List of EastEnders characters introduced in 2001

The first character to be introduced was Jill Marsden, a detective chief inspector who investigates the shooting of local hardman Phil Mitchell (Steve McFadden).

Harry Slater (Michael Elphick), the brother of Charlie Slater (Derek Martin), and Gary Bolton (Bruce Byron), the father of Robbie Jackson (Dean Gaffney), made their debuts in May, whereas Margaret Walker (Susan George), a love interest for Terry Raymond (Gavin Richards), and Angel Hudson (Goldie), a gangster, made their first appearances in June.

Sue Miller, played by Sadie Shimmin in 2001 and Victoria Willing in 2002, is the adoptive mother of Sonia Jackson (Natalie Cassidy) and Martin Fowler's (James Alexandrou) daughter.

Neil Miller, played by an uncredited actor in 2001 and Robin Sneller in 2002, is the adoptive father of Sonia Jackson (Natalie Cassidy) and Martin Fowler's (James Alexandrou) daughter.

[3] When brought back in 2009, Marsden feelings are further explored in a segment of the BBC EastEnders homepage entitled 'Marsden's Video Diaries', documenting the character's thoughts on the storyline she is involved in.

Dan corners and threatens to shoot Phil and extort money from him and Jamie again but Burton and an armed police unit rush over to the scene to take charge of the situation.

Burton reappears at New Year 2002 when Little Mo Morgan (Kacey Ainsworth) confesses to striking her abusive husband Trevor (Alex Ferns) over the head with a clothes iron during an argument and he and Marsden charge her with attempted murder Ritchie Stringer, played by Gareth Hunt, is a mob boss who knows Phil Mitchell (Steve McFadden).

William Hill spokesman Graham Sharpe commented that there were "dozens of calls" within half an hour of a 16/1 price being quoted and the bookmakers had nearly been "knocked over in the rush of punters wanting to place bets of hundreds of pounds on the actor".

[6] William Hill decided to reopen the book later in the week after "information from unofficial BBC sources had convinced them that [Gareth Hunt's] character [was] not the killer.

Donna Andrews, played by Allison Senior (2001) and Paula Jennings (2002), is the mistress of Trevor Morgan (Alex Ferns), who first appears on 24 April 2001.

On 28 August, Little Mo's sisters, Kat Slater (Jessie Wallace) and Lynne Hobbs (Elaine Lordan), reveal that Donna is pregnant with Trevor's baby.

Margaret Walker, played by Susan George, is introduced in episode 2120, first broadcast on 11 June, as a love interest for Terry Raymond (Gavin Richards).

Margaret explains that the man in the photo is her brother, David Walker (Michael Fenner) who is dying of cancer and she is paying for his placement in a drug trial in America.

[9] Angel Hudson, played by Goldie, is a gold-toothed gangster who is first seen in June 2001 when he attends a poker game that Steve Owen (Martin Kemp) is holding.

Paul goes to get Precious back, while Angel holds his father, Patrick Trueman (Rudolph Walker), and his brother's girlfriend, Zoe Slater (Michelle Ryan), hostage.

Garry Hobbs (Ricky Groves) receives minor injuries but, furious, Precious tells Angel she will only provide his alibi if he promises to divorce her.

Soon after, he moves in with the Evanses, much to the annoyance of Roy's other son Barry (Shaun Williamson), who resents Nathan and is furious with his father for betraying his dead mother.

Nathan quickly integrates into life in Albert Square, growing closer to his father and having a brief relationship with Walford resident Mel Owen (Tamzin Outhwaite).

Jane Williams, played by Ann Mitchell, is a former employee and the former mistress of Roy Evans (Tony Caunter), who appeared between 26 November 2001 and 11 January 2002.

On 11 January, Jane peacefully dies of her progressing cancer on the same day Roy's grandson, Jack Evans (Samuel and Joseph Timson) is born.

On 4 November 2016, it was announced that Lavender had reprised the role for a guest stint during the 2016 Christmas period, during which he would be reunited with Martin Fowler (now played by James Bye).

Kathy Sullivan (Gillian Taylforth) notices Derek loitering around Ian Beale's (Adam Woodyatt) house, where Pauline used to live, and confronts him, assuming he is from the council.

Derek is overjoyed at the prospect of directing the play but during rehearsals, he is forced to reprimand Dennis Rickman Jnr (Bleu Landau) for watching Louise Mitchell (Tilly Keeper) and other girls undress.

He accepts a job at the Minute Mart and irritates his co-worker, Honey Mitchell (Emma Barton), when he makes fun of her display and constantly takes breaks.

Yolande Trueman (Angela Wynter) then visits and asks to speak with Derek and she informs him that he could lose his job and be kicked out of the back to work programme for failing to disclose his criminal record.

Upset, Derek lashes out at Johnny Carter (Ted Reilly) and berates him for not standing up to Keegan and tells him about the struggles of being a gay man while it was illegal.

She was only due to appear in eight episodes as part of a prostitution/homelessness storyline featuring Michelle Ryan's established character, Zoe Slater, who runs away from home in late 2001 and lives at the same brothel as Kelly.

He is the vicar for the parish of Walford, and one of his earliest appearances is conducting the wedding ceremony of Dot (June Brown) and Jim Branning (John Bardon) on Valentine's Day 2002.

His vicarly duties include conducting Jamie Mitchell's (Jack Ryder) funeral, and performing Kat Slater (Jessie Wallace) and Andy Hunter's (Michael Higgs) wedding ceremony that is crashed by Alfie Moon (Shane Richie).

Reverend Stuart makes his last appearance when he conducts the funeral of a local pensioner after being asked by Martin (James Alexandrou) and Sonia Fowler (Natalie Cassidy).