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Penelope “Penny” Branning is the daughter of Jack and Selina Branning and half-sister of Amy, Ricky and James Branning. She made her first appearance on 21 January 2008.

Backstory[]

When Jack and Selina were together, Jack caught a drug dealer who deliberately hit Penny with his car when she and Selina were waiting at a bus stop, causing Penny's spine to be severed. It is later revealed that it was due to Jack being a corrupt police officer and taking payment from a drugs baron in return for tip-offs. When Jack was unable to tip off the baron and he was arrested, one of his associates carried out the attack in revenge, and since then Penny has been in a wheelchair.

Storylines[]

2008: Reuniting with Jack[]

Jack's girlfriend Ronnie Mitchell finds tickets for a ballet, which Jack says are for Penny as it is her birthday on the day of the performance and she loves dancing. Later, Jack finds a message on his answerphone from Selina, ranting about the birthday present. Ronnie answers the phone and meets Selina. At the house, while talking to Selina about the circumstances of her and Jack's relationship, Penny enters the room in a wheelchair. Selina asks Ronnie if she knows why Penny is paralysed from the waist down. Later, Jack tells Ronnie that when he was a police officer, he caught a drug dealer who deliberately hit Penny with his car when she and Selina were waiting at a bus stop, causing Penny's spine to be severed. It is later revealed that it was due to Jack being a corrupt police officer and taking payment from a drugs baron in return for tip-offs. When Jack was unable to tip off the baron and he was arrested, one of his associates carried out the attack in revenge.

Jack takes Penny and Selina out for Penny's birthday and they go back to Selina's flat and kiss. Selina reveals the next day how upset Penny was that Jack was not there when she woke up. Selina decides to move to France where her parents live and takes Penny with her. Penny visits Jack in April 2008 and is cold towards Ronnie, preferring her aunt Tanya Branning, with whom she goes shopping. Tanya cooks Penny a farewell meal, but Ronnie still struggles to bond with her. She decides that she does not want to return to France but is persuaded to go back to Selina by Jack.

2009-2023: Mentions[]

In March 2010, Ronnie asks Jack about Penny and he says she is doing fine without him and that Penny made the right decision to go to France. In April 2012, Jack goes to France to visit Penny. In October 2013, Jack moves to France to reconnect with Penny, briefly returning to Walford for a visit during Christmas 2015. After Jack permanently returns to Walford, Penny calls Jack in December 2016 to tell him she cannot attend his second wedding to Ronnie because of a doctor's appointment in Paris.

On 18 February 2020, Penny was mentioned by Max Branning when Max and Jack were having a fight.

2024-: Return with Lauren and a hidden truth[]

Penny returns with her cousin, Lauren and Lauren’s son, Louie. They are seen in France on 1 January 2024 at a party that they are hosting. It is revealed that Penny has a connection to a woman named Juliette Dubois and Juliette reveals that Penny is keeping secrets. The next morning, Penny, Lauren and Louie arrive in England and a sniffer dog smells something in Lauren's bag. A police officer finds a parcel of drugs in Lauren's bag and they are not hers but instead, likely Penny's. Penny then reunites with Jack at his doorstep and informs him on the conflict with Lauren. Jack tries to deal with it but isn’t allowed. After hearing the ‘full’ story, Jack questions Penny on if she planted the drugs in Lauren’s bag as that is usually the most likely outcome. After Peter Beale suspects that Penny planted the drugs on Lauren, Penny hands herself in to the police.

When at the police station, Jack quickly visits her to find out that Penny had denied a lawyer. Jack then instructs her to take any deal she’s offered. Peter and Jack talk in the square and Peter mentions Juliette, Jack then relays this to the police investigating with Penny. In an attempt of blackmail, Penny pushes herself out of her wheelchair but then blames it on the DI, she then tries to make a deal linked to her and Lauren being released but is caught in the act as the DI reveals there’s 2 cameras. The DI then asks Penny to confess everything about Juliette to get her and Lauren set free. Thankfully, Lauren is released although after a conversation with Peter, Lauren questions if Penny was behind the drug incident, Penny confesses and Lauren is raging over it and immediately plans to leave Walford with Louie. After finding out some home truths, Lauren consistently avoids Penny but after a conversation with Sonia Fowler, the cousins manage to make up.

Penny and Lauren make a plan to move in together although Peter disapproves of this due to the drugs, so therefore, Penny gets him drunk and makes him realise that she’s not a bad person. After some bonding, Peter approves of her. Lauren is surprised that Penny managed to change Peter’s mind. The next week, Peter assists Penny and Lauren by moving into 29A Albert Square. When Penny is trusted to keep an eye on Whitney Dean’s stall, she accidentally knocks a ladder into Jade Masood, injuring her. Later, Penny gives Eve Unwin some relationship advice. When discussing Lauren’s upcoming 30th, Penny tries to encourage her to do something big and even tries to persuade Peter to be a part of it. At the party, Penny forces Lauren to do a speech.

When Amy is struggling with her relationship, Penny visits her and Amy reveals that she wants to sleep with Denzel Danes. Penny is a bit concerned at first but shows support to Amy and doesn’t stop her. A few days later, Lauren and Whitney fall out so Penny locks them in a van, they scream for help as the situation intensifies when Whitney’s waters break. When Whitney leaves Walford the next week, Penny becomes the owner of her clothing stall. The following week, Penny visits her mum in France.

Once she returns from France, she meets Harry Mitchell, and things quickly become flirtatious between the two and they later sleep together, though Penny hides this from Jack. After some time, Avani Nandra-Hart steals some clothes from Penny's stall which causes conflict between the two, Penny threatens Avani and Ravi - demanding the dress back. She receives it from Ravi and then arranges a promo night at Peggy's with Chelsea Fox.

Penny manipulates Chelsea into drinking on the job, and is caught by Phil Mitchell, her boss. Chelsea is then sacked and Penny spitefully takes the job, insulting Chelsea and belittling her. Chelsea attempts to tell Phil about Penny's true ways but Phil doesn't listen, and employs Penny. Penny continues to be a manipulative manager to Chelsea.

Some time later, Penny arranges a carnival night to prove herself as manager, but the booking is sabotaged and a Crush occurs. Penny panics when she notices Amy trapped but things escalate when the crowd stampede and Penny is knocked out of her wheelchair. Penny panics if anyone died, but thankfully, things are ok. Amy's condition stabilises in hospital but Penny is later taken in for questioning after CCTV proves illegal tickets were distributed. Penny tries to prove her innocence to Jack but fails to do so, and he admits his favouritism for Amy.

Resident history[]

Address Years
France 1998-2024
27 Albert Square 2024
29A Albert Square 2024-

See also[]

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