Sufia Karim’s life was a blend of tradition and turmoil. Married to Ashraf in an arranged marriage, Sufia moved to Britain in 1973, following her husband who had arrived in 1968. They settled into a new life, raising their two children, Sohail and Shireen. In 1988, the Karim family moved…

Eddie Royle made quite the entrance when he arrived in Walford in July 1990 as the new landlord of The Queen Victoria pub, bought from Frank Butcher. Eddie’s serious demeanor and past profession didn’t win him many friends in Albert Square. His father, John Royle, often visited to keep him…

Shireen Karim made her entrance in Walford as a teenager in 1988, quickly befriending Diane and Ricky Butcher. Sparks flew between Shireen and Ricky, but their romance was cut short when Shireen’s stern father, Ashraf, found out and forbade her from seeing Ricky. Determined to uphold traditional values, Ashraf decided…

Trevor Short, the lovable but dim-witted character, arrived in Walford in search of his friend Paul Priestly in 1989. Having met Paul two months earlier at a youth hostel, Trevor was thrilled to find him, though Paul initially wasn’t as pleased. Despite this, Paul found Trevor a job on a…

Mo Butcher made her indomitable presence felt in Albert Square from the moment she moved there in September 1988. Determined to be close to her son Frank and his family, Mo quickly made it clear that she disapproved of Frank’s parenting style, especially towards Ricky and Diane Butcher. Her arrival…

Vince Johnson sauntered into Walford in August 1989, quickly making a name for himself as a shady dealer and friend of Darren Roberts. Known for his various illegal money-making schemes, Vince and Darren conned car salesman Frank Butcher by selling him a stolen BMW, which the police promptly confiscated. Oblivious…

Laurie Bates arrived in Albert Square in September 1989, ready to take on the world—or at least the fruit and veg market. Setting up his stall in direct competition with Pete Beale, Laurie wasn’t shy about undercutting prices to snag Pete’s customers. But Laurie wasn’t just interested in business; he…

Simon Wicks had quite the complicated family history. Born to Pat Beale, who was married to Pete Beale at the time, Simon’s paternity was a mystery due to Pat’s simultaneous affairs with Kenny Beale, Brian Wicks, and Den Watts. Although Pat suspected Brian was Simon’s father, it wasn’t confirmed until…

Pete Beale, the beloved fruit and veg vendor of Albert Square, was born on March 11, 1945, alongside his twin sister Pauline. Growing up at number 45 Albert Square, Pete helped his father Albert with the market stall from a young age and eventually inherited it. Schooling with his friend…

Jeffrey “Jeff” Healy brought his own unique brand of familial drama when he arrived in Albert Square on December 9, 1997. As the father of Alex Healy and Melanie Owen, Jeff had plenty of bridges to rebuild, especially with his son. A staunch atheist, Jeff was less than thrilled with…