Kathy Beale has been a staple of EastEnders since the soap’s first episode in February 1985
EastEnders icon Kathy Beale, portrayed by Gillian Taylforth, has been a staple of Albert Square since the soap’s inaugural episode in February 1985. In the early days, Kathy was wed to Pete Beale (Peter Dean), twin brother to Pauline Fowler (Wendy Richard), and mother to the late Martin Fowler (James Bye).
After a failed marriage to Phil Mitchell (Steve McFadden), Kathy left the Square in 1998 for South Africa with her son Ben and new husband Gavin Sullivan (Paul Nicholas). She returned briefly in 1999 before leaving again on 6 January 2000.
Years later, her son Ian Beale (Adam Woodyatt) was devastated to hear she’d died in a car crash – which was a complete lie. In 2015, Kathy dramatically returned to Walford and has remained a fan favourite.
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Recently, Kathy was involved in covering up Keanu Taylor’s (Danny Walters) death and attempted to kill Cindy Beale (Michelle Collins) with a snow shovel on Christmas Day. Actress Gillian Taylforth has brought Kathy Beale to life for decades, so let’s take a peek at her life off-screen.
Kathy’s age is often discussed among EastEnders fans on social media, thanks to Gillian’s stunning blonde hair and youthful appearance, reports Plymouth Live.
In September 2022, the soap honoured Queen Elizabeth II after her passing. During a heartfelt conversation with Denise Fox (Dianne Parish) and Linda Carter (Kellie Bright), Kathy revealed she was 73, making her 75 now.
However, in reality, Gillian was born in Islington, North London, on August 14, 1955, making her 69 years old.
Gillian’s character, Kathy, has had several romantic entanglements in Walford, most recently tying the knot with gambling addict Rocky Cotton (Brian Conley). She regretted this decision only months later when he set her café on fire.
Off-screen, Gillian was once romantically involved with co-star Nick Berry, who portrayed Queen Vic barman Simon Wicks, also known as ‘Wicks.’ The pair, who played stepmother and stepson on screen, dated for three years from 1985 to 1988.
However, the actress moved on and started a relationship with Geoff Knights in the late 1980s. They have two children together, Harrison and Jessica.
Tragically, Geoff died at the age of 58 from stomach cancer in 2013. In 2015, Gillian found love again but revealed that her new partner at the time, Dave Fairbairn, was battling prostate cancer.
Two years later, the soap star announced that Dave was cancer-free, according to The Mirror. However, she called off their wedding in 2019.
Gillian is reportedly dating Philip Oag, and they were seen together in October 2023. According to The Sun, Gillian and Philip fell in love in 2022.
“Gillian is head over heels for Philip – they’ve been secretly dating for over a year and he’s even moved into her home. Everyone’s so pleased for her”, the publication reported at the time.
Acting seems to be in the family genes, as Gillian shares the limelight with her sister Kim Taylforth. Like Gillian, Kim’s no stranger to the drama of British soaps, appearing on hit shows like Hollyoaks, The Bill, and Family Affairs.
She stepped onto the scene at just 15 and made her mark on the BBC sitcom ‘Steptoe and Son.’
She also rocked the role of Marilyn Fenner in ITV’s ‘Bad Girls’ and topped up her TV credit with roles on ‘Operation Good Guys’ and ‘London’s Burning’.
In addition to her screen career, Kim has dazzled in pantos across the nation, switching between the Wicked Queen and the Good Fairy.
What else has Gillian starred in?
When she took a breather from the soap for 15 years, Gillian appeared in some of television’s most loved dramas. Most notably, she played Jackie Pascoe in ‘Footballers’ Wives’ and played Sergeant Nikki Wright on ITV’s ‘The Bill.’
But let’s not forget her turns on other soaps that might have slipped under the radar.
Rewind to ’09, and you’ll clock her as MP Justine Walker on ‘Casualty’ where she dominated the screen in an episode titled ‘Parent Trap’ playing a mum on a mission to pull her fragmented family back together.
The British actress also portrayed Sandy Roscoe in Hollyoaks for a few years before her grand return to EastEnders in 2015.
She graced the dance floor on strictly-come-dancing>Strictly Come Dancing in 2008 but was voted off in week two after a dance-off with Jodie Kidd. Gillian was the fourth contestant to be booted out from the Celebrity Big Brother series in 2013.
EastEnders airs Monday – Thursday at 7:30pm on BBC One andiPlayer
Source: Celebrities - dailystar.co.uk
