EastEnders in 1988

1988 was EastEnders' fourth year

Production
There were big changes in EastEnders in 1988. Behind the scenes, Julia Smith took a more back-seat role as series producer, allowing Mike Gibbon as producer to take control of the day-to-day making of the programme.

On-screen, 1988 saw the end of the two-pub era as the Dagmar disappeared - in flames - in the middle of the year and was replaced by a wine bar called Strokes, operated by the local Firm of organized villains. Meanwhile, it was also all change at The Queen Vic, when Pat Wicks and the Butcher family took over the tenancy.

Four more of the originals left the programme in 1988; Mary, Lou, Lofty and Angie. Mary had been one of the most striking of the original characters, a lone mother with a small baby, who hid herself under punk makeup, was unable to read or write and was a Northerner alone in a southern city. She left Walford the way she arrived, running away from her parents. Lou was frequently ill during 1988, and after a rest, in Leigh-on-Sea she returned to Walford in July in time to die. Lofty, heart-broken after Michelle aborted their child, moved on to become a handyman in a children's home and Angie found new love in the arms of Sonny and left England to run a bar in Spain.

Other exits during the year included poor old Tom Clements, potman and gardener, who died after suffering a stroke in The Queen Vic. Barry Clark left Walford to work on a cruise ship and Chris Smith left after his company ran into financial problems and had to be bought out by Walford Investments, the Firm's money-lending arm. Magda Czajkowski, let down by Wicksy and Den, took her Symphony Foods catering business to pastures new and Darren, proving that discretion is the better part of valour, did a runner when his various activities got a little too hot to handle.

Among the visitors were Kenny Beale and his daughter Elizabeth from New Zealand, who arrived in the spring. Also making an appearance was Brian Wicks, Pat's other ex-husband and, according to Pat in the middle of the year, the real father of Simon. New youngsters in this year included Sohail and Shireen Karim, Ricky and Diane Butcher, and Junior's little girlfriend Melody. A major batch of new characters was needed for the Den/prison storyline. In Walford these included Joanne, the manager of Strokes; Mr Mantel of Walford Investments; Brad, the Firm's local thug (who had appeared before but never so often as during this storyline); and Det. Insp. Ashley who joined Walford C.I.D. determined to close down the Firm. Inside Dickens Hill, Den was joined by prison officers Crane and Stone, and fellow prisoners Barnsey, Queenie, Vic and Brownlow, and the more familiar faces of Johnny Harris and Nick Cotton.

Back in Walford, the Butcher family was completed by the arrival of Frank's mother Mo Butcher, and Carmel gained a new partner, a white man called Matthew Jackson. Perhaps the most important character for the future had a very low-key entrance, appearing as another market-trader at first but quickly becoming involved with both Wicksy and Ian. This was Cindy Williams, who initially appeared helping her mother run a hat stall in Turpin Road.

January 1988

 * Angie Watts keeps drinking and is rushed to hospital with liver damage. Den Watts offers to pay Michelle Fowler to have her abortion.
 * Frank Butcher arrives in Walford to see his old flame Pat Wicks.
 * Ashraf Karim returns as a regular character.
 * Sufia Karim first appearance.

February 1988

 * Kenny Beale returns to Walford after 23 years away in New Zealand. He is told he may be the father of Simon "Wicksy" Wicks instead of Pete Beale and clashes with Pete over it.
 * Elizabeth Beale first appearance.
 * Darren Roberts sells dodgy gear in The Vic, to Den's chagrin.

October 1988

 * 8 - [Offscreen] Billy Jackson is born, the child of Alan Jackson and Carol Jackson.

November 1988

 * 8 - [Offscreen] Stacey Slater is born, the child of Brian Slater and Jean Slater