Jack Branning (Scott Maslen) and Denise Fox (Diane Parish) sit together at the kitchen table in EastEnders, their morning routine in perfect sync.
Jack sips his coffee while Denise scrolls through her phone, exchanging a knowing glance every so often. It’s not a grand, dramatic moment, but it’s real. It’s the kind of everyday intimacy that speaks volumes.
They’ve been through it all: heartbreak, betrayal, family chaos. And yet, here they are, drawn back to each other time and time again.
This is why they should be together, because – despite everything – they just make sense.
It’s hard to believe we’ve been following Denise and Jack’s relationship for the past six years. This week, it all comes to a head when you need to decide whether Denise has a future with Ravi or if she should return to Jack.
But with their history of break-ups, betrayals, and family drama, is there really a future for Denise as the third Mrs Branning? Jack cheated with Stacey Slater, Denise was tempted by Ravi Gulati (Aaron Thiara), and Denise even has a son with Phil Mitchell, the ultimate Walford ladies’ man. With so much baggage between them, should they give it another go?
The answer is yes. Since arriving in Walford in 2006, Denise has been searching for stability. She escaped an abusive marriage with Owen Turner, determined to build a better life for herself and her daughters, Chelsea and Libby.
The love of her life was Kevin Wicks, who already had Deano and Jambo alongside Carly as his own, and together, they built a blended family. It wasn’t always easy, living under the same roof as Pat Evans and dealing with the challenges of step-parenting, but Denise loved the idea of a big, supportive family.
She even adopted Patrick and Yolande Trueman as surrogate parents, seeing them as family regardless of whether Patrick was her biological father or not. If Kevin had survived the car crash in 2007, she would still be with him now.
That is why she needs Jack. He is the closest thing to what she had with Kevin: security, stability and a family to call her own.
Over the years, she has formed a close bond with his children. She was there for Amy through her struggles with self-harm, showing her unconditional love and support.
She stood by Ricky when he became a father at just 13, guiding him through one of the most difficult times of his life. Denise is already part of Jack’s family, and it makes sense for them to build on that.
Ravi, on the other hand, is exciting. He has made Denise feel sexy and confident again, but beyond physical attraction, what do they actually have?
Denise was curious, and it led to a hotel room, but even then, she walked away before anything happened because she knew it was wrong. On top of that, Ravi’s children, Nugget and Avani, don’t see Denise as a maternal figure.
Realistically, can you really imagine her swapping her thriving business, Fox & Hair, for a life working behind the bar at Walford East? She has spent the past four years proving she can be independent, successful and in control of her own life.
At the end of the day, she doesn’t need Ravi to make her feel desirable.
Jack and Denise have followed the classic soap love story: a big wedding at Christmas, betrayals and heartbreak, and then, every few years, a dramatic storyline that brings them back together.
Jack has always been there when Denise has needed him most. When Raymond came into her life; when Lucas returned; when Keanu was killed, Jack was the one who supported her. He has been her constant in a world of chaos, and that kind of connection is rare.
On Wednesday night, there is only one vote that matters. Jack and Denise belong together. Like Kat and Alfie, Honey and Billy, and Jane and Ian before them, they deserve their second chance.
A Christmas wedding would bring them full circle, giving Amy and Ricky the strong family unit they need and finally allowing Chelsea to respect her mother for making the right decision after so many failed relationships.
As for Ravi, now that Nish is gone, it’s time for him to focus on his own family. He should go back to Priya and work on making the Gulatis one of Walford’s leading families. With more pressing issues in his own household, there would be no room for him to turn his attention back to Denise.
So, when the time comes to vote, make the right choice. Vote for Jack and Denise, because real love – the kind that lasts – is worth fighting for.
