Steve Owen
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| EastEnders character | ||||||||||
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| Steve Owen | ||||||||||
| Portrayed by | Martin Kemp | |||||||||
| Introduced by | Matthew Robinson | |||||||||
| Duration | 1998–2002 | |||||||||
| First appearance | 28 December 1998 | |||||||||
| Last appearance | 1 March 2002 | |||||||||
| Profile | ||||||||||
| Date of death | 1 March 2002 | |||||||||
| Status | Deceased | |||||||||
| Occupation | Businessman | |||||||||
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Steven Richard "Steve" Owen was a fictional character in the popular BBC soap opera EastEnders. He was played by Martin Kemp.
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[edit] History
[edit] Saskia's murder
When Steve first arrived in 1998, he had bought the Market Cellar, which he had renovated and named E20. It was not long before his obsessive ex-girlfriend, Saskia Duncan turned up on Albert Square. She had carried his child and then had a termination; he ended his relationship with her but she wanted revenge. She tried to come between Steve and his new girlfriend Melanie Healy. When Saskia ended up in bed with Steve, she made sure it was public knowledge.
On the opening day of the E20 - Valentine's Day of 1999 - Saskia turned up and started taunting him and then began knocking him around until she finally tried to strangle him with his tie. In self-defence he reached for the heaviest object - an ashtray - and hit her over the head. The blow was fatal, killing her instantly. She was buried in Epping Forest with the help of Matthew Rose, who witnessed the events.
Her body was later discovered months later and Matthew confessed all to the police. In September 1999, a trial was held and in a shocking verdict by the jury, Matthew was found guilty of manslaughter and sentenced to seven years in prison. Matthew's conviction was quashed on appeal within months, and he took revenge upon his return in February 2000, tying Steve to a chair in the E20 and threatening to set fire to the club. Steve found himself reduced to a scared, helpless man, which was all Matthew wanted.
[edit] Drug addiction
Steve turned into an emotional wreck in the aftermath of Matthew's revenge and became a drug addict as a result of this. Billy Mitchell who often did jobs for him helped in supplying him the drugs. In June 2000, his addiction almost killed his business partner, Beppe di Marco, when Beppe took a mixture of drugs that Steve had left around, and collapsed. Although Beppe survived, Steve left the square and returned a few weeks later, having conquered his addiction.
[edit] Relationship with Melanie
Steve and Melanie Healy had fallen for each other while on holiday in Brighton in November 1999. Mel at the time was engaged to Ian Beale but ended up having a one-night-stand with Steve. Steve suggested they run away together but she refused and the one-night-stand was a one-off occurrence.
Many months later Steve came to the rescue of Mel when she was being stalked by Dan Sullivan. He forced Dan out of Walford by pointing a gun on him and threatening to kill him if he showed up again. Steve and Mel eventually started a on-off relationship and Steve proposed to her in January 2001
[edit] Who Shot Phil?
On 1 March 2001, Steve married Melanie, despite finding out only a day earlier that she had slept with Phil Mitchell on Christmas Day in a drunken one-night stand. He then became the prime suspect in the infamous Who Shot Phil? storyline when Phil was shot by a mystery person on the same night of Steve and Mel's wedding day. He was most likely considered to be the suspect because he had known that Phil and Mel had a one-night stand on Christmas Day a day before the wedding, and the fact that his gun that he kept in the E20 office was missing. Melanie suspected it might have been him but he protested his innocence. But later Phil recovered from the shooting and confronted the culprit who turned out to be Lisa Shaw. Surprisingly he forgave her and decided to frame his arch nemesis Dan Sullivan.
Dan Sullivan was wrongly imprisoned for trying to kill Phil Mitchell, and after he was found not guilty for attempted murder, believing that it was Steve who actually shot him, kidnapped Mel in revenge. Dan demanded a large sum of money and Steve grew desperate. During her few days of captivity, Mel was informed about Steve's dodgy dealings and criminal activities. She also discovered he had secretly bought the Queen Vic pub and was the sleeping partner with Sharon Watts. After Phil came to her rescue and Dan fled, she took time out from the square after burning down her and Steve's club, E20, an act which she did to get her own back after Steve's lies.
[edit] Robbery
In September 2001, Steve organised a robbery to help him in financing the renovation of E20 following the fire which had destroyed it. He, Billy Mitchell and some of his old friends set out to rob a wealthy businessman named Alan. Steve tried to trap the target's mistress Jan Sherwood. After a one-night-stand with Jan, Jan fled with all the money that was stolen. However it was later revealed Steve and Jan split the money and fooled Steve's gang into believing Jan had taken the whole loot.
After Mel's return a few months later she had a brief fling with Nathan Williams. Steve wooved her over however and they got back together.
[edit] Death
Steve then started a vendetta against Phil which he was about to lose. While talking to him in the Queen Vic, he decided to infuriate him by pretending he had slept with Sharon Watts while she was in a relationship with Phil. Phil lost his temper and attacked Steve who was left bruised and battered. Steve got Phil charged for assault and this caused a violent feud with between the two. Steve then planned to flee to the United States with Mel, Lisa, her boyfriend, Mark Fowler, and daughter, Louise (who was the daughter of Steve's arch-nemesis, Phil Mitchell). After Mark was unable to go, Lisa was torn as to what to do, and the plan was falling apart close to the day of departure. On March 1, 2002, exactly a year since he and Mel got married, Steve had to sort a few things out, and Phil was hot on his trail (baby Louise was in the back of Steve's car). After a high-speed car chase Steve swerved and crashed into a wall. Phil rushed to get Louise out of the car. He went back for Steve but the car exploded into flames with Steve inside killing him instantly.
At his funeral, his two arch enemies Dan Sullivan and Matthew Rose left flowers saying "Gotcha!" and "Dear Steve, rot in hell".
| Preceded by Peggy Mitchell |
Landlord of The Queen Vic 2000 - 2002 |
Succeeded by Peggy Mitchell |
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