Who is David Wicks in EastEnders? BBC soap legend Michael French reprises role in epic return

Bianca Jackson got the shock of a lifetime during this Thursday's instalment of EastEnders as she was confronted by her father, David Wicks

David Wicks has returned to Albert Square in Bianca Jackson's hour of need, but how long will he stay and will she accept his help?

Bianca, portrayed by Patsy Palmer, is desperate to free her sister Sonia Fowler from prison, as the beloved nurse was framed for Debbie's murder by her own fiance.

But while she's adamant on Reiss being the real culprit, many in Albert Square believe she is spiralling out of control and one notable resident, Kat Slater (Jessie Wallace), has begged her to get help for her depression.

However, this Thursday (October 3, 2024), Bianca was confronted by another concerned Walford resident in the cafe as Freddie Slater (Bobby Brazier) gave her his own diagnosis, based on his own experience, as he told her she may be struggling with ADHD. But this wasn't enough for Bianca to acknowledge she needed help.

As the instalment of the BBC One show drew to a close, Bianca drowned her sorrows at the Queen Vic before getting the boot from landlord George Knight (Colin Salmon). Though Junior (Micah Balfour) tried to help her, it wasn't long before Bianca ended up in a pile of bin bags as David Wicks spotted her for the first time in years.

Long-time viewers of the London-based programme will remember that David Wicks is the son of Pat Evans and Pete Beale, who split up when he and his half-brother Simon Wicks were children. When Pat remarried to Brian Wicks, David was adopted by the latter and he has been carrying his name ever since.

David Wicks has had multiple stints in Walford as he first appeared in 1993 before leaving the Square three years later. He then returned in 2012, leaving that same year. The soap legend was then seen again from 2013 to 2014, but he has remained away from Walford for the past decade.

Before he was ever known to anybody in Walford, David shared a bond with Carol Branning during his adolescence. After a one-night stand, Carol became pregnant, prompting David and the Branning family to urge to have an abortion.

David was beaten up by Carol's brother Derek Branning as a result and, due to the lad's aggression, the Wicks were forced to leave Walford behind and David never knew if Carol went through the abortion or not. Neglected by his mother and abused by his violent stepfather, David found comfort in the arms of his next girlfriend Lorraine Foster and the pair tied the knot.

Shortly after the nuptials, Lorraine gave birth to a son, Joe Wicks, and he was followed by a daughter named Karen, two years later. Unfortunately, 19-year-old David wasn't pleased with his life, believing he had been tied down too young. After several affairs, David walked out on his wife and children in 1988, and lost all contact with them.

During his first stint in the Square, David bumped into his old girlfriend Carol after finding out she had moved back with her four children and he began to fall for her oldest daughter, Bianca, completely unaware he was her father. Carol, spotting him lurking around her, immediately spilled the beans and David agreed to keep his distance from her, much to the young girl's chagrin. Her paternity was revealed in explosive scenes aired in March, 1995.

Years later, David went on to betray his own half-brother Ian Beale (Adam Woodyatt) by sleeping with his wife Cindy (Michelle Collins) and the affair have devastating consequences for the villainess, who quickly plotted to run away with him and have Ian murdered.

David's fickle nature struck again as, ahead of their departure, he dumped Cindy at Waterloo station, backing out of their plan at the last minute. Betrayed and let down by her lover, Cindy's horror turned to dread and despair as she was arrested for conspiracy to murder after hiring a hitman to eliminate Ian.

While Cindy supposed died and was thrown into the witness protection scheme with a new identity, David's life continued in Milan until his return in 2012 to visit his mother. Unbeknownst to him at the time, Pat was suffering from pancreatic cancer. During this second stint, David Wicks had to dodge Derek Branning's attacks as he tried to settle an old score. Pat eventually died in David's arms, and he left shortly after for New Zealand in a bid to get away from Derek.

Since then, David tried to patch things up with Carol in 2013 but the pair agreed to put an end to their on-off connection for good and, after a minor heart attack, he left Walford for America a year later. David was last mentioned in May, 2024, when Bianca herself walked back into the Square, claiming she hadn't spoken to her father in years. Will they finally get along?

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