Winston made first appeared on 26 November 1985. He is portrayed by Ulric Browne.
Backstory[]
Winston has lived in Walford all his life, he has a wife and couple of children.
Storylines[]
Winston’s first line is "Bloody pedestrians", said to Den Watts, who gets in his way when he is riding a bicycle. Winston owns the music stall in Walford's Bridge Street Market and over the years proves to be a great friend to his fellow long-standing stall-holder, Mark Fowler. His highlights include shaving his tuft of hair off for charity on 5 February 2001 and helping Ethel Skinner arrive at her birthday party on the night she dies. He is angry when Ian Beale's car crashes into his stall in October 2006.
Winston is always willing to help when other market traders are called away, this is seen when Stacey Slater needs someone to guard her clothing stall while she and Max Branning slip into an unguarded bedroom to continue the next episode in their illicit affair. Winston often appears at events held by other Walford residents due to being their friend, such as weddings, funerals and parties or briefly in the background of a scene. He attends the funerals of Pauline Fowler, Pat Evans and Archie Mitchell, stag parties for Garry Hobbs, Lucas Johnson and Ricky Butcher, Jean Slater's birthday party and Ricky and Bianca Jackson's wedding. Sometimes characters steal DVDs or CDs from his stall, including Jay Brown.
In April 2008, Winston's niece Keisha arrives in Walford, and leaves a month later with Gus Smith. Winston wins a Children in Need raffle in The Queen Victoria in November 2008, and in July 2009, Stacey Slater offers him a flower but he refuses. He also appears with Shirley Carter getting drunk in Ian's chip shop in June 2009 and is seen drunk again in August 2009. He is seen with Tracey in August 2009 talking about Max and Tanya Branning, and in November 2009 Ian invites him for drinks at The Queen Victoria but he refuses.
On 15 June 2010 Winston has a minor conversation with Max. On 2 November 2010 he has is seen asking for 3 drinks at the newly reopened Queen Vic. In April 2011, during the screening of the wedding of Prince William and Kate Middleton in The Queen Victoria, Winston accidentally rips the cord from the television electrical plug, much to the dismay of the patrons. In January 2012, Winston is distracted by Kim Fox in a bright outfit and accidentally knocks over a ladder, which nearly hits her. In May 2012, Lauren Branning buys a CD from Winston for her mother Tanya Jessop. He allows her to smell some of his breath but Lauren's grandmother Cora Cross misinterprets the exchange and believes that Lauren is buying alcohol from Winston. In July 2012, Winston is chosen as the defender in The Queen Victoria's football team. In August 2013 he locks market inspector Tamwar Masood in a portable toilet as a joke, but Kat Moon and Bianca are blamed. He asks Alfie Moon for a black armband, as a mark of respect for the recently deceased Lucy Beale in April 2014.
On 20 January 2017, he attends the funeral of Ronnie and Roxy Mitchell. On 27 February 2017, he participates in the pancake day race. In May, he attends the meeting about saving the local community centre. On 27 June 2017, he is forced to attend a corporate training day.
Winston attended Whitney Dean’s performance at the Queen Victoria in August 2021, and witnessed the fire at 55 Victoria Road in September. When Avery Baker arrives on 4 July 2022, Winston is one of the market traders that tells him to reverse, however when Avery Lies about his cat dying and him being on the way to the vet, Winston and the other traders let him through and move their stalls. Avery later invites all the traders to the Vic and pays for drinks for all of them. On 24 April 2023, Shrimpy, Luke and Winston watch the boxing match at The Boxing Den.
In October 2024, He attends Cindy and Ian Beale’s engagement party.
Notes[]
- In a 2011 radio interview, Ulric Browne states that Winston was only supposed to appear in two episodes as a guest character, however he was asked to stay by producers.