Last night’s episode of EastEnders saw soap icon David Wicks return to Walford. Played by actor Michael French, the character was last seen on Albert Square over ten years ago, returning for a series of brief stints in which he laid mum Pat Butcher to rest and attempted to reconcile with ex Carol Jackson.
And now, with daughter Bianca struggling with her mental health, David is back. He returned to the Square last night (Thursday, October 3) to find Bianca in a state – floundering in a pile of rubbish after being kicked out of The Vic.
But what do we know about Michael French, who plays David? Here’s our low-down on the soap legend.
When was Michael French on the BBC soap?
David Wicks first appeared on the soap in 1993, as the son of Pat Evans and Pete Beale. The half-brother of Simon Wicks and Ian Beale, David took the Wicks name when his mother re-married his adoptive father, Brian.
During his time on the Square, David would become known as something of a lothario – fathering children with Lorraine Foster and Carol Jackson (with whom he shares daughter Bianca). He is perhaps most infamous for his affair with Cindy Beale, dumping her before they could go through with their plan to run away together (but not before she arranged a hitman to have Ian murdered!)
After Cindy’s ‘death,’ David returned to the soap in short stints – first to say goodbye to mum Pat, the second when he tried to patch things up with ex Carol in 2013. Following a minor heart attack, he and Carol finally put an end to their relationship, and he left for New Zealand, seemingly for good.
Why did Michael French leave?
Along with Cindy Beale star Michelle Collins, Michael French decided to leave the soap in 1996 to pursue other acting roles. He was convinced to return briefly as part of Pam St. Clements’ exit in 2012.
At that time, he was then convinced to come back for another outing, which he did until 2014. His final episode aired in May that year, and we haven’t seen the character since.
How old is the David Wicks actor?
Born on September 27, 1962, Michael is now 62 years old. A BBC casting agent spotted the young actor while appearing in Les Misérables. Bosses subsequently cast the actor in the soap as David Wicks.
The rest, as they say, is history.
Is Michael French back on EastEnders for good?
EastEnders bosses have confirmed that Michael’s most recent return will be a temporary one, coinciding with the soap’s 40th anniversary. Speaking on playing David again, Michael said: “It may only be a brief visit, but we know from his past that David never fails to create a lot of drama in a very short time.”
What else has he been in?
Outside of EastEnders, Michael is known for starring as Nick Jordan in the BBC medical drama Casualty. He also appeared as Dr. Tom Gilder in the 1950s-set drama Born and Bred.
Other roles include the 1997 TV series Crime Traveller, two episodes of Dalziel and Pascoe, and voice work in video games Timesplitters: Future Perfect and C-12: Final Resistance.
Is Michael French married?
We know relatively little about Michael’s private life. However, just three years after his EastEnders debut, the star suffered a cruel invasion of privacy when he was outed by the Sunday Mirror in 1996.
Shockingly, some called for the actor to be fired (with the article quoting a BBC insider as saying: “He has no option but to leave because his credibility as the show’s heartthrob has been destroyed”). However, the broadcaster stuck by the actor, commenting only that it was a “personal matter.”
Michael and the character went on to become a fan favourite, and one of EastEnders’ most beloved figures.
Read more: Who’s leaving EastEnders in 2024? Complete list of cast exits, arrivals and returns
EastEnders usually airs Monday to Thursday at 7.30pm on BBC One
Are you looking forward to EastEnders next week? You can leave us a comment on our Facebook page @EntertainmentDailyFix and let us know.