Poppy Meadow

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Poppy Meadow 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. ...

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soap opera ''

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 ...

'', played by

Rachel Bright Rachel Bright is an English actress, known for portraying the role of Poppy Meadow in the BBC soap opera '' EastEnders''. Career Bright was introduced as Poppy Meadow on the BBC soap opera '' EastEnders'' in two episodes on 11 and 13 January 2 ...

. She was introduced by executive producer

Bryan Kirkwood Bryan Kirkwood (born 1976) is a British television producer. He was the producer of the Channel 4 soap opera ''Hollyoaks'' from 2006 until 2009, and was the executive producer of the BBC soap ''EastEnders'' from 2010 until 2012. He returned as t ...

on 11 January 2011 as the best friend of established character

Jodie Gold Jodie Gold is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera ''EastEnders'', played by Kylie Babbington. She first appeared on screen on 7 June 2010. On 24 October 2011, it was announced that Babbington's contract would not be renewed and Jodie d ...

(

Kylie Babbington Kylie Jane Babbington (born 13 December 1987) is a British actress best known for her single television role, performing on '' EastEnders'' from June 2010 to November 2011. Babbington was born in Havering, London in 1987. She studied acting and ...

) in scenes filling in for those cut from a controversial baby-swap storyline. Poppy returned to the series in June 2011 as a supporting character and comedy element, in a move that was generally welcomed by the tabloid press; her storylines focused on her friendship with Jodie and their intertwined love lives. Both Jodie and Poppy left the series on 14 November 2011, but the possibility was left open for Poppy to return in the future. In June 2012 Bright reprised her role as Poppy, moving into

Walford 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 i ...

and resuming her employment at the local beauty salon, this time as a regular character. Poppy's storylines became more prominent, including a romantic relationship with Fatboy (

Ricky Norwood Richard Colin Norwood (born 15 November 1986) is a British actor who played Fatboy in the soap opera ''EastEnders'' and its online spin-off '' EastEnders: E20''. Ricky appeared on ''Celebrity Big Brother 18'' in 2016, finishing as runner-up behi ...

). The character was axed in September 2013 by new 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 Pr ...

, and Poppy departed on 30 January 2014. Poppy was introduced into the series in what critics described as "bizarre and utterly irrelevant" and "pointless" scenes, which substituted for cut scenes of the dead baby's parents at the graveside. ''

The Guardian ''The Guardian'' is a British daily newspaper. It was founded in 1821 as ''The Manchester Guardian'', and changed its name in 1959. Along with its sister papers ''The Observer'' and ''The Guardian Weekly'', ''The Guardian'' is part of the Gu ...

'' critic Stuart Heritage considered Poppy to be "perhaps the greatest television bit-part character of the modern age" and several ''

Daily Mirror The ''Daily Mirror'' is a British national daily tabloid. Founded in 1903, it is owned by parent company Reach plc. From 1985 to 1987, and from 1997 to 2002, the title on its masthead was simply ''The Mirror''. It had an average daily print ...

'' writers gave Poppy positive reviews upon both of her returns.

Storylines

Poppy arrives in

as the best friend of

(

), chatting in

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 ...

about their daily lives and current affairs. Jodie tries to arrange a date for Poppy with

Tamwar Masood Tamwar Masood is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera '' EastEnders'', played by Himesh Patel. He made his first appearance on 1 October 2007. On 12 March 2016, it was announced that Patel would be leaving the show, with Tamwar making hi ...

(

Himesh Patel Himesh Jitendra Patel (born 13 October 1990) is a British actor, musician, and singer. He is known for portraying Tamwar Masood on the BBC soap opera ''EastEnders'' from 2007 to 2016, for starring in the 2019 musical romantic comedy film '' Yes ...

), until Tamwar's mother, Zainab (

Nina Wadia Nina Wadia (born 18 December 1968) is a British actress and comedian. She is known for portraying Zainab Masood in the BBC soap opera ''EastEnders'', Aunty Noor in Citizen Khan Mrs Hussein in the BBC comedy ''Still Open All Hours'', and for st ...

), interferes with her plans. Poppy returns to Walford some months later, now dating Jodie's ex-boyfriend Julian. When Poppy loses her job, Jodie suggests she work at the Walford beauty salon as a receptionist.

Tyler Moon Tyler Moon is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera ''EastEnders'', played by Tony Discipline. Tyler is the son of Eddie Moon (David Essex), half brother of Michael Moon (EastEnders), Michael (Steve John Shepherd) and Craig Moon (Elliot R ...

(Tony Discipline) flirts with Poppy, who initially rejects his advances, but after she reveals that her relationship with Julian is problematic she decides to date Tyler, to make Julian jealous. Off-screen she ends her relationship with Julian. Jodie and her boyfriend

Darren Darren is a masculine given name of uncertain etymological origins. Some theories state that it originated from an Anglicisation of the Irish first name Darragh or Dáire, meaning "Oak Tree". According to other sources, it is thought to come from ...

(

Charlie G. Hawkins Charlie George Hawkins (born 14 February 1991) is a British former actor. He was born and raised in Islington. His most notable roles are Darren Miller in the BBC soap opera '' EastEnders'', which he was in from 2004 to 2011, and a cub scout n ...

) become engaged; she asks Poppy,

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 ...

) and Lauren's sister Abi (

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 develope ...

) to be her bridesmaids. Darren is anxious that if Jodie finds out he had a "drunken encounter" with Lauren at his

stag party A bachelor party (in the United States and sometimes in Canada), also known as a stag weekend, stag do or stag party (in the United Kingdom, Commonwealth countries, and Ireland), or a buck's night (in Australia), is a party held/arranged by th ...

she may cancel the wedding, but Poppy discovers his secret and threatens to tell Jodie if they do not. Jodie subsequently admits that she already knows and still wants to get married, but Darren calls off the wedding and leaves Walford. Poppy moves out of her mother's home and into a flat with Jodie, which they rent from

Ian Beale Ian Beale is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera ''EastEnders'', played by Adam Woodyatt. He is the drama's longest-serving main character and, following the departure of Pauline Fowler ( Wendy Richard) in 2006, became the only one ...

(

Adam Woodyatt Adam Brinley Woodyatt (born 28 June 1968) is an English actor. He is known for his role as Ian Beale in the BBC soap opera '' EastEnders'', which he played between 1985 and 2022. Early life and education Woodyatt was born on 28 June 1968 in W ...

). After he increases their rent they refuse to pay, which leads to their eviction, and the girls move in with Tyler and his brother,

Anthony Anthony or Antony is a masculine given name, derived from the ''Antonia (gens), Antonii'', a ''gens'' (Roman naming conventions, Roman family name) to which Mark Antony (''Marcus Antonius'') belonged. According to Plutarch, the Antonii gens were ...

(

Matt Lapinskas Matthew William Lapinskas (born 27 February 1989) is an English actor, known for portraying the role of Anthony Moon in the BBC soap opera '' EastEnders'' from 2011 to 2012. He was a contestant in the eighth series of '' Dancing on Ice'', fini ...

); it soon becomes clear that Poppy is attracted to Anthony. He asks her out on a date, despite admitting to his brother that he has stronger feelings for Jodie, whom he later kisses. Remorseful, Jodie decides to leave London. She admits the kiss to Poppy, who is furious and refuses to speak to her. Tyler tricks the two girls into meeting up, and they are able to repair their friendship. Poppy also decides to leave London and goes to live with her mother in

Essex Essex () is a county in the East of England. One of the home counties, it borders Suffolk and Cambridgeshire to the north, the North Sea to the east, Hertfordshire to the west, Kent across the estuary of the River Thames to the south, and G ...

, while Jodie goes to find Darren. Poppy returns months later to help

Tanya Branning Tanya Cross (also Branning and Jessop) is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera, ''EastEnders'', played by Jo Joyner. She made her first appearance on 27 June 2006. Joyner left the show temporarily on 25 December 2009 for maternity leave ...

(

Jo Joyner Joanne Mary Joyner (born 24 May 1977) is an English actress. She is known for her roles as Tanya Branning in the BBC soap opera ''EastEnders'' and Mandy Carter in Channel 4 drama ''Ackley Bridge''. Since 2018, she has starred as Luella Shakesp ...

), who is hired by

Janine Butcher Janine Carter (also Butcher, Evans and Malloy) is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera '' EastEnders'', introduced in 1989. The character was played by Rebecca Michael from 1989 to 1993, Alexia Demetriou from 1993 to 1996, and Charlie ...

(

Charlie Brooks Charlene Emma Brooks (born 3 May 1981) is a British actress. Known for the role of Janine Butcher in the BBC One soap opera ''EastEnders'', she has received numerous awards since her first appearance on the soap in 1999, with storylines invo ...

) to do her hair and make up for her wedding. Poppy tells Janine and Tanya about her "plush" new lifestyle, but when she arrives home her living arrangements are far from glamorous, and there is an eviction notice on her front door. Poppy is subsequently evicted from her bedsit, but Fatboy (

) offers her a place to stay, and Tanya offers Poppy a permanent job at the salon. Poppy then moves into

Dot Cotton Dorothy "Dot" Branning (also Cotton) is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera, '' EastEnders'', played by June Brown. In a special episode entitled ''EastEnders: Dot's Story'' (2003) a young Dot was played by Tallulah Pitt-Brown in fl ...

's (

June Brown June Muriel Brown (16 February 1927 – 3 April 2022) was an English actress and author. She was best known for her role as Dot Cotton on the BBC soap opera ''EastEnders'' (1985–1993; 1997–2020). In 2005, she won Best Actress at the ''In ...

) house after being offered a room by

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 (J ...

(

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 ...

). Poppy forgives Anthony, and begins a new friendship with

Alice Branning Alice Branning is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera ''EastEnders'', played by Jasmyn Banks. Alice is the daughter of Derek Branning (Jamie Foreman). She made her first appearance on 10 May 2012. The character and casting was announce ...

(

Jasmyn Banks Jasmyn Grace Banks (born 20 August 1990) is an English actress. She is known for her role as Alice Branning in the BBC soap opera ''EastEnders''. Career Banks trained at the Young Persons Theatre Company (RAaW London) and the Italia Conti Aca ...

). She starts a relationship with Fatboy, after her sister Tansy Meadow's (

Daisy Wood-Davis Daisy Wood-Davis (born Jessica Daisy Davis; 22 October 1990) is a British singer and actress. She has appeared in several stage productions, including '' Dreamboats and Petticoats'' as Laura and ''The Rocky Horror Show'' as Janet Weiss. From 201 ...

) visit, where Fatboy acts as Poppy's "high-flying" businessman boyfriend in front of Tansy, in an effort to make herself look good in front of her younger "successful" sister. Although it is revealed that Tansy is not that successful, she tells Poppy that Fatboy loves her. The two start a relationship and later declare their love for each other. After a few months, Poppy sees text messages on Fatboy's phone from a girl called

Chloe Chloe (; ), also spelled Chloë, Chlöe, or Chloé, is a feminine name meaning "blooming" or "fertility" in Greek. The name ultimately derives, through Greek, from the Proto-Indo-European root ', which relates to the colors yellow and green. T ...

(Siobhan Athwal), and suspects he is cheating on her, and is further upset when she sees them together. However, Fatboy reveals that Chloe is his colleague and he has started working at McKlunkies again. Poppy is then made redundant when owner

Sadie Young The following are characters who first appeared in the BBC soap opera ''EastEnders'' during 2013, listed by order of first appearance. New characters were introduced by Lorraine Newman, executive producer until December 2013, when Dominic Tread ...

(

Kate Magowan Katie Victoria "Kate" Magowan (born 1 June 1975) is an English actress and producer. She has been in film, theatre, television and radio productions. Her best known role is Princess Una in the 2007 feature film '' Stardust''. She is married to ...

) decides to leave Walford after discovering that her husband

Jake Stone Jake Stone is the name of: *Jake Stone (singer) Bluejuice was an Australian band based in Sydney, active between 2000 and 2014. The group's final line-up consisted of lead vocalist Jake Stone, backing vocalist Stavros Yiannoukas, bassist Jami ...

(

Jamie Lomas James Lomas (born 21 April 1975) is an English actor, known for his soap opera roles as Warren Fox in ''Hollyoaks'' and Jake Stone in ''EastEnders''. Life and career Lomas was born in Manchester. Before joining ''Hollyoaks'' in 2006, he had m ...

) has been having an affair with

(

), which causes Poppy to act cold towards Lauren. Poppy interferes in Dot's relationship with her son,

Nick Nick may refer to: * Nick (given name) * A cricket term for a slight deviation of the ball off the edge of the bat * British slang for being arrested * British slang for a police station * British slang for stealing * Short for nickname Place ...

( John Altman), telling him that his mother does not want to speak to him. She then allows Fatboy to stay with her after Tamwar throws him out. Poppy is then devastated to learn that Fatboy shared a passionate kiss with

Denise Fox Denise Fox (also Wicks and Johnson) is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera '' EastEnders'', played by Diane Parish. She made her first appearance on 11 May 2006 and temporarily left ''EastEnders'' in early 2008 to give birth to her ...

(

Diane Parish Diane Parish (born 1 November 1969) is an English actress, who has been portraying the character Denise Fox on the BBC One soap opera ''EastEnders'' since 2006 Born in Chelsea, London and a graduate of the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art, Pari ...

), after hearing the pair whispering about it. She then learns that Fatboy and Denise had slept together before he was even in a relationship with Poppy. This infuriates Poppy, who storms over to the Minute Mart and confronts Denise, leading to the two women clashing in the shop. Poppy then returns home and tells Fatboy that she has forgiven him, but she needs to move away from Walford so that they can have a fresh start. Fatboy refuses to move and says he wants to end their relationship. She packs her bags and leaves Walford for

Hemel Hempstead Hemel Hempstead () is a town in the Dacorum district in Hertfordshire, England, northwest of London, which is part of the Greater London Urban Area. The population at the 2011 census was 97,500. Developed after the Second World War as a ne ...

, but not before posting a letter through Ian's letterbox, detailing about his fiancée's infidelity.

Development

2011 introduction, return and departure

Poppy initially appeared as a guest character in two episodes, broadcast on 11 and 13 January 2011, in "filler" scenes that were substituted for those cut from a controversial baby-swap storyline in which

Ronnie Branning Veronica "Ronnie" Branning (also Mitchell) is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera, '' EastEnders'', played by Samantha Womack. She and her younger sister Roxy Mitchell (played by Rita Simons) were introduced by executive producer Diede ...

(

Samantha Womack Samantha Zoe Womack (''Birth name, née'' Janus; born 2 November 1972) is an English actress, singer, model and director who has worked in film, television and stage. Womack initially planned a career in singing and she represented the Unite ...

)'s son

James James is a common English language surname and given name: *James (name), the typically masculine first name James * James (surname), various people with the last name James James or James City may also refer to: People * King James (disambiguat ...

dies of

sudden infant death syndrome Sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) is the sudden unexplained death of a child of less than one year of age. Diagnosis requires that the death remain unexplained even after a thorough autopsy and detailed death scene investigation. SIDS usuall ...

, and she secretly swaps him with

Kat Moon Kathleen "Kat" Slater (also Moon) is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera ''EastEnders'', played by Jessie Wallace. She is also played by Kate Peck in a flashback in 2001 and Sumar-Elise Sandford in a flashback in 2018. Kat is the seco ...

's (

Jessie Wallace Karen Jane Wallace (born 25 September 1971), known professionally as Jessie Wallace, is an English actress. She is known for portraying the role of Kat Slater on the BBC soap opera ''EastEnders'' since 2000. Her role as Kat won her the Nationa ...

) son,

Tommy Tommy may refer to: People * Tommy (given name) * Tommy Atkins, or just Tommy, a slang term for a common soldier in the British Army Arts and entertainment Film and television * ''Tommy'' (1931 film), a Soviet drama film * ''Tommy'' (1975 fil ...

. A spokeswoman for ''EastEnders'' claimed that although some of the baby-swap scenes had been edited in response to reaction from viewers, none had been removed: "Given the audience response to this storyline, we felt on this occasion that it was appropriate to respond and make some changes. The vast majority of material remains intact and we don't believe that those trims we have made will weaken or detract from the overall storyline for viewers". In an interview with the ''Daily Mirror,'' Bright stated that her first scene was her favourite throughout her tenure, as "all hecould think was, 'I'm sitting on a bench in the Square!'" Babbington, who played Jodie, revealed in May 2011 that Bright was to reprise her role. Bright made her return on 30 June 2011. Kylie Babbington (2011)

On 19 September 2011 episode, Poppy discovers that Jodie's fiancé Darren (Hawkins) has cheated on her. Hawkins assessed the situation Poppy was in: "as everyone knows, Poppy's loyalties lie with Jodie – they're super best friends! Poppy wants Darren to own up straight away, because she feels that if he doesn't, she'll be lying to Jodie as well". He explained, "Poppy doesn't want to see Jodie in pain, but she can't keep the secret". Poppy and Jodie were reportedly used to add humour to the soap, in the style of reality-drama series ''

The Only Way Is Essex ''The Only Way Is Essex'' (often abbreviated as ''TOWIE'' ) is a British reality television series based in Brentwood, Essex, England. It shows "real people in modified situations, saying unscripted lines but in a structured way." Originally b ...

''. On 24 October 2011 it was announced that the pair were to leave the show. Her departure storyline saw her to start to date Anthony (Lapinskas), who considered his character to be "pleased that somebody likes him". He added that while his character was also interested in Jodie, he did what he thought was expected of him in asking Poppy out. After he and Jodie kissed, Lapinskas revealed that Jodie would be angry with herself for betraying Poppy. An ''

Inside Soap ''Inside Soap'' is a weekly magazine published in the United Kingdom, released every Tuesday. It covers current and future storylines in soap operas in the United Kingdom, including '' Coronation Street'', ''Doctors'', ''EastEnders'', ''Emmerdal ...

'' writer predicted that Anthony was heading for trouble, and that he was "playing with fire" by kissing both Poppy and Jodie. A source told RTÉ, "

odie Odie is a fictional dog who appears in the comic strip ''Garfield'' by Jim Davis. He has also made appearances in the animated television series ''Garfield and Friends'' and '' The Garfield Show'', two live-action/ CGI feature films, and three ...

and Poppy have never let a man come between them. Poppy may have something to say to Jodie when she finds out they have kissed". The

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, ...

Daniel Kilkelly and the '' Daily Star'' Susan Hill confirmed that Poppy would forgive Jodie, and they made their final appearance on 14 November 2011. According to an ''EastEnders'' spokesperson, there was potential for Poppy to return in the future; in an interview with ''Inside Soap'', ''EastEnders'' executive producer

said: "We may see Poppy pop up as I'm a big fan of Rachel Bright and the character, but Kylie is keen to pursue other roles".

2012 return and 2014 departure

On 18 May 2012 Daniel Kilkelly of

confirmed that Bright would be reprising her role and returning to ''EastEnders''. On her return, Bright said that it was "really exciting to be asked back", saying that it was "nice to just slot back in", adding, "I feel really lucky". Talking to ''Inside Soap's'' Allison Jones and Laura-Jayne Tyler, Bright said of her return, "The door was always left open for Poppy, but it was a big surprise to be asked back so quickly. I thought it might be further down the track, so when my agent rang, I was like, 'Yes — no problem!'". Bright stated that "fear crept over" when she was filming her first scene since her departure, as it was without Babbington. She added that she felt "safe working with Kylie", but felt that without her the audience might get to know Poppy better. In Poppy's return storyline on 12 June, she arrived back in Walford to help Tanya (Joyner) with Janine's (Brooks) wedding preparations. A spokesperson for the show claimed that Poppy had become "a successful

nail artist Nail art is a creative way to paint, decorate, enhance, and embellish nails. It is a type of artwork that can be done on fingernails and toenails, usually after manicures or pedicures. Manicures and pedicures are beauty treatments that trim, shap ...

" since her departure, but as Poppy's storylines progress that is revealed to be untrue; Poppy was trying to impress Tanya. Bright said in an ''Inside Soap'' interview of Poppy's storylines, "I think her job in Walford is to keep things light, and right now Poppy's in a happy place. She'll carry on dipping in and out of storylines, but viewers can expect to see more of her soon. I'm excited about that!". The magazine added that Poppy had made a "welcome return". Poppy begins a new friendship with Alice (Banks), who was stated to be a replacement for Jodie. Bright said of this new friendship, "They are polar opposites, but that works. I think Poppy almost mothers Alice by looking after her and giving her good advice. Or at least it's what Poppy thinks is good advice!". Many viewers and fans of ''EastEnders'' expected Poppy's return to be only temporary, and thought that she would depart soon after her return. However, it was announced on 24 October that Kirkwood's successor

Lorraine Newman Lorraine Newman (born 1978) is a British scriptwriter, television producer, and the executive producer of the BBC soap opera ''EastEnders'' from 2012 to 2013. Newman, who has worked on ''EastEnders'' for "nearly 20 years", received the role of ...

decided that Bright will remain with ''EastEnders'' for the foreseeable future as a regular character. Upon this news, Digital Spy announced that Wood-Davis had been cast as Tansy Meadow, Poppy's younger sister, who appeared for one episode. Poppy is "less than enthusiastic" to hear about her sister's visit. On 30 October 2012 episode, Poppy, along with Fatboy (Norwood) host a

Halloween Halloween or Hallowe'en (less commonly known as Allhalloween, All Hallows' Eve, or All Saints' Eve) is a celebration observed in many countries on 31 October, the eve of the Western Christian feast of All Saints' Day. It begins the observanc ...

ghost tour of the Square organised showing people where former residents have died. Newman stated in an interview in November 2012 that there is "plenty more on the table" for Poppy adding, "We'll see Poppy become involved in a relationship very soon, which is progressing very well in the material we're working on at the moment. She'll become far more involved in the Square and the friendships within those groups". Digital Spy also revealed Poppy's new relationship, adding that "viewers will have to wait and see who she falls for and how things pan out as the new plot develops". This was confirmed as Fatboy, and the two kiss in 22 November's episode. The pair "grow close" after Tansy's visit, where Fatboy acts as Poppy's "high-flying" businessman boyfriend in front of Tansy, trying to make herself look good in front of her "successful sibling". Bright said of their relationship, "It's really sweet. I don't think Poppy or Fatboy realised they liked each other as they've been friends for a while. She's unsure at first because she doesn't want to ruin a friendship. She's also been unlucky in love, so she's a little bit wary. But I think she can trust Fatboy". Bright expressed her delight at working with Norwood upon her return, after being disappointed she did not work with him during her first stint. In an interview with ''

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 ...

'' she said, "Before I started the show Fatboy was one of my favourite characters. I was gutted I didn’t work with him the first time round so when I came back and they told me about Poppy and Fatboy’s relationship, I was just so excited. Their characters are perfect for each other. Poppy and Fatboy are a little bit of light in a lot of gloom around the Square. It’s important to have a bit of comedy between everything else. I’m very lucky". She also expressed her wish for the two to get married, adding that their relationship "looks long term". The couple were at the center of a

Red Button Red button may refer to: *Red Button (digital television), a button on the remote control for certain digital television set top boxes in the United Kingdom and Australia, and used to access interactive television services **BBC Red Button, a digit ...

spin-off episode, featuring how Poppy and Fatboy spent their Christmas together. The spinoff, entitled " All I Want for Christmas", featured the characters of Alice, Tyler (Discipline) and Tamwar (Patel), with Wood-Davis reprising her role as Tansy, whilst Keith Parry guest starred as "Santa Tramp". Bright said of the spinoff, "Poppy spends the day with Fatboy. She is under pressure to go back to her family, but realises she doesn't want that. Her and Fatboy have a romantic day, but you don't see anything on screen n the Christmas episodebecause it is dominated by the Brannings. There will be an interactive section where viewers can press the red button and see a ten-minute film of how Poppy and Fatboy spent their day". Bright discussed their relationship in an interview with ''

TV Guide TV Guide is an American digital media company that provides television program Television, sometimes shortened to TV, is a telecommunication medium for transmitting moving images and sound. The term can refer to a television set, or t ...

'', calling them the "jolliest couple in Walford". She said, "It's all very sweet for them both at the moment. I reckon they're going to be one of those couples who you want to shout 'Get a room!' at. They're characters who need to be loved. Poppy certainly hopes she's found her

Prince Charming Prince Charming is a fairy tale stock character who comes to the rescue of a damsel in distress and must engage in a quest to liberate her from an evil spell. This classification suits most heroes of a number of traditional folk tales, incl ...

". On 24 September 2013, it was announced that Poppy, along with three other characters—

Kirsty Branning 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. ...

(

Kierston Wareing Kierston Wareing (born 7 January 1976) is a British actress. Her first film role was the lead in Ken Loach's '' It's a Free World...'', followed by a supporting role in Andrea Arnold's ''Fish Tank'' – which won the BAFTA award for ‘Best Bri ...

), AJ Ahmed (

Phaldut Sharma Phaldut "Paul" Sharma, also known as Paul Sharma, is a UK-based actor and dancer. He is best known for his roles in Gavin and Stacey as Achmed and Eastenders as AJ Ahmed . Career Television and film Sharma played Vinnay Ramdas in '' Casualty'' ...

) and

Carl White Carl White is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera ''EastEnders'', played by Daniel Coonan. He first appears in the 4660th episode, originally broadcast in the United Kingdom on 20 June 2013. Carl is the ex-boyfriend of Kirsty Brannin ...

(

Daniel Coonan Daniel Coonan is a British actor. Early life Coonan was brought up in Haringey, in north London, moving to Plymouth, Devon in his teens, where he took up acting lessons. He trained at the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art. Career Afte ...

)—had been axed from the series by the new executive producer

. It was reported that Treadwell-Collins was "determined to get ''EastEnders'' back to its best" and subsequently increase ratings. A ''EastEnders'' source added that Treadwell-Collins "didn't feel the characters who are leaving fit with the direction he is taking the show", leading to these characters being written out. The source continued; "He has only been in a month but he is already making big changes. He knows what he wants for ''EastEnders'' and is putting plans in place quickly". An ''EastEnders'' spokesperson confirmed this saying, "We can confirm these actors will be leaving ''EastEnders''. We wish them all the best". Bright filmed her final scenes before Christmas 2013 and Poppy departed in the last week of January 2014, after her relationship with Fatboy ended.

Characterisation

Poppy, Jodie's best friend, is a beautician. The ''EastEnders'' website describes Poppy as "a little bit 'uncomplicated'", but "no push over" and that she "brings out the best in everyone". Several critics have described Poppy as "ditzy". Sarah Dempster of ''

'' deemed her "dumb", and

RTÉ (RTÉ) (; Irish language, Irish for "Radio & Television of Ireland") is the Public broadcaster, national broadcaster of Republic of Ireland, Ireland headquartered in Dublin. It both produces and broadcasts programmes on RTÉ Television, telev ...

Sarah Hardy called her "insanely grating". In a press release announcing Poppy and Jodie's departure, they were described as "giggly girls"; Digital Spy Daniel Kilkelly, the ''Daily Star'' and '' The List'' have similarly referred to them as a "ditzy duo". Bright stated in an interview that in real life she is "nothing like Poppy" but did later add, when asked if she would be a good beautician in real life, "I'm quite a perfectionist and I think Poppy is too". Commenting on Poppy's 2012 return the BBC added, "The lure of Walford was too great and she's back to spread sunshine in

Albert Square 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 i ...

again". Bright called her "fabulous", "cool" and "dappy" compared to her in real life. Writers of ''Inside Soap'' called her "bubbly" and "perky", calling her an "aspiring beautician". In 2012, Bright said that the public ask her why she is talking differently from Poppy, adding that she is "definitely one of a kind, so fans tend to be quite shocked when they realise I'm completely different from her". Bright said she both loves and hates Poppy's dress sense, as she has some items of clothing that are "really cute" but "the way she puts things together is slightly crazy! It's eccentric, but that suits Poppy".

Reception

Poppy's introduction to ''EastEnders'' was criticised by Daniella Graham of the ''Metro'', who said that "viewers were left questioning why on earth anyone thought this pointless sub-plot was necessary". In contrast, '' The Press and Journal'' Derek Lord deemed Poppy to have been "a welcome addition to the show"; he wrote that, "as a double act, odie and Poppy areno

Morecambe and Wise Eric Morecambe (John Eric Bartholomew, 14 May 1926 – 28 May 1984) and Ernie Wise (Ernest Wiseman, 27 November 1925 – 21 March 1999), known as Morecambe and Wise (and sometimes as Eric and Ernie), were an English comic double act, working i ...

, but at least they bring an element of something approaching humour to the otherwise soul-destroying drabness of the London soap". Jim Shelley of the ''Daily Mirror'' labelled Poppy the "Optimist of the week" for her line "I bet it's really nice here when they ain't having a funeral", and "Delicate flower of the week" for her "That is so well tragic innit?" when commenting on

Tommy Moon The following are characters who first appeared, or returned, in the BBC soap opera '' EastEnders'' during 2010 listed by order of first appearance. Executive producer Diederick Santer left ''EastEnders'' on 26 February 2010, handing over to Br ...

's death. Stuart Heritage from ''

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'' said that Poppy made an impact in her two episodes, branding her as "perhaps the greatest television bit-part character of the modern age". Heritage added that she had "the name of a

Bond girl A Bond girl is a character who is a love interest or female companion of James Bond in a novel, film or video game. Bond girls occasionally have names that are double entendres or puns, such as Pussy Galore, Plenty O'Toole, Xenia Onatopp, o ...

, the hair of a Winkleman and the voice of a

Katie Price Katrina Amy Alexandra Alexis Price (''née'' Infield; born 22 May 1978) is an English media personality and model. She gained recognition in the late 1990s for her Glamour photography, glamour modelling work and had regular appearances on Pag ...

robot running low on batteries"; describing her as "electrifying", he hoped that she would return. Katy Moon from ''Inside Soap'' discussed Poppy's original two episode stint: Upon Poppy's return in 2011, she and Jodie were widely known as a "double act". Roz Laws of the ''

Sunday Mercury ''Sunday Mercury'' is a Sunday tabloid published in Birmingham, UK, and now owned by Reach plc. The first edition was published on 29 December 1918. The first editor was John Turner Fearon (1869–1937), who left the Dublin-based ''Freeman's ...

'' welcomed Poppy's return, observing that "Walford needs all the humour it can get these days". In the ''Daily Mirror'', Jennifer Rodger called them a "refreshing change", and Tony Stewart deemed them "The daftest girls in Soapland and probably the funniest". Stewart was one of several critics to express displeasure over their axing, describing it as "a shame". Jane Simon and Brian McIver of the '' Daily Record'' described them as "an adorable female double act ndE20's answer to 2 Shoes", and wrote of their departure, "apparently there just isn't enough room for sunny, funny, glass-half-full types in Walford". A critic writing for ''

The Huffington Post ''HuffPost'' (formerly ''The Huffington Post'' until 2017 and sometimes abbreviated ''HuffPo'') is an American progressive news website, with localized and international editions. The site offers news, satire, blogs, and original content, and ...

'' suggested that they had "injected some humour into the famously gloomy soap". ''The Daily Mirror'' Rodger said that she was "sad" that the duo had left, saying that she "found their scenes together hilarious", hoping that she would see both Bright and Babbington in a new show together. Bright stated that during her main stint in 2011, she received mail telling her saying how much fans liked the double act between Poppy and Jodie, and that they were a "breath of fresh air". Upon Bright's return in 2012, she was still named "one half of Poppy and Jodie double-act", with the ''Daily Mirror'' Simon adding that Poppy was returning "just in time because some people in Walford are in dire need of a make-under". ''Inside Soap'' predicted that Albert Square would be a "cheerier place for the foreseeable future as bubbly Poppy Meadow makes a welcome return". ''

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 ...

'' made a similar comment about Poppy's return saying that, "In happier news, the glorious Poppy Meadow is back. That is sooo lovely!". Although Stewart did not particularly aim this at Poppy, Stewart did complain about the younger characters in the cast, using Poppy as one of the examples. He said, "While there are some talented and award-winning young actors in the cast, you can't help but suspect that colouring books and crayons are handed out with the scripts at times". A ''Daily Mirror'' writer said that Poppy, played by the "excellent Rachel Bright", is "one of the comedy delights in this soap". The writer stated that she was "even more Essex than former ''

Towie ''The Only Way Is Essex'' (often abbreviated as ''TOWIE'' ) is a British reality television series based in Brentwood, Essex, England. It shows "real people in modified situations, saying unscripted lines but in a structured way." Originally ...

'' star

Amy Childs Amy Andrea Childs (born 7 June 1990) is an English television personality and model. She appeared in the first two series of the ITV2 reality series ''The Only Way Is Essex'', and subsequently starred in her own reality series '' It's All About ...

References

Notes Citations Bibliography *

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Meadow, Poppy EastEnders characters Fictional beauticians Television characters introduced in 2011 Female characters in television