The following is a list of characters that first appeared in the BBC soap opera EastEnders in 2016, by order of first appearance. All characters are introduced by the show's executive producer Dominic Treadwell-Collins, or his successor Sean O'Connor. In January, Kyle Slater's close friend and Stacey Branning's psychiatric nurse were both introduced. Joel Reynolds' brother , Jay Brown's love interest , Jordan Johnson's son and Claudette Hubbard's foster son all made their first appearances in February. March saw Linford's friend, , arrive. Kyle's mother, , played by Denise Welch, , the son of Carmel Kazemi and brother of Kush Kazemi, and Belinda Peacock's husband all made their first appearances in May, while Paul Coker's estranged mother arrived in July along with , one of Paul's ki