EastEnders Jessie Wallace's wild life – 'boozy' behaviour, throwback snap and romance

Another EastEnders relationship is set to come to an end this week, as Albert Square residents Kat Slater and Phil Mitchell call it quits.

Both Kat and Phil have been through ups and downs in their relationships throughout the years, including affairs, births and now, Phil’s impending prison sentence.

Since arriving on the square in 2000, Kat has also had relationships with a number of residents, including her memorable coupling with Shane Richie’s lovable Alfie Moon.

Actress Jessie Wallace’s life has been just as wild off-set as it has on screen too, including multiple relationships, a suspension from the soap and wowing fans with a childhood throwback snap.

From The Bill to Albert Square

Born in Enfield, London on September 25, 1971, Jessie Wallace landed her first TV role as PC Lace in popular ITV series The Bill.

From there, she won her best known role as the outspoken Kat Slater in EastEnders in 2000, famous for storylines including her on-off relationship with Alfie Moon and the “you ain’t my mother” scene, where she revealed she was actually her so-called sister’s mother.

Aside from playing Kat Slater, Jessie Wallace has also appeared in various TV programmes throughout her career including Wild At Heart as Amy Kriel, A Class Apart as Candy Jerome and The Dinner Party as Jackie.

She even had a rival soap role in ITV soap Coronation Street, playing Pat Phoenix in the TV film The Road to Coronation Street.

‘Boozy’ behaviour allegations

In 2020, Jessie Wallace was suspended from EastEnders for two months after an incident on set, where it was reported that the star had been drunk while filming.

A source told Daily Star on Sunday: “Scriptwriters are currently coming up with a storyline to explain Kat’s temporary exit from Walford.”

They added: “Bosses were left with no choice but to discipline her. During the meeting she was told to sort herself out before returning to work.”

Script writers then worked to write the character temporarily out of the soap, before Jessie was seen returning to set in August of the same year to resume filming.

Unrecognisable childhood snap

Jessie recently wowed fans with an unrecognisable throwback snap of herself when she was a child.

The star posted the photo on Instagram, which showed herself as a child in the seventies holding a monkey wearing a little coat at Walthamstow Market, with the caption: “I’m the one in the flares!”

Fans quickly commented at how cute the star was as a child, with one saying: “You are absolutely beautiful then and now.”

A second added: “That’s such an amazing pic so cute x,” while a third said: “The absolute cuteness I’m torn between who’s cuter you or the monkey.”

Fans of the EastEnders actress were also shocked to find out the star’s real age, after Jessie revealed that she had turned 50 years old.

Wild relationships

Jessie has had a wild love life during her years on the soap, including a boyfriend from a holiday romance called Andy Burton, who she dated not long after joining EastEnders.

She was also introduced to ex-boyfriend Chris Osborne by mutual friends at a party, with Chris telling The Sun that he was in awe of the star, saying: “The first time I met her, I was a bit starstruck.

“I knew she was a live wire from what I’d seen in the papers. I was also a big EastEnders fan.”

However in the interview that took place after their break up, he also compared Jessie to her on-screen counterpart Kat Slater, saying: “Jessie used to get as p***ed as a pudding and in the end that was the thing that got in the way of us. Our relationship was 100mph.”

He added: “She went into full Kat Slater mode and yelled at me, ‘It’s the true ‘you’ coming out now, isn’t it?’ We never spoke again after that.

“Looking back at it, she probably needed a bit of help as she was drinking almost every day. It was mayhem going out with her.”

Jessie has also dated policeman David Morgan and the couple had a daughter together called Talulah Lilac, who was born in 2004.

Sadly their romance didn’t last, and Jessie then began dating catering manager Vincent Morse, who the star later became engaged to.

However, the couple were reported to have later called off their wedding on the big day itself.

From there she also dated Tim Arnold until 2016, and later Paul Kempin, who Jessie split from in 2019, with a source telling The Sun: “Jessie and Paul recently ended things and have cut contact with each other.

“She is moving on and wants the New Year to be a fresh start when she will focus on work.

“After a quiet Christmas with her daughter and her closest friends, she is knuckling down for 2020.”

It is currently thought that Jessie is single.

Stunning home

Away from Albert Square, Jessie Wallace has given fans a glimpse into her stunning and quirky home, which is filled with colourful furniture and tributes to pop culture icons.

The actress lives in her North London home, which is decorated with eye-popping wall paper and gorgeous items including a picture of Dorothy in Hollywood classic The Wizard of Oz.

She also has pictures of glam rock icons including T.Rex’s Marc Bolan and music legend David Bowie on the walls, with a red neon sign saying “Ziggy played guitar”.

The art work extends into the garden too, with photos showing art pop prints of Hollywood starlet Marilyn Monroe painted onto an outside wall.

As well as her eye for design, Jessie has a talent for gardening too and grows her own vegetables including garlic and potatoes.

After a long day filming, the actress can also relax in a hammock in the garden, among the many beautiful trees and plants that the star has growing there.

EastEnders continues Tuesday on BBC One

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Source: Celebrities - dailystar.co.uk