Dennis Rickman has been at the centre of some of EastEnders’ most memorable storylines. From the heartbreak of losing his father to a doomed romance and his own tragic death, fans have followed his dramatic journey closely.
Now, a long-hidden secret has emerged: Dennis has a son, adding another twist to his unforgettable legacy in Walford.
When did Dennis Rickman arrive in EastEnders?
The first time we saw Dennis Rickman was at his mum’s funeral, in handcuffs, having been released from prison to say goodbye to mum Paula. At the time, Sharon had found out she had a brother somewhere, thanks to a one-night stand her womanising dad had with Paula when she was a teen.
Dennis had a troubled childhood and by the time he showed up in Albert Square, he was a troubled young man.
And he proved it when he decked Phil Mitchell shortly after he arrived! Their tussle started a rivalry that would continue until Dennis died…
Den Watts revealed as the dad of Dennis Rickman in EastEnders
Dennis worked for local crime boss Jack Dalton, who he saw as a bit of a father figure. Dennis’s stint in prison was thanks to Jack. When Dennis was released, Jack didn’t like him being independent. So he ordered Phil to kill him.
However, Dennis ended up killing Jack instead. But before he died, Jack revealed that Den – Dennis’s dad – wasn’t dead as everyone had believed.
Dennis flew to Spain, where Den was living, though he couldn’t bring himself to knock on the door. Instead he came home and told Sharon – but she wouldn’t believe him.
Dennis and his siblings
Though they shared a dad, Den, Dennis and Sharon weren’t biologically brother and sister. Sharon was his adopted sister. Vicki Fowler was his half-sister.
Dennis and Sharon – doomed romance
Dennis and Sharon fell in love. They had a passionate romance but when Den finally showed up in Albert Square, he was really unimpressed to find his two children together. He was determined to split them up, and even managed to provoke Dennis into hitting poor Sharon.
Den manipulated Dennis into thinking his feelings for Sharon were a result of his childhood abuse. The pair split up.
The Watts family
Den’s estranged wife Chrissie arrived in Albert Square, and together with Sharon, Vicki and Dennis they formed an odd sort of family.
Not least because though by this time Dennis had started a romance with Zoe Slater, he and Sharon had rekindled their romance.
Dennis loved Sharon – but stayed with Zoe
Sharon and Dennis came clean about their relationship, and announced they were going to live in America. Desperate to stop them going, Zoe announced she was pregnant. Dennis didn’t want to leave his unborn child so he stayed while Sharon left.
Zoe, though, had made it up. She was desperate to conceive to turn her lie into a truth, but Dennis wouldn’t sleep with her. So she turned to another man – Den Watts himself. In fact, Den was the one who’d suggested Zoe lie about being pregnant in the first place.
The truth came out when Dennis caught Zoe and Den in bed together.
Dennis Rickman returns with Sharon in EastEnders
When Dennis and Sharon returned, Chrissie told them Den had left her for another woman. In truth, Den was buried under the floor of the Queen Vic, after being murdered by Chrissie with some help from Zoe and Sam Mitchell.
Sam was crazed with guilt and tried to dig the body up on Dennis and Sharon’s wedding day in August 2005, in iconic EastEnders scenes!
With some help from Phil and Grant, Dennis managed to get Chrissie locked up for the killing, and she sold the pub back to the Mitchells.
Dennis’ tragic death in EastEnders
Dennis and Sharon decided to leave Walford for a new life in America. Pregnant Sharon was desperate for them to escape after gangster Johnny Allen said he wouldn’t kill Dennis if he was gone by the new year.
Sharon didn’t tell Dennis about Johnny’s threats, but she did tell Phil.
Phil – who also had beef with Johnny – used Dennis as a weapon. He told Dennis that Johnny had threatened Sharon and that Johnny had confessed to killing Dennis’s friend Andy Hunter.
Furious, Dennis tracked down Johnny and beat him to within an inch of his life. As he left, he threw a phone to Johnny and said if he could reach it, he’d live.
Johnny did reach the phone, but instead of calling for help, he phoned one of his henchmen to finish off Dennis.
Dennis went to Albert Square to meet Sharon, but as their eyes met, he was stabbed in the chest by a passer-by. He died in Sharon’s arms as the clock struck midnight into 2006.
Later it was revealed his killer was Danny Moon.
Denny Rickman – Dennis and Sharon’s son
Sharon had Dennis’s baby and named him after his dad, though everyone called him Denny.
Denny drowned in the river boat tragedy in February 2020, as Sharon was giving birth to his brother, Albie.
Does Dennis Rickman have another son in EastEnders?
Now Zoe Slater has revealed that she and Dennis slept together and she fell pregnant with his baby. The timeline does work out – she gave birth in 2006.
But does this mean he cheated on Sharon? Or was it before they got back together that Zoe conceived?
Or is Zoe lying and using the memory of Dennis to hurt Sharon?
Who played Dennis Rickman?
Dennis was played by Nigel Harman. Nigel won many awards for his portrayal of the bad boy and won legions of fans at the same time.
Since he appeared in EastEnders, Nigel has gone on to have a successful career on the West End, as well as starring on television in shows including Lark Rise to Candleford. Nigel also played Dr Max Christie in Casualty.
In 2023, Nigel took part in Strictly Come Dancing, partnered with Katya Jones. But he had to withdraw before the quarter final because of an injury.
EastEnders usually airs Monday to Thursday at 7.30pm on BBC One.
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