Jay Brown (also Mitchell) is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders, played by Jamie Borthwick. He made his first appearance on 14 December 2006.
Jay's storylines since joining the programme have included being part of a gang, coping with the death of his father Jase Dyer (Stephen Lord), being orphaned by age 14 which results in his going into foster care and then being taken care of by the Mitchell family, as well as maturing from a wayward teen, becoming a surrogate brother to Ben Mitchell (Charlie Jones/Joshua Pascoe/Harry Reid/Max Bowden), a relationship with Abi Branning (Lorna Fitzgerald), helping Ben cover up the murder of Heather Trott (Cheryl Fergison), being arrested for having indecent images of a child on his mobile phone after discovering his girlfriend Linzi Bragg (Amy-Leigh Hickman) is below the age of consent, drug dealing and developing a drug habit by taking cocaine. In August 2017, in a two-hander episode between Phil and Jay, Jay finds out that Phil accidentally killed his biological father, a homeless man who was at the car lot the night that Phil set it alight, however, this is later revealed to be a lie. Jay later embarks on relationships with Ruby Allen (Louisa Lytton), Lola Pearce (Danielle Harold) and Honey Mitchell (Emma Barton). Jay eventually reunites with Lola and they marry in January 2023. Lola later dies from a terminal brain tumor, leaving Jay widowed. Jay later embarks on an addiction to ketamine in the aftermath of Lola’s death.
Storylines
Jay is mentioned in 2006 when his dying grandmother Evie Brown (Marji Campi) tells his grandfather Bert Atkinson (Dave Hill) that he has a grandson. Their daughter, Karen, is Jay's mother who died from breast cancer. Jay appears after Evie's funeral, when he is taken to live with Bert in Walford, per Evie's wishes. Jay is a troublesome youth: he steals, breaks into Pauline Fowler's (Wendy Richard) house, and offends Yolande Trueman (Angela Wynter) with a racist slur to impress his peers. When Jay's father Jase Dyer (Stephen Lord) arrives, Bert leaves to allow Jay and Jase to bond. Jay continues getting into trouble, becoming involved with a gang of older boys, known as the E20 crew, led by Tegs Teague (Ben Smith). Jay helps them shoplift, and they give him a knife. The gang terrorises Dot Branning (June Brown) and Jay steals her keys so they can break into her house. The gang orders Jay to throw a brick through Dot's window, but realising it is wrong, Jay refuses and is rejected from the gang. Tegs later confronts Jay and a fight ensues, with Jay being stabbed in the leg. Tegs is arrested and his mother Tina Teague (Kerry Ann White) tries to threaten Jay from testifying against her son at his trial. However, she is scared off by Jase's girlfriend Dawn Swann (Kara Tointon). Jay gives evidence at the trial and Tegs is sentenced to two years in a Young Offenders Institute.
Jay and Jase try to flee Walford when Jase double-crosses a football firm but Dawn stops their departure by setting a date for her and Jase's wedding. The firm, led by Terry Bates (Nicholas Ball), holds Jay hostage to get revenge on Jase. Jase is able to save Jay with the help from his friend Billy Mitchell (Perry Fenwick), but ends up getting beaten to death by Terry's goons and Billy - too frightened to intervene - leaves Jase to die. Jay accuses Dawn of causing his father's death and goes into care to get away from her. Jay is later fostered by Billy, who is wracked with guilt for not saving Jase from the gang. Jay's behaviour worsens when he plans an arson attack on Dawn, but Billy is able to stop him and Jay eventually makes amends with Dawn. Jay and Billy move into a flat with Janine Butcher (Charlie Brooks), who tries to get rid of Jay by stealing and blaming it on him. Feeling unwanted, Jay befriends Marissa Moore (Finn Atkins), who works at a brothel, and they plan to run away together. When Marissa backs out, Jay runs away alone and sleeps rough, until Billy convinces him to move back in. Terry's trial for Jase's murder approaches and Jay is furious to learn that, rather than attempting to help Jase, Billy hid to save himself. Terry's wife, Viv Bates (Dido Miles), threatens to hurt Jay if Billy testifies. Jay is taken hostage by Terry's firm as a security measure, and Billy risks his own life to save him. Billy and Jay are both rescued by the police and Billy testifies, which results in Terry receiving life imprisonment for murder, partially redeeming himself in the eyes of Jay.