As a long-time EastEnders fan, I must say that the return of Chrissie Watts to our beloved soap is a momentous occasion. Having grown up with her character and the tumultuous relationship between her and Sharon, it’s like reconnecting with an old friend – albeit one who’s been away for quite some time and has had a bit more prison time than we anticipated.
Following a great deal of build-up, character Chrissie Watts has reappeared on the soap opera EastEnders, having been unveiled as Sharon Watts’ (played by Letitia Dean) fellow inmate during her time in prison.
Sharon has been imprisoned for seven days due to contempt of court, and surprisingly, the murderer of her cherished father is housed in the cell right beside hers – an uncomfortable coincidence!
It’s still uncertain what unexpected events Chrissie might have planned for Sharon, as it’s been 19 long years since they last crossed paths.
Regarding Chrissie Watts’ comeback, Oberman commented: “Playing Chrissie Watts was an extraordinary experience – she was both a sympathetic figure and a complex antagonist.”
“She’s incredibly popular among fans, so when Chris Clenshaw proposed that I return to work with her and find out what she’s been up to for the past 19 years, I didn’t hesitate. The scripts are terrific, and I can hardly wait for viewers to see me bring her character back to life just as much as I am enjoying doing it myself.”
So, just who is Chrissie Watts and what happened to her in EastEnders?
Who is Chrissie Watts in EastEnders?
Chrissie Watts is the second wife, widow, and murderer of Den Watts in EastEnders.
During her time there, Chrissie played a prominent role as the proprietor of The Queen Vic pub.
The character was introduced in April 2004 and departed the soap in December 2005.
What happened to Chrissie Watts in EastEnders?
Previously, the last time we encountered Chrissie Watts was back in December 2005 when she was serving her sentence in prison. However, an unexpected comeback took place on Thursday, 5th September 2024.
In simpler terms, when we talk about Chrissie Watts, she’s the unknown second spouse of Den Watts, who had been residing with him in Spain. Unbeknownst to Chrissie, Den had a rich past that included a beloved adopted daughter named Sharon Watts (Letitia Dean) and two biological children, Dennis Rickman (Nigel Harman) and Vicki Fowler (Scarlett Alice Johnson).
In Walford, Den successfully convinced Chrissie to move there. Soon after, she developed friendships, particularly with ex-cop Kate Morton (Jill Halfpenny), and they teamed up to run a salon together. However, this friendship and her marriage crumbled when Chrissie learned that Den was having an affair with Kate. Enraged, Chrissie destroyed the salon, gave Kate a botched haircut during a session, and left Walford in a fit of anger.
Eventually, Chrissie came back because of her involvement in the salon’s business affairs. Den promised he wouldn’t deceive her anymore and joined forces with her to swindle Sam Mitchell (Kim Medcalf) and regain control of the Queen Vic pub for their family. Chrissie threatened Den that she would retaliate if he ever strayed again, and the two eventually patched things up and successfully executed their scheme, becoming the landlord and landlady of the Queen Vic pub by Christmas 2004.
Indeed, ‘Dirty’ Den Watts wasn’t loyal towards Chrissie and, fueled by his animosity towards the relationship between Sharon and Dennis, he started an affair with Dennis’s girlfriend Zoe Slater (played by Michelle Ryan). This romantic entanglement was a scheme to make Zoe truly pregnant after deceitfully convincing her that she was carrying Dennis’s baby. The false pregnancy claim had triggered the departure of both Sharon and Vicki from Walford.
When it was revealed that Den and Zoe had an affair and Zoe was carrying Den’s child, Dennis departed from Walford and informed Chrissie about the truth concerning her husband. Subsequently, Chrissie convinced Zoe to terminate the pregnancy and seemed to forgive her for her actions, placing the blame solely on Den instead.
Later, Chrissie teamed up with Zoe and Sam to seek vengeance against Den, but it was uncertain who ultimately stood a chance of acquiring The Queen Victoria pub.
During the 20th anniversary of the soap’s existence and the 37th wedding anniversary of Den with his deceased first wife, Angie Watts (Anita Dobson), they encountered Den at the pub after hours. Chrissie admitted to persuading Zoe to terminate Den’s child and sought control over the Queen Vic pub as power of attorney. Den acknowledged his mistakes, which created a divide between Chrissie and Sam when he exposed her role in swindling Sam.
In response, Chrissie unexpectedly played her winning move when Sharon stepped out from the darkness, having been covertly summoned back, and learning about her father’s wicked deeds. Sharon chose to turn away from him once more and depart from Walford. As Chrissie gloated over her retaliation against Den, he became enraged and seized her by the hair, ramming her head into a fruit machine in anger. This triggered Zoe to hit him at the back of the head with a dog-shaped doorstop that once belonged to Pauline Fowler, one of his longtime adversaries (Wendy Richard).
In a grim turn of events, Den seemed lifeless, and as Zoe and Sam departed the room, an elated Chrissie gloated about her vengeance on Den. However, to her surprise, Den regained consciousness, seized her leg, and cautioned her against trying to extricate him from the Queen Vic. This warning prompted Chrissie to lash out, striking him with the doorstep on the front of his head. The murder was covertly observed by Sam, who chose to keep this knowledge about the crime a secret.
Afterward, Chrissie made Zoe think she had murdered Den and buried him in the Queen Vic cellar, covering it with fresh cement before they left. Later, Sam tried to blackmail Chrissie by demanding the pub back, but when his demands were unmet, she confessed to Zoe. This revelation caused Zoe to leave Walford for Ibiza, although not before informing her mother Kat Moon (Jessie Wallace) of what had happened. Kat threatened Chrissie, warning her that if the murder was ever exposed, she would take revenge.
During that time, I found myself drawn into the blossoming relationship between Chrissie and Jake Moon (Joel Beckett), a connection so captivating that I found myself weaving a tale. I spread the word that Den had moved on, leaving her for another woman. When Sharon and Dennis reappeared in Walford as an engaged couple, I continued to perpetuate this story, finding it difficult to keep my secret.
On the day of Sharon and Dennis’s wedding, an inebriated Sam, who was facing difficulties, broke into the Queen Vic pub from the back door after rendering barmaid Tracey (Jane Slaughter) unconscious and unearthing a body. As Den was pronounced dead, Chrissie feigned sorrow for her husband and consoled Sharon in her distress. Sam was apprehended and admitted to the truth about the incident, but the presence of the murder weapon in her flat, along with bloodstains, linked her to the crime scene. This led to her being charged with Den’s murder. Chrissie then managed to frame Sam, convincing a young Stacey Slater (Lacey Turner) to provide a false alibi in an attempt to shield Chrissie and Zoe.
After that, I found myself deeply engrossed as the character of Sam’s mother, Peggy Mitchell (portrayed brilliantly by Barbara Windsor), made a dramatic comeback to Walford. She didn’t shy away from confronting Chrissie, even going so far as to slap her at Den’s funeral, right over his open grave. Quite a scene!
Chrissie admitted to Jake that she had committed a crime, and Jake revealed that he had seen local gangster Billy Murray (Johnny Allen) kill Michael Higgs (Andy Hunter). Following this revelation, Chrissie tried to persuade Johnny to purchase the pub from her, but Peggy advised against it. However, when Chrissie attempted to blackmail him by threatening to reveal Andy’s death, he countered by threatening her with information about Den’s demise and warned her not to make further threats.
The tense moment peaked when Sam’s siblings Phil (Steve McFadden) and Grant Mitchell (Ross Kemp) arrived back in Walford to aid Sam and protest against Chrissie. Later, Johnny discovered Chrissie talking about the murder with Jake on surveillance footage and tried to force her into a compromising situation with him. However, she refused. As Stacey discarded her alibi for Chrissie, she was interrogated by the police but released without charges, planning her escape instead. In the end, the Mitchell brothers obtained the confession and informed Sharon and Dennis of it, who were concerned about her attempting to flee the country with Jake.
While Chrissie was patiently waiting at the airport for Jake, unexpectedly Sharon appeared and attacked her. This altercation led to Chrissie being apprehended by the police for the murder of Den Watts. Later on, Chrissie struck a deal with the authorities; she would confess to the crime if they allowed her to meet with Sharon to explain her motives. The meeting transpired, but Chrissie was unable to find any empathy or understanding from Sharon.
Over time, Sam was released from confinement, however, he was accused of obstructing justice and decided to escape to Brazil before his trial.
Jake went to see Chrissie in jail and asked for her hand in marriage, but she was infuriated because he’d misused the bail money, intending to embarrass Sharon by giving evidence about Den’s character during court proceedings. However, Chrissie eventually changed her mind and admitted to murdering Den. This cleared Sam and Zoe of any involvement in Den’s death, and Chrissie was sentenced to a life term – which means she has to spend at least 15 years behind bars.
In December 2005, during their last meeting, Jake paid a visit to Chrissie who asked him to cease visiting and move on since she was now serving a life sentence in prison. Before leaving, Jake declared his love for Chrissie. Chrissie, apparently accepting her destiny, was observed returning to her cell.
What will happen when Chrissie Watts returns to EastEnders?
Currently, it’s clear that Chrissie is currently incarcerated and it’s reasonable to assume that many of her future scenes will feature Sharon Watts, who is likewise behind bars (they’re neighbors, actually).
In a recent statement, Oberman expressed that her new storyline is reminiscent of “Orange is the New Black,” with hints of “Prisoner Cell Block H” and a dash of the iconic duo Bette Davis and Joan Crawford. She added that reading the script brought back memories of Chrissie’s court case, a character fans have been eager to learn more about. Oberman went on to express her gratitude towards Tony Jordan and Sarah Phelps for creating such an intriguing character and bringing it to life through their writing.
If you believe Chrissie might have changed – beware! Over time, she’s only grown tougher, and Oberman suggests that the Mitchell family may have had an impact on her during her prison term, as she attempted to frame Sam for a crime.
Regarding her character’s plot development, Oberman hinted: “Their reunion promises an exhilarating journey as Sharon and Chrissie confront each other. They were once deeply connected, but Chrissie took a life that was dear to Sharon and deceived her about it. Their relationship was complex – marked by love, jealousy, hatred, passion, joy, and revenge. The upcoming events will likely evoke all these emotions. Will there be a resolution? That remains uncertain throughout the week, with both characters left wondering if they’ll survive and find some closure. Time will tell…”
EastEnders airs Monday to Thursday at 7:30pm on BBC One and from 6am on BBC iPlayer.
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2024-09-06 15:04