Steve Owen

The self-styled gangster strutted around E20 oozing self-confidence and charm. The ladies loved him and the men envied his devilish good looks.

Life in Walford is rarely quiet, but it was even less so with Steve in it. Vengeful girlfriend Saskia Duncan was disposed of, his accomplice, Matthew Rose, went down for Steve's crime, drug addiction followed, and then he became a suspect in Phil Mitchell's attempted shooting. Yes, fires, robberies and dodgy business deals were just part of everyday life for hardman Steve.

Poor old Steve literally left Walford with a bang in a violent explosion with arch-enemy Phil Mitchell. His funeral wreaths revealed the truth of his standing in the community, one of them reading "Dear Steve – rot in hell".

Grieving wife Mel was left behind… to discover that Steve had been having an affair and had framed her for drug smuggling. Fortunately, she'd picked up enough survival tips from their marriage to sidestep the law. She skipped town, with Phil Mitchell's bail money, winding up in sunny Portugal.

Played by Martin Kemp