ella ▁was ▁created ▁sole ly ▁as ▁a ▁love ▁interest ▁for ▁the ▁character ▁Phil ▁Mitchell . ▁When ▁Steve ▁Mc F ad den , ▁who ▁plays ▁Phil , ▁returned ▁to ▁the ▁show ▁in ▁October ▁ 2 0 0 5 , ▁a ▁story ▁conference ▁was ▁held ▁between ▁the ▁show ' s ▁produ cers , ▁who ▁decided ▁that ▁his ▁relationship ▁with ▁his ▁son ▁Ben ▁would ▁take ▁priority ▁over ▁any ▁new ▁love ▁interests . ▁Another ▁story ▁conference ▁was ▁held ▁in ▁February ▁ 2 0 0 6 , ▁where ▁it ▁was ▁decided ▁to ▁introduce ▁a ▁new ▁love ▁interest . ▁East End ers ''' ▁series ▁story ▁producer , ▁Brig ie ▁de ▁Cour cy , ▁said ; ▁" To ▁create ▁her , ▁we ▁took ▁all ▁of ▁Phil ' s ▁past ▁lo vers ▁and ▁came ▁up ▁with ▁somebody ▁completely ▁different ▁from ▁them !" ▁ ▁Produ cers ▁created ▁a ▁" w ish ▁list " ▁of ▁actress es ▁they ▁wanted ▁to ▁see . ▁The ▁East End ers ▁casting ▁director ▁offered ▁the ▁role ▁to ▁Soph ie ▁Thompson , ▁who ▁accepted . ▁Produ cers ▁were ▁so ▁excited ▁that ▁the ▁whole ▁office ▁che ered ▁when ▁they ▁found ▁out ▁that ▁Thompson ▁had ▁accepted ▁the ▁role . ▁Thompson ▁has ▁said ▁of ▁the ▁role ▁that ▁" jo ining ▁East End ers ▁is ▁a ▁bit ▁like ▁being ▁wel com ed ▁into ▁a ▁really ▁special ▁play ground ▁that ▁you ▁never ▁thought ▁you ▁had ▁the ▁chance ▁to ▁play ▁in , ▁and ▁you ▁are ▁rather ▁in ▁a we ▁of ▁all ▁the ▁k ids , ▁but ▁very ▁excited ." ▁▁ ▁Person ality ▁ ▁When ▁she