Dickens only mentions Oliver's father at the end of the novel; it is clear that Leeford's family forced him to marry at a very young age, to an older woman for whom he had no feelings. When he later meets Agnes Fleming, he falls in love for the first time.

Tim Dutton plays Edwin Leeford:

"I have always been a fan of Dickens, and I found it fascinating that Alan Bleasdale had written the character of Edwin Leeford into his version of Oliver Twist. The role was the perfect antidote to the last role I played on television - a stalker. I try to choose parts which are very different, and there couldn't have been more of a contrast."