Abi Branning

Infobox EastEnders character 2


character_name=Abi Branning
actor_name=Lorna Fitzgerald
creator= Kate Harwood
years=2006—
first=3 July 2006
classification=Present; regular
home=5 Albert Square
dob=23 June 1996
father= Max Branning
mother= Tanya Branning
sisters = Lauren Branning
brothers=Oscar Branning
halfbrothers=Bradley Branning
grandfathers = Jim Branning
grandmothers=Reenie Branning
uncles= Jack Branning
Derek Branning
aunts=Suzy Branning
Carol Jackson
April Branning
Rainie Cross
Debs Cross
cousins=Penny Branning
Bianca Jackson
Robbie Jackson
Sonia Fowler
Billy Jackson
Rebecca
Kevin
1st cousin once=Gordon Branning
Natasha Butcher
Liam Butcher
Tiffany Dean
Morgan Jackson-King
Rebecca Miller

Abigail "Abi" Branning is a fictional character in the popular BBC soap opera "EastEnders". She is played by Lorna Fitzgerald.

Character creation

Abi Branning, played by Lorna Fitzgerald, was introduced in 2006 by executive producer Kate Harwood. She and her immediate family - father Max (Jake Wood), mother Tanya (Jo Joyner) and older sister Lauren (Madeline Duggan) - are an extension of the popular and long-running Jackson/Branning clan, who had appeared in the serial since 1993. Fitzgerald, in her first major role, began filming for the soap in May 2006 and made her first appearance on-screen in June.cite news|url=http://www.northantset.co.uk/northampton-chronicle-and-echo/Lorna39s-off-to-Albert-Square.1510708.jp|title=Lorna's off to Albert Square - Northants ET|last=Brosnan|first=Anna|date=2006-05-18|publisher="Northants Evening Telegraph"|accessdate=2008-06-29]

Lorna Fitzgerald's real-life mother, Teresa, said: "Personally, I feel I want to show how proud we are of her and to thank everyone who has prayed for her and helped her in any way." Fitzgerald was informed about the role via her agent and turned up to the BBC studios in London for the first of three auditions. Mrs Fitzgerald said, "At first, it is just the look they go for. Then it is more intensive and she had to read from a script. By the second audition, she was still up against 60 or 70 people. You start thinking about it when she gets to the third audition, but when the agent rang up and said she had got the part it was an overwhelming feeling. You don't know what it means until that point. It is exciting for her to be in something her friends may be watching. In the past, she has been in programmes they couldn't watch." As Lorna Fitzgerald was only 10 years old when she got the part, she was required to balance her filming requirements with schooling in Northampton, and learning lines.

Storyline

Abi is the daughter of Max and Tanya Branning and the third oldest child of her family. She often bickers with her older sister Lauren, but has a good relationship with her older half brother Bradley and adores her baby brother Oscar (who she named). Upon arriving in Walford with her family, Abi made a firm friend in Ben Mitchell. Abi scared Ben by predicting that his father, Phil would get married to his girlfriend Stella, and send him to a strict boarding school. Ben confided in Abi that Stella had been hurting him. He told Abi that this was a normal part of growing up, and convinced her that her mother Tanya was abusing her sister Lauren in the same way. Scared that it would happen to her one day, Abi suggested to Ben that they run away. On Stella and Phil's wedding day she encouraged Ben to tell everyone about the abuse, and when he did, she gave him her guinea pig, Marge 2, to take care of.

In January 2007, Abi was waiting for her father, Max to collect her from school, but he was with his mistress, Stacey Slater and did not turn up. She walked home but was knocked over by a car that Deano Wicks was driving. Abi escaped with only a broken wrist and some cuts and brusies on her head. In May 2007, Max took his family on a spontaneous holiday to Spain, after Stacey threatened to tell Tanya about her and Max's affair. However, they returned later in the year.

Abi was involved in the local nativity play in December 2007, though she had a rivalry with a girl named Bernadette over who would play Mary. Abi ended up playing the narrator, after attempting to injure Bernadette.

On 14 December 2007, Abi's baby brother was born. Max and Tanya said that Abi could name him, and Abi chose the name Oscar. However, on Christmas Day Abi was dealt the blow of watching her half brother Bradley and Stacey's wedding DVD and witnessing her dad kiss her sister-in-law. Max lied to her, claiming that it was just one kiss. Believing this, Abi became dismayed at her mother's lack of forgiveness, unaware of the true extent of his infidelity. Whilst Tanya was asleep, she sneaked out with Oscar, and was met by her dad. A few days later, Abi gave her dad her keys while the family were out, so he could let himself into the house. She became increasingly upset by her parents' separation and hostile toward her mother. She later burnt the DVD proving that Max and Stacey had an affair, before Max and Tanya's divorce hearing. She was very upset since her dad has left, and since uncle Jack has been around a lot, one time she called him Dad!

During her birthday party, just as she was blowing out the candles, her dad Max showed up. Abi was very pleased but the only problem was Max had thought that Tanya had sent a text saying "COME HOME" when it was actually Abi.

On the 16th September 2008, Abi revealed to Max she was being bullied and he told her to sort the girl out. She then hit the girl and was suspended for a week from school, at first, Tanya was furious, then realised from Jack that Max had put her up to it

Abi then went on to sell her beloved chinchilla Gilbert as an act of growing up, however, fell for stray cat, Musty, at first Tanya said no, then had a change of heart.

References

External links

*EEcharlink|abi_b