Alice Branning

Name: Alice Branning
First Appeared: 10th May 2012
Last Appeared: 24th December 2013
Played by: Jasmyn Banks

Alice Branning’s arrival in Walford was as subtle as a brick through a window. She first appeared following Derek Branning around, making him as nervous as a cat in a room full of rocking chairs. When Derek confronted her, accusing her of being a police officer, Alice dropped the bombshell that she was his daughter before fleeing. Derek, ever the charmer, found her phone and used it to track her down. He apologized for abandoning her and not watching her grow up, and Alice admitted she shouldn’t have bothered tracking him down. Derek, however, convinced her to meet him again so he could introduce her to his family, claiming he was a good man who had done bad things.

When Alice arrived in Walford to meet the Brannings, she walked into a scene that could have been straight out of a soap opera (oh, wait…). The family was arguing, and Derek was nowhere to be found. Despite Derek’s absence, his family, apart from Tanya Jessop, sang his praises. After a chat with Tanya, Alice decided to leave, despite Derek’s pleas for her to stay. She returned to spend time with her cousin Lauren Branning and eventually visited Derek again. Alice revealed that Tanya had told her some home truths about Derek, which angered him, and Alice decided to leave once more. However, Cora Cross showed Alice an unsent letter from Derek, prompting her to give him another chance. Derek promised to live a crime-free life, but Alice soon discovered he was dealing in forged banknotes and left again.

Alice’s love life was as turbulent as her relationship with Derek. She took a liking to Anthony Moon, which Derek noticed. Derek forced Anthony to take Alice out, but the date ended with Alice drunk and Derek playing the doting father. Derek promised to change his ways for Alice, but their meetings had to be kept secret from Alice’s mother. When Alice’s phone rang, Lucy Beale answered and spilled the beans to Alice’s mother. Anthony insulted Alice, unaware she could hear him, and her brother Joey Branning arrived to take her home. After an argument with her mother, Alice decided to live with Derek. Several weeks later, Alice received flowers and assumed they were from Anthony. Anthony, forced to take her out again, tried to put her off by behaving badly. However, during a game of spin the bottle, Anthony and Alice kissed, and he decided he really did like her.

Alice’s life took a darker turn when she started working for Michael Moon. She developed a crush on him, but Michael, ever the manipulator, used her feelings to his advantage. Alice supported Michael when his estranged wife Janine Butcher gained custody of their daughter, Scarlett. Alice’s split loyalties led her to start shoplifting, and when Janine caught her stealing, Alice admitted to taking Scarlett to see Michael. Janine left Walford with Scarlett, and Michael blamed Alice. They ended up having a brief fling, but Michael told Alice the next day that it meant nothing to him. When Janine returned, she re-hired Alice as Scarlett’s nanny. Still trying to get over Michael, Alice started dating Tamwar Masood, but her feelings for him were not as strong as her feelings for Michael.

The situation escalated when Michael planned to kill Janine. He manipulated Alice into helping him, but she couldn’t go through with it. When Michael tried to strangle Janine, Alice stopped him by stabbing him. Believing she had killed Michael, Alice was arrested. However, Janine lied to the police, saying Alice had attacked her and Michael. Alice was wrongfully charged and remanded. During the trial, Alice refused to leave her cell and was taken to hospital after self-harming. Janine eventually confessed the truth, but Alice was not released because of her guilty plea. Alice was found not guilty at her trial but did not return to Albert Square, choosing instead to stay with her mother.