Michelle Fowler
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| EastEnders character | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Michelle Fowler | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Portrayed by | Susan Tully | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Created by | Tony Holland | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Duration | 1985–1995 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| First appearance | 19 February 1985 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Last appearance | 26 October 1995 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Profile | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Date of birth | 30 July 1969 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Status | Married | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Home | Florida | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Michelle Fowler (previously Holloway) was a fictional character in the popular BBC soap opera EastEnders. She was 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. Michelle had a habit of choosing the wrong men and her stubborn nature meant that she rarely accepted anyone's help or listened to good advice. She was tough, feisty, determined and outspoken and never afraid to defend herself or her beliefs.
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[edit] Character creation and development
Michelle Fowler was one of the original twenty-three characters invented by the creators of EastEnders, Tony Holland and Julia Smith. Michelle was a member of the first family of EastEnders, the Beales and Fowlers, and Holland took the inspiration for some of the series' earliest characters from his own London family and background. Michelle's original character outline as written by Smith and Holland appeared in an abridged form in their book, EastEnders: The Inside Story.
- "Michelle has another year of schooling...Michelle is more on the straight and narrow...Unlike her brother, she gets the things she wants, by doing part-time work. "Saturday girl" at the local hairdressers, and two late shifts a week at a hamburger place. She's into Reggae." (page 55)[1]
Holland and Smith wanted the character to be feisty and emotionally strong. They had been introduced to the young actress Susan Tully when they attended an open evening at the Anna Scher Theatre School in North London. They were extremely impressed with her acting abilities, "natural and unaffected", and they felt she displayed hidden depths of emotion inside herself. Despite their interest, both Holland and Smith were hesitant about casting her in a role because she was already widely known for playing the student Suzanne Ross in the children's television show, Grange Hill. Nevertheless she was asked to audition for the role of Michelle and was informed about the intention to make the character a pregnant school-girl. Tully liked the story and liked the fact that the character was going to keep the baby, but what interested her most was the opportunity to allow the character to grow-up on screen, something she was unable to do with her character in Grange Hill. Although Julia Smith initially feared that Tully was too well-known to play the part, they eventually decided to use this fact to their advantage. Tully had a huge following from Grange Hill and they felt that those fans would be likely to tune into EastEnders, so she was offered the part.[1]
Early on in the series, the character of Michelle became central to the programme and was the focus of a controversial storyline involving her teenage pregnancy. Press interest in the show escalated to record levels as journalists continuously tried to predict who had fathered Michelle's baby. In true whodunnit fashion, the audience had been kept in the dark as to the real identity of the father and were given teasers implicating several residents on The Square. The audience finally discovered the culprit in episode 66 of the programme, October 1985. The episode was written by series co-creator/script editor Tony Holland and directed by co-creator/producer Julia Smith, and was considered to be a landmark episode in the show's history. Four possible suspects were seen leaving the Square in the early half of the episode: Tony Carpenter, Ali Osman, Andy O'Brien and Den Watts. As Michelle waited by their rendez-vous point a car pulled up and finally the fluffy white legs of Roly the poodle bounded out of the car, and gave it all away: Den Watts was the man meeting Michelle and it was he who had fathered her baby. The rest of the episode consisted of just one long scene, where Den and Michelle discussed whether or not to keep the baby. Up to that time it was the longest scene ever done in a soap-opera, lasting fifteen minutes. For a series that in its first eight months of existence had established a reputation for being fast-moving and rapidly cut, this was a bold experiment. It relied on just the one story and two actors to hold the audience for over half an episode. Tony Holland's handling of the awkward scene between a teenage girl and the father of her best-friend is deemed as one of the highlights of EastEnders first year. The finishing touch was the use of an alternative end title music, a variation of the normal one which replaced the dramatic drum beats with a longer, gentler piano solo introduction.[2]
The following year Michelle and Lofty's church wedding was a massive target of press speculation before the episodes aired. They wanted to know two things, firstly the design of Michelle's dress, and secondly whether or not she would jilt Lofty at the altar. Anticipating a press furore, it was decided to shoot the wedding in a church in private grounds where the press would not have access.[1] However the press still turned up in large numbers, and security men had to be hired to keep cameramen away from the story action. Huge lorries were parked in front of the entrance to the church so that nothing could be seen, and the cast arrived in disguise. Finally strong lights were shone into the eyes of the journalists and photographers, making them extremely angry, and they constantly tried to gain access to the grounds by breaking the security barrier and telling the production team that they were really extras needed inside the church.[1]The entire episode was written by David Ashton, and was devoted to Lofty and Michelle's wedding day. At the time it was deemed as one of the best cliffhangers of the series, with the episode ending as the bride arrives at the church door and hesitates.[2] The birth of Michelle and Den's daughter, and Michelle and Lofty's eventual marriage helped to consolidate a fast growing audience. The young couple had come together under enormously difficult circumstances. The subsequent storylines were purposefully built to keep the audience guessing about the future of their relationship. Were they married for the wrong reasons? Would the relationship survive? and what would happen if Lofty wanted a child that was their own?[1]
Eventually Michelle did fall pregnant again, and in another controversial storyline she aborted the baby behind Lofty's back in January 1988. The episode was written by Tony McHale and ironically was screened on the same day that a private member's bill was discussed in the House of Commons, which sought to reduce the number of weeks following conception in which an abortion can be carried out.[2]
A two-hander episode in which Michelle confessed Vicki's paternity to her best friend Sharon Watts in April 1989, returned to a model established by the first Den and Angie solo episode, with revelations and major character changes to an important relationship. This episode gave Susan Tully and Letitia Dean (Sharon) the chance to demonstrate just how much they had grown up as actresses during the four years they had been in the programme, and was held in high regard by the producers, directors and writers on the show.[2]
The character went on to feature in an array of controversial storylines, such as the kidnapping of her daughter, a shooting and a brief liaison with her arch-nemesis and best-friend's husband Grant Mitchell that left her pregnant; heralding one of the soaps best kept secrets as Grant never discovered that Michelle was pregnant with his child. The character remained central to the programme for ten years and became one of the most popular characters of her time. She was eventually written out of the show in 1995 when the actress decided to move on. Susan Tully has since given up acting and taken up directing. She has made a return to the series to direct several episodes.
Below is an outline of Michelle Fowler's storylines during her time in EastEnders.
[edit] Storylines
[edit] Background
Michelle was one of the original characters of the programme, appearing for the first time in the first episode on 19 February 1985. She was the only daughter of Arthur and Pauline Fowler, and lived with her parents at 45 Albert Square along with her brother Mark and her grandmother, Lou Beale and, later, her younger brother, Martin.
Michelle was the brightest member of the Fowler family and she often acted as the voice of reason in her unruly household, particularly where her brother Mark was concerned.
Michelle was best friends with Sharon Watts, and although their friendship was severely tested at times, they remained extremely close throughout their time together in the Square.
[edit] Teenage pregnancy
Michelle spent the early part of 1985 fighting with Sharon for the affections of unlikely teenage heart-throb, Kelvin Carpenter. However, their romance fizzled out almost as quickly as it began and it wasn't long before Michelle became fascinated with the company of older men.
She was seen hanging around and having late night chats with Tony Carpenter, Ali Osman, Andy O'Brien and local publican Den Watts, so when Michelle discovered she was pregnant in September of that year, the paternity of her unborn child remained uncertain. Michelle's parents were appalled to discover that their 16-year-old daughter was expecting, and even more annoyed when Michelle refused point blank to tell anyone who the father was. Everyone in Michelle's family tried to persuade her to have an abortion, but Michelle was adamant that she wanted to keep the baby.
The following months saw continuous speculation from everyone on the Square as to who fathered Michelle's child. The 'culprit' was eventually revealed to be Den Watts, the 39-year-old married father of Michelle's best friend! She had turned to Den for sympathy during a difficult time over the summer and their cosy rendez-vous had resulted in a one-night stand, played out on the floor of The Queen Vic. During the following months, Michelle would regularly meet with Den at a nearby canal, away from the prying eyes of Walford, and Den promised to provide financial support for his unborn child and to keep its paternity a secret. They kept the secret for a year until Pauline witnessed Den handing Michelle a wad of money and correctly figured out that he was Vicki's father, sparking a never ending feud between her and Den.
[edit] Michelle and Lofty
Michelle spent the early part of 1986 struggling to come to terms with the hardships of being a pregnant teenager. Restricted from the youthful pursuits of her peers she began to get extremely depressed. In her hour of need she turned to kind-hearted barman George "Lofty" Holloway and over the subsequent months the two became extremely close. Lofty soon fell in love with Michelle, which resulted in him proposing to her and offering to bring her unborn baby up as his own. Although she initially refused him she eventually accepted and in May that year Michelle gave birth to a girl, who she named Vicki.
As their wedding day drew closer, Michelle started to have second thoughts about a life with Lofty. She had never been able to get over Den and although she liked Lofty she had never really loved him. Moments before Michelle was about to walk down the aisle, she was visited by Den and their subsequent chat was enough for Michelle to call off the wedding and she left a heart-broken Lofty jilted at the altar. However, despite causing maximum pain and embarrassment to everyone involved, it wasn't long before Michelle had a 'change of heart' and pushover Lofty whisked her away from Walford for a secret wedding.
Predictably, however, their marriage did not go smoothly. Michelle started to grow tired of motherhood and she was also growing equally tired of Lofty. Lofty's ill health meant that he couldn't hold down a well paying job and so the pair had to get by on benefits, which displeased Michelle no end. As the months wore on, Lofty became more and more interested in having a child of his own and so he began to pressurise Michelle into having another baby and to allow him to legally adopt Vicki. Michelle was adverse to both ideas, but after an ill-fated attempt to elope with Den, she consigned herself to a life of misery with Lofty and ended 1987 with an unwanted pregnancy.
Michelle confided in Pauline and told her she was uncertain whether she would keep the baby. However, Pauline sensed that the marriage was on the rocks, and in a desperate bid to keep Michelle away from Den, she broke her confidence and told Lofty about the pregnancy. Lofty was overjoyed, but Michelle was furious with her mother for telling him and after Lofty also went behind her back and told the whole of Walford about his imminent fatherhood, she retaliated by sneaking away for a private abortion (paid for by Den, who had become hell-bent on splitting Michelle and Lofty up, after discovering that Lofty wanted to adopt his child).
Lofty was devastated when he discovered the truth and many subsequent fights ensued, resulting in Lofty physically attacking Michelle in front of her family. The marriage dissolved and Lofty left Walford later that year for a job as a handyman in a children's home.
[edit] Den's disappearance
After the breakdown of her marriage Michelle got a job as a receptionist at Dr Legg's surgery and eventually moved into a flat at number 43 Albert Square, with Vicki and her best-friend, Sharon (paid for by Den).
Den had got involved with local gangsters known as The Firm, and his shady dealings had led to a spell in prison in 1988. After it became clear that the firm had no use for Den any more and wanted him dead, he made an escape from custody, but before he fled the country he set up a secret meeting with Michelle at their usual spot by the canal. This would prove to be a fatal mistake for Den, however, as Michelle was under surveillance by 'The Firm' and she was unwittingly followed to their trysting spot. At the canal, Michelle poured her heart out to Den, told him that she would wait for him to return, and that one day they would be together with Vicki as a family. They bade each other an emotional farewell, after which Den was shot by a man concealing a gun in a bunch of daffodils. Den was wounded and fell into the canal, but unknown to his attacker he was able to pull himself out of the canal, and with financial assistance from an old flame fled to Spain. Den was presumed dead by his family for 14 years, before he turned up alive in 2003 to reunite with Vicki and Sharon.
With Den presumed dead, both Michelle and Sharon were distraught and after a witness identified that Den had been seen with a mystery woman the day of his death, Sharon began to ponder who the girl might be. Upon hearing this Michelle decided to confess to Sharon that it was her at the canal and that Den was the father of her daughter. Michelle had mistakenly thought that Sharon would be comforted to know that she was, in a sense, Vicki's sister (although they weren't blood related), and that a part of Den lived on in Vicki. However, Sharon took the news badly, feeling hurt, angry and deceived. Unable to accept Michelle's explanation, Sharon eventually walked out, wishing that she had never been told. In the aftermath, Arthur also discovered the truth about Vicki's parentage — accidentally overhearing a conversation between Pauline and Michelle —and he reacted with fury. Michelle and Sharon remained at logger-heads for months, but when Vicki contracted meningitis later in the year, their shared worry brought them closer and they managed to patch up their friendship.
[edit] The latter years
In 1989 Michelle got a job as a receptionist at Julie Cooper's hair salon. She also got involved with yet another married man, the computer salesman, Danny Whiting. Danny moved in with Michelle under the pretence that his marriage was over, whilst all the time trying to get back with his wife. He even managed to persuade Michelle to move away from Walford with him, but only after his wife had rejected the same offer. After discovering his dirty tricks Michelle sent him packing.
In 1991 Michelle got a job selling time-share flats and she later moved to 55 Victoria Road to live with Rachel Kominski. Rachel was a lecturer and she persuaded Michelle to resume her studies and helped her enrol at the local University. Michelle and Rachel became inseparable , and rumours about their sexuality prompted Michelle to embark on a relationship with new Walford arrival Clyde Tavernier (a fellow single parent). Their interracial relationship was viewed with disdain by many of the residents on Albert Square, including her own father. However, Michelle had never been one to care what anyone thought of her, and it only made her more determined to stay in the relationship. Problems arose later that year, however, when Clyde was falsely accused of the murder of publican, Eddie Royle. With the police closing in, Clyde decided to take his son Kofi and flee the country and Michelle gallantly decided to take Vicki and go with him. Their get-away failed dismally, however, and Clyde was imprisoned. He was released three months later, but their relationship abruptly ended when Clyde caught Michelle in bed with one of her student friends.
As well as the endless problems in her own life, Michelle had many family troubles to contend with in the following years, including the tragic news that her brother was HIV positive, as well as her father's extramarital pursuits with Christine Hewitt.
In 1992 Michelle had a one-night-stand with another student, Jack Woodman. However, early in 1993 Michelle's dalliance with Jack came back to haunt her when he turned up on the square with the claim that they were meant to be together. His continuous advances were rejected by Michelle, after which his behaviour became more and more erratic. He convinced Pauline that he was going out with Michelle and then stole her unwashed knickers, made threatening phonecalls and even injured himself to gain her sympathy. Michelle turned to Phil Mitchell to ward him off, and after confronting his parents and finding out that he was mentally unstable, Jack disappeared. However, in March that year Michelle was shocked and devastated to learn that Vicki had been abducted from her play-group and Jack became prime suspect for her kidnapping. A national police operation eventually found Vicki in the clutches of a mad old woman named Audrey Whittingham and to everyone's relief Michelle was reunited with her daughter. After Rachel departed Walford in 1993, Michelle lived with Shelley Lewis, a student friend of hers from University.
Michelle had one clear enemy on the square, and that was Grant Mitchell, the husband of her best-friend. Michelle had always despised Grant for his bullying treatment of Sharon and the two were often at loggerheads. In 1994 Michelle was shot by Dougie Briggs, a former army pal of Grant's, who had become psychotic, attempted to assault Sharon and then held the workers of The Vic at gunpoint. Michelle survived the blast, but she began to rethink her life in Walford. In 1995 she began to make plans to move to Scotland with her middle-aged boyfriend, and former University lecturer, Geoff Barnes. The pair decided to marry, but for a second time Michelle had second thoughts and called off the relationship.
In a shock turn of events later that year, after Sharon fled in the wake of the break up of her marriage to Michelle's arch enemy Grant, a steamy argument between the two (about Grant's poor treatment of Sharon), resulted in them sleeping together in The Vic. It was soon regretted, particularly when Michelle discovered that she was pregnant as a result of the one-night stand. She only told her brother Mark the true father of the baby (hence her son being named Mark Junior), and she moved to Alabama, United States when a job was offered to her there.
In May 1996, seven months after Michelle's departure, her father Arthur died. Michelle had intended to come back for the funeral but then gave birth to a boy, who she named after her brother, Mark, and was unable to attend the funeral. Michelle has since married (her current surname is unknown), and is living happily in Florida with her husband and children Vicki and Mark Junior (who has never been seen on screen).
On 29 January 2007 it was read in her mother's will that all Pauline's life savings will go to Michelle.
[edit] Trivia
- After the actor David Scarboro (the original Mark Fowler) was written out of EastEnders for personal problems in 1985, many of the storylines intended for him were given to Michelle Fowler instead, which partially explains why her character became so prominent in the first year of the soap.
- Both of Michelle's children, Vicki and Mark, were conceived in The Queen Vic, Vicki in 1985 and Mark in 1995.
[edit] Criticism
EastEnders has been criticised for being unrealistic with regards to many subsequent storylines involving the Fowler family. Michelle has not attended the weddings of Mark, Pauline and Martin, nor the funerals of Arthur, Pauline and Mark. This is because of Susan Tully's decision to give up acting in favour of television directing, and in 2006 she turned down the latest of several offers to return — this time for Pauline's funeral. Bosses have decided against casting another actress to play the part of Michelle, as they feel that it would not be successful due to Tully being so synonymous with the character.
[edit] References
- ^ a b c d e Smith, Julia; Holland, Tony (1987). EastEnders - The Inside Story. Book Club Associates. ISBN 0-563-20601-2.
- ^ a b c d Brake, Colin (1995). EastEnders: The First 10 Years: A Celebration. BBC Books. ISBN 0-563-37057-2.
[edit] External links
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