List of minor EastEnders characters (1996)

The following is a list of minor characters that first appeared in the BBC soap opera EastEnders in 1995, by order of first appearance.

Derek Branning
Derek Branning was the racist brother of Carol Jackson and April Branning. He was seen in 1996 when he attended April's wedding to her fiancé Nikos. Derek and his father Jim goaded Carol's black boyfriend Alan, and tried to start fights with him. He still lived with his parents and did his best to split Alan and Carol up. He didn't succeed, and Carol and Alan married that same day after April was jilted at the altar. He and his father walked out of their wedding in protest and Derek continued to goad Carol and Alan after the ceremony. Carol retorted by humiliating him about still living at home at 35. Derek subsequently attacked Alan, but was stopped by David Wicks, Carol's former teenage sweetheart, who then beat him up as revenge for Derek roughing him up when they were teenagers. A shamed Derek departed and has not appeared since.

On October 22, Derek's brother Max, revealed during a discussion about Bradley and Stacey's wedding, that Derek is currently in prison.

Family

 * Father: Jim Branning
 * Mother: Reenie Branning (deceased)
 * Brothers: Max Branning, Jack Branning
 * Sisters: Carol Jackson, April Branning, Sue Branning
 * Nephews: Bradley Branning, Robbie Jackson, Billy Jackson
 * Nieces: Bianca Jackson, Sonia Fowler, Lauren Branning, Abi Branning
 * Great nephew: Liam Butcher
 * Great niece: Natasha Butcher (deceased)
 * Cousin: Gordon Branning

Reenie Branning
Reenie Branning was the mother of April Branning and Carol Jackson, who appeared on-screen in the lead-up to April's wedding to her fiancée Nikos. Reenie was married to Jim, but they didn't love each other. They had at least four other children apart from Carol and April; Sue, Derek, Max and Jack.

Reenie died off-screen in 1999, and Jim went to live with his grandchildren Sonia and Robbie in Walford.

Family

 * Husband: Jim Branning
 * Sons: Derek Branning, Jack Branning, Max Branning
 * Daughters: Carol Jackson, April Branning, Sue Branning
 * Grandsons: Robbie Jackson, Billy Jackson, Bradley Branning
 * Granddaughters: Bianca Jackson, Sonia Fowler, Lauren Branning ,Abi Branning
 * Great grandson: Liam Butcher
 * Great granddaughters: Natasha Butcher (deceased), Rebecca Miller

Sue Branning
Sue Branning was the sister of Carol Jackson and April Branning, who arrived in 1996 for April's wedding to her fiancé Nikos. Nikos jilted April at the altar, so Carol and her boyfriend Alan used the church to get married instead. After the wedding, Sue left Walford and wasn't heard of until October 2007, when it was revealed she would be unable to attend her nephew Bradley's wedding to Stacey Slater.

Family

 * Father: Jim Branning
 * Mother: Reenie Branning (deceased)
 * Brothers: Max Branning, Derek Branning, Jack Branning
 * Sisters: Carol Jackson, April Branning
 * Nephews: Bradley Branning, Robbie Jackson, Billy Jackson
 * Nieces: Bianca Jackson, Sonia Fowler, Lauren Branning, Abi Branning
 * Great nephew: Liam Butcher
 * Great niece: Natasha Butcher (deceased)
 * Cousin: Gordon Branning

John Valecue
John Valecue was a professional hitman, hired by Cindy Beale to kill her husband Ian. He shot Ian on 7 October 1996, but failed to kill him, leaving him wounded in hospital. Ian failed to identify his assailant, but Valecue was later arrested for another failed shooting. Annie Palmer and Ros Thorne visited him in prison in 1998 when they were trying to help Ian get custody of his son Steven and step-son Peter. Annie threatened to use her contacts inside the prison to get at Valecue, unless he implicated Cindy in the attempted murder of Ian. He did so and Cindy was arrested and charged for attempted murder.