jacques butcher, played by jack snell, was born in france to diane butcher (sophie lawrence) and an unknown man. diane leaves jacques with her brother ricky (sid owen) and his pregnant wife bianca (patsy palmer) when she follows her boyfriend's band on their tour. jacques' bad behaviour makes bianca doubt that she wants children, and she almost has an abortion jacques later went to live with diane's sister clare in manchester, but then moved back in with his mother. diane claims that jacques has refused to attend the funeral of his grandfather, frank (mike reid) in april 2008.