Melanie Owen
Encyclopedia
Melanie Jane "Mel" Owen (née Healy; previously Beale) is a fictional character
from the BBC
soap opera
EastEnders
, played by Tamzin Outhwaite
. She appeared from October 1998 to April 2002 when Outhwaite opted to leave the role. Mel was introduced by executive producer Matthew Robinson and became a prominent character during her tenure in the soap.
She was involved in high profile storylines, such as a wedding to Ian Beale
to mark the Millennium Eve celebrations on New Year's Eve 1999, and later a problematic marriage to Steve Owen. Mel was heavily featured in a storyline marking the show's increase to four weekly episodes in 2001, when she was kidnapped by her former fling, Dan Sullivan. Outhwaite proved popular in the role and won multiple awards for her portrayal as Mel. Producers have indicated that the door is always open for Outhwaite to return to the role; however, Outhwaite revealed in 2010 that she has never been asked back.
and their father, Jeff, in Walford in October 1998.
Mel became involved with Ian Beale
. Ian had twins, Lucy
and Peter
, and cared for his adopted son, Steven
, like his own. Melanie found the children hard to deal with at first but grew to love them. Ian and Mel planned to marry but Melanie got cold feet, realising she didn't truly love Ian. Ian heard her say this and blackmailed her into marrying him by telling her that Lucy had cancer. The pair married on New Year's Eve 1999, in a double wedding with Barry
and Natalie Evans
, but at their reception, she discovered the letter, giving Lucy the all-clear, and left Ian as the clock struck midnight and the new millennium began.
Mel then had brief flings with Billy Mitchell
, Nathan Williams, Dan Sullivan and Phil Mitchell
, the latter whom was in a relationship with her best friend Lisa Shaw
at the time. However, her on/off flirtation with Steve Owen was the only relationship that lasted, and after becoming a couple, they married in March 2001 despite Steve finding out a day before the wedding that she had slept with Phil on Christmas Day 2000 in a drunken one-night stand
. On their wedding day, Phil was shot by a mystery attacker and Steve was the prime suspect. Melanie suspected it was him but he protested his innocence. Phil recovered from the shooting and confronted the culprit who turned out to be Lisa. Steve forgave her and on Phil's instruction, he decided to frame his enemy Dan.
Dan Sullivan was wrongly imprisoned for Phil's attempted murder, and after his release, believing that it was Steve who actually shot him, kidnapped Mel in revenge. Dan demanded a large sum of money and Steve grew desperate. During her few days of captivity, Dan told Mel about Steve's dodgy dealings and criminal activities. Phil came to her rescue and Dan fled.
Mel took time out after burning down her and Steve's club, E20, an act of revenge for Steve's lies. He wooed her round, however, and they planned to emigrate to America with Lisa Shaw
, her boyfriend Mark Fowler
, and Lisa's daughter Louise (daughter of Steve's enemy Phil Mitchell). After Mark was unable to go and Lisa was torn as to what to do, the plan was falling apart close to the day of departure. Steve absconded with Louise in his car, but Phil trailed them and a car chase ensued; Steve swerved and crashed. Phil rushed to get Louise and was about to go back for Steve but was too late - the car exploded with Steve inside and he died.
Mel was heart-broken when Steve's web of deceit and lies were uncovered after his death. She discovered that Steve had been having an affair with Phil's sister, Sam
, to get at Phil, and that Steve had sold their club and house behind her back. On her friend Lisa's wedding day to Mark Fowler, Melanie was arrested for drug connections after she was implicated in Steve's drug smuggling; Mel's had unwittingly signed Steve's paperwork linking the drug smuggling back to her. Facing a long spell in prison, a week of events led to Mel's escape: upon discovering that she was pregnant, Phil bailed her for £30,000, but she then discovered that Lisa was responsible for shooting Phil and that both knew it had not been Steve despite her continued suspicions. Feeling betrayed by everyone, She toasted Steve before fleeing to Portugal
, so Phil lost the £30,000 in bail surety. Later in the year, Lisa fled from Walford with her daughter to escape Phil; she went to Portugal to stay with Mel.
".
To counteract the large number of departures, Robinson introduced several new characters, among them Melanie Healy played by Tamzin Outhwaite. In an interview with website Walfordweb, Matthew Robinson has stated that Melanie was "dreamt up to supplement the 'totty' contingent – running thin at the time". Robinson stated that Tamzin Outhwaite was "a shoo-in - and not just because of her beautiful blonde hair. Within a minute of her walking into auditions, hundreds already having trooped in and out of the door, I knew we had our star." Outhwaite has stated that she was given the role without having to do a screen-test. Mel was brought in to the serial as a member of the already established Healy family, joining her brother Reverend Alex Healy
(Richard Driscoll) and father Jeff Healy (Leslie Schofield
) in October 1998. Initially Mel's relationship with Alex and Jeff was not disclosed to viewers, and it was several weeks after her introduction that Mel actually came face-to-face with her brother on-screen; it was revealed that she had been estranged to them for some time.
Mel has been dubbed as a chameleon
, and Outhwaite has suggested that she liked to bring variation to Mel's characterisation: "When I arrived I liked the idea Mel was feisty and strong. I didn't want her turning into a wimpy character like so many women in soaps. You know, they're either bitches or they're slags or they're victims. I wanted to give Mel a bit of everything. Every woman has all those elements to their character. It's just working out where they come and go, and I don't think that's lack of continuity; I think that's a three-dimensional character."
Outhwaite has suggested that the wardrobe department struggled to come up with a static identity for Melanie at first; however, this she felt turned out to be a good thing: "What I really liked about it was, when we started looking for costumes [for Mel], the wardrobe department couldn't quite fit where I was going. I'd wear Army pants and trainers some days and then jeans some other days and then I'd be all suited and booted at other times. I said, 'That's what girls do! That's how I am. Some days I'm in scruffs and some days I'm really dressed up. It would be really nice to have a character who's not so predictable.'" Rosalind Powell, head of the EastEnders wardrobe design team in 2000, said that Mel had "colourful and stylish" wardrobe from retailers such as Kookai
and Oasis
. Powell added, "Although she's a barmaid, she can still afford to wear nice clothes, she just doesn't have a very big wardrobe."
(Adam Woodyatt
). The pairing has been described as one of "the most unbelievable soap couples", but Outwaite defended it in 1999, saying "I know I've fancied some not particularly attractive men in my time, but I don't think Ian is actually ugly. He has a vulnerable side and that's what is attractive. When he is being all hot-headed and gets above himself then I personally don't like Ian. But when he is being vulnerable I can see the attraction. People talk to me about it all the time. I have taxi drivers telling me I could do much better than Ian. The other day someone shouted that I should go back with [Mel's former fling] Steve Owen. It's incredible, they'd rather [Mel] went out with [Steve who is] a murderer than with [Ian, who is] a hard-working father raising three children." Their relationship was the focus of the storyline that aired to mark the Millennium
celebrations, when Ian emotionally blackmailed Mel into marrying him by claiming that his daughter was dying of cancer; storylines in the latter part of 1999 focused on the build-up to a joint Milenium wedding on New Year's Eve 1999 with Barry
(Shaun Williamson
) and Natalie Evans
(Lucy Speed
). The wedding went as planned; however, Mel and Ian's marriage ended hours later as the clock struck midnight to signify the beginning of the New Year after Mel discovered Ian's lie. The Millennium Eve episodes drew in 20.89 million viewers – the biggest soap audience since the character Tiffany Mitchell
(Martine McCutcheon
) was killed off in EastEnders precisely one year earlier (New Year's Eve 1998). An EastEnders spokeswoman commented: "This is a remarkable endorsement of the power of EastEnders that over 20 million viewers chose to see the Millennium celebrations in Albert Square." The episodes were also broadcast on screens in London
's Trafalgar Square
, a typical “haunt for New Year's Eve revelers”.
), who was portrayed as a villain. It was an on/off romance beginning shortly after both characters' introduction in 1998. In an interview in June 2000, Kemp discussed the relationship between Steve and Mel: "Steve's convinced Mel will make his life complete. She kept him going during all the bad times and now he's determined to have her. It's true of a lot of guys who get into trouble, they hang their hat on one idea and that keeps them sane [...] there's a driving force that kept them going while they were [in prison]. And often that's a woman. You know from those tender moments when Mel came to visit Steve [in prison] that she was the thing that kept him going, and he won't stop til he gets her back." Eventually the couple were shown to marry in the soap in March 2001, despite a revelation that Mel had strayed with Steve's nemesis Phil Mitchell
(Steve McFadden
). Tamzin Outhwaite explained, "With Ian, Mel was the one who didn't want to go through with it. This time around Mel is the one who is apprehensive, hoping Steve will be there for her. If he isn't, she has no reason to stay in Walford. This really is make or break time for her." The wedding night was a precursor to one of the soap's most publicised storylines, Who Shot Phil?
, where Phil was gunned down by an unknown assailant and, due to Mel's infifelity, Steve became one of the prime suspects for the murder attempt, though he transpired to be a red herring
. Discussing Mel and Steve's wedding, Outhwaite said, "Even though this wedding with Steve has got as much controversy as Mel's last one [with Ian], it feels more true. The characters seem more suited and it's not a big, white wedding, it's a low-key register office thing." 17 million viewers watched the wedding.
In August 2001, EastEnders began airing a 4th weekly episode. The storyline to mark the occasion centred around Mel, her husband Steve, and her former lovers Phil and Dan Sullivan (Craig Fairbrass
). After Phil and Steve wrongfully framed Dan for Phil's shooting, Dan sought revenge by kidnapping Mel and demanding a ransom. An EastEnders insider reportedly told The Mirror, "This has be one of the most dramatic storylines we have ever filmed. Dan has vowed to get even with Phil and Steve for framing him over the shooting. Kidnapping Mel kills two birds with one stone. Although Mel and Phil have had their differences, he still harbours feelings for her." As part of the storyline, Outhwaite, as Mel, was tied up to a radiator in a council flat. Outhwaite commented, "They offered to untie my wrists between scenes, but I said no so I could feel what it was really like. My wrists were raw by the end of it and I was exhausted, but that was the challenge I wanted."
Although Mel was rescued, the events on the storyline had ramifications for Mel and Steve's marriage after Dan told Mel that Steve had been unfaithful. This led to the temporary screen exit of Outhwaite who had been permitted time off from filming to make another TV series. This was part of a lucrative deal that Outhwaite made with the BBC, where Outhwaite reportedly agreed to remain on EastEnders for a further year if she was allowed to film other TV shows. In the storyline, Mel ended her marriage with Steve and departed after torching his club, ignoring his sobbing and begging. According to Outhwaite, "Steve was a rat and fully deserved it." Mel returned after two months away and began negotiating divorce but ultimately decided against it and reunited with Steve; however the reunion was brief as Steve was killed-off in the serial in March 2002 after Kemp decided to leave. His death storyline centred upon his on-going feud with Phil.
Mel's exit storyline was linked to Steve's death, and Outhwaite claimed that viewers would be gripped by the storyline right up until her own exit a few months after Steve's. She commented, "Mel is devastated by Steve's death. She thinks that Phil caused it and rushes into the Vic and goes for him. Mel acts brave, but inside she is breaking. She is given a necklace of black pearls on the day Steve dies and it breaks her heart. She knows Phil was involved in the death but can't prove it. He has been nothing but trouble for her and she won't try to build bridges now [...] Mel looks brave on the outside but inside she's cracking up." In the on-screen events, Mel's anger turns to devastation when Phil informs her that Steve had been having sex with his sister Sam Mitchell
(Daniella Westbrook/Kim Medcalf
). After being arrested over Steve's money laundering and discovering she was pregnant with Steve's baby, Mel confronted everyone who had wronged her before leaving Walford. At the time, Outhwaite stated that her final scenes the hardest that she'd ever filmed. Tony Stewart, critic for The Mirror suggested that Mel's exit in April 2002 was thrilling and described it as a "a devastating story of betrayal and her ultimate revenge [as] one by one her friends desert her." Stewart praised Mel's final scene with the following description: "When she faces her last exit at Victoria Coach Station, there is a glint in her eye as Mel looks at the destination board and speaks on her mobile. 'Pick a number for me,' she says. 'One to 20. Great. Thank you.' And with that she is gone... but never forgotten."
claimed in 2000 that Tamzin Outhwaite was one of EastEnders most popular stars and Mel was described as one of the most popular characters on the show. During her stint it was reported that the BBC offered to increase her salary various times to entice her to stay with EastEnders with suggestions that she was the highest-paid British soap star. She was awarded 'Sexiest Female' at the British Soap Awards
for three years running and 'Best Newcomer' at the National TV Awards. Outhwaite has discussed her popularity: "When I came in as the vicar's sister, I had no idea Mel would be such a big character and the audience would take to her so quickly. I was surprised as I thought she was a bit plain and a flirt. But no matter what Mel does - going out with Ian, Dan, Steve, Phil - people still like her. Women wanted to be her mate and blokes wanted her as a girlfriend."
Outhwaite was reportedly told to tone down her performances as Mel in 2000, when her love scenes were branded "too realistic for family viewing." Viewers were only shown a censored version of her love scene with Dan Sullivan. Tamzin stated, "I was told that this was to be a scene in which I really wanted Dan and that it should be full on but because it was before the watershed they thought it was too much."
The lead up to Mel and Ian's Millennium wedding included a hen/stag night celebration episode, which was filmed on-location in Amsterdam
, Holland. The episode evoked criticism by the Broadcasting Standards Commission for its inclusion of "almost relentless drunken and promiscuous behaviour, sexual innuendo and drug-taking, before the watershed", which included Mel having to kiss various strangers. The BBC defended the episode, claiming that its content would have “come as no surprise to viewers” and adding that the depiction of this behaviour conformed to an EastEnders tradition - that questionable conduct "only leads to further trouble…One character's quest for drugs led to embarrassment and nausea and a drinking binge led to the calling off of [Barry and Natalie’s] wedding while the prospects for [Mel and Ian's] became bleaker."
Fictional character
A character is the representation of a person in a narrative work of art . Derived from the ancient Greek word kharaktêr , the earliest use in English, in this sense, dates from the Restoration, although it became widely used after its appearance in Tom Jones in 1749. From this, the sense of...
from the BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
soap opera
Soap opera
A soap opera, sometimes called "soap" for short, is an ongoing, episodic work of dramatic fiction presented in serial format on radio or as television programming. The name soap opera stems from the original dramatic serials broadcast on radio that had soap manufacturers, such as Procter & Gamble,...
EastEnders
EastEnders
EastEnders is a British television soap opera, first broadcast in the United Kingdom on BBC One on 19 February 1985 and continuing to today. EastEnders storylines examine the domestic and professional lives of the people who live and work in the fictional London Borough of Walford in the East End...
, played by Tamzin Outhwaite
Tamzin Outhwaite
Tamzin Maria Outhwaite is an award-winning English actress. She became known for her role as Melanie Owen in the British soap opera EastEnders, whom she portrayed from 1998 until 2002.-Early career:...
. She appeared from October 1998 to April 2002 when Outhwaite opted to leave the role. Mel was introduced by executive producer Matthew Robinson and became a prominent character during her tenure in the soap.
She was involved in high profile storylines, such as a wedding to Ian Beale
Ian Beale
Ian Albert Beale is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders, played by Adam Woodyatt. He is the longest-serving character and the only remaining original character to have appeared continuously since the first episode on 19 February 1985...
to mark the Millennium Eve celebrations on New Year's Eve 1999, and later a problematic marriage to Steve Owen. Mel was heavily featured in a storyline marking the show's increase to four weekly episodes in 2001, when she was kidnapped by her former fling, Dan Sullivan. Outhwaite proved popular in the role and won multiple awards for her portrayal as Mel. Producers have indicated that the door is always open for Outhwaite to return to the role; however, Outhwaite revealed in 2010 that she has never been asked back.
Storylines
Mel had a troubled past: She owned a business that went bankrupt, was abused by a boyfriend and was estranged from her family for some years, traveling around the Greek Islands, before reuniting with her brother, vicar Alex HealyAlex Healy (EastEnders)
The Reverend Alexander "Alex" Healy is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders, played by Richard Driscoll between 1997 and 1999.-Storylines:...
and their father, Jeff, in Walford in October 1998.
Mel became involved with Ian Beale
Ian Beale
Ian Albert Beale is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders, played by Adam Woodyatt. He is the longest-serving character and the only remaining original character to have appeared continuously since the first episode on 19 February 1985...
. Ian had twins, Lucy
Lucy Beale
Lucy Katherine Beale is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders, played by Eva Brittin-Snell from 1993 to 1996, Casey Anne Rothery from 1996 until 2004, Melissa Suffield from 2004 to 2010 and Hetti Bywater from 2012 onwards. Lucy was introduced in December 1993 as the newborn baby...
and Peter
Peter Beale
Peter Beale is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders. He was played by Thomas Law from 2006 until 2010. The character has previously been portrayed by James Martin, Joseph Shade, Alex Stevens and Francis Brittin-Snell. Law took over the role on 31 August 2006...
, and cared for his adopted son, Steven
Steven Beale
Steven Peter Beale is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders, played by Edward Farrell from 1989 to 1990, Stuart Stevens from 1992 to 1996, Edward Savage from 1997 to 2002, and Aaron Sidwell from 2007 to 2008...
, like his own. Melanie found the children hard to deal with at first but grew to love them. Ian and Mel planned to marry but Melanie got cold feet, realising she didn't truly love Ian. Ian heard her say this and blackmailed her into marrying him by telling her that Lucy had cancer. The pair married on New Year's Eve 1999, in a double wedding with Barry
Barry Evans (EastEnders)
Barry Evans is a fictional character played by Shaun Williamson. He appeared in the BBC soap opera EastEnders between 1994 and 2004. The character was portrayed as a "buffoon." Williamson controversially left the serial after ten years in 2003 after executive producer Louise Berridge refused to...
and Natalie Evans
Natalie Evans
Natalie Evans is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders, played by Lucy Speed between 1994 and 2004. Natalie first appeared in January 1994, depicted initially as an unhappy, insecure teenager; she was among various regular characters brought in to increase the cast following the...
, but at their reception, she discovered the letter, giving Lucy the all-clear, and left Ian as the clock struck midnight and the new millennium began.
Billy Mitchell (EastEnders)
William "Billy" Mitchell is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders, played by Perry Fenwick, who made his first appearance on 2 November 1998. Billy was seen when Phil went to visit his godson Jamie. However, he didn't arrive in the Square until 2 August 1999, almost a year after...
, Nathan Williams, Dan Sullivan and Phil Mitchell
Phil Mitchell
Philip James "Phil" Mitchell is a long-running fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders, played by Steve McFadden.Phil first arrived in Albert Square on 20 February 1990, and was soon joined by his brother, Grant, sister Sam and mother Peggy...
, the latter whom was in a relationship with her best friend Lisa Shaw
Lisa Fowler
Lisa Deborah Fowler is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders, played by Lucy Benjamin from 1998 to 2003 and in 2010. Lisa was instrumental in one of EastEnders most highly publicised and anticipated storylines, dubbed Who Shot Phil? in 2001, where she gunned down her former...
at the time. However, her on/off flirtation with Steve Owen was the only relationship that lasted, and after becoming a couple, they married in March 2001 despite Steve finding out a day before the wedding that she had slept with Phil on Christmas Day 2000 in a drunken one-night stand
One-night stand
Originally, a one-night stand was a single theatre performance, usually by a guest performer on tour, as opposed to an ongoing engagement. Today, however, the term is more commonly defined as a single sexual encounter, in which neither participant has any intention or expectation of a relationship...
. On their wedding day, Phil was shot by a mystery attacker and Steve was the prime suspect. Melanie suspected it was him but he protested his innocence. Phil recovered from the shooting and confronted the culprit who turned out to be Lisa. Steve forgave her and on Phil's instruction, he decided to frame his enemy Dan.
Dan Sullivan was wrongly imprisoned for Phil's attempted murder, and after his release, believing that it was Steve who actually shot him, kidnapped Mel in revenge. Dan demanded a large sum of money and Steve grew desperate. During her few days of captivity, Dan told Mel about Steve's dodgy dealings and criminal activities. Phil came to her rescue and Dan fled.
Mel took time out after burning down her and Steve's club, E20, an act of revenge for Steve's lies. He wooed her round, however, and they planned to emigrate to America with Lisa Shaw
Lisa Fowler
Lisa Deborah Fowler is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders, played by Lucy Benjamin from 1998 to 2003 and in 2010. Lisa was instrumental in one of EastEnders most highly publicised and anticipated storylines, dubbed Who Shot Phil? in 2001, where she gunned down her former...
, her boyfriend Mark Fowler
Mark Fowler
Mark Albert Fowler is a fictional character from the popular British BBC soap opera EastEnders. Mark was an original regular character in the series starting February 1985 but became a semi-regular after his original portrayer David Scarboro was written out of the role in April 1985. Scarboro made...
, and Lisa's daughter Louise (daughter of Steve's enemy Phil Mitchell). After Mark was unable to go and Lisa was torn as to what to do, the plan was falling apart close to the day of departure. Steve absconded with Louise in his car, but Phil trailed them and a car chase ensued; Steve swerved and crashed. Phil rushed to get Louise and was about to go back for Steve but was too late - the car exploded with Steve inside and he died.
Mel was heart-broken when Steve's web of deceit and lies were uncovered after his death. She discovered that Steve had been having an affair with Phil's sister, Sam
Sam Mitchell (EastEnders)
Samantha Margaret Priscilla "Sam" Mitchell is a fictional character from the BBC One soap opera EastEnders. The third member of the Mitchell family to be introduced, Sam entered as a 15-year-old school girl in July 1990, played by Danniella Westbrook. Westbrook quit in 1993, but was reintroduced...
, to get at Phil, and that Steve had sold their club and house behind her back. On her friend Lisa's wedding day to Mark Fowler, Melanie was arrested for drug connections after she was implicated in Steve's drug smuggling; Mel's had unwittingly signed Steve's paperwork linking the drug smuggling back to her. Facing a long spell in prison, a week of events led to Mel's escape: upon discovering that she was pregnant, Phil bailed her for £30,000, but she then discovered that Lisa was responsible for shooting Phil and that both knew it had not been Steve despite her continued suspicions. Feeling betrayed by everyone, She toasted Steve before fleeing to Portugal
Portugal
Portugal , officially the Portuguese Republic is a country situated in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. Portugal is the westernmost country of Europe, and is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the West and South and by Spain to the North and East. The Atlantic archipelagos of the...
, so Phil lost the £30,000 in bail surety. Later in the year, Lisa fled from Walford with her daughter to escape Phil; she went to Portugal to stay with Mel.
Background and casting
In 1998, EastEnders acquired a new executive producer, Matthew Robinson. Robinson was dubbed "the axeman" in the British press, after a large proportion of the EastEnders cast either quit, or were culled, shortly after Robinson's introduction. It was reported that Robinson hoped the changes would attract more viewers and "spice up [the soap's fictional setting of] WalfordWalford
Walford is a fictional borough of east London in the BBC soap opera EastEnders. The name Walford is both a street in Dalston where one of the series' creators, Tony Holland, lived and a blend of Walthamstow, where Holland was born, and Stratford. The suffix 'ford' is also found throughout East...
".
To counteract the large number of departures, Robinson introduced several new characters, among them Melanie Healy played by Tamzin Outhwaite. In an interview with website Walfordweb, Matthew Robinson has stated that Melanie was "dreamt up to supplement the 'totty' contingent – running thin at the time". Robinson stated that Tamzin Outhwaite was "a shoo-in - and not just because of her beautiful blonde hair. Within a minute of her walking into auditions, hundreds already having trooped in and out of the door, I knew we had our star." Outhwaite has stated that she was given the role without having to do a screen-test. Mel was brought in to the serial as a member of the already established Healy family, joining her brother Reverend Alex Healy
Alex Healy (EastEnders)
The Reverend Alexander "Alex" Healy is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders, played by Richard Driscoll between 1997 and 1999.-Storylines:...
(Richard Driscoll) and father Jeff Healy (Leslie Schofield
Leslie Schofield
Leslie Schofield is an English actor who is most famous in the UK for his role as Jeff Healy in the popular soap opera, EastEnders where he played Jeff from 1997 to 2000. His character was famous for unsuccessfully proposing to Pauline Fowler...
) in October 1998. Initially Mel's relationship with Alex and Jeff was not disclosed to viewers, and it was several weeks after her introduction that Mel actually came face-to-face with her brother on-screen; it was revealed that she had been estranged to them for some time.
Characterisation
Author Kate Lock has described Mel as free-spirited, exuberant, a beauty, wild-at-heart, and "a restless soul with a troubled past". In his assessment of the character, author Rupert Smith surmised Mel as "a nice girl with surprisingly bad taste in men."Mel has been dubbed as a chameleon
Chameleon
Chameleons are a distinctive and highly specialized clade of lizards. They are distinguished by their parrot-like zygodactylous feet, their separately mobile and stereoscopic eyes, their very long, highly modified, and rapidly extrudable tongues, their swaying gait, the possession by many of a...
, and Outhwaite has suggested that she liked to bring variation to Mel's characterisation: "When I arrived I liked the idea Mel was feisty and strong. I didn't want her turning into a wimpy character like so many women in soaps. You know, they're either bitches or they're slags or they're victims. I wanted to give Mel a bit of everything. Every woman has all those elements to their character. It's just working out where they come and go, and I don't think that's lack of continuity; I think that's a three-dimensional character."
Outhwaite has suggested that the wardrobe department struggled to come up with a static identity for Melanie at first; however, this she felt turned out to be a good thing: "What I really liked about it was, when we started looking for costumes [for Mel], the wardrobe department couldn't quite fit where I was going. I'd wear Army pants and trainers some days and then jeans some other days and then I'd be all suited and booted at other times. I said, 'That's what girls do! That's how I am. Some days I'm in scruffs and some days I'm really dressed up. It would be really nice to have a character who's not so predictable.'" Rosalind Powell, head of the EastEnders wardrobe design team in 2000, said that Mel had "colourful and stylish" wardrobe from retailers such as Kookai
Kookai
Kookai is a French fashion label founded in 1983 by Jean-Lou Tepper, Jacques Nataf and Philippe de Hesdin. It has a simple philosophy: "to supply young women with affordable apparel for their wardrobes". It has stores in Europe, Asia, America and Australia...
and Oasis
Mosaic Fashions
Mosaic Fashions hf was the parent company of several fashion brands. The company has 1,760 stores and concessions in the UK, Ireland, Europe and the USA, 234 Franchise stores in 44 countries and 93 joint venture stores including 84 concessions in China....
. Powell added, "Although she's a barmaid, she can still afford to wear nice clothes, she just doesn't have a very big wardrobe."
Relationship with Ian Beale
An unlikely romance was scripted into Mel's narrative when she began dating her boss Ian BealeIan Beale
Ian Albert Beale is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders, played by Adam Woodyatt. He is the longest-serving character and the only remaining original character to have appeared continuously since the first episode on 19 February 1985...
(Adam Woodyatt
Adam Woodyatt
Adam Brinley Woodyatt is an English actor and media personality, best known for his role as Ian Beale in the long-running BBC soap opera EastEnders...
). The pairing has been described as one of "the most unbelievable soap couples", but Outwaite defended it in 1999, saying "I know I've fancied some not particularly attractive men in my time, but I don't think Ian is actually ugly. He has a vulnerable side and that's what is attractive. When he is being all hot-headed and gets above himself then I personally don't like Ian. But when he is being vulnerable I can see the attraction. People talk to me about it all the time. I have taxi drivers telling me I could do much better than Ian. The other day someone shouted that I should go back with [Mel's former fling] Steve Owen. It's incredible, they'd rather [Mel] went out with [Steve who is] a murderer than with [Ian, who is] a hard-working father raising three children." Their relationship was the focus of the storyline that aired to mark the Millennium
Millennium
A millennium is a period of time equal to one thousand years —from the Latin phrase , thousand, and , year—often but not necessarily related numerically to a particular dating system....
celebrations, when Ian emotionally blackmailed Mel into marrying him by claiming that his daughter was dying of cancer; storylines in the latter part of 1999 focused on the build-up to a joint Milenium wedding on New Year's Eve 1999 with Barry
Barry Evans (EastEnders)
Barry Evans is a fictional character played by Shaun Williamson. He appeared in the BBC soap opera EastEnders between 1994 and 2004. The character was portrayed as a "buffoon." Williamson controversially left the serial after ten years in 2003 after executive producer Louise Berridge refused to...
(Shaun Williamson
Shaun Williamson
Shaun Williamson is an English actor, singer, media personality and occasional presenter, best known for his former role as Barry Evans in soap opera EastEnders and as a version of himself in BBC sitcom Extras.- Career :...
) and Natalie Evans
Natalie Evans
Natalie Evans is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders, played by Lucy Speed between 1994 and 2004. Natalie first appeared in January 1994, depicted initially as an unhappy, insecure teenager; she was among various regular characters brought in to increase the cast following the...
(Lucy Speed
Lucy Speed
Lucy Renee Speed is an English actress known for her television roles as Natalie Evans in the BBC One soap opera EastEnders, and DS Stevie Moss in the ITV1 police drama series The Bill.-Early life:...
). The wedding went as planned; however, Mel and Ian's marriage ended hours later as the clock struck midnight to signify the beginning of the New Year after Mel discovered Ian's lie. The Millennium Eve episodes drew in 20.89 million viewers – the biggest soap audience since the character Tiffany Mitchell
Tiffany Mitchell
Tiffany Dawn Mitchell is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders, played by Martine McCutcheon from 1995 until 1998. The character was created by the writer, Tony Jordan...
(Martine McCutcheon
Martine McCutcheon
Martine McCutcheon is an English singer, television personality and Laurence Olivier Award-winning actress. McCutcheon had minor success as one third of the pop group Milan in the early 1990s; however, it was her role as Tiffany Mitchell in BBC's EastEnders that made her a household name in the UK...
) was killed off in EastEnders precisely one year earlier (New Year's Eve 1998). An EastEnders spokeswoman commented: "This is a remarkable endorsement of the power of EastEnders that over 20 million viewers chose to see the Millennium celebrations in Albert Square." The episodes were also broadcast on screens in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
's Trafalgar Square
Trafalgar Square
Trafalgar Square is a public space and tourist attraction in central London, England, United Kingdom. At its centre is Nelson's Column, which is guarded by four lion statues at its base. There are a number of statues and sculptures in the square, with one plinth displaying changing pieces of...
, a typical “haunt for New Year's Eve revelers”.
Relationship with Steve Owen
A more long-running romantic pairing was featured between Mel and the character Steve Owen (Martin KempMartin Kemp
Martin Kemp may refer to:* Martin Kemp , British musician and actor* Martin Kemp , professor of the history of art in the University of Oxford...
), who was portrayed as a villain. It was an on/off romance beginning shortly after both characters' introduction in 1998. In an interview in June 2000, Kemp discussed the relationship between Steve and Mel: "Steve's convinced Mel will make his life complete. She kept him going during all the bad times and now he's determined to have her. It's true of a lot of guys who get into trouble, they hang their hat on one idea and that keeps them sane [...] there's a driving force that kept them going while they were [in prison]. And often that's a woman. You know from those tender moments when Mel came to visit Steve [in prison] that she was the thing that kept him going, and he won't stop til he gets her back." Eventually the couple were shown to marry in the soap in March 2001, despite a revelation that Mel had strayed with Steve's nemesis Phil Mitchell
Phil Mitchell
Philip James "Phil" Mitchell is a long-running fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders, played by Steve McFadden.Phil first arrived in Albert Square on 20 February 1990, and was soon joined by his brother, Grant, sister Sam and mother Peggy...
(Steve McFadden
Steve McFadden
Steve McFadden is an English actor, known for his role as Phil Mitchell in the BBC soap opera EastEnders, which he has played since1990.-Early life:...
). Tamzin Outhwaite explained, "With Ian, Mel was the one who didn't want to go through with it. This time around Mel is the one who is apprehensive, hoping Steve will be there for her. If he isn't, she has no reason to stay in Walford. This really is make or break time for her." The wedding night was a precursor to one of the soap's most publicised storylines, Who Shot Phil?
Who Shot Phil?
"Who Shot Phil?" was a storyline of the BBC soap opera EastEnders which evolved during 2001.-Background:The storyline centred around one of EastEnders longest running characters, Phil Mitchell . The build up to the storyline occurred throughout 2000-2001. The character became darker and a more...
, where Phil was gunned down by an unknown assailant and, due to Mel's infifelity, Steve became one of the prime suspects for the murder attempt, though he transpired to be a red herring
Red herring
A red herring is a deliberate attempt to divert attention.Red herring may refer to:* Red herring , the informal fallacy of presenting an argument that may in itself be valid, but does not address the issue in question....
. Discussing Mel and Steve's wedding, Outhwaite said, "Even though this wedding with Steve has got as much controversy as Mel's last one [with Ian], it feels more true. The characters seem more suited and it's not a big, white wedding, it's a low-key register office thing." 17 million viewers watched the wedding.
In August 2001, EastEnders began airing a 4th weekly episode. The storyline to mark the occasion centred around Mel, her husband Steve, and her former lovers Phil and Dan Sullivan (Craig Fairbrass
Craig Fairbrass
Craig Fairbrass is an English actor. He is known for his distinctive Cockney accent.-Life and career:Fairbrass was born in Stepney, London. He made his acting debut in an episode of the television series Shelley in 1980. This was followed by appearances in series such as Emmerdale, Three Up Two...
). After Phil and Steve wrongfully framed Dan for Phil's shooting, Dan sought revenge by kidnapping Mel and demanding a ransom. An EastEnders insider reportedly told The Mirror, "This has be one of the most dramatic storylines we have ever filmed. Dan has vowed to get even with Phil and Steve for framing him over the shooting. Kidnapping Mel kills two birds with one stone. Although Mel and Phil have had their differences, he still harbours feelings for her." As part of the storyline, Outhwaite, as Mel, was tied up to a radiator in a council flat. Outhwaite commented, "They offered to untie my wrists between scenes, but I said no so I could feel what it was really like. My wrists were raw by the end of it and I was exhausted, but that was the challenge I wanted."
Although Mel was rescued, the events on the storyline had ramifications for Mel and Steve's marriage after Dan told Mel that Steve had been unfaithful. This led to the temporary screen exit of Outhwaite who had been permitted time off from filming to make another TV series. This was part of a lucrative deal that Outhwaite made with the BBC, where Outhwaite reportedly agreed to remain on EastEnders for a further year if she was allowed to film other TV shows. In the storyline, Mel ended her marriage with Steve and departed after torching his club, ignoring his sobbing and begging. According to Outhwaite, "Steve was a rat and fully deserved it." Mel returned after two months away and began negotiating divorce but ultimately decided against it and reunited with Steve; however the reunion was brief as Steve was killed-off in the serial in March 2002 after Kemp decided to leave. His death storyline centred upon his on-going feud with Phil.
Exit
Following on from Martin Kemp's decision to quit EastEnders, Outhwaite announced she was quitting the soap in the autumn of 2001, stating, "I'm not sure what was left for Mel to do after she had been kidnapped, been married twice, burnt down a club and slept with her best friend's husband [...] To be honest with you, Mel's role in EastEnders has come to a kind of natural end. I always said I'd go when I felt that the character had run her course, and I'm going to leave when my contract runs out next year [...] Martin and I are in very similar situations with our characters. We came in at a similar time, and now it looks like we'll leave at a similar time, too. Mel and Steve had some kind of aura, a chemistry, that was unique. I was really proud of it." She added, "I'll always be indebted to EastEnders for providing me with a wonderful start to my career on television and the opportunity to play a character like Mel has been fabulous. I felt it was time to move on and try on a new coat - new characters, new challenges." EastEnders executive producer John Yorke said of Outhwaite's departure, "Tamzin has created one of the most-loved characters and (with Martin Kemp) one half of the most-admired on-screen couple in EastEnders since the show started. She has been fantastic to work with and we wish her all the luck in her career." Yorke added that the character would be welcome back any time.Mel's exit storyline was linked to Steve's death, and Outhwaite claimed that viewers would be gripped by the storyline right up until her own exit a few months after Steve's. She commented, "Mel is devastated by Steve's death. She thinks that Phil caused it and rushes into the Vic and goes for him. Mel acts brave, but inside she is breaking. She is given a necklace of black pearls on the day Steve dies and it breaks her heart. She knows Phil was involved in the death but can't prove it. He has been nothing but trouble for her and she won't try to build bridges now [...] Mel looks brave on the outside but inside she's cracking up." In the on-screen events, Mel's anger turns to devastation when Phil informs her that Steve had been having sex with his sister Sam Mitchell
Sam Mitchell (EastEnders)
Samantha Margaret Priscilla "Sam" Mitchell is a fictional character from the BBC One soap opera EastEnders. The third member of the Mitchell family to be introduced, Sam entered as a 15-year-old school girl in July 1990, played by Danniella Westbrook. Westbrook quit in 1993, but was reintroduced...
(Daniella Westbrook/Kim Medcalf
Kim Medcalf
Kim Louise Medcalf is an English actress and occasional singer.She has made occasional appearances as a singer and is best known for playing the character Sam Mitchell in the long running BBC Soap Opera EastEnders from 2002 to 2005....
). After being arrested over Steve's money laundering and discovering she was pregnant with Steve's baby, Mel confronted everyone who had wronged her before leaving Walford. At the time, Outhwaite stated that her final scenes the hardest that she'd ever filmed. Tony Stewart, critic for The Mirror suggested that Mel's exit in April 2002 was thrilling and described it as a "a devastating story of betrayal and her ultimate revenge [as] one by one her friends desert her." Stewart praised Mel's final scene with the following description: "When she faces her last exit at Victoria Coach Station, there is a glint in her eye as Mel looks at the destination board and speaks on her mobile. 'Pick a number for me,' she says. 'One to 20. Great. Thank you.' And with that she is gone... but never forgotten."
Return?
Outhwaite has been asked numerous times about the possibility of Mel returning to EastEnders since her departure. At various stages she replied "never say never" when asked if she would return but also insisted the time was not right. Although she has always refused to rule out the possibility of a future return, in 2010 she pondered that a return would be unlikely as the character did not have links in the current cast, and that she had never been asked back anyway, stating: "People always ask me, but I've never been asked! It looks like I'm turning it down on a yearly basis, but I'm not. They've never asked me! So they don't want me back for one and I don't have any family left on the show. There's nobody on the Square she knows, I don't even think any of Mel's friends are still in it ... I could walk down the market and be an extra, I suppose! [...] I don't know how Mel would return because there's no-one there for her to return to. She doesn't really know anyone apart from Ian Beale and Phil Mitchell. So unless she was coming back to see one of them..."Reception
BBC NewsBBC News
BBC News is the department of the British Broadcasting Corporation responsible for the gathering and broadcasting of news and current affairs. The department is the world's largest broadcast news organisation and generates about 120 hours of radio and television output each day, as well as online...
claimed in 2000 that Tamzin Outhwaite was one of EastEnders most popular stars and Mel was described as one of the most popular characters on the show. During her stint it was reported that the BBC offered to increase her salary various times to entice her to stay with EastEnders with suggestions that she was the highest-paid British soap star. She was awarded 'Sexiest Female' at the British Soap Awards
British Soap Awards
The British Soap Awards is an annual awards ceremony to honour the best of British soap operas.The first event took place in 1999 and takes place in May each year. Although it is an ITV production, the events were held at the BBC Television Centre, in London until 2010. The 2011 awards relocated to...
for three years running and 'Best Newcomer' at the National TV Awards. Outhwaite has discussed her popularity: "When I came in as the vicar's sister, I had no idea Mel would be such a big character and the audience would take to her so quickly. I was surprised as I thought she was a bit plain and a flirt. But no matter what Mel does - going out with Ian, Dan, Steve, Phil - people still like her. Women wanted to be her mate and blokes wanted her as a girlfriend."
Outhwaite was reportedly told to tone down her performances as Mel in 2000, when her love scenes were branded "too realistic for family viewing." Viewers were only shown a censored version of her love scene with Dan Sullivan. Tamzin stated, "I was told that this was to be a scene in which I really wanted Dan and that it should be full on but because it was before the watershed they thought it was too much."
The lead up to Mel and Ian's Millennium wedding included a hen/stag night celebration episode, which was filmed on-location in Amsterdam
Amsterdam
Amsterdam is the largest city and the capital of the Netherlands. The current position of Amsterdam as capital city of the Kingdom of the Netherlands is governed by the constitution of August 24, 1815 and its successors. Amsterdam has a population of 783,364 within city limits, an urban population...
, Holland. The episode evoked criticism by the Broadcasting Standards Commission for its inclusion of "almost relentless drunken and promiscuous behaviour, sexual innuendo and drug-taking, before the watershed", which included Mel having to kiss various strangers. The BBC defended the episode, claiming that its content would have “come as no surprise to viewers” and adding that the depiction of this behaviour conformed to an EastEnders tradition - that questionable conduct "only leads to further trouble…One character's quest for drugs led to embarrassment and nausea and a drinking binge led to the calling off of [Barry and Natalie’s] wedding while the prospects for [Mel and Ian's] became bleaker."