Derek Branning is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders, played by Terence Beesley in 1996 and then Jamie Foreman from 2011 to 2012. Derek is the eldest child of Jim (John Bardon) and Reenie Branning (Joy Graham). He made his first appearance in the episode broadcast on 29 April 1996 for his sister April's (Debbie Arnold) wedding and departed on 2 May. The character returned as a regular in the episode broadcast on 24 November 2011 played by Foreman. In October 2012, it was announced that Foreman would be leaving EastEnders in December 2012 as part of a Christmas storyline. On 20 December, it was revealed that Derek was the person who Kat Moon (Jessie Wallace) had an affair with. He died of a heart attack in the episode broadcast on 25 December 2012.