Instruct: Given a question, retrieve relevant passages that can help answer the question.
Query: Is Abi Branning still a character on EastEnders?
On 24 April 2018, it was announced that Spearritt would reprise the role for another guest appearance later in 2018. The character's July 2018 return was described as a "comedy plot". A third stint over Christmas 2018 was announced on 4 December 2018.
Abi Branning first appears in the episode broadcast on 29 December 2017. She is the daughter of Abi Branning (Lorna Fitzgerald) and Steven Beale (Aaron Sidwell).
The following is a list of characters that first appeared in the BBC soap opera "EastEnders" in 1985, by order of first appearance. They were all introduced by executive producer Julia Smith. The first episode of "EastEnders" was broadcast on 19 February 1985, and twenty-three main characters were already created for their first appearance. The first character to be seen was Den Watts, followed by Ali Osman and then Arthur Fowler, all of whom find Reg Cox dying in his flat. Ethel Skinner, Harold Legg and Pauline Fowler appear, after Den alerts them of Reg's death. With Ethel is her pug Willy along with Lou Beale. Saeed and Naima Jeffery are seen working in the local shop whilst Angie Watts is seen in The Queen Victoria, Walford's local pub. Nick Cotton and Sue Osman are next seen, whilst Pete and Kathy Beale work at the fruit and veg stall and Hassan Osman is seen with his parents in the café. Sharon Watts, Ian Beale and Michelle Fowler are next seen and Mark Fowler is seen going into the bookies. Lastly, Roly the dog is seen in the pub when a fight breaks out.
Michelle Fowler (also Holloway) is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera "EastEnders", played by Susan Tully from the first episode in 1985 until the character's departure in 1995. In December 2016, it was announced Michelle would be returning to the show after 21 years, with actress Jenna Russell taking over the role making her first appearance on 24 December 2016. In her first stint Michelle made some huge mistakes during her time in Albert Square mainly through having a habit of choosing the wrong men and her stubborn nature meant that she rarely accepted help or listened to good advice. Being determined and outspoken, she has never been afraid to defend herself or her beliefs. Since the recast to Russell in 2016, Michelle's storylines have revolved around her having had an illegal relationship with her student, Preston Cooper (Martin Anzor) in America, a love triangle involving her niece Bex Fowler (Jasmine Armfield), crashing Phil Mitchell car into the local chip shop and being stalked by Tom Bailey (Daniel Casey). Russell's departure from the show was announced in March 2018, and Michelle departed on 17 April 2018.
Kathy Beale (also Mitchell and Sullivan), played by Gillian Taylforth between 1985 and 2000, and then from 2015 onwards, is the mother of Ian Beale (Adam Woodyatt). Though it was never used on screen, in 2010 the BBC website named the character as Kathy Sullivan due to a marriage after she left the show in 2000. Kathy Beale is one of the serial's original characters, appearing in the first episode of "EastEnders" on 19 February 1985. One of the longest-running original characters, Kathy remains in a prominent role, covering issues such as rape and domestic violence until April 1998, when Taylforth quit. A year later, in 1999, Taylforth returned for a temporary stint to aid the departure of actor Ross Kemp who played her brother-in-law Grant Mitchell, and later in December 1999 for the wedding of her screen son Ian. She made her final appearance in January 2000. Despite various rumours of a possible return for Kathy in the press, this did not occur and the character was supposedly killed off-screen in a road accident in late February 2006 in a storyline to facilitate the return of her son Ben to his father Phil (Steve McFadden). In tribute to the character, the soap's café is named "Kathy's". Kathy returned for the 30th anniversary episode in February 2015, when it was revealed that Kathy never died in a surprise showdown with her ex-husband, Phil.
On 11 May 2007, it was announced that she would be joining the cast of "EastEnders" as Roxy Mitchell, alongside Samantha Womack who played Roxy's sister Ronnie Mitchell. Of her role, Simons said: "I've always watched "EastEnders" and it's been my dream to become part of the Mitchell family." Simons temporarily departed from "EastEnders" in late 2015 (the character departed from screens from 1 January to 4 May 2016), allowing the actress to take part in a Snow White pantomime at the Marlowe Theatre in Canterbury, over the 2015/16 Christmas and New Year period. In August 2016, it was announced that Simons had quit "EastEnders" along with Samantha Womack and that they would be both departing in an "explosive" storyline in 2017. Her on-screen character Roxy Mitchell drowned in a swimming pool in an episode broadcast on New Year's Day 2017, along with her sister Ronnie.
When "EastEnders" began in 1985, the soap focused primarily around the affairs of three families: the Beales, Fowlers, and Watts. However, much of the show's early success stemmed from the drama surrounding the Watts, especially the antics of Den, who as owners of the Queen Vic pub (the show's most prominent set) were usually in the limelight. This prominence, at a time when "EastEnders" was at its most prolific in terms of both the media and audience, meant the Watts became perhaps "EastEnders" most eminent family and the characters known even to those who did not watch the show. Such was their success that producers went ahead with an experimental episode format centring on just Den and Angie, during which Angie lied about having cancer; so successful was the airing that it has since been repeated, and the format expanded to include "three" and "four-handers" (between 3 and 4 characters). Such episodes are highly prestigious and feature only the most popular and prominent characters in the show; thus, all the Watts, aside from Vicki, have featured in such episodes.
In early 2000, it was announced that a new doctor would arrive in "EastEnders". A few days later it was announced he would be played by Nick Bailey. Bailey was working for an investment bank unloading boxes, when he received the call about auditioning for Anthony. He explained "I was alone in the stockroom when my agent's wife rang and told me I'd got the part. I just jumped up and punched the air, then did a rumba round the room." "EastEnders" marked Bailey's first major television role. Anthony was introduced as the son of B&B owner Audrey Trueman (Corinne Skinner-Carter). He made his first on-screen appearance on 11 December 2000. It was later announced his family would arrive later in the year.
Nana Moon is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera "EastEnders", played by Hilda Braid. In a special episode, Kate Colgrave Pope played her as a 24-year-old in a flashback episode from 1944. She was introduced alongside her grandsons, Alfie (Shane Richie) and Spencer Moon (Chris Parker), and made her first appearance on 3 December 2002. She was introduced by executive producer Louise Berridge in 2002, and a decision was made to kill off the character in 2005 following the announced departures of her on-screen family, and made her last appearance on 16 December 2005.
In July 2010, Shepherd's casting as Michael Moon, the cousin of Alfie Moon, in "EastEnders" was announced. He made his first appearance on 1 October 2010. In May 2011, Shepherd was nominated in the Best Soap Newcomer category at the 2011 TV Choice Awards for his portrayal of Michael. In March 2013, Shepherd announced that he would be leaving "EastEnders" later that year. Shepherd's final storyline surrounded Michael's plan to murder his wife Janine Butcher. Michael's last episode was on 1 November 2013, when he was killed by Janine. Shepherd left the show to explore new roles.
Alfie Moon is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera "EastEnders", played by Shane Richie. He made his first appearance on 21 November 2002, and left on 25 December 2005. He returned to "EastEnders" on 21 September 2010, following the return of on-screen wife Kat (Jessie Wallace) two episodes previously.
Bentinck posted on Twitter that he was filming his first scenes on 28 February 2013. After his scenes aired, a Manchester solicitor received an increase in calls requesting information about mediation, and welcomed the storyline, saying, "I watched the episode of "EastEnders" when it aired on Tuesday and was really pleased to see that such a high profile show was featuring [mediation]. When couples come to divorce, being offered mediation as an option can make a huge difference to their short and long-term future, especially if children are concerned, as in this storyline. We have seen numerous calls on Wednesday asking about mediation, which can only be a positive thing, especially in the light of the recent cuts to legal aid."
"EastEnders" is often filmed on location, away from the studios in Borehamwood. Sometimes an entire quartet is filmed on location, which has a practical function and are the result of "EastEnders" making a "double bank", when an extra week's worth of episodes are recorded at the same time as the regular schedule, enabling the production of the programme to stop for a two-week break at Christmas. These episodes often air in late June or early July and again in late October or early November. The first time this happened was in December 1985 when Pauline (Wendy Richard) and Arthur Fowler (Bill Treacher) travelled to the Southend-on-Sea to find their son Mark, who had run away from home. In 1986, "EastEnders" filmed overseas for the first time, in Venice, and this was also the first time it was not filmed on videotape, as a union rule at the time prevented producers taking a video crew abroad and a film crew had to be used instead. In 2011, it was reported that eight per cent of the series is filmed on location.
Natalie Evans (also Price) is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera "EastEnders", played by Lucy Speed between 18 January 1994 and 10 May 2004. Natalie first appeared in January 1994, depicted initially as an unhappy, insecure teenager; she was among various regular characters brought in to increase the cast following the BBC's decision to increase episode output to 3 per week. She featured most often with the characters Ricky Butcher (Sid Owen) and Bianca Jackson (Patsy Palmer); Natalie's affair with Ricky ending his relationship with Bianca was one of the prominent storylines aired in the Winter of 1995. Despite producers offering to extend Speed's contact, she opted to leave the serial in 1995.
Rita Joanne Simons (born 10 March 1977) is an English actress, singer, and model from London, who is known for playing Roxy Mitchell in the BBC soap opera "EastEnders" from 2007 to 2017, when her character was killed off. For her performance on the show Simons received many accolades, including the 2008 National Television Award for Most Popular Newcomer.
Her first television appearance was in an episode of the ITV police drama series "The Bill" in 1999. Wallace is best known for playing the role of Kat Slater in BBC One soap opera "EastEnders" between 2000 and 2005. In Summer 2008, Wallace said she hadn't ruled out a return to "EastEnders". In February 2010 it was announced that Shane Richie was returning to play Alfie Moon, leading to large amounts of speculation as to whether Wallace would also be returning. On 9 February 2010, the BBC confirmed that Jessie would be returning to "EastEnders", reprising her role as Kat Slater. She and Alfie returned to screens in the Autumn of 2010. On 4 April 2015, the BBC announced that Wallace and Richie will depart from the show temporarily to appear in a six-part BBC One drama series, "Redwater". In the series, Kat and Alfie will visit Ireland in the "search for answers to some very big questions". Speaking about the show, Wallace commented: "I have always loved working on "EastEnders" so when I heard of this new drama to take Kat and Alfie outside of Walford, I couldn’t believe our luck. To be exploring the next chapter for Kat as well as working alongside my best mate, Shane, is a dream come true and a huge compliment." However, Wallace and Richie revealed on "This Morning" on 20 January 2016 that Kat and Alfie will not be returning to "EastEnders" after the six-part drama. In December 2017 it was announced that Wallace would reprise the role of Kat from Spring 2018.
Syed Masood is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera "EastEnders", played by Marc Elliott, and first appeared on screen on 21 April 2009. Syed is a British Pakistani and is the eldest son of Masood Ahmed (Nitin Ganatra) and Zainab Masood (Nina Wadia), and brother of Tamwar (Himesh Patel), Shabnam (Zahra Ahmadi) and Kamil Masood (Arian Chikhlia). Syed's storylines see him fall in love with a man, Christian Clarke (John Partridge), and his eventual acceptance that he is gay. Syed initially marries girlfriend Amira Shah (Preeya Kalidas) but later comes out, and enters a relationship with Christian, despite the pressures of his family and his Muslim faith.
Kathleen Moon is played by Jessie Wallace. The character originally appeared in the soap opera "EastEnders" from 2000 to 2005, and 2010 to 2016, in which she is usually called "Kat". The series of "Kat and Alfie: Redwater" was created because in "EastEnders", Kat and her husband Alfie (Shane Richie) had their marriage on track and needed more stories, and Kat had been "going round in a cycle of bad self-worth every few years, all down to the sexual abuse she suffered as a teenager from her Uncle Harry." It was decided that Kat should be shown as a survivor and move on to the next stage of her life, and she was taken back to "Kathleen", the child she was before she was abused. "Kat & Alfie: Redwater" follows Kat and Alfie as they arrive in the fictional Irish village of Redwater to "search for answers to some very big questions" and put their past behind them. In some of Kat's final "EastEnders" episodes, she discovers that she gave birth to a son, Luke, after she passed out during the birth of her daughter Zoe Slater (Michelle Ryan); Luke was adopted by a family in Ireland without Kat knowing he existed. Kat's sister Belinda Peacock (Carli Norris) recalls a time the family (minus Kat) went to Redwater and they conclude that Luke must be there. Treadwell-Collins confirmed that "the discovery that Kat has a secret son will [...] ultimately lead to the Moons realising that the answers to so many questions lie across the sea in Ireland." Director Jesper W. Nielsen said the series is "About how one woman's search for a lost child opens Pandora's box; revealing the terrible lies and secrets in the little village of Redwater". "Redwater" writer Matthew Graham said, "Kathleen Moon is an unwitting bomb in "Redwater" and creating the debris from her explosive arrival is what drew me to this project." He also said: "Everything [Kathleen] does comes out of the fact she doesn't think much of herself. So, her humour and her in-your-face qualities all come out of a place of insecurity. She doesn't think she's good enough. That's what I use when I'm writing Kat."
The second and final season of Witches of East End premiered on July 6, 2014 and concluded on October 5, 2014. It consisted of 13 episodes, each running 40–45 minutes approx. The series is based loosely on the book of the same by Melissa de la Cruz. The story takes place in East End focusing on a family of witches, led by Joanna Beauchamp (Julia Ormond). This season aired on Sundays at 9pm, followed by the new series "The Lottery", and averaged 1.13 million viewers. On November 4, 2014, Lifetime cancelled "Witches of East End" due to low ratings in the second season.On November 22, 2013, "Witches of East End" was renewed by Lifetime for a 13-episode second season, which premiered on July 6, 2014. Christian Cooke joined this season as a series regular. James Marsters and Bianca Lawson guest starred this season, (Marsters guest starred as Tarkoff, an old friend of Joanna's; while Lawson played Eva, a mysterious woman who has a connection to Killian).
On 23 December 2016, a day before her return, it was reported that Michelle would be returning, but that the part had been recast to Jenna Russell. Of her casting, Russell said: "It is a great honour to play such an iconic character. I know the audience loved Michelle Fowler so much, and even though she hasn't been on our screen for 20 years, she's very much in the fans' psyche. When I used to watch "EastEnders" all those years ago, she was one of my favourite characters. I'm extremely excited for what is in store for Michelle." Executive producer Sean O'Connor said he is "thrilled to have secured Jenna Russell to play Michelle Fowler, one of the show's most celebrated characters" and "the Square really has missed her over the past twenty years." O'Connor added, "Jenna was always in mind when I first started planning for Michelle's return". O'Connor also said Michelle is "still flawed, complicated and infuriating after two decades away, but still loveable all the same. It's going to be appointment TV watching Michelle's car crash of a life unravel all over again."
Alfie Moon is played by Shane Richie. The character originally appeared in the soap opera "EastEnders" from 2002 to 2005, and 2010 to 2016. Before his departure from "EastEnders", he discovers he has a mass on his brain. Of Alfie's part in "Redwater", Richie said, "Alfie's journey is to help his wife find her son but at the same time he has his own dark secret which he's keeping." Richie later said, "For the first time in 15 years, [Alfie] questions himself as a father, a husband and as a life, it feels like it's coming to an end for him. [...] Alfie starts getting hallucinations and one in particular is quite harrowing."
Witches of East End is an American television series based on the book of the same name by Melissa de la Cruz. The series premiered on Lifetime on October 6, 2013. Set in the fictional seaside town of East End, it follows the lives of a family of witches – Joanna Beauchamp (Julia Ormond) and her two grown-up daughters, Freya Beauchamp (Jenna Dewan Tatum) and Ingrid Beauchamp (Rachel Boston), as well as her sister Wendy Beauchamp (Mädchen Amick).
Lauren Branning is played by Madeline Duggan from 2006 to 2010, and Jacqueline Jossa from 2010 onwards. She is the eldest daughter of Max (Jake Wood) and Tanya (Jo Joyner), the sister of Abi (Lorna Fitzgerald), and half-sister of Bradley Branning (Charlie Clements). Lauren uncovers an affair between her father and Bradley's fiancée, Stacey Slater (Lacey Turner). The affair leads to the breakdown of her parents' marriage, and blaming Max, Lauren runs him over in a car. Lauren has brief relationships with Peter Beale (Thomas Law) and Ryan Malloy (Neil McDermott), but has a serious relationship with her cousin, Joey Branning (David Witts). However, when Lauren becomes an alcoholic this leads to Joey ending their relationship.
Bernadette Logan, played by Olivia Grant, is a pupil in Abi Branning (Lorna Fitzgerald) and Ben Mitchell's (Charlie Jones) school year. She is first seen when she takes part in Dot Branning (June Brown) and Yolande Trueman's (Angela Wynter) 2007 nativity play. Abi is jealous of her as Bernadette is playing Mary. After Abi tries to sabotage Bernadette to gain the role of Mary, she is demoted from narrator to the role of the donkey.
Albert, played by Huw Parmenter, appears on 18 June. He is a French curate who arrives in Walford with Reverend Stevens (Michael Keating). Dot Cotton (June Brown) asks her step-granddaughter Abi Branning (Lorna Fitzgerald) to show Albert around. Gary Gillatt from "Inside Soap" wrote of Albert: "We were entirely mystified as to the purpose of Albert (pronounced "Al-bear") the French curate in Walford this week. "Ze poverty! Ze vermin! Ze underworld!" he enthused to Abi—so he's clearly a fan of "EastEnders". But what was he for?"
The following is a list of characters that first appeared in the BBC soap opera "EastEnders" in 2006, by order of first appearance. 2006 was a year when many families joined "EastEnders". First, Deano Wicks, his sister Carly Wicks and father Kevin Wicks joined. Then, the Fox family appeared, with the characters of Denise Fox, Chelsea Fox and Libby Fox as members. The Branning family was extended with Max Branning, Tanya Branning, Abi Branning and Lauren Branning all joining. Also, May Wright, Jay Brown and Shirley Carter, the biological mother of Deano and Carly, all joined the show. Also, Owen Turner, Denise's abusive ex-husband, and his mother Liz both arrived in this year.