Kim Fox

Wikipedia:

Kimberley Harmony Angelica "Kim" Fox is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders, played by Tameka Empson. She is the half-sister of Denise Fox (Diane Parish), and aunt to Chelsea Fox (Tiana Benjamin) and Libby Fox (Belinda Owusu). She first appeared as a guest character on 24 November 2009, and was reintroduced in 2010 as a regular character after piquing the interest of new executive producer Bryan Kirkwood.

Kim is described as "viscous and bubbly" on the outside, but hiding vulnerability and low self-esteem. The EastEnders website describes Kim as having big hair, a loud personality and a big heart. She is sharp, family-orientated and cares about her appearance, having a loud dress sense and being the life and soul of any party. She chooses the wrong men to have relationships with, but knows what she wants when it comes to love. Kim makes her first appearance for Denise's wedding to Lucas Johnson (Don Gilet). She briefly returns after Denise is presumed dead, but makes a more permanent return when she separates from her boyfriend Dexter Mulholland (Robbie Gee). Kim has kissed Ricky Butcher (Sid Owen), sparking a brief feud with his wife, Bianca (Patsy Palmer). She established a short-lived speakeasy and later opened a bed and breakfast. Kim has also gone through a HIV scare.

For her portrayal of Kim, Empson earned a nomination for "Best Comedy Performance" at the 2011 British Soap Awards. That same year she won the "Funniest Performance" award at the Inside Soap Awards. Ruth Deller from entertainment website Lowculture praised the character during her guest appearance in 2009 and later said Kim is a "big, ballsy, whirlwind", who provides some light relief to the show. Daniel Maier from The Guardian has criticised Kim's B&B venture, calling it a "holding pen for characters who are 'between homes' within Albert Square's hermetically sealed biosphere."

Storylines

Kim visits Walford to attend the wedding of her sister, Denise. She is disappointed by her plans for a low-key hen night, so organises a livelier event. During her visit, Kim's partner Dexter Mulholland (Robbie Gee) makes a pass at her niece, Chelsea, but she chooses to forgive him. She makes a repeat visit seven months later, and reveals that she has broken up with Dexter as he was unfaithful to her. The following month, Kim is told that Denise has committed suicide. She returns to Walford for the funeral, as does her sister Daphne (Emi Wokoma). It later transpires that Denise is still alive, as her death was staged by her husband, Lucas Johnson (Don Gilet). Kim comes to stay with her, having once more separated from Dexter. She begins working at the local beauty salon, and establishes a short-lived speakeasy.

Kim causes trouble by kissing her married neighbour, Ricky Butcher (Sid Owen). His wife Bianca (Patsy Palmer) finds out and is initially furious, but she and Kim forge a bond and become friends. Despite earlier conflict over her speakeasy, Kim also becomes friends with Kat Moon (Jessie Wallace), landlady of the local pub. When Dexter buys Kim out of their restaurant business, she purchases the house next door to Denise's and opens a bed and breakfast, called Kimberley's Palace. It becomes her sole source of income when she is fired from the beauty salon for her lax attitude to work. Walford's new GP, Yusef Khan (Ace Bhatti), makes a long term booking at the B&B. Kim is initially attracted to him, but refrains from pursuing him as Denise is also interested in him. She accidentally tells Masood Ahmed (Nitin Ganatra) that Denise and Yusef haven't had sex yet which Masood uses to his advantage by telling Denise. Denise is at first annoyed with Kim for telling people about her private life, but they later rencocile. The next day, Kim helps out at Tommy Moon's christening.

Kim wakes up in a skip and after initially lets Patrick and Denise believe she may have been attacked. However, Patrick find CCTV footage of a drunken Kim entering the local shop, the Minute Mart, late at night and taking alcohol. Kim explains to Denise that her erratic behaviour comes after an ex-boyfriend told her that he contracted HIV. Denise persuades Kim to take a HIV test which comes back negative, leaving Kim relieved. After Yusef sets the B&B on fire, Kim, Patrick and Denise are left homeless, so they move in with Anthony Moon (Matt Lapinskas) and Tyler Moon (Tony Discipline) and borrow clothes from friends. Kim starts spending money, thinking that insurance will cover the damage, but Patrick tells her that he was holding illegal alcohol and fireworks in the B&B, which made the fire worse, and the insurance may not pay out. Kim is angry and says she no longer wants to live with Patrick, but Denise later convinces Kim that her material possessions are not what matters and they should be a family. After the insurance company refuse to pay for the damage, Patrick decides to retire and offers Kim and Denise the Minute Mart.

Kim arranges a blind date, and on her way to it, is saved by Ray Dixon (Chucky Venn) from a falling ladder. She is attracted to him, and later when he sees she has been stood up, he offers to get her another drink. However, she is disappointed to learn that he has two children, saying she is fed up of men with "baggage". She then tries to chat up Gethin Williams (Bradley Freegard) with no luck. She turns her attention back to Ray after seeing him running and tells him she has started an fitness venture called "Kimba". She enlists some people to come to the class but Ray does not come. Ray asks Kim out but she says she has a date, and then meets Sinclair (Colin Michael Carmichael) from the Internet. Sinclair makes inappropriate comments about Kim's race. Ray calls Kim easy so she slaps him, and she then slaps Sinclair for his comments. When Zainab Masood (Nina Wadia) inherits all of Yusef's money, she gives it to Kim and Denise but is unhappy when they start spending it frivolously. Kim and Ray eventually reconcile and they share a kiss, although Kim continues to play hard to get, pretending she does not like him. Kim dislikes it when she sees Ray and Roxy Mitchell (Rita Simons) playfight in the kitchen. She also becomes jealous when she overhears him flirting with Bianca whilst helping in the kitchen. As a result, she accidentally slices off the top of Ray's finger when he tries to help her fillet some fish. She accompanies him to the hospital where they open up to one another and decide to start a relationship.

Ray is upset when his son, Morgan moves away. To cheer him up, Kim organises an intimate evening for them, however Ray arrives with his daughter, Sasha (Rebecca Sanneh). Kim is shocked and tells Ray that, although she is interested in him, she does not think she can take on his children. Denise convinces Kim that she needs to accept Sasha, and arranges for Kim to look after her. It goes well and she promises to do it again. Meanwhile, a man from the local council tells Kim that the new name for the B&B, Kim's Olympic Palace, infringes copyright. The next day, Kim is disappointed as the B&B's sign is taken down. Kim and Sasha start to bond and Kim and Ray declare their love for one another.

Creation and development

Introduction

Kim was referenced multiple times following Denise's arrival in EastEnders. She initially appeared as a guest character, along with her boyfriend Dexter, between 24 and 27 November 2009. In December 2009, executive producer Diederick Santer was asked by entertainment website Digital Spy if there were plans for Kim and Dexter to return. He said, "There's nothing currently storylined for Kim and Dexter, but they really caught my eye. I know they've caught [future executive producer] Bryan [Kirkwood]'s eye, too, because we were only talking about them recently. They work brilliantly with the rest of the family. I hope that if the actors are up for it and if me or Bryan find the right moment, we'll see them again." Kim was subsequently brought back as a regular character by Kirkwood in 2010, on which he said, "I'm a huge fan of Tameka. She is a real talent and will bring a fresh, funny and exciting new flavour to the show." Empson said "I'm really thrilled and excited to be returning to EastEnders. I've always loved the show and working with such fantastic actors makes the whole experience even sweeter. Kim Fox is such a great character to play and gives me scope to do things I usually wouldn't get away with." Kim's return was aired on 27 July 2010.

Characterisation and style

"When it comes to love, Kim knows what she wants - a hunk with a good heart. But somehow always ends up choosing the wrong man - like her last boyfriend Dexter who cheated on her with some of his restaurant staff. But Kim knows love does exist, she has seen in magazines!"

With the announcement of Kim's permanent return to Albert Square, the character was described as "viscous and bubbly" on the outside, but hiding vulnerability and low self-esteem by Kris Green of Digital Spy. The EastEnders website describes Kim as having "big hair", a "loud personality" and a big heart to match." It continues to read: "With dress sense louder than Bianca Jackson's brood and an unsuitable boyfriend in toe, you will definitely know when Kim Fox enters the building! With her big hair and loud personality she is always the life and soul of the party. Kim's appearance is important to her, but she's not concerned about labels - for her it is 'upkeep on the cheap'. She might look like a long in the tooth ghetto princess, but scratch beneath the surface and you will find a sharp, family-orientated person with a big heart." Kim has also been described as "fiesty". While speaking to the Press Association, Empson said she felt good about bringing humour to EastEnders through her character. The actress explained "I think people want to smile, people want to have a laugh and I love Kim. You get so much theatre with Kim. I'm not actually like her but I love it. I like to party like Kim, but Kim can out-drink me any time." Empson said of the character and her style: "I like to have a good time but Kim's like ten times more full-on than me. Her outfits—I could only dream about wearing her outfits. The tighter the better for Kim! I like a bit of comfort and to be able to breathe. [...] Kim knows no bounds—she feels no shame. Kim's very feminine and she's all about 'the look' and pampering herself." Jaci Stephen from the Daily Mail has described Kim's style as "bling-on-a-budget" and said that if her outfits do not turn heads, then her loud voice will always get attention as her voice is "louder than her taste in clothes".

Storyline development

Speaking in July 2010 about the storyline where Denise is discovered to be alive, Empson told Digital Spy that finding out was "crazy" for Kim, but said that "It's the start of a new direction for Kim and Denise, though." Speaking about Kim's relationship with Denise, Empson said that they are "chalk and cheese—and the macaroni's yet to be made. You'll start to see—even more than you can now—that Denise and Kim are very different. You'll start to wonder how they can be sisters! They're Foxes by blood, though. They'll watch each other's backs but at the same time, they'll tear each other down. They won't let anyone else tear the other down, though—that's their job!"

In September 2010, Empson teased that Kim would stir things up with her kiss with Ricky Butcher (Sid Owen): "Well put it this way, all the men are in my eyesight. [...] I don't think anybody is safe from Kim."

Empson revealed in December 2011 that both Kim and Denise will stand up to Phil Mitchell after they receive incriminating evidence about him on Christmas Day. They are both shocked when the they find a USB stick which contains a recording of Phil confessing the role he had in Kevin's death. Speaking to Inside Soap, Empson commented: "When all the information about Kevin Wicks and Phil blows up, it comes out of nowhere for the Fox girls. Kevin's death was way before Kim's time, so she's bewildered by the whole thing. They wonder why someone would tell them about such a thing on Christmas Day. Kim knows no fear. It might be Phil, but she's not afraid to take him on. The Mitchells think that they're the big guns in the Square - but as far as Kim's concerned, the Fox family are the same. They might not have the same numbers as the Mitchells, but they won't shy away from a fight." Empson added that she gets on much better with McFadden when not filming. She commented: "He's such a great actor because he's not like his character Phil at all. He's so lovely."

Reception

Daniel Maier from The Guardian criticised Kim's B&B, saying, "There's been a [...] futile relaunch afoot in EastEnders, in which the B&B has reopened as Kimberley's Palace. Who stays there? Really, though? Tourists? Escaped convicts? Delegates for Whelk 2011, Europe's leading mollusc expo at Walford International Conference Centre? By the look of it, the place is actually a holding pen for characters who are "between homes" within Albert Square's hermetically sealed biosphere.

Ruth Deller from Lowculture praised Kim on her guest appearance in 2009 saying, "Denise Johnson's sister, Kim, has only been in the show five minutes and has already stolen the limelight big style. Tameka [Empson] is a joy in everything she appears in and she was the only thing that made those terrible wedding episodes worth watching. A new Aunt Sal type recurring character, perhaps? She's a much more interesting prospect than yet another new Mitchell/Branning/Slater/etc, though I'd fear for her if she was made a permanent fixture and had to complete the obligatory Phil Mitchell shagging initiation ritual. Some people are just too good for all that nonsense". Deller later praised Kim when she had returned saying, "It's widely acknowledged that EastEnders can't do comedy very well, but that's only because it tries to do comedy the way Coronation Street or Neighbours do, which just won't wash in Britain's most miserable postcode. What it can do is provide characters who offer some light relief to the show, whilst still functioning (just about) as believable human beings. Kim Fox is one such character—a big, ballsy, whirlwind, she brings a sense of fabulousness to all her scenes and works well as the kind of character that can sympathise with those going through the usual Walford misery whilst encouraging them to embrace their inner fag/hag. Cherish her before she succumbs to the inevitable marriage to Phil/Ian/Max/Whoever."

Empson received a nomination in the "Best Comedy Performance" category at the 2011 British Soap Awards for her portrayal of Kim. She later won "Funniest Performance" at the 2011 Inside Soap Awards. Of her win, she said "It feels amazing. All those days in the bedroom practising with the hairbrush, now I've finally got my award and it feels great." In October 2011, Empson was nominated for one award, at the Screen Nation Awards which celebrate the best British Black talent. She was nominated for the Favourite Female TV Star. Claire Crick of All About Soap said "Blimey, that Kim Fox is a feisty one isn't she?" She said that Kim has a good "right hook" and said that Kim and Ray should just get together as soon as possible.