Jim Branning

Family

Family	Branning family
Wives	Reenie Branning (?–1999) Dot Cotton (2002—)
Sons	Derek Branning Max Branning Jack Branning
Daughters	April Branning Carol Jackson Suzy Branning
Grandsons	Robbie Jackson Billy Jackson Bradley Branning Oscar Branning
Granddaughters	Bianca Jackson Sonia Fowler Lauren Branning Abi Branning Penny Branning
Great grandsons	Liam Butcher Morgan Jackson-King
Great granddaughters	Natasha Butcher Tiffany Dean Rebecca Miller
Nephews	Gordon Branning

James Archibald "Jim" Branning is a fictional character in the popular BBC soap opera EastEnders. He is played by John Bardon, and first appeared on 29 April 1996, becoming a regular character in 1999.

Jim was written out of the show in August 2007 due to Bardon suffering a stroke. A storyline was created that Jim also suffered a stroke. It was reported on 10 March 2008 that Bardon would be returning to the role of Jim in Summer 2008.^[1]

[edit] History

Jim made his first appearance in 1996 when his daughter April was supposed to marry her fiancé Nikos. When Nikos jilted April at the altar, Jim's other daughter, Carol, and her boyfriend, Alan Jackson, decided to marry instead. Jim, who was once prejudiced, hated the fact that Carol was marrying a black man. He stormed out and refused to give her away at the wedding (despite being overtly racist initially, these hostile feelings have now mellowed, as shown through his close friendship with the Trinidadian shopkeeper, Patrick Trueman). Once spoke of his earlier years as an amateur boxer under the nickname 'Basher' Branning whilst trying to win over Dot's heart.

Jim and Dot.

Jim reappeared on 21 June 1999, when Carol, her children Robbie, Sonia and Bianca, along with Bianca's husband Ricky and Carol's new flame, Dan Sullivan visited him in Southend.

Later that year, Jim came to look after his grandchildren in Walford following the death of his wife Reenie. Jim's first marriage to Reenie was, according to Jim, a loveless union, so following her death it didn't take Jim long to chase after an eligible widow on the Square, Dot Cotton. After much chasing, she eventually became his second wife, marrying him on Valentines Day 2002. After a mishap with viagra, Dot decided that sex wasn't 'on the menu' and their love remains purely platonic. They often moan about each other, but they still care for each other.

Jim works as a potman, collecting glasses in the Queen Victoria pub, and is prone to helping himself to a free drink when his employer's back is turned. He likes to gamble (Dot despairs over this), usually in the company of Patrick Trueman.

Jim's grandson Bradley came to live with him in Albert Square in 2006, and he was also shocked and appalled to find out that his married granddaughter, Sonia, embarked on a lesbian affair with Naomi Julien. He refused to talk to Sonia in the wake of this, and her actions brought some of his old prejudices to the surface again. After having a heart-to-heart with Sonia, Jim decided to support her in whatever she did.

Dot was angry with Jim when he discovered that her son, Nick, was ill with throat cancer and kept it from her. Jim didn't want to worry Dot, but when she found out from Stacey Slater, she was livid. She refused to talk to him, but as she got on the bus to visit Nick, he went and sat with her for the journey. He stayed with her while she settled, and then returned to Walford.

When Jim's son Max arrived in Walford, Jim showed a lot of animosity towards him. He threw Bradley out of his house when he took his father's advice and reported a bully at work, but later allowed Bradley to move back in.

Jim was excited when Patrick's friend Cedric was due to visit, and Patrick told him that Cedric was a 'party animal'. When Cedric and his wife Joy arrived, Cedric had turned into a frail old man, and declined any offer Patrick made to have fun. Jim was disappointed and fell asleep, while Cedric told Patrick that he was dying. When Jim awoke, Cedric and Joy were gone, and Jim told Patrick of his disappointment. Patrick was upset and threw Jim out of his house.

On 26 January 2007, Jim and his great granddaughter Rebecca Miller went to get Dot from the Fowlers' house and saw Dot trying to open the bedroom window. Jim hurriedly ran into the house and went upstairs and saw Joe Macer with Dot. She tried to tell Jim that he was the person who caused the death of his wife Pauline but Joe tried to stop her from talking. Jim stuggled to get Dot free, pushing Joe out the way. Joe fell out of the window onto a market stall. Jim and Dot looked out the window and saw him dead on the ground. On 29 January 2007, Joe's death was published in the Walford Gazette, which revealed the verdict was accidental death. In April 2007 he had an argument with Dot after she took in an illegal immigrant, Anya, whose baby, Tomas, they had found at a church. He went to a club in search of her and found out that she was in fact a prostitute (thus sparking the argument wih Dot). He later reported Anya to immigration. When the immigration officers came to collect Anya he ended up helping Dot get her to the church for sanctuary and after a heart to heart with Jim in the church Anya gave herself up to the officers. Before she came out into the open, Anya made Jim promise he and Dot would look after Tomas, which he agreed to. Tanya doesn't speak to Jim because of his past.

On August 9, 2007, Dot revealed Jim had gone to stay with Carol after she had taken ill (This was written to cover John Bardon's absence due to his real-life illness).

On October 25, 2007, Tanya took a call from Carol, who informed her that Jim had suffered a stroke. In January 2008, Dot asked Jim's family and friends to record messages for him on tape, and in her own message, she told him she could not take care of him and he would be admitted to a nursing home.