Pop Kulture Say Goodbye To Dominic Treadwell-Collins

Eastenders has waved goodbye to executive producer of two and a half years, Dominic Treadwell-Collins. After leaving the show as senior story editor in 2010, it was announced he would return to the soap as executive producer, taking over from Lorraine Newman. He will be succeeded in the role by The Archers editor, Sean O'Connor.

During his reign as the head of the Square, Dominic has introduced some of the show's biggest characters such as the Carters, reintroduced old characters including Nasty Nick, Sonia & Stacey (and GRANT!!!), killed off Lucy Beale and brought Kathy Beale back from the dead.

Pop Kulture say goodbye by looking back at some of Dominic's biggest storylines and moments in charge of the country's best soap. It also gives us a chance to waffle on at length about our favourite TV show.

Honestly, we had to edit this heavily as it was turning into a novel.

The Carters

(BBC Pictures)

Dominic Treadwell-Collins is the man responsible for finally bringing Danny Dyer into Walford. People joked about him joining the soap for years as if it was some kind of step down which annoyed us no end as soap actors are, by far, the most underrated in the country. Anyway, he did sign up and was announced as new Queen Vic landlord, Mick Carter; brother (now son) of Shirley alongside Kellie Bright as wife, Linda. Since their introduction, the family has grown arms and legs and been padded out a bit to secure their place as one of the most iconic in the show's history.
Mick & Linda have even been named by many as the most popular landlord and lady of the Queen Vic since Den & Angie which is amazing as long as they don't follow in their predecessors' footsteps and divorce because we would go into full mourning and dress in black for the rest of days like Queen Victoria when Albert died.
Dominic wasted no time in throwing the Carters in at the deep end and they've been at the centre of some of the biggest storylines in the show since their introduction. Mick even got a famous 'doof doof' on his very first episode. Danny Dyer then set about winning the country's hearts by learning how to swim and gained a new respect from many for his handling of son, Johnny's admission that he is gay.

(BBC Pictures)

Their biggest storyline to date is the rape of Linda at the hands of Shirley's son (so Mick's brother who he thought was his nephew) Dean Wicks. Kellie Bright was magnificent as poor Linda struggling to cope as was Matt Di Angelo as the evil - and downright unstable - Dean. In fact, he was so good we couldn't even find him attractive when he is undeniably beautiful in real life. There's a testimony to his acting if ever we saw one.
The writing and acting in some of those episodes was simply outstanding. One of our favourite scenes in recent years is when Mick & Linda tell Nancy & Lee what happened and Nancy's reaction is "did he hurt you, mum?" Our hearts.

On a lighter note, the Carters have blessed us with some of our favourite pieces of costume including Mick's pink dressing gown and Linda's sparkly dress which makes our hearts full when we see her in it.
Also, a special mention must go to Maria Friedman as Linda's overbearing mum Elaine Peacock who is a total ray of sunshine whenever she pops up on screen. Unlike Babe who we wouldn't mind seeing boiled in her own stew.

Kathy Isn't Dead

(BBC Pictures)

The live week to celebrate the show's 30th anniversary brought some incredible moments including Mick & Peggy's face off in the Vic, Adam Woodyat's superb on-cue crying skills, the introduction of Richard 'Mama Who Da Man' Blackwood as Vincent and the revelation that it was, in fact, Bobby Beale who killed sister Lucy in one of the longest whodunnits in recent history.
The biggest surprise, however, was the moment Phil went to meet a mystery someone from a taxi and who should step out but ex-wife Kathy Beale who was supposed to be dead. The entire country's (or the part that watches Eastenders at least) mouths fell open at the sight of a woman who was supposed to have died in a car crash in South Africa in 2006. It transpired that Kathy's husband Gavin (who turned out to be Sharon's real dad) had convinced her to fake their own deaths for an insurance policy. Our favourite fact about the whole storyline is that it was inspired by the Canoe man who had tried to fake his own death in 2002.
After popping up a few times, Kathy came back to the Square properly in September 2015 after a few terrifying reunions with ex-husband Gavin who doesn't really have a proper job title but does own his own helicopter. There was also a nail-biting scene where Ian nearly caught sight of his mum when Sharon insisted they follow Phil to St Pancras to see who the hell 'K' was that he'd been exchanging texts with.
A special mention must go to Tracy the barmaid who was involved in Kathy's comeback to the point of speaking more than three words in a whole episode. We've never been more proud.

(BBC Pictures)

Kathy was barely back when she offered to help out at the cafe which made us delirious with nostalgia and then helped out on the fruit stall, where she truly belongs. She also had some beautiful scenes with son, Ben - who she abandoned to fake her death - which gave Harry Reid a real chance to shine as troubled soul Ben, who since moving to Walford from South Africa, has been abused by his stepmum, killed Shirley's BFF Heather with a photo frame and struggled with his sexuality.

Grant's Back!

(BBC Pictures)

This storyline hasn't even aired yet but we're so beside ourselves with excitement that we need to talk about it. Of all characters to leave Eastenders over the years, the one the viewers have wanted to return more than any other is Grant Mitchell and Dominic has done it. What a way to go out!
Dominic revealed he planned to leave the soap earlier but decided to stay on when Dame Barbara Windsor came to him with plans to kill Peggy off. And who could say no to a Dame? Certainly not Ross Kemp as it was she who asked him to reprise his role as the iconic Grant for her final episodes.

We've been waiting for years for Grant's return and we're so excited by the whole affair we suspect we'll be in tears for his first episode and we can only hope the rumours that his return is brief are false and he enjoys himself so much we get to enjoy Grant for a little while longer.

They've been dropping quite heavy hints and bringing Grant up in conversation a lot recently with our favourite line being Sharon spitting at a drunken Phil "I should have stayed with Grant!" which has us hoping his first scene will, indeed, be with his ex-wife. Of course, Grant will need to be on hand to help his bruv through his alcoholism and ongoing liver problems as well as reconciling with cousins Ronnie & Roxy but the scene we're most looking forward to is his first time in the Vic. Ross Kemp and Danny Dyer have both done their fair share of hard man documentaries and we can't wait to see Grant and Mick in a cockney-off.

A lot has happened since Grant left the soap for the second time in 2006 and viewers haven't been made aware whether he's in contact with 'the faahmily' or not so, for all we know, Grant is going to come back to find out Kathy isn't dead, his bruv's back on the drink, Ben's gay, the foster brother is on the sex offender's register and Sharon has formed a darts team with personalised jackets.

(BBC Pictures) 

We can't wait.

Some of our other favourite things to have happened in the Square over the last two and a half years include the introduction of Riley Carter Millington as Kyle, the first trans actor to play a transgender character in a soap; the introduction of the Coker family, especially Paul who we love and will miss terribly; Kush & Shabnam's stillborn baby storyline; the reintroduction of Honey; Bonnie Langford who is just delightful as Kush's mum, Carmel; Tamwar & Nancy's romance and Kat discovering she also had a son when she gave birth to Zoe which has led to Kat & Alfie starring in their own spin-off drama, Redwater, set in Ireland. Filming started on the drama in April and it's due to air later this year.

Dominic Treadwell-Collins, we wish you the black cab exit you deserve. 

We thank you and we'll miss you.