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Richard "Ricky" Branning (née Mitchell) is the son of Sam Mitchell and Jack Branning, conceived on a one night stand. He is the half-brother of Amy, Penny and James Branning. He is also the father to Charli Slater.

Storylines

Backstory

In late 2009 while in a relationship with Ricky Butcher, Sam had an affair with Jack Branning before being arrested and sent to prison for her role in the death of Dirty Den. It was during this time frame when he was conceived. Sometime later, Sam discovered she was pregnant but did not tell anyone except for close friend Minty Peterson.

In late August, Sam's mother Peggy Mitchell visited Sam in prison and it was not until the end of the visit until Peggy realised Sam was pregnant. Sam still angry that her mother tried to frame her for Archie Mitchell's murder insisted that she did not want to see Peggy but after being rushed to hospital Peggy ignored Sam's demands and rushed to the hospital and it is during an argument between them when Sam goes into labour. Despite insisting that Ricky is the father of her baby both potential fathers Ricky and Jack and their partners Bianca and Ronnie go to the hospital.

2010: Birth and leaving with Sam

When Richard is born, Sam wants to put him up for adoption but her mother Peggy Mitchell insists she keep him, saying the baby is the only way Sam can get back with Ricky, who is now remarried to Bianca Jackson.

Despite insisting that the baby is Ricky's son and even naming him "Richard" after him, Jack, Ricky, Bianca and Ronnie still insist on a DNA paternity test. It is carried out and Sam receives a phone call with the results which she claims confirmed Ricky was the father, however a suspicious Bianca contacts the DNA testing clinic pretending to be Sam and is shocked to discover that Sam lied and Jack is the father of the baby. After confronting her about it publicly Sam admits she lied because Ronnie persuaded her too.

A short while later after a tragic fire in the Queen Vic, Ricky's grandmother Peggy (who had promised to help raise Richard) leaves Albert Square, leaving Sam feeling alone and vulnerable. After a mishap where Sam mistakes the colour of baby feces for a serious illness, Sam realises how inexperienced she is and says she wants Ronnie and Jack to have the baby. They agree and make plans for Sam to bring Richard and his belongings over to Jack and Ronnie but Sam does not arrive. Ronnie goes to Sam's and tries to persuade her not to give Richard up saying that it will be the biggest mistake of her life. Ronnie offers her money to leave Walford with Richard, as when Jack finds out she is keeping Richard, he will come after her. Ronnie leaves alone, but Sam leaves Richard with Jack. Later, Ronnie and Sam meet, and she gives Sam the money, telling her to take Richard back. After the breakdown of her relationship with Minty, she leaves with Ricky and goes to Portugal to live with her brother, Grant Mitchell in September 2010.

Ricky was mentioned a few months later when Phil Mitchell and Shirley Carter visited Grant, Sam and Ricky in Portugal. Jack mentioned that Shirley had some photos of Ricky to show him and Ronnie asked him did he miss Ricky and Jack claimed that he didn't and that Ricky was happy and had a new family now.

2016-2022: Return and living with Jack

Richard, nicknamed “Ricky”, returns to Walford with Sam for Peggy's funeral in June 2016 and when Jack sees him, he refuses to have anything to do with him. Sam shows signs of finding it hard to cope with her son, who is left at Jack's house to bond with him and Jack's daughter Amy Mitchell. He just wants to be eat junk food and play video games, it was obvious that Sam gave her son no attention at all and Jack decides to get to know Ricky, Deciding Ricky is better off without her, Sam abandons Ricky, leaving him with Jack, and goes back to Portugal. Realising Sam has allowed Ricky to do what he wants, Jack attempts to get him to end his bad habits of eating sweets and constantly playing video games by giving him healthy meals, throwing his games console in the bin and encouraging him to join scouts. Ricky shuts himself in a cupboard and when he comes out, he says he dislikes being called "Richard" and then attends Scouts. On New Year's Day 2017, during Jack and Ronnie's wedding night, both Ronnie, her sister and Amy's mother Roxy Mitchell drown in a hotel swimming pool. Jack initially does not want Amy or Ricky to know, but when they start asking questions about their whereabouts, Jack says they have "gone away" and are never coming back. Ricky and Amy are left confused, so continue to question Jack and his brother Max Branning until their step-grandmother Dot Branning explains to them with sensitivity that they have died. During this time, the kids are enrolled at a school in Essex as Jack, Ronnie and Roxy planned to move there, but they later return to Walford Primary.

2022 to present: Reuniting with Sam and Lily's pregnancy

In April 2022, Ricky’s mother, Sam, returns to the square. Ricky is keen to bond with her, but Sam is uninterested as she was called back for Phil, and Sam uses Ricky as a way to get at Jack. Ricky asks Sam why she abandoned him, but she finds herself unable to answer. Sam and Ricky are not seen spending time together for months, but, On 17 August 2022, Sam admits to Phil she hasn’t made an effort with Ricky as she knows she can’t put down roots and can’t be there for him, whereas Jack can. She admits she wants to put down roots and be part of the family again, and make an effort for Ricky. On 5 October 2022, Ricky visits Sam and says he heard she was in a fight and got thrown out. He says he convinced Jack that she can stay in one of his flats, and Jack hands her the keys to 5B Albert Square, and Sam and Ricky hug, with her Calling him a gorgeous boy and thanking him.

Later in October, Ricky steals Denise’s toast at breakfast. After this, Denise and Jack start dancing round the kitchen, Much to Amy and Ricky’s dismay. Later at home, Jack says he’s going to be checking Amy’s homework, and him and Denise leave. Amy convinces Ricky to leave by giving him ten pounds, and he leaves.

In 2023, Lily Slater becomes pregnant with Ricky's baby, saying that he can never know. She explains "He's not my boyfriend, we only did it once."

After Lily decides to keep the baby and informs Ricky that she is pregnant and states that she only told him to warn him that the police will want to talk to him as they shouldn’t have had sex so young. He confides in Sam, who relays her knowledge of Lily being pregnant with Ricky's baby to Jack. Jack confronts the Slater's who reveal Lily wants to keep the baby. After Ricky is interviewed by the police Sam comes by to reveal that she is staying in Walford to help Ricky and be there for him. Ricky decides to help Lily and support her and their baby, despite Jack's opposition to this. Jack then goes to see Lily and attempts to scare her about the reality of her situation into getting an abortion. Lily tells Stacey about her conversation with Jack and she bans Ricky and his family from having anything to do with the baby. Due to this Ricky decides to move in with Sam, who convinces Jack to allow her and Ricky to move into 5D Albert Square. At the gender Reveal, Lily and Ricky are delighted to announce they are having a daughter. When Ricky learns his mother Sam has chosen to take a job managing a hotel in Spain Ricky is hurt and pushes his mum away by telling her he couldn't care if she leaves refusing to go to leaving do organised for Sam by Honey before Sam leaves Ricky decides to reconcile with his mum thanks to Amy talking about how she doesn't have her mother anymore. Ricky and Sam part on good terms Ricky telling his mum he loves her and Sam saying she isn't abandoning him this time and she will call him every day and is coming back and that when Ricky’s daughter is born, she will be his world like Ricky is Sam's. Due to Sam leaving for Spain Ricky has moved back in with his dad full time.

A week later Denise revealed to Jack what has been happening with her and Ravi and how that is causing Amy to act out again. Ricky finds out and is mad at Denise because he told his mum to leave as he thought if she did he would still have Denise. The next morning Ricky finds out Denise and Raymond have moved out due to Jack finding out about Ravi and Denise and it fracturing their relationship and by extension their family unit. Ricky believes that Denise and Jack are getting divorced due to everything that's happened Amy does not share this and tries to force Jack and Denise back together which has disastrous results. Later on Ricky, Amy, Denise and Jack go to Family therapy the morning of Jack looks at Family photo on his laptop Amy is trying to do touch therapy with her necklace that broke and Ricky looks at a picture of his daughters scan on his phone. During Family therapy Ricky brings up how affected he was by having to deal with Amy when she self harmed herself and had to call ambulance.

Later on Ricky had braces put on and on Fathers day Lily gave him a fathers day card to celebrate and when Denzel tells them a story about his cousins mate they worry and start thinking about making money for their daughter and Lily thinks of trying to get money from Theo which Ricky agrees to help with Lily meets with him and Ricky is round corner out of sight. At a family group conference Ricky and Lily families meet with social services to discuss and plan for Ricky and Lily's daughter's arrival. Ricky covers for Lily when she is asked how she afforded some baby equipment. During the meeting Ricky suggests asking if school would let them take maybe one day a week off to spend with their daughter which Jack shuts down as he tells Ricky it isn't realistic.

On 5 September 2023 Lily gives birth to her and Ricky's daughter Charli, Ricky then tells Jack he is going to change his name from Mitchell to Brannjng because he's always felt like more of a Branning, when Ricky and Lily take Charlie out for the first time they are pressured by their other teenage friends such as Davinder and Denzel to make Charli luck a salt crisp. Ricky and Lily give into the peer-pressure are about to give Charli a crisp but are caught by Jack who is furious and takes Charli away.

Sam then goes to see Ricky and Charli, Ricky initially doesn't want to see Sam since she left him and didn't keep in touch, although he later let's Sam see Charli but tells her has had his second name changed from Mitchell to Branning. When the Mitchell's discover Sal has died Sam asks Ricky to attend the funeral with her, which he does. Sam reveals to Kat and the rest of the customers in the Vic that Phil slept with Emma Harding. Sam leaves Walford after Phil, the Mitchell's and some Walford residents turn on her, however she has a touching farewell with Ricky before departing.

Employment history

Occupation Years Active
Student at Walford Primary School 2016-2017, 2017-2022
Student at a Primary School in Essex 2017
Student at Walford High School 2022 to present

Residence

Address Years
27 Albert Square 2010, 2016-2023, 2023 to present
Portugal 2010-2016
5B Albert Square 2023
5D Albert Square 2023

See also

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