Summary[]
Grant and Tiffany's fight over the custody of baby Courtney ends in tragedy.
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Tiffany sits in Simon's flat writing a letter before telling Simon she's going out to tie up a few loose ends. She goes to visit Grant in prison. Giving him a picture of Courtney, she tells him that she and Courtney are leaving. Grant tries to stop Tiffany, pleading with her and saying he didn't push her down the stairs. Tiffany leans forward and tells him that even that they both know that no-one else will. Huw, Lenny, Barry and Robbie look at baby Liam in awe. They persuade Ricky to go down to the club with them tonight to celebrate. He agrees but only after Bianca has given her permission. When Tiffany gets back to Simon's flat, Beppe is waiting for her. He asks her if she still wants to go to the club for the New Year celebrations. She agrees but obviously has other things on her mind. In the Vic, he regulars have started their revelries. As Louise goes to leave, Phil intercepts her and asks her to talk to Tiffany. Louise refuses even though Phil points out that if she hadn't been around none of these problems would have started. Louise realises Phil knows the truth. Grant calls the Vic and asks Peggy to put Phil on the phone. Peggy is reluctant but does so. Grant manages to tell Phil that Tiffany is leaving with Courtney and he's got to stop her somehow, just before his money runs out. Tiffany is getting Courtney ready to go out when Phil arrives at Simon's. Tiffany hides whilst Simon tells Phil she's at the club with Beppe. Luckily he falls for it. At the club Barry is trying to impress any woman, but failing, whilst Annie tells Matthew, Lenny and Huw that the graffiti is rubbish and she's docking their deposit as compensation. When Louise arrives she starts chatting to Barry to avoid Phil. Barry can't believe his luck. Tiffany takes Courtney to the Vic and has a quiet chat with Peggy, telling her they are both off the Spain tomorrow. Peggy is devastated, but understands why they are going. She tells Tiffany that Grant is bad through and through. Tiffany says she was going to take Courtney to see Bianca, but she could leave her with Peggy so they can have a bit more time together. As she leaves Phil stops her and tries to get her to re-think her decision. He tells her that it kills him to only hear Ben's voice at the end of the phone - she can't do that to Grant too. But there's nothing he can say. Peggy gets a call from Frank - his car's broken down but he promises to be home before the bells start chiming. At Bianca's the girls have a good laugh about school days. They have a fit of giggles when they talk about their husbands. but Tiffany then admits she really doesn't love Grant anymore - she feels nothing for him. Just before she leaves Tiffany gives Bianca the letter she wrote earlier and asks her to give it to the police after she's gone. Then they have a very tearful goodbye. Marcus has turned up at the prison and tells Grant he's a free man - he's brought his bail papers. But he warns him to stay well clear of Tiffany and Courtney - there's still a restraining order on him and if he goes near them he's breaking the law. Tiffany goes to the club and sees all the familiar faces. Louise tries to talk to her but Tiffany tells her she's going, just like Louise did all those years ago. She tells her she doesn't hate Louise, she pities her because she got something Louise may never gonna have again - a daughter. Beppe catches up with her, at last, and suggests that they go back to his flat now. But Tiffany has something she has to tell him. She admits to him that she thinks things aren't going to work out for them. The truth is she doesn't love him. She tells him she's not staying in Albert Square but is leaving tomorrow. Beppe is devastated. Grant has come back to the Vic and to his amazement he finds Courtney. At the same time Tiffany comes into to the pub and makes her way upstairs to get Courtney, only to be met with Grant dressing her and making his way to go. Tiffany implores Grant to give Courtney back; they can sit down and talk about things. He refuses saying she was going to leave him in prison and take his little girl away. Tiffany tells him she wasn't going to do that, she'd sorted things out. She follows Grant out of the Vic, calling to Peggy and Phil to help her. Outside they scuffle, Grant still holding Courtney. He pushes Tiffany back and she slips over just as Peggy and Phil come out to see what's happening. Tiffany gets up and makes to go for Grant again as Frank drives into Albert Square. Grant just gets out of his path but Tiffany doesn't. With a thud Frank hits Tiffany. Bianca runs out and kneels at her side as everyone looks on. Tiffany slowly fades away. |
Credits[]
Main cast[]
- Tiffany Mitchell – Martine McCutcheon
- Grant Mitchell – Ross Kemp
- Bianca Butcher – Patsy Palmer
- Frank Butcher – Mike Reid
- Peggy Mitchell – Barbara Windsor
- Phil Mitchell – Steve McFadden
- Beppe di Marco – Michael Greco
- Louise Raymond – Carol Harrison
- Simon Raymond – Andrew Lynford
- Ricky Butcher – Sid Owen
- Matthew Rose – Joe Absolom
- Michael Rose - Russell Floyd
- Susan Rose - Tilly Vosburgh
- Lisa Shaw - Lucy Benjamin
- Barry Evans - Shaun Williamson
- Robbie Jackson - Dean Gaffney
- Huw Edwards – Richard Elis
- Lenny Wallace – Desune Coleman
- Teresa di Marco – Leila Birch
- Annie Palmer - Nadia Sawalha
- Steve Owen - Martin Kemp
- Melanie Healy - Tamzin Outhwaite
- Mark Fowler - Todd Carty
- Pauline Fowler - Wendy Richard
- Dot Cotton - June Brown
- Pat Evans - Pam St. Clement
- Roy Evans - Tony Caunter
- Mick McFarlane – Sylvester Williams
- Josie McFarlane – Joan Hooley
- Terry Raymond - Gavin Richards
- Irene Hills - Roberta Taylor
- Courtney Mitchell – Carissa O'Meara, Josephine O'Meara (uncredited)
- Liam Butcher - Sonny Bottomley (uncredited)
Guest cast[]
- Saskia Duncan - Deborah Sheridan-Taylor
- Marcus Christie – Stephen Churchett
- Prison Officer – Joe Fraser
Locations[]
- 43A Albert Square - Bedroom and living room
- Prison - Grant's cell, visiting area, cell block corridor and briefing room
- Bridge Street
- Turpin Road
- The Queen Victoria - Public, hallway, upstairs kitchen, upstairs hallway, Grant & Tiffany's room and living room
- 47A Albert Square - Living room/kitchen
- Albert Square
- The Market Cellar - Bar
- Motorway
Notes[]
- This episode saw the death of Tiffany Mitchell and the final appearance of Martine McCutcheon in the role. In the following episode, Tiffany would appear in the chapel of rest, but instead was portrayed by a similar-looking actress due to Martine's contract already being run out, and the camera angles gave the reinterpretation that the stand-on actress was Martine herself.
- First appearance of Saskia Duncan.
- This New Year's Eve episode was 45 minutes long and was broadcast at the earlier time of 7.00pm.
- Two endings were shot for the end of this episode - one showing Tiffany bleeding to death on the pavement (which was later used), and another alternative version showing her leaving in a taxi.
- Clive Curtis was the stunt co-ordinator of this episode although he was only credited in the omnibus edition broadcast on 3rd January 1999.
- As part of EastEnders' fifteenth anniversary, this episode was nominated by the audience to be re-aired in 2000.
- Radio Times synopsis: Steve receives a surprise visitor. Will Frank make it back for New Year's Eve? And will Tiffany's plans for the future include Grant or Beppe?
- Viewing Figures: First UK broadcast - 18,480,000 viewers (3rd place - combined figure including repeat).
- This episode has been released on the BBC Store as a box-set of "Christmas Classics". It has also been released on Amazon Prime in a box-set of "Iconic Exits".
- For its 2025 upload to BBC iPlayer as "Classic EastEnders", this episode was entitled Tiffany Tragedy.
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