Inside EastEnders’ Penny Branning star’s life with famous parents

EastEnders’ Penny Branning, who made her return to Walford just 18 months ago, has already found herself in a heap of trouble, much to the dismay of her father, Jack (Scott Maslen).

Penny made her comeback to Albert Square in January 2024, alongside her cousin Lauren Branning (Jacqueline Jossa), after the duo had been residing in Paris. However, they were swiftly arrested for drug smuggling before managing to wriggle out of the situation.

Last summer saw Penny at the heart of a major disaster following an incident at Peggy’s Club that left her sister Amy Mitchell (Ellie Dadd) severely injured. As the club’s manager, Penny was responsible for ticket sales for her bank holiday event.

However, Chelsea Fox, portrayed by Zaraah Abrahams, tampered with the booking system as payback for losing her job, resulting in severe overcrowding at the venue and hospitalisation for Lauren and Amy, who thankfully both survived.

Most recently, Penny had a fleeting romance with Harry Mitchell (Elijah Holloway) before discovering he was a suspect in a m.u.r.d.e.r case following the disappearance of his ex-girlfriend, Shireen, who was actually m.u.r.d.e.r.e.d by Nicola Mitchell (Laura Doddington), reports Belfast Live.

Being the offspring of policeman Jack Branning, Penny is no stranger to drama and isn’t shy about expressing her views. She is also the half-sister of Ricky Branning, played by Frankie Day.

The residents of Albert Square were in for a surprise as Penny returned to the show after a 15-year hiatus on January 1, 2024. Let’s delve into the personal life of Kitty Castledine, the talented actress behind Penny.

Kitty’s early life

Kitty Castledine was born and bred in Kingston Upon Thames, London. At the tender age of seven, Kitty faced a stark medical emergency, resulting in her hospitalisation and subsequent diagnosis with transverse myelitis.

The rare and serious condition affects the central nervous system, impacting about 300 Britons each year. Due to the immune system’s attack on her spinal cord, Kitty is now confined to a wheelchair.

Fast forward to 2023, and Kitty celebrated her graduation from the prestigious London Academy of Music and Drama (LAMDA), with EastEnders being her first significant on-screen role.

Despite this, she is no stranger to the limelight thanks to her family’s fame.

Kitty’s famous parents

Kitty comes from a lineage of television royalty. Her mother, Lucy Alexander, is a household name, hosting beloved daytime shows such as A Place In The Sun and Homes Under The Hammer.

Bursting with pride, Lucy shared the exciting news of Kitty’s role in EastEnders on social media, gushing: “So as a family we have had to keep this a secret for a while … ( cue the music) But now the press release is out… Congratulations @kittycastledine @bbceastenders on your role as Penny Branning in the show. Proud of you my girl!”.

Kitty’s father is former Premier League footballer Stewart Castledine, who had a nine-year stint at Wimbledon, including six seasons in the top flight where he made 26 appearances and netted four goals. He also played for Wycombe in the second tier.

Stewart has also graced our TV screens, presenting BBC One’s Big Strong Boys and Houses Behaving Badly.

Their son, Leo Castledine, is a budding star at Chelsea, having joined the Blues’ U21 side from Wimbledon in 2020. He has also donned the England jersey for the U19s three times.

Kitty is also pals with former telly couple Ruth Langsford and Eamonn Holmes, who sent their well wishes on her new soap role.

Eamonn quipped: “Kitty, brilliant! But could u get your Mum a role as Barbara Windsor’s long-lost younger Sister?”.

Ruth lauded Kitty’s acting prowess when she posted a photo of her graduation, remarking: “You’re AMAZING! Congratulations….you’re going to have a phenomenal future as an actor.”

EastEnders airs Monday to Thursday on BBC One and iPlayer