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Lucas Aaron Johnson made his first appearance 3 April 2008, he is portrayed by Don Gilet. Lucas is the ex-husband of Trina Johnson and Denise Fox, he is also the father of Jordan Johnson and Chelsea Fox. He left EastEnders on 30 July 2010 but made a temporary return in 2016 and again on 25 December 2020. He once again departed on 18 March 2021. After almost three years, he returns on 31 January 2024 whilst imprisoned.

Backstory[]

Lucas is a complex man with two sides to his character. One side was a loving father, a pillar of the community. The other chewed and spat out his halo.

He was once a drug addict, but he vowed to change his ways when his friend, Jordan, died. When he had a son with a fellow drug addict, Trina, he named the boy Jordan and removed the boy from his mother's harmful influence.

But when Trina followed the pair to Walford, Lucas did his utmost to keep her away from Jordan. He accidentally killed her and hid her body. This wasn't a one-off - he later saw red and strangled wife Denise's ex-husband Owen with a bow tie and buried him in the Square.

Lucas's facade began to crack as he tried to cover up his crimes. He finally revealed his guilt to Denise, then held her hostage, faking her death and holding a funeral service in her memory.

Realising the error of his ways, Lucas allowed her to escape, and was arrested. He served approximately 10 years in prison, and was released in 2020.

Storylines[]

2008-2010: Arrival and murder spree[]

Lucas Johnson first appears on Albert Square when his estranged daughter, Chelsea Fox, tracks him down to a community service - whereupon she discovers that he is a preacher. Lucas, confronted by Chelsea, explains that he was seventeen when Chelsea was born and abandoned her along with her mother Denise - as he could not cope with fatherhood. He became a drug addict but overcame his addiction and joined the church. Chelsea reluctantly agrees to give Lucas a chance, but is unhappy to learn he has a son, Jordan. Lucas comes to Chelsea's aid when she develops a drug habit but Denise is furious to see him and tells him to stay away. Denise eventually forgives Lucas and they rekindle their relationship, becoming engaged.

Jordan reveals that Lucas is still married to his mother, Trina, though Lucas explains they are separated as she abandoned Jordan after he was born prematurely and addicted to heroin. Trina repeatedly tries to come between Lucas and Denise. She eventually agrees to a divorce, planning to move to Walford to be with Jordan. Lucas and Trina have sex, and during an argument, Lucas pushes her away and unintentionally causes her throat to be impaled on a rake. He leaves her to die, making it appear that she died in an accident while taking drugs. The coroner subsequently gives a verdict of accidental death.

Denise's ex-husband, Owen Turner, suspects Lucas was involved in Trina's death and confronts him on his wedding day. When Owen threatens to go to the police, Lucas strangles him to death with a bow tie. He marries Denise and buries Owen's body in Albert Square, under a tree planted in Trina's memory. When Jordan's sheepdog, Sugar, starts sniffing around the tree, Lucas disposes of her at a nearby canal, telling his family that she ran away.

Jordan is later hospitalised after being attacked by Ben Mitchell and Lucas blames himself, leading to him suffering a breakdown. He meets a woman named Jade in a bar and takes her to a secluded area, where he forces her to kneel and pray. Denise becomes suspicious after finding deep scratch marks on his neck, so Lucas takes her to visit Jade, who reveals that Lucas baptised her and washed away her sins. She says it will help her give up her alcohol dependence and get her daughter back. Denise tells Lucas that she is proud of what he has done.

Owen's body is discovered when Trina's tree is accidentally broken. Lucas confesses to Denise, claiming he killed him in self-defence. Denise is horrified but urges Lucas not to tell the police. He later admits that he could have saved Trina's life but chose not to, claiming that he will go to the police and tell them everything. Instead, he takes Denise to a canal, intending to baptise her. When Denise refuses to submit to God, he strangles her and fakes her suicide. Lucas murders a prostitute, Gemma Charleston, who resembles Denise, and places her body in the canal. He implicates Denise in Trina and Owen's murders, while keeping her prisoner in the basement of the empty house next door. Lucas gradually realises that his actions were wrong and allows Denise to escape. He attempts to take his family hostage, but they escape and Lucas is arrested.

In his jail cell, he scratches religious messages on the wall with his finger nails, causing them to bleed. He writes "sorry" in his blood, and hands his bible to an officer, saying he will not need it where he is going. In February 2011, Denise watches as Lucas is sentenced to life imprisonment. She celebrates her divorce from him, but does consider visiting him in January 2013 when he sends her a visiting order.

2016: Minor return[]

Years later, after discovering Jordan has been in trouble with the police, Denise tells her daughter Libby Fox that she is going to visit Lucas in prison. She receives a visiting order but changes her mind. Lucas then calls Denise, asking why she did not visit him, and she tells him not to call her again, hanging up on him.

However, one month later, jealous of all the couples around her and hoping to get help for Jordan, she contacts Lucas and tells him she is coming to visit him in prison. Lucas tells Denise that he has taken all responsibilities for his past actions, as he has been mentally ill and wanted to believe he was being guided by some spiritual being. Lucas admits to Denise that he is still in love with her, although she denies still being in love with him, and reveals that he is aware of Jordan being in trouble with the police. Lucas then encourages Denise to find him herself so she can help him. Denise later finds Jordan and convinces him and his son JJ Johnson to move in with her.

Lucas then sends her flowers so Denise visits him in prison to tell him not to send her anything again and that she will no longer visit him. Lucas then asks Denise to ask Jordan to visit him, which she does. Initially, Jordan wants to visit Lucas to tell him to stay away from him, but Denise's friend Patrick Trueman convinces him not to, not wanting Lucas to try to control him like he did to Denise. Jordan eventually decides to visit Lucas, however, and he and Denise are persuaded to help Lucas get onto a scheme that would allow him to apply for jobs and be granted more visiting hours. After Denise gives a statement, his application is accepted, but Lucas and Jordan plan to use the scheme to help Lucas break out of prison. He uses Jordan to try and convince Denise to come with them, but when she learns what is happening, she alerts Libby who calls the police. Lucas and Jordan are both taken into custody. Denise and Patrick later visit Lucas in prison. Lucas declares that he needs Denise and she warns him never to contact her again.

2020-2021: Return, drug trafficking and redemption[]

Lucas returns to Walford after being released from prison on Christmas Day 2020, having reunited with his daughter Chelsea. Denise takes her son Raymond Dawkins to a Christmas service where Lucas is a speaker. Denise and Raymond leave once she realises who he is, but Lucas follows them outside. He attempts to explain, but Denise makes it clear she is not interested. She is surprised to see Chelsea with Lucas, and urges her to return to Walford with her but she refuses. Patrick then finds Lucas and warns him off. Patrick visits Phil and requests him to scare Lucas away. Phil meets him in a restaurant and threatens him to never return to Walford.

When Lucas and Chelsea are leaving the restaurant, Lucas gets beaten up by thugs. A week later, Lucas returns to the square and starts stalking Denise as he watches her with her boyfriend Jack Branning. The following day, Denise finds out what Patrick and Phil did and decides to move in with Jack. When Patrick is alone in the house, Lucas turns up to confront him, suspecting him of setting up the attack. During a heated argument, Patrick collapses and suffers a stroke. Lucas hesitantly calls for an ambulance anonymously to protect himself from being rearrested. Denise warns Lucas not to come to the square again or she will call the police. Chelsea is later seen taking a phone call from a mystery assailant, where it is revealed that she was behind Lucas's attack. Denise later finds out that Phil was not behind the attack and asks to meet Lucas so she can warn him that someone else is out to get him. Lucas agrees to stay away from Walford in order to protect Chelsea. However, Chelsea later finds Lucas sleeping rough. She tries to persuade him to move in with her but Lucas refuses. Denise later agrees to meet Lucas again. Lucas tries to convince Denise that he is a changed man, revealing that his son Jordan died from a heroin overdose. After being persuaded by Patrick and Jack, Denise later agrees to let Jack rent one of his flats in the square out to Lucas.

Lucas sees one of the men who attacked him with Chelsea and confronts him, soon realising that Chelsea is trying to set him up for drug smuggling. Chelsea later tells Lucas she is taking him on a trip to Ibiza, but he warns her that he would be breaking his parole conditions if he left the country. However, determined to carry out her plan, Chelsea lies to Lucas and tells him she has told the police about their trip and that he has been cleared to go. However, on the day of the trip, Lucas fails to turn up for their taxi. Denise finds a devastated Chelsea crying and thinks that Lucas has let her down, so goes round to the flat to confront him. While Denise has a go at Lucas, he goes into a breakdown and lashes out at Denise. Jack and Chelsea later call round to the flat and find blood on the floor and Lucas and Denise missing. After calling the police, Jack finds Lucas walking around the square and chases after him, with Callum Highway in tow. Despite Callum's requests to have Lucas arrested, Jack kidnaps him and holds him hostage in the Arches. Lucas insists he has nothing to do with Denise's disappearance. Jack tries to beat Lucas up, but is restrained by Callum. While Callum and Jack argue, Lucas escapes.

Denise is later found kidnapped by an unknown assailant, who is later revealed to be Caleb Malone, putting Lucas in the clear. Caleb later lets Denise go after Chelsea agrees to return the drugs she owes him. Chelsea is forced to tell Denise about her plan. Denise is furious with Chelsea but covers for her when Jack asks what happened. Denise later tells Chelsea she will get Lucas to come back and do the job. Denise meets Lucas and tells him to go away with Chelsea. Lucas, knowing Denise and Chelsea's true intentions, starts to question why he is trying to change. He later saves Raymond from been hit by a trailer. Denise and Chelsea are grateful. Lucas talks to Denise about Chelsea's plan to set him up. Denise tells him who really kidnapped her. Lucas vows to find Caleb and kill him and steals Chelsea's phone to track him down. Chelsea warns Lucas that if he hurts Caleb, she wants nothing more to do with him. She tells him that Caleb will kill her if he goes near him and tells him to stay away from Caleb and do the job if he wants her forgiveness but Chelsea makes it clear that she will always hate Lucas for what he did. Chelsea books the flight and tells Lucas the job will be in a couple of weeks. Lucas tries to make amends with Chelsea and makes dinner for them. When Denise later tells Jack about the job, Chelsea comes on to Jack in an unsuccessful bid to try and stop him reporting her. Lucas and Denise are disappointed to hear of their daughter's recent actions and confront her. Chelsea breaks down in tears and tells Lucas she regrets what she did. Lucas later sees Chelsea and Jack arguing. Chelsea gloats about how she could have gotten with Jack if she really wanted to, leaving Lucas disappointed with her actions.

Lucas befriends Karen Taylor and they arrange a date. However, Lucas lies about his true identity and uses Jordan's name. Lucas's parole officer tells him that there is a job in Newcastle. Lucas is reluctant to take it as he does not want to leave Chelsea. Karen and Lucas go on the date, but Karen soon discovers Lucas's true identity when Denise tells Karen's ex-boyfriend, Mitch Baker who he really is. Karen, Denise and Chelsea are furious with Lucas for his lies. Lucas lashes out at Chelsea, having had enough of her recent behaviour.

While Lucas is alone, he calls Caleb, using Jordan's identity again, and arranges a job interview with him. When Caleb is not fooled by Lucas's act and insults Chelsea, Lucas threatens him with a chair. Chelsea is furious when she hears about this. Lucas loses patience with Chelsea and refuses to do the job unless she comes to church with him. Lucas tells Chelsea he wants to help her and believes she should go to the police and face up to her crimes. On the day of the job, Caleb gives Chelsea an extra package. At the airport, Lucas changes his mind about doing the job and tells Chelsea to take the drugs through herself. Chelsea does so as Lucas watches on. Security then pull Chelsea's bag aside for checking. Lucas then hands in his bag with the drugs and is arrested.

Lucas later provides Jack with evidence of Caleb's crimes. The police then try to track Caleb down but are unable to find him. Chelsea later tips the police off when Caleb asks her to meet him and he is arrested. When Jack tells Lucas this and offers to get him moved to a different prison in order to protect him from Caleb, Lucas tells Jack he will get what he deserves and vows never to contact Denise again. Lucas is later beaten up by Caleb's thugs. Chelsea later visits Lucas in prison and is upset to hear what Caleb did to him, blaming herself. Lucas tells Chelsea that he wants her to have a better life and cuts off all contact with her so she can have that.

2024: Visited by Denise[]

Lucas returns on 31 January 2024 when Denise visits him in prison, Denise asks for advice on how Lucas can live with himself after his murders, Lucas tells her that if she has done it she must confess.

Kill count[]

Murders/manslaughter victims[]

  1. Trina Johnson (3 September 2009) (accidental) - Exsanguination after being impaled on a rake by Lucas.
  2. Owen Turner (26 November 2009) - Strangled with a bow tie by Lucas.
  3. Gemma Charleston (July 2010) - Strangled by Lucas so he could have her identified as Denise Johnson (Whom he had kidnapped).


Attempted murder victims[]

  1. Ellis Prince (16 June 2009) - After discovering Ellis had supplied his daughter Chelsea with drugs, Lucas sneaks up on Ellis and knocks him out and leaves him lying unconscious, Ellis survives and leaves.
  2. Stacey Slater (2 October 2009) - Prepares to hit her with a paperweight after Stacey said she was going to call the police, Lucas assumed she found out he killed Trina but Lucas refrains when he discovers she's having a breakdown due to her bipolar, Stacey was oblivious to what Lucas was about to do.
  3. Jade (9 June 2010) - Strangles her after she tries to go back to her life as a prostitute and doesn't pray with him or listen to him.
  4. Denise Johnson (8 July 2010) - Strangles Denise to stop her going to the Police about his murders but Lucas can't go through with it so he kidnaps Denise and kills Gemma Charleston and bricks out her teeth so she can be identified as Denise.
  5. Caleb Malone (10 February 2021) (×2) - Vows to kill Caleb for targeting his family but is unable to track him down. When he meets Caleb he attempts to bludgeon him with a chair but Caleb threatens to have his heavies kill Lucas if he tries.

Resident history[]

Address Years
Unknown Backstory-2008
20 Albert Square 2009-2010
5E Albert Square 1993
Prison 2010- Prior to 2020, 2021 to present

Background information[]

See also[]

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