Villains Wiki

Hi. This is Thesecret1070. I am an admin of this site. Edit as much as you wish, but one little thing... If you are going to edit a lot, then make yourself a user and login. Other than that, enjoy Villains Wiki!!!

READ MORE

Villains Wiki
Register
Advertisement
Warning
Scarfaceinthefall
This article's content is marked as Mature
The page contains mature content that may include coarse language, sexual references, and/or graphic violent images which may be disturbing to some. Mature pages are recommended for those who are 18 years of age and older.

If you are 18 years or older or are comfortable with graphic material, you are free to view this page. Otherwise, you should close this page and view another page.

Villain Overview

Don't struggle, Kathy.
~ Willmott-Brown as he subdues and rapes his employee Kathy Beale in July 1988.

James Willmott-Brown is a recurring antagonist of the BBC British soap-opera Eastenders.

Overall he first appeared as a central character in 1986 and went on to serve as one of the main antagonists in between 1987-1989, a secondary antagonist in 1992, an unseen antagonist in 1994-1998, the main antagonist in 2017, and a mentioned character in 2022.

He was portrayed by William Boyde.

Character Development[]

Introduced in 1986, Willmott-Brown was a businessman who owned The Dagmar wine bar and established himself as a business rival to Den Watts, the landlord of the Queen Victoria. He is best known for raping established character Kathy Beale in 1988, and he left the show the following year. He made a reappearance in 1992 before departing again, and would not appear for the next 25 years until he was reintroduced in 2017. Boyde departed once again in December of that year.

Biography[]

1986-89[]

James Willmott-Brown, a former officer in the army, first arrived in Walford as a representative to the Luxford and Copley brewery - which owned the Queen Victoria. He decided to move into the area and bought Debbie Wilkin's house on Albert Square, which she had put up for sale after the death of her boyfriend, Andy O'Brien. James and Debbie began dating briefly, but the relationship didn't last, and Pat Butcher also attempted to seduce him to no avail. He also became friends with Colin Russell.

Wilmott-Brown eventually decided to quit his job as brewery manager and bought a disused brewery on Turpin Road, which he refurbished into a wine bar he named The Dagmar. He hired pub landlady Angie Watts as manageress, much the irritation of her estranged husband Den Watts - the landlord of the Queen Vic. James also allowed Angie and her adopted daughter Sharon to live in the flat above The Dagmar. After the wine bar opened for business, James and Den began to compete for best decorated pub for the 'London in Bloom' competition - as well as in a five-star football match - and attempted to poach each others staff.

As time went on however, the Dagmar began to lose business due to the people of Walford never taking to the upper-class establishment as well as rival businesses such as the Vic and the Strokes wine bar - which Den managed after giving up his tenancy of the former. It was then that Angie had eventually quit as manager, no longer able to tolerate the bar's yuppie clientele. At the same time, James was approached by 'Walford Investments' - also known as the square's organized-crime empire known as The Firm - who demanded that he allow them to buy into his business. James refused, and as a result caused his business to suffer further when his creditors were unable to trade with him. Upon learning that Den was a member of the Firm, Willmott-Brown reported him to the police; however, Pat's son Simon Wicks - who was working at the Dagmar as a barman - overheard him and informed Den about this. When the residents of Walford found out what James had done, he subsequently lost all of his customers and was left on the verge of financial collapse. Soon enough, James began to behave erratically in his difficulty to cope with his situations.

At some point, James hired local resident Kathy Beale as a barmaid at the Dagmar - much to the aggravation of her husband Pete. The rift between the couple worsened when it became clear that James was romantically interested in Kathy. With the people of Walford ignoring him, Kathy became his only friend; James began buying her expensive gifts and confiding in her about the state of his business, as well as how his marriage fell apart and how it effected his children, Sophie and Luke. One night, after Kathy and Pete had another fight regarding how much time she was spending with James, he invited Kathy to his home for a glass of wine after work, intending to seduce her. However, when Kathy realized what James was doing and attempted to leave, he refused to take no for an answer and proceeded to rape her.

Upon finding Kathy an emotional wreck and realizing what had happened, Den called his contacts within The Firm in order to get revenge. The Dagmar was subsequently fire-bombed and Den was arrested for arson, with The Firm demanding he take the blame for the arson before their leader Jack Dalton eventually decides to have Den killed for his actions. James was horrified when he returned days later and saw what had become of the Dagmar, and the residents of Albert Square began to treat him with open hostility.

When Kathy revealed her rape to the police and Willmott-Brown was arrested, he claimed that he and Kathy had been in an affair and she had had consensual sex with him; when asked about Kathy's bruises, he claimed they were from a rampant sexual encounter and suggested that Pete was a violent man and Kathy had claimed she'd been raped to avoid her husband's wrath. Despite his statement, however, Willmott-Brown was shocked to find himself charged with rape. Before he could stand trial for his crime, he attempted to bribe Kathy to drop the charges. Kathy appeared to accept his bribe at first, but it turns out that D.I. Bob Ashley was actually listening in on them next door - with Kathy having summoned him to examine James' movements. James was subsequently found guilty and sentenced to 3 years in prison.

However, James' actions consequently destroyed Kathy's marriage with Pete - as she could no longer stand him touching her and they ended up getting separated a few years later.

1992[]

Willmott-Brown was released in 1992 and returned to Albert Square, attempting to buy flats that Kathy's new lover Phil Mitchell and his brother Grant Mitchell had put up for sale. Planning to move back to Walford and set up a new business, he sent a tape message to Kathy asking her to meet him in his hotel room in Hampstead; he promised to disappear forever if she objected. Upon learning of James' release from prison, Pete formed a mob to find him while Kathy planned to take him up on his offer. Finding him before Pete could, she listened to James become about his time in prison and how much the experience had changed him, before telling him to leave Walford and never return. Despite promising to her that he would, he refused to do so, leaving Kathy feeling repulsed and rejected. Unknown to her, Pete had arrived with his and Kathy's son Ian Beale along with their friend Frank Butcher to exact revenge; Pete and his mob associates forced James into their car and drove him to Pete's high-rise flat building, where Pete threatened to punch him to his death unless he signed a paper stating he would leave Walford forever. Immediately following the events, Willmott-Brown called his solicitor and took out a injunction on Pete before proceeding to move onto the Square. He would then continue to harass Kathy by sending her a number of dirty tapes, confessing his undying love for her.

Eventually, Kathy and Pete confronted James at his home to settle things once and for all; James and Pete nearly came to blows as the confrontation descends into a heated argument before an emotional Kathy finally relayed her anger and hurt over the rape. Kathy then furiously tells James that he never apologized to her for his actions. James responds by trying to claim that the two of them had something that was truly special, but Kathy snapped him out of his delusion by showing him the trouble he had brought on her and her family. In an attempt to get attention, James threatened to commit suicide - but Kathy stopped him, refusing to allow him to get off the hook so easily. Despite finally apologizing for raping her and begging for her forgiveness, she refused to forgive Wilmott-Brown for his actions - as she believed that doing so would give him permission to stop feeling sorry for what he had done. Declaring that she would never do anything he asked her to again, including forgiving, Kathy finally received closure over the rape, while James left Walford in defeat.

Two years later in 1994, Kathy began having nightmares about her rape. This prompted Phil to go and search out Willmott-Brown. He tracked down Wilmott-Brown's wife, Elizabeth, who informed him that her husband was back in prison for raping another woman.

2017[]

In 2017, twenty five years since his last presence in the square, James resurfaces in Walford as the founder and CEO of his business company known as Weyland & Co. It soon transpires that he is the mastermind behind a scheme conducted by Ian's sworn enemy Max Branning, who himself is himself is conspiring with James to help redevelop Albert Square for his illicit expansions as part of his own campaign to exact revenge on his family and friends for wrongfully imprisoning him for the murder of Ian's daughter Lucy Beale - as well as the fact Max's family had partially helped Ian cover-up the fact that Lucy's youngest brother, Bobby Beale, was the true killer all along.

Prior to these events, Max had became inmates with James' convicted son Luke Browning during his time in prison - which led to Luke parting his father's scheme to Max and inviting him to become involved so he could exact vengeance on those who wronged him. Since his release, Max has secretly instigated and executed numerous activities that Weyland and Co had perpetuated on James' behalf - culminating with his role in the death of Steven shortly after blackmailing him into committing arson. Weeks later, Luke is released and reunites with Max before the pair meet up with the rest of James' family; consisting of his daughter Fi, adopted son Josh Hammings, and brother-in-law Hugo Browning.

In September that year, James meets Max in person after reuniting with his family at his mansion. This happens no sooner after James had anonymously laid flowers for the memorial of Ian's stepson Steven Beale, who had been blackmailed and eventually killed by Max in a fire that the latter arranged as part of his revenge scheme. In that moment, James saw that Kathy was back in the square and it quickly became clear that he had "unfinished business" with her over their past; this is further proven when James secretly breaks into Kathy's café and silently recaps on the night he raped her decades ago before leaving from the scene.

In October that year, James summons Max to request that he force Ian and his wife Jane Beale out of the square upon learning that Jane has rumbled into Max's revenge plan - though he later orders Max to have Ian remain in the square, presumably as part of his own plans involving Kathy and the past as well. James later suspects that Max and Fi are developing romantic feelings for each other behind his back and confronts them over it. At first Max stands up to James, but eventually relents to his demands when James reminds him over the fact that Max is part of his scheme whether he likes it or not.

On the night of Halloween 2017, James finally decides to reacquaint himself with Kathy by visiting her at the café from closing time. He surprises Kathy by greeting her in person, thus reuniting with the woman he raped for the first time since 1992. Kathy is horrified at coming face-to-face with the man who tainted her life before and orders James to get out, but he instead talks about their past and acts in denial when Kathy rants on the night that he raped her back in 1988. The next day, Kathy informs Ian that James has returned and they soon tell Phil about it. Phil decides to confront James at his mansion, threatening to kill him unless he stays away from Kathy. In retribution, James has Luke seduce Kathy and Phil's son Ben Mitchell. This is nearly threatened when Ben learns the truth about James raping Kathy and decides to confront him about it. James taunts Ben and provokes the latter in attempting to attack him, but Luke restrains Ben on behalf of his father.

In the build-up to Christmas 2017, Max appears to have finalized James' scheme and the pair celebrate their impending triumph. James then visits The Queen Vic and reveals himself to everyone just as Max's revenge scheme is exposed. He proceeds to issue an eviction notice to the pub's landlord, Mick Carter, and his family whilst giving Kathy and Ian a sarcastic greeting upon seeing them in the pub. Shortly afterwards, James betrays Max by destroying his payment and telling him that he was never part of "the family". James then leaves with his family, appearing to have succeeded with his expansion plans.

Soon enough, however, James' plan eventually falls apart when both Fi and Josh turn against him upon learning of their father's true colors whilst Luke is abducted and killed by Phil's old partner-in-crime Aidan Maguire after Phil requested his help to get payback on Luke for hospitalizing Phil's son Ben Mitchell - even though Phil merely asked Aidan to "scare" Luke and not kill him. Rebuffing these setbacks in response, James later visits Kathy and tells her that his scheme to take control of the entire square was all part of his plan to win her over - claiming that she can own everything if they get back together. He is shocked, however, when Kathy rejects him once again and threatens to kill him if she ever sees him again. Kathy also tells James that he is going to hell regardless of how hard he tries to change.

Later that evening, James heads back to his office to drown his sorrows - over to discover that Fi has betrayed him by stealing his documents that has information on his company's corrupt activities and has subsequently reported it to the authorities. The police arrive moments later to question James, who ends up having a heart attack as he fruitlessly tries to destroy any evidence left that incriminates the company. He is rushed to hospital, and at the same time Fi forces Hugo to relinquish their company's takeover of the entire square. She then confronts her father and disowns him before leaving the hospital, telling the staff that James is not her father and they are not related at all. As Fi leaves, James despairs as he is left alone fighting for his life in hospital.

Quotes[]

Next time Kathy, I promise things will be perfect!
~ Willmott-Brown torments Kathy in her nightmare.
Come now, we're all friends here - call me James!
~ Willmott-Brown introducing himself to his business associate Max Branning.
Hello Kathy..... long time!
~ Willmott-Brown comes face-to-face with Kathy for the first time in 2017.
My pub, my rules, and I want you out!
~ Willmott-Brown revealing to Kathy and her neighbourhood that he is now owner of The Queen Victoria public house.
James: We don't like Ultimatum's, Maxwell. Makes us wonder if you're really a team player.
Luke: One of us.
Max: We got a deal!
Luke: Had a deal.
James: Not anymore.
~ Willmott-Brown betraying Max
NO KATHY!!
~ Willmott-Brown getting his comeuppance when Kathy attacks his gentles for pestering her.

Trivia[]

  • It should be noted that Willmott-Brown's actions towards Kathy back in 1988 is what directly triggered the events of Den Watts famous exit in 1989. Had James never raped Kathy to begin with, then the events of Den's trouble with The Firm to the point where they planned to kill him would never have happened in the first place.

Navigation[]

Advertisement