Simple yes or no.

Seeing Pat again in this Children In Need thingy is going to be so upsetting knowing she might have returned to the role for real.

Poll up.

Yes - Pat was a legend and is sorely missed.

Yep, worst ever decision. The character of Pat is hugely missed and she's one of the most loved characters ever. Pat was in the show for 25 years.

I still don't know the logic behind it. Kirkwood had already ****ed EE over so this just felt like his final **** you to the audience. I still can't believe how out of touch with the show he really was.

The only good thing to come out of the entire mess was David's return.

Worse still Kirkwood's decision could have been vetoed by the controller of continuing drama at the BBC but it wasn't!

However I suspect this would have created internal conflict.

British soap history - yes

Overall still think the Bobby Ewing dying and then returning in the shower was worse as it contributed to Dallas' decline imo

Yes, I miss Pat I can't believe he was allowed to do it, Poor Pam.

Worse still than that is the decision to kill off Charlie Slater was dropped when Derek Martin complained to John Yorke about it. So it beggers belief Pat was later killed.

Like you say perhaps John Yorke stepping in a second time would have been seen as meddling but still it should have been blocked.

It would not surprise me in the slightest that after this incident Kirkwood was vindictive enough to "push his luck" for a second time, seeing what response he would get from the hierarchy, the second time resulted in the death of Pat.

What made it worst was how she was killed off. First off, the character: I know cancer can take someone's life in a matter of months if it goes undiagnosed so I get that. But wow! a long-time character so well-connected to both the past and the present treated in a way you would get rid of a short-term character. Second off, the actress: Pam only wanted some time off, jeez! Narks me off how she was treated.

Still, we had a few months of David which wasn't a bad thing. But that was most likely no thanks to Kirkwood.

ETA: Killing off Pat isn't the worst mistake in soap history I don't think. That definitely goes to Bobby in Dallas imo. But it certainly was one of the biggest mistakes in EE history because it was so unnecessary and uncalled for.

Kirkwoods role could be likened to that of a Manager and John Yorkes and Director.

If you have an incompetent Manager in place negatively affecting your business in terms of money, customers, staff and time wasted then it is right that the Director should step in and veto stupid mistakes to prevent further problems occurring.

In the case of Kirkwood he should have been reigned in and asked "what on earth" he is doing. Although Kirkwood may of thought he was "playing God" with regards to EE he was should not have been immune to being slapped down by the powers that be if he was negatively affecting the show.

I still think with regards to major characters deaths this should not solely be left to the Exec Producer, it should also involve the likes of John Yorke to say yes or no. If John for example thought that the character could return at a later date and still had mileage he could say No to killing that character off.

To be honest I've always been surprised that John Yorke even supported it. I guess politics must come into play somewhere so I doubt it was all on Kirkwood's own head. Maybe Danny Cohen who was the BBC One boss at the time ordered it for ratings.

I wouldn't be so surprised. John Yorke killed off Angie, Pauline and Kathy. The only iconic character death on his hands that worked is Ethel's and that is only because Gretchen wanted her EE chapter closed so she could retire. She didn't even need to come back as she hadn't made an appearance since 1997 but agreed so viewers got to say goodbye.

No shes was old and not like Dot. Her usefulness had finished

No. It was a mistake but i understand why the decision was made at the timme. Pa. Asked to leave. Whether she made her intention for it to be temporary clear isn'( really known. It is all well and good Barbara Windsor going on record as saying that that she only wanted a break but was that communicated to Kirkwood at the time? If it wasn't, if she actually resigned then he was assuming it was for good and really why would Pat leave Ricky, Bianca and the kids of her own free will? I can see why the decision was made to kill her off and I think they did it well.

I loved Pat but person*lly think killing Kathy and especially Cindy off screen were bigger mistakes.

Yes, case closed.

Its certainly up there, but equally killing off Angie, Cindy, Den and Kathy was stupid too. They all still had loads left to offer.

Either that or axing Minty.

If I'm honest I'm more upset with the way she was killed off. She was on her deathbed for a couple of days, then Derek practically bullied her to death.

Yes, although her exit was brilliant!

I completely agree James, and yes it is!

It's just so horrible, not only that, but now we've lost Bianca, Ricky, and Janine aswell! I actually think it was because of killing off Pat! And killing Pat probably made so many viewers angry!

Tbf though, even when Pat was there in 2011, she was unrecognisable due to how bad the show had become! Pat was the worst mistake but I think Peggy leaving and Kirkwood coming in had a bigger impact on the show, because it completely changed the dynamics of everything! Whereas with Pat, the show had already been bad for months! Now she's gone though, you realise how amazing she was!

I think you'll find that the biggest mistake in soap history was the axing of Poppy Meadow

I wish the beautiful Rachel Bright was back on TV

Yes Poppy had more potential than Lee, Tosh or Donna say.

I think it was bad, but at least she got an onscreen death. I think the offscreen deaths of Cindy, Kathy and Angie we 100% worse.