List of EastEnders characters (1991)

The following is a list of characters that first appeared in the BBC soap opera EastEnders in 1991, by order of first appearance.

Eibhlin O'Donnell

Eibhlin O'Donnell, played by Mary Conlon, is an Irish woman who met and dated Eddie Royle (Michael Melia) in the early 80s, when her job for the Irish tourist board in Dublin took her to a London office for a six-month stint. Eibhlin was committed to her close-knit Catholic family (especially her widowed father and her marijuana-smoking sister Maureen), so when her work placement ended, she returned to Dublin and her relationship with Eddie ended. Eibhlin visits Eddie in Walford in January 1991. In her mid thirties, Eibhlin is thinking about settling down. She hopes to rekindle a romance with Eddie. When Eddie's current girlfriend, Kathy Beale (Gillian Taylforth), sees how close Eddie and Eibhlin are, she breaks up with Eddie. Instead of reuniting with Eibhlin, Eddie opts to try and win Kathy back, so Eibhlin returns to Ireland. When Eddie is badly beaten by Grant Mitchell (Ross Kemp) in April 1991, Eibhlin returns to Walford to visit him in hospital. Eddie's brush with death makes him rethink marriage, and he proposes to Eibhlin. She accepts and in August 1991, she moves in with Eddie at The Queen Victoria public house, of which Eddie is landlord. A part of Eibhlin is not convinced that marriage to Eddie will work; they do not get the opportunity to find out as Eddie is murdered by Nick Cotton (John Altman) in September that year. A devastated and heartbroken Eibhlin then returns to Ireland.

Rachel Kominski

Rachel Kominski, played by Jacquetta May, owns number 55 Victoria Road. Her ex-boyfriend Russell Nash (Ray Ashcroft) arrives at number 55 when she unknowingly hires his friend to put some shelves up for her. Russell tries to convince her to get back together with him, until Rachel tells him that she had hated the three years they had spent together.

Michelle Fowler (Susan Tully) becomes her lodger. Rachel sees potential in Michelle, and encourages her to apply to college, which she does. She meets Michelle's brother, Mark (Todd Carty), and dates him for six months. When the university course she teaches on is dropped, she has to work in the Bridge Street café. She later has a bric-a-brac market stall, and has sex with market inspector Richard Cole (Ian Reddington).

She leaves Walford in March 1993 when she gets a job outside London.

Peggy Mitchell

Peggy Mitchell, initially played by Jo Warne when she first appears on 30 April 1991, features in the series on a recurring basis over several weeks. Peggy is reintroduced in 1994, recast and played by Barbara Windsor. Peggy becomes a regular character, and Windsor played the role for 16 years. She announced in October 2009 that she would be leaving the show, and departs in September 2010.

Peggy is fiercely protective of her family and the Mitchell name, and has become famous for her catchphrase "Get outta my pub!",^[1] used when ejecting people from The Queen Victoria, of which she is the landlady. Her storylines have seen her embark on a series of failed romances, including marriages to Frank Butcher (Mike Reid) and Archie Mitchell (Larry Lamb). She has been central to several plot strands revolving around health issues, launching a hate campaign against the HIV positive character Mark Fowler (Todd Carty), and going on to make amends with him when she is later diagnosed with breast cancer.

Russell Nash

Russell Nash, played by Ray Ashcroft, is the ex-boyfriend of Rachel Kominski (Jacquetta May), who arrives in Walford after she unknowingly hires one of his friends to put some bookshelves up for her. He attempts to reconcile with her, but she does not want to get back together with him, and ends up telling him that she had hated their three years together, especially the sex.

Kevin Masters

Kevin Masters, played by Colin McCormack, owns a minicab firm. Peggy Mitchell (Jo Warne) starts work for him and they begin an affair; however, Peggy is forced to end it when her husband Eric develops cancer. Kevin comes back into Peggy's life promptly after Eric's death, but her children take against him, particularly her daughter Sam (Danniella Westbrook). Peggy and Kevin remain together until 1994, when Peggy discovers that he has been cheating on her with another woman.

Gill Fowler

Gill Fowler (née Robinson), played by Susanna Dawson from 1991 to 1992, is the first wife of Mark Fowler (Todd Carty). Gill met Mark in Newcastle during 1989 and they lived together until 1990 when Gill tested positive for HIV and moved to London. Mark discovered that he was HIV positive as well and returned to Walford.

The following year, Gill was diagnosed as having AIDS and visits Mark to ask if he has been tested for HIV. At first Mark denies that he has the virus but later admits to her that he is HIV positive. They are never certain which of them had contracted the virus first.

They soon rekindle their relationship and Gill marry Mark on 23 June 1992, but she dies in a hospice the following day.

Susanna Dawson who played Gill found the experience of playing a person living with and dying from AIDS so intense that she co-produced an educational video based on the subject for use in schools and wrote a book, The Gill and Mark Story, to accompany it.^[2]

In October 1999, All About Soap magazine placed Mark and Gill's wedding at number six on their twenty greatest soap weddings list.^[3] The magazine said "Knowing Gill was so close to dying from AIDS, Mark decided his final act of commitment would be to marry her. Sadly, she died in his arms later that afternoon in what remains one of soap's most tear-jerking weddings of all time."^[3]

Joe Wallace

Joe Wallace, played by Jason Rush, is a young, gay chef who is HIV-positive. He arrives in Walford in July 1991 and gets a job at Ian Beale's (Adam Woodyatt) restaurant, The Meal Machine. He encourages Mark Fowler (Todd Carty) to tell his parents that he is HIV-positive. When Ian discovers that Joe has HIV, he sacks him and disinfects his whole kitchen. Joe then leaves Walford to live with his parents and is the last person to see Eddie Royle alive before Eddie is murdered by Nick Cotton (John Altman) in September that year.

At the trial of Eddie's murder in 1993, Joe briefly returns as a witness. Joe saves Clyde Tavernier (Steven Woodcock) from being convicted of the crime, by testifying that he saw Nick Cotton climb down his drainpipe the night Eddie was murdered. This implicates him as a suspect and provides enough reasonable doubt to secure Clyde's release from custody.

His mother writes to Mark telling him he is dying in a hospice in 1994. Joe's death of HIV shocks Mark, but it is visiting the hospice that leads him to meet his future wife, Ruth Aitken (Caroline Paterson).

Dave Carter

Dave Carter, played by David Cheeseman, and his wife Irene (Karen Murden) want to buy Dot Cotton's (June Brown) flat, which her son Nick (John Altman) has put up for sale in order to collect deposits from prospective buyers and keep them. The Carters give Nick £300, and two days later, Dave arrives with some furniture for the flat, which Nick disposes of.

Irene Carter

Irene Carter, played by Karen Murden, and her husband Dave (David Cheeseman) want to buy Dot Cotton's (June Brown) flat, which her son Nick has put up for sale in order to collect deposits from prospective buyers. He manages to con the Carters out of £300.

George Lawler

George Lawler, played by Edward Kente, is a business associate of Ian Beale (Adam Woodyatt), whose catering business has failed, so he sells his client base and equipment to Ian for his catering business, The Meal Machine.

He recognises The Meal Machine's chef Joe Wallace (Jason Rush), as he had previously sacked Joe when he found out that he had HIV. He demands that Joe quits his job, but when he fails to do so, George informs Ian about Joe's HIV, and Ian sacks Joe.

Jackie Wallace

Jackie Wallace, played by Ann Lynn, is the mother of Joe Wallace (Jason Rush), who is originally seen picking him up from the Fowlers' house to take him home in 1991. In 1994, she writes a letter to Mark Fowler (Todd Carty) telling him that her son is dying of HIV. Mark goes to visit Joe in a hospice, but arrives too late, and Jackie informs him that Joe had died shortly before he arrived.

Steve Elliot

Steve Elliot, played by Mark Monero, is first seen in Albert Square in October 1991 as an old school friend of Hattie Tavernier (Michelle Gayle) and Sam Mitchell (Danniella Westbrook). He has a relationship with Hattie, which breaks down after he leaves her to take a job as a chef on an ocean liner, and when he returns, Hattie has moved on. He also falls for his business partner, Della Alexander (Michelle Joseph), however she is a lesbian and rejects his advances. Steve agrees to host an illegal gambling night at his café by a criminal firm, but when he is later asked to testify in court about the event, the firm kidnap Steve's girlfriend Lydia (Marlaine Gordon). when he eventually finds her, the firm threaten to kill Lydia if Steve does not back out of testifying. Fearful for their lives, Steve packs his things and he and Lydia leave Walford in February 1996.

Lorraine Stevens

Lorraine Stevens (also Salter), originally played by Linda Henry (1991-1992) and later played by Victoria Alcock (2012), makes her first appearance in November 1991. The character was brought in as part of a storyline focusing on Pat (Pam St Clement) and Frank Butcher's (Mike Reid) marital problems. In the storyline, Pat goes to a bar, intending to pick up another man for sex, and meets Lorraine. Pat helps Lorraine when a man starts to harass her, claiming to have spent money on her the night before and implying Lorraine is a prostitute. Shortly after, Lorraine turns up at the Butchers' house, requesting a place to stay. She outstays her welcome and when she is asked to leave, she threatens to tell Frank that Pat has been cruising for other men in bars, causing some difficulty in the Butchers' marriage. Seeing Lorraine's existence makes Pat realise that she has left her promiscuous lifestyle behind her.

The following year, in March 1992, Lorraine contacts Pat from hospital. She has been severely beaten by her boyfriend Gary (Thomas Craig) and needs Pat to take care of her 15-year-old daughter Mandy (Nicola Stapleton). Having had her daughter taken into care by the social services in the past, Lorraine wants to prevent this from happening again. Pat is initially unwilling to help, but she eventually relents and Mandy stays at the Butchers'. Lorraine is released from hospital the following week, and she abandons her daughter. Mandy ends up homeless and sleeping on the streets. On Christmas Eve 1992, Lorraine contacts Mandy and tells her she is coming to visit. She does not arrive, so Mandy travels to her flat on Christmas Day to reunite. Lorraine is not there and Mandy is instead greeted by Gary. After getting into a fight with Gary, Mandy flees from her mother's tower block with Mark Fowler (Todd Carty).

On 23 January 2012, Daniel Kilkelly of Digital Spy reported Lorraine would be returning to EastEnders the following month.^[4] Actress Victoria Alcock was recast in the role, taking over from Henry (who was also on the cast of EastEnders playing a different character, Shirley Carter).^[4] Of her casting, Alcock said, "I am absolutely thrilled to be joining the cast of EastEnders and am looking forward to working with my good friends Linda Henry and Nicola Stapleton again. I can't wait to see people's reaction when Lorraine arrives on the Square!"^[4] Kilkelly said Lorraine has remained "a brash character and certainly hasn't grown up."^[4] Alcock predicted that viewers would be "shocked" by the actions of Lorraine.^[5] Speaking of Lorraine's arrival, Alcock told TV Choice: "There will be a collective intake of breath from viewers because just when you think she couldn't stoop any lower, she goes full-steam ahead."^[5] Alcock added that the residents of Albert Square will discover why Mandy is such a leech as she gets it from Lorraine. Alcock added: "Allegedly she let some awful things happen to Mandy, which may come out in time. I think viewers are interested in the broken shells of a character and she's definitely a broken shell."^[5] Alcock also said she wanted Lorraine to be more than just a villain. She said that people are not made this way, something happens to make people the abuser, and that's from being abused. Alcock thought that Lorraine was abused as a child.^[5]

Returning on 1 March 2012^[6] after 20 years of absence, Lorraine appears in The Queen Victoria public house after Lucy Beale (Hetti Bywater) contacts her to come to Walford, assuming she is a man that Mandy is having an affair with. Mandy does not want her around, but she bonds with Mandy's partner Ian Beale (Adam Woodyatt), who invites her to stay with them. When they are alone, Lorraine is verbally and physically abusive to Mandy. Lucy is shocked to overhear Lorraine telling Mandy that nobody cares about her and men do not fall in love with girls like her. During a meal at a restaurant, where Lorraine convinces Ian to order champagne, Lucy reveals that Lorraine has stolen Ian's money and that she is an alcoholic. In retaliation, Lorraine accuses Mandy of using Ian for money and making him work for sex, upon which Ian banishes Lorraine on 9 March 2012.^[7]

Off-screen, Lorraine causes problems for Mandy by informing Mandy's ex-boyfriend where she lives, causing Ian to become insecure. Lorraine reappears on 30 April 2012,^[8][9] nearly two months later, claiming that her years of alcohol abuse has left her very ill, and that she is dying. Although Mandy does not believe her initially, she eventually agrees to look after her. Ian forbids this, so Mandy leaves Lorraine outside the tube station, telling her she cannot disobey Ian's wishes. Lorraine, who is doubled over in pain, collapses. Mandy later visits Lorraine in hospital, where they start to bond. However, Lorraine soon turns nasty again and tells Mandy she never loved her. Several weeks later, just before her wedding, Mandy goes to visit Lorraine in hospital but is devastated to learn that she has died. Lorraine's death is not screened. Nobody except Mandy attends Lorraine's funeral, mirroring what Lorraine said to Mandy that nobody would care if she died.

Others

References