List of EastEnders characters introduced in 2009

When she returns, Debra plans to leave but when Whitney tells her about her abuser Tony King (Chris Coghill) and his upcoming trial and says she is going to cook them a family meal, she agrees to stay.

Marissa Moore, played by Finn Atkins,[2] makes her first on-screen appearance on 13 January 2009, working at the newly opened Gilly's Massage Parlour.

Peggy tries to convince Patrick Trueman (Rudolph Walker) not to serve Marissa in his shop, but Jay Brown (Jamie Borthwick) sticks up for her and strikes up a friendship with her.

Theo Kelly, played by Rolan Bell, was scripted as a love interest for the character Chelsea Fox (Tiana Benjamin), who, it is claimed, was won over by his "good looks and impeccable manners".

"[8] He added, "I auditioned for EastEnders a few years ago when I 'd just left drama school and, quite luckily, I didn't get the part because it was only a small walk-on role.

"[9] In an interview with media website Digital Spy, Bell revealed information about his character's personality: "He's a well-to-do guy [...] He's been raised with good manners and he's definitely a mummy's boy.

[10] The character's backstory was revealed by Bell: "Theo's grown up in a one-parent family in Brixton [...] he's the eldest of his brothers and sisters – he's actually one of six children [...] The father/son relationship is quite distant – almost non-existent – and I think that's why he has the attitude towards women that he has.

He is first mentioned in November 2006 when Linda arrived in Walford for Jane's wedding to Ian Beale (Adam Woodyatt), explaining that Roger's absence was due to ill health.

He is again mentioned by Linda when she turns up on Ian and Jane's doorstep in November 2008, announcing that Roger has left her and has been having an affair with a nurse named Marion for months.

[12] The result of Syd's relationship with Bradley is directly linked to the high-profile storyline of Stacey Slater's (Lacey Turner) ongoing battle with bipolar disorder, and her subsequent sectioning.

When Bradley is admitted to hospital, his father Max Branning (Jake Wood) urges Syd to visit him, but she refuses because she does not want to leave Noah.

However things do not end as expected when Tiffany Dean (Maisie Smith), Whitney's adoptive sister's pet caterpillar crawls into his clothes and he takes off his shirt in a panic.

Whitney starts ignoring Todd's calls, and she is upset when Ricky invites him to his and Bianca Jackson's (Patsy Palmer) engagement party on New Year's Eve.

After being rejected by Lucas, Trina is kicked out of The Queen Victoria public house by barmaid Roxy Mitchell (Rita Simons) for throwing a drink over Jack Branning (Scott Maslen).

Syed initially marries girlfriend Amira Shah (Preeya Kalidas) but later comes out, and enters a relationship with Christian, despite the pressures of his family and his Muslim faith.

[28] Following her return, Laura-Jayne Tyler of Inside Soap dubbed her a "classic gangster moll" and "boss", demanding that she be promoted to the regular cast.

Billy walks away, and she follows him, revealing her identity as the wife of Terry Bates (Nicholas Ball), the man who murdered Jase Dyer (Stephen Lord).

She requests the services of the Masoods' business, Masala Queen, including for a party on 19 June 2009, where she is impressed with Amira Shah's (Preeya Kalidas) singing and books them for further events in July.

The original Imam Ali returns in June 2015, to attend the engagement party of Shabnam Masood (Rakhee Thakrar) and Kush Kazemi (Davood Ghadami).

Joel C. Reynolds, played by Cavan Clerkin,[33] is the first love of character Ronnie Mitchell (Samantha Womack), having fathered her daughter, Danielle Jones (Lauren Crace), when they were both 14 years old.

Joel has been mentioned several times since Ronnie joined the show in 2007, most notably when she attends a school reunion hoping he will be there, and then goes to his house to talk, but one of his daughters answers the door, so she leaves.

In January 2016, Billy Mitchell (Perry Fenwick) and his fiancée Honey (Emma Barton) learn that Joel and his wife Stephanie have died in a speedboating accident.

She first appears on 17 August 2009 when Stephanie takes her and her sisters, Annabelle and Molly, to The Queen Victoria public house in Walford to warn Ronnie Mitchell (Samantha Womack) to stay away from Joel.

Orlenda, played by Mary Tamm, is a Russian woman who Charlie Slater (Derek Martin) meets at the airport in Madeira after splitting up with Brenda Boyle (Carmel Cryan).

[39] Both Proud and his character live with spina bifida and are wheelchair users, and Adam was introduced to the show as part of a series of measures by the BBC to raise the profile of disabled actors.

[39] He makes his first appearance in the episode broadcast on 10 September 2009, with his early storylines revolving around his dislike of his mother's boyfriend, Minty Peterson (Cliff Parisi) and his friendship with Libby Fox (Belinda Owusu).

She steals Ronnie Mitchell's (Samantha Womack) hairbrush from The Queen Victoria public house and tells Stacey that she can take a DNA test to prove the baby is Archie's.

The next day Max tells her it was a mistake but she attempts to seduce him by stealing his daughter Abi Branning's (Lorna Fitzgerald) keys and laying naked on his kitchen table covered in cream and fruit.

The next day, Syed's mother Zainab (Nina Wadia) is angry at his actions and Amira is forced to reveal that Qadim has not given his blessing and that she stole the money.

"[60] Qadim is described as an "intelligent and dynamic man" who "oozes charm and sex appeal", and it is said that the death of his wife left him a "bitter, controlling tyrant".