'I'm not my dad' EastEnders star vows never to become a love rat
Lauren Branning (Jacqueline Jossa) will continue to be plagued by guilt in upcoming EastEnders scenes as she accepts Whitney Dean’s (Shona McGarty) offer of being her Maid of Honour - even though Lauren slept with her fiancé!
Despite the betrayal, Jacqueline, who plays Lauren, says her character is determined not to turn out like her father Max Branning (Jake Wood) - who had numerous extramarital affairs during the show including the famous liaison with Stacey Slater (Lacey Turner).
On Lauren’s latest romance with Zack, Jacqueline said: “There are moments when Lauren wants to let Zack and Whitney be happy and pretend it never happened. Then there is the wave of 'I'm not my dad' which comes over Lauren where she wants to come out and tell the truth.
“That's where she believes Whitney deserves more than a partner like Zack and a best friend like Lauren.”
Viewers were horrified when they saw Zack Hudson (James Farrar) go behind Whitney’s back and share a kiss with Lauren. And even more so when they spent the night together.
Now, Lauren is scared the truth will come out, especially as Whitney’s mum, Bianca Jackson (Patsy Palmer) knows the truth. Bianca confronted Lauren and slapped her - before threatening to reveal everything.
Jacqueline loved filming the scene and said: “Bianca's slap was iconic! When I read that script, I was so excited. The fallout of Lauren and Zack betraying Whitney is so exciting, brilliant and really well done. Bianca finding out is the cherry on top because Lauren is truly terrified of her.”
In scenes set to air on Wednesday 15 May, Lauren has been appointed as Whitney’s Maid of Honour. On the day of Whitney and Zack’s joint stag and hen do, Lauren attempts to share doubts about Zack to Whitney, but she bottles it at the last minute.
Whitney and Lauren end up locked in the taco van where disaster strikes as Whitney’s waters break and she faces giving birth in the van.
Jacqueline explained: “There are so many different thoughts going through Lauren’s mind. The first is that she has to try to keep Whitney calm, and the second is that they need to get out of there because they don't want Whitney to have a baby in a taco van."
Jacqueline continued: “There's also the horrible thought that she might deliver Whitney's baby, having slept with her fiancé. But ultimately, all she cares about is Whitney and the baby's safety.”
