 On 30 December 1993 Emmerdale attracted its highest ever audience of over 18 million when a plane crashed into the village, killing four villagers.This led to the villagers deciding to have the village name changed from Beckindale to Emmerdale to help get over the plane crash.Leonard was axed by producers as they felt that the character had naturally reached an end, and it would allow for more scenes involving Mercier who was forced to come to terms with the death of a second husband after only a short period of marriage.