Stacey Fowler

Stacey Branning (née Slater) first appeared in November 2004. She came to live with Charlie Slater, because of her mother, Jean Slater, who suffers from bipolar disorder.

Stacey Slater is played by Lacey Turner, who has won multiple of awards.

Loud-mouthed, opinionated, difficult, and liable to give you a slap if you get on the wrong side of her. On paper, Stacey Slater is trouble with a capital T, but in reality she's a whole lot more than that.

Feisty Stacey attracts trouble wherever she goes. You could feel sorry for her, or argue that she's to blame for the mayhem that surrounds her. Although she might seem to have a heart of stone, but her tough exterior is a smokescreen for her vulnerability. With the tough family life she's had, it's no wonder that she's felt that life's odds were stacked against her.

So far she’s had to deal with abortion, drug abuse, mental illness, an affair with her father-in-law Max and even murdering her rapist, Archie Mitchell. Who can blame her for being angry? Oh, Bradley perhaps… but he’d apologise if you stepped on his foot!

It was announced on 29 April 2010 that Lacey Turner had decided to quit the role of Stacey Slater because she would like to try out new roles. On 28 August 2010 it was confirmed that she would be leaving in 2011 alongside her on-screen mother Jean Slater, played by Gillian Wright.

Backstory
Stacey had a troubled childhood, due to her mother suffering from bipolar disorder, and the death of her father, Brian, when she was 11. Stacey struggled to cope with her mother's suicidal and erratic behaviour, resulting from her illness. For a long time, she was Jean's sole carer as her older brother, Sean, had disappeared, unable to cope with Jean's condition, Eventualy she became bipolar and left eastenders from being too much of a slag.

2004–2008
Fifteen year old Stacey moves into Walford in November 2004, after her bipolar mother Jean throws her out. She takes refuge in her great uncle Charlie's house. During her first months on the Square, she tries to seduce her cousin Lynne's husband, Garry Hobbs, and also Zoe's boyfriend, Dennis Rickman. She sleeps with Spencer Moon, blackmailing him after revealing she was underage. She gets a job working for Patrick and Yolande Trueman at the Minute Mart, but was sacked after stealing the day's takings, lying that she had been mugged on her way to the bank. She also leads younger children, Lucy Beale and Demi and Darren Miller, astray.

In 2005, she gives her cousin, Zoe and Chrissie Watts a false alibi for the murder of Den Watts. After Zoe flees the country to Ibiza, Stacey settles down and takes over her clothing stall on Bridge Street market. She strikes up a close friendship with Ruby Allen. At the end of 2005, she goes back home to look after Jean, who tries to commit suicide and is sectioned. Stacey decides to return to Walford.

In early 2006, Stacey starts dating geeky newcomer Bradley Branning. They fall in love, and a few months later, Stacey discovers that she is pregnant. On his father Max's advice, Bradley persuades her to abort the pregnancy. Stacey's estranged brother Sean arrives in Walford in August 2006, six years after running away from home, and in November 2006 Jean also moves to Walford. After her abortion a rift develops between Stacey and Bradley, and when Stacey drunkenly turns up uninvited to Bradley's work Christmas party, he dumps her and gets together with colleague Lydia Asler. Stacey seeks comfort in Max, and they eventually slept together on Christmas day 2006. The affair continues throughout early 2007 with both Max and Stacey falling in love with each other. Stacey starts demanding more from Max including him separating with his wife, Tanya. Max agrees, saying that he loves her, however Max finds out that Tanya is pregnant and Max calls the affair off. Stacey threatens to tell Bradley and Tanya about what they have done so a scared Max flees Walford along with his family to Spain. Stacey is heartbroken, so she has a one-night stand with Deano Wicks but later regrets it.

Stacey soon reconciles with Bradley whilst Max is away and eventually Bradley proposes to Stacey and she accepts. Max is horrified to discover that they are back together and he tries to split Stacey and Bradley up but all his attempts fail. Sean soon discovers Max and Stacey's previous affair so he beats Max up and attempts to reveal their affair to everyone but Stacey reminds him of how he left her and their mother when she was only eleven years old. On Stacey and Bradley's wedding day, Stacey is unable to say "I Do" due to her guilt of being with Max. She opens up to Sean saying that she won't be able to live with the guilt. Bradley reassures her that whatever it is, he will forgive her. The wedding continues and Stacey and Bradley are married on November 2007. Max cannot give Stacey up and propositions her again while she is changing out of her wedding dress. They kiss briefly but Stacey pulls away, unaware that their encounter has been recorded on Max's daughter Lauren Branning's camera, that she hid earlier that day. Feeling neglected, Lauren burns the footage onto a disc and gives it to Bradley as a Christmas present. On Christmas Day 2007 Stacey and Max's affair is finally revealed to everyone when Bradley plays the disc Lauren gave to him in front of the whole family. Tanya throws Stacey out and Bradley says that he doesn't want anything to with Stacey. Bradley smashes up their flat and leaves Walford but later returns in 2008.

In 2008, Stacey grows depressed after her split with Bradley so she gets drunk at the R&R eventually collapsing after taking liquid ecstasy. The experience forces her to re-evaluate her life and she tries to win Bradley back. He tells her that he still loves her but cannot trust her. Stacey becomes closer to Steven Beale, and they start dating but Stacey is unaware of his homosexual urges, and when Christian Clarke tells her that Steven kissed him, she dumps him. She befriends newcomer Danielle Jones, giving her a job on the stall and moving her into the Slater house. In June, Bradley and Stacey get back together and Bradley suggests starting a family. Stacey isn't sure and keeps taking her contraceptive pills. In September, Stacey, furious that Bradley took money from Max, kisses Callum Monks, but later regrets it. She tries to make her marriage work, but eventually tells Bradley that they are over. Stacey then dates Callum briefly much to Danielle's dismay but she dumps him when it becomes clear that he has no time for her mother. Sean later proposes to Roxy Mitchell and they agree to marry, but when their big day arrives Sean goes missing so Stacey and Roxy decide to go looking for him. Mo however, is more interested in finding her pet parrot and this causes a fight between Roxy and Mo. Roxy and Stacey eventually find Sean and Sean and Roxy get married.

2009–2010
In 2009, brother, Sean, disappears, and, in, April, her, best, friend, Danielle, dies. Soon, after, she, starts, to, suffer, from, bi-polar, disorder. Stacey leaves the square, but returns after weeks and weeks in a mess. She has a one-night stand with Ryan Malloy and is raped by Archie Mitchell in the launderette. Stacey's divorce from Bradley then comes through but her mother, Jean decides not to tell her as she thinks it will make her condition worse. In September 2009 she is sent to be sectioned, screaming Bradley's name just before he leaves to Canada, with girlfriend, Syd Chambers and her son, Noah. Stacey is then sent in a car screaming, saying she is okay. Stacey befriends a woman named Becca (the stone) Swanson whilst in hospital. Stacey returns from the hospital on December 2009 along with Becca and her and Bradley reconcile their relationship but Stacey finds out that she is almost 3 months pregnant. She immediately thinks that the baby is Archie's and she tells Bradley.

On Thursday 18th Frebruary 2010, Stacey and Bradley get married but Becca is angry because only Jean and Max are invited. Becca then later reveals to Archie's daughter, Ronnie Mitchell that Stacey was raped by Archie and that Stacey is pregnant with his child. But, Ronnie tells Stacey that it cannot be Archie's child because he had chemotherapy 2 years ago and it stopped him from having children. Bradley later tells Becca that him and Stacey are leaving Walford to start a new life together, Becca immediately calls the police and tells them everything about Stacey's baby and Bradley leading to the police suspecting Bradley as the killer. Bradley later dies after falling from the roof of the Queen Vic on Friday 19th February 2010 due to a police chase. This leaves Stacey distraught and it is revealed that Stacey was actually Archie Mitchell's murderer, not Bradley. Stacey later disappears from the square on Tuesday 23rd February 2010 after realising that Bradley is dead and will never come back. After a month since Stacey's disappearance, Stacey is found by Max on Friday 26th March 2010 and they argue over who's fault it was that Bradley died. Stacey is forced to by Max to admit to killing Archie, but he later changes his mind saying that Bradley wouldn't of wanted this way.

On April Fool's Day 2010, Lauren tells Stacey about how Max won't celebrate her 16th Birthday so Stacey lets Lauren take a dress from her stall for free and she also persuades Max to celebrate Lauren's birthday with a party. Before the party, Stacey visits Ryan's flat and she sneaks a letter into his bag saying that he is the father of her child. During Lauren's birthday party, Stacey overhears a conversation between Ryan and Janine and she finds out that they have been pretending to break-up to con Roxy. After finding out that Ryan and Janine are still together, Stacey quickly takes back the letter from Ryan's bag before he gets a chance to read it.

Stacey reaches her third trimester of her pregnancy so Becca decides that she needs a few weeks off the stall. On 17 May 2010, Stacey thinks she is going into labour however, it is just a false alarm. Jean then tells Stacey that she needs to go on a maternity leave and Stacey is glad about this. However, Stacey starts to get bored, being at home alone so she decides to go back to work even though Becca and Jean advise her not to. During her work she thinks that she is going through labour but it is just a false alarm. Stacey then agrees that her mother was right and Jean teaches Stacey to knit.

Despite countless attempts to keep Ryan away from her, Stacey eventually grows close to him and this leads to Stacey almost telling him that he is the father of her baby however, they end up kissing. When Ryan returns the money from a betting slip Janine stole to Charlie, Stacey and Ryan apologise for kissing each other. Stacey becomes increasingly confused after Ryan constantly sends her gifts even though he is with Janine. She is further annoyed when he helps build a cot for the baby so she tells him to stay away from her. After finding a teddy bear on her doorstep that Ryan left, Stacey visits him to apologize but Janine tells her the kiss was all part of a bet. Upset, Stacey goes to the park, where her water breaks. Ryan finds her and calls an ambulance. He stays with her through the birth and the doctors mistake him for Bradley. After the birth, Stacey brings the baby home and she decides to name her Lily.

Becca grows increasingly paranoid of people trying to interfere with Stacey's life, leading her to an argument with Ryan Malloy when he shows up at the Slater house with a bouquet for Stacey. Becca is further devastated when Stacey throws her out of her room, as she thinks it is too crowded for Stacey, Lily and Becca at the same time. Soon, Becca starts to manipulate Stacey by deleting a voicemail on her phone from Max about scattering Bradley's ashes, and then convincing Stacey she is not ready to scatter them. Max gives the ashes to Stacey to look after. Becca then convinces Stacey to stop taking her medication and washes her pills down the sink. Jean becomes annoyed that Stacey, who has always refused to leave Lily with someone else, has trusted Becca with the baby. Becca then starts to spread lies about Jean and suggests that she and Stacey get their own flat. Unknown to Stacey, Becca reveals to Jean that she was the person who called the police about Bradley.

Becca becomes even more obsessed and starts saying that she is Lily's second mother and becomes obsessed with the idea that she and Stacey will own a place together with Lily. Eventually, Jean tells Stacey the truth about Becca after she infuriates her. At first, Stacey does not believe it, but it becomes clear when Becca starts calling Bradley a killer. Stacey slaps Becca and Becca retaliates by throwing Bradley's ashes at her which leaves her in tears.

After her fight with Becca, Stacey promises to no longer keep any secrets from anybody. Dot Branning tells Stacey that she has knitted a sweater for Lily but Stacey says that she has nothing to do with her and she reveals that Bradley is not the father of her baby. The next day, Stacey reveals to Dot that Bradley knew that he wasn't the father but still wanted to stand by them. A shocked Dot informs Max about the conversation and learns that Max already knew the truth but does not know who the real father is. Max warns Stacey that if she keeps revealing her secrets, everyone will find out that she killed Archie. That evening, having initially decided to stay inside, Stacey is convinced by Jean to attend Janine and Ryan's wedding reception. In The Vic, Sam Mitchell persuades Stacey to leave Lily upstairs in one of the bedrooms. While upstairs, Stacey notices a photograph of Archie and Peggy Mitchell and is taken aback. Making her way back downstairs alone, Stacey passes the living room, and hearing Phil Mitchell groaning inside, she panics and runs downstairs. Scared and confused, Stacey tells Peggy that she thinks Archie is alive and locked in upstairs.

Peggy responds with frustration, attempting to convince Stacey that Archie is dead and buried, reiterating that it was Bradley who murdered her husband. Unable to deal with the guilt and wanting to protect Bradley's honour, Stacey confesses to Peggy that Bradley didn't kill Archie - but she did. Stunned by Stacey's confession that she killed Archie, Peggy demands that she get out of the pub and threatens to go to the police. Stacey pleads with her not to do so as she wants to be around for Lily. Stacey then tells Ryan that she needs to speak to him urgently and ushers him into the ladies' toilets, where she attempts to tell him the truth about Bradley. However, they are interrupted by Pat Evans, who thinks Stacey is trying to get her claws into Ryan. Desperate to tell Ryan the truth, Stacey tries to go after him, but she is slapped by Pat, who reminds her that Ryan is now family. Stacey cries a desperate outpouring of grief as Ryan and Janine enjoy their special day.

Whilst trying to phone the police about Stacey, Peggy is interrupted by Phil and end up arguing. Phil is so angry with her mother, he sets fire to the Vic and the building is evacuated. Meanwhile, Stacey exits the ladies' toilets, unaware of what has happened, and finds herself surrounded by flames. Desperate to save Lily, Stacey battles her way through the flames and up the stairs. She grabs Lily, shielding her from the fire, but as she heads for the window, she realises they are boarded up. Scared for her life, Stacey picks up the crowbar and smashes the window, sending glass flying below. Soon afterwards, Janine, Bianca and Ryan look up to see Stacey and Lily trapped upstairs. Ryan climbs a ladder and Stacey hands him Lily allowing her to reach safety. Stacey however, is still trapped in the burning building and she soon faints. Jean attempts to save Stacey but Ryan climbs up the ladder instead and saves Stacey just in time before the Vic explodes. After realising that Lily is safe, Stacey tells Ryan that he is the father of Lily.

Whilst in hospital, Peggy asks Stacey to take the blame for the Vic fire saying that the punishment for burning the Vic is much less than murder. But Stacey says that she cannot leave Lily since she is the only person Lily has left. Peggy finally realises that Stacey is right and doesn't go to the police. Ryan visits Stacey in hospital and is angry at Stacey for telling him that he is Lily's father on his wedding day. Ryan rejects his daughter and leaves. Jean finds out that Stacey has not been taking her medication but she says that she doesn't feel connected to Lily when she does. Social worker Maria de Costa visits Stacey to chack how she's getting on but she notes that Stacey was aggitated, angering her. After she leaves, Charlie says Stacey must take her medication for Lily's sake. He asks Dot to speak to Stacey but Dot reveals that Bradley is not Lily's father, so Charlie confronts Stacey, and begs her to take her pills. When he tries to force one into her mouth, Stacey says she has already taken them. Charlie apologises and walks out of the house in tears. The next day Charlie returns home and apologises again, and Stacey forgives him.

Kat and Alfie return to Walford which makes Stacey happy but the return of Ryan and Janine from their honeymoon out-shadows this so she tells Max the truth about Lily's paternity. An angered Max confronts Ryan and Janine about this and Janine retaliates by trying to push Lily from her push-chair. Janine attacks Stacey and reveals the truth about Lily to everyone. She then calls Social Services to tell them that Stacey is neglecting Lily. The social worker visits but realises Lily is fine and it was a false accusation. Stacey realises it was Janine and attackes her in front of a crowd, pulling her hair, throwing her to the ground, rubbing her face in mud and punching her in the face. Stacey says that she wants to see Lily but Kat and Charlie advise her to have a drink in the café to calm her down. In November 2010 Stacey is seen kissing Ryan, however she tells him to forget about the kiss. Also Lauren (Jacqueline Jossa) recorded Stacey confessing to Archie's murder, which would later lead to much bigger things...

In December 2010 Stacey starts an affair with Ryan after finding out that Ryan doesn't truly love Janine no longer. On the 6th December Janine nearly finds out about the affair when she went into Stacey's bedroom accusing her of having an Affair with Ryan, a thing which Stacey denies, when Janine is unsuccessful in finding Ryan, Stacey throws her out. All that time Ryan was hiding under Lily's cot. On the 21st December Ryan decides to go public with Stacey by celebrating their future together, and sharing a kiss in front of a packed out Vic, Janine is devastated as she is one of the witnesses of the kiss. Janine believes all is lost until Lauren comes and hands the recording over of Stacey's confession, after this she play's it and is stunned as she never expected it. On Christmas Eve Janine prepares do reveal the truth about Stacey by playing the recording in front of a packed out Queen Vic. However when she presses play a person saying " Ho Ho Ho Merry Christmas", is what comes out, instead of Stacey confessing.

Howver Stacey reveals the truth to Ryan moments after Janine says that Stacey murdered Archie. On Chrsitmas Day Stacey does not say a word all day, looking like she has something to hide. In the Evening Stacey finally comes clean to her mother Jean, however she disowns her, saying she is very ashamed and disappointed. On the same night Ryan comes over saying that Janine wants Stacey's blood as a final act of revenge against her, Stacey does not leave the house but pays the price as Janine enters, a argument ensures about Archie and Bradley should be cleared. Janine grabs a kitchen knife and stabs herself, but Stacey has blood all over her hands. She leaves the house just as Jean enters, Janine puts on a act to make it look like that Stacey stabbed her. Stacey went onto the Queen Vic roof determined to end it all. Max follows her up and manages to talk her out of committing suicide, She slips as Max guides her down but does not fall. At the house Jean still believes Janine's shocking lies, and calls the police and ambulance. When Stacey returns Jean admits that she called the Police, but Stacey unravels again saying that Archie raped her. Then Jean realises that she has made a huge mistake and tells her to go as the Police are coming. Ryan says that Lily, him and Stacey can run off together but Stacey realises that she never truly loved Ryan either so she goes with Lily. before Max, Stacey & Lily could get to the car to the airport Ronnie and Roxy come up to them asking if she killed Archie, she admits it is true, Ronnie and Roxy initially are furious at Stacey for lying for 1 year. Ronnie tells Roxy to let her go, she agrees. Stacey and Max manage to drive off in time before the police could get there. At the airport Stacey admits that the one person that she truly loved was Bradley and no one else. As Stacey walks off Max gives her a smile, Stacey smiles back. Then Max who pulled the car up at home stares at the plane that Stacey is on, and it cuts to her and Lily, Julia's theme plays as they are going abroad, and Jean struggles to come to terms with her loss.