I just can't take to Ian Beale being the longest serving character. He is so mean and I can't see him as a paitrach (spelt wrong?)

Well Wendy is dead but I think considering the exit she got I would rather Pauline of had an off screen death so it wouldn't of tarnished her character so much.

I don't think so, and sadly it won't be possible given that Wendy Richard passed away, though it would have been interesting to see Pauline with new-Martin.

Pauline's final years on EastEnders were not her finest moments and Wendy Richard made no secret of the fact that she felt her character had been ruined by the end. She certainly had a point - not only in terms of having Pauline re-marrying but also her relentless misery towards the end.

It's interesting that Zainab Masood was originally conceived as a new Pauline Fowler.

I can't take Ian seriously as the longest serving character.., he just doesn't have that presence Pauline had. But that could probably be down to the fact Wendy was a very domineering woman and this certainly came across onscreen. I think if Wendy hadn't left the show, and if she hadn't of passed away I think she would've been great on the show now. But of course the show wouldn't be the same, for starters we wouldn't have the "who killed Lucy" story most probably not as the 30th would've been based on Pauline with her being the longest running character, and Ian, Sharon, Dot getting mini stories like it was this year. I think the show would feel more homely if Wendy was in the show as she simply was EastEnders and when she left, the heart was ripped out. If I'm honest her absence is felt more personally than Pam St. Clement and Barbara Windsor. As I said above Wendy and Pauline had a presence onscreen and off and I don't think any EastEnders actor has ever had that same presence as her.

She was never particularly large, and the set is ginormous, so I'd say it's more than likely that she would.

Her character was destroyed once she said she was leaving, her exit was very disrespectful.

Has no one defended Wendy in her final years on set?

I can see tbe character fitting in actually. But like its been said the actress and character are deceased.

Also after marks exit is when she became horrible and bitter but she would fit in today and i imagine her disapproving of martin and sinias seperatuon, martins relation woth stacey, staceys pregnancg and supporting ian and dot

The reason that today's EastEnders is so unrecognisable is precisely because past producers disrespected the show's history and went around needlessly killing off classic characters - Pauline, Pat, Cindy Kathy etc. (Ok, they reversed the last one). Pauline Fowler was an integral part of EastEnders and the show has never been the same without her. So yes, she would fit in very nicely.

If Wendy was still alive and the character wasn't killed off, I see no reason why she wouldn't have fitted in.

A dream scene would definitely have been Pauline meeting Zainab. The writers wanted Nina to be like an Asian Pauline but with more humour. Imagine how they'd squabble.

Pauline would've put Shirley in her place with her witty put downs IMO.

I certainly think Pat's presence would be amazing right about now. She'd have been really supportive to Ian after Lucy's death.

Why kill off Pat and let that screeching old bag Peggy live?

It makes no sense to me.

She would as she was from 1985-2000, She'd love to see Kathy again

This made me laugh! Peggy is only tolerable in small doses as she over acts.

All down to overzealous producers who like bass said have zero respect for the show history that is why they're scratching around to try and bring some familiarity back.

Kate Harwood wouldn't listen to the actress's wishes in regard to her character so that is apparently one of the reasons she quit as she become disillusioned by it all, killing off Pauline was a big mistake especially the way they did it, by the end the character was unrecognizable to the one we first saw on the show, it was absolute character assassination .

BK killing off Pat was one of the worse things to happen to the show aswell.

Ian would still have been the longest running character, jointly with Pauline. Or am I missing something?

Agreed. Kate Harwood was arguably as bad as Kirkwood in some areas. In 2006/07 the show was completely unrecognisable, it was like they tried to dump the show's 20 year history on the scrap heap.

And I get cross just thinking about how awfully they treated Pat.

They both debuted in the first episode, but Pauline appeared in an earlier scene to Ian

The matriarch is a staple of the soap genre. There's no doubt Pauline would fit in today. She's the only character I actively miss. She was the Queen of Walford in my opinion. I hated how miserable they made her and that exit was appalling. RIP Wendy/Pauline.

If I'm honest I'm over Pat. She was briliant character but I don't feel her loss like Pauline. I'd love Pat to still be alive but I think Pauline's exit was a worse crime and she left more of a hole in the show. Pat sort of became more important once Pauline was gone in my opinion.

Harwood actually introduced some very good characters - Denise, Max, Tanya, Dawn (I think she was underrated), Shirley (when she's not a cow) and Sean - but it was only when Santer took over that those character shone. She was a weak EP and 2006 was a very dire year for EE. I think part of it was down to the lack of big names after a number of them left at the end of 2005 hence leaving a cast full of newcomers still needing to be established. But yeah she was bad as Kirkwood. The only difference was that she was around a little less longer and she did walk into EE during its really hot period (Den's death aftermath with Chrissie and Sam feuding).

Yes I think 2005 was a success in spite of Harwood, not because of her. Without the murder plot 2005 would have been a dud year; the only other long-term storyline that year was the tedious, vomit-inducing 'Molfie' *shudders*.

2006 was diabolical, as was the first half of 2007.

I agree that Pauline was more important to the show than Pat, but I'm still not over Pat's death. When Pauline left it genuinely felt like a huge part of the show was missing; her absence was very, very noticeable and it's still feels weird that she isn't around today. When Pat left that hole just got even bigger.

I agree with you but I always preferred Sharon to Pat and she's still around so it doesn't feel quite as bad for me. Pauline is the one character I think is missing. I'd swap Dot for Pat though

I agree but if Ian left I don't think I would be as affected as the other two mentioned and I have no idea why as Adam is a great actor.