Morgan Butcher (also Jackson-King) is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders, played by Devon Higgs, is the son of Bianca Jackson (Patsy Palmer) and Ray Dixon (Chucky Venn).^[1] He made his first appearance on 1 April 2008.^[2] However, Higgs was not credited in the role until 8 September 2009. He departed in 2014 along with his mother and sister, Tiffany Butcher (Maisie Smith).^[3]

Storylines

2008–13

Morgan, along with his mother, his half siblings Tiffany Dean (Maisie Smith) and Liam Butcher (James Forde), and his stepsister Whitney, are thrown out their house by their landlord. After initially spending a week in care, Morgan and the rest of his family move to Walford, where they begin living with his great-grandmother Pat Evans (Pam St. Clement). The same week, a family party is held, where Morgan and his half-siblings meet the rest of their extended family. Bianca attempts to enter Morgan into a 'Beautiful Baby Competition' held at The Queen Victoria public house, but is forced to withdraw him due to his age. A few days later he celebrates his third birthday by going to a restaurant with his family. Despite initially being thought to be the son of Bianca's partner Tony, it is discovered that this is not the case when Tony is released from prison, due to Morgan's ethnicity. Bianca reveals that Morgan was the result of a one-night stand she had with an unknown man but has always seen Tony as his father due to the fact that they met during her pregnancy and he has always been a consistent figure in Morgan's life.

Morgan becomes ill and is diagnosed by Dr Poppy Merritt (Amy Darcy) with chicken pox. This leads to Pat having to vacate the family home as she had never had the illness. When Tony is arrested for having had a sexual relationship with Whitney, Morgan starts asking for his dad, leading the family to make up an excuse as they know that he will not understand what Tony had done. Janine Butcher (Charlie Brooks) and Ryan Malloy (Neil McDermott) use Morgan to raise money for their rent, pretending they are his parents and they are collecting money for a new playground. While trying to make a sandwich he accidentally squirts tomato ketchup on a hoody belonging to his recently deceased uncle Billie Jackson (Devon Anderson). Liam hides it and later tries to wash the stain out but their grandmother Carol Jackson (Lindsey Coulson) sees it and slaps him. Morgan starts to follow Liam around, fearing that he will die as well but Ricky and Janine reassure him. He runs away from home after Bianca is put into prison but is caught.

Morgan starts asking questions about who his father is, to which Bianca replies that his father is Barack Obama. Knowing the truth, Whitney secretly takes Morgan to see Ray Dixon (Chucky Venn), his real father. Ray did not know that he was a father at all, and is delighted to meet his son. However, Whitney pleads with Morgan not tell Bianca that he has met his father. Ray soon tutns up in Walford to see Morgan, and Bianca tries to hide Morgan from him, but soon realises that they have already met. She wants Ray to have nothing to do with Morgan until Whitney convinces her, and they spend time together. Bianca allows Ray to cook a meal for the family but tells him to leave when he mentions his daughter, Sasha Dixon (Rebecca Sanneh). Morgan meets Sasha but Bianca is furious when she finds out.

Realising that Bianca is having some difficulties with her money, Tiffany and Morgan go to see their step great-grandmother Dot Branning (June Brown) at the laundrette. She tells them that when she had problems as a child, she felt better after being given a bath. Tiffany and Morgan then decide to run a bath for Bianca but accidentally leave the taps on when they go out. When they get home, the bath has overflowed and is leaking into the living room. Bianca is later caught stealing money and returns to prison, but this time located in Suffolk. Morgan then moves to Suffolk with the rest of his family to be near his mother, leaving his father in Walford. He returns for Janine's wedding to Michael Moon (Steve John Shepherd), along with Ricky, Tiffany and Ricky's sister Diane Butcher (Sophie Lawrence). Ricky and Ray argue over Morgan, but eventually reconcile, before Ricky leaves with Morgan again. Morgan then moves back to Walford with his family for when her mother is released from prison, however he is saddened when his father moves away. He is also not pleased when Bianca returns from a trip to Manchester announces that her new boyfriend, Terry Spraggan (Terry Alderton), and his children, TJ (George Sargeant) and Rosie (Jerzey Swingler), are moving in.

2014: Departure

On 12 September 2014 Morgan left Walford along with his mother, Bianca Jackson (Patsy Palmer) and sister, Tiffany Butcher (Maisie Smith) to live in Milton Keynes with Terry Spraggan (Terry Alderton) and his family, TJ (George Sargeant) and Rosie (Jerzey Swingler).^[4]

Development

Morgan is described by the Daily Mirror as "the most spoilt out of all of the [Jackson] kids. He's a boisterous, adventurous lad and can hold his own among Bianca's rabble. Morgan only eats chicken nuggets".^[5] Morgan is the result of a one-night stand between Bianca and a man who is unknown to viewers.^[6] The man his family thinks is his father, Tony King (Chris Coghill), is serving a prison sentence for assaulting a teenager who had allegedly threatened Morgan's stepsister, Whitney Dean (Shona McGarty),^[1] though it is found out that Tony is not his biological father.^[7] Morgan along with Bianca, Liam, Whitney and Tiffany, have been called 'The Jackson Five' ^[8] In 2011, the character of Ray Dixon was announced, played by Chucky Venn, who is to play Morgan's dad. A source from EastEnders confirmed: "Ray hasn't seen Bianca for years and they didn't part on good terms. He meets Whitney as he has matters with Bianca that are unresolved. But Ray gets the shock of his life when Whitney tells him all about Morgan—and she soon realises that Ray knew nothing about his son."^[9]