Vicki Fowler is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders, originally portrayed by Emma Herry (1986–1988), Samantha Leigh Martin (1988–1995) and Scarlett Alice Johnson (2003–2004). Two decades later, the role was recast to Alice Haig, with Vicki returning on 31 March 2025. She is the daughter of Michelle Fowler (Susan Tully/Jenna Russell) and Den Watts (Leslie Grantham).
Vicki was conceived in a controversial teenage pregnancy storyline that generated significant press attention. Exploiting a whodunit element, viewers were initially unaware of the father's identity, leading to widespread speculation until it was revealed in episode 66, broadcast in October 1985, that Den Watts was the father. Written by series co-creator and script editor Tony Holland and directed by co-creator and producer Julia Smith, the episode was considered a landmark moment in the show's history. Early suspects included Ian Beale (Adam Woodyatt) and Kelvin Carpenter (Paul J. Medford), but the mystery was solved when Den's dog Roly was seen jumping from his car at the secret meeting point, confirming Den as the father. Vicki was written out of the series in October 1995 following the departure of Tully. Following an eight-year absence, the character was reintroduced in January 2003 by executive producer Louise Berridge.
In her first full-time stint, portrayed by Johnson, Vicki's storylines included returning to Walford as a rebellious teenager after years living in America with her mother Michelle, struggling with her identity as Den Watts's daughter, forming close friendships with Spencer Moon (Christopher Parker) and Kelly Taylor (Brooke Kinsella), having brief relationships with both Spencer and Ash Ferreira (Raji James), working at Angie's Den under her father’s management, clashing with Den over his manipulative behaviour, and leaving Walford once again to live in America. This stint formed part of a wider effort to rebuild the Watts family, which had been central to EastEnders during the 1980s. In August 2004, Johnson announced her departure from the show, with Vicki's final scenes airing on 25 December 2004. Her portrayal received mixed reviews from critics, with some highlighting the inconsistency of her American accent.
In her second full-time stint, with the character now portrayed by Haig, Vicki's storylines have included returning to Walford with her new partner Ross Marshall (Alex Walkinshaw) and his son Joel (Max Murray), reuniting with Sharon following Martin's death, revealing that she cheated on Spencer with Ross and that she came back to ask Sharon and Ian for money to pay back the family of a girl whom Joel sexually assaulted in Australia, blackmailing Bernadette Taylor (Clair Norris) after discovering her embezzlement from the Panesars, feuding with Zoe Slater (Michelle Ryan) after her return to the Square, clashing with Joel over his growing hostility towards women which results in her ultimately being viciously attacked and left for dead by him following his descent into online radicalisation through the manosphere, having an affair with Zack Hudson (James Farrar), and marrying Ross.
Creation and development
Conception and childhood characterisation The conception of Vicki Fowler in 1985 was one of the first controversial storylines featured in EastEnders since its inception that February, as it involved the pregnancy of a schoolgirl, Michelle Fowler (Susan Tully). Exploiting a whodunit angle, viewers were not initially told who was the father, and press interest in the fledgling show escalated as journalists attempted to guess. The audience finally discovered his identity in October 1985 on episode 66. Written by series co-creator/script-editor Tony Holland and directed by co-creator/producer Julia Smith, it was considered a landmark episode in the show's history. Four possible suspects were seen leaving the Square early in the episode: Tony Carpenter (Oscar James), Ali Osman (Nejdet Salih), Andy O'Brien (Ross Davidson), and Den Watts (Leslie Grantham). As Michelle waited by their rendezvous point, a car pulled up and the fluffy white legs of the soap landlord's poodle Roly leapt out of a car and gave it all away: Den had fathered Michelle's baby. After this storyline the programme started to appear in newspaper cartoons as it moved more and more into the public mainstream.
Baby Emma Herry originated the role and played Vicki until 1988, when her parents moved to Scotland. The role was recast to Samantha Leigh Martin, who learned to call Tully "Mummy Shell" (short for Michelle) and referred to Letitia Dean, who played her mum's best friend, as "Daddy Sharon". Tully has commented, "What's lovely about working with Samantha is that she's always happy. When it comes to work, she knows it's playing a pretend game, she knows my real name but she knows to call me 'Mummy Shell' when the cameras are running. If she isn't involved for a couple of weeks, I like to visit her at home, so she's always relaxed with me." Tully worried about this when it came to filming scenes in 1989 where Vicki contracted meningitis and was hospitalised and placed in an incubator with tubes attached to her body. Tully said, "[Samantha] has seen me in all kinds of situations but I didn't know how she'd cope if I cried over her". At Tully's suggestion, the BBC built a hospital room with minimal equipment and a consultant was present to make sure the BBC had the details correct and that neither the viewers nor Samantha would be too distressed. Tully insisted that the child was not present when she had to film scenes of Michelle sobbing over the incubator.
In 1995, after 9 years onscreen being featured in various plot lines such as kidnapping, Vicki was written out of EastEnders, moving to America with Michelle.
Recast (2003) In 2002, executive producer Louise Berridge decided to reintroduce the character 8 years after she had last appeared. Auditions were held to cast the role to a professional actor; however, auditionees were not informed which character they were auditioning for. The first audition was a group workshop of 30 auditionees, who were asked to perform improvisations. After whittling down potential actors from 500 to 4, the second stage of the audition process was an interview with EastEnders''' casting director. The auditionees were asked to perform a monologue in front of a camera and do a screen test with one of the actors already in the show, Christopher Parker, who played Spencer Moon.
17-year-old actress Scarlett Alice Johnson was cast: "At the second audition they gave me a monologue to read, but they'd been really careful about it. They hadn't said what the character's name was, they didn't give away anything in the monologue that might tell me who I was auditioning for. So I didn't know until I got the part who I was going to be playing—I'd been guessing for ages!" Asked how she felt when she knew she was playing Vicki Fowler, a character linked to the show's early history who is the daughter of 2 prominent original characters, Johnson said: "I felt very honoured, but it was quite scary. I knew there'd be a lot of people out there with expectations of what she'd be like. But it's good fun actually. It means you don't have to introduce yourself to everyone. You can really play with that [...] My family are EastEnders addicts, we've watched it our whole lives. I remember the first Vicki, I remember Michelle and I definitely remember Dirty Den! My knowledge of the show really helped a lot, because I didn't have to do any research into the character. When I joined the show, I felt like I was meeting the actors for a second time. I'd already met them in my home on TV, then I had to actually meet them in real life!" The character made her reappearance in January 2003, turning up unexpectedly at her grandmother Pauline's (Wendy Richard) house.
To signify the character's eight years living in America, Johnson was required to use an American accent while playing Vicki. She was given a voice coach and a sheet of American phrases to practice weekly. She commented, "It is hard work, but it's becoming second nature now. As soon as I know that I'm Vicki, the accent just comes with it." After 6 months in the role, Vicki dropped the American accent. Johnson explained the reason for the change in 2004: "The producers knew that I had to have an American accent when I came into the show because my character had been living in America but it's not the kind of accent that you'd want to have for a long time on a show like EastEnders. It's not something that's going to fit in for a long period of time. What would have been perfect would have been to have it gradually fade out, but as you film 8 episodes at a time, this would be nigh on impossible. The decision was made that in the story Vicki was coming to terms with the fact that she wanted to live in London so therefore she was going to make a conscious effort to fit in with everyone around her and blend in with London life."
The reintroduction of Vicki was part of the producers' plan to reform the Watts family, including the resurrection of Vicki's father Den, who had been presumed dead for 14 years. Discussing working with Grantham, who played Vicki's "iconic" father Den, Johnson said, "I was 2 when he left EastEnders [in 1989] so I never witnessed the hype surrounding him. I'm very aware of the legend. How could I not be? My only concern was that he should take me seriously [and] It's been fabulous. I can't wait for our scenes to be shown. They're really edgy and no one does edgy better than Leslie. It's been a massive challenge but I think the results are incredibly hard-hitting. EastEnders is becoming more like a serial drama than a soap. It's so well-written."
Personality Vicki has been described as a "little madam" and a rebel. An EastEnders source commented, "Vicki has inherited a lot of her dad Den's traits – she is going to be a right handful". Johnson has said, "Everyone loves to hate her, but I rather like that. I'd be more upset if she was nondescript. At least I provoke a passionate response in people. It's great being a bad girl."
Departure (2004) In August 2004, the BBC announced that Johnson had decided to quit her role as Vicki. She commented, "I've had a really good two years, enjoyed all the experiences but it's time to move on". Johnson filmed her final scenes in October and her departure coincided with that of Vicki's half-sister, Sharon. Vicki departed on the Christmas Day episode of 2004. 12.3 million viewers watched the episodes that involved the Watts family's disbandment. Media reports claimed that there were plans to bring Vicki back the following year, played by a new actress; this proved to be false. Her character was notably absent at the funerals of Vicki's father Den in September 2005, her brother Dennis Rickman (Nigel Harman) in January 2006, and her grandmother Pauline in January 2007.
Following her departure from EastEnders, Johnson was more candid in her reasons for leaving: "I've had a great time but it got to the point where I was sat in bed at night thinking: 'Tomorrow will my character be crying, getting drunk or having an argument?'. It soon became physically exhausting and draining [...] I don't think the producers were very happy when I said I wanted to leave. I was still very new and they had just set up the new Watts dynasty but no-one could have made me change my mind. When I said to the producers I wanted to go they told me they might have to recast Vicki. I don't mind. Life goes on and EastEnders goes on. I wouldn't want to go back at the moment – but never say never."
Recast and return (2025)