Kelly Taylor

Name: Kelly Taylor
First Appeared: 11th December 2001
Last Appeared: 18th June 2004
Played by: Brooke Kinsella

Kelly Taylor first appeared in December 2001, enduring a tough life as a young prostitute under the control of the malicious Roxy Drake. After being thrown out by her family, she felt indebted to Roxy, who exploited her. Her life took a turn when she met Zoe Slater, another runaway taken in by Roxy. The two became friends, and on Christmas Day, Kelly helped Zoe escape Roxy’s control, leaving Kelly to face Roxy’s wrath alone.

In August 2002, Kelly reappeared when Zoe ran away again after her father’s heart attack. They decided to go to Tenerife with one of Kelly’s rich clients. By December, Zoe brought Kelly back to Walford, where she was welcomed by the Slater family. Kelly started working at a clothing stall on Bridge Street market with Zoe, marking a fresh start.

On New Year’s Eve, Kelly kissed Spencer Moon, leading him to believe there was more between them. However, for Kelly, it was just fun, and she rebuffed his further advances. Things got serious when an ex-punter, Simon, demanded money that Kelly had stolen. Unable to pay him back, Kelly conned Spencer and stole from the stall, but Zoe eventually forgave her.

Kelly’s love life was tumultuous. She took Spencer’s virginity on his 18th birthday, but their potential relationship was squashed by misunderstandings. Her romance with Ronny Ferreira also fell apart after Zoe revealed Kelly’s past, causing Ronny to dump her. The tension between Kelly and Zoe escalated as Ronny pursued Zoe, leading to major rows.

Despite the drama, Zoe realized the value of their friendship after Kelly had a near-death experience with dodgy ecstasy. They reconciled, but Kelly eventually left Walford in June 2004 to become a holiday rep in Ibiza. When Zoe left Walford in 2005, she reunited with Kelly in Spain, bringing their journey full circle.