Hunter Owen

Name: Hunter Owen
First Appeared: 6th February 2018
Last Appeared: 14th November 2019
Played by: Charlie Winter

Hunter Owen has a legacy of intrigue and danger as the son of the notorious Steve Owen and Mel Owen. From the moment he arrived in Albert Square, it was clear that Hunter was a chip off the old block, inheriting his father’s charm and his mother’s fierce determination. He found out all about his dad while in Walford and discovered that he was less superhero, more supervillain, a revelation that shattered his idealized image of Steve and set the stage for Hunter’s own tumultuous decline.

Hunter’s relationship with his mother, Mel, was central to him: it had been just them for a long time. But Mel’s protective nature clashed with Hunter’s rebellious streak, leading to inevitable rows.

When Ray Kelly returned to Mel, both her and her son were caught in his web of deceit, revenge and, ultimately, violence. In a desperate bid to protect his mother, Hunter shot Ray, an act that sent shockwaves through the Square. This event marked the beginning of Hunter’s downward spiral, as he found himself increasingly entangled in a web of crime – which of course made him irresistible to close childhood friend Louise Mitchell.

Eventually arrested for Ray’s murder, Hunter managed to escape and returned to the Square, desperate to find his mum and leave. Somewhere along the way he took a load of punters hostages in the Vic and even shot Ben in the neck. When attempting to evade arrest, he was shot by a police marksman during a botched escape attempt. His death had a devastating effect on Mel’s mental health. As she struggled, she spiralled and eventually would be convinced she could hear Hunter’s voice – and unwittingly walked straight into traffic. The legacy of Steve Owen was finally over.