Walford’s TV Weddings

The best weddings from BBC’s hit show Eastenders

TV shows love a weddings and an on-screen betrothal never fails to get great ratings.

BBC’s flagship soap Eastenders celebrated its 25th anniversary with a live episode and Ricky and Bianca’s second walk up the aisle and it has a history of great weddings

First up, after jilting Lofty once, Michelle finally married him in the first EastEnders nuptials in 1986 – but it didn’t end happily.

Here is a selection of others from the top rated soap. Some ended happily ever after (but not many). Some, needless to say, ended in tears.

Pat Wicks and Frank Butcher - June 22, 1989 Wed in Cockney style with all the trimmings, including a horse-drawn carriage.

Ian Beale and Cindy Williams - October 12, 1989 One of soap’s doomed marriages, with Ian cuckolded by Simon Wicks.

Sam Mitchell and Ricky Butcher - July 4, 1991 Eloped to Gretna Green, but a church blessing followed later that month.

Sharon Watts and Grant Mitchell - December 26, 1991 One of Walford’s stormiest marriages, with constant arguments and fights.

Phil Mitchell and Kathy Beale - February 27, 1995 Wed despite revelation of Phil’s affair with his sister-in-law Sharon.

Ricky Butcher (again) and Bianca Jackson - April 17, 1997 Watched by 22million viewers, above.

Frank Butcher and Peggy Mitchell - April 1, 1999 Nearly 20million tuned into one of Walford’s best-ever weddings.

Barry Evans and Janine Butcher - December 31, 2003 Barry whisked scheming Janine to Scotland for a New Year’s Eve wedding.

Syed Masood and Amira Shah - January 1, 2010 Amira didn’t know that Syed was