Duration 1999–2001 | Classification Former, regular | |
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First appearance Episode 17887 June 1999 Occupation Con artistBarmanBusinessmanPub landlord Last appearance Episode 2151; 16 August 2001 Similar Steve Owen, Celestine and Etta Tavernier, Nina Harris, Alan Jackson, Gianni di Marco | ||
Daniel "Dan" Sullivan is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders, played by Craig Fairbrass. Dan appeared on the show as a regular from 7 June 1999 to 10 July 2000 and then from 26 February to 16 August 2001. He became central to a plot involving a love triangle between himself, his lover Carol Jackson and Carol's daughter Bianca - whom Dan embarks on an affair with. Other major storylines included him being conned out of his share of The Queen Victoria, being framed and wrongly imprisoned for the shooting of archenemy Phil Mitchell and being responsible for the kidnapping of Melanie Owen.
Contents
Storylines
Dan arrives in Albert Square as Carol Jackson (Lindsey Coulson)'s latest boyfriend in 1999 and they plan to marry on discovering she is expecting his child. Carol's daughter Bianca (Patsy Palmer) is stunned to see him, as they had had a fling when she was a teenager on holiday, many years before. Dan and Bianca begin an affair, which is discovered, leading Carol to have an abortion and leave Walford. Bianca also leaves Walford. Dan stays in the Square and buys Grant Mitchell (Ross Kemp)'s share of The Queen Victoria public house from Phil Mitchell (Steve McFadden) for only £5. Dan then discovers that Phil, Roy Evans (Tony Caunter) and Frank Butcher (Mike Reid) are running a dodgy scam involving the car lot, so he informs the police. He later tells Melanie Healy (Tamzin Outhwaite) about this and she tells Lisa Shaw (Lucy Benjamin), leading to Phil finding out. Phil plots to win back his share of the pub and arranges a card game. When Phil wins the share back and smugly refunds Dan's £5, Dan vows revenge. He threatens Mel with phone calls and begins stalking her because she had told Phil about him informing the police and she was in on Phil's plan to throw him out of the pub. Mel is saved when Steve Owen (Martin Kemp) rescues her, threatening to kill him unless he leaves the Square and Dan leaves Walford in July 2000.
Six months after he is last seen, he returns in February 2001, wanting revenge against Phil. When Phil is shot on Steve and Mel's wedding day, Dan is a suspect, but Phil's ex-girlfriend, Lisa is responsible. Phil forgives her and decides to frame Dan instead. Dan is arrested and in court, the jury rightly find him not guilty, and he gets revenge by kidnapping Mel, (thinking Steve had shot Phil). Dan gets £200,000 ransom, and leaves Walford in August 2001, considerably richer than when he first arrived and has not been seen since, although he leaves flowers on Steve Owen's grave, bearing the message "Gotcha!". In 2003, Billy Mitchell (Perry Fenwick) hears news that Dan is back in town to settle a few scores, although this is off-screen. This is later revealed to be a hoax by the police to connect Phil to the alleged murder of Lisa. Dan is last heard to be living in Spain, but having many brushes with the law, just like he did in the square.
Development
In 2001, it was reported by The Mirror, that Phil Mitchell (Steve McFadden) would be shot in a whodunnit style storyline. The possible suspects were Lisa Shaw (Lucy Benjamin), Melanie Healy (Tamzin Outhwaite), Steve Owen (Martin Kemp), Mark Fowler (Todd Carty), Ian Beale (Adam Woodyatt) and Dan. Some bookmakers refused to take bets as they were convinced that Dan would commit the crime. The bookies' favourite for Phil's shooter was Dan, with the odds 3–1.