’s co-creators Tony HollandTony Holland
Anthony John "Tony" Holland was an English television screenwriter best known as a writer and co-creator of the BBC soap opera EastEnders.-Early career:...
and Julia Smith
Julia Smith
Julia Smith was an English television director and producer.- Early career :London-born Smith became involved in television production when she directed the series Suspense in 1962...
. Holland and Smith had correctly anticipated the importance the Queen Vic setting would be to EastEnders and therefore intended the Watts to be highly dynamic and vibrant characters fuelling the drama of the show, something that has largely been a hallmark of the family ever since, even as new members have been added, with the character of Dennis a popular favourite among audiences, winning various soap and television awards, and Chrissie largely the "centrepiece" of the show during her tenure. The Watts were originally composed of Den and Angie and their adopted daughter Sharon. The early focus of the family was on the tempestuous marriage between Den and Ange, rooted in Den’s womanising. Indeed, Den’s wandering eye is a central element in the family affairs of the Watts and would frame many of their storylines over the years, leading him into affairs with Jan Hammond, Kate Mitchell, and Zoe Slater
Zoe Slater
Zoe Slater is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders, played by Michelle Ryan. She made her first appearance on the 18 September 2000...
. In 1986, Sharon’s school friend Michelle Fowler
Michelle Fowler
Michelle Fowler is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders, played by actress Susan Tully.Although she was one of the brighter people in Walford, that didn't stop Michelle making some huge mistakes during her time in Albert Square...
gave birth to Vicki, the product of an illicit relationship with Den; whilst in 2003 Dennis Rickman was introduced as Den’s son from an affair he had in 1974.
In 1988 Anita Dobson
Anita Dobson
Anita Dobson is an English television actress and singer. She gained her highest profile while playing Angie Watts in the BBC soap opera, EastEnders...
left the show as Angie Watts, and a year later Leslie Grantham
Leslie Grantham
Leslie Michael Grantham is an English actor best known for his role as "Dirty" Den Watts in the soap opera EastEnders. He is also a convicted murderer, having served 10 years for the killing of a German taxi driver, and he generated significant press coverage as the result of an online sex scandal...
, who played Den, followed. Letitia Dean
Letitia Dean
Letitia Dean is an English actress and singer. She is best known for her role as Sharon Watts in the popular BBC soap opera EastEnders, who was one of the serial's original characters. Dean was part of the original cast in 1985 and remained in the series until 1995...
remained in the role as Sharon for the next 6 years, her character helping to facilitate the introduction of a new family to take on the mantle of the Watts, the Mitchells
Mitchell family
The Mitchell family is a fictional family in the BBC soap opera EastEnders. The first Mitchell nuclear family introduced were Eric Mitchell's widow Peggy Mitchell and her three children, Phil, Grant and Sam...
, through her marriage to Grant
Grant Mitchell (EastEnders)
Grant Anthony Mitchell is a fictional character from the British soap opera EastEnders, played by Ross Kemp. Grant first appeared in 1990, introduced by producer Michael Ferguson to revamp the show. Kemp remained until 1999 when he opted to leave...
and her affair with Phil
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...
. The revelation of her affair and the breakdown of her marriage is widely held to be EastEnders most notable storyline of the 90s and is seen by many as the show's finest moment, dubbed “Sharongate
Sharongate
"Sharongate" is the term used for a storyline in the BBC soap opera EastEnders, which reached its climax on 24 October 1994, attracting 25.3 million viewers. The plot was written by EastEnders scriptwriter, Tony Jordan. In the storyline, Sharon Mitchell confessed on tape that she had slept with...
” by the press and fans alike. It is also the culminating point to Sharon’s original run in EastEnders, and in 1995 Dean announced her intention to leave and Sharon departed Walford.
However, the popularity of the Watts to viewers and the importance of the family to the show meant that successive producers and executives continually asked Dean, Dobson, and Grantham to reprise their roles. In 2001 John Yorke succeeded where others had failed, and Sharon made a triumphant return as the new secret owner of the Queen Vic, Yorke having "first floated the idea of Sharon's return" the previous year. The return was part of a highly successful year for EastEnders, and to build upon that success it was decided by Yorke, his succeessor Louise Berridge
Louise Berridge
Louise Berridge is a British writer of historical fiction. Before she became a novelist, she was best known as a television producer and script editor. The most famous post being the executive producer of BBC's EastEnders between 2002 and 2004...
and Head of Drama Serials Mal Young
Mal Young
Mal Young is a British television producer and executive producer.-Background:His initial career was in the Graphic Design industry, and it was not until the age of 27 that he began working in television, on the acclaimed Channel 4 soap opera Brookside.Working on the show for nearly a decade, he...
to expand Sharon’s familial connections and bring the Watts back to Walford. In the coming months producers and executives began work on reconstituting the family; although Anita Dobson finally rejected attempts to bring Angie back, Grantham finally agreed to return as Den in 2003, to accompany the re-introduction of his family, with Den's unknown son Dennis being introduced at the beginning of that year. At the same time, Vicki Fowler was brought back into the show, having left with her mother Michelle in 1995. Although a Fowler, Vicki maintained a close relationship with Sharon, with her storylines centring mainly around the Watts saga. The return of Den reunited the fractured Watts family, creating "a real buzz to the show".
Den's return was widely regarded as a coup and seen as instrumental to EastEnders success at the time, which was facing tight competition from the ITV soaps, with 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...
enjoying one of its most successful years ever, 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...
in the midst of a ratings revival. With Den set to stay, the last of the on-screen Watts was introduced in the shape of his second wife Chrissie, who entered the show in 2004. Although similar to Angie in many ways, Chrissie was intended to be more actively independent and as devious and conniving as her husband.
Again, the family was to be increasingly dominated by the volatile relationship between husband and wife, culminating in Den’s death in February 2005, after Leslie Grantham decided not to extend his current contract. This followed the departure of actress Scarlett Johnston from the programme with Vicki being written out two months earlier during Christmas 2004. However, the importance of the Watts to the dramatic action of the show took its toll on the actors, especially Tracy Ann Oberman, who played Chrissie, with the actress noting how "in 18 months I knocked up four years of acting experience". By the end of 2005, it had been announced that all three actors who played the remaining on-screen Watts would not be seeking to renew their contracts. The Watts finally exited from the show over the course of December and January, with Dennis being sensationally killed-off in a New Year's Eve episode.
Family tree
The Family Dynamic
The Watts are a notably fractured family; it is a condition that has made them strong-willed, independent, yet also volatile and vulnerable (especially to each other). Unlike most of the other main families in EastEnders, the Watts have each lived a large portion of their lives without the comfort of a traditional family, and are deliberately represented as highly individualized characters who are yet in need of, and searching for, that sense of family which seems so elusive to them. For Vicki and Dennis, they are looking for the absent father figure; for Angie and Chrissie it is reflected in their desire to be loved by Den as they love him; whilst Sharon longs for the calm, stable family she never knew as a child. Yet it is especially true for Den, who at the same time wants the perfect family – but only on his terms. He does his best to love his family but at the same time does not fully understand what love is. The story of the Watts is largely that of a man who is easy to love and yet just as easy to hate; and the impact this has on those closest to him.Den
The Watts centre around the figure of Den, who casts a strong shadow over the family. All members have a direct tie to him as either offspring or spouses, and it is their relationship to him that often colours their relationship to each other and also to themselves. His first wife, Angie, was driven to alcoholism because of his womanising, whilst the relationship between Sharon and Dennis was greatly hindered by the strong personality of their father. Dennis in particular was greatly affected by his love–hate relationship with Den, who was unable to be the father he always wanted.Much of the drama in the Watts household centres on responses to Den’s selfish actions and manipulative ways. Angie constantly tried to play games and tricks in the hopes of securing Den’s affections or arousing his jealousy, and later the strife between Sharon and Dennis directly resulted from Den’s manipulation and Machiavellian family politics. In 2004, when Sharon and Dennis planned to elope behind their father’s back on Christmas Day, Den learned the truth and tried to force Dennis into leaving Sharon and staying with his girlfriend, Zoe Slater
Zoe Slater
Zoe Slater is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders, played by Michelle Ryan. She made her first appearance on the 18 September 2000...
. Den manipulated Zoe into pretending she was pregnant by Dennis, declaring: “He’s going nowhere and neither is Sharon. I didn’t come back to Walford to be alone.” Indeed no one knew how to play games like Den, as pretenders like Phil Mitchell found out. Because of this, Dennis seemed never quite sure what he was to Den, and even Vicki ultimately found out how little she could mean to him. Only Chrissie could play Den at his own game and keep up with his conniving, something intended by writers to be a deliberate feature of their marriage, and a quality Den openly found attractive in her: “I know we’ve got a great relationship even when we’re tearing lumps out of each other, you give as good as you get and that’s the sort of marriage I’ve always wanted”.
The two Mrs Watts
Although Den’s first and second wives only appeared on-screen for a combined total of 5 years (Angie from 1985–88; Chrissie from 2004–2005), they had an immense impact on the show and on the Watts family. Dealing with the antics of Den, his womanising and manipulation, was a perpetual source of drama for the two women and the show’s audience. The relationship between husband and wife also provided an opportunity for writers to directly explore the familial implications of the complex Watts dynamic. Growing up in her late-teens, Sharon was often seen to bemoan the marital discord between her mother and father, which over the years caused her to flee to the Fowlers which she came to see as a second home. Later, Dennis, Sharon, and Vicki berated Den for his treatment of Chrissie, especially his affair with Kate Mitchell. The revelation was particularly upsetting to Vicki who viewed Chrissie as a mother-figure, but Sharon and Dennis were also dismayed at Den’s inability to deal honestly with his wife.As adopted mother and stepmother, both Angie and Chrissie were fiercely protective of their charges. Angie often showed concern over the affects her rows with Den had on Sharon, whilst Chrissie actively took on the role of mother to Vicki, helping her apply to art college and watching over her romantic relationships. Yet motherliness was never strongly delineated in the characterisations of either Mrs Watts, unlike figures such as Pauline Fowler
Pauline Fowler
Pauline Fowler is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders, a long-running serial drama about working class life in the fictional London borough of Walford. She was played by actress Wendy Richard between 1985 and 2006. Pauline was created by scriptwriter Tony Holland and producer...
, Peggy Mitchell
Peggy Mitchell
Margaret Ann "Peggy" Mitchell is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders. Peggy was initially played by Jo Warne when she first appeared on 30 April 1991, featuring in the series on a recurring basis over several weeks. Peggy was reintroduced in 1994, recast and was then played by...
, or Rosa di Marco
Rosa di Marco
Rosa di Marco is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders, played by Louise Jameson. She is the mother of Beppe , Gianni , Teresa and Nicky di Marco .-Storylines:...
, who primarily saw themselves as mothers and were cast in that mould. Hence, whilst Angie expressed regret over Sharon’s predicament – being caught between warring parents – she was not above using Sharon to score points against her husband. Similarly, although Chrissie had come to love her stepchildren, as she declared during their Christmas meal in 2004, and sympathised with the difficulties they had with their father, she could also use them in her schemes against Den, particularly his princess, Sharon. Speaking of Den's first wife, the show's creators wrote that she saw Sharon "as something of a rival", a sentiment that became even more pronounced for Den's second wife.
Rather, the two Mrs Watts were highly individual and volatile figures, dominated by their relationship to Den. Angie’s need to be loved by Den often led her to extreme action, at one time attempting to commit suicide and later pretending to have cancer. In trying to play games with Den, as he did with her, she failed, ultimately leading her to take solace in drink. Angie did manage to get some revenge on Den during the year of their separation, where Angie's absence from the Vic caused business to struggle for Den with lack of customer support. But years of alcohol abuse got the better of her by the end and she nearly died in 1988 as a result of kidney failure. Despite his ill treatment of Angie, Den did suffer with guilt for what his actions drove his wife to do, as viewers saw when he helped a desperate Lisa Fowler
Lisa Fowler
Lisa Deborah Fowler is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders, played by Lucy Benjamin from 1998 to 2003 and in 2010. Lisa was instrumental in one of EastEnders most highly publicised and anticipated storylines, dubbed Who Shot Phil? in 2001, where she gunned down her former...
who was close to going down the same path as Angie did. It should also be noted that Den continued to carry a picture of Angie in his wallet along with one of Sharon, despite having his wallet lost before his exit in 1989. Unlike Angie, Chrissie was as intelligent and manipulative as Den, as he would come to fatally realise when she destroyed him through Sharon – his only weakness. Although Den bore affection for both Angie (as he found out when he began to miss her in 1987, calling her his 'one in a million') and Chrissie (going so far as to wanting to renew their wedding vows) it was only Sharon that he ever loved unconditionally.
Sharon
It is the relationship between Den and his "princess" that is the central dynamic of the Watts family. Even when he was out-of-the-picture, he remained a fixture in Sharon's life. Indeed, Sharon was the only person who truly viewed Den in a softened light, and certainly she did not seem to see him in the way that Angie, Chrissie or Dennis did – something which became a source of contention between Sharon and Dennis, the latter seeing more plainly the darker, manipulative side to Den.The Watts and the Vic
Inextricably linked to the Watts is the Queen Victoria pub. It is, in many ways, the family’s ancestral home and the site of their most memorable events: the place where Den and Angie raised Sharon, and to which Den returned with his second wife Chrissie. For Sharon, it was her home for the first 26 years of her life and where "her roots" lie; the place most strongly associated with her father and mother; and the place where she and Dennis lived as man and wife.For many viewers and fans, the Vic is synonymous with the Watts; in particular Den, Angie, Chrissie, and Sharon, and Den and Angie often remain its most favoured landlords. Indeed, such is the strong association between the Vic and Den that it was constantly and prematurely reported in the media of his imminent return to ownership, and upon his death he vowed: “You’ll never get me out of the Vic!” With the exception of Vicki, all the Watts have served behind the bar of the Vic, with Den, Angie, Sharon, and Chrissie all at one time or another landlords of the pub.
The link between the Watts and the Vic is reinforced by the fact that only two other families have owned the pub in EastEnders 25 year history, and that the Watts have secured possession on three separate occasions (Sharon in 1991, 2001, and Den and Chrissie in 2004) in addition to their original run in-charge (1985–88).
The Watts verses the Mitchells
One of the most prominent aspects of EastEnders over the years has been the conflict between the show's two greatest families: the Watts and MitchellsMitchell family
The Mitchell family is a fictional family in the BBC soap opera EastEnders. The first Mitchell nuclear family introduced were Eric Mitchell's widow Peggy Mitchell and her three children, Phil, Grant and Sam...
, even becoming the subject of a special EastEnders Revealed, entitled "Blood Feud: The Watts vs. The Mitchells". The familial contention is rooted in Sharon’s tempestuous relationship with the Mitchell brothers Grant
Grant Mitchell (EastEnders)
Grant Anthony Mitchell is a fictional character from the British soap opera EastEnders, played by Ross Kemp. Grant first appeared in 1990, introduced by producer Michael Ferguson to revamp the show. Kemp remained until 1999 when he opted to leave...
and Phil
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...
, which began after Den’s disappearance and the departure of Angie. After the breakdown of her marriage to Grant, Sharon’s position became untenable: Grant was capable of violence towards her, and his loud-mouth mother Peggy
Peggy Mitchell
Margaret Ann "Peggy" Mitchell is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders. Peggy was initially played by Jo Warne when she first appeared on 30 April 1991, featuring in the series on a recurring basis over several weeks. Peggy was reintroduced in 1994, recast and was then played by...
was constantly hounding her. The last of the Watts left in 1995, and the Mitchells took over the Vic.
However, the importance of the Vic to the Watts became obvious when Sharon returned to lay claim to the pub after a 6 year absence. Indeed, the Vic was to become a central battlefield in the war between the contending families: the returning Watts seeking to reclaim what now belonged to the Mitchells. Even when Sharon was forced out of the pub, the rivalry with Phil, Peggy, and Sam Mitchell
Sam Mitchell (EastEnders)
Samantha Margaret Priscilla "Sam" Mitchell is a fictional character from the BBC One soap opera EastEnders. The third member of the Mitchell family to be introduced, Sam entered as a 15-year-old school girl in July 1990, played by Danniella Westbrook. Westbrook quit in 1993, but was reintroduced...
heated up with the appearance of Sharon’s half-sister Vicki and Den’s long-lost son, Dennis, who particularly clashed against Phil Mitchell.
The return of Den (after 14 years) took the conflict between the two families to another level. Den threatened Phil’s position as top dog and quickly became Phil's "arch enemy", whilst Den developed a hatred for Phil upon learning of the rivalry between Dennis and Phil, and of the way the Mitchells had treated his “princess”, Sharon. In 2003, Den successfully framed Phil for armed robbery, enabling Lisa Fowler
Lisa Fowler
Lisa Deborah Fowler is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders, played by Lucy Benjamin from 1998 to 2003 and in 2010. Lisa was instrumental in one of EastEnders most highly publicised and anticipated storylines, dubbed Who Shot Phil? in 2001, where she gunned down her former...
, the estranged mother of Phil's daughter, Louise, to flee the country with their child.
Soon after, Den was joined by his second wife Chrissie, and the pair proceeded to bring down the whole Mitchell financial empire, bankrupting the family in a scam and retaking control of the Vic. In an episode airing soon after Den's death, Sam confronted Chrissie claiming that "the Mitchell name should be above the [Vic] door; you know it and I know it!" to which Chrissie replied: "Not while I've got breath in my body", chucking Sam out of the pub and firing her.
However, with the Mitchells vanquished the Watts soon imploded; and Sharon was (at least for the time being) reconciled with Phil and Peggy, and the Vic returned to them. However, Sharon has yet to learn of Phil’s role in Dennis death and Chrissie’s own enmity towards the Mitchells may yet see the feud return.
It is interesting to note, though, that neither the Watts nor the Mitchells have ever been in strength at the same time; no Mitchell ever met Angie, and Peggy and Grant Mitchell never met Den. Of the Watts, only Dennis, Sharon, and Chrissie met all members of the original Mitchell family.
Other EastEnders families and the Watts
The Watts are closely connected to the Fowlers. The Fowler family was a second home for Sharon growing up, her best friend being Michelle FowlerMichelle Fowler
Michelle Fowler is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders, played by actress Susan Tully.Although she was one of the brighter people in Walford, that didn't stop Michelle making some huge mistakes during her time in Albert Square...
. Indeed, the connection between the two families resulted in the affair between Den and Michelle, which in turn produced Vicki Fowler. Later, Pauline Fowler
Pauline Fowler
Pauline Fowler is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders, a long-running serial drama about working class life in the fictional London borough of Walford. She was played by actress Wendy Richard between 1985 and 2006. Pauline was created by scriptwriter Tony Holland and producer...
and Chrissie bonded (to an extent) over their desire to look out for Vicki, and indeed Chrissie would do Pauline the honour of killing Den with her doorstop.
The Watts are also strongly connected to the other founding family of EastEnders, the Beales. Den and Pete Beale
Pete Beale
Peter "Pete" Beale is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders, played by Peter Dean. He made his first appearance in the programme's first episode, on 19 February 1985. The character was created by Tony Holland, one of the creators of EasEnders; he was based on a member of...
were best friends, as were Angie and Kathy, while Sharon grew up alongside their son 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...
.
Aside from the Fowlers, Beales, and later the Mitchells, the Watts have remarkably few connections to other families in EastEnders, and no firm links with the remaining two great families: the Butchers and Slaters. Though, in regards to the former, Den was close friends with Pat Butcher and Den was one of the many potential fathers to Pat's son, Simon Wicks
Simon Wicks
Simon "Wicksy" Wicks is a fictional character from the British BBC soap opera EastEnders, played by Nick Berry between 1985 and 1990. Wicksy was introduced to take on some of the more adult storylines that had been scripted for another character, Mark Fowler; Mark's actor David Scarboro had left...
.
This is largely because of the remarkable insularity of the Watts family, which has all-but entered the realms of incest. There are only 7 members (6 when not including Vicki Fowler), in contrast to the dozens of Slaters and Mitchells; even the Beales, who were originally a small nuclear family like the Watts (Pete, Kathy, Ian) have expanded over time. Indeed, Ian and Sharon occupied similar familial positions when the show began, and both have gone on to numerous romances and marriages; yet Sharon was thought unable to conceive, ultimately having only one child, whereas Ian produced three, even raising a fourth.
Of the show's main families, the Watts have strong ties to the Beales, Fowlers, and Mitchells, and interacted with the Wicks family, Slater family, Moon family, and Miller family.
There have been no Watts in EastEnders since 13 January 2006, and of the family only four remain alive: Sharon, Chrissie, Vicki and Dennis Jr.
Reception
Throughout their years on-screen, the Watts have been one of EastEnders most tried and tested sources of drama and tragedy. Indeed, many of the biggest and most significant storylines produced by show have focused around them: Den and Angie’s tempestuous relationship; Sharon’s affair with Phil Mitchell and later her illicit love for Dennis; and Chrissie’s manipulation and scheming are all high-points of the programme's history. Similarly, the Watts have produced many of EastEnders most memorable moments, including Den divorcing Angie, the returns of Sharon and Den, and Chrissie killing Den. Although largely few in number, they are among the most iconic figures of the show, and are responsible for its biggest ratings.When EastEnders began in 1985, the soap focused primarily around the affairs of three families: the Beales, Fowlers, and Watts. However, much of the show’s early success stemmed from the drama surrounding the Watts, (especially the antics of Den), who as owners of the Queen Vic pub (the show’s most prominent set) were usually in the limelight. This prominence, at a time when EastEnders was at its most prolific in terms of both the media and audience, meant the Watts became perhaps EastEnders most eminent family and the characters known even to those who did not watch the show. Such was their success that producers went ahead with an experimental episode format centring around just Den and Angie, during which Angie lied about having cancer; so successful was the airing that it has since been repeated, and the format expanded to include "three" and "four-handers" (between 3 and 4 characters). Such episodes are highly prestigious and feature only the most popular and prominent characters in the show; thus, all the Watts, aside from Vicki, have featured in such episodes.
The 1986 Christmas Day episode during which Den delivered Angie divorce papers is the highest rated airing of any British soap in television history. Den and Angie became perennial favourites of audiences, with many fearing EastEnders would not survive their departures. However, the popularity of their daughter, Sharon, helped to ease the transition to the Watts-less era of the show when her involvement in a love-triangle with the Mitchell brothers became must-see TV. As The Guardian
The Guardian
The Guardian, formerly known as The Manchester Guardian , is a British national daily newspaper in the Berliner format...
media critic mused six years later:
The return of Sharon six years later in 2001 became a seminal moment for the show, eclipsed only by the intense media scrutiny surrounding Den’s return two years later. Den's return provided EastEnders with a ratings boost, attracting a 'whooping' 62% of the television audience. Indeed, such was the lure of the Watts, over 17 million people tuned in two years later to see Chrissie finally put an end to Dirty Den's philandering ways. The storyline of Den's death and the scheming aftermath of Chrissie dominated the show for 2005, being popular among viewers, and winning best soap storyline and ensured the show won Best Soap at the Inside Soap Awards
Inside Soap Awards
The Inside Soap Awards is a yearly award ceremony run by Inside Soap magazine since 1996. The awards celebrate the British and Australian soap operas and their actors. Until 2007, EastEnders had won the award for "Best Soap" on every occasion...
.
However, the Watts family have also received criticism from the press and viewers. In particular, although Den's return was meant to crystallise the return of the Watts family, many felt his re-introduction affected credibility, with 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...
, executive producer of EastEnders after the Watts had left, saying that it "damaged the show". Grantham's off-air antics also affected the soap's profile, with tabloids like The Daily Mirror predicting the end of the show and blaming Den's return for its demise. Many in the media were also critical of Mal Young, who was a strong supporter of the Watts family, arguing his overly-melodramatic and popularising tastes alienated viewers and especially the media. The sensationalist relationship between Sharon and Dennis was seen to epitomise the tone of the show at the time.
The Watts Timeline
(italics = not shown in the show)- 1968 – Den and Angie marry.
- 1969 – Sharon born; adopted 3 years later by Den and Angie.
- 1974 – Dennis born after an affair between Den and Paula Rickman.
- 1975 – Den and Angie move into the Vic.
- 1985 – Den revealed as father of Michelle Fowler's baby.
- 1986 – Jan Hammond, Den's long-term mistress, comes to Walford; Angie tells Den she has cancer.
- 1987 – Den and Angie divorce.
- 1988 – Angie departs Walford, never to return; Den sells the Queen Vic; Den burns down the Dagmar pub to avenge the rape of Kathy Beale; he becomes involved with a criminal organisation known as “The Firm” and is later jailed after turning himself in.
- 1989 – Den shot, presumed dead, but flees the country.
- 1990 – Sharon locates her biological mother, A body believed to be Den's is found and buried
- 1991 – The Vic returns to the Watts family when Sharon becomes licensee; she marries Grant Mitchell.
- 1994 – Sharon's affair with Phil Mitchell is exposed.
- 1995 – Sharon leaves the Square; there are no more Watts in Walford until 2001.
- 1996 – Den meets Chrissie in Spain; they open a bar.
- 1999 – Den and Chrissie marry.
- 2001 – Sharon returns to Walford to reclaim the Vic.
- 2002 – Angie dies in America; Sharon sells the Vic and buys the E20 club; her fiancé Tom Banks, is killed in a house fire.
- 2003 – Vicki Fowler appears in Walford; Dennis Rickman, Den's unknown son, is discovered and comes to live in Walford; Sharon and Dennis begin a relationship; Den returns after a 14 year absence; Den and Dennis frame Phil Mitchell for robbery.
- 2004 – Den begins an affair with Kate Mitchell; Chrissie comes to Walford; Den and Chrissie destroy the Mitchell “empire” and reclaim the Vic; Sharon and Vicki leave the Square after a confrontation with Den.
- 2005 – Den has an affair with Zoe Slater which is uncovered by Dennis who leaves the Square; Chrissie learns of the affair and kills Den in a rage; she frames Sam Mitchell for murder; Sharon and Dennis return to Walford and marry; Chrissie confesses to Den's death; Dennis is murdered.
- 2006 – Sharon leaves Walford. Dennis Rickman Jr born.