Shelley Lewis

Name: Shelley Lewis
First Appeared: 10th November 1992
Last Appeared: 13th December 1994
Played by: Nicole Arumugam

Shelley Lewis first popped up in Albert Square in November 1992 as Michelle Fowler’s college friend. When Michelle’s housemate, Rachel Kominski, left Walford in early 1993, Shelley moved in with Michelle and her daughter, Vicki Fowler, at 55 Victoria Road. Shelley, a free-spirited student, often brought her pals Rich and Clem around, causing a bit of chaos, especially when they were caught smoking cannabis in front of young Vicki. She later snagged a part-time gig as a barmaid at The Queen Victoria, adding even more drama to her life.

Shelley’s romantic endeavours were a bit of a rollercoaster. Initially, she set her sights on Michelle’s brother, Mark Fowler. The two seemed smitten, but Mark harboured a secret — he was HIV positive. Pressured by Michelle to come clean or back off, Mark decided to keep things platonic. Not one to be deterred easily, Shelley moved on to local sleaze Richard Cole, seeing him as a potential “meal ticket.” Richard showered her with gifts, but when he started expecting more, Shelley bluntly told him she “wouldn’t touch him with a bargepole.”

Still attracted to Mark, Shelley rekindled their romance and even managed to sneak away with him during a trip to Amsterdam. However, when Mark hesitated to take things further, Shelley pushed for answers, only to learn about his HIV status. Furious that he hadn’t trusted her, she ended things abruptly. Mark took the rejection hard, neglecting his health, and collapsed over Christmas. When Shelley found out, she rushed to his side, and they reignited their relationship. However, Shelley’s infatuation soon became too much for Mark, and he decided to end it for good in March 1994.