EastEnders' David Wicks star Michael French's incredibly quiet life before shock soap return
EastEnders actor Michael French is returning to Albert Square as Walford womaniser extraordinaire David Wicks tonight (Monday 7 October) after quitting the BBC soap ten years ago. The villain, who made his bombshell debut back in 1993, is expected to have some juicy reunions with daughter Bianca Jackson, played by Patsy Palmer, and ex-lover Cindy Beale, played by Michelle Collins.
Over the years, David has been part of many big storylines, one of his most famous being when former fling Carol Jackson, played by Lindsey Coulson, returned to the square with her daughter Bianca. David had found himself starting to like Bianca, only to later find out that he was actually her father. Michael left the show and returned multiple times since first joining, but his final departure came in 2014 after David's relationship with Carol broke down following their failed wedding attempt.
Speaking about his latest return, Michael said: "I feel honoured to be asked to reprise the role of David Wicks once again. It may only be a brief visit, but we know from his past that David never fails to create a lot of drama in a very short time.”
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His character certainly has had his fair share of drama, but Michael lives a very different - and much quieter - life away from screens. The 62 year old resides in the Essex countryside and has largely remained out of the spotlight since leaving the soap, with very little known about his personal life. Last year, he was spotted for the first time in years as he took his French bulldog for a walk in a grassy field. Wearing a grey flat cap, shirt and shorts, the actor looked completely different from his heyday.
In an interview with TV Times in 2008, Michael opened up about being a private person and how he dealt with the unwanted publicity that came with such a high-profile role. "I just ignored it and got on with my job," he said. "It was intense but rewarding work and I had some great on-screen partnerships with Pam, Lindsey, Patsy and Michelle. I’ll always have fond memories of working on the show; I learned a lot."
And speaking to the Coventry Evening Telegraph in 2001, he revealed how he likes to spend his spare time. "I don’t like to work 52 weeks a year. I like to spend time with my friends and travelling abroad. It allows you to come to each job fresh and new and not tired," he explained.
As well as his stint in EastEnders, Michael also starred as Nick Jordan in Casualty and its spin-off programme Holby City between 1998 and 2000, returning to the role in Casualty between 2006 and 2013. Holby City ended their series in 2022 after ratings started to decline due to the original cast leaving the hospital. His other TV work includes Crime Traveller and Born and Bred, and he's also appeared in theatre productions Sacred Heart, Chicago and The Sound of Music.
