Lauren Branning
| Lauren Branning | |||||||||||||||
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| File:Lauren branning.jpg | |||||||||||||||
| Duration | 2006— | ||||||||||||||
| First appearance | 3 July 2006 | ||||||||||||||
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Lauren Branning is a fictional character in the popular BBC soap opera EastEnders. She is played by Madeline Duggan.
History
Lauren is the daughter of Max and Tanya Branning and half sister of Bradley Branning. She also has a sister called Abi and a brother called Oscar.
Lauren moved into 5 Albert Square with her parents and sister, not knowing that her brother even existed. She then overheard her parents talking, and discovered she had family nearby. Lauren was very interested in her new-found family, introducing herself to her grandfather, Jim, and talking to Bradley, but when Jim threw Bradley out of his house after he got in trouble at work, Lauren was not happy at the prospect of having Bradley around, as she would have to share a room with Abi. Max talked to her and took Lauren to get her ears pierced for accepting Bradley.
Lauren made fun of Abi and her new found friendship with ten-year-old Ben Mitchell. Lauren told Ben that Abi fancied him but Abi said that it was not true. Ben and Abi soon got their own back at Lauren when they soaked her with water bombs one afternoon.
Lauren seems very disproving of Tanya's sister, her Aunt Rainie and seems to look down on her when she arrives back in Walford in January 2008
In September 2006 Lauren joined Walford High School, where she is in the same class as Lucy Beale, with whom she developed a friendship. One day, Lauren pretended to be ill and came home from school. Her step-grandmother, Dot, offered to look after her while Tanya was at work. Lauren was not happy and tried to escape at every opportunity, first of all going out into the garden to text message Lucy, who was still at school. Dot found her and dragged her inside. Later, Lauren went to the playground and Dot found her a second time and was shocked when Lauren said Deano Wicks was "well buff".
At Jane Collins' hen party, Lauren and Lucy stole a bottle of champagne and went to the cellar of Booty to drink it. They got drunk but Jane didn't seem bothered by this.
In March 2007, she bought some cigarettes from Mo Harris and invited Jay Brown to her house to smoke them. Tanya walked in on them, and confiscated Lauren's phone and stopped her pocket money for the rest of the month.
In May 2007, Max, Tanya, Lauren and Abi all left Walford on a spontaneous holiday to Spain, after Max's mistress Stacey Slater threatened to tell Tanya about their affair. While in Spain they saw a house they liked, and informed Bradley that they may stay in Spain permanently. However, they returned on the night that Stacey and Bradley got engaged.
On 16 July 2007, Lauren was acting strangely, Abi noticed this and asked if she was all right, but Lauren just told her to mind her own business. The reason behind Lauren's strange behaviour was that she had started her periods.
The Beales came to stay with the Brannings after Ian's attempt at DIY failed. Lauren was furious when Lucy took her favourite mini skirt without asking.
On 6 August, Lauren was left to look after Abi but did not want to. Lauren, invited Lucy over with Craig Dixon and they played truth or dare, but Lauren did not feel comfortable about it. When they dared her to take her top off, Abi came in the room before she could do it. Lucy and Craig left, and Lauren helped Abi with her guinea pig.
On 13 August, Lucy asked Lauren to go along with them having a sleepover at the Branning's house but actually Lucy was Craig. On 14 August, Lucy made up that she was having a sleepover at Lauren's house again. Lucy asked Lauren to go along with it because she was actually going to spend more time with Craig. Lauren said she didn't want to, and Lucy questioned whether she was actually her friend. In another attempt to get away Lucy claimed she had period pains to escape the Beales' house-warming party and convinced Lauren to stay silent. When Jane found that Lucy had gone, Lauren told them everything about Craig and Lucy, where they had gone and about the fake sleepover. Lauren looked guilty because Craig was soon going to find out that she had spilt the beans, as Ian ran off to find them. Lucy Beale was very worried about losing her virginity, and so was Lauren which is why she told Ian.
Lauren was desperate for a video camera but Max wouldn't let her have one at first. However, Lauren wasn't going to take no for an answer. Instead, she stole Max's credit card and bought one that way. Max found out a few days later when he caught Lauren filming him. He was furious but in the end, let her keep the camera.
On 2 November 2007 it was Bradley and Stacey's wedding day. Lauren was asked to film it but on the morning of the wedding, she got in everyone's way with filming and Tanya told Lauren to put the camera down for a bit. To get revenge, Lauren hid the camera in Tanya's room, where Tanya would be doing Stacy's hair. However, lauren forgot to lift the camera and went to the church without it but still told tanya she had it. When the wedding was over, Stacey returned to the Brannings to get changed so she and Bradley could set of for their honeymoon straight away. Max followed her and the pair started talking about their affair. They kissed and Max begged Stacy to rekindle the affair but she said no. They were unaware that they had been caught on camera.
Lauren and Peter
At the end of November 2007, Lauren began dating Peter Beale after they were both set up by French exchange student Monique. Later on she was invited to Peter and Lucy's 14th birthday party on 6 December 2007 with Laurens mum [Tanya] and after a little chat, they shared their first kiss (snog) in the back garden of the Beales' house while the party continued inside. However, as they were kissing they were interrupted by Lucy, who was looking for her older brother Steven Beale. Lauren and Peter began seeing each other in private, but on 10 December 2007, Max discovered their relationship. Max then went round to Peter's house, warning Peter to not go too far with Lauren. Lauren was upset by what Max had said to Peter. The following day she, along with Peter, bunked off school and with the help of her uncle Jack they hid out in his club R&R. However, Lauren and Peter both took a step too far when they stole a bottle of alcohol. When they left the club, Lauren ran into Phil Mitchell and dropped the bottle. Phil alerted Max, culminating in Max shouting at Peter and Lauren, and grounding Lauren for the Christmas holidays. Later on Lauren told Max she resented him because he always put Abi first and it was clear she was his favourite. Lauren and Peter intended to go to the school disco together on 11 January 2008, but Peter was banned from going because Ian wanted him to train to be an athlete, in addition Ian banned Lauren from the Beale's house and banned Peter from going to the Branning household so Peter would be able to train without distractions, Lauren was furious and complained to Tanya and her Aunt Rainie who agreed to help her solve her problem with the help of Jane Beale.
Discovery
On 14 December 2007, Lauren started transferring the wedding video to her laptop, and on 20 December, she saw the incriminating clip of Max and Stacey. Seeing it as an opportunity to get revenge on her father, she transferred the video to DVD, writing "HAPPY COUPLE - X" on it and wrapping it as a Christmas present for Bradley, a look of ruthless satisfaction on her face.
Lauren immediately regretted this when she realised her father genuinely loved Tanya and indeed her. She threw the DVD in the bin, only for Tanya to find it and put it under the tree. The Branning's and the Slater's spent Christmas Day together. Lauren was quiet throughout the whole day and constantly cold-shouldered Stacey. Lauren saw to her horror, that Max had handed the wedding DVD to Bradley. She tried to stop everyone from viewing the DVD but was unsuccessful, and Stacey and Max's affair was revealed. Lauren fled the room distraught.
Tanya later came to Lauren and asked her why she did not tell her. For a while, Tanya blamed Lauren but she then realised Lauren was trying to protect her. After, Abi and Lauren comforted each other. Tanya, then asked the girls to pack their bags. Max caught up with Tanya as they were about to leave. A struggle ensues between them and Tanya falls down the stairs. She is seen to have blood seeping from her hairline, and her family look on, horror-struck.
Tanya however was fine. She got up from the floor, unharmed but for a cut on her forehead and was just as bent on leaving as before. As Max tried to persuade her otherwise she eventually relented and instructed Max to leave, which he did.
Lauren stayed in the house the following day, apparently unhappy as to the arragment but cold to most of the goings-on. When Max stood outside the door begging Lauren and Abi to let him in while Tanya was out Lauren went into the sitting room while Abi eventually relented and was about to open the door when Tanya returned and sent Max away. That night Lauren was seen lying in bed looking pensive while unbeknownst to her Abi fled the house with her father and baby Oscar, while Lauren lay in her bed and Tanya slept on the sofa in the living room.
Lauren then spent the majority of New Year's Eve 2007 at Peter Beale's house as Tanya sent Lauren over because she wanted a romantic meal with Sean Slater. Tanya then brought both Lauren and Abi back to celebrate New Year together.
On the 3rd January 2008 she heard Max and Tanya shouting downstairs and confronted them about it, Max said that he and Tanya would stop shouting to which Lauren replied that she could hear every word that they were saying and ordered Max to leave the house, with which she left the room and ran back to her bedroom.
On 4 January 2008 Lauren clearly showed that she was on Tanya's side as when Max is about to leave the house and tells both Lauren & Abi that they can come and visit him, she replies 'yeah right' and storms away, leaving Max and Tanya both upset that she no longer likes him.
Family
- Father: Max Branning
- Mother: Tanya Branning
- Brother: Oscar Branning
- Sister: Abi Branning
- Half brother: Bradley Branning
- Grandfather: Jim Branning
- Grandmother: Reenie Branning (deceased)
- Uncles: Derek Branning, Jack Branning
- Aunts: Carol Jackson, April Branning, Sue Branning, Rainie Cross
- Cousins: Bianca Jackson, Robbie Jackson, Sonia Fowler, Billy Jackson, Penny Branning
- First cousins once removed: Liam Butcher, Rebecca Miller, Natasha Butcher (deceased), Gordon Branning