The following is a list of characters that first appeared in the BBC soap opera EastEnders in 1997, by order of first appearance. Many were introduced by the show's executive producer, Jane Harris.

Neelam Kapoor

Neelam Kapoor is played by Jamila Massey.

Neelam and her husband create a profitable clothing business and leave it in the hands of their son, Sanjay (Deepak Verma), in the late 1980s and emigrate to their native India. However, Sanjay proved to be a poor businessman and after some bad monetary investments, the business went bankrupt. Sanjay kept this from his parents and moved to Walford to open a clothing stall in 1993. In February 1997, Sanjay receives news that his father has died. He travels to India for the funeral and returns early in March with his mother following. Sanjay's wife Gita (Shobu Kapoor) is horrified, having always had a turbulent relationship with his interfering mother. She is furious that he has brought her to live with them without her consent. Neelam, sensing Gita's disapproval, goes out of her way to be as obliging as possible and she is understanding upon hearing the clothing business had floundered. Gita begrudgingly begins to accept Neelam's presence but finds her domineering mannerisms irksome."EastEnders TUE 04-MAR-97 episode description", Walford.net. Retrieved 30 March 2007.

Neelam helps with the running of the Kapoor's market stall, before buying the First Til Last grocery store in August 1997. Neelam is adamant that the shop should be run as a family business, and fires the resident shop assistant, Carol Jackson (Lindsey Coulson). Neelam continues to irritate Gita as the year continues by instructing her on the upbringing of her daughter, Sharmilla (Priya Bilkhu), and accusing her of being a bad wife to Sanjay. Sanjay allows Neelam to pamper him and cater to his every whim, which infuriates Gita further. By October Gita can take no more and decides to leave Walford with Sharmilla for a holiday with her sister, but not before telling Neelam a few home truths about Sanjay's adultery before departing. Neelam is appalled, but she is only too happy to believe her son when he claims Gita was merely lying. Gita and Sharmilla are due to return in January 1998, but they go missing in suspicious circumstances and the police suspect foul play. It transpires that Gita had merely run away after falling pregnant with another man's baby. Sanjay tracks her down and persuades her to return to Walford with Sharmilla and her new baby. Neelam is furious about Gita's immoral behaviour and will not condone Sanjay taking on another man's child as his own. She tries to convince him to divorce Gita and fight for the custody of Sharmilla. Sanjay defiantly refuses to do this, so Neelam sells her shop to Terry Raymond (Gavin Richards) and leaves Walford to live with her extended family in Bristol, disowning her son on the way out. Her last appearance is in July 1998."EastEnders TUE 28-JUL-98 episode description", Walford.net. Retrieved 30 March 2007.

Courtney Mitchell

Courtney Mitchell is the daughter of characters Grant Mitchell (Ross Kemp) and Tiffany Mitchell (Martine McCutcheon). From her on-screen birth in 1997 until 1998, Courtney is played by Charlotte Michaels. Identical twins Carissa and Josephine O'Meara later took over the role. The character was written out of the soap when Kemp decided to quit. When Grant and Courtney return in 2006, Courtney is played by Megan Jossa until they depart once again in June that year. Courtney made an unannounced return on 4 August 2016, played by Alice Nokes, and departed on 9 September 2016.

Courtney is born prematurely by caesarean section in March 1997. At first, it is unknown whether her father is Grant or Tony Hills (Mark Homer), but a DNA test reveals that Grant is her father. Grant and Tiffany separate and Tiffany is about to leave with Courtney on New Year's Eve 1998, but, while chasing Grant who has snatched Courtney, Tiffany is struck and killed by Frank Butcher's (Mike Reid) car. Grant and Courtney move to Rio de Janeiro in October 1999, and Courtney lives with her dad and stepmother Carla Mitchell (Christianne Oliveira).

Courtney returns to London on 27 March 2006 with Grant. Beyond mischievous, Courtney often refuses to do as she is told, backtalks, and argues with her cousin Ben Mitchell (Charlie Jones) which includes a schism between Peggy and Phil when the latter creates a family tree. Ben tells Courtney that her father killed her mother. Initially she refuses to believe Grant's claim that Tiffany's death was an accident. When Grant's wife Carla arrives, Courtney shows her blatant dislike. Grant decides that they should move to Portugal for a fresh start. But he dumps Carla on 9 June 2006 after discovering that she plans to fleece him and run off with another man, so only Grant and Courtney move to Portugal. In 2010, Courtney is heard on the phone to talking to her grandmother Peggy Mitchell (Barbara Windsor).

In August 2016, Courtney reads a text on Grant's phone from his sister-in-law and former wife, Sharon Mitchell (Letitia Dean), and meets her at a café, saying that Grant is not coming. Courtney asks why she and Grant were not invited to Peggy's funeral, to which Sharon says that they were. Courtney follows Sharon to the police station, where she sees Grant outside. Grant tells Courtney he got arrested for being drunk and rude to a police officer and takes an instant dislike to Belinda Peacock (Carli Norris) when Grant flirts with her. When they talk about the past, Grant tells Courtney that his brother Phil Mitchell (Steve McFadden) killed Peggy. Courtney storms off when Grant gets angry about her meeting Sharon. Annoyed with the lack of attention from Grant, Courtney refuses to let him stay with her. Courtney visits Phil and Sharon to see if they have heard from Grant as he owes her money, and Sharon gives Courtney some money. Courtney tells Sharon she knows what Phil did to Peggy, but Sharon tells her it is not true.

Courtney takes a liking to Mark Fowler (Ned Porteous), not knowing he is her half-brother, and they both admit at Shakil Kazemi's (Shaheen Jafargholi) party they like each other. Louise Mitchell (Tilly Keeper) tells Sharon about them, prompting her and Ian Beale (Adam Woodyatt) to find them. Sharon, Ian and Phil find out nothing happened between Courtney and Mark. Courtney and Louise merely become witnesses when the Mitchell house is being broken into in order for Ben and Jay Brown (Jamie Borthwick) to be kidnapped. Courtney and Louise both hide in the bedroom and in the midst of the panic, Courtney rings Grant for help during the struggle. Shortly afterwards Mark comforts Courtney only to be confronted by Grant who assumes he is one of the attackers. Grant tells Courtney that he is going back to Portugal and Courtney pretends not to care but later she catches up with Grant at the tube station and decides to go to Portugal with him.

Development The character was originally played by infant Charlotte Mitchell from her on-screen birth until 1998. Mitchell was replaced by eighteen month old twins Carissa and Josephine O'Meara, after her persistent crying disrupted filming. A show spokesperson told Steven Murphy of Inside Soap that having twins play the role was better than relying on one baby all the time.

Jossa was surprised at her casting, saying: "I couldn't believe it when I heard I had got the part... it's going to be amazing and I can't wait." Described as "charming, intelligent yet spoilt", Courtney "loves being the centre of attention and hates sharing the spotlight with anyone".

Of her casting in 2016, Nokes said, "I was so excited [when I got the part]! To be a part of such an experienced cast and in one of the most renowned families in British soaps... it was a dream come true!" Nokes was unaware which part she was auditioning for as the scripts she was given had a different character's name. Nokes said that she is similar to Courtney, who is "very kind-hearted and very much like her mum, Tiffany. I think she's vulnerable but in an endearing way. However, Courtney is confident and likes to party!" She also added that Courtney "adores her dad and their relationship is strong. But I think she wants to hate him and teach him a lesson all the time. She feels like the adult in the relationship." Nokes confirmed she would appear in "a few episodes" and was not sure if she would return in the future, although Nokes seems keen to reprise the role on a full-time basis.

Polly Becker

Polly Becker, played by Victoria Gould, is a journalist who turns up in Albert Square in March 1997 to report the local happenings for the Walford Gazette. Author Kate Lock has described Polly as "hard-bitten, cynical, ambitious" and someone who "never allowed sentiment to get in the way of a good story." As well as reporting on the scandalous private lives of a few Walford residents, Polly is embroiled in a love triangle storyline with bi-sexual Tony Hills (Mark Homer) and gay Simon Raymond (Andrew Lynford). Tony cheats on Simon with Polly and according to the BBC, "the way the show portrayed Tony coming to terms with his bisexuality was widely praised".

Alex Healy

Alex Healy, played by Richard Driscoll, arrives in Walford as the local vicar. He runs a homeless shelter with the help of Christian follower Sarah Hills (Daniela Denby-Ashe), despite protests from many of the residents in Walford. Alex's most notable storyline is a love affair with Kathy Mitchell (Gillian Taylforth) who is married to Phil Mitchell (Steve McFadden). Discussing the storyline, Driscoll has suggested that Alex had been "wracked by emotional and spiritual turmoil ever since" sleeping with Kathy. He added, "Alex has got a lot of conflict. He's been suggesting to his father that he should work at his relationship with his wife – but there he is having an affair with a married woman. He feels a bit of a hypocrite – he feels guilty and ashamed. But the inescapable fact is he's attracted to Kathy. Something strange and wonderful happens to him when he's around her."

Annie Palmer

Annie Palmer, played by Nadia Sawalha, is the daughter of George Palmer (Paul Moriarty), and arrives to help George manage his dodgy businesses. A ' tough-nut business woman', author Kate Lock has described her as "a rather terrifying creation, a kind of dominatrix without the dungeon. A verbal Miss Whiplash, she tore strips off anyone who crosses her." As well as managing various enterprises, Annie has a brief fling with Conor Flaherty (Seán Gleeson) and almost starts a relationship with Gianni di Marco (Marc Bannerman) until her father tells her that Gianni may be her half-brother. Annie later becomes involved with fellow businessman Steve Owen (Martin Kemp), but he eventually rejects her, leaving her humiliated.

Vanessa Carlton