List of EastEnders characters introduced in 1997

Neelam and her husband built themselves a profitable clothing business but left it in the hands of their son, Sanjay (Deepak Verma), in the late 1980s and emigrated to their native India.

Neelam continues to irritate Gita as the year wears on by instructing her on the upbringing of her daughter, Sharmilla (Priya Bilkhu), and accusing her of being a bad wife to Sanjay.

By October Gita can take no more so she decides to leave Walford with Sharmilla for a holiday with her sister, but not before telling Neelam a few home truths about Sanjay's adultery before departing.

Sanjay defiantly refuses to do this, so Neelam sells her shop to Terry Raymond (Gavin Richards) and leaves Walford to live with her extended family in Bristol, disowning her son on the way out.

Beyond mischievous, Courtney often refuses to do as she is told, backtalks, and argues with her cousin Ben Mitchell (Charlie Jones) which includes a schism between Peggy and Phil when the latter creates a family tree.

A show spokesperson told Steven Murphy of Inside Soap that having twins play the role was better than relying on one baby all the time.

[8] Polly Becker, played by Victoria Gould, is a journalist who turns up in Albert Square in March 1997 to report the local happenings for the Walford Gazette.

"[9] As well as reporting on the scandalous private lives of a few Walford residents, Polly is embroiled in a love triangle storyline with bi-sexual Tony Hills (Mark Homer) and gay Simon Raymond (Andrew Lynford).

Barry eventually presents the proposition and figures regarding the Hotel Deal to Roy, who is intrigued enough to take a look and says that it is not really their sort of thing, but he will think about it.

Despite this Marks is concerned that Barry is not the right sort of businessman for the Hotel Deal because he prefers his clients to come from the City end of the Business Community.

Barry replies that he is sure and will not miss out on a golden opportunity and points out that if he did pull out Vanessa would lose her Commission as well as the faith of Marks who would not listen to her again.

As completion of the Hotel Deal approaches Roy expresses concern to Barry that he doesn't understand why such a big shot like Marks insists on cash.

Vanessa concedes this point and gives Barry Marks' flight number and says that soon as she has delivered the money to Mr Roberts she will head back to The Vic for a celebratory drink.

Author Rupert Smith has stated that she is "flighty, bitchy and self-centred [...] the mother from hell", but has noted that she is a "breath of fresh air when compared to her ghastly children".

Julie falls in love with Clare's adoptive father, Nigel (Paul Bradley), whilst they are trying to sort the problematic youngster.

[16] Conor Flaherty, played by Seán Gleeson, is first seen when his aunt Pauline Fowler (Wendy Richard) tracks him and his mother Maggie (Olivia Shanley) down in Ireland.

When her relatives, the Fowlers, go to Ireland to meet her family, Mary sees a chance to escape her alcoholic, violent grandfather Sean (Pat Laffin), and moves to Walford with them and her father.

Eamonn is extremely loyal to his drunken father, and defends Sean's bullying to his long-lost cousin Ian Beale (Adam Woodyatt).

Gerry McCrae, played by Simon O'Gorman, is a married man who is secretly having an affair with Mary Flaherty (Melanie Clark Pullen).

Jessie Moore, played by Chelsey Paden, had been put into foster care when her drug addict mother was imprisoned on remand for various offences.

Mark refuses to allow this, but the social worker assures him that Nicole has completed her de-tox programme and that contact between her and Jessie is particularly important.

Nicole spends several weeks visiting Jessie to rebuild their relationship and eventually Ruth and Mark realise how close they are.

They retract their opposition and Nicole gains custody but has to go to court for this (and loses access) as Ruth and Mark are pleased that Jessie chooses them.

Ros Thorne, played by Clare Grogan, is a Scottish private detective whom Ian Beale (Adam Woodyatt) hires to trace his two sons, Steven and Peter.

They lure Cindy into a trap, while Phil and Grant Mitchell (Steve McFadden and Ross Kemp) kidnap Steven and Peter and bring them to the airport to reunite with their father.

Ian continues to use Ros to investigate Cindy and her new partner, Nick Holland (Dominic Taylor)—a rich businessman who is funding the custody case.

Ros also begins investigating Ian's hitman, John Valecue (Steve Weston), who is now being held in prison for an unrelated murder.

Nick Holland, played by Dominic Taylor, first appears when Cindy Beale (Michelle Collins) meets him in Italy while on the run after escaping from Walford with her children.

[18][19] Josh was introduced as part of a storyline to aid the departure of the long-running characters, Nigel (Paul Bradley) and Clare Bates (Gemma Bissix).

Rabbi Jonathan Black, who made a cameo in the serial's episode involving the event said "Ardent fans will know Josh did not want to celebrate his Bar Mitzvah but his father Eliot Saunders (Lawrence Lambert) and mother Julie felt it was important for him.