Denzel Danes is the son of Delilah and Howie Danes. He made his first appearance on 2 August 2022 and is portrayed by Jaden Ladega.
Backstory[]
When Denzel was a baby, he would sleep for hours. When he woke up he would always reach for his thumb. Denzel lived with Delilah for almost all of his life and rarely saw Howie, but he didn't resent Howie for this.
Storylines[]
2022 to present: Arrival, relationship with Amy and writing contest[]
On 1 August 2022, Howie attempts to tell Kim about his son, Denzel, but Kim believes he's talking about them getting married. Patrick then walks in with Denzel, greeting Howie. Denzel then begins setting up his gaming set up and the Fox-Trueman living room while Howie and Kim talk, and Howie attempts to gaslight Kim into thinking he'd told her but she doesn't remember as he's drunk. Howie says that Delilah needs Howie to look after Denzel while she's in Ibiza. Howie says he's trying to find a flat, and tells Kim that when he said they needed to talk, it was about Denzel staying. Howie admits he's not need a good dad and wants to be more like Kim is with her kids. Howie says Denzel is staying for two weeks, and Kim says Denzel is welcome. Later when Denise visits, she reveals that Pearl is excited about having a new step brother. Kim reveals to Denise she thought Howie was talking about a dog called Derek, and Kim reveals she's scared Denzel won't like her. The next day, Howie helps Denzel make room for his gaming set up, and when Kim asks what's happening, He says Delilah is bringing Denzel's chair over later. Kim says Howie can fit a whole department store in the living room, let alone a chair, and Denzel corrects Kim by saying it's a gaming chair. Howie suggest the three of them can play together later, but Kim seems uninterested. Later, Howie suggests to Kim finding somewhere for just him and Denzel, and Kim days she doesn't mind. Howie then goes to get Denzel's stuff. Kim then sees Patrick, who says Howie was asking if he should leave, not telling her he wants to. When Delilah shows up, she tells Howie to help with the chair, and then sees Denzel's stuff on the sofa. Howie says there's a been a change of plans and Delilah says this is the only chance Howie will get at seeing Denzel. So he shouldn't mess it up. Kim then walks in, and Delilah asks how old she is, with Kim saying she's old enough to have her number. Delilah asks what the change of plan is, and Kim says there isn't one. Delilah remarks Howie picked a right one before leaving, and Kim says it's a good thing as he evidently picked a wrong one last time. The next day, Howie tries to get Denzel to play football in the park, but he declines the offer. Kim then remarks to Patrick that it's like they're from different planets, but Patrick reminds her it's not easy to bind with your son and reminds Kim of him and Isaac. Kim and Patrick later try to get Howie and Denzel to bond over a England vs Germany party, merging their two interests of football and gaming together. Howie and Denzel then play a game of FIFA together.
On 9 August 2022, Kim and Howie approach Amy Mitchell, Lily Slater, and Tommy Moon, and the three agree that whatever Kim wants they're not doing, but when Amy sees that Kim wants the three to hang out with Denzel, Amy takes an interest, feeling attracted to him. Kim says that Howie and Denzel have been playing games too much so she needs Amy to play with Denzel for a bit, and Howie says she means hang out. The two then leave the kids and Lily says they're going to get it on, and Denzel is disgusted and asks if she had to make him picture that, making Amy force a laugh. Lily then suggests to Amy that she knows she fancies Denzel. Later at the playground, Denzel says that Walford is boring and Amy agrees with him, and then asks why he's here and Denzel tells her it's because his mum went to Ibiza with her "saddo" mates, and Amy tells her that her mum went there all the time. Lily then says they're going on holidays this afternoon and that Stacey keeps texting her to come and pack. Denzel then suggest getting something to eat, and when the kids put their money together they can't afford anything. Amy says she knows somewhere they can get all the food they want for free and asks the others if they're in, and they all agree. The teens then go to Walford East, and Lily asks if it'll work, and Amy says if she's going to be a baby she can go home. Amy says it's a victimless crime as Bobby Beale can just cook more for the people that ordered, but Tommy says he isn't stealing and Denzel tells him to keep lookout. Amy then phones the delivery driver asking him to add ketchup to the order they're stealing, and then Amy, Lily and Denzel steal the burgers from the bike and are chased by Bobby, but they outrun him.
Amy later shows Denzel a picture of where Lily is staying, and Denzel says he's gone to a caravan park before and that it had an arcade. Amy's father, Jack, then comes over and critiques Amy's shorts, asking her if she thinks it's okay to strut around the square with "half her bum hanging out." Kim says she looks sensational and like Amy other thirteen year old girl, but Jack says she has more flesh on display than a butchers window, making Denzel laugh. Kim then says Jack needs to come with her for lunch. Davinder Gulati then approaches Amy and Denzel, saying he thinks Amy's shorts are sick. and Amy asks who he is, and Davinder introduces himself, saying his mates call him Nugget. Denzel asks why they call him Nugget, and he replies by saying he's twenty four Karat Gold. Denzel laughs but Amy is annoyed and doesn't find it funny. Denzel then invites Amy and Davinder back to his place after going to the shop, and Denzel says Davinder's nickname has nothing to do with twenty four karat gold, and Amy asks if he just loves eating chicken nuggets, and Davinder says that everyone likes eating nuggets, with Denzel replying "so much that they names you after one" making Amy laugh. Davinder asks if she found it funny, and Amy replies by saying Denzel made her laugh. Davinder asks Amy what her name is, and makes fun of it, calling her "Lame-y" and Denzel then takes it too far, calling her "Lay-me." Denzel says he was just joking and they won't call her that, and tells her to find them some glasses for their drink, and when she does Denzel takes a photo of Amy's legs. Amy notices the boys laughing and asks what they're doing, and Denzel says that if she's wearing those shorts she wants people to take pictures. Denzel then shows Davinder the photo and says that Amy's legs are hairy. Amy tells the two to shut up and delete it, and attempts to take Denzel's phone but is unsuccessful. Denzel says they were just messing and that Amy looks good, and then invites Davinder to watch the football match. Denzel then posts the photo on social media, and Amy comes down to ask him to delete it, and Denzel says it was just a joke, but Amy says it's not funny. Davinder says it got twenty likes, and Denzel says that means it's funny. Amy politely asks Denzel to take it down, but he refuses, and Amy storms off.
Later, the boys are playing games when Chelsea Fox comes and confronts them about the picture. Davinder tells Denzel that he's not lived with his dad for a while as he's been in Dubai. Chelsea then come in. Chelsea greets them and Davinder asks who she is, and she replies by saying she's someone who needs their full attention before unplugging the games console. Chelsea then says Denzel has made himself quite at home and that it's quite nice he's made friends as the last thing he wants to do is make enemy's when he's moved somewhere new, and says it applies to Davinder as well. Davinder says he's done nothing, but Chelsea says it's not true as Amy has said that two grubby little boys have taken an inappropriate photo of an underage school girl and blasted it all over social media. Chelsea asks Denzel if Amy asked him to take it down, and he says yes, and Chelsea forces him to delete it in front of her, telling the boys not to mess with her sister again.
On 11 August 2022, Chelsea once again confronts the boys, saying she can't believe she has to do it again. Chelsea asks Davinder if he lives there too now before un-plugging the games console again. Denzel tells Chelsea he deleted it. And Chelsea asks what he did afterwards and Denzel says nothing, and Chelsea says that's the issue. Saying that Denzel should know that she meant he should say sorry too. Denzel asks why he should, and Chelsea says there's a few reasons. Firstly, it's the right thing to do, secondly, because it will make Amy feel better and thirdly because she's telling him to. Davinder tells Chelsea to listen, but before he can say anything Chelsea shoots him down, reminding Denzel that just because he deleted the photo it can still be out there. Denzel says they never meant to hurt her and Chelsea tells them to say they're sorry, today.
On 22 August 2022, Lily, Denzel, Amy and Davinder meet up and plan to do something. The four don’t have any money, so Amy asks Denise for some money. At the salon, Lily notices some drugs Jada Lennox had dropped after being given them by Stuart Highway after he decided he didn't need them, and Lily steals them while Denise isn't looking. The four then go up to Walford allotments and discuss taking them, with Amy being the only one brave enough. Amy takes half of a pill and is ok at first, but she later collapses and the others call an ambulance with Jack arriving at the allotments as she does. Martin is also present at the time and accuses Denzel of providing the drugs, but Lily doesn't correct him. At the hospital, Jack asks Amy who gave her the drugs, saying Martin said it was Denzel. Amy says she doesn't remember to keep Denzel safe.
The next day while working on the bap van, Lily sees Denzel walking past and suggests they go see Amy later, but Denzel says no as he's still angry at Lily for letting him take the blame. Lily later apologises to Denzel and makes Martin do the same after she confesses to Martin and Eve she had the drugs. Denzel accepts the apology and Martin says he can have anything of his stall for free, and Lily suggests grapes. The two then visit Amy and give her the grapes. Amy and Lily have tension between them but Amy happily talks to Denzel.
On 25 August 2022, Denzel sees Amy leaving the tube station when he's walking past. The two ask Jack for a minute to talk but he doesn't let them. On 6 September 2022, Denzel is in class with Amy, Davinder and Esme when Davinder and Denzel start mocking her sign language she is using to communicate with her new teaching assistant, Frankie Lewis. Frankie notices this, and speaks to them after class, where Amy apologises but the boys remain silent. Frankie then drops her books, with Denzel and Davinder laughing with Davinder taking photos of Frankie bending down. Amy tries to get them to stop, but they don't listen. Esme later shows Frankie the photos that Davinder has posted, calling her lots of names, such as a sket. On 14 September 2022, Frankie sees Davinder and Denzel touching Amy inappropriately on her bottom. The next day, Frankie calls Davinder and Denzel into Mr Morden's office, telling the two she saw them touching Amy, telling them how wrong it is, saying they have no idea about how scary it feels to just walk down the street. The two apologise, and when they leave Frankie asks Denzel if he likes Amy, saying that he should start being himself around her.
On 20 September 2022, Davinder and Tommy Moon throw leaves at Amy. Denzel tells them to stop, but Davinder says if he's worried about what Frankie said, it doesn't matter as she's just a teacher. Denzel later meets up with Amy and gives her some sweets he saw her buying, Amy asks why he got them, and Denzel says it's to say sorry, and the two share a smile, with Davinder watching on. Davinder later catches up with Denzel, asking what he was doing earlier. Denzel lies, saying he was at the park, and Davinder calls him out on his lie, saying he saw him with Amy and asking if he fancies her. Denzel panics, saying he doesn't fancy her, calling her a dirty little sket and storming off. The three dad's later get a call from the school, saying there was a fight that could lead to expulsion. It's revealed that Amy tore Davinder's jacket after he grabbed her bag. The two get into an argument in the corridor of the school, and Denzel tries to calm it down, just as the parents arrive. The six go into the office and have a meeting with a teacher, during which Denzel takes the blame to protect Amy and Davinder from expulsion. Denzel says that hun and Davinder had an argument and that Amy's bag was damaged as the two knocked it over while fighting. It is then revealed Denzel and Davinder received a final warning from the school after Davinder has a go at a teacher and Denzel backs him up. Denzel later finds Amy in the cafe, apologising for calling her a skank, saying he didn't mean it and he doesn’t know why he said it, and that when he's with Davinder he says stupid things all the time. Amy asks if that’s why he said he caused the fight, and Denzel says it is. Amy says she's going to the park, and invites Denzel.
The following day, Amy stands outside while Jack collects an order from a delivery driver delivering stuff for her art assignment. Denise and Martin joke about Jack giving the delivery driver his life story, and Amy says that Martin's attempt to flirt with the driver was tragic. Martin jokingly asks Amy about her love life, and Jack says she doesn't have time to think about boys. Amy then sees Denzel leaving for school, and the two run off, leaving Jack locked out the house with no shoes on. Amy and Denzel later hold hands while waking down George Street, and are seen by Martin Fowler. Amy's father, Jack, later finds Mr Morden in the cafe and asks how Amy has been, and he says she's a bright student when she's with the right people, and Jack interprets this as him saying Amy should stay away from Denzel and Davinder. Later in the Vic, Martin tells Jack that he saw Amy and Denzel holding hands.
On 10 October 2022, Amy and Denzel sneakily walk to school together, however they change out of their uniforms and hide them in their bags and put them next to the bin behind the cafe before sneaking off towards the tube station. The two layer go back to No.27, where they are caught kissing by Chelsea, who has come to use the washing machine. Amy asks her not to tell Jack, before ordering her out and having a private word with Denzel. Chelsea reminds him what she said about messing with her sister, and Denzel promises he isn’t. He tells Chelsea that He likes her and wants to make her happy, and wants to treat her right. Jack then gets back, and Amy begs Chelsea not to tell him. Chelsea covers for them, saying Amy is there, but napping as she’s on her period. Amy mays down on the sofa, while Denzel sneaks out while Jack is distracted. Jack asks if Amy is okay to go back to school, and she says yes before leaving. Denzel later goes home where Patrick is, and he asks why Denzel isn’t at school. He lies and says he has a study period, but Patrick days he needs a better excuse than that, and Denzel tells him he was with a girl, and Patrick gives him advice on how to become official with Amy, saying girls can’t resist a hat, and he tries Patrick’s on but says it isn’t his vibe. Patrick tells him to get her a good gift, and Denzel takes bus advice. On the way back from school, Denzel gives Amy a phone case, and says he wants to be official. Before Amy can give him an answer, they’re interrupted by Davinder, Lily and Tommy. When they ask what the phone case is about, Amy tells them it’s because they’re official. Lily insults it, and Amy walks off with them, making Denzel think she doesn’t like it. Jack later sees Amy’s new phone case and she lies, saying she got with with her pocket money.
When Denzel wants to impress Amy, he borrows Howie’s aftershave. Kim says it smalls awful which upsets Denzel. Later at the park, Denzel talks to Tommy who says the phone case was awful and Denzel needs to do something before she dumps him. On the way back from school, Denzel asks why Amy avoided him all day, with her saying it’s as he left her on read. Denzel asks if it’s about the phone case, with Amy saying she did like it and it was Lily being an idiot about it. Tommy, Lily and Davinder then start coming towards them, so Amy pulls Denzel away.
The next day, Denzel, Davinder and Lily meet at the shop, with Amy watching on. Davinder says that Lisa Rogers' parents have gone away, and her boyfriend Digger is there every night and the two are having sex. Denzel is shocked, and Lily says it’s only because she’s scared he’s going to dump her. After this, they notice Amy and she comes over. Davinder says that Sanj and Johnny Pearson are having sex and that Denzel needs to get to it. Denzel asks if Amy is ok, and Jack comes over, asking if they’re skiving before telling them to get on their way. At home, Jack says he’s going to be checking Amy’s homework, and him and Denise leave. Amy convinces Ricky to leave by giving him ten pounds, and he leaves. Amy then opens the back door to let Denzel in. The two sit on the sofa, and Amy goes to suggest they go upstairs, but Denzel interrupts her, asking if she has any crisps. Amy ignores him and suggests going downstairs, and a reluctant Denzel agrees. Amy and Denzel sit together on the bed, and Amy attempts to kiss him. Denzel asks if she has protection, and when Amy says no he says they can take it slow and the two share a kiss as Jack walks in. Jack lashes out and grabs Denzel and pins him against the wall, screaming at him that Amy is thirteen.
In February 2023, Denzel enters a non-fiction writing contest and wins, however, he copied the plot from a series Amy had made him watch. When the Walford gazette gets in touch wanting an interview, Denzel panics, however Howie helps him get through it. The gazette later want an interview with his grandparents he'd talked about in the story, however his grandmother lives in the Caribbean, so Howie hatches a plan involving Patrick Trueman to act as Denzel's grandad, and gets Vi Highway to act as his step-grandmother. The gazette love the interview, and later ask them back for a second one, which they agree to do. When returning from the second interview, Vi receives a call from an unknown number, which later turns out to be Stuart Highway, who invites her to live with them as a live-in nanny for Roland Highway, which she accepts.
When Kim gets an award for her influencer work, her, Denise, Pearl and Howie go to the ceremony and take Mica to his friends house. With them all gone, Denzel hosts a party but is caught by Kim and Howie when they get back. Howie is furious and Kim takes Denzel out to talk to him and help him feel better. As Kim takes Denzel home in her car she notices Denise Fox's phone in the car and notices texts from Ravi Gulati calling Denise a cheat. A distracted Kim then crashes the car into The Argee Bhajee, leaving her and Denzel injured.
Denise later confronts Ravi and the two argue and during the argument Ravi brings up their affair and Davinder overhears. Davinder later tells Denzel about Denise and Ravi's affair and Denzel goes on to tell Amy.
Amy goes onto confont Denise and Denise tells Amy it was just a kiss, Amy agrees not to tell Jack. However when Denise finds a bottle of wine in Amy's room she realises Amy won't be able to cope with the secret. Denise then tells Jack everything and Jack goes to confront Ravi, however Nish gets in Jack's way and orders Jack to leave. Jack then waits for Ravi outside the restaurant and Ravi attempts to goad Jack into hitting him but Jack says he will get satisfaction from sending Ravi to prison. Jack then walks away however Ravi tells Jack that him and Denise were in bed together, Jack finally has enough and punches Ravi twice. However Ravi ends up getting the better of Jack in the fight and pins Jack against a metal fence and punches Jack multiple times in the back of the head. Denise arrives and breaks up the fight.
After the fall out of Ravi and Denise's affair, Denzel says to Davinder right infront of Amy that he wishes he didn't tell her about the affair. Amy is furious with Denzel, thinking he is mocking her mental health. Amy then tells Denzel he can stay with his "boyfriend", Amy then storms out. Denzel sees Kim Fox having a panic attack in a car, Denzel helps calm Kim down. Denzel later asks Amy to talk to Kim with him, the two speak to Kim. Denzel tells Kim he loves her and Amy and Denzel encourage Kim to talk if she ever feel worried. Denzel and Howie go to court with Kim, where she is told she will be taken to crown court for her car crash with Denzel and that if she doesn't turn up she will be arrested. Howie and Denzel try to console Kim but she pretends to be fine.
When Kim attends court, Denzel attends with Howie and Denise. Denzel and Kim share a moment before the trial, where Denzel gestures to her to that she's superwoman. In the trial, Denzel does a statement, stating he does not want Kim to go to prison, and that he wants her at him with their family. The court later bring out a screen and show CCTV of the crash, and Kim is sentenced to a week in prison. The next day, Denise tries to help look after the family, however Mica doesn't like eggs and Denzel and Pearl aren't hungry, causing Denise stress.
When Davinder is told by Suki that Ravi killed Ranveer a devastated Davinder goes missing Denzel is worried for his friend and has an argument with Ravi when Ravi questions Denzel and offers him money for information but Denzel tells Ravi that it's his fault. Denzel later makes a video with other Walford residents pleading with Davinder to come home and Denzel posts it on social media. Davinder returns two week later and Denzel is delighted to see him, Denzel and Tommy later see Priya Nandra-Hart in the café and both find her attractive before Davinder enters the café and tells them that Priya is his mother.
On 29 January 2024 Denzel and Amy are waiting to have lunch when bully Logan pushes in front of them, angering Denzel. He asks why he did it and Logan makes a rude comment to Amy about what she does when she gets upset - linking to her self harm. She then storms off, Denzel follows. When Avani tells Denzel that what Logan said was out of order, Denzel briefly stands up to him before backing off. Later when Denzel later is walking home, Logan and his gang beat up Denzel and Yolande Trueman but they are saved by Avani. The next day Denzel is angered when Avani watches a video of the attack, he smashes the phone out of Avani's hand and they both call him a coward. Denzel and Davinder have a fight which is separated by Priya, when Ravi hears about the fight he takes Denzel and Davinder to the gym for boxing training and Davinder and Denzel make up.
Denzel quickly becomes obsessive with the gym and sets out a vision of how he wants to be, stronger and denser. He initially begins training which starts off good, but Amy begins to feel pushed out and questions him, however Denzel puts the gym first - he misses dates with Amy and other arrangements with family. Denzel also becomes close with influencer, Ebony, who helps him train. Amy then begins to feel like she is being cheated on and gathers her suspicions.
Denzel takes things up a notch when he begins taking steroids, he orders them off of Yolande’s card, lying about the package. Yolande hides them from Denzel as she doesn’t believe they are school-related (as he initially said). Denzel shouts at her and calls her a bitch, which sparks some drama between them. A few days later, Denzel manages to retrieve the steroids with the help of Davinder. Davinder then sees what he has ordered and is shocked. Some time after, Denzel becomes more snappy and aggressive whilst taking steroids, though his gym performance improves with steroids and Ebony. Amy, with all hope lost, plans to have sex with Denzel at a party he hosts as No. 20, Denzel speaks to Amy and they almost have sex until Denzel lashes out and offends Amy. That next day, Davinder lies and states Amy tried to kiss him the night before, so Denzel furiously breaks up with Amy and continues at the gym.
His situation progresses and Davinder also begins taking steroids too. Kim and Howie return and notice that Denzel’s behaviour has definitely gotten worse. Though, Denzel tries to mask his emotions. Zack Hudson also begins to suspect that Denzel and Davinder are taking steroids after monitoring their performance. Later on, at a boxing event, Denzel fails to show up after realising drug testing will be prominent. He avoids the situation whilst Davinder passes out from excessive steroid usage.
Davinder is hospitalised and it comes to light that he is taking steroids, the police then become involved and Davinder covers for Denzel initially, but Denzel confesses himself and infuriates Ravi and Priya. Denzel is also arrested and makes a statement that he never sold drugs and is ashamed of what happened. When released, he gets into another argument with Howie, but Howie doesn’t give up and rekindles the relationship with his son. Denzel then stops taking steroids - however, a problem occurs when medical advice states he shouldn’t stop taking them all at once, but instead gradually.
Priya later meets up with Denzel and promises to let him see Davinder, so long as Denzel convinces Davinder to see her. At the hospital, things initially go well until Ravi threatens Denzel to leave. Denzel later advises Priya to find a way to speak to Davinder. Denzel later panics when Kim and Howie get trapped in a Crush at Peggy’s, but George helps Denzel and ensures he is ok.
Residence history[]
| Address | Years |
|---|---|
| 20 Albert Square | 2022 to present |
Employment history[]
| Occupation | Years Active |
|---|---|
| Student at Walford High School | 2022 to present |
| Part time cleaner at The Boxing Den | 2024 |
Fight count[]
Punches[]
- Davinder Gulati (30 January 2024)
- Avani Nandra-Hart (7 February 2024) (x2) (during sparring)
- Unnamed boxing opponent (3 July 2024) (x9) (during boxing)
Total: 3
Individual characters punched: 3
Total punches: 12
Quotes[]
First line: "How long were you gonna keep me waiting out there, dad?"
Background information[]
- On 22 August 2022, Denzel states that he is allergic to penicillin.