List of EastEnders characters (1985)
Michelle Fowler (also Holloway), played by Susan Tully from 1985 to 1995 and Jenna Russell since 2016, is the daughter of Arthur Fowler (Bill Treacher) and Pauline Fowler (Wendy Richard). Although she is one of the brighter people in Walford, that does not stop Michelle making some huge mistakes during her time in Albert Square. Michelle has a habit of choosing the wrong men and her stubborn nature means that she rarely accepts anyone's help or listens to good advice. She is tough, feisty, determined, outspoken and never afraid to defend herself or her beliefs. Early on in the series, the character of Michelle becomes central to the programme and is the focus of a controversial storyline involving her teenage pregnancy. Press interest in the show escalated to "record levels" as journalists continuously tried to predict who had fathered Michelle's baby. In whodunnit fashion, the audience had been kept in the dark as to the real identity of the father and were given teasers implicating several residents on The Square. The audience finally discovered the culprit in episode 66 of the programme, October 1985. The episode was written by series co-creator/script editor Tony Holland and directed by co-creator/producer Julia Smith, and was considered to be a landmark episode in the show's history. Four possible suspects are seen leaving the Square in the early half of the episode: Tony Carpenter (Oscar James), Ali Osman (Nejdet Salih), Andy O'Brien (Ross Davidson) and Den Watts (Leslie Grantham). As Michelle waits by their rendezvous point a car pulls up and finally the fluffy white legs of Roly the poodle bound out of the car, and give it all away: Den Watts is the man meeting Michelle and it was he who had fathered her baby. The rest of the episode consists of just one long scene, where Den and Michelle discuss whether or not to keep the baby. Up to that time it was the longest scene ever done in a soap-opera, lasting fifteen minutes.
Michelle Fowler
Sharon encourages Michelle to make amends with Martin and Ian, but neither of them are interested; Michelle talks to Bex, who says Michelle let herself down and the old Michelle that Bex used to look up to would hate this Michelle, and that she ruined everything she worked for; Michelle cries in Sharon's arms, saying she no longer knows herself. Ian eventually forgives Michelle but Martin still refuses to speak to her. Michelle attempts to find work in schools, without any luck. Stacey invites Michelle to a family meal but Martin says Michelle is only pretending to care about her family, and tells her that she is not the big sister he used to look up to. Michelle starts community service and hears that Tim wants a divorce, and she tries to avoid the issue. Eventually, Martin and Michelle start to talk again but he is still angry that she has behaved like a teenager. Michelle then realises that she needs to apply for other jobs so enquires about a sales assistant job, which she successfully obtains. Whilst travelling to work Michelle meets Tom Bailey (Daniel Casey) on the tube and she eventually gets the courage to ask him to go out on a date. Although they get along well, Michelle later loses interest in Tom and decides to reject him. He does not react well and begins to stalk her by sending her flowers and chocolates. Michelle tries to move on and goes on a date with a man but does not hear from him again, unaware that Tom has threatened him. Michelle later invites Tom around for dinner in an attempt to get rid of him for good. When he starts to try and kiss Michelle, Sharon, Denise Fox (Diane Parish) and Karen Taylor (Lorraine Stanley) hit him over the head with a vase and confront him about lying to Michelle about his wife being dead, after which he finally leaves. Michelle later decides to spend Christmas with her daughter Vicki in Australia.