Melanie Owen

Name: Melanie Owen
First Appeared: 19th October 1998
Last Appeared: 14th November 2019
Played by: Tamzin Outhwaite

Melanie Owen, or Mel as she’s known to her friends, arrival in Albert Square brought a touch of glamour, intrigue, and more than a few broken hearts. From the moment she arrived, Mel’s life was a rollercoaster of high-stakes drama and jaw-dropping twists that kept everyone in Walford on their toes.

Mel’s love life was nothing short of disastrous! She first caught the eye of local businessman Ian Beale, and their whirlwind romance led to a New Year’s Eve wedding that was the talk of the Square. But in true Walford fashion, the marriage was doomed from the start. Mel discovered Ian had lied about his daughter Lucy’s health to manipulate her into marrying him, leading to a dramatic breakup just as the millennium fireworks were lighting up the sky.

Not one to stay single for long, Mel soon found herself entangled with the charming yet dangerous Steve Owen. Their relationship was a mix of passion and peril, culminating in a marriage that was as explosive as it was short-lived. Steve’s criminal activities and eventual death left Mel reeling, but she proved her resilience by picking up the pieces and moving forward, moving to Portugal, while pregnant with Steve’s child.

Melanie returned to Walford twenty years after she first arrived. She came back with a new mission and a harder edge, determined to protect her son Hunter and navigate the murky waters of Walford’s criminal underworld. Her involvement with crime boss Ciara Maguire and her tumultuous relationship with Ray Kelly were moments she would rather forget – especially when Hunter shot and killed Ray. Mel’s fierce determination to shield Hunter from harm showed us how formidable, but also how desperate, Mel could be. Hunter was shot by police during an armed incident, leaving Mel’s stability questionable to say the least.

After surviving a high-speed chase with Sharon, Mel found herself reflecting on her life. She thought she heard Hunter’s voice across the road however and walked back to the wreck – straight into an incoming lorry which killed her instantly.