List of East Enders Characters (1992) - Richard Cole

Richard Cole, played by Ian Reddington between 1992 and 1994, is a character was conceived by writer Tony Jordan. Designed to be "a bit of a lad, a charming womanizer", the original character's biography scripted him with as a uniform-wearing Cockney from London. However, when Sheffield-born actor Ian Reddington read for the role, the production team liked his portrayal so much that they altered the character's backstory so they could accommodate Reddington's Northern-English accent. The character was nicknamed "Tricky Dicky" both in the show and the British press and became a prominent soap womanizer and villain for the two years he appeared; he has flings with various female characters, most notably Kathy Beale (Gillian Taylforth) and Bianca Jackson (Patsy Palmer).