Kirsty Branning

Name: Kirsty Branning
First Appeared: 25th December 2012
Last Appeared: 9th January 2014
Played by: Kierston Wareing

Kirsty Bell met Max Branning in 2011 after he was exiled by his daughters, Lauren and Abi. They quickly tied the knot and moved to Manchester. However, when Max’s ex-wife Tanya was diagnosed with cervical cancer, Max ditched Kirsty and returned to Walford. He called her to end their marriage, sending divorce papers and some cash her way. Kirsty, however, had a bombshell of her own – she was pregnant with Max’s baby. Derek Branning, ever the meddler, paid for her abortion, claiming Max wanted nothing to do with the baby.

Fast forward to Christmas Day 2012, and Kirsty made a dramatic entrance at Max and Tanya’s wedding, revealing she was still married to Max. The Branning family was not amused, and Kirsty found herself on the receiving end of their wrath. Despite the chaos, Kirsty and Max shared a kiss, much to Tanya’s fury, leading to her departure from the Square. Kirsty refused to sign the divorce papers initially but eventually caved in after a chat with Kat Moon. However, she wasn’t gone for long, as Max’s daughter Abi found them together at the B&B, rekindling their tumultuous relationship.

Kirsty and Max’s relationship was a rollercoaster. They bought a flat on the Square, much to Tanya’s dismay. In a desperate bid to keep Max, Kirsty faked a pregnancy, a lie that spiralled out of control. When Max found out, it led to a public showdown and Kirsty drowning her sorrows in alcohol. Despite the drama, Max took her back after Tanya left Walford. But trouble was never far away, especially with Kirsty’s ex, Carl White, stirring the pot. Kirsty’s fake pregnancy was eventually exposed, leading to more heartbreak and public rows.

Kirsty’s life took another turn when she was attacked by Carl’s brother, Adam. Carl came to her rescue, but the incident only added to the tension between Max and Carl. Max’s arrest for tampering with Carl’s car brakes, thanks to Ian Beale’s false testimony, only added fuel to the fire. Kirsty’s loyalty to Max was tested, and she ended up sleeping with Carl to help the Branning family financially. When Max found out, it was the final straw, and he broke up with her, leaving Kirsty devastated.

In January 2014, with Carl mysteriously missing (thanks to Ronnie Mitchell), Kirsty tried to win Max back. She made a blunder by serving wine at dinner, forgetting Lauren’s alcoholism, and was thrown out of the Branning household. Desperate, she sought advice from Shirley Carter and concocted a plan to steal Max’s car keys. In a dramatic exit, Kirsty threw divorce papers and her wedding ring at Max before driving off, leaving Walford for good.