Sadie Young

Name: Sadie Young
First Appeared: 5th August 2013
Last Appeared: 21st January 2014
Played by: Kate Magowan

Sadie Young was a woman who knew how to keep her life in check, a skill she honed from her parents’ messy divorce. She believed in showing the world only what she wanted them to see, a strategy that served her well in both business and personal life. Despite a rocky childhood, Sadie pulled herself up by her bootstraps and, with a hefty inheritance from her Granddad, launched a successful chain of salons named “Beauty” after his beloved dog.

However, life threw a curveball when her business empire began to crumble. Bills piled up, and Sadie had to downsize drastically. She managed to salvage what she could and found a salon owner in Walford eager for a quick sale. Moving to The Square with her estranged husband, Jake, and their daughter Bella, Sadie hoped for a fresh start. But old wounds from a tragic car accident that claimed a child’s life continued to haunt them, making their new beginning anything but smooth.

Not one to sit idle, Sadie decided Jake’s cab-driving days were over and set him up with a trial at Scarlett’s. Jake was hesitant, but Sadie, ever the determined wife, sold his minicab to Max Branning, leaving Jake with little choice but to comply. With her business back on track and family life seemingly stable, Sadie had no idea that Jake was still entangled in an affair with Lauren Branning. Nearly catching them in the act, Sadie was blindsided when Max confronted Jake about Lauren’s potential pregnancy, and Bella revealed she had seen Jake and Lauren together. Heartbroken, Sadie walked out on Jake, leaving him to drown his sorrows.

Sadie’s arrival in Walford was marked by her taking over the local beauty salon. She initially clashed with Ian Beale over food samples but eventually offered him a job after Denise Fox’s intervention. She re-employed Poppy Meadow and Lola Pearce, spicing up the opening night with a sales competition. Despite a hiccup with Poppy’s discount mix-up, Sadie handled it with grace, even offering Poppy her job back after a heartfelt apology. She also gave Lauren a job, secretly funded by Max, but had to let her go when Max was imprisoned.

Sadie wasn’t just about business; she led a resident group to tackle the rubbish problem in the Square, clashing with Kim Fox along the way. Her move to Albert Square with Jake was supposed to be a new chapter, but their past tragedy loomed large. When Sadie discovered Jake’s affair with Lauren, it was the final straw. She left with Bella, returning briefly to close the salon, leaving Jake to face the consequences of his actions.