In the lead up to leaving EastEnders, Steve John Shepherd has promised fans a “gruesome and gothic” Albert Square exit.

Fans of the hit BBC soap will know how Shepherd’s character, Michael Moon, is currently at loggerheads with his estranged wife, Janine Butcher (Charlie Brooks), in a custody battle over there young daughter, Scarlet.
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EastEnders actress, Jasmyn Banks, has admitted that she is a lot wilder than her on-screen character in real life, and Pixie Lott can vouch for it!

The actress, whose character Alice Branning is a bit of a fading wall-flower in the award-winning BBC soap, apparently spends most of her free time partying with the singing star!

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Fans of EastEnders will of course know that single dad Michael Moon (Steve John Shepherd) has only just given Alice Branning (Jasmyn Banks) her job back as nanny to his baby girl, Scarlett…

However, as we’ll see in next week’s episodes, cash strapped Michael is left embarrassed when he can’t afford to pay Alice, so he comes up with a somewhat bizarre suggestion as to how they might raise some cash!

It all begins on Monday, March 4th when Kat Moon (Jessie Wallace) asks Alice to repay the money she loaned her the week before. Alice says she just has to get her wages from Michael, and goes off to do just that… Read more & comment »

Things haven’t been easy for Alice Branning (Jasmyn Banks) of late, given that she lost her dad Derek over Christmas, then in the New Year, she lost her job in a recruitment agency…

However, it looked like things were on the up and up when Michael Moon (Steve John Shepherd) took her on as nanny to his baby daughter Scarlett, but as viewers will know, he sacked her after her overprotective brother Joey (David Witts) wrongly assumed Alice was doing more for Michael than merely caring for his child.

So it’s little wonder that as the date of Derek’s birthday rolls around, Alice is left yet more despondent when she realises that nobody other than herself has remembered the event. Read more & comment »

In an upcoming episode of EastEnders, poor Alice Branning (Jasmyn Banks) is going to become the victim of a violent mugging, which her dad Derek will blame his sister-in-law Tanya (Jo Joyner) for!

It all begins when Tanya gives Alice a makeover, and, delighted with her new look, she’s soon upset when Derek sees her and angrily tells her he hates her new image.

However, Alice stands up to her dad and tells him it’s tough that he doesn’t like it because she does!

But as soon as Alice has stormed off, Derek tells Tanya that he won’t forgive her for interfering and turning Alice from girl-next-door to sexy minx, threatening as he leaves, “This isn’t over.”

Meanwhile, Alice has gone to the Queen Vic, where she’s flattered as the regulars compliment her on her new look, but when Derek walks in and is again cruel to her, Alice once again storms off… Read more & comment »

In this week’s Now magazine, it’s the battle of the soap babes as both Corrie’s Natalie Gumede and EastEnders’ Jasmyn Banks received sexy makeovers courtesy of the magazine…

And as you can see, the difference in Jasmyn is quite astonishing, because as Alice Branning, she is a tad dowdy most of the time and more used to accessorizing with a Hello Kitty hair slide than a studded leather ensemble!

Natalie is also a good deal more glam then her nutty Corrie character Kirsty Soames, but even as new mum Kirsty, Natalie’s hair just plain rocks.

However, back to Jasmyn, and while taking part in the photo shoot, she also took time out to discuss how she’s settled in to the ‘Enders cast.

She said, “I’m having the best time ever,” adding, “I’d auditioned before a few times – I first did one when I was 14 and then a few years later for the role of Lauren Branning… Read more & comment »

As part of the huge EastEnders cast re-jig, show bosses have today announced the casting of Derek Branning‘s son, Joey.

Already having featured in the soap by name, Joey Branning is set to turn up in Albert Square and make his dad, Derek, face up to his past.
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As fans of EastEnders will know, over the last few weeks, we’ve heard a few tidbits of information about Derek Branning’s son Joey, who, so far, has refused to see his dad.

However, Joey’s sister Alice, who’s played by Walford newcomer Jasmyn Banks, does want to meet her errant father, and in forthcoming episodes, she’s set to do just that after Derek (Jamie Foreman) spots her spying on him as he goes about his dubious Albert Square business.

But of course, initially, Derek has no idea who Alice is, but is bowled over when she reveals she’s his daughter, and in a fit of evidently long overdue paternalism, he wants Alice to be fully integrated into the Branning clan… Read more & comment »

On May 10th, we’re set to meet EastEnders newcomer Alice, who is Derek Branning’s daughter, and as a script peek on the show’s website features a snippet of conversation between Derek and Alice (Jasmyn Banks) in the episode that airs on June 20th, it looks like she’ll be around for a while!

The script peek reads…

Derek: Where does your Mum think you are?
Alice: It’s my off day. She thinks I’m shopping in Stratford.
Derek: You see. We’ll make a Branning of you yet.

However, as mentioned, on May 10th, Derek (Jamie Foreman) notices that a young girl has been following him around on the Square all day, and finally, paranoid about her and what she might be doing, he confronts her… Read more & comment »

As fans of may recall, in an episode a few weeks ago, Derek Branning told his brother Jack that he had a daughter called Chrissie, who had no idea she was his dad…

However, Jack (Scott Maslen) later discovered Derek was lying about having a daughter, or at least, he believed he was, and with regard to that particular young girl, Derek was fibbing.

But it’s now been revealed that EastEnders bosses have cast actress Jasmyn Banks in the role of Derek’s (Jamie Foreman) daughter, who’s to be called Alice.

The Sun reports that when Alice turns up in Walford, hard man Derek will “show his softer side” when Alice wants answers as to why Derek has had nothing to do with her as she grew up.

While discussing her role on the show, Jasmyn said, “I’ve been a fan of EastEnders forever and am thrilled to be cast as a Branning… Read more & comment »