EastEnders’ Sharon Watts attends funeral of her dad Gavin Sullivan in emotional scenes

5 February 2021, 08:20

Who is Gavin Sullivan in EastEnders and how did he die?

Sharon Watts is set for even more heartbreak in EastEnders as she loses her dad Gavin Sullivan in upcoming scenes. 

The Vic landlady - played by Letitia Dean - had to deal with the death of her son Denny last year after he drowned during the 35th anniversary boat crash. 

And in new on-location pictures, it seems as though the characters biological father Gavin Sullivan (Paul Nicholas) has been killed off. 

The photos see Sharon leave the 'Celebration of Life' wake alongside arch enemy Kathy Beale (Gillian Taylforth) who was previously married to Gavin. 

A sign says: "Gavin Sullivan 1946-2021".

But who was Gavin Sullivan and how did he die? Here’s what we know… 

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Who was Gavin Sullivan in EastEnders?

EastEnders viewers will remember Gavin for marrying Kathy in 2001 and becoming Ben's stepfather. 

He later helped Kathy fake her death, before arriving on the Square to drop the bombshell that he was Sharon's biological father.

But he became an infamous villain after abusing Kathy during their relationship, kidnapping her and then threatening to kill Sharon. 

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He also caused the death of his sister Margaret (Jan Harvey) after running her over.

Gavin was eventually arrested after his kidnap plot failed and Kathy and Sharon were able to escape.

How did Gavin Sullivan die in EastEnders? 

It has not been revealed how Gavin dies, it is presumed he falls ill off-screen as there are no plans to bring the character back.

Sharon and Kathy are seen wearing face masks as they attend his funeral in upcoming scenes. 

Meanwhile, Sharon and Kathy are currently locked in a bitter feud, with Kathy blaming the landlady for causing son Ian's disappearance.

Ian fled Walford without a trace after discovering that wife Sharon had been plotting to kill him for months.

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