Connor Stanley

Connor Stanley made his first appearance on 1 March 2010. He is portrayed by Arinze Kene.

Storylines
Connor is a friend of Billie Jackson's from his housing estate in Balham. He appears between 1 March and 2 April along with his fellow gang members Kylie and Mitch Gannon. Connor appears again from 8 October 2010 until 24 January 2011, and again on 15 March 2011.

When Whitney Dean goes to Balham looking for Billie, Connor and the rest of the gang attack her. They later arrive in Albert Square and apologise to Whitney, and Billie insists he has disposed of the gun they wanted back. Kylie and Connor turn up at a grime night at The Queen Victoria where Connor steals a bottle of tequila. Outside, he sprays graffiti on a bench and then Kylie and Connor run off, leaving Whitney and Billie to suffer the consequences. Kylie, Connor and Mitch return a few weeks later and take Billie for drinks where they are told to leave by Phil Mitchell. The gang decide to rob the pub using a fake gun, and they get away with the money. Billie then realises the real gun that he hid has gone missing after Kylie found it earlier. Kylie tells Billie he must choose between the gang or Whitney. Billie chooses Whitney, so Kylie takes revenge by trying to shoot him during a family party. However, Jack Branning is the one who is shot. The next day, Connor arrives looking for Billie, and reveals that Kylie has been arrested.

Months later, Connor arrives at Billie's birthday party with four friends who bring lots of alcohol. The next morning, after everyone has left, Billie is found dead. The next week, Billie's mother Carol Jackson visits Connor in Balham, who says he has heard that Billie died. Carol rants at him, blaming him for Billie's death, and bans him from the funeral. She tells him she hopes one day he loses a child so he will know how she feels. Connor, Mitch and the rest of the gang arrive for Billie's funeral but Carol bans all of them. As the hearse passes, they remove their hoods and masks as a mark of respect. After the funeral, Connor goes to Carol's, angry that she banned him. However, he realises she is about to attempt suicide and tells her it will not work. They both break down about Billie and comfort each other, which leads to them having sex.[25] However, they are interrupted and Connor leaves. At Kylie's sentencing, Connor sees Carol and compliments her on her new hair, and asks if she would come back to his. However, Jack interrupts and tells Connor to watch out as he has a score to settle. As Carol walks away, Connor apologises and says he will leave her alone. Kylie is then sentenced to 15 years in prison.

When Carol receives Billie's ashes, she takes them to Connor to ask him where Billie might have wanted them scattered. Connor reveals he has nowhere to live so Carol invites him to move in with her and Glenda Mitchell. They then start a sexual relationship, and Connor starts stealing cars for Phil Mitchell. Carol kicks him out after finding cannabis in the flat. However, it is Glenda's and Carol tries to call Connor to ask him to move back in. Carol's daughter Bianca Butcher still does not trust Connor however, and accuses him of manipulating her mother. Carol defends Connor, but then finds out that he is in possession of stolen jewellery, and throws him out again. Connor is handling the jewellery for Phil, and returns to Walford to pay for a delivery of it. Jay Brown meets him with the jewellery, but Connor under-pays him and threatens him not to tell Phil. However Jay then confronts him again and beats him up, retrieving the cash owed in the process. Connor meets up with Whitney and flirts with her. He also asks her to help him sell the stolen jewellery, which she agrees to. However, Phil's partner Shirley Carter buys it and Phil finds out. He tells Connor to sell it by the end of the week. Connor then gives it back to Whitney to look after but Bianca finds it and dumps it down a drain. Bianca tells Phil that Connor should pay, so Phil beats Connor, but is interrupted by Carol. She takes Connor back to her flat where Connor admits he was only with Whitney to make Carol jealous, and they start kissing. They start their relationship again in secret, and spend New Year's Eve together. Connor also starts working for Phil at his garage and starts seeing Whitney behind Carol's back. When it is revealed that Connor has been sleeping with both Carol and Whitney, Bianca attacks Connor, leaving him hospitalised. Carol visits Connor in hospital but his mother Kendra Stanley arrives and tells Carol to go home and leave Connor alone, and Connor tells Carol he now has his mother and does not need her.

Carol pays Connor a visit after Whitney goes missing to see if he knows where she is. He is pleased to see her but she realises she was only with him because of her grief over Billie. He tries to make a move on her but she rejects him. The incident gives Carol closure and she is able to scatter Billie's ashes.