List of EastEnders characters (1994)
Geoff Barnes is played by David Roper. Geoff is introduced as a love interest for the long running character, Michelle Fowler (Susan Tully), in 1994. He is much older than Michelle, and their age difference causes most of the major problems in their relationship. They plan to marry, but in the end Geoff realises that Michelle doesn't really love him. He ends the relationship and moves to Scotland in April 1995, but returns in September as part of Michelle's exit storyline. His last appearance is in October 1995.
Queen Vic Fire Week
In October 2009, actress Barbara Windsor's decision to leave "EastEnders" after sixteen years of portraying the character Peggy Mitchell was announced. The show's executive producer, Bryan Kirkwood, said it was a massive honour for him to be responsible for the character's exit, but explained that as she has become the "quintessential matriarch of the show", they had to get the exit storyline right, which he said would be "both epic and poignant". Windsor gave one year's notice of leaving, giving the production team time to come up with a storyline, and was asked to keep her decision a secret until the announcement was made. Kirkwood looked at Windsor's first episode and decided her exit should be about Peggy and her son Phil, as Peggy's arrival came at a time when Phil needed her most, and since then, she had believed that Phil still needed her. Peggy's exit came when she realised his mother was not what Phil needed. Windsor did not want to know in advance how her character would leave, but hoped she would not be killed off. She commented: "My exit was beautifully written and I really couldn’t have asked for a better send-off for Peggy."