Clyde Tavernier

Clyde Tavernier
© BBC
About
Credits	List of appearances
Duration	1990-1993
Occupation	Barman & Boxer
Number of appearances	200
Relationships/Known relatives
Father	Celestine Tavernier
Mother	Etta Tavernier
Research
Page Links:	What Links Here

Clyde Tavernier made his first appearance 5 July 1990. He is portrayed by Steven Woodcock.

Backstory

Clyde was the first-born son to Etta and Celestine Tavernier. After his birth in Trinidad in 1968, his family moved to the UK. Growing up in London, Clyde was subject to racism and police harassment, which made him angry and somewhat bitter. In adulthood, Clyde struggled to find direction. He lazed around, did odd jobs, and took up boxing. Clyde met a woman named Abigail Chadwick and they had a child together, a son named Kofi Tavernier. Clyde and Abigail split up and Kofi was taken to Bristol by his mother to live with his grandparents. When Abigail was killed in a car crash, it was agreed that Kofi would remain living with his maternal grandparents.

Storylines

Clyde moves to Albert Square in July 1990 with his family. Clyde gets a job working in The Queen Victoria public house. Clyde becomes prime suspect for a series of thefts that were occurring in the pub. Clyde's boss, Eddie Royle, suspects Clyde is behind the incidents as he is the only black barman. However, Clyde is later cleared of any wrongdoing. Clyde desperately misses his son, Kofi Tavernier, and when he discovers that Kofi's grandparents are planning to take his child to live permanently in Jamaica, he tails them to the airport to stop them. Despite initial uncertainty Clyde is given custody of his son and Kofi moves in with Clyde. Clyde starts a relationship with Michelle Fowler; their inter-racial relationship causes a stir in the community. Clyde resumes boxing, spurred on by Phil and Grant Mitchell, who hope to exploit him in the ring by pitting him against a superior fighter and betting against him. However their plan backfires when an overfaced Clyde manages to win the fight, despite the odds being severely stacked against him. Clyde is later trained to box by Eddie, but animosity between him and Eddie resurfaces when Eddie attempts to get Clyde to throw a fight in a betting scam. Clyde refuses, but his altercations with Eddie come back to haunt him when he becomes the prime suspect in Eddie's murder soon after.

Clyde discovers Eddie's bloody body in the square and unwittingly picks up the knife that has been used to kill him. Panicking, Clyde leaves the scene and disposes of the murder weapon, but is seen by the real murderer, Nick Cotton, who proceeds to frame Clyde for the deed. With a clear motive and a key witness, Clyde finds it difficult to convince anyone of his innocence. Clyde feels that he was the victim of a racist conspiracy and sensing his imminent arrest he decides to go 'on the run' with Kofi. Michelle sticks by him and she and her daughter Vicki Fowler leave Walford with Clyde, with the hope of starting a new life together in France. Their bid for freedom is not to be as Clyde is apprehended in Portsmouth before he can leave the country; he is subsequently imprisoned. He only secures release three months later when a witness comes forward and identifies Nick as Eddie's real killer. Upon Clyde's release his relationship with Michelle abruptly ends when he catches her in bed with another man, Jack Woodman. The Taverniers are visited by Gidea Thompson, who is Jules' granddaughter from an adulterous affair he had in his 20s. Clyde and Gidea grow close, and even though they are cousins they embark on a relationship together. Jules disapproves when he finds out but Clyde ignores his protests, and in July 1993 he decides to leave Walford to start a new life with Gidea in Trinidad.

Gallery

Clyde Tavernier - Name Card