Julie Perkins made her first appearance 14 October 2010, and her last appearance on 5 August 2011. She is the ex-girlfriend of Billy Mitchell, the mother of their deceased son Dan Pearce, the grandmother of Lola Pearce and the great-grandmother of Lexi Pearce. She is portrayed by Cathy Murphy.
Backstory[]
Julie Perkins is a childhood friend of Billy Mitchell, they used to live in the same care home. Julie became pregnant with their son Dan Pearce, and they were split up, with the baby being taken away from her. They later find out that he died at 35 years old.
About[]
A bit of a geezer-bird, Julie had no airs or graces and was happiest down the local boozer with the lads. She was kind-hearted, liked a laugh and was never intentionally nasty or malicious - but she did call it as she saw it, and had a refreshing attitude to liberating other peoples' property.
Julie had a lot of front, but scratch beneath the hard outer layer and you would find a vulnerable person who still bore the scars of being abandoned by her mum and desperately wanted someone to love.
She found that in Billy, with whom she rekindled a teen romance. When she revealed that as a teenager, she has had his son who was subsequently adopted, it led them to the door of Lola, their granddaughter, who was also in the care system.
However, Julie and Lola felt threatened by each other and in the fight for Billy's affection, Lola ultimately won. Julie left Walford with a broken heart.
Storylines[]
Julie is introduced as a woman from Billy Mitchell's past. She first appears on 14 October 2010 when Billy is visited by police, it is revealed that Julie became pregnant by Henry Mason, a paedophile who worked at the children's home where Julie and Billy lived during their childhood. Julie arrives in Walford the following week and surprises Billy by coming to his door. Julie says she doesn't want to testify against Henry, and leaves when Phil Mitchell and Jay Brown return home. She telephones Billy asking him to meet her at the café, where she reveals that even though Henry Mason raped her, they always used contraception, and the only time she did not was when she had sex with Billy. She tells Billy that he has an adult son. She explains that he was taken away from her a week after he was born, and says he probably had a better life. However, Billy gets angry, saying a child should know his parents and tells Julie she should never have come, so she leaves. However, Billy soon contacts Julie again, and she helps him sell stock on his market stall. He invites her round the next week, and Jay notes that she has made an effort to look good for Billy. They go to a party where Billy invites Julie to his relative Ronnie Mitchell's wedding and she accepts. She later sees Stacey Branning taking off her high heel stilettos and steals them, leaving her own shoes behind. When Billy realises Julie has gone, he phones her and she says she felt unwell.
Julie arrives for Ronnie's wedding where £20,000 goes missing. Ronnie's sister Roxy Mitchell accuses Julie of stealing it, though she did not. At the reception, Stacey sees Julie wearing her shoes and confronts her, and Roxy empties Julie's bag looking for the money, revealing Julie has filled it with food. Julie runs off and Billy catches up to her. She reveals she is wearing an electronic tag and is under curfew as she is staying in a hostel and she is trying to make her room feel like her own. Billy says this does not matter to him. Julie is accused again when she wears an expensive coat that she found, that the real thief, Shirley Carter, bought. Julie spends the day helping Dot Branning at the laundrette and they become friends. However, Julie leaves embarrassed after Mo Harris reveals to Dot that Julie is wearing the tag. She later gets a job from Kat Moon, cleaning at The Queen Victoria but she accidentally disconnects the beer pumps. Kat sacks her but Patrick Trueman and Billy persuade her to give Julie another chance. When Julie asks to store some things around Billy's house, he discovers some photos of a man. Thinking Julie is in a relationship, he confronts her, but she explains that they are pictures of their son, Roger Green. Billy wants to see Roger, but Julie warns it is too late. However, Billy finds his address in Julie's belongings and goes to visit him. Once at the house, Billy announces that he is his father. Roger denies this, and Julie turns up and pulls Billy away. She explains that she could not trace their real son, so fantasised that Roger, her former boss, was their son instead. Billy forgives Julie, but informs her that he has contacted an adoption agency about their son. Billy and Julie then start a proper romantic relationship as a couple and after her tag is removed she moves in with him, as well as getting a job on the flower stall. She befriends Heather Trott after Heather catches her stealing and then writing a birthday card to her son, forcing her to reveal that she gave him up for adoption.
Julie asks Kat Moon to come with her to the park as she is meeting Billy's son, William Mitchell, for the first time and is worried that she is not ready to be a stepmother. However, as they play in the park, it goes well and Julie thanks Kat for coming. Billy discovers the name of his and Julie's son is Dan Pearce. They go to visit him but find out he died three months previously. However, they discover they have a granddaughter, Lola Pearce. Billy and Julie visit Lola in care and Billy bonds with her, but Julie feels she is trouble and not their problem when she continues to visit Billy. Lola tells Julie that she will win if Billy is forced to choose between them, so Julie calls the police to have Lola taken back into care. She later admits to Billy that she did this, however, she later allows Lola to move in with her and Billy. She is angry with Billy when he refuses to discipline Lola, and worries when a social worker allows Lola to stay though they are squatting and the social worker will want to see a tenancy agreement.
Julie takes the blame when Lola accidentally injures Jay while he is working in the Arches. The accident occurs when Lola begins working for Phil but he fires her after catching her stealing. Lola, in a fit of rage, smashes up the Arches and kicks a piece of heavy equipment down into the pit, which hits Jay and knocks him unconscious. Lola goes back to the care home when Jay gives her a day to confess the truth, and is persuaded to come back by Billy. She tells Julie that she will win if Billy is forced to choose, and Julie, realising she and Lola have no future together, leaves after saying an emotional farewell to Billy.