Johnny Allen is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders, played by Billy Murray. He first appeared on 4 January 2005 and became the show's primary antagonist until the character was killed off on 20 October 2006.
Hailed as one of the show's biggest villains to date, the character was an East End crime boss who quickly emerged as the new gangland kingpin of Albert Square. He proceeded to impact his reign through several other characters by going to extreme lengths to maintain control over those around him — notably in the case of his intense feud with the Mitchell brothers, Phil (Steve McFadden) and Grant Mitchell (Ross Kemp).
The character's story arc begins with Johnny usurping fellow mob boss Andy Hunter (Michael Higgs) from his position as the square's reigning crime kingpin. This ultimately leads Andy to try to swindle £750,000 from Johnny in his requested "job." This fails after Johnny intercepts his plan — thanks to Andy's bodyguard, Eddie (Daren Elliott Holmes) — and he ends up killing Andy by throwing him from a motorway bridge in the shows' 20th-anniversary episode. Soon afterward, Johnny forces the local Ferreira family out of Walford before establishing an unlikely friendship with his old acquaintance Pat Butcher (Pam St Clement).
He exiles his errand boy, Danny Moon (Jake Maskall), from the square in retribution for Danny burning down his house. He falls out with Phil and Grant's mother, Peggy (Barbara Windsor), after she turns his daughter Ruby (Louisa Lytton) against him. He also destroys his own relationship with former mistress Tina Stewart (Charlotte Avery); hired Peggy's nephew Billy (Perry Fenwick) to become Danny's replacement until he later fires him for conspiring with his family; developed a conflict with Ruby's best friend, Stacey Slater (Lacey Turner), over the way her rebellious friendship strains his daughter's education; blackmailed Danny's brother Jake (Joel Beckett) with the discovery that his girlfriend Chrissie Watts (Tracy-Ann Oberman) murdered her estranged husband Den (Leslie Grantham) and framed Peggy's daughter Sam (Kim Medcalf) for the crime; constantly tormented Ruby's boyfriend Juley Smith (Joseph Kpobie) upon learning that he is the reason she lost her virginity to him; and arranged for popular hard man Dennis Rickman (Nigel Harman) to be fatally stabbed on New Year's Eve 2005; after being attacked by the latter in retaliation for threatening his adoptive sister-turned-recent wife Sharon (Letitia Dean).
Towards the end of March 2006, Johnny represented the titular "Get Johnny Week" scenario — in which Phil and Grant, who were both previously ex-lovers of Sharon, sought to avenge her loss due to Dennis' murder to bring Johnny to justice! The storyline culminates with Johnny surrendering himself to the police at Ruby's request, although not before it is revealed that Danny had killed Dennis on Johnny's orders — shortly before Danny at the story's climax is then killed by his own brother Jake!
In October 2006, nearly seven months after being sentenced to life imprisonment for his gangland activities, the characters story arc ended with Johnny being axed from the programme. His last appearance was screened during Ruby's eighteenth birthday, wherein Johnny attempted to perpetuate the death of Stacey's brother Sean (Robert Kazinsky) after finding out that he has been forging a romantic business partnership with Ruby to extract control of both her financial welfare and family assets; however, this failed when Johnny ended up having a fatal heart attack in prison, and he dies in hospital off-screen.
This was Murray's second role in the soap, having appeared as a minor character in 1991 called "Mr. X".
Creation and development Johnny and his casting was announced on 25 October 2004. Billy Murray was cast in the role. The character was said to be "The boss of the bad boys, pure big league. He will make Andy Hunter (Michael Higgs) look like a small fry with his bold dealings". Speaking of his casting, Murray stated, "It's great that I'm going to be part of one of the best shows on television. I'm looking forward to getting my teeth into the role". The character made his debut appearance on 4 January 2005 and it was later revealed via Digital Spy that his daughter Ruby Allen (Louisa Lytton) and girlfriend Tina Stewart (Charlotte Avery) were also set to join the show. "Get Johnny Week"
"Get Johnny Week" is a week-long storyline that was first screened in late March 2006. The storyline focuses on Johnny after he retires from his life of crime and reunites the Mitchell brothers, Phil (Steve McFadden) and Grant (Ross Kemp)."Ross Kemp signs to EastEnders ", BBC. Retrieved 23 September 2018. The week finishes with Johnny's daughter, Ruby, persuading him to hand himself into the police for the murder of Dennis Rickman (Nigel Harman). Johnny gives in to his daughter's wish and is then imprisoned for the murders of Dennis and Andy. However, the episodes were not well received by viewers, and producer Kate Harwood received criticism for the storyline.
Departure Murray opted to leave the soap in August 2005, just eight months after his first appearance. Speaking of his departure, Murray stated that the decision to leave had been agreed with executive producer Kate Harwood. He went on to explain, "I sat down recently with the boss, and we decided it would be much better for Johnny to go out with a bang than to hang around the Square for years, aging gracefully." Thus, Murray departed after "Get Johnny Week" when his character was imprisoned.
Johnny is not seen again until October 2006, when Ruby's new boyfriend, Sean Slater (Robert Kazinsky), visits him in prison to taunt him. Furious, Johnny tries to arrange Sean's murder with Jake Moon (Joel Beckett). He fails and dies of a heart attack soon after, accidentally ordering Jake's death in the process.
Storylines Johnny Allen makes his first appearance on 4 January 2005, when he arrives in Albert Square — the community of Walford, a fictionalized area of East London — to confront his henchmen, Jake Moon (Joel Beckett) and brother Danny Moon (Jake Maskall), for having a problem with his package job; namely to deliver a duffel bag of money to one of his 'mates' in Walford's residential community, Albert Square. When Johnny inspects the bag that Jake and Danny had, he uncovers hidden cocaine and — sensing the problem behind his plan — orders the brothers to remain in the square under further notice. He arranges for the two to stay with their cousin Alfie (Shane Richie) and later has them work for their enemy and the square's reigning crime boss, Andy Hunter (Michael Higgs).
As he quickly helps the Moon brothers with their problems, Johnny expands his business in Walford; he buys the nightclub Angie's Den, which he renames "Scarlet" in honor of his deceased daughter, and the Ferreira family's flat — where he later moves into the house with his younger daughter Ruby (Louisa Lytton). It is at this point where Johnny begins to usurp control of Andy's criminal reign, such as constantly getting Andy to make arrangements on his behalf and ensuring that he is employing both Jake and Danny under his specific terms. This continues when Johnny learns that Andy has arranged for Jake and Danny's grandmother Nana (Hilda Braid) to be mugged and ends up confronting both Andy and the Moon brothers over their feud. Whilst doing so, Johnny witnesses local shopkeeper Patrick Trueman (Rudolph Walker) confronting Andy over the alleged disappearance of his adopted son Paul (Gary Beadle) — whom Andy claims had left the square on Christmas Day 2004. Deducing that Andy had Paul killed, Johnny arranges for his body to be uncovered, and Patrick learns the truth about his son's fate and Andy's role in his death. In doing so, Johnny further deteriorates Andy's public image in the community and proceeds to establish support from many of the Walford residents — including Patrick and his wife, Yolande (Angela Wynter).
In February, tensions continued to rise between Johnny and Andy when the pair had another meeting with Jake. Claiming that he is retiring from his criminal life, Johnny authorizes Andy and Jake to work together on a package deal for him; Jake will oversee Andy being given a case containing £750,000 worth in cash, which Andy will then deliver to Johnny to mark the opening of his nightclub Scarlet. However, Jake later requests that Johnny be pulled out of the deal after being attacked in a fight; Johnny agrees and tells Andy that he will have to do the job on his own. Andy takes the news badly, up to the point where he publicly insults his estranged wife Sam Mitchell (Kim Medcalf) and employee Pat Evans (Pam St Clement) — whom Johnny was once acquainted with years ago — in The Queen Victoria public house. This prompts Den Watts (Leslie Grantham), the pub's landlord and Johnny's old friend, to throw out Andy and his bodyguard, Eddie (Daren Elliott Holmes) — with Johnny's help. Outraged over his humiliation, Andy vows to get revenge on Johnny and hatches a plan to take his £750,000 in their upcoming transaction and flee Walford with the money. Andy tricks Danny into aiding him with his plan under the guise that Danny can prove himself to Johnny after Andy tricks him into believing that Johnny favors Jake and that his brother values him to be weak. On the opening night of Scarlet, Andy succeeds with his plan and betrays Danny by ditching him on the street. Just as Andy is about to flee Walford, Eddie stops the car and claims he needs to go to the bathroom. In reality, Eddie betrays Andy by informing Johnny of his plan. In response, Johnny has Jake intercept Andy and has him come out of the car for 'a conversation'. Realizing too late that Eddie betrayed him, Andy obliges and talks with Johnny as they walk on a motorway bridge. The conversation seemingly ends with the pair going separate ways, as Johnny offers Andy a handshake before giving him 'one final tip.' At that moment, Johnny — after telling Andy, 'Enjoy your flight!' — suddenly throws Andy off the motorway bridge, killing him on impact. As the police arrive on the scene, Johnny orders Eddie to leave before he and Jake return to the square. The next morning, Andy's death becomes public knowledge — though the police depict his demise to be suicide. While the Moon brothers are unnerved by Andy's death, Johnny remains calm and later attends Andy's funeral with Pat, even though she had earlier accused Johnny of murdering Andy.
Following Andy's murder, Johnny employs the Moon brothers to work for him at Scarlet. He soon fires them after Jake and Danny buy stolen alcohol to use in Scarlet, which Johnny is quick to discover. Johnny later recruits Sam's cousin Billy (Perry Fenwick) to replace the Moon brothers and even steals Danny's idea for a salsa night at the club. Danny soon confronts Johnny about this, but Johnny just brushes him off and calls Danny a liability. In response to this, Danny goes to Johnny's house in a drunken state and sets it on fire to try and get his attention. Johnny deduces that Danny is responsible for setting his house on fire and plans to kill him with his own handgun. He abducts Danny in his car and takes Jake along with him when the latter tries to save his brothers. After driving the brothers into the woods, Johnny locks Jake in the car and takes Danny with him for execution. Johnny prepares to kill Danny when Jake, who escaped from the car, intervenes and stops them. Johnny initially considers killing the pair but ultimately orders them to leave Albert Square and never return. While Danny appears to have left the Square for good, Jake returns two months later to support Alfie over family matters; Johnny allows Jake to stay in Walford and later hires him to be his personal bodyguard in the midst of expanding his criminal reign.