Although Dean Wicks hasn’t appeared in EastEnders in a while, a shocking update has left viewers wondering if he might be headed back to Walford.
When Shirley Carter’s daughter Carly Wicks (Kellie Shirley) posted some pictures of her mother-in-law Shirley Carter (Linda Henry) online, Linda Carter (Kellie Bright) became alarmed when she noticed Dean in one of the pictures. Linda had hoped to never see Dean’s face again because he had sexually assaulted her years earlier.
But first, let’s explore Dean’s background before speculating about his potential return to the BBC soap opera. For a reminder of his time in Albert Square, continue reading.
What happened to Dean in EastEnders?
In 2006, when Dean first arrived, he was a charmer who caused trouble. His mother Shirley had been gone for years, and his father Kevin Wicks (Phil Daniels) had died. But Dean’s actions when he tainted Stacey Slater’s (Lacey Turner) drink and blamed Bradley Branning (Charlie Clements) for what he had done were the first concerning indications of his future behavior.
Shirl later expressed a desire to reunite with her kids, but Dean reacted angrily and pinned his mother against a wall. Before coming home in 2014, he had been away for a while. Upon his return, he reconnected with his family and learned that Shirley and her son Mick (Danny Dyer), who hadn’t yet been identified, were now residing at The Vic. Dean was left alone with Linda toward the end of the year, and she provided him with consolation when Shirl escaped from the police after shooting Phil Mitchell (Steve McFadden).
Then, when Linda attempted to stop Dean from having sex with her, he raped her. Months later, Linda finally had the courage to tell Mick that she was expecting a child. The Carters were further shocked when Shirley yelled that Mick and Dean were brothers after Mick had brutally attacked Dean. Shirley refused to accept that Dean had attacked Linda even after he was detained and released on bail. Later, during another altercation with Dean, it seemed as though Mick had murdered his brother. The latter, however, came back, and Shirley prevented him from leaving the country to avoid posting bail.
When Linda gave birth to baby Ollie, Dean believed the baby was his – but Mick sought out the paperwork with his brother’s blood group which allowed him to prove that Dean was definitely not the father. However, Dean then learned that a previous fling with Shabnam Masood (Rakhee Thakrar) had conceived a daughter, Jade Green (Amaya Edward).
Dean later went on to date Roxy Mitchell (Rita Simons), but as his temper led to several incidents, he went on to sexually assault her. Shirley finally saw her son for who he was, resulting in a tense episode which saw Mick, Dean and Shirley end up in peril in a lake. Mick saved Shirl, but as Dean almost succumbed to drowning, Mick vowed not to let him escape justice as he saved his life.
Dean was soon re-arrested and held on remand. He pleaded not guilty in court and was acquitted of attempted rape, but left the country, banished from ever returning. Might we see him again?
Is Dean returning to EastEnders?
We’ve already considered whether Dean might play a role in EastEnders’ shocking new “whodunnit,” perhaps as the victim. But could Dean be returning, whether or not he becomes a murder victim?
This would start a new chapter for Linda, who has been through a lot since learning that Shirley and Dean may have reconciled. It may be the perfect time to bring Dean back because he was never held accountable for his deeds, allowing justice to be done in some way.
There haven’t been any overt indications that Di Angelo will play the same part as before. However, given that Linda’s discovery and the murderous twist are intertwined with his name, it’s possible that EastEnders is hiding Dean from us. We’ll update this page if new information becomes available.
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