BBC/Composite: EastEnders Insider Share By Joel Harley Jul 16 2025 By Joel Harley Jul 16 2025 OPINION: Oscar Branning is just what the soap needs right now… bring on the chaos! Like it or not, he's here to stay Features Oscar Branning Pierre Moullier Share By Joel Harley Jul 16 2025 By Joel Harley Jul 16 2025 This week’s EastEnders saw the arrival of Oscar Branning in Walford, crashing into the lives of Peter Beale and Lauren Branning just as they’d managed to get their relationship back on track. He wasted little time in unleashing carnage, making his presence known to anyone and everyone caught in Hurricane Oscar’s path. The character has already divided viewers, with some hailing him as a ‘breath of fresh air,’ while others have decried him as ‘annoying’ and ‘cringe.’ While I’m not about to claim that his smart-alec humour always hits the spot (they can’t all be winners), I’m already a fan. No mean feat, given how I, a middle-aged man firmly in the ‘get offa my lawn’ stage of life, should be firmly against everything Oscar is, does, and represents. That’s not the case though. Oscar is a great new addition, and star Pierre Moullier an exciting new addition to the cast. Here’s how, against all odds, Oscar Branning has won me over already. Oscar’s been making himself at home (Credit: BBC) In praise of Oscar Branning on EastEnders: He’s genuinely hilarious (if you like that sort of thing) His sense of humour may prove divisive, but I can’t help but laugh. Look, I was as prepared to hate him as much as the next moody millennial, but somewhere between his calling Ian ‘Brian’ (we love a recurring joke) and his colourful stories of Fat Mike and the gang, I found myself laughing along. Article continues below Read all the latest spoilers EastEnders has a reputation of sometimes being too moody for its own good, so Oscar provides a little much-needed levity among all the doom and the gloom. And, in case you were worried that things are getting a bit too silly, the soap proved that it could still sustain real emotion this week too. Case in point: as Julie returned to Walford, the next chapter of Nigel’s heartbreaking story began, and Oscar’s big gob didn’t distract from any of that. See, we can have both! They’ve done nothing but moan for weeks (Credit: BBC) He’s brought some cheer to miserable Lauren and Peter Prior to Oscar’s arrival, we’d just come out of a week of Lauren and Peter at their worst. Not even the news that Lauren hadn’t been responsible for Jimmy’s blindness could cheer them up, and they continued to argue all the way to the end of Friday’s episode. Sure, there was some fun to be had there (watching Zack throw Peter into the bin(s) where he belongs; Lauren sniping about his fling with Suki). But, overall, it was an exhausting week of Peter and Lauren drama. This week? Like night and day! Not only was Oscar’s arrival a shot in the arm for the soap, but it also made Peter and Lauren more likeable too. Sure, their police double act was a hefty dose of cringe, but it was fun to see Walford’s most miserable couple do something other than snipe and whinge. They’ll surely find something else to argue about before long, so let’s just enjoy the good times while they last. Oscar feels abandoned by his dad (Credit: BBC) In praise of Oscar Branning on EastEnders continued He’s got hidden depths Oscar is more than just a smart mouth and cheeky chappy persona. Okay, he’s mostly that, but he also demonstrated a sense of depth in his scenes with Uncle Jack yesterday. Sitting down for a chat in McKlunky’s (where, somehow, Jack resisted the urge to splurge on another takeaway), Oscar opened up about his relationship with his dad. Setting aside the jokes, he revealed he’d not seen Max since Christmas 2022. And, as the conversation took an unexpected turn, he asked Jack why his dad no longer wanted him. “Do you know what it was? The thing I did wrong to make him not want me?” Oscar asked. Jack tried to reassure him otherwise, but there it was. A glimpse of the hurt little boy inside, rejected by his father. That sensitive side resurfaced today (on BBC One tonight, or streaming now on iPlayer) when Oscar learned that baby Jimmy is blind. Clearly feeling terrible about making things more difficult for Lauren and Peter, Oscar knuckled down at the stall and made a sincere attempt at helping out. What else does the future hold for Oscar? Oscar’s been winding up Ian to no end (Credit: BBC) He makes a great double act with Brian Like Peter and Lauren, the antics of Ian Beale can get a bit tiresome. Sure, his weaselly scheming is all part of the appeal, but actor Adam Woodyatt has built up some solid comedy chops over the years. His scenes with Oscar allowed him to have a bit more fun this week. This peaked with middle-aged Ian Beale wrestling in the street with a 17-year-old boy over a handful of cash. The social worker may not have agreed, but these were some of the soap’s funniest scenes this week. The rest of them? Those were all on Oscar too. Long may the rivalry of Ian Beale and Oscar Branning continue. What will Joel and Tommy make of Oscar? (Credit: BBC) He’ll liven up the local teens Yes, Oscar is another young character in a soap already at risk of becoming ‘the next Hollyoaks,’ as some fear. However, his presence will shake up the local youths, making a much-needed change from the sullen likes of Tommy, Nugget and Denzel. And Joel, of course, who is out there very much forging his own path as Walford’s answer to Andrew Tate. Oscar could also serve as a replacement for Freddie Slater, who never quite lived up to that promise the character initially had – a version of the character who’s actually funny and likeable. Furthermore, in the sparks he demonstrated with Avani yesterday, Oscar’s presence is sure to set the cat among the pigeons, setting off a bomb on the local dating scene too. Are the Albert Square teenagers ready for Oscar Branning? The Brannings are so back! (Credit: BBC) In more Praise of Oscar Branning on EastEnders: The Brannings are EastEnders royalty The return of Oscar to Walford bumps up the numbers of the flagging Branning clan. For too long, only Lauren and Jack have been left to represent (with no disrespect to Amy and Penny, when they’re given a chance to shine). With Oscar’s return comes all that family history. And it’s likely setting up the imminent return of Max Branning too. How will Oscar react to being reunited with his estranged father? And what will Max make of his ‘mini bisexual’ counterpart? With Oscar already proving an exciting new presence, I can’t wait to see what the future holds! Read more: Who’s leaving, joining and returning to EastEnders? Complete list of cast exits, arrivals and returns. Share Good to Know Share By Joel Harley Jul 16 2025 By Joel Harley Jul 16 2025
