Steve Owen

Steve" Owen was a fictional character and recurring antagonist of the British soap opera EastEnders from 28 December 1998 to 1 March 2002.

He was portrayed by Martin Kemp, who is best known for being the bassist for the British band Spandau Ballet.

History
Steve Owen first appeared in December 1998. He settled in Walford until his ex-lover Saskia Duncan arrived, and he killed her in self-defense when she tried to strangle him. To cover up her murder, Steve framed his DJ employee Matthew Rose - who witnessed the murder - for the crime; Matthew was arrested and sent to prison.

Later on, Matthew took revenge on Steve by tying him to a chair and threaten to pour petrol on him and set him on fire. However, when Steve reduces to a nervous helpless wreck, Matthew reveals that the petrol was actually water and that he just wanted to show Steve up for what he truly was.

By then, Steve was engaged to his love interest Mel Healy and became archenemies with her best-friend's boyfriend Phil Mitchell. He also feuded with Phil's brother Grant, which ended with Grant punching Steve before he fled the country to Brazil.

On the night Steve and Mel get married, Phil is shot by an unseen assailant. Steve is the prime suspect, but Phil deems him innocent when he confronts the real culprit; his girlfriend and Mel's best-friend Lisa Show. After forgiving Lisa for what she did, Phil initially planned to incriminate Steve for the shooting. However, he changes his mind and ends up framing local hardman Dan Sullivan for the crime. Phil convinces Steve to give false testimony against Dan so their common nemesis would get sent down; Steve clashed with Dan over his torment of Mel amid seeking vendetta against Phil. Though he agrees, Steve's testimony proves insufficient when Dan is acquainted. Dan later kidnaps Mel to get revenge on Steve, suspecting that he shot Phil, so he could also settle his score with Phil. After being forced to give Dan £200,000 ransom money, Phil and Steve rescue Mel - though Dan escapes with the money.

Steve continues to clash with Phil until March 2002, on the day he and Mel were supposed to be celebrating their first wedding anniversary. Steve plans to get his own revenge on Phil by fleeing the county with his daughter Louise, taking her mother Lisa and her fiancee Mark Fowler with them - altogether to start anew with Mel. However, Mark is unable to go and Lisa believes that their plan is falling apart. Steve leaves in his car with Louise, and Phil chases them after learning about Steve's plan. During the pursuit, Steve's tires burst and his car crashes into a barrel of petrol - which starts a fire. Steve helps Phil rescue Louise before trying to get out. However, he fails and the car explodes - killing Steve just as Phil could be able to save him.

A couple of weeks later, Steve is given a funeral and Mel leaves Walford to start a new life without her husband; up until she returns nearly two decades later with Steve's son Hunter. She soon seeks revenge on Phil for Steve's death after his antics ultimately spark the events of Hunter being killed in a lethal siege, during which he took Louise hostage; shot her brother Ben; and nearly killed her fiance Keanu Taylor upon shooting him as well.