A tough, streetwise teenager from Wearside, Disa saved Diane Butcher’s life. While living rough on the streets, Diane was unprepared for life alone. Disa, having run away from home herself, was also living on the streets, where she resorted to begging and selling her body to survive.

Dennis was a miracle. After years of thinking she couldn’t have children, Sharon was surprised to discover that her and husband Dennis Rickman were expecting Christmas Day 2005.

As first impressions go, Daniel Cook made a bad one. He was a cancer patient (so you could understand why he was grumpy as heck) and he didn’t care who heard him complain. He was offensive and abrasive, but had a ‘seize the moment’ attitude to life, even when dying.…

Dana Monroe really liked boyfriend Bobby Beale and he was desperate to keep her. She was intelligent, bright and clever and very understanding, but Bobby just wasn’t straight with her.

As the daughter of Karen Taylor and Mitch Baker, Chantelle had aspirations. She was not going to let life pass her by while claiming benefits. No, she was going to do the work and when she wed Gray Atkins, sophisticated lawyer from the city, everyone thought she had it made.…

Middle-class Colin moved onto the Square due to the cheap housing and kept himself to himself at first, a budding graphic designer who worked from home. Debbie Wilkins fancied her luck but she was out of hers – Colin was gay, in a time when being gay was not as…

One might argue that everything that Ben Mitchell has done is his fault. It would be so easy for him to blame his tendencies on his parents and their embittered past – but if he was being honest with himself, he would see that he’s the one who has failed…

Rebecca Fowler arrived into the world as a complete surprise – even to her mother Sonia, who didn’t even know that Martin Fowler had gotten her pregnant!

Ash always knew she wanted to be a doctor. It was just built into her to help people. Surprising really, when you consider that her parents were the scheming Nish and Suki Panesar.

Avery arrived in Walford to spent time with his brother Mitch Baker. He also wanted his help with some dodgy deals. Mitch was hesitant (he’d been burnt before), but when Avery collapsed shortly afterwards, Mitch’s hesitancy became intense concern.