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Babe was introduced as the maternal aunt of established regular characters
In her earlier episodes, producers set up a rivalry between Babe and her brother-in-law
Babe Smith (also known as Aunt Babe) is a fictional character from the
BBC #REDIRECT BBC #REDIRECT BBC
Here i going to introduce about the best teacher of my life b BALAJI sir. He is the precious gift that I got befor 2yrs . How has helped and thought all the concept and made my success in the 10th board exam. ...
...soap opera
A soap opera, or ''soap'' for short, is a typically long-running radio or television serial, frequently characterized by melodrama, ensemble casts, and sentimentality. The term "soap opera" originated from radio dramas originally being sponsored ...
''EastEnders
''EastEnders'' is a Television in the United Kingdom, British soap opera created by Julia Smith (producer), Julia Smith and Tony Holland which has been broadcast on BBC One since February 1985. Set in the fictional borough of Walford in the Ea ...
'', portrayed by Annette Badland
Annette Badland (born 26 August 1950) is an English actress known for a wide range of roles on television, radio, stage, and film. She is best known for her roles as Margaret Blaine in the BBC science fiction series ''Doctor Who'', Mrs. Glen ...
. She first appeared in episode 4796 of the show, originally broadcast in the United Kingdom on 31 January 2014, and was introduced as the maternal aunt of established characters Shirley Carter
Shirley Carter is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera ''EastEnders'', played by Linda Henry. She first appeared on 7 December 2006, during episodes set in Dorset. This is Henry's second role in ''EastEnders'', as she previously playe ...
(Linda Henry
Linda Varilis (''née'' Henry; born 24 August 1959) is an English actress. She is known for her roles as Yvonne Atkins in the ITV drama '' Bad Girls'' and Shirley Carter in the BBC soap opera ''EastEnders'', a role she has played since 200 ...
) and Tina Carter (Luisa Bradshaw-White
Luisa Bradshaw-White (born 9 December 1974) is a former English actress, known for playing Tina Carter in '' EastEnders'' and for her previous roles on '' Bad Girls'', '' Holby City'' and ''This Life''. She has also made appearances in televisi ...
). She was introduced as part of a set of new characters that expanded the Carter family across 2013 and 2014, headed by executive producer Dominic Treadwell-Collins
Dominic Treadwell-Collins (born 26 August 1977) is a British television producer, known for his work on the soap operas ''Family Affairs'' and ''EastEnders'', creating the ''EastEnders'' spin-off series '' Kat & Alfie: Redwater'' and Executive P ...
. Babe and Badland's casting were announced on 12 December 2013.
Babe's storylines have mostly revolved around her relationship with the Carter family, most notably the delicate relationship with her sister Sylvie Carter
The following are characters who first appeared, or returned, in the BBC soap opera ''EastEnders'' during 2014 listed by order of first appearance. All new characters in 2014 were introduced by Dominic Treadwell-Collins, executive producer.
...
(Linda Marlowe
Linda Virginia Marlowe (née Bathurst, born 26 July 1940) is an Australian-born British film, theatre, and television actress. She is noted for her association with Steven Berkoff, performing in many of his theatrical works, creating a one-woman ...
) and the unrequited love for her brother-in-law Stan Carter
Stan Carter is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera '' EastEnders'', portrayed by Timothy West. He first appeared in the show's 4,793rd episode, originally broadcast in the United Kingdom on 27 January 2014, and was introduced as the f ...
(Timothy West
Timothy Lancaster West, CBE (born 20 October 1934) is an English actor and presenter. He has appeared frequently on both stage and television, including stints in both ''Coronation Street'' (as Eric Babbage) and ''EastEnders'' (as Stan Carte ...
). Babe's other storylines have included her past baby farming
Baby farming is the historical practice of accepting custody of an infant or child in exchange for payment in late- Victorian Britain and, less commonly, in Australia and the United States. If the infant was young, this usually included wet-nu ...
, encouraging Abi Branning
Abi Branning is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera '' EastEnders'', played by Lorna Fitzgerald. She was introduced by executive producer Kate Harwood on 3 July 2006 as an extension to the Branning family, along with father Max (J ...
(Lorna Fitzgerald
Lorna Katie Fitzgerald (born 17 April 1996) is a British actress from Northampton. Her most notable role to date is that of Abi Branning in the BBC soap opera, '' EastEnders''. Since leaving ''EastEnders'' in January 2018, Fitzgerald has develo ...
) to fake a pregnancy, blackmailing Les Coker
The following are characters who first appeared in the BBC soap opera ''EastEnders'' during 2012 listed by order of first appearance. New characters were introduced by Bryan Kirkwood, executive producer. He stepped down from the role in April. ...
(Roger Sloman
Roger Sloman (born 19 May 1946) is an English actor known for his work in theatre, film, and television.
Early life and education
He grew up and was educated in South East London. He trained to be a teacher and then went to East 15 acting sch ...
), leading to her subsequent feud with Claudette Hubbard
The following is a list of characters that first appeared in the BBC soap opera ''EastEnders'' in 2015, by order of first appearance. All characters were introduced by the show's executive producer Dominic Treadwell-Collins. January saw the a ...
(Ellen Thomas
Ellen Thomas (born January 24, 1947) is an American peace activist. She first became involved with the White House Peace Vigil on April 13, 1984. The daughter of a US Marine, Thomas was born in Brooklyn and grew up in California. She became opp ...
), and being attacked by an unknown assailant, who was later revealed to be Abi. The decision not to renew Badland's contract was announced on 18 September 2016, with Babe scheduled to depart from the series in 2017, three years after her debut. Badland made her final appearance in episode 5438, originally broadcast in the United Kingdom on 9 February 2017.
Storylines
Babe Smith arrives inWalford
Walford is a fictional borough of east London in the BBC soap opera ''EastEnders''. It is the primary setting for the soap. ''EastEnders'' is filmed at Borehamwood in Hertfordshire, towards the north-west of London. Much of the location work ...
after being invited to The Queen Victoria
The Queen Victoria (more often referred to as The Queen Vic or The Vic) is the Victorian public house in the BBC soap opera, ''EastEnders''. It has the fictional address of 46 Albert Square, Walford, London E20.
Appearance and developmen ...
public house
A pub (short for public house) is a kind of drinking establishment which is licensed to serve alcoholic drinks for consumption on the premises. The term ''public house'' first appeared in the United Kingdom in late 17th century, and was ...
by Tina Carter (Luisa Bradshaw-White
Luisa Bradshaw-White (born 9 December 1974) is a former English actress, known for playing Tina Carter in '' EastEnders'' and for her previous roles on '' Bad Girls'', '' Holby City'' and ''This Life''. She has also made appearances in televisi ...
). Babe tells Shirley Carter
Shirley Carter is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera ''EastEnders'', played by Linda Henry. She first appeared on 7 December 2006, during episodes set in Dorset. This is Henry's second role in ''EastEnders'', as she previously playe ...
(Linda Henry
Linda Varilis (''née'' Henry; born 24 August 1959) is an English actress. She is known for her roles as Yvonne Atkins in the ITV drama '' Bad Girls'' and Shirley Carter in the BBC soap opera ''EastEnders'', a role she has played since 200 ...
) that she would like to spend more time with her and has not made contact with her sister, Shirley and Tina's mother, Sylvie Carter
The following are characters who first appeared, or returned, in the BBC soap opera ''EastEnders'' during 2014 listed by order of first appearance. All new characters in 2014 were introduced by Dominic Treadwell-Collins, executive producer.
...
(Linda Marlowe
Linda Virginia Marlowe (née Bathurst, born 26 July 1940) is an Australian-born British film, theatre, and television actress. She is noted for her association with Steven Berkoff, performing in many of his theatrical works, creating a one-woman ...
), in months. However, she has missed three calls from her. Babe returns to visit the Carters and reveals that when the children were young, she sold marijuana
Cannabis, also known as marijuana among other names, is a psychoactive drug from the cannabis plant. Native to Central or South Asia, the cannabis plant has been used as a drug for both recreational and entheogenic purposes and in various tra ...
to help out financially. She later provides Tina with marijuana to sell and she cooks it in brownies, which are stolen. When Mick and Shirley discover this, Shirley burns Babe's stash, so Babe threatens to reveal that Shirley is Mick's mother. After being introduced to Tina's girlfriend, Fiona "Tosh" Mackintosh (Rebecca Scroggs), Babe warns Tosh not to harm Tina. It becomes apparent Sylvie lives with Babe, and Sylvie's former husband, Stan Carter
Stan Carter is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera '' EastEnders'', portrayed by Timothy West. He first appeared in the show's 4,793rd episode, originally broadcast in the United Kingdom on 27 January 2014, and was introduced as the f ...
(Timothy West
Timothy Lancaster West, CBE (born 20 October 1934) is an English actor and presenter. He has appeared frequently on both stage and television, including stints in both ''Coronation Street'' (as Eric Babbage) and ''EastEnders'' (as Stan Carte ...
), becomes suspicious when he sees Babe buying lilies, Sylvie's favourite flower.
After Shirley separates from her flame, Phil Mitchell
Phil Mitchell is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera ''EastEnders'', played by Steve McFadden. He was introduced to the soap opera on 20 February 1990 and was followed by his brother Grant Mitchell (EastEnders), Grant (Ross Kemp), s ...
( Steve McFadden), Babe becomes her confidant and suggests that she take revenge. Shirley shoots Phil and flees Walford with Babe's help, although Babe lies to the Carters and tells them she has not seen Shirley. Babe discovers that Stan has terminal prostate cancer
Prostate cancer is cancer of the prostate. Prostate cancer is the second most common cancerous tumor worldwide and is the fifth leading cause of cancer-related mortality among men. The prostate is a gland in the male reproductive system that sur ...
and urges him to inform their family, but he refuses so Babe tells them, annoying Stan. Babe leads Tosh to believe Tina is having an affair with Sonia Fowler
Sonia Fowler (also Jackson) is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera ''EastEnders'', played by Natalie Cassidy. Her first appearance was on and she departed on She returned briefly in 2010 along with other members of the Jackson fam ...
(Natalie Cassidy
Natalie Ann Cassidy (born 13 May 1983) is an English actress. She has played Sonia Fowler in ''EastEnders'' since 1993, appeared in the BBC Two sitcom-horror '' Psychoville'' and was a contestant on the seventh series of ''Strictly Come Dan ...
), which causes Tosh to attack Tina. When Shirley and Mick visit Babe, intending to confront her, they find Sylvie, who has Alzheimer's disease
Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a neurodegeneration, neurodegenerative disease that usually starts slowly and progressively worsens. It is the cause of 60–70% of cases of dementia. The most common early symptom is difficulty in short-term me ...
. Following this, Mick discovers the truth about his parentage, while Shirley and Stan reconcile, upsetting Babe, who admits she had loved Stan herself and always resented Sylvie for "stealing" him. Babe later decides she cannot care for Sylvie alone, and persuades the family to put Sylvie into a care home. However, at a goodbye party, Sylvie and Shirley have an angry confrontation, causing Shirley to reveal that it was Babe who suggested the idea to pass Mick off as Sylvie's child. Mick is furious and tells Sylvie and Babe to leave.
Babe returns to The Queen Vic, but is rejected by Mick's wife Linda Carter
Linda Carter is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera ''EastEnders'', played by Kellie Bright. She first appeared on 19 December 2013 and her casting was announced alongside her on-screen partner, Mick Carter ( Danny Dyer). Linda was ...
(Kellie Bright
Kellie Denise Bright (born 1 July 1976) is an English actress. Her roles include Linda Carter in the BBC soap opera ''EastEnders'', for which she won the 2015 British Soap Award for Best Actress and Best Dramatic Performance, Julie in ''Ali G ...
) and leaves. When Stan loses the use of his legs due to his prostate cancer, Tina asks Babe to visit so she can persuade him to seek medical help. Stan is pleased to see Babe and reconciles with Tina. Although Babe is upset when Stan proposes to Cora Cross
Cora Cross is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera '' EastEnders'', played by Ann Mitchell. Cora is the mother of Tanya Branning (Jo Joyner), Rainie Cross (Tanya Franks) and Ava Hartman ( Claire Perkins) and the grandmother of Lauren ...
(Ann Mitchell
Ann Mitchell (born 22 April 1939) is a British stage and television actress. She came to prominence in the 1980s when she starred as Dolly Rawlins in the crime series ''Widows'' as well as the sequels '' Widows 2'' and ''She's Out'', all writte ...
), she encourages Cora to accept the proposal as Stan will never love her. After Stan's death, Babe excludes Cora from his funeral and encourages the rift between Mick and Shirley. After the funeral, Babe tells Sylvie, who is residing in a care home, that Stan has died, which frustrates Sylvie as she could not attend the funeral. Babe and Sylvie argue and exchange insults, leading to Babe slapping Sylvie. Sylvie then bites Babe's shoulder and threatens to report a criminal act that Babe and Queenie Trott
The following is a list of characters that first appeared in the BBC soap opera '' EastEnders'' in 2007, by order of first appearance. A new family were introduced in this year, with Zainab Masood, Masood Ahmed, Shabnam Masood and Tamwar Masoo ...
(Judy Cornwell
Judy Valerie Cornwell (born 22 February 1940) is an English actress and writer best known for her role as Daisy in the successful British sitcom ''Keeping Up Appearances'' (1990–1995). She also played Anya Claus in '' Santa Claus: The Movie' ...
) committed several years earlier. Babe continues to create a rift between the Carter family and pays a teenager to throw a brick through the window of Shirley's son Dean Wicks
Dean Wicks (known as Deano in his initial stint) is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera ''EastEnders'' played by Matt Di Angelo. He made his first appearance on 2 January 2006. It was announced on 18 August 2007 that the characters o ...
's (Matt Di Angelo
Mario Angelo S Constantinou (born 1 May 1987), professionally known as Matt Di Angelo, is a British actor and singer, best known for his role as Dean Wicks in the BBC soap opera '' EastEnders''. He also portrayed Sean Kennedy in the BBC drama s ...
) salon. However, Dean's father, Buster Briggs (Karl Howman
Karl Howman (born 13 December 1953) is an English actor and voice-over artist. He is best known for playing Jacko in the sitcom ''Brush Strokes'' from 1986 to 1991, Mulberry in ''Mulberry'' from 1992 to 1993 and Buster Briggs in ''EastEnders'' f ...
), learns the truth behind the attack and confronts Babe in front of the Carters, tipping a trifle over her head. After realising Babe's deceit, Mick and Shirley force Babe to leave Walford, but Babe warns that she will return.
A few months later, Mick and Tina go to Babe's house to confront her, as Stan's ashes have been replaced by custard powder, only to be greeted by a man who says that Babe has moved to Ramsgate. Along with Shirley, they track Babe down to a caravan in Ramsgate, where Babe states she was evicted from her house. Later, Shirley discovers a scrapbook of photos of young pregnant girls with due dates written on the back and realises that Babe and Queenie had kidnapped these girls and had their babies adopted out. Shirley is disgusted by Babe's actions and threatens to set her fire to her caravan, but Mick stops her. However, Babe burns the caravan down herself, realising that she needs to move on, and returns to Walford with Shirley, Mick and Tina. Linda's mother, Elaine Peacock
The following are characters who first appeared, or returned, in the BBC soap opera ''EastEnders'' during 2014 listed by order of first appearance. All new characters in 2014 were introduced by Dominic Treadwell-Collins, executive producer.
...
(Maria Friedman
Maria Friedman ( Freedman; born 19 March 1960) is a British actress and director of stage and screen, best known for her work in musical theatre.
She is an eight-time Olivier Award nominee, winning three. Her first win was for her 1994 one-w ...
), and her toyboy fiancé, Jason Adams (Scott Neal
Scott Neal (born 10 June 1978) is a British actor. He is best known for his roles in ''The Bill'', first in guest roles as Ryan Keating and Carl Simms and later as a regular cast member as PC Luke Ashton. He is also known for his role in ''EastE ...
), temporarily move into The Queen Vic. Babe does not trust Jason, although they have a passionate encounter, which is caught by Mick and Linda. Linda asks Babe to ensure Jason leaves Walford without informing Elaine of the reason, but when Elaine teases Babe, she reveals that she had sex with Jason. Elaine refuses to believe this, while Jason suggests that he and Babe steal from the pub and leave together. Babe secretly records the conversation and plays it to the Carters, who force Jason to leave. Babe admits to Elaine and Linda that she and Jason did not have sex and that she feels lonely. Babe continues to clash with Cora and is humiliated when Cora exposes her baby farming
Baby farming is the historical practice of accepting custody of an infant or child in exchange for payment in late- Victorian Britain and, less commonly, in Australia and the United States. If the infant was young, this usually included wet-nu ...
past to the Carter family and the pub's customers. Linda contemplates evicting Babe, but after Babe successfully leads a protest to house Cora, Linda allows Babe to stay.
Babe hires Abi Branning
Abi Branning is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera '' EastEnders'', played by Lorna Fitzgerald. She was introduced by executive producer Kate Harwood on 3 July 2006 as an extension to the Branning family, along with father Max (J ...
(Lorna Fitzgerald
Lorna Katie Fitzgerald (born 17 April 1996) is a British actress from Northampton. Her most notable role to date is that of Abi Branning in the BBC soap opera, '' EastEnders''. Since leaving ''EastEnders'' in January 2018, Fitzgerald has develo ...
) to work as her kitchen assistant after Abi confides in Babe about her jealousy towards her sister, Lauren Branning
Lauren Branning is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera ''EastEnders''. The role was originated by Madeline Duggan, who first appeared on 3 July 2006. Duggan played the role for four years until her exit on 23 June 2010. Three months l ...
(Jacqueline Jossa
Jacqueline Mary Osborne (''née'' Jossa) (born 29 October 1992) is an English actress and television presenter. She is known for portraying Lauren Branning in the BBC soap opera ''EastEnders'' from 2010 to 2022, and winning the nineteenth ser ...
), which she felt she could relate to. Babe notices Abi's boyfriend, Ben Mitchell (Harry Reid
Harry Mason Reid Jr. (; December 2, 1939 – December 28, 2021) was an American lawyer and politician who served as a United States senator from Nevada from 1987 to 2017. He led the Senate Democratic Caucus from 2005 to 2017 and was the Sena ...
), flirting with Paul Coker
Paul Coker Jr. (March 5, 1929 – July 23, 2022) was an American illustrator. He worked in many media, including '' Mad'', character design for Rankin-Bass TV specials, greeting cards, and advertising.
Career
Coker was born in Lawrence, Kansa ...
(Jonny Labey
Jonny Labey (born 15 January 1993) is a British actor, known for portraying the role of Paul Coker on the BBC soap opera ''EastEnders''.
Early life
Labey is from Grouville, Jersey. He attended Grouville School and Victoria College. He began d ...
), so helps Abi to take revenge. Abi later reveals to a busy pub, including Ben and Paul, that she is pregnant, however it transpires Babe encouraged Abi to fake her pregnancy until she becomes pregnant. However, Ben suspects he has caught an STI from having casual sex, so Babe suggests that Abi has sex with a stranger and she has sex with Babe's relative, Lee Carter Lee Carter may refer to:
* Lee Carter (baseball), American baseball player
*Lee Carter (comics), British fantasy artist
* Lee Carter (''EastEnders''), fictional character
* Lee J. Carter (born 1987), member of the Virginia House of Delegates
* Vipe ...
(Danny-Boy Hatchard
Danny-Boy Hatchard (born 26 July 1991) is an English actor, known for portraying the role of Lee Carter in the BBC soap opera ''EastEnders''. Hatchard's other credits include Aaron in the 2014 film ''We Still Kill the Old Way'' and Steven Pierc ...
), but does not become pregnant. Babe later discovers that Les Coker
The following are characters who first appeared in the BBC soap opera ''EastEnders'' during 2012 listed by order of first appearance. New characters were introduced by Bryan Kirkwood, executive producer. He stepped down from the role in April. ...
(Roger Sloman
Roger Sloman (born 19 May 1946) is an English actor known for his work in theatre, film, and television.
Early life and education
He grew up and was educated in South East London. He trained to be a teacher and then went to East 15 acting sch ...
) is a crossdresser. During an argument between Ben and his father, Phil Mitchell
Phil Mitchell is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera ''EastEnders'', played by Steve McFadden. He was introduced to the soap opera on 20 February 1990 and was followed by his brother Grant Mitchell (EastEnders), Grant (Ross Kemp), s ...
( Steve McFadden), Babe pushes Abi into Ben and she falls so Babe rushes her out of The Queen Vic, claiming to be taking her to the hospital. When they return, Abi tells her friends and family that she has miscarried. After Abi and Babe fall out, Babe writes a letter to Ben explaining the truth, and although it is intercepted by Ben's half-sister, Louise Mitchell
Louise or Luise may refer to:
* Louise (given name)
Arts Songs
* "Louise" (Bonnie Tyler song), 2005
* "Louise" (The Human League song), 1984
* "Louise" (Jett Rebel song), 2013
* "Louise" (Maurice Chevalier song), 1929
*"Louise", by Clan of ...
(Tilly Keeper
Matilda Elizabeth Keeper (born 16 August 1997) is an English actress, known for her role as Louise Mitchell on the BBC soap opera '' EastEnders''. Shortly after leaving the soap, Keeper appeared in the BBC film ''Make Me Famous'' and has since ...
), Abi still inadvertently reveals the truth to Ben, ending their relationship.
The following month, Babe begins blackmailing Les anonymously. Les' wife, Pam Coker
The following are characters who first appeared, or returned, in the BBC soap opera ''EastEnders'' during 2014 listed by order of first appearance. All new characters in 2014 were introduced by Dominic Treadwell-Collins, executive producer.
...
(Lin Blakley
Linda E. Blakley (née Stevens; born 1 July 1947) is an English actress, known for her role as Pam Coker in the BBC soap opera '' EastEnders''.
Career
In 2004, Blakley appeared in the film '' The Football Factory'' as the mother to Tamara (Soph ...
), realises Babe is the blackmailer, but is too ashamed to report it so Babe continues to increase the blackmail amount. Babe later threatens to reveal photos of Les crossdressing, causing Pam to humiliate herself while the stress of the blackmail causes Les to suffer a heart attack. When Babe discovers that Abi and Lee had sex and that Abi has passed on an STI to Lee's pregnant girlfriend, Whitney Dean
Whitney Dean (also Carter) is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera ''EastEnders'', played by Shona McGarty. The character is the ward of long-running character Bianca Jackson (Patsy Palmer) and was introduced on 1 April 2008 when Pa ...
(Shona McGarty
Shona McGarty (born 14 October 1991) is an English actress and singer who portrays Whitney Dean in the BBC soap opera ''EastEnders''.
Career
Before joining ''EastEnders'', McGarty had been involved in amateur musical theatre for six years, ...
), Babe badly burns Abi's hand. After the fling is exposed, Abi informs the Carter family about Babe's involvement and the family subsequently disown her. At a low ebb, Babe begins blackmailing the Cokers again, despite the recent death of their grandson, Paul, as well as threatening Abi. Pam eventually confides in Claudette Hubbard
The following is a list of characters that first appeared in the BBC soap opera ''EastEnders'' in 2015, by order of first appearance. All characters were introduced by the show's executive producer Dominic Treadwell-Collins. January saw the a ...
(Ellen Thomas
Ellen Thomas (born January 24, 1947) is an American peace activist. She first became involved with the White House Peace Vigil on April 13, 1984. The daughter of a US Marine, Thomas was born in Brooklyn and grew up in California. She became opp ...
) about the blackmail and she threatens Babe to stop it.
Babe is invited to return to work by Linda and is pleased when Abi is sacked after making an error. Babe visits Sylvie, who now lives with Tina, and belittles her. Later in the evening, Babe is locked in The Queen Vic's kitchen freezer by an unknown assailant, although Linda and Whitney discover Babe and she makes a quick recovery. Linda accuses Claudette of being the culprit so Claudette exposes Babe's blackmailer secret to her. Mick and Linda are mortified, but forgive Babe. She later informs her family that Sylvie locked her in the freezer, but it transpires that Abi is the culprit and Babe realises this, but wants to readmit Sylvie into a care home. Linda later demands Babe return the money to the Cokers to avoid police interference, but Babe neglects the task so Mick warns her. She tries to earn the money by gambling and blackmailing Abi, but she mocks Babe's desperation. Linda issues Babe with a final warning so Babe decides to go to the bank, however she is delayed by Lee. Linda grows tired and evicts Babe, despite her returning all of the money. They later have a heart-to-heart where Babe explains that the money was placed into a bank account for Linda's infant son, Ollie Carter
The following is a list of characters that first appeared in the BBC soap opera ''EastEnders'' in 2015, by order of first appearance. All characters were introduced by the show's executive producer Dominic Treadwell-Collins. January saw the a ...
(Charlie) and says how she is cruel because it makes her feel better. Linda subsequently allows Babe to move back into the Vic.
Babe starts serving breakfasts in the pub, putting her in direct competition with the local café, which starts a feud with its owner, Kathy Beale
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 ...
(Gillian Taylforth
Gillian Taylforth (born 14 August 1955) is an English actress. She is best known for her role as Kathy Beale on the BBC soap opera ''EastEnders'', and has also appeared as Jackie Pascoe, Jackie Pascoe/Webb on ITV Network, ITV's ''Footballers' Wi ...
). Babe tries to sabotage Kathy's business by poisoning her coffee machine, disgusting the Carter family. Babe creates a scheme to illegally serve alcohol with breakfast and unwittingly serves beer to a police detective who is working undercover. Days later, Babe, Mick and Shirley are arrested for breaching the licence laws, but Babe lies to the police that it was Mick's plan that she was following. Mick, Shirley and Babe are ordered to pay a fine. When Sylvie belittles Babe after telling her that she is the reason why Stan didn't love her, she leaves Sylvie by the canal in the rain, although Sylvie is found and Shirley realises that Babe left Sylvie to die and disowns her. When Shirley finds Babe stealing from The Queen Vic, she physically throws her out and explains to Mick. Babe pleads with him to let her stay, but Mick rejects her so she insults Linda. Mick ejects Babe from The Queen Vic and she curses the family, hoping they lose everything.
Creation and development
Casting and introduction
Babe was introduced as the maternal aunt of established regular characters Shirley Carter
Shirley Carter is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera ''EastEnders'', played by Linda Henry. She first appeared on 7 December 2006, during episodes set in Dorset. This is Henry's second role in ''EastEnders'', as she previously playe ...
(Linda Henry
Linda Varilis (''née'' Henry; born 24 August 1959) is an English actress. She is known for her roles as Yvonne Atkins in the ITV drama '' Bad Girls'' and Shirley Carter in the BBC soap opera ''EastEnders'', a role she has played since 200 ...
), Tina Carter (Luisa Bradshaw-White
Luisa Bradshaw-White (born 9 December 1974) is a former English actress, known for playing Tina Carter in '' EastEnders'' and for her previous roles on '' Bad Girls'', '' Holby City'' and ''This Life''. She has also made appearances in televisi ...
), and Mick Carter
Mick Carter is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera '' EastEnders'' played by Danny Dyer, making his first appearance in the show in the episode originally broadcast in the United Kingdom on 25 December 2013. Dyer's casting was annou ...
(Danny Dyer
Danial John Dyer (born 24 July 1977) is an English actor and presenter. Dyer's breakthrough role was as Moff in ''Human Traffic'', with other notable roles as Mick Carter in EastEnders, Billy the Limpet in '' Mean Machine'' and as Tommy Johns ...
), although Mick was later revealed to be Babe's great-nephew. The casting of Annette Badland
Annette Badland (born 26 August 1950) is an English actress known for a wide range of roles on television, radio, stage, and film. She is best known for her roles as Margaret Blaine in the BBC science fiction series ''Doctor Who'', Mrs. Glen ...
was announced on 12 December 2013, when Badland commented, "I'm thrilled to be joining the cast of ''EastEnders'' as I've always admired the show and everyone involved in it seems so warm-hearted. Aunt Babe is a fabulous and complex woman and I can't wait to get stuck into the role."
Executive producer, Dominic Treadwell-Collins
Dominic Treadwell-Collins (born 26 August 1977) is a British television producer, known for his work on the soap operas ''Family Affairs'' and ''EastEnders'', creating the ''EastEnders'' spin-off series '' Kat & Alfie: Redwater'' and Executive P ...
, introduced Babe as part of his plan to reinvigorate the show's older generation and teased Babe would "start to fill in some holes in the dark Carter family history." Treadwell-Collins later revealed that the billed personalities of Babe and Stan Carter
Stan Carter is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera '' EastEnders'', portrayed by Timothy West. He first appeared in the show's 4,793rd episode, originally broadcast in the United Kingdom on 27 January 2014, and was introduced as the f ...
(Timothy West
Timothy Lancaster West, CBE (born 20 October 1934) is an English actor and presenter. He has appeared frequently on both stage and television, including stints in both ''Coronation Street'' (as Eric Babbage) and ''EastEnders'' (as Stan Carte ...
) were actually swapped, with Babe actually being "manipulative". Laura Morgan of ''Digital Spy
Digital Spy (DS) is a British-based entertainment, television and film website and brand and is the largest digital property at Hearst UK. Since its launch in 1999, Digital Spy has focused on entertainment news related to television programmes, ...
'' liked the swap in personalities, although found it surprising. She commented, "we've got to hand it to ''EastEnders'' for adopting this clever tactic."
Speaking of how she received the role, Badland recalled that she had previously worked with Treadwell-Collins on an independent film so she was requested for a "chat" with him, before they read through scenes from the show. She was subsequently offered the role of Babe, with Badland describing the process as "terrifying". When discussing plotlines for 2014, Treadwell-Collins said he wanted to see younger characters through the eyes of their parents and not the other way around and that was part of the reason behind Babe's introduction.
Badland was filming episodes for ''Wizards vs Aliens
''Wizards vs Aliens'' is a British science fantasy television programme produced by BBC Cymru Wales and FremantleMedia Enterprises for CBBC and created by Russell T Davies and Phil Ford. The series focuses on the exploits of 16-year-old wiz ...
'' and '' Outlander'' during 2014 and so, Babe was slowly introduced to the show. She appeared in eleven episodes between February and July 2014, before eventually appearing permanently from 8 September 2014. Babe left the series again on 22 January 2015 when Mick exiled her from the family, but she since made various guest appearances until 5 May 2015. ''Radio Times
''Radio Times'' (currently styled as ''RadioTimes'') is a British weekly listings magazine devoted to television and radio programme schedules, with other features such as interviews, film reviews and lifestyle items. Founded in May 1923 by J ...
'' then confirmed that Babe would return "later hat
A hat is a head covering which is worn for various reasons, including protection against weather conditions, ceremonial reasons such as university graduation, religious reasons, safety, or as a fashion accessory. Hats which incorporate mecha ...
year" and that the Carter family should "keep looking over their shoulders". Babe returned for the indefinite future on 3 September 2015, in a storyline which saw Shirley, Tina and Mick track her down to retrieve and scatter Stan's ashes, which she had previously stolen.
Characterisation
Babe was billed as "a no-nonsense, bustling busybody with a big heart", who is also both shrewd and tough under her bubbly personality. Badland described Babe as "quite a private person" that would "protect her family", who she was "proud" to be in contact with again. She said she that Babe enjoys keeping "control in a social way" and that despite having a "front of being jolly", Babe could also get "very angry" and be "ruthless". She said that Babe is the kind of person who, when someone crosses her, just does and says the things that other people would not think of doing or saying until it is too late, and though she had tried to find trigger points that influence Babe's vengefulness, had realised that Babe was "wicked" just "for the joy of it". Rebecca Scroggs, who playsTosh Mackintosh
The following are characters who first appeared, or returned, in the BBC soap opera ''EastEnders'' during 2014 listed by order of first appearance. All new characters in 2014 were introduced by Dominic Treadwell-Collins, executive producer.
...
, described Babe as "a lovely woman" with a darker side that could make her the "most fearsome Carter of all". Badland also revealed that she never wanted Babe to be "modified into a more ordinary person" because she "relished" the character.
David Brown, writing for the ''Radio Times'', called Babe "devious", a reporter from '' Inside Soap'' branded Babe "vindictive", and Adam Miller of ''The Daily Express
The ''Daily Express'' is a national daily United Kingdom middle-market newspaper printed in tabloid format. Published in London, it is the flagship of Express Newspapers, owned by publisher Reach plc. It was first published as a broadsheet ...
'' described Babe as "twisted", "elusive" and "villainous". Additionally, Daniel Kilkelly from ''Digital Spy'' labelled Babe "spiteful", while Duncan Lindsay of the ''Metro
Metro, short for metropolitan, may refer to:
Geography
* Metro (city), a city in Indonesia
* A metropolitan area, the populated region including and surrounding an urban center
Public transport
* Rapid transit, a passenger railway in an urba ...
'' said she was "scheming", a "deliciously wicked ..villain", and "the villain we all love to hate". Claire Murphy of ''The Daily Mirror
''The'' () is a grammatical article in English, denoting persons or things already mentioned, under discussion, implied or otherwise presumed familiar to listeners, readers, or speakers. It is the definite article in English. ''The'' is the ...
'' described Babe as "evil" and a "villain", and her colleague, Natalie Corner, named Babe "one of the most hated characters". Laura-Jayne Tyler of ''Inside Soap'' called Babe "wicked", while Sarah Deen of the ''Metro'' said that Babe is "that troublemaking, sinister little voice in people's ear that makes bad things happen" and branded her "Halloween personified". Johnathon Hughes of ''Digital Spy'' described Babe as a "sinister spinster" and "bitter". A ''Soaplife
''Soaplife'' was a soap opera
A soap opera, or ''soap'' for short, is a typically long-running radio or television serial, frequently characterized by melodrama, ensemble casts, and sentimentality. The term "soap opera" originated from radio d ...
'' reporter labelled Babe as "ruthless", a "twisted witch" and a "devious little woman", while Morgan (''Digital Spy'') thought Babe is "rotten to the core" and not "a cuddly old dear".
Relationships
Carter family
Babe was introduced on-screen on 31 January 2014 when she visits the Carter family, having been called by Tina. She joins the family to assist them in preparation for their karaoke night at their pub,The Queen Victoria
The Queen Victoria (more often referred to as The Queen Vic or The Vic) is the Victorian public house in the BBC soap opera, ''EastEnders''. It has the fictional address of 46 Albert Square, Walford, London E20.
Appearance and developmen ...
. More of the Carters' backstory was explored through Babe's introduction and at the end of episode, Babe was shown to have clear contact with her sister, Sylvie Carter
The following are characters who first appeared, or returned, in the BBC soap opera ''EastEnders'' during 2014 listed by order of first appearance. All new characters in 2014 were introduced by Dominic Treadwell-Collins, executive producer.
...
(Linda Marlowe
Linda Virginia Marlowe (née Bathurst, born 26 July 1940) is an Australian-born British film, theatre, and television actress. She is noted for her association with Steven Berkoff, performing in many of his theatrical works, creating a one-woman ...
), despite telling the rest of the Carters otherwise. Babe was said to be "thrilled" to be back amongst her family, having felt "guilty" for how Sylvie left the family. Babe has a large amount of interaction with her family because she lives and works at the family's pub, The Queen Victoria
The Queen Victoria (more often referred to as The Queen Vic or The Vic) is the Victorian public house in the BBC soap opera, ''EastEnders''. It has the fictional address of 46 Albert Square, Walford, London E20.
Appearance and developmen ...
. Babe is close with her niece Tina Carter, portrayed by Luisa Bradshaw-White
Luisa Bradshaw-White (born 9 December 1974) is a former English actress, known for playing Tina Carter in '' EastEnders'' and for her previous roles on '' Bad Girls'', '' Holby City'' and ''This Life''. She has also made appearances in televisi ...
, and Badland said that Babe has a "soft spot" for Tina and would always try to help her. Babe is wary of Tina's partner Tosh Mackintosh
The following are characters who first appeared, or returned, in the BBC soap opera ''EastEnders'' during 2014 listed by order of first appearance. All new characters in 2014 were introduced by Dominic Treadwell-Collins, executive producer.
...
, portrayed by Rebecca Scroggs, so when Tina is attacked by Tosh, Babe becomes protective of Tina. Babe has a tense relationship with Tina's older sister Shirley Carter
Shirley Carter is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera ''EastEnders'', played by Linda Henry. She first appeared on 7 December 2006, during episodes set in Dorset. This is Henry's second role in ''EastEnders'', as she previously playe ...
, portrayed by Linda Henry
Linda Varilis (''née'' Henry; born 24 August 1959) is an English actress. She is known for her roles as Yvonne Atkins in the ITV drama '' Bad Girls'' and Shirley Carter in the BBC soap opera ''EastEnders'', a role she has played since 200 ...
, as they share an emotional history. Badland believed Babe loves Shirley, but would protect herself over Shirley. Hughes (''Digital Spy'') described Babe as "the bad apple" of the Carter family.
Shirley and Tina's "brother" Mick Carter
Mick Carter is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera '' EastEnders'' played by Danny Dyer, making his first appearance in the show in the episode originally broadcast in the United Kingdom on 25 December 2013. Dyer's casting was annou ...
, portrayed by Danny Dyer
Danial John Dyer (born 24 July 1977) is an English actor and presenter. Dyer's breakthrough role was as Moff in ''Human Traffic'', with other notable roles as Mick Carter in EastEnders, Billy the Limpet in '' Mean Machine'' and as Tommy Johns ...
, was revealed to the audience as Shirley's son. Badland explained that Babe and Shirley's mother, Sylvie Carter
The following are characters who first appeared, or returned, in the BBC soap opera ''EastEnders'' during 2014 listed by order of first appearance. All new characters in 2014 were introduced by Dominic Treadwell-Collins, executive producer.
...
, portrayed by Linda Marlowe
Linda Virginia Marlowe (née Bathurst, born 26 July 1940) is an Australian-born British film, theatre, and television actress. She is noted for her association with Steven Berkoff, performing in many of his theatrical works, creating a one-woman ...
, knew this because they covered up Shirley's pregnancy and helped her give birth, which estranged Shirley from Babe. Babe threatens Shirley with her knowledge and promises to tell Mick if Shirley crosses her. Babe is unmarried and has no children so Shirley, Tina and Mick are the "closest thing she ever had" to children and her backstory states she was devastated when Tina and Mick were taken into care.
In her earlier episodes, producers set up a rivalry between Babe and her brother-in-law Stan Carter
Stan Carter is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera '' EastEnders'', portrayed by Timothy West. He first appeared in the show's 4,793rd episode, originally broadcast in the United Kingdom on 27 January 2014, and was introduced as the f ...
, portrayed by Timothy West
Timothy Lancaster West, CBE (born 20 October 1934) is an English actor and presenter. He has appeared frequently on both stage and television, including stints in both ''Coronation Street'' (as Eric Babbage) and ''EastEnders'' (as Stan Carte ...
. The reason for their shared hatred was not explained until Sylvie arrived, when it was revealed that Babe was in love with Stan and believed Sylvie stole Stan when they were younger. Vicky Prior of the ''Metro
Metro, short for metropolitan, may refer to:
Geography
* Metro (city), a city in Indonesia
* A metropolitan area, the populated region including and surrounding an urban center
Public transport
* Rapid transit, a passenger railway in an urba ...
'' described that there is "no love lost" between Babe and Stan, and speculated that Babe and Stan may have had an affair. Katy Brent-Stacey of the ''Daily Mirror'' said Babe's life was "wasted" because she spent it "hoping that Stan would notice her". Miller (''Daily Express'') described Babe as being "madly in love" with Stan. ''All About Soap
''All About Soap'' was a fortnightly UK magazine founded in October 1999. It was released on Tuesdays. Storylines of the shows it covers are from soap operas shown in the United Kingdom and from Australia, including '' EastEnders'', '' Cor ...
'' said that "all those years of unrequited love ..made Babe pretty bitter". When Stan is diagnosed with terminal prostate cancer
Prostate cancer is cancer of the prostate. Prostate cancer is the second most common cancerous tumor worldwide and is the fifth leading cause of cancer-related mortality among men. The prostate is a gland in the male reproductive system that sur ...
, Babe is devastated at the prospect of losing him. Stan becomes engaged to Cora Cross
Cora Cross is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera '' EastEnders'', played by Ann Mitchell. Cora is the mother of Tanya Branning (Jo Joyner), Rainie Cross (Tanya Franks) and Ava Hartman ( Claire Perkins) and the grandmother of Lauren ...
(Ann Mitchell
Ann Mitchell (born 22 April 1939) is a British stage and television actress. She came to prominence in the 1980s when she starred as Dolly Rawlins in the crime series ''Widows'' as well as the sequels '' Widows 2'' and ''She's Out'', all writte ...
) and when his health deteriorates, they decide to marry quickly. Babe attempts to ruin it by bringing Sylvie to see Stan, but they decide to marry nevertheless. Babe is delighted when Stan is physically unable to say his vows, but is devastated when he dies. Gary Gillatt of ''Inside Soap'' expressed his approval of Babe's rivalry with Cora and said, "there's a hot new rivalry in Walford – and we can't get enough if it!"
Babe dislikes Shirley's son Dean Wicks
Dean Wicks (known as Deano in his initial stint) is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera ''EastEnders'' played by Matt Di Angelo. He made his first appearance on 2 January 2006. It was announced on 18 August 2007 that the characters o ...
, portrayed by Matt Di Angelo
Mario Angelo S Constantinou (born 1 May 1987), professionally known as Matt Di Angelo, is a British actor and singer, best known for his role as Dean Wicks in the BBC soap opera '' EastEnders''. He also portrayed Sean Kennedy in the BBC drama s ...
, and Badland explained that Babe thinks Dean is "hot headed" and a "slippery fish". Babe falls out with Mick's son Johnny Carter (Ted Reilly
Ted Reilly (born 14 September 1991) is a British actor, who played the role of Johnny Carter in '' EastEnders'' from 2016–2018, because the original actor chose not to return, and the show's producers recast the role. Before that, however, he ...
) when he tries to stop her plans for a night at The Queen Vic, sparking tension between them. Badland revealed that off-screen she gets along well with the actors playing her on-screen family, describing them as "generous, kind and fun".
Sylvie Carter
Following Babe's arrival, it was speculated that she could be in contact with her sister, Sylvie (Marlowe). In her first episode, Babe was shown to be frequently in contact with her, despite telling Shirley she had not spoken to her. In a later episode, Babe claims to the Carter family that she lives alone and feels "lonely" without Sylvie, having not been in contact with her. Babe also claims that she misses having someone "to share half a beer with at the end of a long day." However, later scenes in the episodes depict Babe talking to an unknown person off-screen as she opens a bottle of beer for them to share. On 1 August 2014, it was announced that Sylvie would be introduced to the show, but no character details or casting news were announced. Marlowe's casting was announced on 23 September 2014 and Treadwell-Collins promised that Sylvie's appearance would "open old wounds in the Carter family". He added that "watching Linda Marlowe, Annette Badland, Ann Mitchell and Timothy West going for it on screen is going to be electric." Marlowe explained that Babe had hidden Sylvie away because of herAlzheimer's disease
Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a neurodegeneration, neurodegenerative disease that usually starts slowly and progressively worsens. It is the cause of 60–70% of cases of dementia. The most common early symptom is difficulty in short-term me ...
and the behaviour that accompanies the illness. She noted that Babe and Sylvie were close because they were fond of each other, but opined that Sylvie is "a little bit intimidated" by Babe because she can be "very scary" and "a bit conniving". Hughes (''Digital Spy'') disapproved of Babe's treatment of Sylvie and noted that Babe struggled to overcome Stan choosing Sylvie instead of her, making her "a woman with issues."
Abi Branning
Producers created a friendship between Babe andAbi Branning
Abi Branning is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera '' EastEnders'', played by Lorna Fitzgerald. She was introduced by executive producer Kate Harwood on 3 July 2006 as an extension to the Branning family, along with father Max (J ...
(Lorna Fitzgerald
Lorna Katie Fitzgerald (born 17 April 1996) is a British actress from Northampton. Her most notable role to date is that of Abi Branning in the BBC soap opera, '' EastEnders''. Since leaving ''EastEnders'' in January 2018, Fitzgerald has develo ...
) and used Babe to manipulate Abi. Fitzgerald believed that Abi was "easily manipulated by characters who are stronger than her" because she was "very vulnerable". Sophie Dainty, writing for ''Digital Spy'', branded Babe "an unlikely ally" for Abi. Lindsay (''Metro'') described Babe and Abi as a "villanious double act" which was "genius" and "the most bonkers and outrageous double acts of all time in soap". Abi wants a family unit for her and her boyfriend, Ben Mitchell (Harry Reid
Harry Mason Reid Jr. (; December 2, 1939 – December 28, 2021) was an American lawyer and politician who served as a United States senator from Nevada from 1987 to 2017. He led the Senate Democratic Caucus from 2005 to 2017 and was the Sena ...
), despite Ben being a closeted homosexual
''Closeted'' and ''in the closet'' are metaphors for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender and other (LGBTQ+) people who have not disclosed their sexual orientation or gender identity and aspects thereof, including sexual identity and human ...
and hopes to get pregnant by Ben, but he stuns her by revealing he has contracted an STI. Babe comforts Abi and Fitzgerald explained, "Abi thinks Babe is looking out for her, and she trusts her". Tyler (''Inside Soap'') praised Babe's involvement in Abi's fake pregnancy, writing, "We're beyond thrilled that Aunt Babe is back to her wicked best – leading Abi into disaster just because Babe herself was once ditched by her true love Stan." She added that she "especially enjoyed Babe's assumption that Abi is a lesbian, and that she and Ben are each other's 'beards
A beard is the hair that grows on the jaw, chin, upper lip, lower lip, cheeks, and neck of humans and some non-human animals. In humans, usually pubescent or adult males are able to grow beards.
Throughout the course of history, societal at ...
'" and thought the scene was funny.
Babe encourages Abi to tell Ben she is pregnant. Fitzgerald explained that when Babe suggests the idea, Abi decides to trust her. Lindsay believed the moment Abi tells Ben she is pregnant had "Babe written all over it", adding that "as a puppet of Aunt Babe's, there isn't much hope for Abi". ''Digital Spy'' named the moment "the bombshell of all bombshells". Viewers speculated that Abi had lied about the pregnancy and the ''Sunday Express
The ''Daily Express'' is a national daily United Kingdom middle-market newspaper printed in tabloid format. Published in London, it is the flagship of Express Newspapers, owned by publisher Reach plc. It was first published as a broadsheet i ...
'' questioned whether Babe had "put the idea in Abi's head". The speculation was confirmed in the following episode. Lindsay believed that in the weeks following the scene, viewers would "laugh at Babe and Abi, cry for them, feel for them, root for them and scream furiously at them while throwing plates at heirtelevisions." Fitzgerald enjoyed Babe and Abi's friendship and said she "loved" working with Badland, while Badland also liked working with Fitzgerald, saying that she thought Babe and Abi had "genuinely connected" but their friendship was "inevitably soured with all the shenanigans". Lindsay praised the show for "recognising the qualities this insane partnership has" and suggested the portmanteau
A portmanteau word, or portmanteau (, ) is a blend of words In addition to his comments, Lindsay ran a poll asking readers for their opinions on Babe and Abi's friendship: 54% of people who answered described it as "fantastic", while the other 46% described it as "terrible".
Abi attempts to impregnant herself by having a one-night stand with Babe's relative,
The show reintroduced Mick's mother-in-law
Producers created a new storyline in October 2015 when
Lee Carter Lee Carter may refer to:
* Lee Carter (baseball), American baseball player
*Lee Carter (comics), British fantasy artist
* Lee Carter (''EastEnders''), fictional character
* Lee J. Carter (born 1987), member of the Virginia House of Delegates
* Vipe ...
(Danny-Boy Hatchard
Danny-Boy Hatchard (born 26 July 1991) is an English actor, known for portraying the role of Lee Carter in the BBC soap opera ''EastEnders''. Hatchard's other credits include Aaron in the 2014 film ''We Still Kill the Old Way'' and Steven Pierc ...
), following encouragement from Babe to have a one-night stand. Badland explained that Babe regrets encouraging Abi, saying "She got a bit over-enthusiastic and she gave her bad advice. Babe saw herself in Abi and she really wanted to help her." Abi's attempt at getting pregnant is unsuccessful so when Abi suffers a fall in The Vic, Babe persuades Abi to fake a miscarriage. This leaves Ben "crushed" when he learns of Abi's miscarriage. This plot twist was criticised by Zoe Clark-Coates, co-founder and CEO of The Mariposa Trust, who said, "To regularly see TV shows using fake miscarriages as light entertainment could make people question genuine losses."
On 29 March 2016, Kilkelly (''Digital Spy'') reported that Babe and Abi would have a disagreement, causing Babe would post a letter addressed to Ben detailing Abi's lies. Babe regrets her decision and informs Abi, but before she can retrieve the letter, Ben's younger sister, Louise Mitchell
Louise or Luise may refer to:
* Louise (given name)
Arts Songs
* "Louise" (Bonnie Tyler song), 2005
* "Louise" (The Human League song), 1984
* "Louise" (Jett Rebel song), 2013
* "Louise" (Maurice Chevalier song), 1929
*"Louise", by Clan of ...
(Tilly Keeper
Matilda Elizabeth Keeper (born 16 August 1997) is an English actress, known for her role as Louise Mitchell on the BBC soap opera '' EastEnders''. Shortly after leaving the soap, Keeper appeared in the BBC film ''Make Me Famous'' and has since ...
), intercepts it and blackmails Abi. Abi, believing that Louise has told Ben the truth, tries to explain her actions to him and he consequently realises the truth. Deen (''Metro'') opined that Abi created "a deal with the devil" when she asked for help from Babe. She noted that while it "all blew up in Abi's face", Babe "stood back and watched the fireworks." Dainty noted that the baby storyline concluded with "a somewhat dramatic end".
Babe threatens Abi and burns her as a way of keeping her in the clear. Deen included the scene where Babe deliberately burns Abi in her list of "12 times soaps were scarier than any horror movie". She described the moment as "chilling", writing, "The fact that the grim moment isn't seen (you just hear Abi's anguished scream) makes it even more terrifying." In a separate article, Deen also praised the scene where Babe forced her way into Abi's house and said, "the way she says 'watch your back' makes our blood run cold." In 2017, Lindsay opined that Babe should receive her comeuppance and that Abi "needs to be instrumental" in this.
When Whitney Dean
Whitney Dean (also Carter) is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera ''EastEnders'', played by Shona McGarty. The character is the ward of long-running character Bianca Jackson (Patsy Palmer) and was introduced on 1 April 2008 when Pa ...
(Shona McGarty
Shona McGarty (born 14 October 1991) is an English actress and singer who portrays Whitney Dean in the BBC soap opera ''EastEnders''.
Career
Before joining ''EastEnders'', McGarty had been involved in amateur musical theatre for six years, ...
), Lee's fiancée, contracts chlamydia
Chlamydia, or more specifically a chlamydia infection, is a sexually transmitted infection caused by the bacterium ''Chlamydia trachomatis''. Most people who are infected have no symptoms. When symptoms do appear they may occur only several wee ...
, Babe reveals that he had sex with Abi, who had contracted an STI from Ben. On Babe's reasons for revealing the secret, Badland explained, "She's not sure where she stands, but she's desperate to get back inside the family. She loves Mick so much she wants to be around him. Linda and Mick have hurt her and you mustn't do that... Babe can get very upset!" Abi consequently reveals that Babe encouraged her to have a one-night stand, which causes Mick and Linda to reject Babe. However, after she is attacked, Mick and Linda try to fix their relationship with Babe. Of Mick and Linda making amends with Babe, Badland explained, "Although it might appear on the surface the Carters have forgiven her for playing a part in Abi's fake pregnancy lie and encouraging her to sleep with Lee, there could be repercussions further down the line."
Other relationships
The show reintroduced Mick's mother-in-law Elaine Peacock
The following are characters who first appeared, or returned, in the BBC soap opera ''EastEnders'' during 2014 listed by order of first appearance. All new characters in 2014 were introduced by Dominic Treadwell-Collins, executive producer.
...
(Maria Friedman
Maria Friedman ( Freedman; born 19 March 1960) is a British actress and director of stage and screen, best known for her work in musical theatre.
She is an eight-time Olivier Award nominee, winning three. Her first win was for her 1994 one-w ...
) in October 2015 and introduced her "toy-boy lover" Jason Adams (portrayed by Scott Neal
Scott Neal (born 10 June 1978) is a British actor. He is best known for his roles in ''The Bill'', first in guest roles as Ryan Keating and Carl Simms and later as a regular cast member as PC Luke Ashton. He is also known for his role in ''EastE ...
). It was reported on 29 September 2015 that Babe and Jason would be caught in a "state of undress" by Mick and his partner, Linda Carter
Linda Carter is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera ''EastEnders'', played by Kellie Bright. She first appeared on 19 December 2013 and her casting was announced alongside her on-screen partner, Mick Carter ( Danny Dyer). Linda was ...
(Kellie Bright
Kellie Denise Bright (born 1 July 1976) is an English actress. Her roles include Linda Carter in the BBC soap opera ''EastEnders'', for which she won the 2015 British Soap Award for Best Actress and Best Dramatic Performance, Julie in ''Ali G ...
). Deen (''Metro'') did not enjoy Babe's fling with Jason, describing it as "a grim passionate clinch" and hoping that it was not referenced again.
Babe frequently clashes with Whitney Carter (McGarty). Whitney correctly believes Babe has concocted Abi's pregnancy and confronts her, but Babe threatens to reveal her kiss with Mick so Whitney backs down. McGarty enjoyed the rivalry between Babe and Whitney, adding that it is "so much fun to deliver all the sly little comments that hitneygives to Babe." The actress praised Badland, branding her "scary" in character and said she was "a bit frightened" of her. Babe and Whitney clash again when Babe blames her for the Carter family's financial problems and tells her that she has "ruined" Lee's life. Babe is left annoyed when Whitney fights back against Babe. Kilkelly (''Digital Spy'') questioned whether Babe has "finally met her match" when she battles Whitney. Lindsay (''Metro'') praised the scene in which Babe blames Whitney for the family's financial problems and said, "we just love it when scheming Aunt Babe gets put in her place".
On-screen, Babe announced her plans to serve breakfast at The Queen Vic and it was reported that she would spark "stiff" competition from Kathy Beale
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 ...
(Gillian Taylforth
Gillian Taylforth (born 14 August 1955) is an English actress. She is best known for her role as Kathy Beale on the BBC soap opera ''EastEnders'', and has also appeared as Jackie Pascoe, Jackie Pascoe/Webb on ITV Network, ITV's ''Footballers' Wi ...
), who runs the local café, when she launches her breakfast menu. Badland expressed an interest in filming with Steve McFadden (who plays Phil Mitchell
Phil Mitchell is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera ''EastEnders'', played by Steve McFadden. He was introduced to the soap opera on 20 February 1990 and was followed by his brother Grant Mitchell (EastEnders), Grant (Ross Kemp), s ...
) and suggested that Babe could become a mechanic, working for Phil. Speaking to Sarah Ellis of ''Inside Soap'', Badland said, "I think she fixes her own car, you see, so I reckon she'd get her boiler suit on and go to work with Phil..." Badland believed Babe would "find relationship incredibly difficult because she has known nothing but struggle and rejection all of her life."
Baby farming
Producers established a new secret from Babe's backstory in April 2015. When Babe slaps Sylvie, she threatens to report Babe to the police for her past withQueenie Trott
The following is a list of characters that first appeared in the BBC soap opera '' EastEnders'' in 2007, by order of first appearance. A new family were introduced in this year, with Zainab Masood, Masood Ahmed, Shabnam Masood and Tamwar Masoo ...
(Judy Cornwell
Judy Valerie Cornwell (born 22 February 1940) is an English actress and writer best known for her role as Daisy in the successful British sitcom ''Keeping Up Appearances'' (1990–1995). She also played Anya Claus in '' Santa Claus: The Movie' ...
) but Babe reminds Sylvie she was involved as well. The storyline was revisted following Badland's return to the series in September 2015. Reports emerged of Badland, Dyer, Henry and Bradshaw-White filming Babe's return in Broadstairs and Ramsgate
Ramsgate is a seaside resort, seaside town in the district of Thanet District, Thanet in east Kent, England. It was one of the great English seaside towns of the 19th century. In 2001 it had a population of about 40,000. In 2011, according to t ...
in June 2015. When Babe mentions to Shirley, Mick and Tina that Queenie helped her keep their family together, Shirley remembers something and returns to Babe's caravan. At the caravan, Shirley exposes Babe's secret and reveals that Babe and Queenie stole the babies of young women to sell. Dyer described the secret as "a huge revelation" and "a shock and very dark". Babe explains to her family that she and Queenie ran an illegal adoption service, selling babies that could not be terminated. To "move on" from Stan's death, Babe sets fire to her caravan so Mick invites her to live with him and his family in The Vic.
Babe's baby farming secret was met with shock and disgust by viewers on Twitter. ''All About Soap'' said that Babe's illegal baby-selling business run from a "grubby caravan in Ramsgate is pretty murky". Deen (''Metro'') said the storyline was "one of abe'sdarkest storylines" and praised the scenes where Babe set her caravan alight, writing, "Like all good soap villains, Babe hit the self-destruct button in spectacular fashion, making her family believe (briefly) that she had perished inside the caravan fire." Comparing the baby farming storyline and Abi's fake pregnancy, Brown (''Radio Times'') questioned Babe's "baby-obsessed" nature, writing, "what is it with her keen interest in other people's newborns?".
Blackmail and feud with Claudette Hubbard
Producers created a new storyline in October 2015 when Les Coker
The following are characters who first appeared in the BBC soap opera ''EastEnders'' during 2012 listed by order of first appearance. New characters were introduced by Bryan Kirkwood, executive producer. He stepped down from the role in April. ...
(Roger Sloman
Roger Sloman (born 19 May 1946) is an English actor known for his work in theatre, film, and television.
Early life and education
He grew up and was educated in South East London. He trained to be a teacher and then went to East 15 acting sch ...
) was revealed to the audience as a crossdresser, going by the name of Christine. Les's wife, Pam Coker
The following are characters who first appeared, or returned, in the BBC soap opera ''EastEnders'' during 2014 listed by order of first appearance. All new characters in 2014 were introduced by Dominic Treadwell-Collins, executive producer.
...
(Lin Blakley
Linda E. Blakley (née Stevens; born 1 July 1947) is an English actress, known for her role as Pam Coker in the BBC soap opera '' EastEnders''.
Career
In 2004, Blakley appeared in the film '' The Football Factory'' as the mother to Tamara (Soph ...
), struggles with this and ends their marriage. In one of several attempts to win Pam back, Les burns all of Christine's belongings. Babe witnesses this and steals a half-burnt photograph of Christine. Badland said that Babe is "quite Dickensian in the way that she finds things and slips them into her pocket to use against people!" The storyline was revisited in May 2016 when Babe begins anonymously blackmailing Les and Pam in exchange for her silence. Of Babe's motivation to blackmail the Cokers, Badland said that "Babe hasn't got any respect for Pam and Les and she's using them to get money. It's as simple as that really." She also said that she "resents seeing esand Pam together as a unit" after he rejects her romantic advances, because she has "never had what they have".
When Les threatens to inform the police about her blackmail, Babe increases the price of the blackmail so Pam tries to appeal to Babe's "better nature". A reporter from ''Soaplife'' believed that this would "get Pam absolutely nowhere" because Babe does not have a better side. Pam is unable to appeal to her better nature and a show insider explained that Pam "doesn't see that she has any other option but to pay up". Billy Mitchell
William Lendrum Mitchell (December 29, 1879 – February 19, 1936) was a United States Army officer who is regarded as the father of the United States Air Force.
Mitchell served in France during World War I and, by the conflict's end, command ...
(Perry Fenwick
Perry Fenwick (born 29 May 1962) is an English actor. He is known for portraying the role of Billy Mitchell in the BBC soap opera ''EastEnders'', a role which he has played since 1998.
Career
Television
Fenwick's first regular television ro ...
) discovers Les's secret, which made Kilkelly (''Digital Spy'') believe that "it's only a matter of time before more characters find out." He opined that it would "be refreshing to see Babe receive the backlash for putting the Cokers through months of misery". He also described Babe as a "vicious blackmailler" who should be "ashamed".
Following the death of their grandson, Les and Pam confess their blackmail secret to their friend, Claudette Hubbard
The following is a list of characters that first appeared in the BBC soap opera ''EastEnders'' in 2015, by order of first appearance. All characters were introduced by the show's executive producer Dominic Treadwell-Collins. January saw the a ...
(Ellen Thomas
Ellen Thomas (born January 24, 1947) is an American peace activist. She first became involved with the White House Peace Vigil on April 13, 1984. The daughter of a US Marine, Thomas was born in Brooklyn and grew up in California. She became opp ...
), who warns Babe to end the blackmail. However, despite Claudette's warnings, Babe continues to blackmail the Cokers. This sparks tension between Babe and Claudette, who tells Babe that she will be moving back to the square to keep a "closer eye" on her. Badland explained Babe's rivalry with Claudette: "Claudette's sticking up for Les and Pam. She's a fair match for Babe and it's interesting when they go head-to-head." Badland hoped that the feud would last a long time, opining that it was "fabulous", and that "neither oman
Oman ( ; ar, عُمَان ' ), officially the Sultanate of Oman ( ar, سلْطنةُ عُمان ), is an Arabian country located in southwestern Asia. It is situated on the southeastern coast of the Arabian Peninsula, and spans the mouth of t ...
will back down easily", and adding that she thought Babe would triumph over Claudette, though admitted she was biased and probably "the only person on Babe's side". An ''Inside Soap'' reporter said Babe and Claudette's feud was "exciting" because Claudette is "fearsome" and Babe is "equally terrifying", and suspected that "Cunning Babe ould notbe so easily intimidated". A reporter for ''All About Soap'' questioned if Babe had "finally met her match" in Claudette, and compared the two women. In terms of cunning, they said that Babe has it "by the bucketload", while Claudette may be "getting soft in her old age" and may not be "sharp enough to take on Babe". They also opined that Claudette had more "fighting strength" as she continues to come back after a "knock down" and would not go down without a fight, while Babe's craftiness "means she'd easily come up with a new way to destroy an enemy". They said that Claudette has a "nasty and murderous" history while Babe's past is "chequered" but she had never killed someone, concluding that Claudette would be the winner of the feud, but still saying that they "wouldn't mess with Babe!".
The storyline concludes in episodes broadcast in October 2016 when the Cokers leave Walford. At the conclusion of the blackmail storyline, Sarah Robertson of the ''Metro'' said that Babe was "on her way to becoming soap's most hated character".
Revenge attack
A new storyline began in August 2016 when Babe became the victim of a revenge attack, having accumulated several enemies over the months leading up to the attack. Several media outlets suggested a range of suspects, with the most prominent suspects being Claudette, Les and Pam, Abi and Sylvie. Other suspects included: Linda, Lee, Whitney, Ben Mitchell (Harry Reid
Harry Mason Reid Jr. (; December 2, 1939 – December 28, 2021) was an American lawyer and politician who served as a United States senator from Nevada from 1987 to 2017. He led the Senate Democratic Caucus from 2005 to 2017 and was the Sena ...
), Steven Beale
Steven Beale is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera ''EastEnders'', played by Edward Farrell from 1989 to 1990, Stuart Stevens from 1992 to 1998, Edward Savage from 1998 to 2002, and Aaron Sidwell from 2007 to 2017. It was announced ...
(Aaron Sidwell
Aaron Michael Sidwell (born 12 September 1988) is an English actor and singer. He is known for portraying the role of Steven Beale on the BBC soap opera '' EastEnders'', originating the role of Michael Dork in ''Loserville in the West End'' and ...
) and Lauren Branning
Lauren Branning is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera ''EastEnders''. The role was originated by Madeline Duggan, who first appeared on 3 July 2006. Duggan played the role for four years until her exit on 23 June 2010. Three months l ...
(Jacqueline Jossa
Jacqueline Mary Osborne (''née'' Jossa) (born 29 October 1992) is an English actress and television presenter. She is known for portraying Lauren Branning in the BBC soap opera ''EastEnders'' from 2010 to 2022, and winning the nineteenth ser ...
). The episode that aired in the United Kingdom on 15 August 2016 saw Babe argue with Claudette, Les, Abi and Sylvie with each suspect later seen going out, before someone confronts Babe in the Vic, locking her in the freezer. The scene where Babe is locked in the freezer received the episode's " duff-duff". Episodes following the attack showed Babe tell her family that Sylvie was responsible for the attack, but have a conversation with Abi revealing her as the true culprit. Badland said that the attack "takes Babe by surprise" as "she clearly didn't know there was somebody out there capable of doing this to her or else she'd have seen it coming." She opined that "Babe doesn't think for a minute that Abi could ever get the better of her."
Departure
On 18 September 2016, it was announced that Babe would be written out of the series in 2017, having appeared on the show for three years. A show spokesperson recalled that before moving to Walford, Babe was "seen coming and going from The Square with her own life" and stated that she would "still very much be in the wings" and could "cause aggro for the Carters." Ian Sandwell of ''Digital Spy'' hoped that Babe's exit storyline would see her receive herjust deserts
Desert () in philosophy is the condition of being deserving of something, whether good or bad. It is sometimes called moral desert to clarify the intended usage and distinguish it from the dry desert biome. It is a concept often associated wi ...
as punishment for her "despicable schemes", but believed that she would "get away without getting a proper comeuppance." The ''Metro'' ran a poll on their website to ask readers for their opinions on whether they would miss the character when she left the show: 71% of people who answered said they would not miss her because she is "awful", while the other 29% said they would miss her and agreed that "she brought brilliant drama" to the show.
When the Carter family begin to struggle financially, Babe decides to help by selling alcohol before the allocated hours, despite it breaching The Vic's licensing laws. Badland explained that Babe "deals with things in the way that she knows how but it doesn't always work out the way that she wants it to". Badland described Babe's actions as "instinctive", which makes her "often cton impulse". She questioned whether Babe could be "an optimist and doesn't fully consider the damage she can cause." Kathy Beale (Taylforth) decides to tip the authorities and after a series of undercover investigations, the police arrest Babe, Mick and Shirley. In her interview, Babe blames Mick and tells the police she was "only acting on instructions". Despite this, they all spend the night in police custody. Badland revealed that Babe "was assuming she could find a way out of it" when blaming Mick because "it's about staying alive in that moment." She explained that Babe's actions stem from a fear of being arrested and said, "For all she has ever been up to, she has never been in a prison cell so it was about her staying afloat in that precise moment." Badland believed that Babe would be able to "talk her way out of trouble with the Carters" again and explained that "the family have a lot to talk about – and a lot to find out about..."
Babe made her final appearance on 9 February 2017. In the episode, Babe tries to make amends with her family by taking care of Sylvie, but instead takes her to the canal and tells her that Stan is on the other side, before leaving her alone. Badland explained that Babe "would not have actually killed" Sylvie, but instead "enticed her to do something and then walked away from it". When Shirley discovers Babe's actions, she tells her to leave so Babe tries to steal money from the pub's safe. Shirley catches her in the act and announces her actions to Mick. Babe pleads with Mick for another chance, but when she calls Linda a "stuck-up cow", Mick escorts her out. Badland explained that Babe does this because she is "absolutely desperate". Outside the pub, Babe curses the family and exclaimed, "I hope you lose everything and your precious pub", which caused media outlets to question whether it foreshadows speculation the family would lose their pub. Badland believed that "with all the threats she made, Babe might be back at some point." She added that, "She's cursed the Carters, and you don't cross Aunt Babe and get away with it!"
Daran Little
Daran Little (born 11 May 1966) is a BAFTA-winning and Emmy Award-nominated British television writer. He is the only writer to pen more than 100 episodes of both '' Coronation Street'' (from 2000 until 2010) and '' EastEnders'' (from 2010 onwa ...
wrote Babe's final episode and Badland said he "really relished and summed up what abe
Abe or ABE may refer to:
People and fictional characters
* Shinzo Abe (1954–2022), former Prime Minister of Japan
* Abe (given name), a list of people and fictional characters with the given name or nickname
* Abe (surname), a list of people a ...
was about." She added that she was "so grateful" for the storyline and described her departure episode as "complex, moving, wretched". She described Babe as "vengeful", "powerful" and "a bit of a witch". Badland expressed an interest in reprising the role and said a potential return had been allowed for, before adding that she believes Babe will return. Badland said she would continue to watch the show as her on-screen family "are all part of ernow" and she "will always be their auntie." She described the Carter family as the highlight during her time on the show. She added, "We all came together and formed this brilliant family which is pretty astounding – we are all very different but that bond that brought us all together was extraordinary."
Reception
Badland received two award nominations for her portrayal of Babe, both ''Inside Soap'' Awards for "Best Bad Girl" in 2015 and 2016 respectively. For her 2015 nomination, she was longlisted but did not make the viewer-voted shortlist. She made the shortlist in 2016, but lost out on the award to ''Hollyoaks
''Hollyoaks'' is a British soap opera which began airing on Channel 4 on 23 October 1995. It was created by Phil Redmond, who had previously conceived the soap opera ''Brookside (TV series), Brookside''. Since 2005, episodes have been aired on ...
'' Persephone Swales-Dawson, who played Nico Blake
Nico Blake (also Bradley) is a fictional character from the British Channel 4 soap opera ''Hollyoaks'', played by Persephone Swales-Dawson. The character made her first screen appearance during the episode broadcast on 6 June 2014. The charact ...
.
Laura Morgan of ''Digital Spy'' praised Babe's introduction, writing that her addition "worked beautifully". Sally Brockway, writing for magazine ''Soaplife'', wrote, "She may rustle up a mean trifle, but you'll pay the price if you get on the wrong side of Aunt Babe Smith." Ellis (''Inside Soap'') said, "Of all the villains in Walford, we never would have thought that a trifle-making, Reliant-Rialto-driving, apron-wearing aunt would turn out to be the most fearsome! She may not have the brute force of Phil Mitchell
Phil Mitchell is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera ''EastEnders'', played by Steve McFadden. He was introduced to the soap opera on 20 February 1990 and was followed by his brother Grant Mitchell (EastEnders), Grant (Ross Kemp), s ...
or the steely determination of Gavin Sullivan
Gavin Sullivan is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera, '' EastEnders'', played by Paul Nicholas. He first appeared on 21 August 2015. Gavin is the third husband of Kathy Mitchell (Gillian Taylforth) and is also revealed as the biologic ...
, but Babe is not someone we'd ever want to do battle with." A reporter from ''Soaplife'' noted that "t is
T, or t, is the twentieth letter in the Latin alphabet, used in the modern English alphabet, the alphabets of other western European languages and others worldwide. Its name in English is ''tee'' (pronounced ), plural ''tees''. It is der ...
Babe's own desperation that makes her the monster of the woman she is..."
On Babe's evil streak, Morgan (''Digital Spy'') said that Babe was "about as bad as they get". She observed that Babe began by "fooling people her smiles and tasty looking trifles", but her family soon realised "her wicked ways". In June 2016, Dainty (''Digital Spy'') included Babe in a list of soap opera villains she hoped would get their comeuppance, stating, "Cold, callous and cruel Aunt Babe is fast emerging as one of Walford's most unexpected villains, but we think it's time she got her just deserts. ..Babe has got away with many a manipulative scheme over the years, but her treatment of lovely Les and Pam is just one step too far. Because we are very much Team Coker over here, we'd like to see Aunt Babe brought down a peg or two. And soon."
Badland explained in an interview with Lindsay (''Metro'') that some fans of the character have cried at her actions and sympathise with her. Members of the ''Digital Spy'' forums labelled Babe the show's current (June 2016) most hated character, adding that Babe was "compelling to watch" and an "evil character that people will remember in years to come". One member also praised Badland's "spot on" performance. In a 2017 storyline, Babe hosted a 'Twelfth Night' event at The Vic where she secretly served pigeon pie. Justin Harp of ''Digital Spy'' expressed his disgust at this and demanded a "lifelong Queen Vic ban" was handed to her. Deen (''Metro'') described Babe swapping Stan's ashes for custard power as "a seriously grim move that only Babe could have thought of." She also praised the scene where Buster Briggs (Karl Howman
Karl Howman (born 13 December 1953) is an English actor and voice-over artist. He is best known for playing Jacko in the sitcom ''Brush Strokes'' from 1986 to 1991, Mulberry in ''Mulberry'' from 1992 to 1993 and Buster Briggs in ''EastEnders'' f ...
) threw a trifle over Babe's head and said, "She looked like a creature from the deep. Chilling."
Morgan (''Digital Spy'') disapproved of the Babe's "drawn out" departure and noted that she "lost count" with the amount of chances Mick and Linda provided Babe with. She also described the character as a "poisonous old cow" and a "cruel cook". Babe's departure appeared in an article published by ''Digital Spy'', which compiled ten unmissable soap storylines airing the week the episode was broadcast. Its reporter, Kilkelly, warned that viewers could expect to see Babe's "recent bad behaviour" catching up with the Carter family. Lindsay (''Metro'') described Babe's final episode as "dramatic" and opined that he would "certainly miss her antics and deliciously poisonous dialogue." Kate White (''Inside Soap'') said that ''EastEnders'' should "hang on" to Babe, giving the reasons that "she always makes things happen", "she's genuinely very sinister" and "she's so entertaining", stating that her various scams show that she is "totally fearless when it comes to taking on the locals" and can be "relied upon to generate entertaining storylines—something Walford has been short of lately". White went on to say that Babe "can do more than ther soap villainsin a week with just one evil look" and called her "properly unhinged", saying that "Babe is the sort of silent threat that many underestimate at their peril". Finally, White said that Badland had "used every look and gesture to build up Babe's eccentric personality, and has been able to skip lightly frin dark to hilarious in a hearbeat. Babe has had us in stitches over the years, as well as frightening us silly. Surely you'd be mad to let go of a character that versatile?" Writing about Babe's final words, where she curses the Carter family and The Queen Victoria, an ''Inside Soap'' writer said, "The departing Aunt Babe, raging into the storm like some Disney witch, was the undoubted highlight of our soap week." Tyler (''Inside Soap'') said that Babe's departure "was the most wonderfully outrageous episode of ''EastEnders'' in months. Annette Badland's ''roar'', as Babe cursed the entire Square, was camp, shameless, preposterous—and soap ''gold''. We sincerely hope this isn't the last we see of her. Babe's revenge plot is too much fun to waste!"
See also
* List of ''EastEnders'' characters (2014) *List of soap opera villains
A villain is an "evil" character in a story, whether a historical narrative or, especially, a work of fiction. In soap operas, the villain, sometimes called a "bad guy", is an antagonist, tending to have a negative effect on other characters. A f ...
References
Specific General *External links
* {{DEFAULTSORT:Smith, Babe Television characters introduced in 2014 Fictional drug dealers Fictional blackmailers Fictional chefs Fictional criminals in soap operas Female characters in television Female villains Fictional waiting staff Carter family (EastEnders)