Fatboy (EastEnders)
Encyclopedia
Arthur "Fatboy" Chubb (also credited as Fat Boy) is a fictional character
from the BBC
soap opera
EastEnders
and its Internet spin-off EastEnders: E20
, played by Ricky Norwood
. He made his first appearance in EastEnders on 5 January 2010 before appearing in the spin-off. Fatboy is one of four main characters in the first series of E20 and makes cameo appearances in the second and third series. He was created by the EastEnders: E20 writing team during a BBC summer school in August 2009. He frequently uses London street slang and is described as brash, confident, caring, a hustler and a womaniser. Critics have called him zany, an asset to the show, authentic, a cliché, and yet to serve a purpose, with Stuart Heritage from The Guardian
calling for him to be axed. Norwood won the Best Newcomer award at the 2010 Inside Soap Awards
and Most Popular Newcomer at the 2011
National Television Awards
for his portrayal of Fatboy, and has been nominated for two further awards.
's (Melissa Suffield
) party, where he gets pleasure from watching a fight between two girls, and asks other girls to play Twister
with him but nobody will. In EastEnders: E20, he helps his friend Mercy Olubunmi
(Bunmi Mojekwu
) with a project to encourage more young people to the church, but his ideas leave them both humiliated. They meet Leon Small
(Sam Attwater
) and Zsa Zsa Carter
(Emer Kenny
) and start squatting in a flat. Fatboy tells Zsa Zsa and Leon both his parents were killed in a drive-by shooting. He finds out Mercy is pregnant and accuses Leon of being the father. During an argument, Mercy reveals that Fatboy's parents are alive, angering Zsa Zsa, who throws Fatboy's laptop out of the window. On their last night in the flat, he arranges a party but leaves before the police arrive. Knowing they can no longer stay there, he invites Zsa Zsa, Mercy and Leon to stay at his house in Wanstead
, but Mercy decides to go home to her grandmother.
After several weeks, Leon and Fatboy return to Walford to look for Zsa Zsa, who has run away. They eventually settle in and make new friends. Zsa Zsa finds three dates for Fatboy, but none of them are genuine. Fatboy borrows Darren Miller
's (Charlie G. Hawkins
) ice cream van to practice for his driving test, which he fails, but he buys the van from Darren. He helps Whitney Dean
(Shona McGarty
) sell t-shirts but sells them to Mo Harris
(Laila Morse
), who has been asked by Becca Swanson (Simone James
) to buy them so she can sell them for a greater profit. Becca insists she did not know they were Whitney's and then flirts with Fatboy. However, he later humiliates her by designing t-shirts for her that show a mirror image of the word "chav
". He finally passes his driving test and DJs for Ronnie Mitchell
(Samantha Womack) at R&R nightclub. Fatboy, Leon, Zsa Zsa, Whitney, Lucy and Lucy's brother Peter
(Thomas Law
) go to Hampshire and he attends a party with Peter while the others spend time in the woods. He is reunited with Mercy but a fight breaks out so they escape and drive back to Fatboy's uncle's home. Peter hits something with the van and the next day they fear it was Leon, as he is missing. However, Leon turns up and they realise Lucy wanted to turn everyone against him, so they play a trick on her in revenge. Fatboy is then shocked to discover that Mercy is planning to move back to Nigeria. He realises that neither Mercy nor her grandmother Grace (Ellen Thomas
) want to leave London, and convinces them to stay.
During a party at the community centre, Fatboy smuggles in alcohol and kisses Denise Johnson (Diane Parish
), angering her husband Lucas
(Don Gilet
), who throws Fatboy out and begins angrily preaching to him. This causes Fatboy to argue with Mercy. During the argument, Mercy pushes him and he falls onto a tree in the Square's gardens planted in memory of Lucas's ex-wife Trina (Sharon Duncan Brewster
), snapping it. Fatboy enlists the help of Mercy, Leon and Zsa Zsa to replace it, but as they dig it up, they uncover a dead body, that of Denise's ex-husband Owen Turner
(Lee Ross
), who Lucas murdered eight months previously. The next day, Fatboy comforts Mercy and to cheer her up, they play rounders. However, they smash Dot Branning
's (June Brown
) window and she makes Fatboy fix it. He does a bad job so she insists he pay for a professional, asking Fatboy to wait in her house for the professional to arrive. While he waits, he plays dominoes with Dot's husband Jim
(John Bardon
) and when Dot returns, she is impressed with Fatboy's politeness when he offers to clean the new window and make her a cup of tea.
Leon obtains two tickets to a music festival in France and plans to take Zsa Zsa, but he tells Fatboy he slept with Glenda Mitchell
(Glynis Barber
), leaving Fatboy unsure of what to do as he does not want to hurt Zsa Zsa. He tells Mercy, who then tells Zsa Zsa, who dumps Leon and takes Fatboy's van to France. Leon decides to go to France anyway, leaving Fatboy sad at the loss of two of his best friends, however, Leon and Fatboy stay in contact. He joins the local church choir but fears he will be unable to perform at their event as he felt pressured into joining by Dot and cannot sing very well. Mercy tells him he should just mime, but then Dot and the choir leader Edward Bishop (Frank Barrie
) decide to give Fatboy a solo. Fatboy is unable to go through with it and walks out of the performance, so Kim Fox
(Tameka Empson
) takes over. At a New Year's Eve party, Fatboy kisses Mercy to put Kim off flirting with him.
Fatboy gets a month's trial on the market with his own stall, starting a repair business. He reveals that his father, Ashley Chubb (Colin Mace), has lost his job and his parents have split up. Ashley arrives in Walford, asking for his son's help, as he has spent Fatboy's inheritance on alcohol. Ashley then moves into Albert Square. Fatboy grows jealous when he sees Mercy with Seb Parker (Tommy Bastow
), and assumes they are having sex. Mercy reveals she may face exportation as her visa has expired, and Fatboy tells Ashley he is in love with Mercy. Ashley reports Mercy to the UK Border Agency so that Fatboy will forget about her, and she decides to leave before she has been asked to. Fatboy and Mercy say an emotional goodbye, but Fatboy stops her taxi and proposes marriage, realising she can stay in the country if they are married. Mercy agrees but Grace is opposed to the plan until she realises that Fatboy loves Mercy. Kim points out that Fatboy seems embarrassed about getting married and that Mercy does not seem to love him, and admits to fancying Fatboy. Fatboy then tells Kim why he is really marrying Mercy, but also that he wants to be married for real.
Mercy learns that she can stay in the UK but feels guilty about the deception, so decides to go back to Nigeria anyway. Fatboy loses his market stall but gets a job selling cars for Max Branning
(Jake Wood
). He discovers Mercy is leaving, so tries to stop her from leaving but is unable to, and they say an emotional goodbye. Fatboy is distraught over his loss, and eventually decides to move in with Dot. He helps Dot to track down her half sister Rose Cotton (Polly Perkins
) and helps Whitney when her former pimp, Rob Grayson (Jody Latham
) tracks her down. Fatboy feels put out when Rose and Cora Cross (Ann Mitchell
) both move in with Dot. Mercy's sister Faith Olubunmi (Modupe Adeyeye) then arrives in Walford to tell Fatboy that Mercy has had their marriage annulled. Fatboy starts a relationship with Faith (as seen in series 3 of EastEnders: E20) but it soon ends. Following this, Fatboy develops feelings for his friend Whitney Dean
(Shona McGarty
), though Whitney is involved with Tyler Moon
(Tony Discipline
). When Whitney and Tyler's relationship breaks down, Fatboy admits his feelings for Whitney and the pair start a relationship.
in August 2009. Open auditions for the cast were held at Theatre Royal Stratford East
. Norwood's casting was announced on 25 November 2009, on which he said "I am so excited to be on the show. It's an honour to now be part of a show that has been on in my house for as long as I have been alive. I am born and bred in the East End
—a stone's throw from the real Albert Square
. It feels like a homecoming. I love being part of a cast that feels like family and can't wait to have a scene in The Vic
." Kenny, who was also one of the writers, said a character like Fatboy would not have appeared in EastEnders had he not been written by young people.
Although his co-stars Attwater and Kenny were axed from the cast in May 2010, Norwood revealed his contract had been extended to December 2010, saying that the producers saw "some future in Fatboy". In January 2011 it was reported that due to the character's popularity, producers were planning to expand Fatboy's family and were in the process of casting his father, Ashley Chubb. An EastEnders insider is reported to have said "Fatboy has been a real hit with viewers and the bosses have decided that it's now time to bring in his dad so people can see what Fatboy is really all about."
In April 2011, Mercy faces deportation to Nigeria, and Fatboy plans to save her by proposing. Norwood revealed that Mercy is shocked by the proposal, adding "Mercy thinks he's lost his marbles, but soon comes round to the idea. Fatboy reckons that this isn't about his feelings, it's all about keeping her in the UK. Of course, he's also hoping that if she stays, maybe she'll end up liking him in the way he likes her. [...] You can get into a lot of trouble for [trying to fool immigration officials], [b]ut all Fatboy can think is, 'How can I save Mercy?' She's the girl he loves." Although Fatboy is in love with Mercy, he does not believe that Mercy sees him as more than a friend and may call off the wedding if he tells her. He does not think of the consequences, such as imprisonment. Norwood revealed that Fatboy has known Mercy since they were nine years old and he had feelings for her when EastEnders: E20 started, as he was upset when she got pregnant by someone else. He said that Fatboy would be heartbroken when Mercy leaves. Norwood told Inside Soap
that the wedding creates more problems for the characters, rather than solving all their problems. The fact that they try so hard to prove they are genuine makes it "very hard for them to be friends." The wedding episode sees Fatboy have a dream come true, but at the same time it is a nightmare for him. Knowing the wedding is a sham he is "waiting for that monster to appear". Ashley turns up and is annoyed that Fatboy has kept the wedding a secret, and of this, Norwood stated: "When [Ashley] finds out what has happened he is pretty shocked. He tries to make Fatboy see the consequences of his actions, but Fatboy doesn't want to hear it—his dad has already betrayed him when it comes to Mercy." Mercy is shocked to learn that Fatboy did not tell her that Ashley reported her. Although Norwood concluded that Fatboy "will go to the ends of the earth to make this marriage work".
Norwood said the character's introduction was "trying to bring the street to Albert Square" and that the street slang the character uses is what he grew up with himself. He described the character in an interview with entertainment website Digital Spy
as "[wanting] to be a gangsta at times, a caring person, a player, a womaniser, the businessman... There are so many things that he wants to be and that shifts depending on the situation," adding that he is quick to solve problems and always has a plan. Additionally, a profile for the character on the official EastEnders website calls him brash, a wheeler-dealer, confident and a loveable soft-touch.
Norwood said in January 2011 that Fatboy has developed over time and is continuing to develop, with more sides to his personality being shown. Fatboy's caring side is shown in several EastEnders scenes, most notably his friendship with Dot, and a scene where Fatboy and Mercy bring a cake to Kat Moon
(Jessie Wallace
) after her child dies of cot death. Although Norwood said in January 2011 that Fatboy will always be a joker, he felt it was good to show Fatboy's softer, more intelligent side, saying that the character's "street" side drops quickly when he is around Dot and Mercy. Norwood said that Fatboy wants to improve himself, but fears that showing his caring side in London will get him beaten up.
hit "Bootylicious
" and catches Leon posing, threatening to post the video on the Internet. In August 2010, an official account on the social networking site Twitter
was created for Fatboy, along with three characters from series 2 of EastEnders: E20. Posts on Twitter revealed Fatboy has sold a fake ID to Naz Mehmet
(Emaa Hussen) but the photo looked nothing like her and the age was wrong.
Fatboy makes cameo appearances in series 2 of E20, where his argument with Naz continues in episode 1, and she steals back her money. Fatboy attends a dance audition, and witnesses Asher Levi
(Heshima Thompson
) bribing Skolla (Tony Adigun) to let Asher's brother Sol
(Tosin Cole) through even though he failed his audition. Asher threatens Fatboy with a knife, telling him that he saw nothing. In episode 5 Fatboy attends callbacks for the dance group, and in episode 7, he dances with the group again and helps break up a fight between Asher and Sol. In epiosode 10, Fatboy attends the dance-off between Skolla's crew and Flawless
. He also appears in series 3. In episode 1, when Faith Olubunmi is homeless, she asks Fatboy if she can stay with him but he refuses.
Fatboy also appears in "East Street
", a charity crossover episode
between EastEnders and Coronation Street
, broadcast on 19 November 2010 as part of the BBC One
telethon for the children's charity Children in Need
. In the non-canon
episode, Fatboy is in Walford's café while Denise Johnson and Gail McIntyre (Helen Worth
) from Coronation Street argue over their similar storylines. Fatboy says Gail is the winner after saying she has been in prison. He also appears in scenes in The Queen Victoria.
. Fatboy was not one of them, but Stuart Heritage from The Guardian
felt that he should have been, calling him "A wodge of irritating comic relief [...] who is yet to serve a purpose other than making me genuinely dislike young people. [...] He must go, preferably in a scene where he falls down the world's largest flight of stairs." Heritage later called Fatboy an "obnoxiously two-dimensional dubstep
-fixated stock [character] transparently modelled on Jar Jar Binks
." A writer for the website Watch With Mothers called the character an asset to EastEnders, expressing pleasure that the show was trying to appeal to younger viewers, while another called him irritating and zany. A writer for The Northern Echo
wondered if Fatboy, along with Leon and Zsa Zsa, brought a new injection of life into the soap or took away screen time from more established characters, and Caroline Fitton, writing for the Daily Mail
, felt that Fatboy's style of talking was a bit of a cliché. Grace Dent
from The Guardian
changed her opinion of Fatboy over time, saying:
Julie Emery from Heat
criticised Fatboy's fashion sense, especially from the episode broadcast on 12 May 2011, saying "We know clashing prints are soooooo this season, but really, Fatboy, they do nothing for you. And while we're at it, stop wearing that tinny 'F' round your neck, for flip's sake. You're not a gangster rapper, and anyway your real name's Arthur." Emery also said the storyline where Fatboy asks Mercy to marry him so she can stay in the country sounded "somewhat familiar", as Coronation Street
was featuring a similar storyline at the same time.
Norwood has received four award nominations for his portrayal of Fatboy. In May 2010, he received a nomination in the "Best Soap Newcomer" category at the 14th TVChoice Awards, and in July he was nominated for "Best Newcomer" at the 2010 Inside Soap Awards
, which he went on to win in September. In September 2010, he was nominated in the newcomer category of the 16th
National Television Awards
, which he won in January 2011. In May 2011, he was nominated for "Best Newcomer" at the 2011 British Soap Awards
.
Fictional character
A character is the representation of a person in a narrative work of art . Derived from the ancient Greek word kharaktêr , the earliest use in English, in this sense, dates from the Restoration, although it became widely used after its appearance in Tom Jones in 1749. From this, the sense of...
from the BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
soap opera
Soap opera
A soap opera, sometimes called "soap" for short, is an ongoing, episodic work of dramatic fiction presented in serial format on radio or as television programming. The name soap opera stems from the original dramatic serials broadcast on radio that had soap manufacturers, such as Procter & Gamble,...
EastEnders
EastEnders
EastEnders is a British television soap opera, first broadcast in the United Kingdom on BBC One on 19 February 1985 and continuing to today. EastEnders storylines examine the domestic and professional lives of the people who live and work in the fictional London Borough of Walford in the East End...
and its Internet spin-off EastEnders: E20
EastEnders: E20
EastEnders: E20 is a British Internet soap opera, which began airing on 8 January 2010. A spin-off from the established BBC soap EastEnders, it is set in EastEnders regular setting of Albert Square, a Victorian square in the fictional borough of Walford, in the East End of London...
, played by Ricky Norwood
Ricky Norwood
Richard Colin "Ricky" Norwood is a British actor who plays Fatboy in the soap opera EastEnders and its online spin-off EastEnders: E20. He was born in Tower Hamlets, London, and lives in Forest Gate. From the age of 12 he attended the Theatre Royal Stratford East's Youth Theatre, and he also...
. He made his first appearance in EastEnders on 5 January 2010 before appearing in the spin-off. Fatboy is one of four main characters in the first series of E20 and makes cameo appearances in the second and third series. He was created by the EastEnders: E20 writing team during a BBC summer school in August 2009. He frequently uses London street slang and is described as brash, confident, caring, a hustler and a womaniser. Critics have called him zany, an asset to the show, authentic, a cliché, and yet to serve a purpose, with Stuart Heritage from The Guardian
The Guardian
The Guardian, formerly known as The Manchester Guardian , is a British national daily newspaper in the Berliner format...
calling for him to be axed. Norwood won the Best Newcomer award at the 2010 Inside Soap Awards
Inside Soap Awards
The Inside Soap Awards is a yearly award ceremony run by Inside Soap magazine since 1996. The awards celebrate the British and Australian soap operas and their actors. Until 2007, EastEnders had won the award for "Best Soap" on every occasion...
and Most Popular Newcomer at the 2011
16th National Television Awards
The 16th National Television Awards ceremony was held at The O2 Arena in London on 26 January 2011 and was hosted by Dermot O'Leary. The awards are voted by the public and the winners are revealed live on ITV1. Ant & Dec won the award for Most Popular Entertainment Presenter for the tenth year in a...
National Television Awards
National Television Awards
The National Television Awards is a British television awards ceremony, broadcast by the ITV network and initiated in 1995. The National Television Awards are the most prominent ceremony for which the results are voted on by the general public. Because of the way the awards are decided, winners are...
for his portrayal of Fatboy, and has been nominated for two further awards.
Storylines
Fatboy first appears in EastEnders at Lucy BealeLucy Beale
Lucy Katherine Beale is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders, played by Eva Brittin-Snell from 1993 to 1996, Casey Anne Rothery from 1996 until 2004, Melissa Suffield from 2004 to 2010 and Hetti Bywater from 2012 onwards. Lucy was introduced in December 1993 as the newborn baby...
's (Melissa Suffield
Melissa Suffield
Melissa Hollie Suffield is a British actress from London, best known for her role in the BBC soap opera EastEnders as Lucy Beale. Her first appearance on the show was 28 October 2004 and her last on 27 August 2010.-Career:...
) party, where he gets pleasure from watching a fight between two girls, and asks other girls to play Twister
Twister (game)
Twister is a game of physical skill produced by Hasbro Games. It is played on a large plastic mat that is spread on the floor or ground. The mat has four rows of large colored circles on it with a different color in each row: red, yellow, blue, and green. A spinner is attached to a square board...
with him but nobody will. In EastEnders: E20, he helps his friend Mercy Olubunmi
Mercy Olubunmi
Mercy Chubb is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders and its Internet spin-off EastEnders: E20, played by Bunmi Mojekwu. Mercy is one of four main characters in EastEnders: E20, alongside Zsa Zsa Carter , Leon Small and Fatboy...
(Bunmi Mojekwu
Bunmi Mojekwu
Oluwabunmi Ruth Mojekwu is a British actress of Nigerian descent. She is best known for playing Mercy Olubunmi in the BBC soap opera EastEnders.-Early life:...
) with a project to encourage more young people to the church, but his ideas leave them both humiliated. They meet Leon Small
Leon Small
Leon Small is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders and its Internet spin-off EastEnders: E20, played by Sam Attwater. He made his first appearance in EastEnders on 5 January and appears in all twelve episodes of the first series of EastEnders: E20...
(Sam Attwater
Sam Attwater
Samuel "Sam" Attwater is an English actor and singer best known for playing Leon Small in the British soap opera EastEnders and its online spin-off EastEnders: E20...
) and Zsa Zsa Carter
Zsa Zsa Carter
Zsa Zsa Carter is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders and its Internet spin-off EastEnders: E20, played by Emer Kenny. She made her first appearance in EastEnders on 5 January 2010 and appears in all twelve episodes of the first series of EastEnders: E20...
(Emer Kenny
Emer Kenny
Emer Gwynne Morganna Kenny is an English actress from Haringey, London, best known for her role in the BBC soap opera EastEnders and its online spin-off EastEnders: E20, as Zsa Zsa Carter.-Career:...
) and start squatting in a flat. Fatboy tells Zsa Zsa and Leon both his parents were killed in a drive-by shooting. He finds out Mercy is pregnant and accuses Leon of being the father. During an argument, Mercy reveals that Fatboy's parents are alive, angering Zsa Zsa, who throws Fatboy's laptop out of the window. On their last night in the flat, he arranges a party but leaves before the police arrive. Knowing they can no longer stay there, he invites Zsa Zsa, Mercy and Leon to stay at his house in Wanstead
Wanstead
Wanstead is a suburban area in the London Borough of Redbridge, North-East London. The main road going through Wanstead is the A12. The name is from the Anglo-Saxon words wænn and stede, meaning "settlement on a small hill"....
, but Mercy decides to go home to her grandmother.
After several weeks, Leon and Fatboy return to Walford to look for Zsa Zsa, who has run away. They eventually settle in and make new friends. Zsa Zsa finds three dates for Fatboy, but none of them are genuine. Fatboy borrows Darren Miller
Darren Miller
Darren Miller is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders, played by Charlie G. Hawkins. He made his first appearance on 6 September 2004 and departed in the episode broadcast on 20 September 2011.-Storylines:...
's (Charlie G. Hawkins
Charlie G. Hawkins
Charlie George Hawkins is an English actor. He was raised in Islington where he has lived since birth.His most notable role is Darren Miller in the BBC soap opera EastEnders, which he has starred in since 2004, although he has had other roles in films, dramas, documentaries and advertisements...
) ice cream van to practice for his driving test, which he fails, but he buys the van from Darren. He helps Whitney Dean
Whitney Dean
Whitney Dean is a fictional character from the BBC One soap opera EastEnders, played by Shona McGarty. The character is the adoptive daughter of long-running character Bianca Jackson , and was introduced in April 2008 when Palmer returned to the series after a six year absence...
(Shona McGarty
Shona McGarty
Shona Bernadette McGarty is an English actress from Borehamwood, Hertfordshire, best known for her role in the BBC soap opera EastEnders, as Whitney Dean.-Career:...
) sell t-shirts but sells them to Mo Harris
Mo Harris
Maureen "Big Mo" Harris is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders, who has been in the series since 18 September 2000, played by Laila Morse. Mo is also played by Lorraine Stanley in a soap 'bubble' Pat and Mo, delving into her past with Pat Evans, which aired in 2004...
(Laila Morse
Laila Morse
Laila Morse is an English actress, best known for playing Mo Harris in BBC series EastEnders and Janet in the 1997 movie Nil by Mouth ."Laila Morse" is an anagram of an Italian phrase for "my sister" - a name she...
), who has been asked by Becca Swanson (Simone James
Simone James
Simone James is a British actress best known for her role as Becca Swanson in television soap opera, EastEnders.- Career :James trained at Corona Theatre School and Rose Bruford College. She received minor roles in various television programmes including Holby City...
) to buy them so she can sell them for a greater profit. Becca insists she did not know they were Whitney's and then flirts with Fatboy. However, he later humiliates her by designing t-shirts for her that show a mirror image of the word "chav
Chav
A chav is a term that is used in the United Kingdom to describe a stereotype of teenagers and young adults from an underclass background.-Etymology:...
". He finally passes his driving test and DJs for Ronnie Mitchell
Ronnie Mitchell
Veronica Elizabeth "Ronnie" Branning is a fictional character from the British BBC soap opera EastEnders, played by Samantha Womack. Ronnie and her sister Roxy were introduced by executive producer Diederick Santer in July 2007; Ronnie is the "ice" to Roxy's "fire"...
(Samantha Womack) at R&R nightclub. Fatboy, Leon, Zsa Zsa, Whitney, Lucy and Lucy's brother Peter
Peter Beale
Peter Beale is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders. He was played by Thomas Law from 2006 until 2010. The character has previously been portrayed by James Martin, Joseph Shade, Alex Stevens and Francis Brittin-Snell. Law took over the role on 31 August 2006...
(Thomas Law
Thomas Law
Thomas John Law is a British actor. He is the fourth actor to play Peter Beale in the popular BBC soap opera EastEnders...
) go to Hampshire and he attends a party with Peter while the others spend time in the woods. He is reunited with Mercy but a fight breaks out so they escape and drive back to Fatboy's uncle's home. Peter hits something with the van and the next day they fear it was Leon, as he is missing. However, Leon turns up and they realise Lucy wanted to turn everyone against him, so they play a trick on her in revenge. Fatboy is then shocked to discover that Mercy is planning to move back to Nigeria. He realises that neither Mercy nor her grandmother Grace (Ellen Thomas
Ellen Thomas (actress)
Ellen Thomas is an English actress who has appeared in many different television and film roles, but is perhaps best known for her recurring role in the Channel 4 Bristol-based comedy, Teachers or as Grace Olubunmi in EastEnders.-Career:...
) want to leave London, and convinces them to stay.
During a party at the community centre, Fatboy smuggles in alcohol and kisses Denise Johnson (Diane Parish
Diane Parish
Diane Parish is a British actress best known for her role as Denise Johnson in the BBC Soap EastEnders and DC Eva Sharpe in The Bill.-Career:...
), angering her husband Lucas
Lucas Johnson
Lucas Aaron Johnson is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders, played by Don Gilet. He made his first on-screen appearance on 3 April 2008. Lucas is introduced as a preacher and estranged father of established character Chelsea Fox. He has a son, Jordan, and goes on to marry...
(Don Gilet
Don Gilet
Don Gilet is a British actor, best known for his roles in BBC productions Babyfather, EastEnders and 55 Degrees North. Don's surname is actually pronounced 'Gillit' but takes the stage name 'Jillay'.-Personal life:...
), who throws Fatboy out and begins angrily preaching to him. This causes Fatboy to argue with Mercy. During the argument, Mercy pushes him and he falls onto a tree in the Square's gardens planted in memory of Lucas's ex-wife Trina (Sharon Duncan Brewster
Sharon Duncan Brewster
Sharon Duncan-Brewster, more commonly known as Sharon Duncan Brewster, is a Black British actress...
), snapping it. Fatboy enlists the help of Mercy, Leon and Zsa Zsa to replace it, but as they dig it up, they uncover a dead body, that of Denise's ex-husband Owen Turner
Owen Turner
Owen Turner is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders, played by Lee Ross. He originally appeared in the show in 2006, and then returned in 2009. His character left in 2009 after being murdered by Lucas Johnson.-Storylines:...
(Lee Ross
Lee Ross (actor)
Lee Ross is an English professional actor best known for his role as Dodger in Dodger, Bonzo and the Rest. He has also starred in, Press Gang, Secrets & Lies, The Catherine Tate Show and most recently as Owen Turner in the BBC soap opera EastEnders.-Career:His first acting role was as Fat Sam in...
), who Lucas murdered eight months previously. The next day, Fatboy comforts Mercy and to cheer her up, they play rounders. However, they smash Dot Branning
Dot Branning
Dorothy "Dot" Branning is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera, EastEnders, played by June Brown since 1985. In a special episode entitled EastEnders: Dot's Story a young Dot was played by Tallulah Pitt-Brown in flashbacks. Dot first appeared in EastEnders in July 1985 as the mother of...
's (June Brown
June Brown
June Muriel Brown, MBE is a British actress, best known for her role as the busy-body, chain-smoking gossip Dot Cotton in the long-running British soap opera EastEnders and for making other high profile television appearances on shows such as Doctor Who, Coronation Street, Minder, The Bill and...
) window and she makes Fatboy fix it. He does a bad job so she insists he pay for a professional, asking Fatboy to wait in her house for the professional to arrive. While he waits, he plays dominoes with Dot's husband Jim
Jim Branning
James Archibald "Jim" Branning is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders, played by John Bardon, first appearing on 29 April 1996 and becoming a regular character in 1999 and has remained in the series right up to 2011....
(John Bardon
John Bardon
John Bardon, is an English stage and screen actor. He was awarded the Laurence Olivier Award in 1988 as 'Best Actor in a Musical' for Kiss Me, Kate, sharing the award with co-star Emil Wolk.-Acting career:Bardon is best known for playing Jim Branning in the popular British soap opera EastEnders...
) and when Dot returns, she is impressed with Fatboy's politeness when he offers to clean the new window and make her a cup of tea.
Leon obtains two tickets to a music festival in France and plans to take Zsa Zsa, but he tells Fatboy he slept with Glenda Mitchell
Glenda Mitchell
The following is a list of characters who first appeared or are due to appear in the BBC soap opera EastEnders in 2010, by order of first appearance...
(Glynis Barber
Glynis Barber
Glynis Barber is a South African actress of Afrikaner descent, born and brought up in South Africa. She was born Glynis van der Riet. When she was five years old, her parents divorced, and she and her mother moved to Johannesburg. She is best known for her portrayal as Sgt...
), leaving Fatboy unsure of what to do as he does not want to hurt Zsa Zsa. He tells Mercy, who then tells Zsa Zsa, who dumps Leon and takes Fatboy's van to France. Leon decides to go to France anyway, leaving Fatboy sad at the loss of two of his best friends, however, Leon and Fatboy stay in contact. He joins the local church choir but fears he will be unable to perform at their event as he felt pressured into joining by Dot and cannot sing very well. Mercy tells him he should just mime, but then Dot and the choir leader Edward Bishop (Frank Barrie
Frank Barrie
Frank Barrie is a British stage and television actor. He made his acting debut in 1959 in a production of Henry IV, Part 2 at the York Theatre Royal. He proved to be a successful Shakespearean actor throughout his career...
) decide to give Fatboy a solo. Fatboy is unable to go through with it and walks out of the performance, so Kim Fox
Kim Fox
Kimberley Harmony Angelica "Kim" Fox is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders, played by Tameka Empson. She is the half-sister of Denise Fox , and aunt to Chelsea Fox and Libby Fox...
(Tameka Empson
Tameka Empson
Tameka Empson is a British actress and comedienne who is perhaps best known for being one of the three protagonists in the hidden-camera comedy sketch show 3 Non Blondes.Tameka also featured in a episode of MI High : Red Button Rampage, Series one...
) takes over. At a New Year's Eve party, Fatboy kisses Mercy to put Kim off flirting with him.
Fatboy gets a month's trial on the market with his own stall, starting a repair business. He reveals that his father, Ashley Chubb (Colin Mace), has lost his job and his parents have split up. Ashley arrives in Walford, asking for his son's help, as he has spent Fatboy's inheritance on alcohol. Ashley then moves into Albert Square. Fatboy grows jealous when he sees Mercy with Seb Parker (Tommy Bastow
Tommy Bastow
Tommy Bastow is an English actor and musician from Epsom, Surrey. He is best known for playing the character Dave the Laugh in the 2008 film Angus, Thongs and Perfect Snogging, as Joe in the BT adverts and as the lead singer in the band FranKo.-Education:Bastow attended the independent City of...
), and assumes they are having sex. Mercy reveals she may face exportation as her visa has expired, and Fatboy tells Ashley he is in love with Mercy. Ashley reports Mercy to the UK Border Agency so that Fatboy will forget about her, and she decides to leave before she has been asked to. Fatboy and Mercy say an emotional goodbye, but Fatboy stops her taxi and proposes marriage, realising she can stay in the country if they are married. Mercy agrees but Grace is opposed to the plan until she realises that Fatboy loves Mercy. Kim points out that Fatboy seems embarrassed about getting married and that Mercy does not seem to love him, and admits to fancying Fatboy. Fatboy then tells Kim why he is really marrying Mercy, but also that he wants to be married for real.
Mercy learns that she can stay in the UK but feels guilty about the deception, so decides to go back to Nigeria anyway. Fatboy loses his market stall but gets a job selling cars for Max Branning
Max Branning
Max Branning is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders, played by Jake Wood. He made his first appearance on 27 June 2006.-Backstory:Max is the fifth child and second son of Jim and Reenie Branning...
(Jake Wood
Jake Wood
Jake Dylan Wood is an English actor, best known in his homeland for playing Max Branning on "EastEnders" and in the United States as the current voice of the GEICO gecko.-Biography:...
). He discovers Mercy is leaving, so tries to stop her from leaving but is unable to, and they say an emotional goodbye. Fatboy is distraught over his loss, and eventually decides to move in with Dot. He helps Dot to track down her half sister Rose Cotton (Polly Perkins
Polly Perkins (singer)
-Early and personal life:Polly Perkins was born Gillian Arnold to theatrical parents Dickie and Mitzi, who both had a successful career performing a cabaret/vaudeville act. Her step mother Dottie Arnold was also a successful variety performer. Perkins has two children, singer songwriter Tim Arnold...
) and helps Whitney when her former pimp, Rob Grayson (Jody Latham
Jody Latham
Jody Lee Latham is an English actor, best known for his roles as Phillip "Lip" Gallagher in the British Channel 4 series Shameless, Calum McKenzie in the ITV series The Fixer, and Rob Grayson in the BBC Soap opera EastEnders....
) tracks her down. Fatboy feels put out when Rose and Cora Cross (Ann Mitchell
Ann Mitchell
Ann Mitchell is one of Britain's leading stage and television actresses. In 2011, she was cast as Cora Cross in the BBC soap opera EastEnders, the mother of Tanya Jessop and Rainie Cross. She was only to appear originally for 4 episodes but returned on 28 July 2011 as a regular character...
) both move in with Dot. Mercy's sister Faith Olubunmi (Modupe Adeyeye) then arrives in Walford to tell Fatboy that Mercy has had their marriage annulled. Fatboy starts a relationship with Faith (as seen in series 3 of EastEnders: E20) but it soon ends. Following this, Fatboy develops feelings for his friend Whitney Dean
Whitney Dean
Whitney Dean is a fictional character from the BBC One soap opera EastEnders, played by Shona McGarty. The character is the adoptive daughter of long-running character Bianca Jackson , and was introduced in April 2008 when Palmer returned to the series after a six year absence...
(Shona McGarty
Shona McGarty
Shona Bernadette McGarty is an English actress from Borehamwood, Hertfordshire, best known for her role in the BBC soap opera EastEnders, as Whitney Dean.-Career:...
), though Whitney is involved with Tyler Moon
Tyler Moon
Tyler Moon is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders, played by actor Tony Discipline. Tyler is the son of Eddie Moon , half brother of Michael and Craig Moon , brother of Anthony Moon and cousin of Alfie Moon...
(Tony Discipline
Tony Discipline
Tony Discipline is an English actor. His best known role to date is the character of Tyler Moon, the youngest son of already established character Eddie Moon and on-screen brother of Anthony and Michael Moon .-Career:Discipline has had only one major role to date, Tyler Moon...
). When Whitney and Tyler's relationship breaks down, Fatboy admits his feelings for Whitney and the pair start a relationship.
Creation and development
Fatboy is one of four characters created for the first series of the EastEnders online spin-off EastEnders: E20 who also appear in the main show, along with Zsa Zsa, Leon and Mercy. Fatboy, along with the other characters from E20, was created by the show's thirteen writers during a summer school run by the BBCBBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
in August 2009. Open auditions for the cast were held at Theatre Royal Stratford East
Theatre Royal Stratford East
The Theatre Royal Stratford East is a theatre in Stratford in the London Borough of Newham. Since 1953, it has been the home of the Theatre Workshop company.-History:...
. Norwood's casting was announced on 25 November 2009, on which he said "I am so excited to be on the show. It's an honour to now be part of a show that has been on in my house for as long as I have been alive. I am born and bred in the East End
East End of London
The East End of London, also known simply as the East End, is the area of London, England, United Kingdom, east of the medieval walled City of London and north of the River Thames. Although not defined by universally accepted formal boundaries, the River Lea can be considered another boundary...
—a stone's throw from the real Albert Square
Albert Square
Albert Square is the fictional location of the BBC soap opera EastEnders. It is ostensibly located in the equally fictional London borough of Walford in London's East End. The square's design was based on the real life Fassett Square in Hackney, and was given the name Albert Square after the real...
. It feels like a homecoming. I love being part of a cast that feels like family and can't wait to have a scene in The Vic
The Queen Victoria
The Queen Victoria is a fictional Victorian public house in the BBC soap opera, EastEnders. It has the fictional address of 46 Albert Square, Walford, London E20.-Appearance and development:...
." Kenny, who was also one of the writers, said a character like Fatboy would not have appeared in EastEnders had he not been written by young people.
Although his co-stars Attwater and Kenny were axed from the cast in May 2010, Norwood revealed his contract had been extended to December 2010, saying that the producers saw "some future in Fatboy". In January 2011 it was reported that due to the character's popularity, producers were planning to expand Fatboy's family and were in the process of casting his father, Ashley Chubb. An EastEnders insider is reported to have said "Fatboy has been a real hit with viewers and the bosses have decided that it's now time to bring in his dad so people can see what Fatboy is really all about."
In April 2011, Mercy faces deportation to Nigeria, and Fatboy plans to save her by proposing. Norwood revealed that Mercy is shocked by the proposal, adding "Mercy thinks he's lost his marbles, but soon comes round to the idea. Fatboy reckons that this isn't about his feelings, it's all about keeping her in the UK. Of course, he's also hoping that if she stays, maybe she'll end up liking him in the way he likes her. [...] You can get into a lot of trouble for [trying to fool immigration officials], [b]ut all Fatboy can think is, 'How can I save Mercy?' She's the girl he loves." Although Fatboy is in love with Mercy, he does not believe that Mercy sees him as more than a friend and may call off the wedding if he tells her. He does not think of the consequences, such as imprisonment. Norwood revealed that Fatboy has known Mercy since they were nine years old and he had feelings for her when EastEnders: E20 started, as he was upset when she got pregnant by someone else. He said that Fatboy would be heartbroken when Mercy leaves. Norwood told Inside Soap
Inside Soap
Inside Soap is a weekly UK magazine, released every Tuesday. It covers current and future storylines in soap operas shown in the United Kingdom....
that the wedding creates more problems for the characters, rather than solving all their problems. The fact that they try so hard to prove they are genuine makes it "very hard for them to be friends." The wedding episode sees Fatboy have a dream come true, but at the same time it is a nightmare for him. Knowing the wedding is a sham he is "waiting for that monster to appear". Ashley turns up and is annoyed that Fatboy has kept the wedding a secret, and of this, Norwood stated: "When [Ashley] finds out what has happened he is pretty shocked. He tries to make Fatboy see the consequences of his actions, but Fatboy doesn't want to hear it—his dad has already betrayed him when it comes to Mercy." Mercy is shocked to learn that Fatboy did not tell her that Ashley reported her. Although Norwood concluded that Fatboy "will go to the ends of the earth to make this marriage work".
Characterisation
When the character was announced, he was described as a hustler who sees everything as an opportunity, and has created several personas since the age of seven to hide his real self. Norwood expanded on this, saying "when he was in school and the register was being read out and it got to his name it would be 'Chubb!' and all the kids in school would start taking the mickey out of it. What he did was create something even more ridiculous to take away from that. He took the mickey out of himself and took the power away from those that were taking the mickey out of him. [...] For the same reason most kids put on a front, it's to protect himself from the world. He doesn't like his real name so he tried to create something that would get away from that and Fatboy was that creation. The street and the slang stuff is not something that is far away from him, it is still from the area that he lives in. Fatboy was someone he adopted to put a brave face on, to put a mask on himself, to protect Arthur from the world." Before apopting the "Fatboy" persona, he would adopt personas of men he saw on television, and Norwood said Fatboy was "an awkward kind of child". Fatboy comes from a wealthy background, and gets what he wants from his parents, with whom he has a good relationship, but hustles to hide the fact. He often wears clothing brand Ed Hardy, and his speech has, according to Norwood, a "unique rhythm". Norwood is able to make viable changes to the script to make it sound more authentic.Norwood said the character's introduction was "trying to bring the street to Albert Square" and that the street slang the character uses is what he grew up with himself. He described the character in an interview with entertainment website Digital Spy
Digital Spy
Digital Spy is a British entertainment and media news website. According to Alexa Internet traffic statistics, as of February 2011, Digital Spy is the 93rd most popular website in the United Kingdom, with an overall Alexa ranking of 2,088....
as "[wanting] to be a gangsta at times, a caring person, a player, a womaniser, the businessman... There are so many things that he wants to be and that shifts depending on the situation," adding that he is quick to solve problems and always has a plan. Additionally, a profile for the character on the official EastEnders website calls him brash, a wheeler-dealer, confident and a loveable soft-touch.
Norwood said in January 2011 that Fatboy has developed over time and is continuing to develop, with more sides to his personality being shown. Fatboy's caring side is shown in several EastEnders scenes, most notably his friendship with Dot, and a scene where Fatboy and Mercy bring a cake to Kat Moon
Kat Moon
Kathleen "Kat" Moon is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders, played by Jessie Wallace. She was also played by Kate Peck in a flashback in 2001. She appeared in the show from September 2000 to November 2004, then returned in May 2005...
(Jessie Wallace
Jessie Wallace
Jessie Wallace is an English actress best known for her portrayal as Kat Moon in the BBC soap opera EastEnders.-Early life:...
) after her child dies of cot death. Although Norwood said in January 2011 that Fatboy will always be a joker, he felt it was good to show Fatboy's softer, more intelligent side, saying that the character's "street" side drops quickly when he is around Dot and Mercy. Norwood said that Fatboy wants to improve himself, but fears that showing his caring side in London will get him beaten up.
Other appearances
Fatboy appears in extra content on the official EastEnders: E20 website. In one video, Fatboy gives his top ten tips for surviving life in Albert Square. Another features him recording a video on his mobile phone for Mercy, in which he admits he once thought he would end up in a romantic relationship with her. In other videos, he is filmed on a webcam singing along to the Destiny's ChildDestiny's Child
Destiny's Child was an American R&B girl group whose final line-up comprised lead singer Beyoncé Knowles alongside Kelly Rowland and Michelle Williams. Formed in 1997 in Houston, Texas, Destiny's Child members began their musical endeavors in their pre-teens under the name Girl's Tyme...
hit "Bootylicious
Bootylicious
"Bootylicious" is a song by American R&B group Destiny's Child. It was written and produced by Rob Fusari, Falonte Moore, and band member Beyoncé Knowles for the band's third studio album Survivor , and contains a prominent sample from the 1981 recording "Edge of Seventeen," as written and...
" and catches Leon posing, threatening to post the video on the Internet. In August 2010, an official account on the social networking site Twitter
Twitter
Twitter is an online social networking and microblogging service that enables its users to send and read text-based posts of up to 140 characters, informally known as "tweets".Twitter was created in March 2006 by Jack Dorsey and launched that July...
was created for Fatboy, along with three characters from series 2 of EastEnders: E20. Posts on Twitter revealed Fatboy has sold a fake ID to Naz Mehmet
Naz Mehmet
Nazan "Naz" Mehmet is a fictional character from EastEnders: E20, an Internet spin-off from the BBC soap opera EastEnders, played by Emaa Hussen. Naz is a main character in series 2, where she is joined by brothers Asher and Sol Levi , and Stevie Dickinson...
(Emaa Hussen) but the photo looked nothing like her and the age was wrong.
Fatboy makes cameo appearances in series 2 of E20, where his argument with Naz continues in episode 1, and she steals back her money. Fatboy attends a dance audition, and witnesses Asher Levi
Asher Levi
Asher Levi is a fictional character from EastEnders: E20, an Internet spin-off of the BBC soap opera EastEnders. Played by Heshima Thompson, Asher is a main character in series two. He is a charismatic street dancer, who uses his talent to escape from his criminal past...
(Heshima Thompson
Heshima Thompson
Heshima Salim Thompson is a British actor and singer.Thompson was born in the London Borough of Brent. He has appeared on television in Spooks: Code 9 as Jez, Prime Suspect, Casualty, City Lights, Judge John Deed and Babyfather. In theatre he has appeared at The Young Vic in Generations and at The...
) bribing Skolla (Tony Adigun) to let Asher's brother Sol
Sol Levi
Solomon "Sol" Levi is a fictional character from EastEnders: E20, an Internet spin-off off the BBC soap opera EastEnders, played by Tosin Cole. Sol is a main character in series 2, where he is joined by his older brother Asher Levi and their new friends Naz Mehmet and Stevie Dickinson...
(Tosin Cole) through even though he failed his audition. Asher threatens Fatboy with a knife, telling him that he saw nothing. In episode 5 Fatboy attends callbacks for the dance group, and in episode 7, he dances with the group again and helps break up a fight between Asher and Sol. In epiosode 10, Fatboy attends the dance-off between Skolla's crew and Flawless
Flawless (dance group)
Flawless are a UK based Street dance group.They appeared on the 2009 series of Britain's Got Talent and got to the final of the competition, they appeared alongside fellow Street Dance team Diversity who went on to win the competition. They later appeared in the 2010 film StreetDance 3D. They...
. He also appears in series 3. In episode 1, when Faith Olubunmi is homeless, she asks Fatboy if she can stay with him but he refuses.
Fatboy also appears in "East Street
East Street (Children in Need)
"East Street" is a charity crossover mini-episode between British soap operas Coronation Street and EastEnders. It was broadcast on 19 November 2010 as part of children's charity Children in Need's 2010 telethon on BBC One...
", a charity crossover episode
Fictional crossover
A fictional crossover is the placement of two or more otherwise discrete fictional characters, settings, or universes into the context of a single story. They can arise from legal agreements between the relevant copyright holders, or because of unauthorized efforts by fans, or even amid common...
between EastEnders and Coronation Street
Coronation Street
Coronation Street is a British soap opera set in Weatherfield, a fictional town in Greater Manchester based on Salford. Created by Tony Warren, Coronation Street was first broadcast on 9 December 1960...
, broadcast on 19 November 2010 as part of the BBC One
BBC One
BBC One is the flagship television channel of the British Broadcasting Corporation in the United Kingdom. It was launched on 2 November 1936 as the BBC Television Service, and was the world's first regular television service with a high level of image resolution...
telethon for the children's charity Children in Need
Children in Need
Children in Need is an annual British charity appeal organised by the BBC. Since 1980 it has raised over £500 million. The highlight of the Children in Need appeal is an annual telethon, held in November. A teddy bear named "Pudsey Bear" fronts the campaign, while Terry Wogan is a long...
. In the non-canon
Canon (fiction)
In the context of a work of fiction, the term canon denotes the material accepted as "official" in a fictional universe's fan base. It is often contrasted with, or used as the basis for, works of fan fiction, which are not considered canonical...
episode, Fatboy is in Walford's café while Denise Johnson and Gail McIntyre (Helen Worth
Helen Worth
Helen Worth is an English actress, best known for her portrayal of the Coronation Street character Gail McIntyre- Early life :...
) from Coronation Street argue over their similar storylines. Fatboy says Gail is the winner after saying she has been in prison. He also appears in scenes in The Queen Victoria.
Reception
In April 2010, six main characters were axed from EastEnders by executive producer Bryan KirkwoodBryan Kirkwood (producer)
Bryan Kirkwood is a Scottish-born British television producer. He was the producer of teen Channel 4 soap opera Hollyoaks from 2006 until 2009 and has been the executive producer of the BBC soap EastEnders since 2010.- Personal life :...
. Fatboy was not one of them, but Stuart Heritage from The Guardian
The Guardian
The Guardian, formerly known as The Manchester Guardian , is a British national daily newspaper in the Berliner format...
felt that he should have been, calling him "A wodge of irritating comic relief [...] who is yet to serve a purpose other than making me genuinely dislike young people. [...] He must go, preferably in a scene where he falls down the world's largest flight of stairs." Heritage later called Fatboy an "obnoxiously two-dimensional dubstep
Dubstep
Dubstep is a genre of electronic dance music that originated in south London, England. Its overall sound has been described as "tightly coiled productions with overwhelming bass lines and reverberant drum patterns, clipped samples, and occasional vocals"....
-fixated stock [character] transparently modelled on Jar Jar Binks
Jar Jar Binks
Jar Jar Binks is a fictional character from the Star Wars Saga , and the television series Star Wars: The Clone Wars. His primary role was to provide comic relief, but many reacted negatively to his character...
." A writer for the website Watch With Mothers called the character an asset to EastEnders, expressing pleasure that the show was trying to appeal to younger viewers, while another called him irritating and zany. A writer for The Northern Echo
The Northern Echo
The Northern Echo is a leading daily regional morning newspaper, serving the North East of England. The paper is based in Priestgate, Darlington. Its covers national as well as regional news. It is one of the UK's most famous provincial newspaper titles....
wondered if Fatboy, along with Leon and Zsa Zsa, brought a new injection of life into the soap or took away screen time from more established characters, and Caroline Fitton, writing for the Daily Mail
Daily Mail
The Daily Mail is a British daily middle-market tabloid newspaper owned by the Daily Mail and General Trust. First published in 1896 by Lord Northcliffe, it is the United Kingdom's second biggest-selling daily newspaper after The Sun. Its sister paper The Mail on Sunday was launched in 1982...
, felt that Fatboy's style of talking was a bit of a cliché. Grace Dent
Grace Dent
Grace Dent is an English journalist, author, and broadcaster. Dent writes mainly for The Guardian, where she has a weekly column on television, 'Grace Dent's TV-OD'. She also writes for magazines such as Tatler and Marie Claire. She writes a restaurant review column for the London Evening...
from The Guardian
The Guardian
The Guardian, formerly known as The Manchester Guardian , is a British national daily newspaper in the Berliner format...
changed her opinion of Fatboy over time, saying:
Julie Emery from Heat
Heat (magazine)
Heat is a British entertainment magazine published by German company Bauer Media Group. it is one of the biggest selling magazines in the UK, with a regular circulation over half a million. Its mix of celebrity news, gossip and fashion is primarily aimed at women, although not as directly as in...
criticised Fatboy's fashion sense, especially from the episode broadcast on 12 May 2011, saying "We know clashing prints are soooooo this season, but really, Fatboy, they do nothing for you. And while we're at it, stop wearing that tinny 'F' round your neck, for flip's sake. You're not a gangster rapper, and anyway your real name's Arthur." Emery also said the storyline where Fatboy asks Mercy to marry him so she can stay in the country sounded "somewhat familiar", as Coronation Street
Coronation Street
Coronation Street is a British soap opera set in Weatherfield, a fictional town in Greater Manchester based on Salford. Created by Tony Warren, Coronation Street was first broadcast on 9 December 1960...
was featuring a similar storyline at the same time.
Norwood has received four award nominations for his portrayal of Fatboy. In May 2010, he received a nomination in the "Best Soap Newcomer" category at the 14th TVChoice Awards, and in July he was nominated for "Best Newcomer" at the 2010 Inside Soap Awards
Inside Soap Awards
The Inside Soap Awards is a yearly award ceremony run by Inside Soap magazine since 1996. The awards celebrate the British and Australian soap operas and their actors. Until 2007, EastEnders had won the award for "Best Soap" on every occasion...
, which he went on to win in September. In September 2010, he was nominated in the newcomer category of the 16th
16th National Television Awards
The 16th National Television Awards ceremony was held at The O2 Arena in London on 26 January 2011 and was hosted by Dermot O'Leary. The awards are voted by the public and the winners are revealed live on ITV1. Ant & Dec won the award for Most Popular Entertainment Presenter for the tenth year in a...
National Television Awards
National Television Awards
The National Television Awards is a British television awards ceremony, broadcast by the ITV network and initiated in 1995. The National Television Awards are the most prominent ceremony for which the results are voted on by the general public. Because of the way the awards are decided, winners are...
, which he won in January 2011. In May 2011, he was nominated for "Best Newcomer" at the 2011 British Soap Awards
British Soap Awards
The British Soap Awards is an annual awards ceremony to honour the best of British soap operas.The first event took place in 1999 and takes place in May each year. Although it is an ITV production, the events were held at the BBC Television Centre, in London until 2010. The 2011 awards relocated to...
.