Kat Moon
Encyclopedia
Kathleen "Kat" Moon is a fictional character
from the BBC
soap opera
EastEnders
, played by Jessie Wallace
. She was also played by Kate Peck in a flashback in 2001. She appeared in the show from September 2000 to November 2004, then returned in May 2005. She left again on 25 December 2005, and returned on 17 September 2010.
Kat is the daughter of Charlie
and Viv Slater, and arrived with her sisters Lynne
and Little Mo
. Her daughter Zoe
was initially believed to be her sister as well until Kat revealed she was raped by her uncle Harry as a child. She went on to marry Alfie Moon
(Shane Richie
).
on 18 September 2000, along with her family: father Charlie
(Derek Martin
), sisters Lynne
(Elaine Lordan
), Little Mo
(Kacey Ainsworth
) and Zoe
(Michelle Ryan
), and grandmother Mo Harris
(Laila Morse
). She finds work in The Queen Victoria
public house
as a barmaid, becoming an instant hit with the customers. Fiercely defensive of her sisters, Kat is the archrival of Little Mo's abusive husband Trevor Morgan
(Alex Ferns
) and also makes an enemy out of Laura Dunn
(Hannah Waterman
) when she catches her kissing Lynne's boyfriend Garry Hobbs
(Ricky Groves
), despite having a fling with him herself. She is also over-protective of her youngest sister Zoe, much to Zoe's frustration.
Kat's overbearing nature with Zoe is uncovered when Zoe announces her decision move to Spain with their uncle Harry (Michael Elphick
). Kat refuses to allow her to go, revealing that she is Zoe's mother, having been sexually abused by Harry aged thirteen. Zoe flees Walford in the aftermath, and Kat attempts suicide by cutting her wrists. She recovers, developing a relationship with Anthony Trueman (Nicholas R. Bailey) and finding Zoe. Their relationship improves, but after Kat breaks up with Anthony, he and Zoe begin an affair. Zoe disowns Kat when she disapproves of their relationship, later running away when Anthony reveals that he is still in love with Kat.
Anthony and Kat's relationship resumes, but she fails to impress his colleagues and breaks up with him as he is about to propose. Kat discovers she is pregnant by him and decides to have an abortion. Her boss Alfie Moon
(Shane Richie
) persuades her not to, but she suffers a miscarriage whilst on her way to tell Anthony of the pregnancy. Alfie comforts her and realises that he is in love with her. Local gangster Andy Hunter (Michael Higgs
) takes an interest in Kat and they become engaged. Kat confesses to Alfie's grandmother Nana (Hilda Braid
) that she loves Alfie, and upon discovering this, he stops Kat and Andy's wedding and confesses his love for her. Kat leaves Andy, and she and Alfie marry on Christmas Day. Alfie later borrows money from Andy which he is unable to repay, so Andy threatens to kill him unless Kat sleeps with him. A reluctant Kat does so, but unbeknownst to her Andy tapes the liaison and sends it to Alfie. Alfie becomes cold and distant whilst Kat resorts to alcoholism. After a one-night stand with a stranger, a disgusted Kat leaves Walford.
Several months later, Kat's grandmother Mo discovers she is in prison for prostitution. Upon her release, Mo convinces her to return to Walford. Kat is determined to win Alfie back, but he is now in a relationship with Little Mo. Though he opts to reconcile with Kat, she is unwilling once she learns of his relationship with her sister. Kat rebuilds her relationship with Zoe, and they part on good terms when Zoe leaves to work as a holiday rep in Ibiza. When Nana Moon dies, Kat comforts Alfie and their feelings for one another once more become apparent. On Christmas Day 2005, they confess their love and depart Walford to travel across the United States.
(Steve John Shepherd
), unaware that Michael is the father of Kat's baby. After an argument with Alfie, Kat agrees to move to Spain with Michael, however changes her mind.
Kat gives birth to a son, Tommy, and is rushed to hospital the following day from resultant complications. While she and Alfie are absent, Ronnie's newborn son James dies of sudden infant death syndrome
and Ronnie swaps the babies in an act of desperation. A devastated Kat believes her father is to blame for Tommy's death, as he left him alone to go for a drink. After the funeral, Ronnie attempts to return Tommy, but Kat misunderstands and believes that she is rejecting James. Charlie opts to leave Walford, although Kat forgives him before he departs. She is shocked when Michael returns to see his son, and upset when he shows no emotion at learning that he died. Kat's friend Martina Quinn (Tamara Wall) arrives from Spain with her daughter Shenice (Lily Harvey) but after they leave, Kat and Alfie miss Shenice, and consider IVF to try for another baby. Their consultant feels it is too soon, and their relationship breaks down again, but eventually they reconcile. Kat is pleased when Jean Slater
(Gillian Wright
) moves in. Kat tells Ronnie she wishes James had died instead of Tommy, but later apologises, saying that James is beautiful. However, Ronnie later brings the baby to Kat, explaining that James died and she swapped them. Kat holds Tommy but remains in disbelief, however hospital DNA tests reveal that Ronnie is telling the truth. Charlie arrives and Kat asks him to move back to Walford, but Charlie reveals he cannot do this because he is engaged.
On the day of Ronnie's hearing, Michael frames Ronnie by taking Roxy's mobile and asking Ronnie to meet at the park. Ronnie found Tommy alone and crying, and she attempts to help him. Kat and Alfie see Ronnie holding Tommy with disbelief, Kat says that she'll be laughing as Ronnie rots in jail after slapping her and Ronnie giving Tommy back. At the hearing, Ronnie is sentenced to 3 years. Kat changes her mind, and forgives Ronnie. The women hold their hands to each other separated by the glass. Ronnie is then taken away. Kat and Alfie then holiday in Spain, leaving Alfie's second cousin Eddie Moon
(David Essex
) to look after the pub. When they return, they bring Shenice with them. Kat discovers that she is pregnant again, and Alfie asks who the father is, believing that he cannot have children. Kat insists she has not cheated, and although Alfie finds out he can have children, he has already insulted Kat and she will not let him near her, even after suffering a miscarriage
. She tells Alfie that she does not want another child because she cannot bear the heartache of losing another baby. When Alfie stops paying Kat attention in an attempt to help their relationship, she has a one-night stand
with Mark Garland (Chris Simmons
), which she regrets after hearing a voicemail message from Alfie saying how much he loves her. Kat and Alfie then go on holiday, and when they return, Kat feels guilty about her one-night stand, so tells Alfie she cheated on him. Alfie demands to know why, so Kat tells him he already knows—because she is like that and always will be. Alfie tells Kat he would rather have Kat cheat on him and not know about it than not have her in his life.
commented, "We do not have enough solid families in the soap, there were a lot of fractured families and people who were alone." The family were created as a replacement for the di Marco family, who were axed by Yorke. The family consisted of, grandmother Mo Harris
(Laila Morse
), father Charlie
(Derek Martin
), his four children, Lynne
(Elaine Lordan
), Kat (Wallace), Little Mo
(Kacey Ainsworth
), Zoe
(Michelle Ryan
), as well as Lynne's boyfriend Garry Hobbs
(Ricky Groves
). It later transpired that Kat was the mother of Zoe, after being raped by her uncle Harry Slater (Michael Elphick
).
Actress Jessie Wallace was cast in the role of Kat after the character was developed at an improvisation session for thirty actors and actresses earlier in the year. The character was described as "a bit of a floozy", "a bitch" and "very lazy". She made her first on-screen appearance on 18 September 2000.
. The decision was made following the resignation of Barbara Windsor
, who played Peggy Mitchell
, which left what Kirkwood described as a "hole" in the programme. Kirkwood decided that the time was right for Kat and Alfie to return, saying that they "very much herald the new era of EastEnders."
The plot saw Alfie and Kat regaining control of The Queen Victoria
public house after it burned down, and Kat returning to Walford pregnant, with some public suspicions about the paternity of her child . To promote the characters' return, the BBC released a trailer across the BBC network in September 2010. The western-themed trailer sees Kat outside of The Queen Victoria, with various characters looking on and Kat saying "Where d'ya get a drink around 'ere?" with Alfie replying "I think you're gonna' need one." The advertisement uses the tag line "It's all kicking off in the square". The return, in September 2010, drew 9.22 million viewers and 37.7% of the total TV viewing audience.
that Kat and Alfie would be involved in an ongoing storyline, which he said is "going to be the biggest soap story in probably the history of soaps." At the end of 2010, Kat and Ronnie both give birth on the same day, but Ronnie's baby, James, dies and while Kat is in hospital and her baby, Tommy, is unattended, Ronnie swaps the infants. The storyline received over 6,000 complaints, making it the second most complained about EastEnders storyline. It was then decided to end the storyline earlier than originally planned. It was reported by the Daily Star Sunday that Ronnie experiences a change of heart after visiting relatives in hospital and seeing the midwife who delivered her son. An EastEnders spokesperson said, "We do not comment on future storylines but we have always said Ronnie will do the right thing and Tommy will be reunited with Kat."
, she was named "Most Popular Newcomer" in 2001 and "Most Popular Actress" in 2003. She also received "Most Popular Actress" nominations in 2002, 2004 and 2005. At The British Soap Awards, Wallace won "Best Newcomer" in 2001. The following year, EastEnders won "Best Single Episode" for the episode in which Zoe learns Kat is her mother. Wallace was additionally nominated for the "Best Actress", "Best Dramatic Performance" and "Hero of the Year" awards in 2002, and Zoe's maternity was nominated "Best Storyline". She was again nominated "Best Actress" from 2003 to 2006 consecutively, and shared "Best On-Screen Partnership" and "Best Exit" nominations with Richie in 2004 and 2006 respectively. She was further nominated in 2011 for 'Best Actress'. The Inside Soap Awards
named Wallace "Best Newcomer" in 2001, Zoe's maternity "Best Storyline" in 2002, and Kat and Alfie "Best Couple" in 2004. A 2009 poll by Inside Soap
magazine named Kat as the UK's favourite drama queen in a soap opera. Wallace was named "Best Soap Actress" at the 2003 TV Quick
Awards. Following Kat's suicide attempt, Wallace received the 2002 Mental Health Media Award in the "Soaps and Continual Drama" category. A 2010 poll by Just Eat to find the "most desired dinner companions" from EastEnders put Kat in second place.
In February 2011, following Kat's return to EastEnders, Wallace was nominated for Best Actress at the 2011 All About Soap Bubble Awards for her portrayal of Kat, and was also nominated alongside Richie for Best Comeback. She won the Television and Radio Industries Club (TRIC) Award
for "TV Soap Personality" in March 2011.
ed in the cartoon
sketch show 2DTV
, as well as the sketch show Bo' Selecta!
, where she appears constantly paranoid about her "big fat saggy bingo wings
". British rap group Fierce Girl have a song, called "What Makes a Girl Fierce", with a chorus containing the lyrics, "Kat Slater is our sister." The Kat and Alfie storyline is referred to in the multiple Academy Award winning film Slumdog Millionaire
(2008)
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 Jessie Wallace
Jessie Wallace
Jessie Wallace is an English actress best known for her portrayal as Kat Moon in the BBC soap opera EastEnders.-Early life:...
. She was also played by Kate Peck in a flashback in 2001. She appeared in the show from September 2000 to November 2004, then returned in May 2005. She left again on 25 December 2005, and returned on 17 September 2010.
Kat is the daughter of Charlie
Charlie Slater
Charles "Charlie" Slater is a fictional character from the British soap opera EastEnders, played by actor Derek Martin, making his first appearance on 4 September 2000. He is played by Jason McGregor in flashbacks broadcast in 2001. He also makes a cameo appearance in the second series of the...
and Viv Slater, and arrived with her sisters Lynne
Lynne Hobbs
Lynne Marie Hobbs is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders, played by Elaine Lordan. She appeared in the show from September 2000 to July 2004...
and Little Mo
Little Mo Mitchell
Maureen "Little Mo" Mitchell is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders, played by Kacey Ainsworth.-Storylines:...
. Her daughter Zoe
Zoe Slater
Zoe Slater is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders, played by Michelle Ryan. She made her first appearance on the 18 September 2000...
was initially believed to be her sister as well until Kat revealed she was raped by her uncle Harry as a child. She went on to marry Alfie Moon
Alfie Moon
Alfred William "Alfie" Moon is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders, played by Shane Richie. He made his first appearance on 21 November 2002, and left on 25 December 2005...
(Shane Richie
Shane Richie
Shane Richie is an English actor, comedian, singer and media personality, known for his portrayal of the character Alfie Moon in the BBC One soap opera EastEnders.-Early life and career beginnings:...
).
2000–05
Kat arrives in WalfordWalford
Walford is a fictional borough of east London in the BBC soap opera EastEnders. The name Walford is both a street in Dalston where one of the series' creators, Tony Holland, lived and a blend of Walthamstow, where Holland was born, and Stratford. The suffix 'ford' is also found throughout East...
on 18 September 2000, along with her family: father Charlie
Charlie Slater
Charles "Charlie" Slater is a fictional character from the British soap opera EastEnders, played by actor Derek Martin, making his first appearance on 4 September 2000. He is played by Jason McGregor in flashbacks broadcast in 2001. He also makes a cameo appearance in the second series of the...
(Derek Martin
Derek Martin
Derek Martin is a British actor who is best known for his role as Charlie Slater in the British soap opera EastEnders which he played from 2000 to 2011.-Personal life:...
), sisters Lynne
Lynne Hobbs
Lynne Marie Hobbs is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders, played by Elaine Lordan. She appeared in the show from September 2000 to July 2004...
(Elaine Lordan
Elaine Lordan
Elaine Lordan is a British actress.Lordan is most famous for her role as Lynne Hobbs in the BBC soap opera EastEnders, which she appeared in from 2000 until 2004...
), Little Mo
Little Mo Mitchell
Maureen "Little Mo" Mitchell is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders, played by Kacey Ainsworth.-Storylines:...
(Kacey Ainsworth
Kacey Ainsworth
Kacey Ainsworth is an English actress, best known for playing the long-suffering Little Mo in the BBC soap opera EastEnders.-Life and career:Kacey Ainsworth, is the only soap actress who has won three Soap Actress awards in one single year in 2002...
) and Zoe
Zoe Slater
Zoe Slater is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders, played by Michelle Ryan. She made her first appearance on the 18 September 2000...
(Michelle Ryan
Michelle Ryan
Michelle Claire Ryan is an English actress.She is best known for portraying the role of Zoe Slater on BBC soap opera EastEnders. In 2007, she starred in the short lived American television series Bionic Woman...
), and grandmother Mo Harris
Mo Harris
Maureen "Big Mo" Harris is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders, who has been in the series since 18 September 2000, played by Laila Morse. Mo is also played by Lorraine Stanley in a soap 'bubble' Pat and Mo, delving into her past with Pat Evans, which aired in 2004...
(Laila Morse
Laila Morse
Laila Morse is an English actress, best known for playing Mo Harris in BBC series EastEnders and Janet in the 1997 movie Nil by Mouth ."Laila Morse" is an anagram of an Italian phrase for "my sister" - a name she...
). She finds work in The Queen Victoria
The Queen Victoria
The Queen Victoria is a fictional Victorian public house in the BBC soap opera, EastEnders. It has the fictional address of 46 Albert Square, Walford, London E20.-Appearance and development:...
public house
Public house
A public house, informally known as a pub, is a drinking establishment fundamental to the culture of Britain, Ireland, Australia and New Zealand. There are approximately 53,500 public houses in the United Kingdom. This number has been declining every year, so that nearly half of the smaller...
as a barmaid, becoming an instant hit with the customers. Fiercely defensive of her sisters, Kat is the archrival of Little Mo's abusive husband Trevor Morgan
Trevor Morgan (EastEnders)
Trevor Morgan is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders, played by Alex Ferns. He first appeared in December 2000, and became a regular cast member the following summer, after moving into Albert Square with his wife Little Mo Slater .-Storylines:Trevor is introduced as the abusive...
(Alex Ferns
Alex Ferns
Alexander "Alex" Ferns is a Scottish actor and television personality, best known for his EastEnders role as Trevor Morgan, "Britain's most-hated soap villain."...
) and also makes an enemy out of Laura Dunn
Laura Beale
Laura Ellen Beale is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders, played by Hannah Waterman.Laura only ever wanted a happy marriage, but was always made to feel inferior and unattractive by her husband, Ian Beale...
(Hannah Waterman
Hannah Waterman
Hannah Waterman-Groves is an English actress, daughter of Minder star Dennis Waterman and his second wife, actress Patricia Maynard.-Career:...
) when she catches her kissing Lynne's boyfriend Garry Hobbs
Garry Hobbs
Garry Pelé Hobbs is a fictional character in the BBC soap opera EastEnders, played by Ricky Groves. He made his first appearance on 18 September 2000...
(Ricky Groves
Ricky Groves
Richard "Ricky" Groves is an English actor best known for playing Garry Hobbs in EastEnders from 2000–09. Before his role in EastEnders he appeared in the series Burnside, a spin-off from The Bill.-Other TV work:...
), despite having a fling with him herself. She is also over-protective of her youngest sister Zoe, much to Zoe's frustration.
Kat's overbearing nature with Zoe is uncovered when Zoe announces her decision move to Spain with their uncle Harry (Michael Elphick
Michael Elphick
Michael John Elphick was an English actor. Elphick was known in the UK for his trademark croaky voice and his work on British television, in particular his roles as the eponymous private investigator in the ITV series Boon and later Harry Slater in BBC's EastEnders.Robust and ruggedly good-looking...
). Kat refuses to allow her to go, revealing that she is Zoe's mother, having been sexually abused by Harry aged thirteen. Zoe flees Walford in the aftermath, and Kat attempts suicide by cutting her wrists. She recovers, developing a relationship with Anthony Trueman (Nicholas R. Bailey) and finding Zoe. Their relationship improves, but after Kat breaks up with Anthony, he and Zoe begin an affair. Zoe disowns Kat when she disapproves of their relationship, later running away when Anthony reveals that he is still in love with Kat.
Anthony and Kat's relationship resumes, but she fails to impress his colleagues and breaks up with him as he is about to propose. Kat discovers she is pregnant by him and decides to have an abortion. Her boss Alfie Moon
Alfie Moon
Alfred William "Alfie" Moon is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders, played by Shane Richie. He made his first appearance on 21 November 2002, and left on 25 December 2005...
(Shane Richie
Shane Richie
Shane Richie is an English actor, comedian, singer and media personality, known for his portrayal of the character Alfie Moon in the BBC One soap opera EastEnders.-Early life and career beginnings:...
) persuades her not to, but she suffers a miscarriage whilst on her way to tell Anthony of the pregnancy. Alfie comforts her and realises that he is in love with her. Local gangster Andy Hunter (Michael Higgs
Michael Higgs
Michael Higgs is a British actor best known for prominent roles in two long-running television series: Eddie Santini in ITV1's The Bill, and Andy Hunter in EastEnders....
) takes an interest in Kat and they become engaged. Kat confesses to Alfie's grandmother Nana (Hilda Braid
Hilda Braid
Hilda Braid was an English actress who had a long career on British television and became well known in her later years for playing Victoria "Nana" Moon in the BBC One soap opera EastEnders....
) that she loves Alfie, and upon discovering this, he stops Kat and Andy's wedding and confesses his love for her. Kat leaves Andy, and she and Alfie marry on Christmas Day. Alfie later borrows money from Andy which he is unable to repay, so Andy threatens to kill him unless Kat sleeps with him. A reluctant Kat does so, but unbeknownst to her Andy tapes the liaison and sends it to Alfie. Alfie becomes cold and distant whilst Kat resorts to alcoholism. After a one-night stand with a stranger, a disgusted Kat leaves Walford.
Several months later, Kat's grandmother Mo discovers she is in prison for prostitution. Upon her release, Mo convinces her to return to Walford. Kat is determined to win Alfie back, but he is now in a relationship with Little Mo. Though he opts to reconcile with Kat, she is unwilling once she learns of his relationship with her sister. Kat rebuilds her relationship with Zoe, and they part on good terms when Zoe leaves to work as a holiday rep in Ibiza. When Nana Moon dies, Kat comforts Alfie and their feelings for one another once more become apparent. On Christmas Day 2005, they confess their love and depart Walford to travel across the United States.
2010—
In September 2010, Kat arrives back in Walford on the run from a man she and Alfie conned for money. Alfie arrives and saves her, but Kat is displeased to see him, revealing to her family that Alfie has spent time in prison and she is now pregnant with another man's child. Attempting to prove himself responsible, Alfie takes out a lease on The Queen Victoria. He struggles to raise the rent, and enters into a partnership with his cousin Michael MoonMichael Moon (EastEnders)
Michael Moon is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders, played by Steve John Shepherd. The character is a second cousin once removed of Alfie Moon , who first appears on 1 October 2010 after Alfie's return. He is also the father to Tommy Moon, whose mother is Alfie's wife Kat...
(Steve John Shepherd
Steve John Shepherd
-Career:Shepherd first became known in 1996, when he played the role of Jo, the law clerk, in the critically acclaimed BBC drama This Life. He remained in the role for two series...
), unaware that Michael is the father of Kat's baby. After an argument with Alfie, Kat agrees to move to Spain with Michael, however changes her mind.
Kat gives birth to a son, Tommy, and is rushed to hospital the following day from resultant complications. While she and Alfie are absent, Ronnie's newborn son James dies of sudden infant death syndrome
Sudden infant death syndrome
Sudden infant death syndrome is marked by the sudden death of an infant that is unexpected by medical history, and remains unexplained after a thorough forensic autopsy and a detailed death scene investigation. An infant is at the highest risk for SIDS during sleep, which is why it is sometimes...
and Ronnie swaps the babies in an act of desperation. A devastated Kat believes her father is to blame for Tommy's death, as he left him alone to go for a drink. After the funeral, Ronnie attempts to return Tommy, but Kat misunderstands and believes that she is rejecting James. Charlie opts to leave Walford, although Kat forgives him before he departs. She is shocked when Michael returns to see his son, and upset when he shows no emotion at learning that he died. Kat's friend Martina Quinn (Tamara Wall) arrives from Spain with her daughter Shenice (Lily Harvey) but after they leave, Kat and Alfie miss Shenice, and consider IVF to try for another baby. Their consultant feels it is too soon, and their relationship breaks down again, but eventually they reconcile. Kat is pleased when Jean Slater
Jean Slater
Jean Elaine Slater is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders, played by Gillian Wright. She appeared in December 2004 briefly and in December 2005. She returned as a recurring character in June 2006 and returned again as a regular character from November 2006...
(Gillian Wright
Gillian Wright
Gillian Wright, is an English actress who is best known for portraying the role of Jean Slater on the long running BBC soap opera EastEnders...
) moves in. Kat tells Ronnie she wishes James had died instead of Tommy, but later apologises, saying that James is beautiful. However, Ronnie later brings the baby to Kat, explaining that James died and she swapped them. Kat holds Tommy but remains in disbelief, however hospital DNA tests reveal that Ronnie is telling the truth. Charlie arrives and Kat asks him to move back to Walford, but Charlie reveals he cannot do this because he is engaged.
On the day of Ronnie's hearing, Michael frames Ronnie by taking Roxy's mobile and asking Ronnie to meet at the park. Ronnie found Tommy alone and crying, and she attempts to help him. Kat and Alfie see Ronnie holding Tommy with disbelief, Kat says that she'll be laughing as Ronnie rots in jail after slapping her and Ronnie giving Tommy back. At the hearing, Ronnie is sentenced to 3 years. Kat changes her mind, and forgives Ronnie. The women hold their hands to each other separated by the glass. Ronnie is then taken away. Kat and Alfie then holiday in Spain, leaving Alfie's second cousin Eddie Moon
Eddie Moon
Edward "Eddie" Moon is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders, played by David Essex. Eddie is the father of Michael Moon , Tyler Moon and Anthony Moon . Along with his children, Eddie was introduced to bring a "new generation" of the Moon family to the programme...
(David Essex
David Essex
David Essex OBE is an English musician, singer-songwriter and actor. Since the 1970s, Essex has attained nineteen Top 40 singles in the UK , and sixteen Top 40 albums...
) to look after the pub. When they return, they bring Shenice with them. Kat discovers that she is pregnant again, and Alfie asks who the father is, believing that he cannot have children. Kat insists she has not cheated, and although Alfie finds out he can have children, he has already insulted Kat and she will not let him near her, even after suffering a miscarriage
Miscarriage
Miscarriage or spontaneous abortion is the spontaneous end of a pregnancy at a stage where the embryo or fetus is incapable of surviving independently, generally defined in humans at prior to 20 weeks of gestation...
. She tells Alfie that she does not want another child because she cannot bear the heartache of losing another baby. When Alfie stops paying Kat attention in an attempt to help their relationship, she has a one-night stand
One-night stand
Originally, a one-night stand was a single theatre performance, usually by a guest performer on tour, as opposed to an ongoing engagement. Today, however, the term is more commonly defined as a single sexual encounter, in which neither participant has any intention or expectation of a relationship...
with Mark Garland (Chris Simmons
Chris Simmons
Chris Simmons is an English actor who is best known for playing DC Mickey Webb in The Bill. He moved to Gravesend, Kent where he attended Saint Georges Cofe Secondary School and lived on Singlewell Road....
), which she regrets after hearing a voicemail message from Alfie saying how much he loves her. Kat and Alfie then go on holiday, and when they return, Kat feels guilty about her one-night stand, so tells Alfie she cheated on him. Alfie demands to know why, so Kat tells him he already knows—because she is like that and always will be. Alfie tells Kat he would rather have Kat cheat on him and not know about it than not have her in his life.
Creation
In 2000, EastEnders executive producer John Yorke decided to introduce the "classic" Slater family. He felt the show needed to go back to its roots and bring back some traditional values. BBC's head of drama, Mal YoungMal Young
Mal Young is a British television producer and executive producer.-Background:His initial career was in the Graphic Design industry, and it was not until the age of 27 that he began working in television, on the acclaimed Channel 4 soap opera Brookside.Working on the show for nearly a decade, he...
commented, "We do not have enough solid families in the soap, there were a lot of fractured families and people who were alone." The family were created as a replacement for the di Marco family, who were axed by Yorke. The family consisted of, grandmother Mo Harris
Mo Harris
Maureen "Big Mo" Harris is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders, who has been in the series since 18 September 2000, played by Laila Morse. Mo is also played by Lorraine Stanley in a soap 'bubble' Pat and Mo, delving into her past with Pat Evans, which aired in 2004...
(Laila Morse
Laila Morse
Laila Morse is an English actress, best known for playing Mo Harris in BBC series EastEnders and Janet in the 1997 movie Nil by Mouth ."Laila Morse" is an anagram of an Italian phrase for "my sister" - a name she...
), father Charlie
Charlie Slater
Charles "Charlie" Slater is a fictional character from the British soap opera EastEnders, played by actor Derek Martin, making his first appearance on 4 September 2000. He is played by Jason McGregor in flashbacks broadcast in 2001. He also makes a cameo appearance in the second series of the...
(Derek Martin
Derek Martin
Derek Martin is a British actor who is best known for his role as Charlie Slater in the British soap opera EastEnders which he played from 2000 to 2011.-Personal life:...
), his four children, Lynne
Lynne Hobbs
Lynne Marie Hobbs is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders, played by Elaine Lordan. She appeared in the show from September 2000 to July 2004...
(Elaine Lordan
Elaine Lordan
Elaine Lordan is a British actress.Lordan is most famous for her role as Lynne Hobbs in the BBC soap opera EastEnders, which she appeared in from 2000 until 2004...
), Kat (Wallace), Little Mo
Little Mo Mitchell
Maureen "Little Mo" Mitchell is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders, played by Kacey Ainsworth.-Storylines:...
(Kacey Ainsworth
Kacey Ainsworth
Kacey Ainsworth is an English actress, best known for playing the long-suffering Little Mo in the BBC soap opera EastEnders.-Life and career:Kacey Ainsworth, is the only soap actress who has won three Soap Actress awards in one single year in 2002...
), Zoe
Zoe Slater
Zoe Slater is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders, played by Michelle Ryan. She made her first appearance on the 18 September 2000...
(Michelle Ryan
Michelle Ryan
Michelle Claire Ryan is an English actress.She is best known for portraying the role of Zoe Slater on BBC soap opera EastEnders. In 2007, she starred in the short lived American television series Bionic Woman...
), as well as Lynne's boyfriend Garry Hobbs
Garry Hobbs
Garry Pelé Hobbs is a fictional character in the BBC soap opera EastEnders, played by Ricky Groves. He made his first appearance on 18 September 2000...
(Ricky Groves
Ricky Groves
Richard "Ricky" Groves is an English actor best known for playing Garry Hobbs in EastEnders from 2000–09. Before his role in EastEnders he appeared in the series Burnside, a spin-off from The Bill.-Other TV work:...
). It later transpired that Kat was the mother of Zoe, after being raped by her uncle Harry Slater (Michael Elphick
Michael Elphick
Michael John Elphick was an English actor. Elphick was known in the UK for his trademark croaky voice and his work on British television, in particular his roles as the eponymous private investigator in the ITV series Boon and later Harry Slater in BBC's EastEnders.Robust and ruggedly good-looking...
).
Actress Jessie Wallace was cast in the role of Kat after the character was developed at an improvisation session for thirty actors and actresses earlier in the year. The character was described as "a bit of a floozy", "a bitch" and "very lazy". She made her first on-screen appearance on 18 September 2000.
Development
On 24 April 2004, it was announced that Wallace was pregnant with her first child and that she would take maternity leave from EastEnders later in the year. Wallace was intended to depart in December, however a pregnancy scare meant that she was forced to stop filming in August, and scripts featuring Kat subsequently had to be re-written. She returned to filming in February 2005 and made her on-screen return in May. Wallace signed a six-month contract in a reported bid to boost the show's ratings. In July 2005, the BBC announced that Wallace had decided to leave EastEnders in a mutual decision with producers. A spokesperson for the show praised Wallace's talent and thanked her for her contribution to the series, stating that "Jessie and the writers want Kat Moon to go out on a high." Kat's exit storyline centred upon her on-off relationship with husband Alfie. Shane Richie, who plays him, also announced his decision to quit in April 2005. In 2009, Wallace stated that she missed playing Kat but had no immediate plans to return to EastEnders, despite rumours to the contrary. She noted that the public still associated her with her role, and that she was flattered people still remembered her.Reintroduction (2010)
In February 2010, it was announced that Richie and Wallace would be reprising their roles as Alfie and Kat respectively, with Wallace commenting that she was "excited to slip back into Kat Slater's stilettos." Controller of BBC drama production John Yorke predicted that their return would make "fantastic viewing", given the wealth of new characters introduced since their departure. Wallace signed an initial one-year contract, and returned to filming in July. Wallace and Richie were the first cast members signed by new executive producer Bryan KirkwoodBryan Kirkwood (producer)
Bryan Kirkwood is a Scottish-born British television producer. He was the producer of teen Channel 4 soap opera Hollyoaks from 2006 until 2009 and has been the executive producer of the BBC soap EastEnders since 2010.- Personal life :...
. The decision was made following the resignation of 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....
, who played 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...
, which left what Kirkwood described as a "hole" in the programme. Kirkwood decided that the time was right for Kat and Alfie to return, saying that they "very much herald the new era of EastEnders."
The plot saw Alfie and Kat regaining control of The Queen Victoria
The Queen Victoria
The Queen Victoria is a fictional Victorian public house in the BBC soap opera, EastEnders. It has the fictional address of 46 Albert Square, Walford, London E20.-Appearance and development:...
public house after it burned down, and Kat returning to Walford pregnant, with some public suspicions about the paternity of her child . To promote the characters' return, the BBC released a trailer across the BBC network in September 2010. The western-themed trailer sees Kat outside of The Queen Victoria, with various characters looking on and Kat saying "Where d'ya get a drink around 'ere?" with Alfie replying "I think you're gonna' need one." The advertisement uses the tag line "It's all kicking off in the square". The return, in September 2010, drew 9.22 million viewers and 37.7% of the total TV viewing audience.
Baby swap
Richie revealed in an interview with This MorningThis Morning (TV series)
This Morning is a British daytime television programme broadcast on ITV. As of September 2011, its main presenters are Phillip Schofield and Holly Willoughby, and Ruth Langsford and Eamonn Holmes, with various other presenters standing in for illness or contributing to sections of the programme.The...
that Kat and Alfie would be involved in an ongoing storyline, which he said is "going to be the biggest soap story in probably the history of soaps." At the end of 2010, Kat and Ronnie both give birth on the same day, but Ronnie's baby, James, dies and while Kat is in hospital and her baby, Tommy, is unattended, Ronnie swaps the infants. The storyline received over 6,000 complaints, making it the second most complained about EastEnders storyline. It was then decided to end the storyline earlier than originally planned. It was reported by the Daily Star Sunday that Ronnie experiences a change of heart after visiting relatives in hospital and seeing the midwife who delivered her son. An EastEnders spokesperson said, "We do not comment on future storylines but we have always said Ronnie will do the right thing and Tommy will be reunited with Kat."
Reception
Wallace has won multiple awards for her portrayal of Kat. At the National Television AwardsNational Television Awards
The National Television Awards is a British television awards ceremony, broadcast by the ITV network and initiated in 1995. The National Television Awards are the most prominent ceremony for which the results are voted on by the general public. Because of the way the awards are decided, winners are...
, she was named "Most Popular Newcomer" in 2001 and "Most Popular Actress" in 2003. She also received "Most Popular Actress" nominations in 2002, 2004 and 2005. At The British Soap Awards, Wallace won "Best Newcomer" in 2001. The following year, EastEnders won "Best Single Episode" for the episode in which Zoe learns Kat is her mother. Wallace was additionally nominated for the "Best Actress", "Best Dramatic Performance" and "Hero of the Year" awards in 2002, and Zoe's maternity was nominated "Best Storyline". She was again nominated "Best Actress" from 2003 to 2006 consecutively, and shared "Best On-Screen Partnership" and "Best Exit" nominations with Richie in 2004 and 2006 respectively. She was further nominated in 2011 for 'Best Actress'. The Inside Soap Awards
Inside Soap Awards
The Inside Soap Awards is a yearly award ceremony run by Inside Soap magazine since 1996. The awards celebrate the British and Australian soap operas and their actors. Until 2007, EastEnders had won the award for "Best Soap" on every occasion...
named Wallace "Best Newcomer" in 2001, Zoe's maternity "Best Storyline" in 2002, and Kat and Alfie "Best Couple" in 2004. A 2009 poll by Inside Soap
Inside Soap
Inside Soap is a weekly UK magazine, released every Tuesday. It covers current and future storylines in soap operas shown in the United Kingdom....
magazine named Kat as the UK's favourite drama queen in a soap opera. Wallace was named "Best Soap Actress" at the 2003 TV Quick
TV Quick
TV Choice, is a British weekly TV listings magazine published by H. Bauer Publishing, the UK subsidiary of family-run German company Bauer Media Group...
Awards. Following Kat's suicide attempt, Wallace received the 2002 Mental Health Media Award in the "Soaps and Continual Drama" category. A 2010 poll by Just Eat to find the "most desired dinner companions" from EastEnders put Kat in second place.
In February 2011, following Kat's return to EastEnders, Wallace was nominated for Best Actress at the 2011 All About Soap Bubble Awards for her portrayal of Kat, and was also nominated alongside Richie for Best Comeback. She won the Television and Radio Industries Club (TRIC) Award
Television and Radio Industries Club
The Television and Radio Industries Club is a British institution chartered in 1931 to "promote goodwill in the television and radio industries"...
for "TV Soap Personality" in March 2011.
In popular culture
The character of Kat Moon has been spoofParody
A parody , in current usage, is an imitative work created to mock, comment on, or trivialise an original work, its subject, author, style, or some other target, by means of humorous, satiric or ironic imitation...
ed in the cartoon
Cartoon
A cartoon is a form of two-dimensional illustrated visual art. While the specific definition has changed over time, modern usage refers to a typically non-realistic or semi-realistic drawing or painting intended for satire, caricature, or humor, or to the artistic style of such works...
sketch show 2DTV
2DTV
2DTV is a British satirical animated television show that was broadcast on ITV in the United Kingdom, directed by Tim Searle.2DTV employs the same satirical style as Spitting Image, but using animation rather than puppets. The animation was produced on computer, frequently with animators working up...
, as well as the sketch show Bo' Selecta!
Bo' Selecta!
Bo' Selecta! is a British sketch show written and performed by Leigh Francis, known for its often deeply surreal, abstract toilet humour, which lampoons popular culture. It was broadcast on Channel 4 and ran for three series between 2002 and 2004, spawning several spin-offs...
, where she appears constantly paranoid about her "big fat saggy bingo wings
Bingo wings
The anthropometry of the upper arm is a set of measurements of the shape of the upper arms. Large, saggy flaps of skin under the arm are colloquially known as bingo wings, after the phrase was popularised by the comedy television program Bo' Selecta!.The principal anthropometry measures are the...
". British rap group Fierce Girl have a song, called "What Makes a Girl Fierce", with a chorus containing the lyrics, "Kat Slater is our sister." The Kat and Alfie storyline is referred to in the multiple Academy Award winning film Slumdog Millionaire
Slumdog Millionaire
Slumdog Millionaire is a 2008 British epic romantic drama adventure film directed by Danny Boyle, written by Simon Beaufoy, and co-directed in India by Loveleen Tandan. It is an adaptation of the novel Q & A by Indian author and diplomat Vikas Swarup...
(2008)