Ethel May Skinner (née Lewis) was a close friend of Dot Branning and Lou Beale. She made her first appearance on 19 February 1985 and last on 7 September 2000. She was portrayed by Gretchen Franklin.
Backstory[]
Ethel Skinner was born on 19th February 1919, and was the eldest of three children, in Camden Town, London. She grew up and remained most of her life on Albert Square after moving to the East End at the age of sixteen.
During the Second World War, whilst still living with her parents, she stormed out of the house one afternoon after arguing with her father about her wearing too much make-up, vowing to never set foot in the house again while he was still there. She came back the next day to find out that both of her parents had been killed by a German Doodlebug which had fallen on the house while she was away.Having lived through this bleak period of her life, she began a downward descent into dressing in a provocative fashion and flirting with any man she deemed fit enough of her attention.
Ethel eventually fell into the arms of William Skinner and they tied the knot in 1945, whom she spent many happy years with. They could not have children. After his death, she acquired a pug and named him Willy after her late husband. Ethel had many lifelong friends, two of which were Lou Beale and Dot Branning.
Storylines[]
1985-1997: Life in Albert Square[]
Ethel lives above Dr Legg's surgery and works as the cleaner in the pub. She is somewhat of a troublemaker and often spreads the most insane rumours about and gets her words mixed up with hilarious consequences. She is famous for her questionable ability to read-palms and tea-leaves, once even earning a living from it. After Lou's death in 1988 Ethel and Dot become an inseparable double-act and although the two argue constantly, they actually depend on each other a great deal. Despite the fact that Ethel appears totally barmy, she can be quite astute when she wants and she is always the first to point out the malicious ways of Dot's villainous son, Nick Cotton. Ethel is never afraid to stand up to Nick, even kneeing him in the groin once when he attempts to mug her. She also correctly figures out that Nick is trying to poison Dot to get her money, and she refuses to back down, despite Dot falling out with her because of her accusations. Following several falls and a broken hip, Ethel is persuaded to move out of her residence above the surgery and into sheltered housing in 1988. Although she is strongly opposed to this initiative, she eventually comes to enjoy her new home, though she would continue to show up in Albert Square regularly.
2000: Return and death[]
A very frail Ethel returns to Albert Square in 2000, arriving unannounced at Pauline Fowler's house. Ethel had run away from her retirement village and had decided that she was going to come back to the square, to live in the place she loves with her old friends. Ethel is now restricted to a wheelchair and it is left to Dot to cater for her every need, which often leaves her exhausted. Ethel appears to have lost none of her zest for life, despite her considerable age, so it is a huge shock to Dot when Ethel reveals that she is suffering from terminal cancer and is not going to live much longer.
Ethel reveals that she has come home to die, but instead of waiting to die in agony, she wants to choose her final moments so she can die with dignity. She has been storing her morphine tablets for many weeks and it is her plan to take an overdose before the pain becomes too unbearable. However, before being able to execute her plan, she becomes too weak and is unable to administer the drugs without Dot's assistance. Dot is devastated and initially refuses to help Ethel, as to help another take their own life goes completely against her strict Christian principles. Dot spends many agonising weeks wrestling with her conscience, but she eventually agrees to grant her old friend's final wish. On the night of her 85th birthday (it was actually her 86th because she'd always lied about her age), after a celebratory party at the Queen Vic, Ethel decides that this was to be her last night. After blowing out the candles of her birthday cake and bidding Dot an emotional farewell, Ethel takes the pills, aided by Dot, and dies peacefully in her sleep on the 7 September 2000.
Background information[]
- On 23 April 1985, Ethel states to Tony Carpenter that she was born in May and that's where her middle name comes from. Ever since then, including her grave, her birthday was said to be 19th February 1919. We can assume the year is correct as we've never heard anything different.
- Ethel Skinner was the second out of the original twenty-three characters invented by the creators of EastEnders, Tony Holland and Julia Smith.
- Gretchen Franklin was the first actress that Smith and Holland had in mind for the role. An experienced actress with a long career in show-business, Franklin was considered to be ideal casting, so she was offered the part.
- After 3 years as a major regular character, from 1988 to 2000, Ethel became a more recurring character, and lived in a flat a short distance from Albert Square, so spent much more time away from the area. Often she would not appear on the show for months or even a few years.
Quotes[]
- To Lou Beale (first line): "Here, what's all this about then Lou?" - (19 February 1985)
- To Dot Cotton: "You know who you are? You're the best friend I ever had." - (7 September 2000)