Laura Beale
Encyclopedia
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
. She tried hard, but their marriage was a disaster and Laura became a hopeless victim.
, Lucy
and Steven Beale
. She is attracted to her employer, Ian Beale, but her attempts to get closer to him are unnoticed. Laura is protective of Ian and eventually Ian starts to see her as loyal and faithful, but starts off using her for sex. Eventually, Laura demands more commitment but he refuses. Laura calls off their arrangement and kisses Garry Hobbs
. Ian is furious when he finds out, leading to Laura's resignation, but before she leaves, Ian is made bankrupt so Laura agrees to stay working for him, free of charge. They then become a couple. Laura attempts to raise funds to buy back Ian's fish and chip shop so they can run it together. She secretly borrows money from his ex-wife, Melanie
. Ian proposed marriage to Laura but her wealthy father is opposed to their relationship because of Ian's bankruptcy. They get married but Laura discovers that Ian knows about an inheritance she has received, and wonders if Ian only wants her money, though Ian convinces her this is not true.
Laura is jealous when Ian goes into business with Melanie. She catches them kissing and moves out, but Ian wins her round again. When Melanie is arrested for money laundering and drug dealing (for which she has been set up), she signs over her businesses to Laura for protection. When she wants the businesses back, Laura refuses to sign them over. Melanie is arrested, and when released on bail, informs Ian of Laura's spiteful deed, and tells Laura that she was Ian's first choice. Laura takes delight in belittling Ian, and decides she wants a baby. Ian refuses, and Laura is heartbroken when she discovers Ian has been seeing prostitute Janine Butcher. Janine goes to Laura's house because she felt guilty. Laura and Janine argue which results in Laura throwing a pan of boiling milk over Janine's face, leaving her in hospital. A long-standing feud between Laura and Janine begins.
Laura takes Ian back on the promise that he will provide her with a child, but he has a secret vasectomy
. Laura becomes pregnant, so Ian cons her into signing over her share of the businesses and throws her out knowing the child cannot be his. Laura tells Garry he is the father, believing him to be so after remembering spending a drunken night with him. Garry's wife Lynne
throws him out and he moves in with Laura in a bedsit. Laura gives birth to Bobby, but needs a blood transfusion. It then becomes apparent that Garry cannot be the father, but Laura does not tell him and allows his marriage to break down. Laura uses Garry for sex until he goes back to Lynne. Phil Mitchell
appoints Laura as the manager of the café that Ian used to own, and she names it Laura's. However, Phil's sister Sam
sells the café back to Ian and he sacks Laura.
Laura's feud with Janine continues. Janine stops Laura getting a job by badmouthing her, and Laura ruins Janine's business venture. Janine and Laura argue once again and end up fighting and Laura is nearly strangled. Laura soon decides to tell Ian he is Bobby's father, but he shuns her. She writes him a letter but moments later, Ian turns up at her flat feeling guilty. In her haste to answer the door, she runs down the stairs and trips on a toy, breaking her neck as she falls and dying instantly. She is discovered by Pat Evans
. Janine is charged with murdering Laura but is found not guilty after Pat decides to give Janine an alibi. Pat discovers Laura's letter to Ian and blood tests confirm Ian is Bobby's father. He feels guilty for his ill treatment of Laura and takes Bobby in.
.
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 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:...
.
Laura only ever wanted a happy marriage, but was always made to feel inferior and unattractive by her husband, 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...
. She tried hard, but their marriage was a disaster and Laura became a hopeless victim.
Storylines
Laura starts working as a nanny for PeterPeter Beale
Peter Beale is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders. He was played by Thomas Law from 2006 until 2010. The character has previously been portrayed by James Martin, Joseph Shade, Alex Stevens and Francis Brittin-Snell. Law took over the role on 31 August 2006...
, Lucy
Lucy Beale
Lucy Katherine Beale is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders, played by Eva Brittin-Snell from 1993 to 1996, Casey Anne Rothery from 1996 until 2004, Melissa Suffield from 2004 to 2010 and Hetti Bywater from 2012 onwards. Lucy was introduced in December 1993 as the newborn baby...
and Steven Beale
Steven Beale
Steven Peter Beale is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders, played by Edward Farrell from 1989 to 1990, Stuart Stevens from 1992 to 1996, Edward Savage from 1997 to 2002, and Aaron Sidwell from 2007 to 2008...
. She is attracted to her employer, Ian Beale, but her attempts to get closer to him are unnoticed. Laura is protective of Ian and eventually Ian starts to see her as loyal and faithful, but starts off using her for sex. Eventually, Laura demands more commitment but he refuses. Laura calls off their arrangement and kisses 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...
. Ian is furious when he finds out, leading to Laura's resignation, but before she leaves, Ian is made bankrupt so Laura agrees to stay working for him, free of charge. They then become a couple. Laura attempts to raise funds to buy back Ian's fish and chip shop so they can run it together. She secretly borrows money from his ex-wife, Melanie
Melanie Owen
Melanie Jane "Mel" Owen is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders, played by Tamzin Outhwaite. She appeared from October 1998 to April 2002 when Outhwaite opted to leave the role...
. Ian proposed marriage to Laura but her wealthy father is opposed to their relationship because of Ian's bankruptcy. They get married but Laura discovers that Ian knows about an inheritance she has received, and wonders if Ian only wants her money, though Ian convinces her this is not true.
Laura is jealous when Ian goes into business with Melanie. She catches them kissing and moves out, but Ian wins her round again. When Melanie is arrested for money laundering and drug dealing (for which she has been set up), she signs over her businesses to Laura for protection. When she wants the businesses back, Laura refuses to sign them over. Melanie is arrested, and when released on bail, informs Ian of Laura's spiteful deed, and tells Laura that she was Ian's first choice. Laura takes delight in belittling Ian, and decides she wants a baby. Ian refuses, and Laura is heartbroken when she discovers Ian has been seeing prostitute Janine Butcher. Janine goes to Laura's house because she felt guilty. Laura and Janine argue which results in Laura throwing a pan of boiling milk over Janine's face, leaving her in hospital. A long-standing feud between Laura and Janine begins.
Laura takes Ian back on the promise that he will provide her with a child, but he has a secret vasectomy
Vasectomy
Vasectomy is a surgical procedure for male sterilization and/or permanent birth control. During the procedure, the vasa deferentia of a man are severed, and then tied/sealed in a manner such to prevent sperm from entering into the seminal stream...
. Laura becomes pregnant, so Ian cons her into signing over her share of the businesses and throws her out knowing the child cannot be his. Laura tells Garry he is the father, believing him to be so after remembering spending a drunken night with him. Garry's wife 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...
throws him out and he moves in with Laura in a bedsit. Laura gives birth to Bobby, but needs a blood transfusion. It then becomes apparent that Garry cannot be the father, but Laura does not tell him and allows his marriage to break down. Laura uses Garry for sex until he goes back to Lynne. 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...
appoints Laura as the manager of the café that Ian used to own, and she names it Laura's. However, Phil's sister Sam
Sam Mitchell (EastEnders)
Samantha Margaret Priscilla "Sam" Mitchell is a fictional character from the BBC One soap opera EastEnders. The third member of the Mitchell family to be introduced, Sam entered as a 15-year-old school girl in July 1990, played by Danniella Westbrook. Westbrook quit in 1993, but was reintroduced...
sells the café back to Ian and he sacks Laura.
Laura's feud with Janine continues. Janine stops Laura getting a job by badmouthing her, and Laura ruins Janine's business venture. Janine and Laura argue once again and end up fighting and Laura is nearly strangled. Laura soon decides to tell Ian he is Bobby's father, but he shuns her. She writes him a letter but moments later, Ian turns up at her flat feeling guilty. In her haste to answer the door, she runs down the stairs and trips on a toy, breaking her neck as she falls and dying instantly. She is discovered by Pat Evans
Pat Evans
Patricia Louise "Pat" Evans is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders. She has been played by Pam St. Clement since 12 June 1986, just over a year after the show first aired...
. Janine is charged with murdering Laura but is found not guilty after Pat decides to give Janine an alibi. Pat discovers Laura's letter to Ian and blood tests confirm Ian is Bobby's father. He feels guilty for his ill treatment of Laura and takes Bobby in.
Reception
Laura's departure was listed as one of EastEnders best exits by Virgin MediaVirgin Media
Virgin Media Inc. is a company which provides fixed and mobile telephone, television and broadband internet services to businesses and consumers in the United Kingdom...
.