Derek Branning

[alan45]

EastEnders' Branning family have emotional scenes ahead as they pay their last respects to bad boy Derek.

Derek, played by Jamie Foreman, will be killed off in an upcoming storyline - but details of how he dies are being kept firmly under wraps by show bosses.

Cast and crew have been busy filming Derek's funeral episode in recent days, and new pictures have now been revealed offering a glimpse at the scenes in store.


© BBC



© BBC



© BBC


Perhaps surprisingly given the animosity between them, Derek's son Joey seems to be one of the characters most affected by his father's passing. Joey's sister Alice is seen comforting him as he breaks down outside the church.

Foreman joined EastEnders as Derek late last year and his departure from the soap was confirmed last month.

Although Derek's death has not been officially confirmed as a murder, Max Branning has emerged as the bookies' favourite to kill him off.

[lizann]

joey upset as he killed him maybe

[Perdita]

EastEnders pub boss Alfie Moon has emerged as the new bookies' favourite to kill off Derek Branning at Christmas.

Derek (Jamie Foreman) will lose his life over the festive period, and although the exact nature of his death has yet to be officially confirmed, fans are expecting the Walford bad boy to be murdered.

Earlier this month, Derek's brother Max was the favourite to kill him, but bookmaker William Hill has now put Alfie (Shane Richie) in top position with odds of 5/1.

Max is now in second place with odds of 6/1 and Jack Branning is at 7/1, while others in the running include Billy Mitchell (9/1), Joey Branning (10/1) and Alfie's unfaithful wife Kat (10/1).

Dot Branning and Jean Slater are currently seen as two of the most unlikely culprits as both have odds of 100/1.

Prime suspect Alfie could have motive to bump off Derek if the villain is revealed as Kat's mystery lover next month.

William Hill spokesman Rupert Adams commented: "Derek is quickly becoming one of the soap's most unpopular characters and just about everyone will have a reason for killing him off by the time Santa arrives in Albert Square."

Cast and crew filmed Derek's funeral scenes earlier this month.

[parkerman]

"Derek is quickly becoming one of the soap's most unpopular characters and just about everyone will have a reason for killing him off by the time Santa arrives in Albert Square."

What's the odds on Santa then?

[parkerman]

"Derek is quickly becoming one of the soap's most unpopular characters and just about everyone will have a reason for killing him off by the time Santa arrives in Albert Square."

What's the odds on Father Christmas then?

[Siobhan]

I am going with Lauren with a car... she is really good at that

[tammyy2j]

I am going with Lauren with a car... she is really good at that

But she didnt finish off Max

I dont see Derek yet as one of Eastenders truly awful villians

[tammyy2j]

Would Alfie really kill Derek because he was shagging Kat I dont think so

[Perdita]

Show bosses introduced Derek's daughter Alice and wayward son Joey earlier this year, but the Walford villain has continued to behave badly despite the presence of his loved ones on Albert Square.

Asked by The Sun whether he would like Derek and Joey to end their feud, Foreman replied: "I just hate having to play the same scene over and over again. After about four months of playing the same thing, it's very difficult for actors to do. Easy to write but very difficult to play. You're like, 'Not again'.

"I love things that develop and delve and dig and peel the layers of the onion off, so sometimes that becomes a little bit frustrating. My wife is a big fan of EastEnders so I used to watch it with her because I had to. I'd eat my dinner and keep quiet but I'd be rewriting things in my own head.

"When I came into the show, I didn't want to play a stereotypical bad guy. I wanted to move Derek around and Alice's character gave me the opportunity to explore that other side and get his family back together, and for him to find a bit of happiness and peace in his life.

"That's what we discussed at the beginning but it never panned out that way. But Alice shows the teddy bear in Derek."

Derek will be departing screens at Christmas when he is killed off, although exact details of his death are still being kept under wraps.

Foreman said that a highlight of his time at EastEnders has been engaging with a new audience.

He explained: "All the films I've done, none of the kids out there will have seen them. My own kids only got to see them later in life. So it's been great. Derek says it how he sees it and shoots from the hip and I think that's what people like. As corrupt as Derek is, he's also very honest. Painfully honest at times."

EastEnders continues tonight (November 20) at 7.30pm on BBC One.

[Perdita]

EastEnders bad boy Derek Branning has been tipped to cause chaos for his family this Christmas by revealing Max's mysterious secret.

Derek (Jamie Foreman) will turn against Max over the festive period after he feels disrespected by him once too often, according to magazine reports.

Viewers have seen Derek help out Max (Jake Wood) with his 'problem' over the past few months, but it seems that he will ultimately use his knowledge to destroy his brother's happiness in dramatic episodes.

Full details of the storyline are being kept firmly under wraps, but it's thought that Derek ensures Max's secret is exposed to the whole Branning family.

The drama plays out after Max discovers Derek's blackmail of Tanya over the recent car crash and Lauren's short-lived relationship with Joey.

When Max takes Derek to task over his antics, the Albert Square villain is furious over his attitude and vows to make him pay.

Max's secret has been a talking point among fans since the beginning of the year, but thanks to Derek, viewers will finally get an answer at Christmas.

However, as it's well-known that Derek will be killed off in late December, will this be his last malicious act?

Read more: http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/soaps/s2...#ixzz2E0raL1Rm