Meet Joe Wicks from Eastenders: Paul Nicholls’ character history explained
EASTENDERS is known for its shocking twists and turns but few people were expecting the BBC to bring back one of the show’s most iconic 90s heartthrobs.
Joe Wicks, played by Paul Nicholls, made a surprise return to EastEnders on October 10, 2024, without setting foot in the square.
The beloved character’s appearance thrilled viewers, as they watched Joe finally reconcile with his estranged father David Wicks.
Here’s everything you need to know about Joe Wicks.
A runaway start
Joe Wicks was first introduced on EastEnders in 1996, when he ran away from his home in Bolton to find his dad in Albert Square.
Joe’s mother Lorraine followed him down to London and soon ran into her estranged husband.
David’s repeated infidelity had caused their marriage to collapse and long-running tensions threatened to ruin Joe’s idea of a family reunion.
Joe also struggled with his guilt over the death of his younger sister, Karen.
Before appearing on-screen, the characters had been involved in a car crash that led to Karen’s death.
Since Joe had swapped seats with Karen, which led to her being more severely injured in the crash, he blamed himself.
A groundbreaking storyline
Most viewers will remember Joe from his battle with schizophrenia, which was hailed as a sensitive and thoughtful depiction of the illness.
His schizophrenia was intensified by his guilt over Karen’s death.
The show saw him attempt suicide, hide the body of his Nellie Ellis’s cat in his bedroom and cover his bedroom wall with newspaper articles about aliens.
Eventually, he sought help from his parents and learned how to manage and live with his schizophrenia.
After a romance with Sarah Hills and a fling with his second cousin Mary Flaherty, Joe and Lorraine headed back to Bolton.
Later, his dad would depart from the show too and their relationship would sour off-screen.
Joe did reconcile with Sarah, though, and it was revealed that the couple have children.
A surprise return to Albert Square
In October 2024, when David’s brief time in the Square finally came to an end, he finally reconciled with Joe.
David video-called his daughter Holly and, to the surprise of viewers everywhere, Joe joined in on the call.
The father-and-son made plans to meet each other in person as the iconic EastEnders “duff, duff” rolled in.
A heartthrob actor
Joe is played by Paul Nicholls, who was shot to fame by the popularity of his EastEnders character.
Paul was born on April 12, 1979, and is actually named Gerard Paul Greenhalgh.
He has starred in some of the most beloved British films and TV shows of all time, including Bridget Jones: The Edge of Reason, Holby City and Death in Paradise.
In July 2017, Paul was stranded for three days at the bottom of a waterfall in Thailand.
He was taken to hospital after locals found his abandoned motorbike nearby.
Paul has also shared that he suffered a stroke in 2018 which caused him to experience a deep depression.
He battled with an addiction to dihydrocodeine and cocaine throughout 2020, as a result of the stroke, but confirmed attending Narcotics Anonymous meetings.