text: In 2002, Louise Berridge succeeded Yorke as the Executive Producer. During her time at EastEnders, Berridge introduced popular characters such as Alfie Moon (Shane Richie), Dennis Rickman (Nigel Harman), Chrissie Watts (Tracy-Ann Oberman), Jane Beale (Laurie Brett), Stacey Slater (Lacey Turner) and the critically panned Indian Ferreira family.
  Berridge was responsible for some ratings success stories, such as Alfie and Kat Slater's (Jessie Wallace) relationship, Janine Butcher (Charlie Brooks) getting her comeuppance, Trevor Morgan (Alex Ferns) and Jamie Mitchell's (Jack Ryder) death storylines and the return of one of the greatest soap icons, Den Watts (Leslie Grantham), who had been presumed dead for 14 years. His return in late 2003 was watched by over 16 million viewers, putting EastEnders back at number one in the rating war with the Coronation Street; however, other storylines, such as one about a kidney transplant involving the Ferreiras, were not well received, and although Den's return proved to be a ratings success, the British press branded the plot unrealistic and felt that it questioned the show's credibility. A severe press backlash followed after Den's actor, Leslie Grantham, was outed in an internet sex scandal, which coincided with a swift decline in viewer ratings. The scandal led to Grantham's departure from the soap, but the occasion was used to mark the 20th anniversary of EastEnders, with an episode showing Den's murder at the Queen Vic pub.