Janine Butcher

Janine Butcher
EastEnders character
Charlie Brooks as Janine Butcher (2022)
Portrayed by	Rebecca Michael (1989–1993) Alexia Demetriou (1993–1996) Charlie Brooks (1999–2022)
Duration	1989–1996, 1999–2004, 2008–2014, 2021–2022
First appearance	Episode 457 22 June 1989 (1989-06-22)
Last appearance	Episode 6616 26 December 2022 (2022-12-26)
Classification	Former; regular
Introduced by	Mike Gibbon (1989) Matthew Robinson (1999) Diederick Santer (2008) Jon Sen (2021)
Spin-off appearances	Pudding Lane (1999) Last Tango in Walford (2010) EastEnders: E20 (2011) First Dates for Children in Need (2021)
In-universe information Other names Janine Evans Janine Malloy Janine Carter Judith Bernstein Occupation Waitress Estate agent Prostitute Barmaid Bar manager Bookmaker Businesswoman Father Frank Butcher Mother June Butcher Stepmother Pat Butcher Peggy Mitchell Brothers Ricky Butcher Sisters Clare Butcher Diane Butcher Half-brothers Danny Husband Barry Evans (2003–2004) David (2008) Ryan Malloy (2010–2012) Michael Moon (2012–2013) Mick Carter (2022) Daughters Scarlett Butcher Stepsons Jack Evans Tommy Moon Lee Carter Johnny Carter Ollie Carter Stepdaughters Lily Slater Frankie Lewis Nancy Carter Grandmothers Mo Butcher Lydia Simmonds Uncles Norman Simmonds Aunts Joan Garwood Nephews Liam Butcher Jacques Butcher Nieces Tiffany Butcher

Janine Carter (also Butcher, Evans and Malloy) is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders, introduced in 1989. The character was played by Rebecca Michael from 1989 to 1993, Alexia Demetriou from 1993 to 1996, and Charlie Brooks from 1999 to 2022. Brooks initially departed on 7 May 2004. She returned for a three episode guest stint in April 2008 before returning permanently on 18 December of that year. Brooks later took a break from September 2012 until April 2013, then departed again on 20 March 2014. In April 2021, it was announced that Brooks would reprise the role once again and return later in the year.^[1] She returned on 6 September 2021. It was announced on 24 September 2022 that Brooks had only agreed to reprise the role for 12 months and would depart again at the conclusion of her storyline, with her final scenes airing on 26 December 2022.^[2]

The character has been described as a "super-bitch" and a "classic villainess". She has proven popular with critics and fans of the show. Her storylines typically involve her in an antagonistic role.^[3][4] She has been married five times: to Barry Evans (Shaun Williamson) whom she killed on New Year's Day 2004, David (Harry Towb), Ryan Malloy (Neil McDermott), Michael Moon (Steve John Shepherd) and Mick Carter (Danny Dyer). Her feuds include a long-standing conflict with former stepmothers Pat Butcher (Pam St Clement) and Peggy Mitchell (Barbara Windsor), Sonia Jackson (Natalie Cassidy), Lynne Slater (Elaine Lordan), Laura Beale (Hannah Waterman), Kat Slater (Jessie Wallace), Zoe Slater (Michelle Ryan), Stacey Slater (Lacey Turner), Jean Slater (Gillian Wright), Sharon Watts (Letitia Dean) and Linda Carter (Kellie Bright). Her initial departure saw Janine being wrongfully charged for the death of Laura Beale. Upon her return, Janine is caught forging a wedding to a wealthy, old-age pensioner, that ends with her new husband abruptly dying of a fatal heart attack upon discovering her false identity. She later accidentally kills local resident Danielle Jones (Lauren Crace) by running her down in her car; conspires with Peggy's husband Archie (Larry Lamb) to defraud the Mitchell family from their ownership of The Queen Victoria public house; and becomes a prime suspect in Archie's murder investigation (see Who Killed Archie?). Janine later becomes involved in a love triangle with her third husband Ryan and his baby's mother, Stacey. All of this results in Janine framing Stacey for her attempted murder and also attempting to kill Ryan by poisoning him. Janine later gives birth to a daughter, Scarlett, with her fourth husband Michael, and they become embroiled in a custody battle over Scarlett, which leads to Janine murdering Michael, leading to her third departure from the show.

In Brooks' third stint as Janine, her storylines included being in a custody battle for Scarlett with Kat, accidentally starting a fire which almost kills Scarlett and Kat's son Tommy Moon (Sonny Kendall), reigniting her feuds with both Kat and Stacey,^[5][6] framing Jay Brown (Jamie Borthwick) for car theft, manipulating a separation between Mick and Linda Carter in order to have him to herself, regaining custody of Scarlett, a feud with Linda in which she frames her for a car accident, blackmailing Jada Lennox (Kelsey Calladine-Smith) into helping her bring Linda down, discovering she is pregnant with Mick's child and later marrying him, before being widowed the following day after another car accident with Linda that she indirectly caused, leading to her arrest and fourth departure from the show.