Luke Browning

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Evil-doer
Full Name	Luke Browning
Alias	Luke The Director
Origin	EastEnders
Occupation	Director of Weyland & Co
Powers / Skills	Physical Strength Charisma High Intelligence Exceptional Sophistication
Hobby	Helping his father manage Weyland & Co.
Goals	Help his father complete his illict scheme on Albert Square (failed).
Crimes	Corruption Assault Threats of violence Coercion Conspiracy
Type of Villain	Right-Hand

“	Don't patronize me!	„
	~ Luke Browning warns off his employees in threatening tone.

Luke Browning is a supporting antagonist in the BBC British soap opera EastEnders. He served as a minor character in 1987 and 1992. He returns as a major antagonist in 2017 and an overarching antagonist in 2018.

He was the son of James Willmott-Brown; brother of Fi Browning; half-sibling of Josh Hemmings; and nephew of Hugo Browning who worked for the family company Weyland & Co. Originally he was the cellmate of established character Max Branning, whom he convinced to help with his father's plan to takeover Albert Square and redvelop it into their luxurious estate in exchange for Max exacting revenge for being wrongfully imprisoned for the murder of deceased resident Lucy Beale. Soon enough he forges a relationship with Max's enemy Ben Mitchell until the latter discovers his plan and Luke beats up Ben to ensure his silence. This prompted Ben's father Phil Mitchell to have Luke kidnapped by his partner-in-crime Aidan Maguire, who ended up killing Luke off-screen against Phil's consent.

He was portrayed in 2017 by Adam Astill, who also played Anthony Harker in Doctors; as a child in the 1980s-1990s, he was portrayed by Henry Power.

Biography

Luke Browning first appeared at Albert Square in Walford, a fictional borough in East London, when he and his sister Sophie - later renamed Fi - were introduced to the community by their estranged father James Willmott-Brown. Soon enough they lost contact with Willmott-Brown after he is jailed for raping his former employee Kathy Beale and later another woman.

In 2017, Luke is transpired to be in prison for assault. By then he befriended his cellmate Max Branning and learned that the latter had been wrongfully accused for murdering local resident Lucy Beale, when in reality the killer was her younger half-brother Bobby. After learning that his father and his company Weyland & Co were planning to takeover the square and redevelop the community into a luxurious estate, Luke convinces Max to get involved with his father's plan in order to exact revenge for his wrongful imprisonment; Max agreed.

Eventually, Max is released from prison and begins to help out Weyland & Co with their plans. Soon enough Luke's uncle, Hugo Browning, gives Max a visiting order for Luke in prison. Max complies and he visits Luke, whereupon the duo discuss their plans to take over The Queen Victoria pub. When he is released from prison, Max picks him up and takes him home, where he is reunited with both Willmott-Brown and Fi along with half-brother Josh Hemmings. Later on Luke discusses with his uncle and father on purchasing the café, in which James tells Luke and Hugo he has a better plan for the premises than their idea of studio flats. Luke carries out an unannounced inspection at The Queen Victoria and tells tenant, Shirley Carter, about the damage. Luke meets Kathy's younger son, Ben Mitchell, outside the café when Ben accidentally split coffee on Luke's suit. Luke and Ben never knew their identity to each other at first. Luke meets Ben again when Ben is having a drink with his foster brother, Jay Brown and their friend, Donna Yates at The Vic. Ben and Luke end up at The Arches and kiss. Luke, James and Hugo go through their development plans for Albert Square. Luke decides to meet Ben's father Phil Mitchell and stepmother Sharon Watts. Thereafter Luke left, horrified at seeing that Ben is Kathy's son. Ben publicly confronts Luke at work before dumping him. Luke tells Hugo that Ben is Kathy's son.

Luke meets Ben to ask him for another chance. Luke tells Ben he has been released from prison after four years and Ben tells Luke he served twenty months in youth custody for manslaughter. Luke tells James that he and Ben are back together on his request and questions James's interest in Ben and Kathy. Fi promises James that she will get the sealed bids from Max and Luke promises to persuade Jay to sell the car lot land, though Luke doubts Fi's abilities. Luke offers Jay £150,000 for the car lot, which Jay declines, but Luke gives him money. When Jay finds out about his foster father Billy Mitchell is having financial troubles, Jay accepts Luke's £200,000 offer. Luke attends Ben's half-sister's, Louise Mitchell, birthday meal to make sure Phil knows nothing about James seeing Kathy on Halloween, thinking Kathy would tell him. Luke phones James and tells him that Phil is unaware. Kathy confides in Ian that James is back and Ian tells Phil. Phil visits James and realises Luke is James's son when he sees a photo of them. Phil tells Kathy that Luke is James's son and Phil fails to warn Luke off Ben. Ben is angry with Phil for what he did and when Kathy tries to get Ben and Phil to make up, Kathy tells Ben that Phil was protecting him as James raped her. After struggling to process what he is told, Ben is determined to hurt James, but Kathy orders Ben to keep out of it as it happened to her and not him. The next day, Ben confronts Luke with what he has been told and Luke tells Ben that James wants to meet him.

Ben come face to face with James in his office and threatens him with a crowbar but Luke stops Ben from hurting James. The next day, Luke worries that Ben will break up with him as Ben initially decides to end their relationship, due to their parents' history but changes his mind after a heart to heart with Kathy. Kathy is alarmed when Luke grabs her wrist. The next day, Luke is furious with Ben when he plays a prank over salt and furiously grabs Ben's wrist and threatens him before leaving. Donna and Abi Branning witness this and they confront Ben over Luke's behaviour. Later, Luke calls Ben and apologises. Ben finds a business card in Luke's wallet reading 'Project Dagmar' and when Ben asks questions about it, Luke chokes Ben when he demands answers. Ben tells Max's daughter, Lauren Branning, what happened and about Project Dagmar. Josh, who has no knowledge of Project Dagmar, also questions Luke. Luke throttles him before grabs Josh in the throat but Fi breaks them up and Josh is hurt that Fi is in on Project Dagmar whilst he is excluded. Lauren finds a Project Dagmar model, showing how Albert Square will be. Luke gives Ben an expensive car, which Ben orders Luke to remove. Luke physically attacks Ben and leaves him unconscious. James, Luke and Hugo later arrive and James tells them they own Grafton Hill. They serve the Carters with an eviction notice, putting up the money owed to the original amount of £60,000. James reveals that they plan to turn their obtained buildings into luxury flats. When Max proposes to Fi, Luke and James reveal that they have used him as they have doubted his loyalty and burn his cheque.

It is later revealed that Luke had been killed by Phil's old partner-in-crime Aidan Maguire not long after Phil arranged for Luke to be kidnapped by Aidan's gang in revenge for Ben's hospitalization; Phil had plans to deal with Luke in revenge, but in the end Aidan killed Luke against Phil's orders.

Gallery

Luke Browning in a relationship with local mechanic Ben Mitchell.

Luke dating Ben in The Queen Vic.

Luke kissing Ben.

Luke prepares to beat up Ben after revealing his true colors.

Trivia

• He made a total of 33 appearances during his time on the show.