Lauren Branning

Lauren Branning (also Beale) is a fictional character from the BBCsoap operaEastEnders. The role was originally portrayed by Madeline Duggan from 3 July 2006 until her exit on 23 June 2010. Three months later on 27 September 2010, the role was recast to Jacqueline Jossa. In September 2017, it was announced that Jossa had been axed with the character departing on 16 February 2018. Jossa reprised the role temporarily in December 2022 and June 2023, before returning permanently on 1 January 2024.

Her storylines during her original stint have included running over her father Max Branning (Jake Wood), alcoholism, supporting her mother Tanya Branning (Jo Joyner) through cervical cancer, her friendships with Lucy Beale (Melissa Suffield/Hetti Bywater) and Whitney Dean (Shona McGarty), a sexual relationship with her first cousin Joey Branning (David Witts), an affair with a married alcoholic Jake Stone (Jamie Lomas), engagement to Peter Beale (Ben Hardy), struggling to deal with Lucy's murder, giving birth to Peter's son Louie Beale, a relationship with Peter's half-brother Steven Beale (Aaron Sidwell) following the ending of her relationship with Peter, becoming attracted to Max's boss Josh Hemmings (Eddie Eyre) who also becomes her own boss, having an abortion after becoming pregnant by Steven, dealing with his death, finding out her sister Abi is pregnant by Steven after an affair, working against Weylands plans for development on Albert Square, falling from the Queen Victoria roof alongside Abi and dealing with Abi's death following the fall.

Since her return in 2024, Lauren's storylines have included being framed for drug trafficking by Penny, reuniting with Peter, clashing with Peter's mother Cindy Beale (Michelle Collins), sleeping with Whitney's fiancée Zack Hudson (James Farrar), being injured during a crowd crush and stampede, falling pregnant by Peter again, battling a painkiller addiction, exposing Cindy's adultery with her ex-husband's estranged son Junior Knight (Micah Balfour), being a suspect in the "Who Attacked Cindy?" storyline, giving birth to second son Jimmy Beale with Cindy's help, finding out that Jimmy has coloboma and is severely sight-impaired, marrying Peter, dealing with the return of her estranged father, Max, and becoming involved in criminal activities with Peter's cousin Mark Fowler Jnr (Stephen Aaron-Sipple), with whom she later begins an affair.