Kelvin Carpenter - Storylines

Storylines

Kelvin lives on the Square with his Trinidadian father, Tony (Oscar James). Kelvin's parents' marriage had ended in separation, and he had opted to stay living with his father, whilst his sister Cassie (Delanie Forbes) lived away from Walford with his mother Hannah (Sally Sagoe). His family are reunited later that year when Hannah arrives on their doorstep with the news that her current boyfriend had been beating both her and Cassie. Hannah had always looked down on Tony's way of life and although they try to make their marriage work for a second time, they bicker regularly, so Kelvin is often forced to take on the role of mediator.

Kelvin spends most of his spare time with the other youngsters of Albert Square: Ian Beale (Adam Woodyatt), Sharon Watts (Letitia Dean) and Michelle Fowler (Susan Tully). Sharon and Michelle are both attracted to Kelvin and they spent most of 1985 fighting for his affections. Kelvin has flings with both of them, which leads to more fighting between the pair, but in the end Kelvin decides to jilt them both in order to concentrate on his exams. Kelvin and Ian then compete with each other for the attentions of Mary Smith (Linda Davidson), who briefly drops her punk image. However, she is interested in neither. Later that year, Kelvin starts a knitting business with Ian and Lofty Holloway (Tom Watt), which is named 'Loftelian' (a portmanteau of the three owners' names). Despite a huge effort from all involved, the business is doomed from the start and doesn't last long.

During the latter part of 1986, Kelvin attends college and makes some new friends, including Harry Reynolds (Gareth Potter) and Tessa Parker (Josephine Melville), Kelvin then has a relationship with Tessa. Kelvin's new friends have radical political beliefs and their influence seems to have an effect on the way Kelvin views life too. He begins to move away from his old friends and none view the changes in him favourably. It takes an argument with his ex-girlfriend Michelle, to make him see the error of his ways. Soon after Kelvin is instrumental in starting a band with the other Walford youths, including Ian, Sharon, Simon Wicks (Nick Berry), Harry Reynolds and Eddie Hunter (Simon Henderson). Tessa wants to join the band too, but is refused membership on the grounds that she is an awful musician - Kelvin's relationship with her ends soon after. The group name themselves The Banned and write a song entitled "Something Outta Nothing", but after a disastrous few gigs, they realise they are terrible and split up.

In 1987, Kelvin faces more family problems when his parents' ill-fated reunion finally results in divorce. In order to escape the continual rows at home, Kelvin begins spending a lot of time with Carmel Roberts (Judith Jacob) and eventually the two begin a relationship, much to his parent's dismay. Carmel is a health visitor who is considerably older than Kelvin (who has just turned 17). Kelvin later moves in with Carmel, however, their age difference soon begins to take its toll on Carmel. She quickly grows tired of Kelvin's immature behaviour and soon throws her toyboy out, right after she publicly dumps him in The Vic. Kelvin then makes a play for Ian's girlfriend, Tina Hopkins (Eleanor Rhodes), but she shuns his advances.

With nothing left in Walford to hold him back, Kelvin decides to leave for Norwich university in September 1987, to take a course in computer studies. His friends throw a leaving party for him, but Kelvin decides to shun the party 'as he hates goodbyes'. He departs Walford without a farewell from anyone.

Kelvin has since been mentioned a few times on-screen. The first is when he and his father Tony had sent some flowers for Pete Beale's funeral in 1993. The second is on 29 March 2007, when Ian Beale mentions Kelvin in a conversation with half brother Ben (Charlie Jones). In 2010, Ian finds him on a social networking website and Kelvin tells Ian that he is now a songwriter with a model girlfriend, living in Shoreditch. However, after failing to meet up with Ian, Kelvin admits that this is a lie.

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