While many wondered what happened to EastEnders Jane Beale, who hadn’t appeared since 2017, she returned to the show in the latest episode.
Jane Beale has always been an important character in the show. She played a vital role in Bobby Beale’s homicide of Lucy Beale.
After Bobby’s homicide case arc concluded, Max Branning, a guy Lucy Beale was secretly seeing, targeted Jane, blaming her for his imprisonment. After a series of events, Max successfully drove Jane out of Walford.
Following this, Jane was never seen again, and viewers started asking questions about whether she would ever be back on the show.
EastEnders
IMDb CrimeDramaRomanceCome and take a look at the lives of working-class inhabitants of Albert Square.
| Creator | Tony Holland, Julia Smith, Tony Jordan |
| Release Date | February 19, 1985 |
| Studio | BBC Studios Continuing Drama Productions |
| Cast | Adam Woodyatt, Steve McFadden, Letitia Dean |
| Runtime | 30 minutes |
| Writers | Tony Holland, Julia Smith, Tony Jordan |
| Rating | TV-PG |
Before leaving the show, Jane Beale’s character had to go through a tough storyline!
Jane Beale, played by Scottish actress Laura Brett, first appeared in the show in 2004. She married Ian Beale, played by Adam Woodyatt, and moved in with his children, Bobby, Lucy, and Peter.
Furthermore, Jane Beale has experienced many events throughout the storylines, such as losing her first spouse and having an affair with Grant Mitchell, a character played by Ross Kemp.
However, her most recognized storyline is that of her trying to cover up the homicide done by her adopted son, Bobby.
Bobby had accidentally hit Lucy in the head hard enough while she was trying to make amends with him, with a music box making her pass away on the spot. Upon discovery, Jane moved Lucy’s body to the woods to cover up the whole incident.
As the story went on, Max Branning got accused of the homicide of Lucy, as the both of them were seen arguing in CCTV footage, resulting in him getting a 21-year imprisonment and the case ending.
About a year after the case closed, Bobby would confess to his crimes, with Jane trying to place the blame on herself but to no avail.
Even after his release from prison, Max is still angry at Jane after finding out that she could have prevented his imprisonment. As revenge, Max hires Ian’s stepson, Steven Beale, to burn Beale’s restaurant with Jane inside of it.
The plan would fail, making Max directly threaten Jane with Bobby’s life to leave Walford and never return. Jane would oblige with Max’s order and leave Walford while also leaving a voicemail to Ian, mentioning how much she loved him.
Regarding her departure, Laurie Brett said, “Thanks so much for all your lovely messages re Jane.. I’ll go through them soon.. But your support is appreciated.”
Laurie Brett has teased that her character, Jane Beale, will have a rocky ride in the upcoming weeks!
After her sudden disappearance, Jane would not return to EastEnders for a long time until the episode of July 15, 2024. Her surprise return has got many viewers excited.
In her return episode, Jane encounters Cindy Beale, played by Michelle Collins, Ian’s first wife. Their reaction to meeting each other doesn’t seem friendly.
Laurie said about Jane and Cindy’s interaction, “They’ve never met before, but Jane knows an awful lot more about Cindy than Cindy knows about Jane because of all those years she spent with the Beale kids.”
She added, “So, Jane is sideswiped by Cindy, but she’s also a bit indignant, thinking, what are you doing in my house?”
After the ending of the latest EastEnders episode, fans have also predicted that Jane and Cindy’s enmity and bitterness will be more prominent in the upcoming episodes.
Lastly, Laurie hinted at her characters’ future by saying that she would have many scenes with Cindy. She backed up this statement, saying, “It’s going to be intense, exciting, and emotional.”
Additional Information
- Jane Beale had married another person named David Collins, who would sadly pass away. After the demise of David, Jane started dating Ian.
- Laurie Brett, the actress portraying Jane Beale, has 3.6k followers on Instagram, where she follows other celebrities like Robert Downey Jr., Hugh Jackman, and Jamie Lee Curtis.
- Ever since she was a child, Laurie Brett had a passion for dancing. She attended the London Studio Centre and even took ballet lessons.
