Who was Jamie Mitchell in EastEnders?
EastEnders spoilers follow from Tuesday’s (April 30) episode, which hasn’t yet aired on BBC One.
This week’s EastEnders has seen the return of Billy Mitchell’s estranged dad Stevie, after he was first introduced at Aunt Sal’s funeral at the beginning of the year.
In today’s episode (April 30), Stevie got a cold reception from both Billy and Phil, who made it clear that he wasn’t welcome back in their lives. But after Honey encouraged Billy to hear his dad out and get some closure, the pair ended up having an honest conversation about their complicated past.
The heated chat, including about Billy’s late brother Charlie, led to Stevie asking for a way to get in touch with Charlie’s son Jamie – with Billy having to break the news that he died back in 2002.
Time has passed since Jamie’s years in Albert Square, so here’s a recap on the much-loved character – who was Jamie and how did he die?
Who was Jamie Mitchell in EastEnders?
Jamie (played by Jack Ryder) first appeared in Walford in 1998, following the death of his dad Charlie. While Charlie himself was never seen on screen, he came to life in a special flashback episode about the Mitchells that aired in 2022.
After he was left without either of his parents, teenager Jamie went to live with his uncle Billy. However, he wasn’t treated well in his care, and Billy would often be violent towards him. He was taken in by godfather and distant relative Phil, when he found out about Billy’s cruelty and even witnessed an attack.
Jamie began a relationship with Sonia Jackson (now Fowler), although things got a lot more complicated when she had a baby with Martin Fowler when she was just 15. The pair temporarily split up after Jamie slept with Zoe Slater, but they later got back together
While Jamie developed a better relationship with Billy, things weren’t smooth sailing with Phil, as in 2002, Jamie and Sonia helped Phil’s ex-girlfriend Lisa Shaw to escape to Portugal with their daughter Louise.
When Phil found out about this, he threatened Sonia until she told him what she knew, and then beat up Jamie when he came to her defence, in a violent scene that attracted complaints from viewers. Sonia helped nurse Jamie back to health following Phil’s attack, and the pair got engaged.
How did Jamie Mitchell die in EastEnders?
In December 2002, Jamie planned a romantic surprise for Sonia, having bought back the engagement ring that he previously had to sell. But while on his way back to her, he was suddenly hit by a car – with a distracted Martin at the wheel, who was texting while driving.
Jamie was in hospital for several days before the doctors revealed that his liver had been irreparably damaged and there was nothing more they could do for him. In emotional scenes, Billy and Phil both apologised to Jamie for the way they treated him, and he later passed away on Christmas Day with Sonia by his side.
Jamie has been mentioned on the soap from time to time over the years. For example, in 2017, Martin opened up about the aftermath of Jamie’s death to his and Sonia’s daughter Bex, who was being bullied at school at the time.
"You’re not the only one, you know?" he said. "Everyone looking at you, talking about you, feeling like you’re the local freak. All that happened to me when I was your age. It was just one little mistake, a stupid mistake. I thought I’d never get over it."
Martin was later haunted by his past, when in 2019 he and Tubbs were involved in a hit-and-run after completing a criminal job – and he was reminded of the fatal mistake he made when he was a teenager.
In these new scenes, after Billy explained to his dad that Jamie died in a car accident more than two decades ago, he also spoke about his own guilt when it comes to his late nephew.
He said: "You didn’t take him in when Charlie died. I did! And I treated him rotten. Probably cos of how you treated me. There ain’t a day goes by that I don’t think about him. He had his whole life ahead of him. He should be here with us!"
Being reminded of Jamie's death seems to have pushed Billy further away from his estranged dad, but it remains to be seen whether Stevie can manage to make amends.
EastEnders airs on Mondays - Thursdays at 7.30pm on BBC One. The show also streams on BBC iPlayer, where most episodes drop early at 6am ahead of their TV broadcast.
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