Annie Palmer
Encyclopedia
Annie Palmer is a fictional character
from the BBC
soap opera
EastEnders
, played by Nadia Sawalha
. Annie was portrayed as a hard-nosed businesswoman, who wasn't averse to dabbling on the wrong side of the law (a trait that she picked up from her shady father). She liked to think she was the top-dog, but she was given a rude awakening when she crossed the wrong people, which nearly cost her her life.
in 1997, she was believed to be a former business associate of George Palmer
(Paul Moriarty
). Together they opened a print shop called "By The Letter" to cover their illegal deals, but Grant Mitchell
(Ross Kemp
) caught them hugging. Grant's mother Peggy Mitchell
(Barbara Windsor
) was dating George, so Grant told her what he had seen; when Peggy confronted George, he told her that Annie was his daughter. Annie took over George's nightclub, The Cobra Club, renamed it The Market Cellar, and used it to facilitate her money-laundering operations and illegal gambling
).
Like her father, Annie was well-connected in the business world; the Palmer name also carried serious clout in the underworld. Annie soon built herself a small business empire in Albert Square. She got most of the local council on side and she was instrumental in helping Ian Beale
run for a council seat. She owned a healthy portion of the Walford Health Club with Grant and started a loan-shark business with his brother Phil Mitchell
(Steve McFadden
), not to mention her continuous dealing in money-laundering scams.
Annie was shrewd and smart and completely averse to showing any emotion, which came from a desperate need to prove that she could cut it in this male-dominated business. She wanted to show her father that she could do her job as good as, if not better than, any man. But Annie's tough exterior masked a hidden vulnerability, so she rarely allowed men to get close to her. She had flings with Conor Flaherty
(Seán Gleeson
) (her loan-shark 'heavy') and Phil at the same time and relished watching them compete against each other for her affections. She later became close to her childhood friend Gianni di Marco
(Marc Bannerman
), but when they looked likely to embark on a serious relationship, Annie's father dropped the bombshell that Gianni might be his son. It was revealed that George had had an affair with Gianni's mother Rosa
(Louise Jameson
) behind Rosa's husband's back, and Gianni's paternity was unknown. The realisation that he could have been having an incest
uous relationship with Annie devastated Gianni, and he cut all ties with both George and Annie. Blood tests later confirmed that George wasn't Gianni's father, which devastated him as he had always longed for a son who would inherit the family business. Seeing her father's devastation, Annie showed some rare emotion and told him she'd always sensed his desperation for a son and that was why she'd always strived so hard to prove her worth. Unable to deal with Annie's emotion, George left England in 1998, leaving Annie to run their businesses on her own.
Annie later became involved with fellow businessman Steve Owen (Martin Kemp
); the two were locked in a cat-and-mouse game of one-upmanship
. with each other. He managed to get through her prickly defences, even managing to sell him her club, which he renamed The E20. Annie's loan-shark business hit a setback in 1999, when she dabbled on the turf of a rival business gang. Refusing to cede after receiving threats, she was beaten nearly to death by the gang's heavies. Although she showed a brave front, her confidence was severely undermined and she turned to Steve for support and comfort, but he rejected her, leaving her humiliated. To get back at him, she sold her health-club shares to Grant instead of him, but it was a hollow victory and in June 1999 she left Walford forever. She currently lives with her father in New Zealand
, where his import/export business is based.
who played Polly Becker
. Sawalha has said that the only two they screen-tested were her and Victoria Gould: "We were always going to get the job. They hadn’t decided which way they were going to go (who was going to be Annie and who Polly). They always have a vague idea of they want, and then they build the character around the person they choose. I was pleased when they turned it around." She also said she enjoyed playing "such a devilsome lady".
Sawalha originally believed she may not be right for EastEnders saying,“My father is Arabic and my mother English. I just thought that I was too exotic — that there wasn’t enough call for a foreigner.”
In September 1998 it was revealed that Sawalha had quit the role. Her surprise exit storyline followed an affair with Italian Lothario Gianni di Marco.
described her as a '
tough-nut business woman'. She was also described as 'tough' and 'steel'. She was voted by What's on TV
as the 85 sexiest soap sirens of all time out of 100. When Nadia announced her decision to leave it was described by The Mirror 'as a real shock' and that
'Her character, scheming Annie Palmer, has proved one of the most watchable in recent years.'
Fictional character
A character is the representation of a person in a narrative work of art . Derived from the ancient Greek word kharaktêr , the earliest use in English, in this sense, dates from the Restoration, although it became widely used after its appearance in Tom Jones in 1749. From this, the sense of...
from the BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
soap opera
Soap opera
A soap opera, sometimes called "soap" for short, is an ongoing, episodic work of dramatic fiction presented in serial format on radio or as television programming. The name soap opera stems from the original dramatic serials broadcast on radio that had soap manufacturers, such as Procter & Gamble,...
EastEnders
EastEnders
EastEnders is a British television soap opera, first broadcast in the United Kingdom on BBC One on 19 February 1985 and continuing to today. EastEnders storylines examine the domestic and professional lives of the people who live and work in the fictional London Borough of Walford in the East End...
, played by Nadia Sawalha
Nadia Sawalha
Nadia Sawalha is an English actress and television presenter.Sawalha is perhaps best known for her role as Annie Palmer in the BBC soap opera EastEnders during the 1990s, although most of her television work is now as a presenter rather than an actress...
. Annie was portrayed as a hard-nosed businesswoman, who wasn't averse to dabbling on the wrong side of the law (a trait that she picked up from her shady father). She liked to think she was the top-dog, but she was given a rude awakening when she crossed the wrong people, which nearly cost her her life.
Storylines
When Annie arrived in Albert SquareAlbert Square
Albert Square is the fictional location of the BBC soap opera EastEnders. It is ostensibly located in the equally fictional London borough of Walford in London's East End. The square's design was based on the real life Fassett Square in Hackney, and was given the name Albert Square after the real...
in 1997, she was believed to be a former business associate of George Palmer
George Palmer (EastEnders)
George Palmer is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders, played by Paul Moriarty. He appeared between 1996 and 1998, but was one of many characters axed by then Executive Producer Matthew Robinson.-Storylines:...
(Paul Moriarty
Paul Moriarty
Paul Moriarty is an American Democratic Party politician, who serves in the New Jersey General Assembly where he represents the 4th Legislative District, having taken office on January 10, 2006....
). Together they opened a print shop called "By The Letter" to cover their illegal deals, but Grant Mitchell
Grant Mitchell (EastEnders)
Grant Anthony Mitchell is a fictional character from the British soap opera EastEnders, played by Ross Kemp. Grant first appeared in 1990, introduced by producer Michael Ferguson to revamp the show. Kemp remained until 1999 when he opted to leave...
(Ross Kemp
Ross Kemp
Ross James Kemp is a BAFTA award-winning British actor, author and journalist, who rose to prominence in the role of Grant Mitchell in the BBC soap opera, EastEnders...
) caught them hugging. Grant's mother Peggy Mitchell
Peggy Mitchell
Margaret Ann "Peggy" Mitchell is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders. Peggy was initially played by Jo Warne when she first appeared on 30 April 1991, featuring in the series on a recurring basis over several weeks. Peggy was reintroduced in 1994, recast and was then played by...
(Barbara Windsor
Barbara Windsor
Barbara Ann Windsor, MBE , better known by her stage name Barbara Windsor, is an English actress. Her best known roles are in the Carry On films and as Peggy Mitchell in the BBC soap opera EastEnders....
) was dating George, so Grant told her what he had seen; when Peggy confronted George, he told her that Annie was his daughter. Annie took over George's nightclub, The Cobra Club, renamed it The Market Cellar, and used it to facilitate her money-laundering operations and illegal gambling
Gambling
Gambling is the wagering of money or something of material value on an event with an uncertain outcome with the primary intent of winning additional money and/or material goods...
).
Like her father, Annie was well-connected in the business world; the Palmer name also carried serious clout in the underworld. Annie soon built herself a small business empire in Albert Square. She got most of the local council on side and she was instrumental in helping Ian Beale
Ian Beale
Ian Albert Beale is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders, played by Adam Woodyatt. He is the longest-serving character and the only remaining original character to have appeared continuously since the first episode on 19 February 1985...
run for a council seat. She owned a healthy portion of the Walford Health Club with Grant and started a loan-shark business with his brother Phil Mitchell
Phil Mitchell
Philip James "Phil" Mitchell is a long-running fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders, played by Steve McFadden.Phil first arrived in Albert Square on 20 February 1990, and was soon joined by his brother, Grant, sister Sam and mother Peggy...
(Steve McFadden
Steve McFadden
Steve McFadden is an English actor, known for his role as Phil Mitchell in the BBC soap opera EastEnders, which he has played since1990.-Early life:...
), not to mention her continuous dealing in money-laundering scams.
Annie was shrewd and smart and completely averse to showing any emotion, which came from a desperate need to prove that she could cut it in this male-dominated business. She wanted to show her father that she could do her job as good as, if not better than, any man. But Annie's tough exterior masked a hidden vulnerability, so she rarely allowed men to get close to her. She had flings with Conor Flaherty
Conor Flaherty
Conor Flaherty is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders, played by Seán Gleeson.He first appeared in 1997 when his aunt Pauline Fowler tracked him and his mother Maggie Flaherty down in Ireland after she discovered Maggie was the sister she had never known about...
(Seán Gleeson
Seán Gleeson
Seán Gleeson is an English actor and director, best known for playing the roles of Conor Flaherty in EastEnders and lawyer Ronnie Woodson in the day time soap opera, Doctors, for which he has also directed a number of episodes...
) (her loan-shark 'heavy') and Phil at the same time and relished watching them compete against each other for her affections. She later became close to her childhood friend Gianni di Marco
Gianni di Marco
Gianni di Marco is a fictional character from the BBC serial drama EastEnders, played by Marc Bannerman from 1998 to 2000.-Storylines:Gianni arrived in Walford along with the rest of the di Marco family in 1998. Gianni was the younger of the two brothers in the family, the other being Beppe di Marco...
(Marc Bannerman
Marc Bannerman
Marc Bannerman is a UK based actor. His most notable role has been his portrayal of Gianni di Marco in the BBC soap opera, EastEnders. Bannerman's character was introduced in 1998, but was axed three years later by the executive producer of EastEnders, John Yorke...
), but when they looked likely to embark on a serious relationship, Annie's father dropped the bombshell that Gianni might be his son. It was revealed that George had had an affair with Gianni's mother Rosa
Rosa di Marco
Rosa di Marco is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders, played by Louise Jameson. She is the mother of Beppe , Gianni , Teresa and Nicky di Marco .-Storylines:...
(Louise Jameson
Louise Jameson
Louise Jameson is an English actress, best known for playing Leela, the leather-clad barbarian warrior companion of the fourth Doctor in Doctor Who. Jameson has also appeared on Emmerdale , The Omega Factor Louise Jameson (born 20 April 1951 in Wanstead, London) is an English actress, best known...
) behind Rosa's husband's back, and Gianni's paternity was unknown. The realisation that he could have been having an incest
Incest
Incest is sexual intercourse between close relatives that is usually illegal in the jurisdiction where it takes place and/or is conventionally considered a taboo. The term may apply to sexual activities between: individuals of close "blood relationship"; members of the same household; step...
uous relationship with Annie devastated Gianni, and he cut all ties with both George and Annie. Blood tests later confirmed that George wasn't Gianni's father, which devastated him as he had always longed for a son who would inherit the family business. Seeing her father's devastation, Annie showed some rare emotion and told him she'd always sensed his desperation for a son and that was why she'd always strived so hard to prove her worth. Unable to deal with Annie's emotion, George left England in 1998, leaving Annie to run their businesses on her own.
Annie later became involved with fellow businessman Steve Owen (Martin Kemp
Martin Kemp
Martin Kemp may refer to:* Martin Kemp , British musician and actor* Martin Kemp , professor of the history of art in the University of Oxford...
); the two were locked in a cat-and-mouse game of one-upmanship
One-upmanship
One-upmanship is the art or practice of successively outdoing a competitor.The term originated as the title of a book by Stephen Potter, published in 1952 as a follow-up to The Theory and Practice of Gamesmanship and Lifemanship titles in his series of tongue-in-cheek self-help books, and film ...
. with each other. He managed to get through her prickly defences, even managing to sell him her club, which he renamed The E20. Annie's loan-shark business hit a setback in 1999, when she dabbled on the turf of a rival business gang. Refusing to cede after receiving threats, she was beaten nearly to death by the gang's heavies. Although she showed a brave front, her confidence was severely undermined and she turned to Steve for support and comfort, but he rejected her, leaving her humiliated. To get back at him, she sold her health-club shares to Grant instead of him, but it was a hollow victory and in June 1999 she left Walford forever. She currently lives with her father in New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
, where his import/export business is based.
Development
Sawalha spoke in a interview with Larry Jaffee about how she got the role of Annie saying that she auditioned with many other actresses. She got through to the screen test with Victoria GouldVictoria Gould
Victoria Gould is a British actress, best known for playing the character of journalist Polly Becker on the BBC television soap opera EastEnders from 1997 to 1998....
who played Polly Becker
Polly Becker
Polly Becker is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders, played by Victoria Gould from April 1997 to September 1998.-Storylines:...
. Sawalha has said that the only two they screen-tested were her and Victoria Gould: "We were always going to get the job. They hadn’t decided which way they were going to go (who was going to be Annie and who Polly). They always have a vague idea of they want, and then they build the character around the person they choose. I was pleased when they turned it around." She also said she enjoyed playing "such a devilsome lady".
Sawalha originally believed she may not be right for EastEnders saying,“My father is Arabic and my mother English. I just thought that I was too exotic — that there wasn’t enough call for a foreigner.”
In September 1998 it was revealed that Sawalha had quit the role. Her surprise exit storyline followed an affair with Italian Lothario Gianni di Marco.
Reception
Author Kate Lock described her as "a rather terrifying creation, a kind of dominatrix without the dungeon. A verbal Miss Whiplash, she tore strips off anyone who crosses her." The BBCBBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
described her as a '
tough-nut business woman'. She was also described as 'tough' and 'steel'. She was voted by What's on TV
What's On TV
What's on TV is a weekly television listings magazine published by IPC Media, a Time Warner subsidiary.-Overview:What's on TV is a weekly UK television magazine. It publishes features, TV listings, news and gossip from soap operas, as well as puzzles and competitions...
as the 85 sexiest soap sirens of all time out of 100. When Nadia announced her decision to leave it was described by The Mirror 'as a real shock' and that
'Her character, scheming Annie Palmer, has proved one of the most watchable in recent years.'