The idea of Michelle Dotrice was only that she was a memorable sitcom star, like Wendy Richard & Ian Lavender, and it would continue that little trend within the show. Dotrice is actually about five years younger than Richard, so perhaps Aunt is pushing it. How about her being the woman who mothered Kenny's lovechild back in the 60s? She could turn up when Kenny has moved in on the Fowler house.

I'd like to give Pat a bit more of a socio-cultural context: we know she was a bit of a loose woman back in the day... I just have this vision of her meeting up with an old friend in the Vic, a friend from back in the 60s, and it being a non-speaking cameo by Christine Keeler or Mandy Rice-Davies, the thought that Pat Harris was in with that sort of crowd way back when. Give her history a bit of Scandal. That's just an idea, but I like the thought of her reviving her relationship with Kenny.

Oh rite, I didn't know Pauline had a long lost sister, well then thats all ideas exhausted, let EastEnders celebrate its 20th and then pull the plug on it lol

Amberegale just to make a totally pointless but valid point - can i just point out that during 2002/3 - Audrey, Archie and Norris were very much at the fore front of the Richard Hillman storyline along with all the other people implicated in his insanity (namely the platts).

Well, when it comes to age, I don't think younger or older is perticularly better. For every Dot Branning and Chesney Brown, there's an Emily Bishop and a Spencer Moon hovering around the corner with their inability to act dragging everything down.

I remember when I was young (i'm 20 now), in the early 90s, when EastEnders was an 'important' piece of popular culture, it was so compulsive (and I at that young age was so aware of it) because it was good quality stuff, very driving, but very focussed on grown ups. Back then, if I wanted to watch something with teenagers or youth issues, i'd watch Grange Hill or Byker Grove. The SharonGate Affair was such brilliance, such great soap, because it took a collection of important characters who were in their 30s - Sharon, Michelle, Phil, Grant, Kathy. Not too young for the old, not too old for the young.

Although i'm very much in the camp that wouldn't mind seeing more use of the fantastic array of older characters (Pauline, Jim, Pat, Charlie, etc) and less of the wannabe Hollyoaks stuff, I think if EE could regenerate that central age core (with Dennis, Sharon, Alfie, Kat and Sam replacing the other set), the show would feel more centralised.

Right i'd have an cast cull to get rid of derek, juley, gus, patrick, yolande, jane,

then i would bring back grant kathy ricky nigel

i wouldnt axe the millers at first,

i might reunite grant and sharon then michelle returns with the news grant is the father of mark.

i would bring back some old faces of fowers conner ruth mary

i would keep the friday show as a spin off for carol jackson and grant show what they been up to etc

Sack all the fourth rate 'star' actors who are paid hugh salaries by the Britsh Public to pay for their suntans, plastic surgery and botox injections, not to mention their mock tudor mansions

Demolish Albert Square and the rest of Walford and use the space provided to build a new set so they can start making another series of 'Love Thy Neighbour'.

Next refund the hundreds of millions back to the Licence payers who are forced to pay for this dross and give a public apology swearing never to inflict us with anything similar ever again

Sorry matey Love Thy Neighbour would not be allowed today as it is not PC

And people criticise me

lol Alan .

I bet a reverse 'Love Thy Neighbour' with a posh black family looking down on a chav white family would be allowed.
Good idea too in a satire type of way.