James "Jimmy" Harris was the brother of Pat Evans, husband of Mo Harris and father to Viv Slater (adoptive), Billy Harris and Jean Harris. He made his only appearance during a flashback in the spin-off episode Pat and Mo in 2004, although he is also seen in an old photograph on 21 September 2000. He is portrayed by Alex King.
Backstory[]
1956-1979[]
Jimmy leaves school at the age of 15 and the following year goes into the army. He is close with his younger sister Pat and is strongly against her teenage affair with Frank Butcher. During army leave in 1958, he meets and falls in love with Mo Porter, Pat's close friend, who at the time has a six-year-old daughter Viv. After a whirlwind romance, Jimmy proposes to Mo during a walk in the woods, and leaves the army to be with her. At first, he is surprised by the news that Mo has a daughter, but quickly he promises Viv and Mo a trip to the beach when he is on leave. They marry in 1959, and have two children, Billy and Jean. Jimmy becomes preoccupied with his family and Pat feels neglected by him; she blames Mo for this and begins to resent her. Drinking heavily, Pat turns to prostitution to fund her habit. Concerned, Jimmy diverts his attention back to Pat, leaving a neglected Mo to begin an affair with club owner Tony Cattani, who is also Pat's pimp. Their secret tryst is discovered by Pat, who promptly tells Jimmy, but when Mo denies it, Jimmy disowns Pat.
In the 1970s, Jimmy develops terminal cancer. Determined to make peace with Pat, Jimmy writes her a letter saying that he wants to make amends. He instructs Mo to post it, but she never does, and Jimmy dies in April 1979, aged only 38, without ever reconciling with Pat. Pat is not informed of Jimmy's death or invited to his funeral. In 2004, Mo and Pat attend the planting of a tree in Jimmy's memory to commemorate the 25th anniversary of his death.