Fictional dog from the BBC soap opera EastEnders
Not to be confused with
Wellard II
, an EastEnders dog from 2015.
Soap opera character
Wellard
|
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|
![](//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/9/94/Welllard_Kyte.jpg/200px-Welllard_Kyte.jpg) Kyte as Wellard in 2008
|
Portrayed by
|
- Zenna (1994?1998)
- Chancer (1998?2001)
- Kyte (2001?2008)
|
---|
Duration
| 1994?2008
|
---|
First appearance
| Episode 1041
18 October 1994
(
1994-10-18
)
|
---|
Last appearance
| Episode 3630
15 August 2008
(
2008-08-15
)
|
---|
Classification
| Former; recurring
|
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Species
| Dog
|
---|
Breed
| Belgian Tervuren
|
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![](//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/c/c4/Wellard_dog.jpg/199px-Wellard_dog.jpg)
Zenna as Wellard in 1994
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In-universe information
|
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Owner(s)
| |
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|
Wellard
is a
Belgian Tervuren
dog from the
BBC
soap opera
EastEnders
. His character first appeared in the series on 18 October 1994, and became
EastEnders
'
longest-serving pet, before being killed off on 15 August 2008. Although the character is male, he has been played primarily by three female dogs: Zenna, her daughter Chancer, and her granddaughter Kyte. A fourth dog briefly served as a replacement for Zenna in 1996, when she was given time off from the show to have a litter of puppies.
Wellard was briefly written out of the series under executive producer
Matthew Robinson
, but returned when Robinson was succeeded by
John Yorke
. Wellard's owners for the majority of his duration in the soap were
Robbie Jackson
and
Gus Smith
. He was voted "Best Pet" at the 2008
Digital Spy Soap Awards
, and named the UK's favourite soap opera pet in a 2009
Inside Soap
poll. Wellard was a fan favourite, and although a storyline that saw him threatened with euthanasia for biting local cafe owner
Ian Beale
was poorly received by critics, his death drew generally favourable reviews.
Development
[
edit
]
Wellard's name is a
portmanteau
of "well hard", meaning "very tough".
[1]
The character was originally played by a Belgian Shepherd (Tervuren) named Zenna, who was cast at the age of one. Producers had envisioned Wellard as a "rough, tough mongrel", and Zenna's owner, dog-handler Gill Raddings, explained: "She had the look they wanted and the ability to do what was needed on command."
[2]
EastEnders
'
producers were initially unaware that Zenna was female,
[3]
and had to find a canine double to serve as temporary replacement in 1996 when it transpired that she was pregnant,
[4]
going on to deliver 10 puppies.
[5]
Zenna was retired in 1998, as she was "losing her looks".
[6]
Zenna was replaced in the soap by her daughter Chancer,
[7]
who was in turn succeeded by her own daughter, Kyte. Kyte played Wellard for seven years, longer than Zenna and Chancer.
[8]
The dog, whose pedigree name is Minka Independance Kyte, came to the soap from Raddings' company Stunt Dogs, along with another
EastEnders
dog, Terence. She had previous experience in the television and film industry, having appeared on
A Touch of Frost
,
The Jonny Vaughan Show
,
102 Dalmatians
and
Gladiator
.
[9]
Raddings revealed that Kyte came to understand the words "action" and "cut", meaning the director would sometimes have to give an alternate cue such as "go" during scenes featuring Wellard, as the dog would become instantly alert upon hearing the usual commands, which appeared incongruous in scenes which called for Wellard to be relaxed.
[8]
Kyte worked closely with
Mohammed George
, who played Wellard's owner Gus. George was afraid of dogs as a child, but after working with Kyte for three years, commented that they were so close he "sometimes [felt] like [her] dad."
[10]
Wellard was briefly written out of the show under executive producer
Matthew Robinson
, but returned in 2000, when Robinson was succeeded by
John Yorke
. A show insider commented: "Wellard just disappeared. It seemed odd because Robbie loved that dog and never noticed it had gone." An
EastEnders
spokesman stated of his return: "John Yorke believes Wellard should be an integral part of Robbie's character."
[11]
When a 2005 storyline saw Wellard threatened with euthanasia for biting local cafe owner
Ian Beale
(
Adam Woodyatt
), James Desborough of
The People
suggested that
EastEnders
producers were hoping to emulate the success of a storyline from rival soap opera
Coronation Street
, which saw fans protest the arrest of character
Deirdre Rachid
(
Anne Kirkbride
), going as far as to lobby the
UK Parliament
for her release. Desborough deemed the storyline "bizarre" and accused the BBC of being "desperate to boost flagging ratings". An
EastEnders
spokesman responded that it was simply "a funny story which we hope the nation will get behind."
[12]
In June 2008, it was reported that Wellard was to be killed off.
[1]
A show insider explained: "Wellard has been a much-loved character and everyone will be sad to see him go. But if you think about it, Wellard was not a puppy when he arrived on Albert Square, so he would be over 100 in dog years by now. It makes sense for him to bow out of the show gracefully."
[13]
Raddings commented: "I used to take Kyte on set everyday but I found the scenes when Wellard was put down too hard to watch so I asked someone else to take her to filming."
[7]
At the time of his death, Wellard had been in
EastEnders
for 14 years, making him one of the show's longest-running characters,
[14]
and its longest-serving pet.
[15]
Storylines
[
edit
]
In October 1994,
Walford
resident
Robbie Jackson
(
Dean Gaffney
) takes in a dog he assumes to be a stray, naming him Wellard. The dog's owner, Mr Hammond, locates him and demands him back, but Wellard later returns to
Albert Square
of his own accord. Robbie realises he has been mistreated and has run away. Mr Hammond admits to neglecting Wellard, and allows Robbie to keep him. Wellard fathers puppies with
Grant Mitchell
(
Ross Kemp
) and
Nigel Bates
's (
Paul Bradley
)
greyhound
, Frieda; however, the puppies are
stillborn
. When Robbie begins a relationship with a woman allergic to dogs, she gives him the ultimatum of choosing between her and Wellard: Robbie chooses Wellard. Several years later, when Robbie is due to leave Walford to live in
India
, Wellard is run over, delaying Robbie's departure. He is cared for by Robbie's sister
Sonia
(
Natalie Cassidy
), who gives him to her friend
Gus
(
Mohammed George
) after Robbie's departure. When Gus is involved in a minibus crash, Wellard is able to save his owner by leading him to a spot from where he can call the emergency services.
Wellard is reported to the police when he bites local cafe owner
Ian Beale
on the buttocks. He is taken away, with the possibility that he will be
euthanised
, but Gus and
Deano Wicks
(
Matt Di Angelo
) launch a campaign to save him, under the moniker "Walford One Owed Freedom" (WOOF). When Wellard is put on trial, Ian's partner
Jane
(
Laurie Brett
) presents character witness statements for the dog, written by Ian's children,
Lucy
(
Melissa Suffield
) and
Peter
(
Thomas Law
). Wellard is found guilty, but as a result of the statements, Gus is allowed to take him home as long as he keeps him on a lead at all times. When Gus leaves Walford to travel with his girlfriend
Keisha
(Suzie McGrath), he leaves Wellard with his friend
Mickey Miller
(
Joe Swash
). Mickey sells Wellard to
Vinnie Monks
(
Bobby Davro
), who intends to give him to his girlfriend
Shirley Carter
(
Linda Henry
). When it transpires Shirley does not want him, Vinnie gives Wellard to the
Jackson family
.
Bianca Jackson
(
Patsy Palmer
) feeds Wellard a chocolate, causing him to suffer from
theobromine poisoning
. He has to be euthanised, is
cremated
, and has his ashes scattered on the local allotment.
[13]
[16]
Reception
[
edit
]
Wellard was voted "Best Pet" at the 2008
Digital Spy Soap Awards
.
[17]
His death storyline was nominated in the "Tearjerker" category at the 2008
All About Soap
Bubble Awards.
[18]
In 2009, a poll by magazine
Inside Soap
named Wellard as the UK's favourite soap opera pet.
[19]
He came second in a poll to find Britain's favourite TV pet in April 2006, losing to
Lassie
[20]
and in March 2008 was named the fifth best dog on television by Anna Pickard of
The Guardian
, behind
Bouncer
from
Neighbours
,
Willy
from
EastEnders
, Lassie and
Dogtanian
.
[21]
It was noted in
The People
in July 1997 that Wellard was "a firm favourite with the soap's fans".
[4]
The dogs received fanmail from viewers hailing them as the best actors on
EastEnders
.
[8]
Mohammed George
played Wellard's owner
Gus Smith
. The storyline which saw Gus campaign to free Wellard when he was detained under the
Dangerous Dogs Act
was poorly received by critics.
Zenna, Chancer and Kyte were occasional targets of professional jealousy from their human co-stars, and some television critics have suggested that Wellard was a better character than his owner, Robbie. When
Michael Greco
commented in 2002 that Wellard received better scripts than his character,
Beppe di Marco
, the
Sunday Mirror
's
Ian Hyland wrote: "He should try being Robbie Jackson. Wellard gets better scripts
and
better girls than him."
[22]
Similarly, Garry Bushell of
The People
compared
EastEnders
with rival soap
Coronation Street
following a 2003 scheduling clash, observing: "
ITV
had
Richard Hillman
's heavyweight murder confession. BBC1 gave us Robbie Jackson's heart-to-heart with Wellard. (Don't scoff ? it's tough to play moving scenes with a dumb and soppy creature, but Wellard rose to the occasion.)".
[23]
Derek McGovern of
The Mirror
criticised Gaffney's acting ability, observing: "Outside of
Lassie
movies I haven't seen a dog consistently steal scenes off a human the way Wellard used to pinch them from Dean."
[24]
Gemma Bissix
appeared in the show as a child actor from 1993 to 1998, playing
Clare Bates
. She commented on her return in 2008 that as a child, the dogs playing Wellard were better paid than she was.
[25]
When
Emma Barton
, who played
Honey Mitchell
, was axed from the soap later that year, she spoke of her dismay that Wellard's death was being marketed as a bigger storyline than her character's exit.
[26]
Roz Laws of the
Sunday Mercury
called it "particularly galling" that Barton's exit was upstaged by Wellard's death.
[27]
In January 2003, an
Inside Soap
reporter noted a "new phenomenon" of soap pets going missing without any explanation. They described numerous pets being absent for lengthy periods of time.
[28]
They added that "most importantly" was the absence of Robbie's "beloved pal" Wellard. They added their disappointment that Gaffney was being written out of
EastEnders
and hoped for "one last emotional appearance" from the dog.
[28]
Hyland was critical of the 2003 storyline which saw Robbie leave
EastEnders
to move to
Mumbai
with his girlfriend
Nita
(
Bindya Solanki
) and her son
Anish
(Ali Zahoor). He explained that the aspect of the storyline which upset him most was Wellard being run over "so the scriptwriters could engineer the inevitable last-minute dash to the airport", questioning: "What's Wellard ever done to deserve that?"
[29]
The storyline which saw Wellard threatened with euthanasia after biting Ian Beale received negative reviews from critics, deemed "bizarre" by James Desborough of
The People
,
[12]
and the "longest, most tedious ever soap storyline" by
Jim Shelley
of
The Mirror
.
[30]
Bushell simply wrote: "Wellard bit Ian Beale. Which one needs the
Tetanus
jab?"
[31]
Tim Teeman of
The Times
called it the "daftest" storyline of the year, comparing it to a similarly ill-received and long-running storyline given to the unpopular
Ferreira family
.
[32]
Wellard's death drew generally favourable reviews from critics.
The Guardian
's
Nancy Banks-Smith
deemed Wellard to have "died with great dignity [...] Not, as a lesser dog might, making a meal of it."
[33]
Grace Dent
, also of
The Guardian
, wrote that she was an "emotional mess" when Wellard was euthanised, calling him "one of the true old guard of
EastEnders
".
[34]
Andy Bollen of the
Sunday Mail
deemed it a shame Wellard had been killed off, calling him "the most convincing actor on the soap",
[35]
while
The Mirror
's
Maeve Quigley called Wellard's death sadder than that of human character
Jase Dyer
(
Stephen Lord
) shortly afterwards.
[36]
Wise similarly opined that Wellard upstaged most of the cast, and that his death was more of a "tear-jerker" than the return of
Jim Branning
(
John Bardon
) who had been absent after suffering from a
stroke
.
[37]
The Mirror
's
Kevin O'Sullivan commented: "a canine Oscar to the hound who played Wellard ? the pedigree chum whose sad demise after 14 years of fouling Walford's pavements was genuinely moving."
[38]
Shelley wrote that it signified the "[d]eath of the best actor in the show",
[39]
and the
South Wales Echo
published the obituary:
Farewell, brave Wellard. Trusted friend; solid companion. Guardian of Jacksons and wee-er on settee cushions. Off you smelled ? and gentle ? into that Dark Night. Did you like that epitaph, you latest occupant of the Great Lane of Burst Black Bin Liners in the Sky, you? Fourteen years of playing canine clown, eh? I bet that bought a shed-load of
Bonios
. Anyway, sorry to see you go old thing. Let's hope your benign spirit will soon be visited upon that Bianca, though. Loved you, she did... but so loudly does she mourn. Tell her that great old age and the Grim Reaper mean nothing personal.
In contrast, however, Laws felt that
EastEnders
was becoming too depressing, noting that Wellard's death came at the same time Jase was murdered and Honey and her husband
Billy
(
Perry Fenwick
) broke up, writing: "I feel like slitting my wrists when I tune in now. [...] There's only so much gritty realism we can take in our soaps, and
EastEnders
is really overloading us at the moment."
[41]
In 2013,
Digital Spy
's Naomi Gordon opined that Wellard's death was one of the eight "saddest fictional dog deaths", saying "There wasn't a dry eye in the house."
[42]
Impact on popular culture
[
edit
]
Wellard is considered a "celebrity" dog, and during his
EastEnders
tenure, the dogs playing him would occasionally make personal appearances at events, including the dog-show
Crufts
in 1998,
[43]
a fundraising appeal for the Victoria Animal Hospital in London in 2000,
[44]
and the first All About Dogs Day at Notcutts garden centre in August 2008.
[45]
Satirical impression series
Dead Ringers
referenced Wellard in a 2004 episode, running the continuity announcement: "Later on
ITV1
, new drama featuring the latest
EastEnders
star we've signed up for a ridiculous advance. Yes Wellard the dog is Barker, a cop on the edge with a drink problem and distemper."
[46]
For
Red Nose Day 2007
,
Aardman Animations
created a
Creature Comforts
-style short featuring Wellard asking for money for
Comic Relief
, along with selling his offspring and being put in prison.
[47]
See also
[
edit
]
References
[
edit
]
- ^
a
b
"Soap dog Wellard to be killed off"
.
BBC News
.
BBC Online
. 26 June 2008
. Retrieved
9 January
2010
.
- ^
Wright, Simon (14 June 1998).
"Soap star takes a bow wow; EastEnder mongrel Wellard hides a secret ? he's really a pedigree SHE"
.
The People
. Retrieved
12 January
2010
.
- ^
Newton, Victoria (18 May 1997).
"EastEnders' dozy mutt sparks dognap scare"
.
The People
. Retrieved
12 January
2010
.
- ^
a
b
"It's Wellard No 3!"
.
The People
. 20 July 1997. Archived from
the original
on 4 November 2012
. Retrieved
10 October
2010
.
- ^
"EastEnders star gives birth to 10"
.
The People
. 22 December 1996. Archived from
the original
on 4 November 2012
. Retrieved
10 October
2010
.
- ^
Wright, Simon (14 June 1998).
"Soap star takes a bow wow; EastEnder mongrel Wellard hides a secret ? he's really a pedigree SHE"
.
The People
. Retrieved
11 January
2010
.
- ^
a
b
Kyte, Jennifer (26 July 2009).
"Meet TV's Wellard family..."
The People
. Retrieved
11 January
2010
.
- ^
a
b
c
Hugh Dennis
(presenter), Elaine Shepherd (producer), Caroline Wright (executive producer) (2 March 2010).
"Paws, Claws and Videotape"
. Event occurs at 39:50-44.40.
BBC
.
BBC Four
.
- ^
"Wellard Actor Biography"
.
BBC Online
.
BBC
. Archived from
the original
on 26 November 2002
. Retrieved
11 January
2010
.
- ^
Burke, Louise (18 December 2005).
"Soap Shindig: EastEnders Xmas Party"
.
Sunday Mirror
. Retrieved
12 January
2010
.
- ^
"Well, well! Well'ard is back on TV"
.
The People
. 19 March 2000. Archived from
the original
on 4 November 2012
. Retrieved
10 October
2010
.
- ^
a
b
Desborough, James (2 October 2005).
"FREE WELLARD! EastEnders mutt is caged and faces lethal injection"
.
The People
. Archived from
the original
on 4 November 2012
. Retrieved
10 October
2010
.
- ^
a
b
Wallis, Sarah (5 August 2008).
"EastEnders dog Wellard to be killed off"
.
Daily Mirror
. Retrieved
9 January
2010
.
- ^
Wallis, Sara (5 August 2008).
"The Ender Wellard"
.
The Mirror
. Retrieved
10 October
2010
.
- ^
Hendry, Steve (10 August 2008).
"TV preview: Soap Watch"
.
Sunday Mail
. Retrieved
10 October
2010
.
- ^
"End for EastEnders dog Wellard"
.
BBC News
.
BBC Online
. 5 August 2008
. Retrieved
9 January
2010
.
- ^
"EastEnders wins Digital Spy prize"
.
BBC News
.
BBC Online
. 21 March 2008
. Retrieved
11 January
2010
.
- ^
"Vote now in the Bubble Awards"
.
BBC News
.
BBC Online
. 17 February 2009
. Retrieved
11 January
2010
.
- ^
Green, Kris (23 June 2009).
"
'Soap's Greatest' lineup revealed"
.
Digital Spy
. Retrieved
11 January
2010
.
- ^
"LASSIE IS TOP DOG"
.
Daily Mirror
. 18 April 2006
. Retrieved
1 April
2020
.
- ^
Pickard, Anna (6 March 2008).
"Take 10: Dogs on the box"
.
The Guardian
. London
. Retrieved
11 January
2010
.
- ^
Hyland, Ian (21 April 2002).
"Ian Hyland's TV Week: Well Ruff"
.
Sunday Mirror
. Retrieved
12 January
2010
.
- ^
Bushell, Garry (2 March 2003).
"Bushell on the Box: Corrie makes killing with Dastardly Dick"
.
The People
. Retrieved
10 October
2010
.
- ^
McGovern, Derek (18 November 2006).
"Blokes the Klass act in Celebrity voting"
.
The Mirror
. Retrieved
12 January
2010
.
- ^
Wise, Jon (24 February 2008).
"Saggy, Baggy, Old & Alone: Enders' Gemma Bissix talks about her sensational return to Walford"
.
The People
. Retrieved
10 October
2010
.
- ^
Walker, Alice (27 July 2008).
"Upstaged by a dog! says Emma Barton"
.
The People
. Retrieved
10 October
2010
.
- ^
Laws, Roz (3 August 2008).
"Soaps: Honey Shame"
.
Sunday Mercury
. Archived from
the original
on 4 November 2012
. Retrieved
10 October
2010
.
- ^
a
b
"The inside view".
Inside Soap
(222). (
Hachette Filipacchi UK
): 74. 4?17 January 2003.
- ^
Hyland, Ian (2 March 2003).
"Ian Hyland's TV week: It's woof on poor old Wellard"
.
Sunday Mirror
. Retrieved
12 January
2010
.
- ^
Shelley, Jim (24 January 2006).
"ShelleyV: Down"
.
The Mirror
. Archived from
the original
on 4 November 2012
. Retrieved
10 October
2010
.
- ^
"Bushell on the Box: EastEnders"
.
The People
. 20 November 2005. Archived from
the original
on 4 November 2012
. Retrieved
10 October
2010
.
- ^
Teeman, Tim (24 December 2005).
"Mistletoe & whine"
.
The Times
. London:
News Corporation
. Retrieved
12 January
2010
.
- ^
Banks-Smith, Nancy (16 August 2008).
"Nothing ruder than a Tudor"
.
The Guardian
. London
. Retrieved
11 January
2010
.
- ^
Dent, Grace (23 August 2008).
"Grace Dent's world of lather"
.
The Guardian
. London
. Retrieved
12 January
2010
.
- ^
Bollen, Andy (10 August 2008).
"Guidguy; Sunday Session"
.
Sunday Mail
. Glasgow, Scotland. Archived from
the original
on 4 November 2012
. Retrieved
10 October
2010
.
- ^
Quigley, Maeve (28 August 2008).
"We love telly: We love soaps"
.
The Mirror
. Retrieved
10 October
2010
.
- ^
Wise, Jon (17 August 2008).
"Bow Wowin' Out in Style"
.
The People
. Archived from
the original
on 4 November 2012
. Retrieved
10 October
2010
.
- ^
O'Sullivan, Kevin (17 August 2008).
"Sad Jim's square triumph in EastEnders"
.
The Mirror
. Retrieved
12 January
2010
.
- ^
Shelley, Jim (18 August 2008).
"Down"
.
The Mirror
. Archived from
the original
on 4 November 2012
. Retrieved
10 October
2010
.
- ^
"In the soaps... echo2 new you"
.
South Wales Echo
. 21 August 2008
. Retrieved
10 October
2010
.
- ^
Laws, Roz (31 August 2008).
"Telly: depressing enough at the moment without adding to our misery?"
.
Sunday Mercury
. Retrieved
10 October
2010
.
- ^
Gordon, Naomi (27 November 2013).
"8 of the saddest fictional dog deaths, from EastEnders to Turner & Hooch"
.
Digital Spy
. Retrieved
28 November
2013
.
- ^
Lissaman, Vicky (8 March 1999).
"Now for four days of dogged devotion"
.
Birmingham Post
. Retrieved
10 October
2010
.
- ^
"Top dogs help hospital bid"
.
Coventry Telegraph
. 25 July 2000
. Retrieved
10 October
2010
.
- ^
"Crossbreeds will get tails wagging at Scruffts"
.
Peterborough Evening Telegraph
.
Johnston Press
. 26 June 2008
. Retrieved
10 October
2010
.
[
dead link
]
- ^
Bushell, Garry (11 January 2004).
"Bushell on the box: Brief points"
.
The People
. Retrieved
10 October
2010
.
- ^
"
Red Nose Day 2007
".
Comic Relief
. 16 March 2007.
BBC
.
BBC One
.
External links
[
edit
]