List of EastEnders characters introduced in 2000

Sandra di Marco, played by Clare Wilkie, is the estranged wife of Beppe di Marco (Michael Greco), and mother of his son Joe (Jake Kyprianou). She had walked out on the family when Joe was just one year old.

Sandra reappears in Beppe and Joe's lives in 2000 when she tracks them down to Walford. She had left them because Beppe's family, and in particular his grandparents Bruno and Luisa (Leon Lissek and Stella Tanner), resented her for not being Italian. Sandra wanted to go back to work after having Joe, but the family would not allow it, and when Beppe started siding with his family on the issue, Sandra decided to leave him and her son. She later moved in with Beppe's police partner, Jack Robbins (Chook Sibtain). She left Jack to track down her son, and although she is met with hostility at first, she and Beppe soon grow closer and eventually rekindle their romance, much to the disgust of Beppe's family.

Beppe is still in love with Sandra and soon begins pressurising her to have more children. The suggestion is met with hostility and she flatly refuses. Soon after, Jack arrives in Albert Square looking for Sandra. It turns out that Sandra had left Jack, following a miscarriage that left her unable to have children. Sandra tries to deny her feelings for Jack, but eventually she admits that she is still in love with him and has only reconciled with Beppe so she can get custody of her son. She and Jack reignite their romance, and Sandra makes plans to flee Walford with Jack and Joe. However, Beppe catches them just as they are about to leave and when he realises what is going on, he attacks Jack, takes Joe back and denies Sandra any access. Sandra and Jack subsequently threaten to take Beppe to court for custody of Joe. Beppe retaliates by using his police contacts to plant drugs on Jack, getting him sacked from the force. The constant rowing is having a negative effect on Joe and he finds it difficult to choose between his warring parents. This culminates in him getting hit by a car when he disobeys his father and runs across the road to be with his mother. Joe is not seriously hurt, but the accident makes his parents rethink their behaviour. Beppe eventually allows Sandra visitation rights, and so she leaves Walford with Jack. Provided by Wikipedia