EastEnders: Julia’s Theme

Last night saw a slightly new arrangement of the sad theme of EastEnders being used as the residents of Albert Square mourned the loss of Bradley Branning. The sad theme is better known by the title of “Julia’s Theme”, so named after the soaps co-creator Julia Smith, and has been used over the years to mark sad or poignant occasions. Here we look at those times when “Julia’s Theme” has been used and when controversially it hasn’t. 

Julia’s Theme was used slightly more frequently in the 1980s whereas nowadays it is used very occasionally when a big character departs. So here we list the themes when the theme has been used and controversially when it hasn’t.

The very first instance of “Julia’s Theme” being used is on April of 1985 just two months or so after the soaps launch in February of 1985. It follows a heart-to-heart between Ian Beale as his grandmother Lou Beale when he tells her he wants to become a chef but his father, Pete, disapproves of the idea. We doubt nowadays that such a scene would warrant the theme being used but in the early 1980s, as stated above, the theme was used more frequently for such occasions. Julia’s Theme was used again in 1985 in June when Sue Osman tells her husband Ali she can’t cry for her recently deceased son. In a follow on from this storyline several months later in August the theme is once again used when Dr Legg forces Sue to acknowledge her grief.

Its final use in 1985 came in October when Michelle Fowler informed Den Watts she was pregnant with his child. In January 1986 it was used after Pauline Fowler had a heart-to-heart with Mark Fowler on Southend Beach. A month later it was used again after Queen Vic barman Lofty proposed to Michelle Fowler and it was used twice in April; when Michelle agreed to marry Lofty and when the two shared a kiss. In July 1986 when Sue tells Michelle she had a phantom pregnancy the theme is used again. In September the night before Michelle’s wedding to Lofty, Den wishes her good luck and Julia’s Theme is used.

In July 1987 Julia’s Theme was used in the first ever two-hander episode. The episode was between Dot Cotton and Ethel Skinner as they babysat Vicky Fowler and reminisced about the war and other memories. The two-hander episode was unique amongst soaps and would be the first of several over the next 25 years. The following month in August the theme was used after Simon asked girlfriend Magda to move in with him.

It was five years before the theme was used again however. It was 1992 and Arthur Fowler turned down the advances of Mrs Christine Hewitt but the two did share a passionate kiss first. In December 1992 it was used after Mark Fowler rescued Mandy Salter from her mother’s abusive boyfriend and brought her back to Albert Square. It was only used once in 1993 when Pauline and Pat Butcher have a heart-to-heart following Pat’s drunken driving which resulted in the death of a young girl.

Julia’s Theme wasn’t used at all in 1994 but in 1995 was used when Nigel Bates told his step-daughter Clare that her mother, and his wife, had been killed in a hit-and-run accident. In June 1996 it was used at Arthur Fowler’s funeral and in October when devious Cindy Beale fled the Square with her sons Peter and Stephen to start a new life away from Ian. Two years later it was used when Kathy Beale left Albert Square for a new life in South Africa and again in April 1998 when Nigel Bates, Claire Skinner and Julie Hayne left for a new life in Scotland.

In 1999 Julia’s Theme was used on two occasions; In February when Grant Mitchell and daughter Courtney scattered the ashes of Tiffany who had been knocked down by Frank Butcher on New Year’s Eve – she had been attempting to leave Grant but wanted daughter Courtney and followed Grant into the street where she was hit by Frank’s car. Later that year in September 1999 it was used when Bianca Jackson and son Liam left to start afresh in Manchester.

It was used just the once in 2000 when Sonja Jackson broke down following her decision to give her baby Chloe, who was a result of a one-night stand with Martin Fowler, up for adoption. In 2001 it was used for two happier occasions in February when Roy Evans and Pat Butcher got back together and in December when Jim Branning proposed to Dot Cotton on the London Eye. In 2002 it was played after a week of special episodes in Spain in which Peggy had flown out for the funeral of Frank Butcher only to find him alive and well – having faked his own death for the insurance money. The week long episodes also saw Peggy reunited with daughter Sam Mitchell – the theme was played as Frank and Peggy said goodbye once more.

In May 2002 it was used when Sonja and Jamie Mitchell ended their relationship and in June when Doctor Anthony Truman proposed to Zoe Slater. In August 2002 it was used as Little Mo left prison following her conviction for attempting to murder her abusive husband Trevor. In February 2003 it was used as the residents of Albert Square bid farewell to Mark Fowler for the final time as he decided to travel the world before he died of AIDS. It was used in November 2003 when Alfie Moon interrupted Kat Slater’s wedding to gangster Andy Hunter to tell her how much he loved her.

It was another two years before the theme was used again and this time in June 2005 as Zoe Slater left Walford following her role in the death of Dirty Den Watts and Chrissie Watt’s subsequent attempts at framing Zoe for his murder. It was used twice in December of 2005; after a week long of episodes centring on the return of Frank Butcher for the trial of his daughter Janine for the death of Laura Beale. Although Laura Beale’s death was not murder Pat had framed Janine for her “murder” in revenge for Janine’s murder of Barry Evans some time before. The theme was used for a second time in December 2005 after the death of Nana Moon.

In June 2006 it was used when Grant Mitchell and daughter Tiffany once again left Walford this time for Portugal. In 2007 Julia’s Theme was used as Martin Fowler and Sonja, along with daughter Rebecca [Chloe’s name changed to Rebecca after adoption] left Walford. In April 2008 it was used for the funeral of Frank Butcher and in August 2009 as Dawn Swann and Gary Hobbs left to start a fresh elsewhere. And most recently it was used in March 2010 after the funeral of Bradley Branning who had fallen to his death while being persued by Police for the murder of Archie Mitchell. As his mother Rachel and ‘grandmother’ Dot examined flowers at the church the sad theme played out – all be it a slightly new arrangement of it.

Now these are the occasions when “Julia’s Theme” has been used but there are one or two incidences where fans have expected/wanted the theme to play out but controversially it hasn’t. The prime example is the death of Pauline Fowler in December 2005; Pauline was the last original character alongside Ian Beale left in the soap and when she was killed off on Christmas Day 2005 many had expected Julia’s Theme to be used – but it wasn’t. Nor was it used to play out the Pauline’s funeral episode either. The absence of Julia’s Theme from both episodes for an original character like Pauline was seen by some fans as a snub.

Another example of when Julia’s Theme wasn’t used was the departure of Little Mo Slater who left in May 2006. After all the troubles Little Mo had experienced during her time on the show it was surprising she didn’t get “Julia’s Theme” especially as a month later when Zoe Slater exited the soap “Julia’s Theme” was used. These are just two examples we can think off from the top of our heads where perhaps the theme should have been used. Can you think of any more? If so please do post them below!