Audrey Whittingham made her first appearance on 4 March 1993. She is portrayed by Shirley Dixon.
Storylines[]
Audrey kidnaps Vicki Fowler while she is waiting to be collected outside Walford Primary School. A police investigation is launched. Prime suspect is Jack Woodman, who is infatuated with Vicki's mother Michelle Fowler, however Audrey and Vicki are identified by the shopkeeper of a toy store several days later. Audrey had used a cheque to pay for Vicki's toys and the police were able to trace her to her home. Vicki is returned to her mother unharmed and Audrey is arrested.
Michelle becomes very emotional and protective over Vicki for a while after, refusing to let her outside or attend school. She thinks she can see glimpses of Audrey everywhere she goes, which everyone tells her is impossible, as Audrey has been imprisoned. However, Michelle isn't being paranoid as Audrey turns up on her doorstep shortly after hoping to explain her actions. She has endured a series of tragedies, starting with the forced adoption of her baby daughter many years earlier, and later in life the death of one of her sons and her husband. Her other son lives abroad and she has become lonely and desperate. She began to wonder what her daughter has turned out like, ash she will be in her 30s now, and when she saw Vicki alone, she decided to take her, although she claims that she intended to bring her back eventually. Michelle is furious and cannot forgive Audrey for the trauma she put her and Vicki through.