steve elliot, played by mark monero, is first seen in albert square in october 1991 as an old school friend of hattie tavernier (michelle gayle) and sam mitchell (danniella westbrook). he has a relationship with hattie, which breaks down after he leaves her to take a job as a chef on an ocean liner, and when he returns, hattie has moved on. he also falls for his business partner, della alexander (michelle joseph), however she is a lesbian and rejects his advances. steve agrees to host an illegal gambling night at his café by a criminal firm, but when he is later asked to testify in court about the event, the firm kidnap steve's girlfriend lydia (marlaine gordon). when he eventually finds her, the firm threaten to kill lydia if steve does not back out of testifying. fearful for their lives, steve packs his things and he and lydia leave walford in february 1996.