EastEnders created the Beale and Fowler family, drawing on his own background. His mother, Ethel Holland, was one of four sisters raised in Walthamstow. Her eldest sister, Lou, had married a man named Albert Beale and had two children, named Peter and Pauline. These family members were the basis for Lou Beale, Pete Beale and Pauline Fowler. Holland also created Pauline's unemployed husband Arthur Fowler, their children Mark Fowler and Michelle Fowler, Pete's wife Kathy Beale and their son Ian Beale. Smith used her personal memories of East End residents she met when researching Victorian squares. Ethel Skinner was based on
Joe Macer husband, Arthur Fowler. Their marriage was an attempt to give the character Pauline a "new lease of life" and her wedding day was screened to coincide with "EastEnders"' 21st anniversary. Richard was openly opposed to her character remarrying, but she was eventually convinced by the executive producer and battled—successfully—for Pauline to keep her surname, Fowler. In July 2006 however, Wendy Richard announced that she would be leaving the show. She said she made the decision to leave when the producers of "EastEnders" revealed that Pauline was to remarry. Richard thought it was "disloyal" of Pauline to her beloved first husband