Phil's brother Grant (Ross Kemp) over the latter's previous marriage with Sharon; and later teamed up with the Mitchell Brothers along with their mother Peggy Mitchell (Barbara Windsor) and cousin Billy (Perry Fenwick) to help the their family bring Sharon's stepmother Chrissie (Tracy-Ann Oberman) to justice for killing Den and framing Peggy's daughter Sam (Kim Medcalf) for his murder. In his exit storyline towards the climax of 2005, Dennis became enemies with the square's reigning crime lord Johnny Allen (Billy Murray). This came to an unfortunate end when Dennis brutally attacked Johnny for threatening him and throttling Sharon into leaving Walford, as well as killing Andy on the night Den died earlier on. Consequently, Johnny survived the attack and arranged for his henchmen Danny Moon (Jake Maskall) to kill Dennis in retribution; Dennis was later stabbed on that night amid the New Year fireworks celebrating 2006 and he ultimately died in Sharon's arms. Nearly three months after the character's death, Dennis became the posthumous catalyst for the Get Johnny Week storyline in which Phil and Grant sought to help Sharon avenge his death by bringing Johnny to justice; in the end, Dennis death is avenged when his killer Danny was shot dead by his brother Jake (Joel Beckett) while Johnny was forced by his daughter Ruby (Louisa Lytton) to surrender himself to the police after she discovered that her father is responsible for Dennis' murder. Later on, Dennis' death ends up getting avenged by Ruby's boyfriend Sean Slater (Robert Kazinsky) when he causes Johnny to die of a heart attack following the latter's sentencing to life imprisonment for Dennis' murder. Sharon later gave birth to her and Dennis' son, Denny. In early January 2014, Sharon finally learned the truth about Dennis' death from Phil and the subject is raised again after Denny dies in February 2020, after a quarrel with the show's protagonist Ian Beale (Adam Woodyatt) in the programme's 35th anniversary special. The character of Dennis Rickman quickly became established as the show's leading man and a "soap sex-symbol", with Harman noted for his "dark good looks" and "fantastic" physique. In 2003, Harman won the "Best Newcomer" award at the National Television Awards, and for two years straight (in 2004 and 2005) won both "Best Actor" and "Sexiest Male" categories at the British Soap Awards and Inside Soap Storylines Dennis Rickman makes his first appearance in handcuffs in April