Therefore, to celebrate it's 40th birthday later this month, I have decided to rank 40 of the show's (in my opinion) best characters. From Camp Villain's to iconic Matriarch's this article has covered them all. So, it's time to whack on a pair of slip on shoes, call a black cab and while you're at it "Get out of my Pub" (after you have given this a read of course).
40. Babe Smith
Aunt Babe was probably the most successful villain in the show’s history. She never died, never went to prison but instead cursed her family, a curse that still is still tearing the Carter clan apart to this day.
39. Cora Cross
An underrated matriarch in my opinion. Fiercely passionate and pure old school cool.
38. Annie Palmer
A forgotten character who I can’t think about without thinking of what could have been , played by Nadia Sawalha (yes the same one from Loose Women)! She was a trail-blazing femme fatale who should have been a legacy character. I’d love to see her return one day.
37. Stella Crawford
The sweet but psycho Stella was going to marry Phil Mitchell but ended up burning his son Ben with teaspoons before falling to her death in a scene that felt like a Kate Bush music video.
36. Ruby Allen
“I’m Johnny Allen’s daughter and none of youse can touch me”. Spoilt yet tragic Daddy’s girl who has turned into one of the shows most complex female characters to date.
35. Zoe Slater
“You ain’t my muvva”. Probably one of the most famous lines in EastEnders history that has been quoted across playgrounds for years, delivered by Zoe Slater as she found her sister was in fact her mum. She also helped bump off Dirty Den- it’s time she came home!
34. Sam Mitchell
The little sister of Grant and Phil Mitchell. Although I prefer Kim Medcalf both her and Danniella Westbrook have done a fantastic job when playing this role albeit their portrayals are slightly different. I think she needs to be invested in as a legacy character and could go down in the history books with Medcalf at the helm.
33. Michelle Fowler
The recast was an awful decision and completely ruined a legacy character. Susan Tully’s Michelle was an original character, best mates with our Shazza who after having a baby with Sharon’s Dad and ex-husband moved to America to be an English Teacher- her story should have ended there!
32. Zainab Masood
Another complex matriarch. She was all about pride and family but really just loved her children. Her domestic violence storyline was some of the most compelling storytelling ever to be seen on British Soap and was criminally overlooked.
31. Michael Moon
He was a cruel, cruel man who met his match with Janine. They were probably one of the most toxic couple’s ever to grace Walford. Michael deserved his grisly fate.
30. Denise Fox
Our D really has been through hell. Married a monster, then a serial killer who faked her own death for her, before coming back to life and sitting an English GCSE. In recent times she was involved in covering up a murder and had a psychotic episode. P.s. I’m voting Ravi, she needs a bit of fun.
29. Lisa Fowler
She shot Phil Mitchell, married a Fowler and then disappeared to Portugal before coming back and forth to Walford in between her visits to numerous psychiatric wards. I loved her friendship with Mel.
28. Roxy Mitchell
I don’t miss her as much as Ronnie but I still think you can’t have one without the other. A great character, who also should never have been killed off. Bring her back too!
27. David Wicks
He slept with our Cindy who was married to his half-brother Ian but he was a good dad to Bianca. I really loved their relationship and think he is a fabulous, stylish wheeler dealer.
26. Max Branning
Yes he has slept with many, many, many women but he is a good man deep down. So complex and a character I thought was criminally overrated until his return storyline back in 2017- it’s well worth a watch or re-watch.
25. Archie Mitchell
An evil old man played incredibly by Mick Shipman from Gavin & Stacey aka Larry Lamb. He ruined his daughter Ronnie and had an 18 month reign of terror over Walford before being bludgeoned to death by Stacey with the Queen Vic bust.
24. Sonia Fowler
Our Son. She plays the trumpet, is a nurse and manages to quote Dot every episode. Queen. I love her, she has become a national institution and I Natalie Cassidy for bringing her to us- gutted she’s leaving.
23. Dot Cotton
Chain-smoking and bible-loving Dot was a staple of the show for years. A true matriarch of the show. June Brown created such an icon with Dot who again the whole country knew, whether they watched the show or not. RIP June Brown is all I have left to say.
22. Mel Owen
Another iconic female character who should never have been killed off in such a stupid way. Initially a sweet girl who was left no choice but to turn bad girl. She was part of such an important era for the show during her initial stint, one that will always be remembered, making her a legacy character. I loved her friendship with Lisa.
21. Carol Jackson
Just the thought of this woman gives me literal anxiety but I still love her. A fiercely protective mother. Lindsay Coulson is one of this country’s finest acting talent’s.
20. Bianca Jackson
“Rickayyyyyyyy!!!!”
19. Pat Butcher
Pat went from most hated to most loved. She stuck around for 26 years and is a character engrained in the show’s history forever for that reason alone.
18. Mick Carter
I love Danny Dyer so I’m biased here but Mick was such a great addition to the show. As Peggy would say he was “real East End, proper”. A perfect landlord for the Queen Vic and him and Linda really were couple goals.
17. Linda Carter
We are so lucky to still have her. A character who has changed so much since her arrival. An incredible actress and an incredible legacy character right here. EastEnders need to treasure her and keep her heart and centre of the show for as long as they possibly can.
16. Ian Beale
A Pratt. However, he’s been there since the start so we kinda have to love him.
15. Tiffany Mitchell
The Princess Diana of Walford. Albert Square’s tragic rose. I loved Tiffany and miss her dearly, she was part of EastEnders at such a crucial and incredible time in its history where it was getting up to 20 million viewers and therefore will always be remembered. I also think she was Grant’s true love but that’s another story.
14. Shirley Carter
Enough time has passed. We need, need her back. That’s it. That’s all I’m saying.
13. Suki Panesar
From lying about cancer to coming out in her late fifties and marrying the woman of her dreams, Suki is one of the best examples of character development in contemporary telly. A modern legacy and legendary character.
12. Grant Mitchell
I do prefer Phil but Grant is still a legend. I can’t wait for his comeback. P.s. Grant and Tiffany endgame!
11. Sharon Watts
The definition of camp. We love you Shazza.
10. Kathy Beale
The OG Mother.
9. Kat Slater
“YES I AMMMMM!!!” Everyone knows why she’s in the top 10, no explanation is required.
8. Peggy Mitchell
The Queen of the Vic.
7. Den Watts
The OG Landlord of the Queen Vic. Cruel husband to Angie, Womanising Gangster Den got his teenage daughter’s best friend pregnant, had multiple affairs, died, came back from the dead and died again. King.
6. Phil Mitchell
Ask anyone to name an EastEnders character and they will say Phil Mitchell. The Hardman with a heart of pure gold deep down. The best drunk actor in the business- Steve McFadden is a gem.
5. Stacey Slater
Our Stace has been through it all to be honest and she’s still standing! From Bi Polar to murder to owning Stacey’s Baps. She’s ranked so highly because Lacey Turner’s devotion to this show is insane she could have been a Hollywood starlet but instead has dedicated her life to Walford- as she should.
4. Janine Butcher
The ultimate soap bitch. She’s got away with murder more times than many in soap land and leaves trails of devastation and destruction everywhere she goes. Iconic.
3. Cindy Beale
Now, the producers obviously did regret killing our Cindy off because they actually did bring her back from the dead. Our Camp Queen, the Tart with a heart who tried to kill her own husband so she could do a runner with his brother, in more recent years she has had an affair with her stepson and got her pregnant daughter-in-law hooked on morphine. It’s a pleasure to have her front and centre of the show again.
2. Ronnie Mitchell
Another character who should NEVER have been killed off. One of the most complex characters ever to grace Albert Square. Missing you forever, Veronica. P.s. Bring her back- it’s time and I DO NOT care how ridiculous the storyline is.
1. Angie Watts
The OG Landlady of the Queen Vic. A true queen, if she wasn’t hitting the infamous Dirty Den, she was hitting the bottle. Killing her off was another painful mistake! She’s top of the list for so many reasons but the main one being she epitomised what EastEnders was all about during the show’s inception and still does epitomise for me what EastEnders at its core is all about- Complex, Camp and Chaotic characters grounded in realism and humour.
