Steve Owen

Steve Owen (Martin Kemp) arrived in Albert Square in December 1998 to buy the Market Cellar and renamed it E20. His obsessive ex-girlfriend, Saskia Duncan (Deborah Sheridan-Taylor) turns up to tries to come between Steve and his new girlfriend, Melanie Healy (Tamzin Outhwaite). On 14th February 1999, Saskia comes between Steve and Mel once more and she starts to knock him about and manages to grab Steve's tie, strangling him, causing him to reach for the nearest object (an ashtary) in the office and hitting Saskia over the head killing her instantly. Witnessed by Matthew Rose (Joe Absolom) he helps Steve bury the body in Epping Forest.

A few months later, Saskia's body is found and Matthew confesses to the police and by the end of the trail, Matthew is found guilty of manslaughter instead of Steve. When Matthew is released, he takes his revenge on Steve, and Steve turns to drugs as a result the drugs nearly killed Steve's business partner Beppe DiMarco (Michael Greco) after he took a mixture. Steve returns to walford after concerning his addiction and rescues Mel from Dan Sullivan (Craig Fairbrass) and the pair start a relationship.

On 1st March 2001, before marrying Mel, Steve finds out that Mel had a one night stand with Phil Mitchell (Steve McFadden) and on the night of their marriage, Phil is shot and a month after that, Jamie Mitchell (Jack Ryder) begins to suspect that Steve shot Phil, but when he returns from hospital, Phil discovers that Lisa Shaw (Lucy Benjamin) shot him and decides to blame Dan. In Augest 2001, Mel is kidnapped by Dan after Phil frames him and Mel is informed by Dan of Steve's criminal activities, like secretly buying the Queen Vic in partenship with Den Watts's (Leslie Grantham) adoptive daughter, Sharon Watts (Letitia Dean). After Phil rescue's Mel, she burns down the E20 and leaves the square to get back at Steve for his lies. After the E20 club burns down, Steve organises a robbery to help gain his financial problems with the help of Billy Mitchell (Perry Fenwick) and some old friends, who set out to rob a wealthy businessman named Alan. Steve attempts to trap Alan's mistress Jan Sherwood (Cherie Lunghi), and after having a one night stand with her, Steve and Jan split the money that was stolen, fooling Steve's gang into believing that Jan stole all the money. Mel returns to the square and her and Steve get back together.

In January 2002, Steve and Phil continue with their fued after Steve lies to Phil by saying that he slept with Sharon. Phil brutally attacks Steve and is charged for assult. In February 2002, Steve gets final revenge on Phil by sleeping with his sister, Sam Mitchell (Kim Medcalf) and plans to flee to the United States with Mel, Lisa and her boyfriend, Mark Fowler (Todd Carty) and Phil daughter, Louise. Phil finds out that Steve has got Louise and the pair have a high speed car chase and Steve crashes into two petrol tanks and Phil rescues Louise. He runs back for Steve but the car explosives into flames, killing Steve instantly. Ironically, Steve died on the day of Ian Beale's (Adam Woodyatt)

At Steve's funeral, Mel recieves some flowers and a card saying 'Gotcha' from Dan Sullivan, 'Dear Steve, rot in hell' from Matthew Rose. After the funeral, Mel gives Phil Steve's ashes. Before flushing Steve's ashes down the toilet, Phil decides to scatter Steve on his mum's grave, Barbara Owen (Sheila Hancock), and Phil says, 'Rest in Peace'.