Mehmet Osman

Name: Mehmet Osman
First Appeared: 13th June 1985
Last Appeared: 23tf March 1989
Played by: Haluk Bilginer

Mehmet Osman, the Turkish Cypriot older brother of Ali Osman, brought his fair share of drama to Albert Square. First seen in June 1985 during one of Ali’s late-night poker games, Mehmet was a serial gambler with a penchant for high stakes. Living in Stoke Newington with his wife Guizin and their three children, monogamy was one part of marriage Mehmet was more than willing to overlook.

In June 1986, Mehmet and Ali launched their cab firm, ‘OzCabs,’ from a corner table in Ali’s café. Mehmet’s dishonourable intentions were evident when he bet Ali £10 that he could get punk Mary Smith to sleep with him. Mary eventually relented, and Mehmet gloated over his winnings, only for Mary to overhear and seek revenge by hoax calling his cab firm and vandalizing his car. Later, Mehmet acted as Pat Wicks’ pimp and persuaded her to convince Mary to prostitute herself.

1987 saw Mehmet’s involvement in Kathy Beale’s knitting business, which he eventually conned, disappearing with her profits. His behaviour worsened as he overcharged cab fares and tried to seduce Hannah Carpenter, leading Den Watts, Pete Beale, and Tony Carpenter to give him a severe beating. After staking his house and business on a bet and losing, Mehmet disappeared, leaving Guizin to face the consequences. Homeless, Guizin and her children sought refuge with Ali and Sue. Mehmet returned in May 1987, promising to mend his ways, but soon eyed barmaid Donna Ludlow as his next conquest, causing more turbulence in his marriage.

In 1988, Mehmet and Guizin became partners in Ali’s café after Sue stopped working to care for their baby. Mehmet’s gambling habits continued to cause friction, leading him and Ali into huge debts with Joanne Francis, the manageress of Strokes wine bar and a member of The Firm. Their desperate attempt to secure a loan from Ian Beale backfired, eventually leading Ali to lose the café to Ian. By 1989, Mehmet’s marriage hit another rough patch when Sue, traumatized by Ali’s affair with Donna Ludlow, turned to Mehmet for comfort. A fabricated affair led to a massive fight between the brothers, and Guizin, unable to forgive Mehmet, left Walford for Northern Cyprus. Mehmet followed, hoping to win her back.