User:EEfamilytrees/Josh Wilson (EastEnders)
| Josh Wilson | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| EastEnders character | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Portrayed by | Robbie Flanagan | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Duration | 2024–present | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| First appearance | Episode 6855 13 February 2024 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Classification | Present; regular | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Created by | Max Jefferson | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Introduced by | Max Jefferson | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Josh Wilson is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders, played by Robbie Flanagan. Josh was introduced by executive producer Max Jefferson in episode 6855, broadcast on 13 February 2024, as a member of the new Wilson family. The family consisted of Josh, who is the son of Paul (Thomas Smithurst), and was adopted by his stepmother, Patricia (Emily-Mary), and Josh's son, Harrison (Harvey). Josh was the second of the Wilson family to be introduced, after Paul. He joined the show as the fiancé of already established character, Lauren Branning (Jacqueline Jossa), whom he married on the 39th anniversary of the programme.
During his time on the show, Josh has been involved in several storylines, including a marriage to Lauren, a feud with his biological mother, Elaine Peacock (Harriet Thorpe) and a friendship turned cold with Peter Beale (Thomas Law).
Storylines
[edit]Backstory
[edit]Josh was conceived through an affair between Elaine Peacock (Harriet Thorpe) and Paul Wilson (Thomas Smithurst). When Elaine found out she was pregnant, she told Paul and he wished to raise the baby together as a family but Elaine chose her husband, Johnny over him. In revenge, Paul poisoned Johnny and made it look like it was triggered by natural causes. After this, Elaine gave the baby to Paul, as she was too embarrassed to raise a child that wasn't her husband's. Josh was raised by Paul and his new wife, Patricia (Emily-Mary). When he was nineteen, he married a woman named Chloe and they had a child shortly after, who they named Harrison (Harvey). In 2018, when Josh was living in New Zealand, he met Peter Beale (Thomas Law) and Lauren Branning (Jacqueline Jossa). Sometime after this in 2021, Chloe was charged with assault and went to prison, so him and Lauren started dating.
2024–present
[edit]Josh arrived on Albert Square in February 2024, with his now fiancée, Lauren, Harrison, and Lauren and Peter's son, Louie Beale (Jake McNally) after his parents moved there. Josh and Lauren go to the registry office to get married, after asking Peter and Whitney Dean (Shona McGarty) to be their best man and maid of honour respectively. The wedding is later disrupted and almost cancelled when Lauren's father, Max Branning (Jake Wood) arrives in Walford with his new girlfriend, Janine Carter (Charlie Brooks). They both move into the Wilson’s flat. Only a couple days after the wedding, Lauren witnesses Harrison hitting Louie. Seen as he couldn’t have learned it from anyone, she accuses Josh of encouraging violence. Josh then argues back, revealing that his ex-wife, Chloe, is in prison for assault. Lauren isn’t pleased that Josh hid something so big from her.
In June that year, Josh finds a photograph of a woman holding while in the flat and demands that Paul tells him who they are. Patricia walks in and tells Paul that he doesn't have to tell Josh as it's none of his business. Josh can tell she is hiding something important so he desperately asks Paul again. Paul tells him that Patricia isn't his biological mother but Elaine is instead and that the picture was of him and Elaine. The following morning, Josh storms into Sharon Watts' (Letitia Dean) house to get answers from Elaine, who has been living there for the last few months. Elaine tells him that she never wanted to abandon him but felt she had no choice due to owning the local pub and everyone knowing who she is and judging her. Josh tells her that she's just making excuses for her actions. This was until Elaine told him the whole story and that Paul killed her husband, Johnny. After this, Josh disowns Paul and Patricia and decides to move into Sharon's to be close to his new family. On Josh's birthday, Elaine decides to make it special by decorating the house for a party but Josh's mood is changed when Patricia sends him a message, wishing him a happy birthday.
Afterwards, Josh meets Lauren's cousin, who is also her ex-partner, Joey Branning (David Witts) and it's very awkward. Lauren's uncle, Jack Branning (Scott Maslen), plans to go to his former mother-in-law, Glenda Mitchell's (Glynis Barber) home in Southampton to collect his runaway son, Ricky Branning (Frankie Day). Josh volunteers to go with him due to growing up in the area. On their drive, a lorry drives into them, which causes the two to crash into a wall beside a park in Southampton Common and Josh had hit his head on the wheel during the incident. Luckily, Ricky walks to the nearby park and recognises his dad and Josh in the car and calls an ambulance. Lauren later rushes to Southampton to visit Jack and Josh in the hospital. When Jack is discharged, Lauren worries as Josh is kept in. A few days, Lauren is made hopeful when the doctor's plan to wake Josh up, which successfully works. Lauren's grandmother, Cora Cross (Ann Mitchell), lets her and Josh stay at her home in Southampton for a few more weeks while Josh is healing. A week and a half later, they return to the square with Lauren's brother, Oscar Branning (Paddy Bever).
Development
[edit]Casting and creation
[edit]Josh was introduced as a member of the new Wilson family. The family consisted of Josh, who is the son of Paul (Thomas Smithurst), and was adopted by his stepmother, Patricia (Emily-Mary), and Josh's son, Harrison (Harvey). Josh was the second of the Wilson family to be introduced, after Paul. The Wilson family was confirmed by executive producer, Max Jefferson, via a casting call. The casting for all the characters were slowly confirmed over the next few weeks after this. Robbie Flanagan was cast in the role, only a few days after the casting call and was later announced. Flanagan later admitted that he always knew the twist that Josh was secretly Elaine Peacock's (Harriet Thorpe) son and Linda Carter's (Kellie Bright) half-brother, while the audience didn't find out until it aired on-screen.
Relationships
[edit]Lauren Branning
[edit]Josh was introduced to the programme as the fiancé of established legacy character, Lauren Branning (Jacqueline Jossa). On the relationship between these characters, Flanagan said, "Well it's great to be working with a legend like Jacqueline and it's nice to see Lauren with somebody who is not a Beale." Additionally, during his and Lauren's wedding, Janine Butcher (Charlie Brooks) and Max Branning (Jake Wood) return as a previously unexpected pairing.
Elaine Peacock
[edit]One of Josh's biggest storylines upon his arrival was the plot twist that his mother wasn't the woman who raised him, Patricia Wilson (Emily-Mary) but the mother of matriarch and former pub landlady, Linda Carter (Kellie Bright), Elaine Peacock (Harriet Thorpe), who has appeared on the soap on and off since joining in 2014, when played by Maria Friedman. On the storyline, Flanagan opened up saying, "When Max [Jefferson] told me that this was gonna occur, I couldn't help but want to dig deeper and I have intensely enjoyed filming this storyline with the cast."
Paul Wilson
[edit]Shortly before Josh's first scenes, Josh's father, Paul (Thomas Smithurst) arrives. The relationship between the characters has been described by Flanagan as "shaky".
Future
[edit]After a strong introduction and strong relationship developments with the rest of the Wilsons, it has been confirmed that during 2025, Josh will face multiple challenges. Flanagan had said there will be "a lot of bumps in the road for Josh".