Frank Butcher - Storylines

Storylines

Frank started out as a used car-salesman. He met Pat Harris (Pam St. Clement) at Butlins in Clacton in 1958 and despite being on holiday with his girlfriend, June, he was attracted to Pat. They had an affair but June became pregnant, so he married her and broke Pat's heart. Frank and Pat met up from time to time and on each occasion the affair was rekindled, but Frank wouldn't leave June and Pat eventually married and had children of her own. Frank and June had four children, Clare in 1959, Ricky (Sid Owen) in 1973, Diane (Sophie Lawrence) in 1974 and Janine in 1983. June died of cancer in 1987, leaving Frank bereft and his children motherless.

In September 1987, Frank contacts Pat and they meet in Greenwich. Frank wants to reignite their romance and asks her to be the mother of his children but she refuses. Frank propositions Pat again in January 1988. Pat is still resistant but when Frank appears again in March, he finally convinces her to reunite. They take over tenancy at The Queen Victoria public house and in 1989, Frank goes back to his old career as a car salesman, opening a car-lot on the square. Frank and Pat marry in June 1989 in true cockney style with Pat becoming step mother to Ricky, Diane and 5-year-old Janine (Rebecca Michael), who hates Pat.

Troubled by family upsets, Frank is devastated in 1990 when his mother Mo (Edna Dore) develops dementia. Her deterioration is rapid. In a lucid moment, she writes Frank a letter asking him not to let her end up like her grandmother, who had gone senile, saying she would rather die than suffer the same fate. Frank is torn, but attempts to adhere to his mother's wish by almost smothering her with a pillow while she sleeps. However, he cannot go through with it and instead sends Mo to live with his sister, Joan, in Colchester. In 1992 Frank receives a huge tax demand, swiftly followed by a large VAT bill. This forces him to sell his B&B and the adjoining house and move his family into a small flat. Pat establishes her own cab firm, PatCabs, which starts making them some money. However, on Christmas Eve that year, Pat runs over and kills a teenage girl and is sentenced to six months in prison. Frank struggles alone and the Butchers end 1993 in financial ruin. In desperation, Frank asks Phil Mitchell (Steve McFadden) to set fire to his car-lot so he can claim on insurance in March 1994. The car-lot catches fire as agreed but, unknown to Phil and Frank, a homeless man is sleeping in one of the cars and burns to death. Frank is arrested on suspicion of manslaughter, but is later released due to lack of evidence. However, doubts remain as to whether he conspired to defraud his insurance company and an investigation takes place. Frank tries covering his tracks by claiming his accounts have burnt but Pat gives the business's books to the investigating agent. The pressure becomes too much for Frank, who is suffering severe guilt over the death of the boy. He becomes so depressed and despondent, no one can get through to him. Unable to cope, Frank leaves Walford and his family without warning in April 1994.

Pat is forced to get on with life. She begins a romance with another car-dealer Roy Evans (Tony Caunter) in 1995 and by November, they are living together. When Pat receives a letter from a psychiatric hospital saying Frank has recovered from a breakdown and wants to reunite, she tears up the letter. On Christmas day 1995, Frank arrives unannounced and is furious to discover Pat is living with Roy. Frank declares he wants his house, business and children back and refuses to leave Walford. Pat's son David Wicks (Michael French) contacts his lawyers and is relieved to discover Frank has no claim on the car-lot; however, Ricky gives his share of the business to Frank who then threatens to sell Pat's house. Roy tries scaring Frank away annd various underhand tricks are played. In a moment of remorse, Frank threatens to confess his involvement in the arson attack to the police. Pat attempts to make him reconsider and this leads to them having sex. Pat regrets her actions but Frank takes great pleasure in telling Roy. Furious, Roy threatens to leave Pat and in order to stop him, she claims Frank is lying. She convinces Frank she doesn't love him and begs him to leave. Defeated, Frank leaves Walford in March 1996, moving to Manchester.

He returns briefly in April 1997 for Ricky's wedding to Bianca Jackson (Patsy Palmer) and agin in December to console Ricky following the loss of his child. On another visit in May 1998, he becomes attracted to landlady Peggy Mitchell (Barbara Windsor) and they soon begin a relationship. Peggy asks Frank to move in with her at the Vic and they soon announce their engagement. Roy remains jealous of Frank, believing Pat has feelings for her ex-husband. When Pat turns to Frank following an argument with Roy and is seen leaving his flat, Roy and Peggy believe Frank and Pat are having an affair. Peggy calls off her engagement and Roy speeds off in his car on a suicide bid but Frank manages to convince him that his relationship with Pat is now platonic. He and Roy bond, leading Frank to admit he got a young girl named Gemma pregnant in Manchester, and had a young son, Danny, who no one else is aware of.

Peggy marries Frank in April 1999, despite opposition from her son Grant (Ross Kemp), who cannot forgive Frank for accidentally hitting and killing his wife Tiffany Mitchell (Martine McCutcheon) in a motor accident. Frank runs the Vic with Peggy but in 2000 he starts to realise he is unhappy as he still loves Pat. While the two couples holiday in Spain, Pat and Frank have sex. Their affair continues for several months and they eventually decide to elope to Manchester. They are due to leave on Guy Fawkes Night but Pat has second thoughts. It is too late however, as Peggy has already got Frank's letter of confession. Peggy shames the cheating duo by reading the letter aloud in public and then slaps both Frank and Pat. Peggy throws Frank out and he leaves Walford. Pat chases after him, shouting his name, but he does not hear and drives away, leaving her sobbing in the rain.

In January 2002, Peggy receives news Frank has died in a car crash in Spain; she travels there for his funeral. Whilst at the funeral she is stunned to see Frank in attendance. Several irate conversations reveal that Frank has faked his death to con expatriates in a property scam with his new girlfriend Krystle (Rula Lenska). Krystle in turn cons Frank, running off with his money. Despite his past actions, Peggy takes pity and gives Frank money but turns down the opportunity of resuming a relationship with him.

In December 2005, when Pat is due to give evidence at the trial of Janine (Charlie Brooks), who has been falsely accused of murdering Laura Beale (Hannah Waterman), Frank tries to get Pat to change her testimony. Pat and Frank have sex but she is angry when she realises Frank is using their relationship to manipulate her. Nevertheless, after some contemplation, Pat changes her testimony. She and Frank say an emotional farewell with Frank commenting that she will always love her. Frank tries to reunite with Janine outside the court but is saddened to discover she already fled without him and was only using him to secure her release.

On 31 March 2008, Diane and Ricky reveal that Frank has died at Diane's home in France of throat cancer. His body is brought to Walford to be cremated. Following the funeral, Frank's ashes are scattered in Albert Square's flowerbeds. A heartbroken Pat orders a commemorative plaque dedicated to Frank and has it mounted in Albert Square.