Joanne Francis is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders, played by Pamela Salem.

However, The Firm's real agenda is to lure Den into a false sense of security before killing him, thus stopping him implicating them for their heinous crimes.

Gregory Mantel (Pavel Douglas), a superior member of The Firm, makes plans to have Den eradicated from within prison.

Joanne moves into a flat in Albert Square and continues running Strokes, but her position is put in jeopardy when a new Detective Inspector, Bob Ashley (Robin Lermitte), starts to take umbrage with her presence in Walford.

Brad divulges the whereabouts of evidence that will show Joanne's criminal dealings, enabling him to get rid of her and close down Strokes.

On screen, the build-up to Grantham's exit occurred throughout 1988, as Den, always portrayed as a petty criminal with shady connections, was recruited to work for the more serious East End organised crime operation, known as The Firm.

[3] Among them was Joanne Francis, a middle classed "hard woman", who was brought in to be the manager of Strokes winebar, a facade for an illegal gambling den owned by The Firm.

She was unsuccessful, and that part went to Jane How; however, Grantham later persuaded the casting director of EastEnders to give Salem the role of Joanne.