List of EastEnders characters introduced in 1991

When Eddie is badly beaten by Grant Mitchell (Ross Kemp) in April 1991, Eibhlin returns to Walford to visit him in hospital.

Rachel later befriends Michelle's uncle Pete Beale (Peter Dean), and agrees to have a drink with him sometime.

Rachel's former boyfriend Russell Nash (Ray Ashcroft) arrives at number 55 when she unknowingly hires his friend to put some shelves up for her.

Rachel becomes fed up with Karen's loud music, untidiness and boyfriend Clyde Tavernier's (Steven Woodcock) presence in the house.

Rachel reluctantly helps Michelle hide Clyde in the spare room when he goes on the run from the police, having been accused of murdering Eddie Royle (Michael Melia).

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 returned to Albert Square for one week in May 2016 for her death, with her character finally committing suicide on 17 May 2016.

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, 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.

Kevin comes back into Peggy's life promptly after Eric's death, but her children take against him, particularly her daughter Sam (Danniella Westbrook).

Kevin attends a family meal at the B&B where Sam and her boyfriend Ricky Butcher (Sid Owen) announce their engagement much to Peggy's shock and anger.

He is also present when the Mitchells and Butchers set off to Scotland to find Ricky and Sam in order to stop them marrying.

Kevin is later retconned out of existence when Peggy gets together with George Palmer (Paul Moriarty), as she states she hasn't been in a serious relationship since Eric died.

[4] The magazine said "Knowing Gill was so close to dying from AIDS, Mark decided his final act of commitment would be to marry her.

Joe saves Clyde Tavernier (Steven Woodcock) from being convicted of the crime, by testifying that he saw Nick climb down his drainpipe the night Eddie was murdered.

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 and Irene Carter want to buy Dot Cotton's (June Brown) house which her son Nick (John Altman) has put up for sale to collect deposits from prospective buyers and keep them to fund his heroin addiction.

When Mark Fowler (Todd Carty) arrives in Cowley to track down Joe two months later in order to exonerate Clyde Tavernier (Steven Woodcock) who is remanded in custody for the murder of Eddie Royle (Michael Melia), Jackie tells him that he is not there and tells him to go back to London.

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).

The character was brought in as part of a storyline focusing on Pat (Pam St Clement) and Frank Butcher's (Mike Reid) marital problems.

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.

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).

After getting into a fight with Gary, Mandy flees from her mother's tower block with Mark Fowler (Todd Carty).

[5] 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).

[6] 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.

[6] Returning on 1 March 2012[7] 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.

Lucy is shocked to overhear Lorraine telling Mandy that nobody cares about her and men do not fall in love with girls like her.

Lorraine reappears on 30 April 2012,[9][10] nearly two months later, claiming that her years of alcohol abuse has left her very ill, and that she is dying.