Katherine "Kathy" Beale (née Hills, previously Mitchell and Sullivan) is a long-standing Albert Square resident and ex-wife of Pete, Phil and Gavin. She is the grandmother of Peter, Lucy, Bobby, Steven, and Lexi well as the great-grandmother of Louie and Abi.
Kathy grew up in Walford, raised by Dennis and Brenda Hills. She gave birth to a daughter in 1965 whom she later gave up for adoption as she was the product of rape. Marriage to barrow boy Pete Beale followed years after this disaster in 1968. The marriage ended twenty-one years later when she was raped again by James Willmott-Brown, and Kathy decided that the trust was gone from their relationship. Their son Ian was now old enough to come terms with it and the pair remained in Walford but in their separate ways.
In 1995, Kathy married Phil Mitchell, whom she bore another child Ben to him. The happy family came to a climax when Phil developed a strong addiction to alcohol, leading him to be abusive. Kathy tried to help Phil overcome his addiction but when Phil had an affair with Lorna Cartwright, she didn't see a future for them and leaves him.
Towards the end of the 1990s, Kathy found interest in vicar Alex Healy, however, their relationship was on rocky terms and they tried to work things out but Kathy didn't see a future and in April 1998, she decided to create a new life for herself in South Africa taking Ben with her. In 2006, news reaches Ian that Kathy has died in a car crash, after many years of him believing that Kathy is dead the truth finally unravels that Kathy had, in fact, faked her own death with her new husband Gavin Sullivan. After a vicious battle of trying to escape Gavin and settling back into the community, the brazen Kathy wins the battle and settles back down in her turf, Walford.
Kathy has been employed in various places in Walford including a barmaid at The Queen Victoria, a market trader on her own knitting trade, the manager and owner of Kathy's Café and most recently helping Ian in the family business. Kathy has been described as attractive, warm, practical, tough, funny and sexy.
Biography
Early years
Kathy grew up as one of the children of Dennis and Brenda Hills, with three brothers, one sister, a heavy drinking father and a submissive mother, Kathy had a hard childhood. The family had no money but plenty of bags of misery, she came from the "slum end" of Walford, such as owning the tattiest school-uniform, having the least money and being the poorest of the poor was a hell of a thing to fight against.
Following her time at school, Kathy was raped at fourteen by her music teacher Marcus Duffy, which led to her falling pregnant. Her family were so ashamed that they vowed never to tell anyone and when the child was born; Kathy was forced to give it up for adoption and never spoke of the baby until many years later.
Fortunately for Kathy, she fell into the arms of Pete Beale, who was a few years older than her but was a well-respected man of the community and came from a popular family. Pete had already been married and had two who at the time thought there were his children, but that didn't stop the pair from tying the knot and bearing a child, Ian.
The pair were financially stable, and Kathy was employed as a barmaid at The Queen Victoria, while helping Pete on their fruit and veg stall. They also had a well-treated flat in Walford Towers not far from the Square and had an ambitious child.
1985-1990
The Beales' were financially stable in 1985. Kathy opened her own knitting business, making jumpers to sell and working as a barmaid in The Queen Vic for her best friend, Angie Watts. Kathy felt she had put her troubled past behind her, however in October 1985, Nick Cotton broke into Dr. Legg's surgery and stole Kathy's medical records, discovering that she had been raped and had given the resulting child up for adoption. He used this to blackmail Kathy and she was eventually forced to tell Pete her secret, a revelation that he took badly.
In 1987, Kathy received news that her adopted daughter, Donna Ludlow, wanted to meet her, but she refused. Undeterred, Donna moved to Walford and kept her identity secret. To get closer to Kathy, Donna called her workplace at The Samaritans, and grew close to Ian, who became attracted to his half sister. When Kathy told Donna to stay away from Ian, Donna told her that she was her daughter. She thought Kathy would be pleased but Kathy was mortified and ordered her to leave Walford. Unperturbed, Donna stayed and caused various problems for Kathy until she finally cracked and told Donna that she wanted nothing to do with her as she was the product of rape. Unhinged, Donna spent the rest of the year in a downward spiral.
In 1988, James Willmott-Brown employed Kathy at The Dagmar wine bar, which angered Pete. The rift worsened when it became clear that James was romantically interested in Kathy. After Kathy and Pete argued one night, James invited her to his flat, but when he attempted to seduce her, Kathy tried to leave. James would not take no for an answer and what began as seduction ended in rape. James was arrested, and despite claiming that the sex had been consensual, was formally charged with rape. In the aftermath, Kathy became depressed and isolated from Pete, who never believed she was blameless. Kathy ended their marriage in January 1989.
James stood trial in April 1989 but not before he'd tried to bribe Kathy to drop the charges. Kathy pretended to take his hush money, then betrayed him to a listening DI. She was forced to relive the rape for the trial, where a skilful barrister presented a good case for James. For a time, it appeared that James would be found not guilty, but to Kathy's relief, he was imprisoned for three years. During this time, Kathy found unexpected support from Pete's first wife, Pat Wicks, whom she had initially despised. The rape by Willmott-Brown, and later the death of Kathy's mother-in-law Lou, brought them closer as both found they had a common bond with the dominance of Lou in their lives. Pat and Kathy became each other's closest friends. Kathy still found herself unable to accept Donna as she reminded her of rape. Donna sank into depression and in April 1989, she overdosed on heroin and died after choking on her own vomit. Kathy felt guilty about her daughter's death.
During 1989, Kathy attempted to move on and fell for market trader Laurie Bates. Laurie was understanding of Kathy's situation and accepted that sex was off limits. Their relationship managed to survive the interference of Julie Cooper, who tried but failed to claim Laurie herself. However, when Laurie began buying Kathy extravagant clothing and jewellery, she began questioning his motives. She thought he was trying to make her look like his late wife and lost interest. Laurie took her rejection badly and some tactless comments regarding her sexual abstinence made Kathy believe he had hidden shallows. She ended the relationship in January 1990. Later in the year, Kathy began dating Eddie Royle. He patiently pursued her, but after a few dates, she became hesitant and after she saw him kissing Eibhlin O'Donnell - his former girlfriend visiting from Ireland - their lukewarm romance ended.
1991-2006
Kathy bought the Bridge Street café in 1991, renaming the premises "Kathy's" in 1992. In January 1992, Willmott-Brown was released from prison. He sent Kathy a tape telling her that he wanted to meet her and that he had changed. Kathy pleaded with him to leave and never return, but he moved to the Square and continued to pester her, until Kathy relayed the hurt and anger he had caused her, gaining some closure. James threatened suicide, but Kathy stopped him, refusing to let him take the easy way out. After a heated conversation in which James pleaded for forgiveness, Kathy convinced him to leave Walford. She also convinced Pete — who had been hoping for a reconciliation — that their marriage was over. Later in 1992, Kathy began a relationship with market inspector Richard Cole, which soured when she discovered that he was taking a cash bribe and allowing a mobile hot dog van to trade in direct competition to her café.
In 1993, Kathy was left shocked and devastated when Pete was involved in in a car crash, which killed him. Later in the year, Kathy began a romance with the mechanic Phil Mitchell in Paris, which managed to survive interference from Phil's wife Nadia, who tried to spilt them up, as well as various revelations about Phil's past criminal activity. During a break-up, Phil got drunk and proposed to Kathy, and she accepted, however during their engagement party, Kathy learnt that Phil had almost resumed his affair with his sister-in-law Sharon Mitchell, a revelation that ended Kathy's friendship with Sharon and lead to Phil being beaten by his brother Grant, and almost ended Kathy and Phil's relationship.
However, in 1995 Phil and Kathy sorted out their differences and got married. Kathy fell pregnant and gave birth to a boy, Ben, in 1996; he later contracted meningitis and was left with impaired hearing. Kathy became devoted to Ben. Phil began to feel neglected and, in his depression, he turned to alcohol. By the end of the year his drinking had developed into full-blown alcoholism. Phil become violent and argumentative towards Kathy. After he snatched Ben and left him near a fire while he passed out drunk, Kathy left him. Realising what he had lost, Phil tried to stop drinking and rebuild his marriage. Kathy took him back, but when Phil attended counselling in 1997, he began an affair with an alcoholic named Lorna Cartwright, who started stalking him and made herself known to Kathy. In August 1997, Phil took Kathy to Paris, hoping that it would bring them closer. However, their return to the city where their relationship began was not a success. Phil confessed to his affair with Lorna, and Kathy responded by throwing her wedding ring in the Seine, stating that their marriage was "the biggest mistake" of her life. Phil began sleeping rough and blaming Kathy for his decline. Despite momentarily contemplating suicide, Kathy hardened herself towards her husband's abuse.
By Christmas 1997, she had fallen for vicar Alex Healy. In 1998, Alex's Bishop discovered their affair and offered Alex a choice: Kathy or his job. Alex was prepared to give up his job to be with Kathy, but she had already decided to move to Cape Town, South Africa, to live with her brother Ted. Meanwhile, Phil's brother Grant confessed to loving Kathy and asked her to elope, while Phil, simultaneously, was trying to reunite with her. Kathy was confused by so many options, but made it known to Phil that she was open to a reunion; however, when he failed to show up to meet her on the day of her departure in April 1998, Kathy left Walford with Ben, before revealing to Pat that Pete had always been her one true love. Kathy returned in September 1999 to meet Ian's fiancée Melanie Healy. Instead of reuniting with Phil, she had a fling with Grant. Just before she was due to return home to South Africa, Kathy had a change of heart and asked Phil to leave with her. However, Grant had planned a robbery that same day and Phil could not bring himself to let his brother do the job alone. Infuriated by Phil's loyalty to Grant, Kathy revealed their recent affair, moments before she left. This resulted in a violent showdown between the brothers. Grant confessed that he only slept with Kathy as revenge for Phil's affair with his wife Sharon, and Phil responded by threatening to shoot Grant, devastated that he'd lost Ben and Kathy again, leading Grant to crash their car into the River Thames; both survived. Kathy returned in December 1999 for Ian's short-lived wedding to Melanie on Millennium Eve, after Mel reveals to Ian that she slept with Steve Owen. Kathy was met with hostility from Phil and Grant's mother, Peggy. Phil tried to persuade Kathy to reconcile one last time, but eventually they both agreed that their relationship was definitely over. Kathy then departed. Her last appearance was in January 2000. Kathy married a man named Gavin Sullivan in South Africa in 2001, who adopted Ben. On 20 February 2006, Gavin's sister called Ian to say that Gavin and Kathy had been in an accident - a 13-year-old boy who was joyriding, crashed into their car, killing Kathy. A heartbroken Ian travelled to South Africa and returned with Ben after Gavin also died. Custody of Ben was eventually given to Phil.
2015-
After being released from a short stint in prison, Phil attempts to tell Ian privately on his wedding day that Kathy is alive, but cannot go through with it when Ben walks in on their conversation. Phil later meets Kathy in secret and tells her that, despite her wishes, he cannot allow her to return home, concerned about the effect on Ben and Ian. A few months later, Phil meets her in a café, and hands her an envelope of cash, with the promise this is the last payment he has for her. Seemingly out of the blue, months on, Kathy visits Phil at his garage in Walford, begging for fake documentation for her controlling husband , so she can reveal that she faked her death, without implicating him. Phil agrees to help her leave London and meets her at St Pancras International, but Sharon, who is now married to Phil, arrives, suspecting he is meeting someone he is having an affair with. Ian accompanies her and Kathy disappears, having spotted Ian for the first time in 10 years. As she leaves, she runs into Gavin, who has been aware of her plan all along. Phil's cousin Ronnie, discovers Kathy is alive, and Phil has been aware for three years, since Ben went to prison for murdering Heather.
Several weeks later, Kathy has escaped Gavin, and she contacts her old friend Tracey, at The Queen Vic, giving her an address to pass on to Phil. Gavin follows Phil to a small hotel. He reaches Kathy first and takes her to a small airfield, with the intent of flying away from England. Phil and Ronnie intercept them and convince Kathy to come back to Walford with them. While Phil arranges a hotel for her to stay in, she hides in The Arches, where she comes face to face with Sharon, who is stunned to find she is alive. They have an angry confrontation which leads to a physical fight, before Phil moves Kathy to a nearby hotel. Within a week, Kathy is revealed to have Gavin hidden in her bathroom, with him controlling her again. After Ian's wife Jane, talks him out of suicide, Ian is shocked to see Kathy is alive and has witnessed the event. As Ian crosses the road to meet Kathy, he is hit by an oncoming car and rushed to hospital. Ian eventually regains consciousness and breaks down in happiness when he realises that Kathy is alive, but reveals he wants answers for her faking her death. As Ian is leaving hospital, Jane threatens Kathy to stay away from Walford in a bid to protect Ian. Ian demands to see Kathy and she explains to him that Gavin forced her to go on the run with him as part of an insurance scam and he had controlled her for years and she felt she had no choice. Ian persuades her to go to the police and she agrees, however, she lies about why she is there when she enters the station by claiming her handbag is stolen and later tells Ian that she told them everything and they are looking for Gavin. She then secretly meets Gavin who reminds her of their plan.
Kathy returns a few days later and meets with Ben, who is furious to see her again after several years of believing she was dead. He angrily declares that her absence is to blame for the current state of his life, declaring that he is the reason Phil has left due to his homosexuality, but Kathy tells him that she and Phil knew that he was gay before he even started school, and that they have always loved him. Ian later decides to rebuild his relationship with his mother and allows Kathy to move into his house. Gavin meets Kathy in Walford and reveals that he has kidnapped Phil and threatens to kill him if she does not follow his instructions and give him money. Kathy and Ben reluctantly agree to give into Gavin's demands, but after trying to steal Ian's safe, Kathy decides not to do so. Ian later tells Kathy that her grandson Bobby Beale] killed Lucy. Kathy, after seeing Ben drunk and angry at her, confesses to Ian that she is still on the run and she and Ben were planning to con him as Gavin has kidnapped Phil, so Ian throws her out, thinking she cares more about Phil than him. Jane is horrified that he told Kathy about Bobby, but Ian is confident she will not say anything to the police. Kathy then goes to the police station to report the kidnapping, while Ben tells Ian what Gavin has done. Ian contacts Gavin, telling him he knows what he has been doing. It soon turns out that he has been keeping Phil locked in his closet, but by the time Kathy and the police come to his house looking for him, he is not there although a fresh blood stain is found in the kitchen. Kathy later tells the Beales what she has done, and Sharon is incensed when she finds out the truth, insisting none of it would have happened if Kathy had not returned. Phil returns home severely injured and Ian allows Kathy to move back into his house. Gavin later holds Kathy, Ben and Phil hostage in their house and when Sharon confronts him, he reveals himself as her father before fleeing. Kathy is given a suspended sentence after pleading guilty to fraud.
When Bobby pushes Jane down the stairs during a scuffle, Jane lies to Kathy that she tripped, but Bobby tells Kathy the truth. Kathy confesses her fears to Jane that Bobby may have anger management problems, and after Bobby later smashes a plate in anger, Jane tells Kathy that she is right. Bobby's feud with Sharon's son Dennis, escalates when Bobby kills Dennis' pet spider. Sharon tells Kathy he is evil and needs help, and Kathy then tells Sharon that Bobby pushed Jane down the stairs, so Sharon tells the Beales she will go to the police about Lucy's killing. Bobby finds out the truth from Dennis, who is later severely injured in a car crash. When the family discover that Phil has been rushed to hospital with a damaged liver, Sharon and Kathy join Phil's ex-fiancé Shirley, in visiting him at to the hospital - only to learn upon arrival that Phil discharged himself. They later find Phil drunk at the pub, where he insults his family and inadvertently hits Kathy when she tries to help him leave.
Kathy is upset when Ian sends Bobby to a boarding school to try to help his anger problems. Ian puts the restaurant up for sale to pay for the school, and though Kathy tries to encourage more trade at the restaurant, Ian accepts an offer from a supermarket chain, Costmart. Several weeks later, Ian worries he will regret selling the restaurant but Kathy reminds him he is doing it for Bobby and must tell everyone soon that Costmart is buying it, or she will. The market traders then discover this from Ian, and Shirley's boyfriend Buster leads a campaign to boycott all of Ian's businesses, fearing they will all lose their jobs. Kathy tells Buster that Ian needs to fund Bobby's place in school, so Buster announces this at Ian's meeting with the traders, angering Ian. Buster asks Kathy why the school is so important, so she tells him to leave her alone as she does not care about him, but then kisses him. She then shows her loyalty to Ian by telling potential boycotters that Buster is a criminal. Ian then changes his mind about selling the restaurant. Buster later propositions Kathy for a secret relationship, believing he is with the wrong woman, and they begin meeting each other secretly. As she tries to meet up with Buster, Gavin stops her and says he has Dennis, so she gets into his car. Gavin takes her to a house and she realises that Dennis is not there. Gavin says they can live there together. Gavin's sister Margaret Midhurst arrives, and Gavin locks Kathy in a room to stop her from leaving, while he and Margaret argue; Margaret hits him over the head with a vase and the two women attempt to escape but the most of the doors and windows are locked. Gavin regains consciousness and follows them, and it results in Margaret's death when she falls onto the windscreen of Sharon and Buster's car, who have arrived to rescue Kathy. Sharon calls the ambulance for Margaret whilst she and Buster search for Kathy. Buster finds Kathy, while Sharon confronts Gavin, who is arrested. Later, Kathy tells Buster she needs to end their relationship because things are getting too serious for her. However, as they passionately kiss one last time, they are unaware that Phil has seen them. Kathy spends a night away with Buster and on her return, she is distraught after being told that Ben has been killed and blames herself for not being with him, thus ending her affair with Buster. However, she is relieved when it is a mistaken identity and comforts Ben when he discovers it is his boyfriend, Paul Coker, who is dead. As Buster awaits the verdict from his son Dean Wicks's rape trial, Kathy reveals her two rapes to him during a heart-to-heart, they later embrace. Kathy resumes her affair with Buster but she is found out by Ian and Jane following a burglary at Ian's restaurant, however, although she denies her lover is Grant or Buster, she tells Jane she will end the affair. After Buster's son Mick Carter discovers the affair without knowing Kathy's identity, he urges Buster to tell Shirley or leave Walford for good. Buster asks Kathy to leave Walford with him, but she ultimately decides to remain in Walford with her family, leaving him heartbroken again and he leaves alone.
Kathy accompanies Pam Coker when she visits Diane Atmore, who is the mother of Simon Atmore, one of Paul's killers. Kathy and Pam try to persuade Diane to get Simon to plead guilty, which he eventually does. As a result, Simon and the rest of the killers are sentenced to thirty years in prison. Kathy is horrified when she hears about Ben wanting to donate his liver to Phil. She firmly tells him that she will not allow him to do so but Ben insists. Kathy accompanies Ben to his appointment to discuss the transplant. Kathy tries to support him but ends up embarrassing him when she mentions Paul's death and suggests that it is a reason for Ben wanting to donate. An angry Ben later tells Kathy to stay out of his life as she always has done. Kathy joins the Walford Players and clashes with the Christmas show's director, Geraldine Clough over her plans initially to run a talent show, then to have a fairy godmother in her version of A Christmas Carol and finally for casting Kathy as a pantomime horse. Kathy's protests lead to Geraldine's resignation and Kathy becoming the director. Kathy is overjoyed when Ian decides to rename the café back to "Kathy's", which leads her to decide she no longer wants to be Kathy Sullivan, opting to change her name back to Kathy Beale by deed poll. Ben is hurt with Kathy's decision to change her surname to Beale (rather than his surname of Mitchell), feeling pushed out of the family, but she reassures him that it does not make him any less important to her than Ian. Babe Smith starts selling breakfasts at The Vic and attempts to steal trade from the café by putting rat droppings in the café's coffee machine, leaving Kathy furious when she finds out. Kathy reports Babe for breaking The Vic's license by selling alcohol outside of their licensed hours. This leads to Babe, Mick and Shirley being arrested and fined, which Kathy feels guilty about. Kathy suffers minor injuries when a car, driven by Michelle, crashes a car into the chip shop. After Phil returns from Italy, he tells Kathy about an offer he has received on the car lot land and confides in her about the guilt he still has over the car lot fire. Phil gives Ben The Arches and Kathy lets slip to Ben about the value of the car lot land, which Phil hands over to Jay Brown. Kathy insists to Phil that he justifies his reasons to Ben about the car lot land. Kathy returns from holiday and finds out from Kim Fox-Hubbard about the gas explosion that left Jane severely injured and that Steven has died. Ian rejects Kathy's support. Ben tells Kathy that Ian may still have anger towards her for faking her death, despite accepting her. Kathy confides in Carmel Kazemi about her relationship with Ian and Carmel advises her to work at it. Kathy tells Ian and Ben that she feels that she has become irrelevant to them, but is determined to be their mum and apologises for not being there and Ian finally shows his emotions.
Later at Steven's memorial, once Kathy and Ian are walking away, a man leaves flowers for Kathy. The man is revealed to be James, who has secretly returned to Walford as the CEO of his properly company called "Weyland & Co"; James is plotting to conquer the square and is aided by his daughter Fi Browning; her brother Luke; their half-brother Josh Hemmings; and James' brother-in-law Hugo, respectively. Kathy is unbeknownst about James' return until later on at Halloween, right after she comforts Michelle about her stalker Tom Bailey - as well as helping her give advice to Shakil Kazemi about Bex. When she closes the café for the night, Kathy is startled when James appears and greets her - explaining that he has been diagnosed with terminal liver cancer. Grabbing hold of a knife while James acts casual, Kathy rubbishes beliefs that they are alike - not does she believe James when he claims that the reason for his visit is to move on from the past. Kathy wants James to explain truthfully what happened on the night of the rape, but he continues to act in denial - prompting Kathy to furiously retell it. Whilst doing so, Kathy realizes that James has intended to rape her all along and demands to know when he decided to do so in the first place - pointing out that the impact had scarred her for life. Unfazed, James gives Kathy his home address before leaving. Kathy later confides in Ian that James is back, prompting him to inform Phil about this. When confronting James with the threat of killing him should he go anywhere near Kathy again, Phil finds out that Ben's boyfriend is James' son. Phil tells Kathy that Luke is James' son and Phil fails to warn Luke away from Ben. Ben is angry with what Phil did and when Kathy tries to get Ben and Phil to make up, Kathy tells Ben that Phil was protecting him as James raped her. After struggling to process what he is told, Ben is determined to hurt James, but Kathy orders Ben to keep out of it as it happened to her and not him.
Ben confronts Luke with what he has been told and Luke tells Ben that James wants to meet him. Ben takes a hammer when he meets James and without Luke's presence, Ben threatens James, but James insists to Ben that he and Kathy were having an affair and she consented. As Ben about to attacks James, Luke rush in and pulls Ben off James, who tells Ben he knows he doesn't trust or believe Kathy. Kathy decides to leave Walford, especially when she finds out Ben met James, but Kathy opts to remain and gives Ben's relationship with Luke her blessing. However before they get back together, Luke ends the relationship when Ben discovers Project Dagmar that Luke is secretly working on - which reveals that it will change Albert Square with a block of flats that is to replace The Queen Vic. Later on that night, Kathy is shocked when Max kisses Fi in front of his girlfriend Carmel and tells him that he shouldn't be ashamed of himself.
Shortly after Carmel leaves in tears, however, Kathy is shocked when James arrives to serve the Carters with an eviction notice; James casually greets Kathy hello and she leaves when he promises to see her later. Kathy later learns from Phil that Luke attacked Ben, and the trio later find out from Ian about James' plan - further discovering that Max had in fact been conspiring with James to exact revenge on Walford for being disbelieved over the fact that Bobby killed Lucy and how the impact had led him to be wrongfully imprisoned for Lucy's murder. Kathy is later angry with Ian when she finds out from Luke that Weyland owns the café. Kathy confronts Fi over what James did to her and about all the women James has destroyed, including her own mother. Kathy refuses to go into work and when she spills some hot food, Ian catches her making her hands sore through cleaning and Kathy breaks down to Ian, admitting she has not overcome what James has done to her. Ian arranges to meet James and tapes their conversation, where James initially tells Ian that he and Kathy loved each other, but then admits to raping Kathy and deduces Ian's plan when he attempts to flee; James has Ian restrained and deletes his recording, before threatening to further harm his family and tells him to send his best to Kathy.
By the time Fi has started to learn what her father is really like, she asks Kathy about the rape and her version causes Fi to be physically sick. Fi eventually confronts James about Kathy's theory on the day after Christmas Eve, prompting him to disown his daughter. After safeguarding his documents that could expose Weyland & Co's illegitimate activities, which he showed Fi earlier on before disowning her, James visits Kathy in the cafe once more. They gradually talk about the past and Kathy soon learns that James' intent of conquering the square was all a ruse, and that his real plan is to use this opportunity to win her over by granting her control of his company - thus controlling the square in general. When James proposes they leave Walford to start anew, Kathy appears interested until she then points out that he is seeking to buy her silence as well. James denies this, but Kathy - undeterred by his manipulation tactics - stands up for herself and grabs James by the genitals, making it clear that her family and friends in Walford are all that matter to her. Upon threatening to cut James' gentles of and serve it to him in a sandwich, further making it clear that she will never submit to him in any circumstance, Kathy tells James that he is going to hell no matter how hard he tries to make amends for raping her or terrorizing the square. James leaves defeated and is later taken into custody when Fi, realizing that Kathy was telling the truth about her father, extracts the documents and delivers them to the police. Fi later departs Walford after disowning her father and undoing his control of the square, as well as making amends with Kathy by giving her back the cafe.
In December 2017, the entirety of the Willmot-Brown family enter the Queen Victoria, and reveal to everyone that Weyland & Co own Grafton Hill, and as a result the pub, much to Kathy's horror. They serve the Carters with an eviction notice for the Queen Victoria pub.
After this, Max proposes to Sophie. He only holds the box out, and James (Sophie's father), tells him to get down on one knee and ask properly. He asks properly, but doesn't get on a knee. She starts shaking her head and stutters Max's name. James starts laughing, and Max asks him what is going on. James tells him he has been useful, but all good things come to an end. He shows him a cheque for 350,000 pounds payable to Max, and throws it in the fireplace. The Willmott-Brown family are thrown out of the pub by the Carters.
Kathy is later told, on the phone, by Phil that Ben is in hospital. She rushes over, and Phil drags out of Ben that Luke did this to him. Phil vows to kill him, and Kathy inadvertently lets slip that the whole family are at the pub telling everyone about their plans to kick the Carters out and demolish the place. He rushes over, but Kathy manages to talk him out of doing anything stupid.
The following episode, Ian tells Lauren Branning that Ben is being let out of hospital that day. Kathy is later seen walking Ben home from hospital. She moans about his pace and how he should have let her call a taxi. Later in the episode, whilst Kathy is talking to Tina Carter in Kathy's Cafe, Luke walks in. She tells him to get out, and he calls the remark "not very friendly". She retorts with "not very friendly assaulting my son", and he tells her to be careful throwing accusations like that about. Kathy tells him she won't serve him, then Luke tells her that they own the place, to Kathy and Tina's horror. After this, Kathy storms into Ian's house and asks him when he was going to tell her. Ian tells her that he didn't know who he was selling it to, to which Kathy shouts "how could you not know?!".
Later in the episode, Kathy tells Sophie everything James did to her. Sophie doesn't originally believe her, but at the end looks quite convinced.
Kathy hears news of Abi and Lauren falling from the Queen Victoria roof.
As Abi and Lauren are being wheeled through the hospital ward, Tanya can be seen staring after them, blank-eyed. Ian and Kathy arrive just after and try to comfort her.
Kill Count
James Willmott-Brown (December 2017) – violently assaulted him, leading him to die from a heart attack.
First and last lines
"Blokes like that go on forever. Their pickled so they last longer." (First line)
Gallery
.jpg "Kathy Beale and Pauline Fowler and Roly and Pete Beale (4 April 1985).jpg (127 KB)")
.jpg "Kathy Beale and Ben Mitchell (12 January 2018).jpg (204 KB)")
.jpg "Kathy Mitchell and Phil Mitchell Wedding Cake (24 October 1994).jpg (128 KB)")
See also
Template:Original characters