Lord Alex Oakwell - Development

Development

Maxwell described Alex as "a sexy young aristocrat" and said he did not think he was anything like his character. Udall called Alex a "thrusting young newcomer", while a writer for the Daily Mirror said he was "an arrogant, self-centred womaniser." Of Alex, Maxwell later said "I have to find a positive side to his character but I have to admit it can be pretty hard with a person like Alex. He is weak-willed, arrogant and motivated by self-preservation. He is certainly not going to be the most popular person in Emmerdale."

Alex soon encountered Kim Tate (Claire King) and she initially dismissed him for a stable hand, but when she learnt he was a lord, she changed her attitude towards him. Kim made a play for Alex, seeing him as a wealthy potential investor. King told Helen Childs of Inside Soap that Kim finds Alex's title very attractive, as soon as she learnt he was a lord, he became more fanciable to her. Childs said it was an added bonus that Alex happened to be "handsome toy-boy material as well." Kim tried to charm her way into Alex's affections, but his fiancee Tara Cockburn (Anna Brecon) stood in her way. Describing Kim's reaction to Tara, King said "She doesn't believe Alex genuinely loves Tara either. It's one of those marriages of convenience, where they've known each other since they were six and their daddies expected them to marry. In fact, it's almost like an arranged marriage." Kim tried to put an end to Alex's engagement, by using their business deals over the stud farm. Alex was aware that Kim had money, which he needed as he was almost broke. Kim believed she could be a part of Alex's life, by throwing money at him. Childs explained Kim's partner Steve Marchant (Paul Opacic) could only stand back and watch Kim try to secure a place among the upper classes and added that with Alex on the scene, Steve did not stand a chance. Kim later invested in Alex's stud farm and he continued to show an interest in her even after he married Tara in a lavish ceremony on 21 August 1997.

During the soap's 25th anniversary episode broadcast in late 1997, Alex caused the death of regular character Linda Fowler (Tonicha Jeronimo). While attending Kim's engagement party at Home Farm, Alex was caught snorting cocaine in the bathroom. He later flirted with Linda, after she had a row with Biff Fowler (Stuart Wade), and he offered to take her for a drive in his sports car. Alex was seen snorting cocaine while driving and he tried to molest Linda, who fought him off. The fight caused Alex to crash the car into a ditch and when he discovered Linda was unconscious, he moved her into the driver's seat. The Daily Mirror's Tony Purnell said "The lecherous lord escaped serious injury and fled the scene". Biff then discovered Linda's lifeless body in the car. Alex later returned to the village in a one hour special broadcast on 10 February 1998. The episode was described as being "dramatic" and "action-packed" by a writer for Inside Soap. The cast and crew were due to film the whole episode shortly before Christmas, but an unexpected snow flurry forced a schedule change and they had to finish filming in January 1998 instead. Alex then appeared in the spin off Emmerdale: Revenge, which was released on video on 20 November 1998. Linda's brother, Roy (Nicky Evans), tracked him down to London, where he was found to be involved in a drugs gang. While being chased across a roof, Alex slipped and fell to his death.