Derek Branning

Derek Branning is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders, played by Terence Beesley in 1996 and then Jamie Foreman from 2011 to 2012. Derek is the eldest child of Jim (John Bardon) and Reenie Branning (Joy Graham). He made his first appearance on 29 April 1996 for his sister April's (Debbie Arnold) wedding and departed on 30 April. The character returned as a regular on 24 November 2011 played by Foreman. In October 2012, it was announced that Foreman would be leaving EastEnders in December 2012 as part of a Christmas storyline. On 20 December, it is revealed that Derek is the person with whom Kat Moon is having an affair. He dies of a heart attack on 25 December 2012. Derek's funeral took place on 4 January 2013.

Derek is originally portrayed as racist and he was not pleased when his sister Carol (Lindsey Coulson) married Alan Jackson (Howard Antony). Upon his return, Derek was described as a "charmer" and "proper East-End". In an interview with Daybreak, Foreman said he wanted viewers to like Derek. Derek has been described as "dodgy" and a "psycho". The Guardian's Sarah Dempster said that Derek played by Foreman has the "face of a dyspeptic pug and the charm of an abandoned Threshers". Foreman confirmed that viewers could expect "danger" and "destruction" from his character as his time progresses on the show. The BBC describe Derek as "proper East End" and "old school".