Kathy Beale (also Mitchell and Sullivan) is a fictional character from
the BBC soap opera EastEnders, played by Gillian Taylforth. Portrayed
as "an attractive, bright, caring and highly moral woman", Kathy is
one of the serial's original characters, appearing in the first
episode of EastEnders on 19 February 1985. Taylforth was originally
dismissed for the role of Kathy due to her young age, but was
reconsidered when she impressed show bosses. Kathy remained in a
prominent role throughout her original stint on the serial, featuring
in high-profiled storylines involving her rape at the hands of James
Willmott-Brown (William Boyde) and the discovery of a long-lost
daughter, Donna Ludlow (Matilda Ziegler), after she was sexually
assaulted as a teenager.In 1993, after the character's marriage with
her husband Pete (Peter Dean) ended with the latter's departure from
the square, Kathy developed a romance with Phil Mitchell (Steve
McFadden) and they later had a son - Ben, who caused Kathy turmoil
when he contracted a rare form of meningitis. The relationship between
alcohol abuse and domestic violence was explored through Kathy and
Phil in 1997, which led to their separation. Taylforth opted to leave
the serial in 1997 and Kathy departed on 10 April 1998 after deciding
to move to South Africa with Ben. The character returned for two
separate guest stints in 1999, making her departure on 6 January 2000.
Despite reports that Taylforth would be returning to the serial, Kathy
was killed off-screen in a road collision in 2006 to facilitate Ben's
reintroduction to the serial.Taylforth reprised the role for a charity
special in 2014. In the episode broadcast on 19 February 2015, the
character made a surprise return to the serial - despite being
presumed dead. It was confirmed that the character would be making a
permanent return, and - after a guest appearance on 19 May 2015 -
Kathy returned on 17 August 2015. Taylforth was initially hesitant
about her reintroduction storyline, which was inspired by the John
Darwin disappearance case. Kathy's husband, Gavin Sullivan (Paul
Nicholas), was also introduced following her return and their
turbulent marriage was explored. The character later had an affair
with Buster Briggs (Karl Howman), and became critical in the events
surrounding Max Branning's (Jake Wood) revenge campaign Albert Square
- in light of the Who Killed Lucy Beale? saga - when James
Willmott-Brown reappeared in his plan to recoup his relationship with
Kathy by taking control of the square for her. Additionally, Kathy has
had a brief relationship with Masood Ahmed (Nitin Ganatra) and feuds
with both Max Branning (Jake Wood) and Rainie Cross (Tanya Franks)
over the custody of her deceased adoptive grandson Steven Beale's
(Aaron Sidwell) daughter with ex-lover Abi Branning (Lorna Fitzgerald)
- Abi Jr.Kathy Beale and her husband Pete (Peter Dean) are financially
stable. Kathy works as a barmaid in The Queen Victoria pub with her
best friend, Angie Watts (Anita Dobson), whilst helping Pete on their
fruit and veg stall. Kathy feels she has put her troubled past behind
her but Nick Cotton (John Altman) breaks into Dr Harold Legg's
(Leonard Fenton) surgery and reads Kathy's medical records. He
discovers that she gave a child, Donna Ludlow (Matilda Ziegler), the
product of rape when Kathy was 14, up for adoption. Nick uses this to
blackmail her, which eventually forces her to tell Pete her secret and
he reacts badly.
the BBC soap opera EastEnders, played by Gillian Taylforth. Portrayed
as "an attractive, bright, caring and highly moral woman", Kathy is
one of the serial's original characters, appearing in the first
episode of EastEnders on 19 February 1985. Taylforth was originally
dismissed for the role of Kathy due to her young age, but was
reconsidered when she impressed show bosses. Kathy remained in a
prominent role throughout her original stint on the serial, featuring
in high-profiled storylines involving her rape at the hands of James
Willmott-Brown (William Boyde) and the discovery of a long-lost
daughter, Donna Ludlow (Matilda Ziegler), after she was sexually
assaulted as a teenager.In 1993, after the character's marriage with
her husband Pete (Peter Dean) ended with the latter's departure from
the square, Kathy developed a romance with Phil Mitchell (Steve
McFadden) and they later had a son - Ben, who caused Kathy turmoil
when he contracted a rare form of meningitis. The relationship between
alcohol abuse and domestic violence was explored through Kathy and
Phil in 1997, which led to their separation. Taylforth opted to leave
the serial in 1997 and Kathy departed on 10 April 1998 after deciding
to move to South Africa with Ben. The character returned for two
separate guest stints in 1999, making her departure on 6 January 2000.
Despite reports that Taylforth would be returning to the serial, Kathy
was killed off-screen in a road collision in 2006 to facilitate Ben's
reintroduction to the serial.Taylforth reprised the role for a charity
special in 2014. In the episode broadcast on 19 February 2015, the
character made a surprise return to the serial - despite being
presumed dead. It was confirmed that the character would be making a
permanent return, and - after a guest appearance on 19 May 2015 -
Kathy returned on 17 August 2015. Taylforth was initially hesitant
about her reintroduction storyline, which was inspired by the John
Darwin disappearance case. Kathy's husband, Gavin Sullivan (Paul
Nicholas), was also introduced following her return and their
turbulent marriage was explored. The character later had an affair
with Buster Briggs (Karl Howman), and became critical in the events
surrounding Max Branning's (Jake Wood) revenge campaign Albert Square
- in light of the Who Killed Lucy Beale? saga - when James
Willmott-Brown reappeared in his plan to recoup his relationship with
Kathy by taking control of the square for her. Additionally, Kathy has
had a brief relationship with Masood Ahmed (Nitin Ganatra) and feuds
with both Max Branning (Jake Wood) and Rainie Cross (Tanya Franks)
over the custody of her deceased adoptive grandson Steven Beale's
(Aaron Sidwell) daughter with ex-lover Abi Branning (Lorna Fitzgerald)
- Abi Jr.Kathy Beale and her husband Pete (Peter Dean) are financially
stable. Kathy works as a barmaid in The Queen Victoria pub with her
best friend, Angie Watts (Anita Dobson), whilst helping Pete on their
fruit and veg stall. Kathy feels she has put her troubled past behind
her but Nick Cotton (John Altman) breaks into Dr Harold Legg's
(Leonard Fenton) surgery and reads Kathy's medical records. He
discovers that she gave a child, Donna Ludlow (Matilda Ziegler), the
product of rape when Kathy was 14, up for adoption. Nick uses this to
blackmail her, which eventually forces her to tell Pete her secret and
he reacts badly.
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