Irene Raymond

Name: Irene Raymond
First Appeared: 14th February 1997
Last Appeared: 31st August 2000
Played by: Roberta Taylor

Irene Raymond, the estranged ex-wife of Ted Hills and mother of Sarah and Tony Hills, arrived in Albert Square in August 1997 following Ted’s departure to South Africa. Freshly fleeced out of her divorce settlement by a conman, Irene came to stay with her children, who initially greeted her with hostility due to her long absence. Her sister-in-law, Kathy Beale, shared their resentment, remembering Irene’s treatment of her brother. However, Irene’s charm eventually won her kids over, even though she managed to ruin her son Tony’s relationship with Simon Raymond by spilling the beans about Tony’s fling with Polly Becker.

It didn’t take long for Irene to find romance in Walford. She started flirting with the recovering alcoholic, Terry Raymond. Their relationship blossomed quickly, leading to wedding plans in 1998. However, the ceremony hit a snag when Terry’s first wife, Louise, interrupted, revealing they were still married. Despite the humiliation, Terry and Irene went on their honeymoon and later tied the knot secretly once Terry’s divorce was finalized. Irene, always a fan of new-age trends, dabbled in feng shui, aromatherapy, and meditation, much to Terry’s bemusement. Together, they ran the local grocery store, First Til Last, but their relationship often faced turbulence, especially as Irene went through menopause.

Irene’s restless nature soon led her to stray from Terry, succumbing to the advances of their much younger lodger, Troy Harvey. Although Troy made her feel special, he was merely playing the field and even tried his luck with Irene’s friend, Rosa. Christmas Day 1999 saw the climax of this affair when Terry discovered an engraved watch Irene had given Troy. Heartbroken, Terry evicted Troy without Irene’s knowledge. Although Terry forgave Irene, their marriage was strained, and Irene remained discontent.

Desperate to salvage their marriage, Terry bought Irene a holiday to a luxury villa in Alicante, Spain in 2000. However, Irene’s joy turned to rage upon discovering Terry had invited other Walford residents. Their holiday ended in disaster when Terry, trying to call Irene’s bluff, suggested she take off to travel the world alone. To his dismay, Irene seized the opportunity for freedom and left him. By 2002, Irene was living in Portugal under her maiden name, Carter. When Terry contacted her, she invited him to join her, prompting him to leave Walford for one more shot at their fractured relationship.