Initially commissioned as an emergency schedule filler, the show became so successful that Gordon gave up her executive position to concentrate on programme presentation. She then moved on to present a daily live entertainment show, "Lunchbox" an early daytime programme. In the summer of 1964 "Lunchbox" came to an end after more than 2,000 episodes. It made way for a new daily soap opera, "Crossroads", in which Gordon played the role of motel owner Meg Richardson (later Meg Mortimer), a part which had been developed with Gordon in mind as she was still under contract to Lew Grade's ATV. First in 1969 and over the following decade, she won the "TV Times" award for most popular television actress on eight occasions. Gordon was the only member of the "Crossroads" cast who had a permanent contract; all other cast members were booked as and when on an ad hoc basis. Gordon had been a staff member on the board of ATV since her days of "Lunchbox". Gordon stayed with the programme until she was sacked in 1981, when ATV was in the process of being re-constituted into a new company, Central Independent Television. Central were obliged to continue ATV's commitment to "Crossroads"; however, Head of Programmes Charles Denton and Head Of Drama Margaret Matheson wanted to end the soap opera in favour of more expensive and lavish drama production. The decision to dismiss Gordon - the show's most popular cast member - was taken in the hope that viewers would desert the show, giving Central a valid excuse to axe it. In 1985, Matheson's successor Ted Childs ordered "Crossroads" to be revamped, which included the show being renamed "Crossroads Motel". This new-look was designed to bring back Noele Gordon on an 'as and when' basis, starting with a three-month stint from April 1985. Gordon's return as Meg was devised by the new Producer, Phillip Bowman, who himself ended the involvement with the series of regulars Ronald Allen and Sue Lloyd in order for the motel to be sold - and thus Meg's daughter Jill was to face a tough choice of whether to agree to the sale, or hold on to the shares her mother left her in 1981. Meg's return was to advise Jill to sell the shares, as Meg, we were to discover, was good friends with the new to be owner - Nicola Freeman (played by Gabrielle Drake) and so Gordon's character would have many reasons to return to "Crossroads" once more.