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Lauren Branning is a fictional character from the popular BBC soap opera EastEnders, played by Madeline Duggan. She first appeared on the show on 3 July 2006.

Creation and development

Lauren Branning, played by Madeline Duggan, was introduced in 2006 by executive producer Kate Harwood. She and her immediate family — father Max (Jake Wood), mother Tanya (Jo Joyner) and younger sister Abi (Lorna Fitzgerald) — are an extension of the popular and long-running Jackson/Branning clan, who appeared in the series since 1993.

Lauren's primary storylines concerned a school girl romance with Peter Beale (Thomas Law), a friendship with the delinquent Lucy Beale (Melissa Suffield), and being caught in the middle of her warring parents, who separated in the serial in 2007 when Tanya discovered Max was cheating on her with Stacey Slater (Lacey Turner), Lauren's half brother Bradley's wife. In the storyline, Lauren played an integral part in the discovery of the affair; as a result of a practical joke, Lauren unwittingly recorded Max and Stacey kissing on video camera, and sent the recording to Bradley as a Christmas present in December 2007 as means of revenge on her father. Despite a change of heart, the recording was seen by the entire Branning family on Christmas Day, drawing in 13.9 million viewers, 55.3 per cent of the total audience share.

The character became involved in one of EastEnders' most controversial storylines in 2008, when she was groomed by a paedophile, Tony King (Chris Coghill). Tony King had been introduced in September 2008 as the love interest of Lauren's relative Bianca Jackson (Patsy Palmer). However, in a plot twist, it was revealed that Tony was already in a sexual relationship with Bianca's 15-year-old stepdaughter Whitney Dean (Shona McGarty). After losing interest in Whitney, Tony turns his attentions to 14 year old Lauren. An insider said: "He has got away with abusing Whitney for years but it seems one young girl isn't enough."

Storylines

Lauren is the result of an affair between Max Branning and Tanya Cross. Max left his wife Rachel (Sukie Smith/Pooky Quesnel) and young son Bradley to marry Tanya and be a father to Lauren.

Lauren moves to Walford with her parents and sister Abi in July 2006. She makes friends with Lucy Beale and begins dating Lucy's brother Peter. Lauren hides her video camera in her parents' bedroom on the day of Bradley and Stacey's wedding, catching Max and Stacey kissing on film. Lauren burns the footage to DVD and plans to give it to Bradley for Christmas as revenge for her father's infidelity. She later changes her mind and throws the DVD away, but Tanya finds it and puts it under the Christmas tree. On Christmas Day, the family watch the DVD and Max and Stacey's affair is revealed. In the aftermath of the revelation, Max and Tanya split up and Tanya files for divorce, leaving the Branning family in ruins.

Lauren grows jealous of Peter performing love scenes with Whitney Dean for a school play. She goes to talk to Whitney about the situation, but instead meets Whitney's stepfather Tony King, a paedophile who is having a secret love affair with 15-year-old Whitney. Tony is instantly attracted to Lauren and starts grooming her after she separates from Peter, who dumps Lauren after Max orders him to. When Lauren discovers what Max has done, she is furious; she rejects her father after he attempts to throttle Peter, who has been trying to defend her from Max's outburst. Shortly after, Max is run down in a planned hit and run and left battling for his life in hospital. Tanya subsequently confesses and is arrested. When Max grounds Lauren for planning to attend a music concert with Tony, she asks her uncle Jack (Scott Maslen) if she can move in with him, telling her father she wishes he had died. It is later revealed that it was Lauren, not Tanya, who had tried to kill Max.

Lauren decides to move in with Lucy and her family when she thinks Jack might not be able to cope with her. Lucy's father Ian (Adam Woodyatt) explains that she should live with her father. Tony's abuse of Whitney is eventually revealed, and Lauren realises that she was Tony's next target. She tells Ian's wife Jane (Laurie Brett) about this and she advises her to talk to the police, which she does. In court, Tanya pleads guilty to attempted murder; this upsets Lauren who is has to be taken out of the court room. Lauren tells Max it was her that tried to kill him. Lauren later hands herself into to the police to ensure her mother's freedom, against Max's wishes. She is charged with attempted murder and is taken into care by Social Services. Tanya is released and is furious to discover Lauren is in care, spending days trying to track her down, eventually getting her new mobile number from Peter. Tanya visits Lauren at her foster home and tries to persuade her to come home but she cannot leave. Lauren's trial takes place, and although she is found not guilty of attempted murder, she is guilty of GBH with intent. She is sentenced to two years under supervision, meaning she will not go to prison.

Peter avoids Lauren as he is afraid Max will hurt him again, but Max gives Peter his blessing to see Lauren and Peter tells her he loves her. Lauren tells Tanya she is terrified that Tanya and Max will get back together, and they eventually do, with Max moving back in. Lauren finds an earring in Max's car and gives it to Tanya, assuming he was seeing another woman. Whitney hears Lauren and Peter talking about the earring, and tells them she lost it when she and her half-brother Ryan Malloy (Neil McDermott) took the car for a joyride. Lauren tells Tanya it is her earring, a present from Peter. Whitney and Lauren become friends and get drunk in Janine Butcher's (Charlie Brooks) flat. Peter tells Jay and his other friends that he and Lauren had a sexual experience at the allotments, resulting in Lauren being teased by her schoolmates. She finds out Peter started the rumour and dumps him. She then agrees to see him and they get back together. Peter tells her they will wait until she is ready to get into a sexual relationship, but Lauren tells him she is ready now. Despite this, she decides to wait, but Max gets mad when he finds out what they planned, and bans Peter from seeing her. Max is enraged when he catches them in a secret meeting, but Peter confesses his love for Lauren and Max finally accepts it. With just less than two weeks before Christmas, after doing some Christmas shopping, Lauren and Tanya discovers that Max had financial problems when the bailiffs came to collect all of their assets. Lauren complained that she had her possessions had been removed from her room. When Tanya discovered something further, she decides to leave Max and drives out of the Square with Lauren and Oscar.

References

1. "In Pictures: Tanya slaps Stacey in fit of rage(". Digital Spy. 2007-12-21. Retrieved 2008-09-19.
2. "BBC wins Christmas Day ratings battle(". The Telegraph. 2007-12-28. Retrieved 2008-09-19.
3. Paul Revoir (2008-09-17). "Scores of complaints as EastEnders shows scenes of a paedophile grooming a teenager (". Daily Mail. Retrieved 2008-09-18.
4. "EastEnders paedophile Tony King is set to strike again(". The Mirror. 2008-09-29. Retrieved 2008-09-29.
5. "Enders' Tony sets sights on new victim?(". Metro. 2008-09-19. Retrieved 2008-09-19.

External links

• Lauren Branning at BBC Online

• EastEnders characters
• 2006 introductions