Kathy Sullivan (EastEnders)

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 supposedly 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 to celebrate the show's 30th anniversary, 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 permanently 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 Willmott-Brown returned in his plan to recoup his relationship with Kathy by taking control of the square for her. Additionally, Kathy has had relationships and flings with Masood Ahmed (Nitin Ganatra), Harvey Monroe (Ross Boatman) and Tom "Rocky" Cotton (Brian Conley) and feuds with both Max and Rainie Cross (Tanya Franks) over the custody of her adoptive grandson Steven's (Aaron Sidwell) daughter, Abi, with Sharon Watts (Letitia Dean) over her relationship with Ian, and Dotty Cotton (Milly Zero) who attempts to con her with Rocky.

Storylines

1985–2000

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 (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.

She later starts a knitting business. Mehmet Osman (Haluk Bilginer) asks Kathy to knit a batch of jumpers for him. Kathy finds out from Ali Osman (Nejdet Salih) that she was conned when Mehmet disappears with the jumpers and money.

Kathy learns that Donna, now an adult, wants to meet her but she refuses. Undeterred, Donna moves to Walford, keeping her identity secret. To get closer to Kathy, Donna calls her workplace at The Samaritans and grows close to Kathy's son Ian Beale (Adam Woodyatt), who becomes attracted to his half-sister. When Kathy tells Donna to stay away from Ian, Donna reveals that she is her daughter. Donna thinks Kathy will be pleased but Kathy is horrified and demands she leave Walford. Donna stays and causes various problems for Kathy. Finally Kathy tells Donna that she is actually the product of rape; Kathy gave her up at birth and wants nothing to do with her now. Donna spends the rest of the year in a downward spiral.

James Willmott-Brown (William Boyde) employs Kathy at The Dagmar wine bar, angering Pete, and the rift worsens when it becomes clear that James is romantically interested in Kathy. After work, James invites Kathy upstairs to his flat, but when he attempts to seduce her, Kathy tries to leave. James refuses to let her leave and his attempted seduction becomes rape. James is arrested and formally charged with rape. In the aftermath, Kathy becomes depressed and isolated from Pete, who never believes she is blameless so Kathy leaves him. James stands trial but tries bribing Kathy to withdraw her statement. Kathy pretends to take his hush money but tells the police so a listening DI tapes the conversation. She is forced to relive the rape for the trial, where a skillful barrister presents a good case for James. For a time it seems James could be acquitted, but to Kathy's relief, he is convicted and imprisoned for three years. During this time, Kathy finds unexpected support from Pete's first wife, Pat (Pam St Clement), whom she had initially despised and they become close friends.

Donna, whom Kathy still refuses to accept, sinks into depression and overdoses on heroin and dies, leaving Kathy wrestling with guilt. Kathy attempts to move on and begins a relationship with market trader Laurie Bates ( Gary Powell). Their relationship manages to survive the interference of Julie Cooper (Louise Plowright), who tries but fails to claim Laurie for herself. However, when Laurie begins buying Kathy extravagant clothing and jewellery, she questions his motives, thinking he's trying to make her look like his late wife, and loses interest. Laurie takes her rejection badly and some tactless comments regarding her sexual abstinence makes Kathy believe he has deceived her of his true nature. She ends the relationship. Later in the year, Kathy begins dating Eddie Royle (Michael Melia). He patiently pursues her, but after a few dates, she becomes hesitant and after she sees him kissing Eibhlin O'Donnell (Mary Conlon) - his former girlfriend visiting from Ireland - their lukewarm romance ends.

Kathy persuades The Samaritans to take her back as a volunteer, on the condition she is shadowed following her previous stint. Disa O'Brien (Jan Graveson) phones The Samaritans and tells Kathy her baby, Billie O'Brien, is the product of rape and fathered by her stepfather, Ken Raynor (Ian Redford). Willmott-Brown is released from prison. He sends Kathy a tape telling her that he wants to meet her and that he has changed. Kathy pleads with him to leave and never return but he moves to the Square and continues to pester her, until Kathy relays the hurt and anger he had caused her, gaining some closure. James threatens suicide but Kathy stops him, refusing to let him take the easy way out. After a heated conversation in which James pleads for forgiveness, Kathy convinces him to leave Walford. She also convinces Pete — who has been hoping for reconciliation — that their marriage is over. Later, Kathy begins a relationship with market inspector Richard Cole (Ian Reddington), which sours when she discovers that he is taking a cash bribe and allowing a mobile hot dog van to trade in direct competition with her café.

After admitting his feelings for her whilst in France, Kathy begins a romance with mechanic Phil Mitchell (Steve McFadden), which manages to survive various revelations about Phil's criminal activity, as well as interference from Phil's wife Nadia (Anna Barkan), who tries to split them up. Phil proposes to Kathy and she accepts, but during their engagement party, Kathy learns that Phil had resumed an affair with his sister-in-law Sharon Mitchell (Letitia Dean) after Grant (Ross Kemp) obtained a tape of a drunken Sharon and Michelle Fowler (Susan Tully), Kathy's niece, discuss the affair. After Grant plays the tape, the revelation ends Kathy's friendship with Sharon, leads to Phil being beaten by his brother Grant, and almost ends Kathy and Phil's relationship. It also causes a strain between Kathy and Michelle and Kathy is hurt about Michelle taking Sharon's side, believing that as family, Michelle should have told her. Kathy is cold towards Michelle's initial efforts to make amends, but they soon make up.

Phil and Kathy sort out their differences and get married in secret in early 1995. Kathy keeps fainting and refuses to see Harold Legg (Leonard Fenton (Barbara Windsor (Daniela Denby-Ashe), and Sarah's boyfriend, Robbie Jackson (Dean Gaffney), look after Ben when he becomes ill and at hospital, he is diagnosed with meningitis. Phil's brother, Grant Mitchell (Ross Kemp), reveals that Mark Fowler (Todd Carty), the husband of Ben's childminder Ruth Fowler (Caroline Paterson) and Kathy's nephew, has AIDS. Despite Kathy panicking that the AIDS caused the meningitis, she is reassured the conditions are not linked. Kathy and Phil are told that Ben has been left partially deaf in one ear. Kathy is devoted to Ben; feeling neglected, Phil turns to alcohol. By the end of the year his drinking has developed into alcoholism and he becomes violent toward Kathy. After he snatches Ben and leaves him near a fire while he passes out drunk, Kathy leaves him. Realising what he has lost, Phil tries to stop drinking and rebuild his marriage. Kathy takes him back but when Phil attends counselling, he begins an affair with a fellow alcoholic, Lorna Cartwright (Janet Dibley), who starts stalking him and makes herself known to Kathy. Phil takes Kathy to Paris, hoping that it will bring them closer. However, Phil confesses to his affair with Lorna and Kathy responds by throwing her wedding ring into the Seine, stating their marriage is "the biggest mistake" of her life. Phil begins sleeping rough and blames Kathy for his decline. Despite momentarily contemplating suicide, Kathy hardens herself towards her husband's abuse.

Kathy starts a relationship with vicar Alex Healy (Richard Driscoll). Alex's Bishop discovers their affair and offers Alex a choice: Kathy or his job. Alex is prepared to give up his job to be with Kathy but she has second thoughts and considers moving to Cape Town, South Africa to live with her brother Ted Hills (Brian Croucher). Her upcoming departure spurs proposals from not only Alex but Phil's brother Grant, who asks her to elope, and Phil, who tries to reunite with her. Kathy grows confused by so many options but eventually tells Phil she is open to a reunion with him. However, he fails to meet her on the day of her planned departure, so Kathy leaves Walford with Ben.

Kathy returns to meet Ian's fiancée Melanie Healy (Tamzin Outhwaite) and has a fling with Grant. Just before she is due to return home to South Africa, Kathy asks Phil to leave with her. However, Grant has planned a robbery that same day and Phil cannot bring himself to let his brother do the job alone. Infuriated by Phil's loyalty to Grant, Kathy reveals their recent tryst, moments before she leaves. This results in a violent showdown between the brothers. Grant confesses that he only had sex with Kathy as revenge for Phil's affair with his wife Sharon. Phil responds by threatening to shoot Grant, devastated that he lost Ben and Kathy again. This leads to Grant crashing their car into the River Thames but both survive. When Kathy returns again for Ian's short-lived wedding to Melanie, after Ian lied to Melanie about his daughter Lucy Beale having cancer, and Melanie revealing she had a one night stand with Steve Owen (Martin Kemp), she is met with hostility from Phil's mother, Peggy (Barbara Windsor (Paul Nicholas) in South Africa. Years later, Ian hears that Kathy and Gavin have been killed in a traffic collision. Ian travels to South Africa and returns with Ben; eventually Phil gains custody of Ben.

2015–present

After being released from a short stint in prison, Phil attempts to tell Ian privately on his wedding day that Kathy is alive, but cannot go through with it when Ben (Harry Reid) walks in on their conversation. Phil later meets Kathy in secret and tells her that, despite her wishes, he cannot allow her to return home, concerned about the effect on Ben and Ian. A few months later, Phil meets her in a café, and hands her an envelope of cash, with the promise this is the last payment he has for her. Seemingly out of the blue, months on, Kathy visits Phil at his garage in Walford, begging for fake documentation for her controlling husband Gavin Sullivan (Paul Nicholas), so she can reveal that she faked her death, without implicating him. Phil agrees to help her leave London and meets her at St Pancras International, but Sharon, who is now married to Phil, arrives, suspecting he is meeting someone he is having an affair with. Ian accompanies her and Kathy disappears, having spotted Ian for the first time in 10 years. As she leaves, she runs into Gavin, who has been aware of her plan all along. Phil's cousin Ronnie Mitchell (Samantha Womack) discovers Kathy is alive, and Phil has been aware for three years, since Ben went to prison for murdering Heather Trott (Cheryl Fergison).

Several weeks later, Kathy has escaped Gavin, and she contacts her old friend Tracey ( Jane Slaughter), at The Queen Vic, giving her an address to pass on to Phil. Gavin follows Phil to a small hotel. He reaches Kathy first and takes her to a small airfield, with the intent of flying away from England. Phil and Ronnie intercept them and convince Kathy to come back to Walford with them. While Phil arranges a hotel for her to stay in, she hides in The Arches, where she comes face to face with Sharon, who is stunned to find she is alive. They have an angry confrontation which leads to a physical fight, before Phil moves Kathy to a nearby hotel. Within a week, Kathy is revealed to have Gavin hidden in her bathroom, with him controlling her again. After Ian's wife Jane Beale (Laurie Brett) talks him out of suicide, Ian is shocked to see Kathy is alive and has witnessed the event. As Ian crosses the road to meet Kathy, he is hit by an oncoming car and rushed to hospital. Ian eventually regains consciousness and breaks down in happiness when he realises that Kathy is alive, but reveals he wants answers for her faking her death. As Ian is leaving hospital, Jane threatens Kathy to stay away from Walford in a bid to protect Ian. Ian demands to see Kathy and she explains to him that Gavin forced her to go on the run with him as part of an insurance scam and he had controlled her for years and she felt she had no choice. Ian persuades her to go to the police and she agrees, however, she lies about why she is there when she enters the station by claiming her handbag is stolen and later tells Ian that she told them everything and they are looking for Gavin. She then secretly meets Gavin who reminds her of their plan.

Kathy returns a few days later and meets with Ben, who is furious to see her again after several years of believing she was dead. He angrily declares that her absence is to blame for the current state of his life, declaring that he is the reason Phil has left due to his homosexuality, but Kathy tells him that she and Phil knew that he was gay before he even started school, and that they have always loved him. Ian later decides to rebuild his relationship with his mother and allows Kathy to move into his house. Gavin meets Kathy in Walford and reveals that he has kidnapped Phil and threatens to kill him if she does not follow his instructions and give him money. Kathy and Ben reluctantly agree to give into Gavin's demands, but after trying to steal Ian's safe, Kathy decides not to do so. Ian later tells Kathy that her grandson Bobby Beale (Elliot Carrington) killed Lucy. Kathy, after seeing Ben drunk and angry at her, confesses to Ian that she is still on the run and she and Ben were planning to con him as Gavin has kidnapped Phil, so Ian throws her out, thinking she cares more about Phil than him. Jane is horrified that he told Kathy about Bobby, but Ian is confident she will not say anything to the police. Kathy then goes to the police station to report the kidnapping, while Ben tells Ian what Gavin has done. Ian contacts Gavin, telling him he knows what he has been doing. It soon turns out that he has been keeping Phil locked in his closet, but by the time Kathy and the police come to his house looking for him, he is not there although a fresh blood stain is found in the kitchen. Kathy later tells the Beales what she has done, and Sharon is incensed when she finds out the truth, insisting none of it would have happened if Kathy had not returned. Phil returns home severely injured and Ian allows Kathy to move back into his house. Gavin later holds Kathy, Ben and Phil hostage in their house and when Sharon confronts him, he reveals himself as her father before fleeing. Kathy is given a suspended sentence after pleading guilty to fraud.

When Bobby pushes Jane down the stairs during a scuffle, Jane lies to Kathy that she tripped, but Bobby tells Kathy the truth. Kathy confesses her fears to Jane that Bobby may have anger management problems, and after Bobby later smashes a plate in anger, Jane tells Kathy that she is right. Bobby's feud with Sharon's son Dennis Rickman Jnr (Bleu Landau) escalates when Bobby kills Dennis' pet spider. Sharon tells Kathy he is evil and needs help, and Kathy then tells Sharon that Bobby pushed Jane down the stairs, so Sharon tells the Beales she will go to the police about Lucy's killing. Bobby finds out the truth from Dennis, who is later severely injured in a car crash. When the family discover that Phil has been rushed to hospital with a damaged liver, Sharon and Kathy join Phil's ex-wife Shirley Carter (Linda Henry) in visiting him at to the hospital - only to learn upon arrival that Phil discharged himself. They later find Phil drunk at the pub, where he insults his family and inadvertently hits Kathy when she tries to help him leave.

Kathy is upset when Ian sends Bobby to a boarding school to try to help his anger problems. Ian puts the restaurant up for sale to pay for the school, and though Kathy tries to encourage more trade at the restaurant, Ian accepts an offer from a supermarket chain, Costmart. Several weeks later, Ian worries he will regret selling the restaurant but Kathy reminds him he is doing it for Bobby and must tell everyone soon that Costmart is buying it, or she will. The market traders then discover this from Ian, and Shirley's boyfriend Buster Briggs (Karl Howman) leads a campaign to boycott all of Ian's businesses, fearing they will all lose their jobs. Kathy tells Buster that Ian needs to fund Bobby's place in school, so Buster announces this at Ian's meeting with the traders, angering Ian. Buster asks Kathy why the school is so important, so she tells him to leave her alone as she does not care about him, but then kisses him. She then shows her loyalty to Ian by telling potential boycotters that Buster is a criminal. Ian then changes his mind about selling the restaurant. Buster later propositions Kathy for a secret relationship, believing he is with the wrong woman, and they begin meeting each other secretly. As she tries to meet up with Buster, Gavin stops her and says he has Dennis, so she gets into his car. Gavin takes her to a house and she realises that Dennis is not there. Gavin says they can live there together. Gavin's sister Margaret Midhurst (Jan Harvey) arrives, and Gavin locks Kathy in a room to stop her from leaving, while he and Margaret argue; Margaret hits him over the head with a vase and the two women attempt to escape but the most of the doors and windows are locked. Gavin regains consciousness and follows them, and it results in Margaret's death when she falls onto the windscreen of Sharon and Buster's car, who have arrived to rescue Kathy. Sharon calls the ambulance for Margaret whilst she and Buster search for Kathy. Buster finds Kathy, while Sharon confronts Gavin, who is arrested. Later, Kathy tells Buster she needs to end their relationship because things are getting too serious for her. However, as they passionately kiss one last time, they are unaware that Phil has seen them. Kathy spends a night away with Buster and on her return, she is distraught after being told that Ben has been killed and blames herself for not being with him, thus ending her affair with Buster. However, she is relieved when it is a mistaken identity and comforts Ben when he discovers it is his boyfriend, Paul Coker (Jonny Labey), who is dead. As Buster awaits the verdict from his son Dean Wicks's (Matt Di Angelo) rape trial, Kathy reveals her two rapes to him during a heart-to-heart, they later embrace. Kathy resumes her affair with Buster but she is found out by Ian and Jane following a burglary at Ian's restaurant, however, although she denies her lover is Grant or Buster, she tells Jane she will end the affair. After Buster's son Mick Carter (Danny Dyer) discovers the affair without knowing Kathy's identity, he urges Buster to tell Shirley or leave Walford for good. Buster asks Kathy to leave Walford with him, but she ultimately decides to remain in Walford with her family, leaving him heartbroken again and he leaves alone.

Kathy accompanies Pam Coker (Lin Blakley) when she visits Diane Atmore (Hazel Ellerby) who is the mother of Simon Atmore ( Tom Palmer), one of Paul's killers. Kathy and Pam try to persuade Diane to get Simon to plead guilty, which he eventually does. As a result, Simon and the rest of the killers are sentenced to thirty years in prison. Kathy is horrified when she hears about Ben wanting to donate some of his liver to Phil. She firmly tells him that she will not allow him to do so but Ben insists. Kathy accompanies Ben to his appointment to discuss the transplant. Kathy tries to support him but ends up embarrassing him when she mentions Paul's death and suggests that it is a reason for Ben wanting to donate. An angry Ben later tells Kathy to stay out of his life as she always has done. Kathy joins the Walford Players and clashes with the Christmas show's director, Geraldine Clough (Gwyneth Strong) over her plans initially to run a talent show, then to have a fairy godmother in her version of ''A Christmas Carol'' and finally for casting Kathy as a pantomime horse. Kathy's protests lead to Geraldine's resignation and Kathy becoming the director. Kathy is overjoyed when Ian decides to rename the café back to "Kathy's", which leads her to decide she no longer wants to be Kathy Sullivan, opting to change her name back to Kathy Beale by deed poll. Ben is hurt with Kathy's decision to change her surname to Beale (rather than his surname of Mitchell), feeling pushed out of the family, but she reassures him that it does not make him any less important to her than Ian. Babe Smith (Annette Badland) starts selling breakfasts at The Vic and attempts to steal trade from the café by putting rat droppings in the café's coffee machine, leaving Kathy furious when she finds out. Kathy reports Babe for breaking The Vic's license by selling alcohol outside of their licensed hours. This leads to Babe, Mick and Shirley being arrested and fined, which Kathy feels guilty about. Kathy suffers minor injuries when a car, driven by Michelle (now played by Jenna Russell), crashes a car into the chip shop. After Phil returns from Italy, he tells Kathy about an offer he has received on the car lot land and confides in her about the guilt he still has over the car lot fire. Phil gives Ben The Arches and Kathy lets slip to Ben about the value of the car lot land, which Phil hands over to Jay Brown (Jamie Borthwick). Kathy insists to Phil that he justifies his reasons to Ben about the car lot land. Kathy returns from holiday and finds out from Kim Fox-Hubbard (Tameka Empson) about the gas explosion that left Jane severely injured and that Steven has died. Ian rejects Kathy's support. Ben tells Kathy that Ian may still have anger towards her for faking her death, despite accepting her. Kathy confides in Carmel Kazemi (Bonnie Langford) about her relationship with Ian and Carmel advises her to work at it. Kathy tells Ian and Ben that she feels that she has become irrelevant to them, but is determined to be their mum and apologises for not being there and Ian finally shows his emotions.

Later at Steven's memorial, once Kathy and Ian are walking away, a man leaves flowers for Kathy. The man is revealed to be James, who has secretly returned to Walford as the CEO of his properly company called "Weyland & Co"; James is plotting to conquer the square and is aided by his daughter Fi Browning (Lisa Faulkner); her brother Luke (Adam Astill); their half-brother Josh Hemmings (Eddie Eyre); and James' brother-in-law Hugo ( Simon Williams) respectively. Kathy is unbeknownst about James' return until later on at Halloween, right after she comforts Michelle about her stalker Tom Bailey (Daniel Casey) - as well as helping her give advice to Shakil Kazemi (Shaheen Jafargholi) about Bex. When she closes the café for the night, Kathy is startled when James appears and greets her - explaining that he has been diagnosed with terminal liver cancer. Grabbing hold of a knife while James acts casual, Kathy rubbishes beliefs that they are alike - not does she believe James when he claims that the reason for his visit is to move on from the past. Kathy wants James to explain truthfully what happened on the night of the rape, but he continues to act in denial - prompting Kathy to furiously retell it. Whilst doing so, Kathy realizes that James has intended to rape her all along and demands to know when he decided to do so in the first place - pointing out that the impact had scarred her for life. Unfazed, James gives Kathy his home address before leaving. Kathy later confides in Ian that James is back, prompting him to inform Phil about this. When confronting James with the threat of killing him should he go anywhere near Kathy again, Phil finds out that Ben's boyfriend is James' son. Phil tells Kathy that Luke is James' son and Phil fails to warn Luke away from Ben. Ben is angry with what Phil did and when Kathy tries to get Ben and Phil to make up, Kathy tells Ben that Phil was protecting him as James raped her. After struggling to process what he is told, Ben is determined to hurt James, but Kathy orders Ben to keep out of it as it happened to her and not him.

Ben confronts Luke with what he has been told and Luke tells Ben that James wants to meet him. Ben takes a hammer when he meets James and without Luke's presence, Ben threatens James, but James insists to Ben that he and Kathy were having an affair and she consented. As Ben about to attacks James, Luke rush in and pulls Ben off James, who tells Ben he knows he doesn't trust or believe Kathy. Kathy decides to leave Walford, especially when she finds out Ben met James, but Kathy opts to remain and gives Ben's relationship with Luke her blessing. However before they get back together, Luke ends the relationship when Ben discovers Project Dagmar that Luke is secretly working on - which reveals that it will change Albert Square with a block of flats that is to replace The Queen Vic. Later on that night, Kathy is shocked when Max kisses Fi in front of his girlfriend Carmel and tells him that he should be ashamed of himself. Shortly after Carmel leaves in tears, however, Kathy is shocked when James arrives to serve the Carters with an eviction notice; James casually greets Kathy hello and she leaves when he promises to see her later. Kathy later learns from Phil that Luke attacked Ben, and the trio later find out from Ian about James' plan - further discovering that Max had in fact been conspiring with James to exact revenge on Walford for being disbelieved over the fact that Bobby killed Lucy and how the impact had led him to be wrongfully imprisoned for Lucy's murder. Kathy is later angry with Ian when she finds out from Luke that Weyland owns the café. Kathy confronts Fi over what James did to her and about all the women James has destroyed, including her own mother. Kathy refuses to go into work and when she spills some hot food, Ian catches her making her hands sore through cleaning and Kathy breaks down to Ian, admitting she has not overcome what James has done to her. Ian arranges to meet James and tapes their conversation, where James initially tells Ian that he and Kathy loved each other, but then admits to raping Kathy and deduces Ian's plan when he attempts to flee; James has Ian restrained and deletes his recording, before threatening to further harm his family and tells him to send his best to Kathy. By the time Fi has started to learn what her father is really like, she asks Kathy about the rape and her version causes Fi to be physically sick. Fi eventually confronts James about Kathy's theory on the day after Christmas Eve, prompting him to disown his daughter. After safeguarding his documents that could expose Weyland & Co's illegitimate activities, which he showed Fi earlier on before disowning her, James visits Kathy in the cafe once more. They gradually talk about the past and Kathy soon learns that James' intent of conquering the square was all a ruse, and that his real plan is to use this opportunity to win her over by granting her control of his company - thus controlling the square in general. When James proposes they leave Walford to start anew, Kathy appears interested until she then points out that he is seeking to buy her silence as well. James denies this, but Kathy - undeterred by his manipulation tactics - stands up for herself and grabs James by the genitals, making it clear that her family and friends in Walford are all that matter to her. Upon threatening to cut James' gentles of and serve it to him in a sandwich, further making it clear that she will never submit to him in any circumstance, Kathy tells James that he is going to hell no matter how hard he tries to make amends for raping her or terrorizing the square. James leaves defeated and is later taken into custody when Fi, realizing that Kathy was telling the truth about her father, extracts the documents and delivers them to the police. Fi later departs Walford after disowning her father and undoing his control of the square, as well as making amends with Kathy by giving her back the cafe. Since then she has opened up Walford’s first gay bar and has had a relationship with Rocky.

Character creation

Background

Kathy Beale was one of the original twenty-three characters invented by the creators of ''EastEnders'', Tony Holland and Julia Smith. Kathy was a member of the first family of ''EastEnders'', the Beales and Fowlers. Holland took the inspiration for some of the series' earliest characters from his own London family and background. Kathy's original character outline as written by Smith and Holland appeared in an abridged form in their book, '' EastEnders: The Inside Story''.

:"A hard childhood. An overcrowded, strict one - with no money but bags of misery. You either give into that, or you rebel...A lot of people think she's hard. The exterior is certainly tough - it's had to be. From a childhood surrounded by too many brothers, a heavy drinking father, and a submissive mother. A knowledge that you came from the "slum end" of the borough. The tattiest school-uniform. The least money. To be the poorest of the poor was a hell of a thing to fight against...by patience, persistence, cool dignity, the refusal to argue and fight back like a fishwife, wooing, cajoling and setting a good example, she and Pete finally became accepted - even by Lou...a moral woman with a firm sense of right and wrong, and good and bad. She finds it almost impossible to tell a lie, bitch - or accept the goods Pete sometimes brings home that have fallen off the back of lorries. It's as if she's had such a long hard fight to be thought of and accepted as a respectable/decent person, that she's frightened of anything happening that might soil that image. A great sense of humour...She's practical in that she doesn't shatter Pete's dreams even though she knows none of them will ever materialise, because she realises to do so would also shatter him...Kathy never forgets a favour." (page 55–56)

Casting

Holland and Smith wanted Kathy to be attractive, warm, practical, tough, funny and sexy. More actresses were interviewed for the role of Kathy than any other original character. Each actress possessed some of the facets of personality wanted, but not a single one had all of them. Gillian Taylforth was an actress that Smith and Holland had encountered during an open evening they had attended at The Anna Scher Theatre in Islington, North London. They had been drawn to Taylforth because of her voice — "husky and adenoidal", which seemed at odds with her feminine appearance, which they described as "stunningly attractive". During the open evening, they considered Taylforth for the role of Sue Osman, but she was dismissed because she was blonde rather than brunette. They briefly considered her for the role of Kathy, but she was again dismissed because she was too young for the role. They instead decided "to bear her in mind for the future".

Despite this, during the casting period in 1984, Taylforth auditioned for the role of Sue Osman. She was unsuccessful and that part went to Sandy Ratcliff, however, Holland and Smith asked her back to audition for another role, the part of Kathy.Gillian Taylforth interview
", ''Walford Gazette''. URL last accessed on 2006-10-16. Smith and Holland have commented that "she came into the room, bringing the whole of the 'East-end' in with her ..In exactly half a minute she'd charmed the pants off them". She was considered perfect, apart from her age. Smith and Holland have commented in their book ''Inside Story'' that " aylforthwas too young! They had said so from the beginning. By rights, they should not even be interviewing her. But wasn't she perfect, apart from her age? So different from any other 'Kathy' they had seen. Fresher. More down to earth. Ages were discussed and a pocket-calculator produced. If Pete Beale had been her first boyfriend, wasn't it just possible that she could have a fourteen-year-old son? Julia and Tony were trying to talk themselves into it." Taylforth has commented on the audition process, " olland and Smithwhipped out a calculator and kept punching in numbers. 'We're trying to work out if you could be old enough to be Ian's Mum,' they said. I said, 'I can look older. I'll put my hair up. I'll have a few late nights and I promise I'll look old enough to be Ian's Mum'." According to Holland and Smith, Gillian Taylforth's "freshness and earthy charm" won them around and she was offered the part of Kathy.

Character development

Personality

Author Christine Geraghty has described Kathy as a character that could "be trusted by the audience to divine what is right and to hold firmly to that position". Described as a woman who naturally worked on behalf of the community, other characters frequently turned to Kathy for advice or support, and this was explored on-screen to greater effect in the 1980s when, as a result of the hardship she had faced in her youth, Kathy volunteered with the charity group The Samaritans. It has been noted that "as a result of becoming a counsellor for The Samaritans Kathy Beale 'in turn ..increasingly ame
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