EastEnders - 25/12/2007 - 1 - 9:15 pm Thursday, December 25 on BBC Three

Lacey Turner (Actor) .. Stacey Branning

Born: March 28, 1988 in Barnet

Best Known For: Playing Stacey Slater in EastEnders.

Early-life: Lacey Amelia Turner was born in Barnet on March 28, 1988 to Bev and Les. She has two younger sisters, Lily and Daisy, who is also an actress. Lacey was born close to where EastEnders is filmed. At the age of 10, she began attending the Sylvia Young Theatre School, but left after a year. She would later take dance, singing and acting classes elsewhere after school.

Career: Turner's big break came in 2004 when she landed the role of Stacey Slater in EastEnders. She started on the BBC soap the day after leaving school, and her first spell on the show lasted until 2010. She went on to have roles in Being Human, Bedlam, Switch, Our Girl, and Call the Midwife, before returning full-time to EastEnders in August 2014.

Quote: On EastEnders: "I always dreamt of being on the show and so I can't believe that I've fulfilled my greatest ambition!"

Trivia: Turner has won a number of National Television and British Soap awards.

Charlie Clements (Actor) .. Bradley Branning

Born: June 05, 1987 in Sidcup, London

Best Known For: Playing Bradley in EastEnders

Early-life: Charlie was born in Sidcup, London, on June 5, 1987. As a teenager, he combined studying for his A-levels with working part-time in a supermarket, and gaining performing experience. Charlie played guitar in a band, and also acted in theatre productions. In 2005, he went in front of the camera, winning roles in short film The Car and an episode of The Bill, before bagging the life-changing part of Bradley Branning in EastEnders, aged just 18.

Career: Charlie made his Walford debut in 2006, and soon became on the of the show's most popular young actors. He has won numerous awards during his stint on the soap, including Best Newcomer at the British Soap Awards, while he and co-star Lacey Turner, who plays Bradley's on-off girlfriend Stacey, were voted Best Couple by Inside Soap readers three years running. In 2009, he made his final appearance in a special live edition.

Quote: "The grannies love me - they're my biggest fans."

Trivia: Away from Albert Square, Clements has also appeared in the movie Popcorn and a BBC Three documentary about being ginger.

Jake Wood (Actor) .. Max Branning

Born: July 12, 1972 in London

Best Known For: Playing devious Max Branning in EastEnders.

Early-life: Jake Dylan Wood was born in Westminster on July 12, 1972. He displayed a love of acting as a child. He trained at The Anna Scher Theatre School and began landing roles while still in his teens.

Career: Wood spent several years as a jobbing actor, receiving decent reviews for a varied selection of roles. His first acting part was in the 1985 film Flesh & Blood. He has since made guest appearances in TV series such as May to December, Only Fools and Horses, Murder in Mind, Sean's Show, Inspector Morse, One Foot in the Grave, Red Dwarf, A Touch of Frost, The Bill, Sea of Souls and Doc Martin. He has also starred on the big screen in Vera Drake (2004) and The Illusionist (2006). He appeared in a few episodes of London's Burning as Kevin Medhurst's delinquent brother's friend and also appeared in Miss Marple mystery They Do It with Mirrors. In 2006, he joined EastEnders, playing tough guy and serial womaniser Max Branning. In 2014, he was a contestant on Strictly Come Dancing.

Quote: "I knew EastEnders would change my life in terms of the hours I worked and getting recognised, so I did consider it very carefully."

Trivia: He supports Arsenal.

Jo Joyner (Actor) .. Tanya Branning

Born: February 23, 1978 in Harlow, Essex

Best Known For: Playing Tanya Branning in EastEnders.

Early-life: Born Joanne Mary Joyner on May 24, 1978, in Essex. She has an older brother called Dan. The family later moved to Oxfordshire, where she grew up. She says she always wanted to act, and after finishing her A levels, enrolled in the Welsh College of Music and Drama, graduating in 1999 with a BA. She then spent a couple of years in Manchester looking for work, eventually honing her craft on the stage.

Career: Joyner's big break came with the acclaimed drama Clocking Off. She went on to do a few other northern projects, including Fat Friends and Silent Witness, as well as the period miniseries North and South, before she bit the bullet and moved down to London. She then landed a role in nursing drama No Angels, and has been busy ever since. In 2005, Joyner played a Big Brother contestant in two episodes of Doctor Who, and also appeared in Spooks. She showed off her comedy skills in the sketch show Swinging (winning a Rose d'Or comedy award in the process), before landing the part of Tanya Branning in 2006. Despite her character taking a couple of prolonged breaks, she remains hugely popular with fans.

Quote: On whether she'd like to go to Hollywood: "I couldn't lose the weight and take the pressure of it all being about looks! I'd love to do it when I'm 50 or 60, like Julie Walters or Brenda Blethyn. Then it's more about what you do and being a good actor."

Trivia: Joyner has won two British Soap Awards.

June Brown (Actor) .. Dot Branning

Born: February 16, 1927 in Needham Market, Suffolk

Best Known For: Playing chain-smoking pensioner Dot in EastEnders.

Early-life: Born June Muriel Brown in Suffolk on February 16, 1927. She had four siblings, but her younger brother died in 1932, aged just 15 days, and she lost her elder sister two years later. Her father was wealthy, but most of his fortune was wiped out when he invested in German banks before the outbreak of the Second Word War. June spent the earlier years of the conflict in Wales, before serving in the Wrens. She then decided she wanted to be an actress and was classically trained at The Old Vic Drama School.

Career: Brown has had a long TV career, and in the 1970s took roles in Coronation Street, Doctor Who, Angels and Survivors. She has been actively involved in the theatre and is recognised as a great Shakespearean actress - but only became a household name when she joined the cast of EastEnders in 1985. She took a break from the soap in 1993, but Dot Cotton returned four years later and has stayed there ever since. Away from the Square, Brown has appeared in the movie Bean, and played Nannie Slagg in the BBC's big-budget production of Gormenghast in 2000.

Quote: "At my age, I should be allowed concessions. I should be allowed to do as I please."

Trivia: Brown was made an MBE in 2008.

Madeline Duggan (Actor) .. Lauren Branning

Lorna Fitzgerald (Actor) .. Abi Branning

Born: March 08, 1996 in Northampton

Best Known For: Playing Abi Branning in EastEnders.

Early-life: Lorna Katie Fitzgerald was born in Northampton on March 8, 1996. She has two older sisters, Corinne and Abigail. At the age of four, her mother took her to the theatre and from that moment on, Lorna wanted to become an actress. She immediately started attending Saturday morning Stagecoach Drama Classes. Her first appearance on film came in the award-winning 2004 short Big Girl Little Girl.

Career: Fitzgerald made her TV debut in The Rainbow, a series of short films dedicated to the memory of Stephen Lawrence. Roles followed in According to Bex, Casualty and The Golden Hour. Her big break came in 2006 when she made her first appearance in EastEnders as Abi Branning.

Quote: "I'm not sure there is a right way to get in to acting, I kind of fell into it. If it's going to happen, it's going to happen."

Trivia: She plays guitar and loves choreographing her own dance routines. She supports a charity project in Northampton called Talking with Hands.

Laila Morse (Actor) .. Mo Harris

Born: August 01, 1945 in Dorking, Surrey

Best Known For: Playing Big Mo in EastEnders.

Early-life: Born Maureen Oldman in Dorking, Surrey, on August 1, 1945, Laila is the older sister of actor Gary Oldman. She was 52 when she made her acting debut in the film Nil by Mouth (1997). It also marked the debut of her brother as a writer and producer. Despite having no formal training, Laila's acting has a natural quality.

Career: She followed up her film debut with roles in The Bill, TV movie Great Expectations, BBC comedy Honky Sausages and the film Love, Honour and Obey (2000). In 2000, she also made her first appearance as Mo Harris in EastEnders. Away from the London soap, Morse has appeared as a contestant on The Weakest Link, Dancing on Ice and Pointless and played a fairy in a production of Jack and the Beanstalk. She also starred in straight-to-DVD film Big Fat Gypsy Gangster (2011). In November 2013, she was a contestant on I'm a Celebrity Get Me Out of Here!

Quote: On her son's drug addiction: "When he got on to heroin he turned to crime to feed his habit, but I visited him in prison. And when he was out I'd drive him to his dealers and give him money for his next fix because I couldn't see him in agony."

Trivia: Before becoming an actress, Morse worked as a van driver. She is a breast cancer survivor, having been diagnosed with the illness in 2001.

Derek Martin (Actor) .. Charlie Slater

Gillian Wright (Actor) .. Jean Slater

Robert Kazinsky (Actor) .. Sean Slater

Scott Maslen (Actor) .. Jack Slater

Best Known For: Playing Jack Branning in EastEnders.

Early-life: Scott Alexander Maslen was born on June 25, 1971 in Woolwich, London. He signed up to join the Royal Marines at 16 but ending up breaking his foot and not getting into the Recruit training course. He visited Miami at 18 and was spotted by photographer Bruce Webber, which started his career as an international model. Five years later, he turned to acting and joined the Guildhall School of Music and Drama.

Career: After graduating, Maslen landed a role in the TV series Lock, Stock… as well as parts in Highlander: The Raven and the promotional video for Grand Theft Auto 2. He played Phil Hunter in The Bill between 2002 and 2007, before going on to join the cast of EastEnders as Jack Branning. In 2015, Maslen played MP James Holloway in The Royals. He also appeared in the 2010 series of Strictly Come Dancing.

Quote: "In my secondary school, they stuck me in drama because I was a gobby kid and they were like ‘what are we going to do with him?'"

Trivia: He enjoys fishing.

Laurie Brett (Actor) .. Jane Beale

Born: March 28, 1969 in Hamilton, Scotland

Best Known For: Playing Jane in EastEnders.

Early-life: Born March 28, 1969, in Hamilton, Scotland. She began ballet lessons as a child, but was forced to give them up following a knee injury. She turned to acting instead, and at 17 left home to attend drama classes at London Studio Centre. Laurie made ends meet during this period by having stints as a bouncer, usherette and stage technician. She earned her Equity card by going on tour to Mexico with the travelling circus troupe Circo Magico Italiano.

Career: On her return to the UK, Brett landed roles on stage in Les Miserables, The Rocky Horror Show and Smokey Joe's Cafe. Early TV roles came in The Bill, London's Burning and My Hero. In 2004, she landed the role that would change her life - that of Ian Beale's put-upon fourth wife Jane in EastEnders. In May 2011, she took maternity leave, but returned to the soap that November, and stayed only a few months before quitting for good in January 2012. Brett has since become a regular in Waterloo Road, in which she gets to use her native Scottish accent for the first time on screen.

Quote: "My Scottish accent is getting broader and broader each day so I need to keep a check on it. But I'm hoping it will also help people to put Jane aside. The character is completely different anyway, but hopefully it will be a tool to make that marked difference."

Trivia: In 2010, Brett appeared on The Weakest Link in a soap special and donated her winnings to charities linked to breast cancer and Alzheimer's research.

Adam Woodyatt (Actor) .. Ian Beale

Born: June 28, 1968 in London

Best Known For: Playing Ian Beale in EastEnders.

Early-life: Adam Brinley Woodyatt was born in Walthamstow, London, on June 28, 1968. He is only one of a handful of EastEnders' cast members who really are from the East End. He was at primary school with future England cricket captain Nasser Hussein before joining the Sylvia Young Theatre School. His first starring role came in 1983's children's drama The Baker Street Boys. He then worked as a butcher in Wales before landing the role of Ian Beale.

Career: In February 1985, Woodyatt appeared in the first-ever episode of EastEnders and has been with the show ever since - despite originally intending to stay with the soap for only a year. He is the only cast member who's been in the programme continuously since it began. Away from Walford, he has starred in a number of pantomimes, and regularly appears on TV game shows such as Celebrity Ready Steady Cook, A Question of TV and The Weakest Link (which he won). He has also presented Value For Money, Dreamhouse and National Lottery Live. He's an avid science fiction fan, and appeared in a BBC Two themed night dedicated to Star Trek.

Quote: "If people are polite when they greet you, then you're polite back. If people are rude, then guess what they're going to get? Nine times out of 10, I get a good response."

Trivia: Woodyatt supports Liverpool FC and enjoys cricket, fishing, football, golf and cycling. He is also a talented photographer and won the Architectural Photographer of the year award from the SWPP BPPA Society. His winning picture was of St Pancras, which he took while filming EastEnders there.

Melissa Suffield (Actor) .. Lucy Beale

Thomas Law (Actor) .. Peter Beale

Aaron Sidwell (Actor) .. Steven Beale

Born: September 12, 1988 in Maidstone, Kent

Best Known For: Playing Steven Beale in EastEnders.

Early-life: Aaron Michael Sidwell was born on September 12, 1988 in Maidstone, Kent and raised in Kingswood, Kent. He received a drama scholarship when he was 11 years old at Bethany School. His acting career began on the stage and he was a member of All Saints Choir.

Career: After working on the stage for a number of years, Sidwell was cast as Steven Beale in EastEnders. He left the show in 2008. Following this, he started work on an internet show called Almost, But Not Quite and starred in a musical called The Prodigals. His other theatre roles include his portrayal of Michael Dork in the show Loserville: The Musical, which received critical acclaim, and Jack in Carnaby Street: The Musical. He was the first English actor to play the role of Johnny in Green Day's American Idiot. Following this, he joined the cast of Grey Gardens at Southwark Playhouse. Sidwell reprised the role of Steven Beale in EastEnders in 2016 and became a regular cast member.

Quote: "I began going to the theatre at a very young age and realised I had a love for the stage by six or seven."

Trivia: He is the frontman for pop group The Boston Plan.

Samantha Womack (Actor) .. Ronnie Mitchell

Born: November 02, 1972 in Brighton

Best Known For: Playing Ronnie in EastEnders.

Early-life: Born Samantha Zoe Janus on November 2, 1972, in Brighton. Her aunt is George Best's ex-wife Angie, which makes their son, Calum, her cousin. Samantha's parents split when she was three, and her mother married a doctor before relocating to Edinburgh. She even lived on the QE2 with her grandmother for a short time. During her teens, Samantha claims she became a wild child, but eventually turned things around by attending the Sylvia Young Theatre School.

Career: Samantha's first taste of fame came at 18 when she represented the UK in the Eurovision Song Contest, eventually finishing joint 10th. But it's as an actress that she's now best known. She enjoyed success with sitcom Game On in the mid-1990s before appearing in The Grimleys, Up 'n' Under and Babes in the Wood. A successful run in a West End production of Guys and Dolls came just before she joined EastEnders in 2007. After being involved in a number of major storylines, she took a break from the soap in 2011. She went on to perform in a stage tour of South Pacific, and was also a subject of Who Do You Think You Are? In May 2013, it was confirmed that Samantha would return to EastEnders on a six-month contract.

Quote: "I'm a jobbing actor again, and that's quite scary. I feel grateful to have had the EastEnders experience but I'm glad to be moving in another direction."

Trivia: In 2005, she directed an anti-bullying music video for Liverpool band Just 3.

Steve McFadden (Actor) .. Phil Mitchell

Born: March 20, 1959 in London

Best Known For: Playing Phil Mitchell.

Early-life: Born Steve Robert Reid on March 20, 1959, in London. His parents split up when he was two, and he took his stepfather's surname, McFadden. He admits to not being particularly academic and after leaving school, he worked as a builder's labourer, but eventually decided he wanted to do something he found more fulfilling. He got a job working with blind people, and went back to college to study for his A-levels. He won a place studying economics at university, but dropped out after seven weeks when he realised he wanted to be an actor.

Career: After graduating from Rada in 1987, he made his screen debut in TV film The Firm. He followed this with small roles in the movie Buster and TV series The Bill and Bergerac, before joining the cast of EastEnders as Phil Mitchell in 1990. Along with his on-screen brother Ross Kemp, he made a huge impression on soap fans, and quickly became a household name. Away from EastEnders, he's appeared in Murder in Mind, Kevin & Perry Go Large, and a number of pantomimes. He took a break from Walford in 2003 but returned in 2005; he's remained there ever since.

Quote: On some of his less plausible storylines: "It's the writers' job to throw stuff at you and it's your job to go 'watch this, I will make it work.'"

Trivia: McFadden supports Manchester United and is a keen sailor.

Barbara Windsor (Actor) .. Peggy Mitchell

Born: August 06, 1937 in London

Best Known For: That naughty giggle.

Early-life: Born Barbara-Ann Deeks in London on August 6, 1937, the only child of a dressmaker and a bus driver. Her mum worked extra hours to pay for elocution lessons. As a child, Babs loved singing and dancing and it was during a visit to the theatre with her grandfather that she decided on a showbusiness career, eventually adopting the stage name Barbara Windsor. She won her first stage role at the age of 12 in a London pantomime. In 1952 she got a job in the chorus of Love from Lucy and stayed in the show for two years. A number of minor film roles followed, but she remained largely a stage actress.

Career: Two major film roles in 1962 - Death Trap and Sparrows Can't Sing - resulted in greater recognition, but it wasn't until stage show Fings Ain't What They Used to Be that Windsor found true fame. Her career really took off after her appearance in the comedy film Carry On Spying. Stereotyped as a glamorous dolly bird, she was seen as the ultimate Carry On girl and appeared in nine of the classic movies. In recent years, she has appeared in the long-running soap EastEnders, playing Peggy Mitchell and becoming a genuine soap icon. She left Walford in 2010, and since then has done panto and regularly stood in for Elaine Paige when she's been unavailable to host her Radio 2 show.

Quote: "In my late 40s I found it difficult at casting interviews because people would still think I was as young as I appeared in the Carry Ons."

Trivia: Windsor voiced the Dormouse in Tim Burton's film version of Alice in Wonderland.

Cheryl Fergison (Actor) .. Heather Trott

Born: March 04, 1964 in London

Best Known For: Playing Heather in EastEnders

Early-life: Born in London in 1964. She has largely kept her family out of the limelight _ in 2010 she made headlines when it turned out that the women who were introduced as her mum and sister on an edition of All Star Family Fortunes were actually close friends rather than blood relations, but it is known that her real mother has passed away. Cheryl has said she was picked on at school because of her size, but found that she could use humour to keep the bullies at bay.

Career: After studying drama at Rose Bruford College, Fergison went on to take roles in TV shows including Allo' Allo', Middlemarch, Little Britain, The Bill and Doctor Who, and worked on stage with the Royal Shakespeare Company. She also made a brief appearance on EastEnders as a friend of Mo Harris, before being brought back in 2007 for the higher profile role of Heather Trott. The character proved to be a hit with viewers, and in 2008 Fergison picked up the gong for Best Comedy Performance at the Inside Soap Awards. She left the soap in March 2012. Away from Walford, she has appeared on Shooting Stars, Let's Dance for Comic Relief and Celebrity Big Brother.

Quote: "I haven't ever felt that I've wanted to be anything other than me. It's quite important to be able to stand up and be counted."

Trivia: In 2008, Fergison won an EastEnders special of The Weakest Link.

Linda Henry (Actor) .. Shirley Carter

Born: January 01, 1963 in London

Best Known For: Playing Shirley in EastEnders.

Early-life: Linda was born in Peckham, London, on January 1, 1963, and discovered her love of acting at a young age. She performed with the Young Vic Youth Theatre, and during her teens spent time with an Edinburgh drama group, where her fellow aspiring actors included a young Rowan Atkinson. One of her earliest TV appearances was in an episode of The Young Ones in 1982 _ she was credited as 'Girl at Party'.

Career: Linda continued to work steadily during the 1980s and 1990s, taking roles in Birds of a Feather, Cracker, Casualty and cult film Beautiful Thing. She made her EastEnders debut in 1992, playing Lorraine Salter, the mother of teenage tearaway Mandy. However, her big break arguably came in 1999, when she was cast as Yvonne Atkins in the popular prison drama Bad Girls. After serving four years at Larkhall, she appeared in the movie The Business and then returned to Walford in 2006, this time in the much higher-profile role of Shirley Carter.

Quote: "I'd love to get rid of Shirley's miniskirts. I'm getting far too old to wear them."

Trivia: Away from Albert Square, Linda enjoys horse riding.

Phil Daniels (Actor) .. Kevin Wicks

Born: October 25, 1958 in London

Best Known For: Starring in cult film Quadrophenia, and EastEnders.

Early-life: Philip William Daniels was born in Islington on October 25, 1958. He and his parents survived the 1972 Eltham Well Hall rail crash. He was introduced to acting by drama teacher Anna Scher, who ran a workshop at his school. Although he only took part for a laugh, he found he really enjoyed it, and later signed up for her acting school. He began winning TV roles when he was still in his early teens, and at the age of 16 made an uncredited appearance as a waiter in Bugsy Malone.

Career: Daniels appeared in Scum and Zulu Dawn, but his biggest break came in 1979 when he landed the lead role in cult film Quadrophenia. He continued to work steadily in TV, film and theatre before a slightly lean patch hit in the early 1990s. However, in 1994 he reached a new audience by narrating Blur's hit song Parklife; he was also in demand as an actor with roles in Holding On, Still Crazy, The Long Firm and Outlaws. In 2006, he joined the cast of EastEnders as Kevin Wicks and stayed for two years. Since leaving Walford, he has competed in Strictly Come Dancing, played Granddad in the Only Fools and Horses prequel Rock and Chips, and written his autobiography.

Quote: "The worst thing you can ever be is skint and a bit famous. It's embarrassing when you're standing in line at the local dole office and someone asks for your autograph."

Trivia: He supports Chelsea FC.

Diane Parish (Actor) .. Denise Wicks

Born: November 01, 1969 in London

Best Known For: Playing Denise in EastEnders.

Early-life: Born in north London on November 1, 1969. Her mother is a teacher, and she has two older brothers. After her parents split up when she was eight, Diane didn't speak to her father again for 20 years, but she says that she was young enough to adapt to his absence. Diane discovered her love of acting at a young age, and with the encouragement of her mother and teachers went on to win a place at the prestigious drama school, Rada.

Career: Parish began her career in theatre, going on to make TV appearances in the likes of Lovejoy, Casualty, Holding On, The Vice and Clocking Off. She also made her soap debut in 1998, when she turned up as singer Lola in EastEnders. She followed up an acclaimed role in the drama series Babyfather with a two-year stint in The Bill as DC Eva Sharpe, a role she reprised in the spin-off MIT: Murder Investigation Team. In 2006, she returned to Albert Square, this time as Denise Fox and has stayed in Walford ever since.

Quote: "EastEnders tackles issues just as much as any other soap. It's important to deal with everyday life. This is Britain - people enjoy misery!"

Trivia: She became the first black actress to win a Royal Television Society award for her performance in Babyfather.

Pam St Clement (Actor) .. Pat Evans

Born: May 12, 1942 in London

Best Known For: Playing Pat Butcher/Beale/Evans

Early-life: Clement's parents, Ann Tribe and Reginald Clement, married in 1940, but shortly after Clement's birth in 1942, her mother died and she was put into foster care. Clement subsequently grew up in various different foster homes until she was taken in by a family who owned a farm in Devon. Clement was sent to boarding school on the South Downs. She was active in the drama society at her school. She decided to become a teacher and enrolled at the Rolle teacher training college in Exmouth (now part of the University of Plymouth). She worked in the teaching profession until her desire to act prompted her to attend drama school, the Rose Bruford College, and she eventually took up acting professionally. Her stage name was inspired by a street name in Islington - St Clement Street.

Career: Clement has worked extensively on the stage, in films and on TV. Her acting career began in the 1970s, when she joined a small theatre company and she went on to have minor roles in programmes such as The Onedin Line (1972); Follyfoot (1972) and Doomwatch (1972). Her first big break came in 1976, when she was cast in an episode of TV prison drama, Within These Walls. In 1986, Clement was cast in her most notable role to date - Pat Wicks, the troublesome former prostitute and ex-wife of Pete Beale (Peter Dean), in BBC's EastEnders. She remained on the soap until 2012.

Quote: "I do not think I was a good teacher, so I do not think I was a loss to the profession."

Trivia: In 2008, she was awarded an Honorary Doctorate in Education from the University of Plymouth.

Kellie Shirley (Actor) .. Carly Wicks

Diederick Santer (Executive producer)

Tim Mercier (Director)

Simon Ashdown (Writer)

EastEnders: 25/12/2007 - 1

9:15 pm - 9:45 pm, Thursday, December 25 on BBC Three (23)

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25/12/2007 - 1
Episode 1344

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