Kathy Beale (Gillian Taylforth)

[parkerman]

Wasn't that Pete? Of course, we never actually saw Pete's body either. Hmmmmm.....

[lizann]

Wasn't that Pete? Of course, we never actually saw Pete's body either. Hmmmmm.....

he is next walking dead to return

[Perdita]

EastEnders star Gillian Taylforth has revealed that Kathy's sons Ian Beale and Ben Mitchell could forgive her for faking her own death.

Kathy faces a tough ride over the coming months as she comes clean with her loved ones about her whereabouts over the last nine years.

However, the question on everyone's lips is how Ian and Ben will react upon learning that Kathy let them grieve for their mother when she wasn't actually dead.

Speaking at an EastEnders press event about how Kathy will explain herself to her sons, Taylforth said: "I don't know how she is going to it but she will have to find a way.

"There are reasons why this manipulative Gavin, who is a control freak, got hold of her and controls everything she does.

"Kathy has become someone who can't function without him, but hopefully she will get the boys back. She has to explain so much to them but bit by bit, you found out why she has become the person she has done."

"They start understanding that their mum has been brainwashed. They understand and I am hoping they forgive her."

Taylforth admitted that she initially had trouble understanding Kathy's reasons for abandoning her sons.

She said: "As a mother myself, I can't even think about driving off and leaving my children. There is an episode where she talks about driving off and waving at him, knowing she wasn't coming back.

"Gavin made her do it [the insurance scam] but Ben thought she was coming back and she knew she was never going to see him again.

"Young Harry, who plays Ben, is such a fantastic actor. He is really fantastic and the scenes I did with him a few weeks ago were brilliant."

[Perdita]

EastEnders executive producer Dominic Treadwell-Collins has explained his decision to bring Kathy Beale back from the dead.

Kathy (Gillian Taylforth) was killed off screen in a car accident in 2006, but it has recently become apparent that her death was part of an insurance scam concocted by her manipulative husband Gavin.

Speaking at an EastEnders press event, Treadwell-Collins discussed his reasons for bringing Kathy back this year, admitting that it was important that the story was credible.

He said: "When I came back, Alex [Lamb, story producer], Sharon [Batten, serious producer] and myself always said we wanted Kathy back but we kept saying we would only do it if we had a credible story to bring her back.

"The anniversary felt like the right time. It was about going back to our history and bringing back a Beale matriarch that we all want to see. Gillian and I saw each other at the RTS awards and Gillian said she wanted to come back.

"We went and sat in a corner and everyone was looking at us. I then said to the writers "This is your challenge : make it credible. If it is credible, it will happen" and the rest is history. This is the flip side of the canoe man story that happened in real life. We wouldn't have done it if it wasn't credible."

Treadwell-Collins also described Kathy's return as like the "avengers assemble", adding that Gavin will be the most dangerous villain the show has ever seen.

He said: "I said the other day that it is a bit like the avengers assemble because you've got Gillian Taylworth, you've got Adam Woodyatt, you've Letitia Dean, you've got Steve Mcfadden.

"And then adding into that mix you've got Harry Reid, who I think has made Ben Mitchell utterly his own and you are about to see some amazing, amazing stuff from him over the next few months."

"Then there is Paul Nicholas, who has created the most manipulative and dangerous EastEnders villain we have ever had. He makes Archie Mitchell look like a care bear."

[tammyy2j]

An insurance scam isn't credible, Kathy is a rape victim, was married to Phil and slept with Grant but cowers for this husband Gavin so lies to her sons she died, always thought Kathy was a strong character

[maidmarian]

An insurance scam isn't credible, Kathy is a rape victim, was married to Phil and slept with Grant but cowers for this husband Gavin so lies to her sons she died, always thought Kathy was a strong character

Kathy was as you describe and basically a decent
strong woman and a good mother. Its the
complete change of personality I will find
difficult to believe.
And another Doormat is born!!

And Paul Nicholas will have a job to outdo
"Archie" who I thought was a believably evil
person- without being panto or ridiculous!

p.s. 2 small points John Darwin on whose
scam this was based was missing for 5 years
-Kathy for 9 yrs- nearly double - so adds to
disbelief.
Sharon Batten is described in above
interview as serious producer -does this
mean the others are now officially jokes.
Typo for series?

[maidmarian]

dupl

[Dazzle]

An insurance scam isn't credible, Kathy is a rape victim, was married to Phil and slept with Grant but cowers for this husband Gavin so lies to her sons she died, always thought Kathy was a strong character

I think it'll all depend on how Kathy and Gavin's relationship comes across on screen. If you read or watch any real life domestic abuse (including psychological abuse) stories, it's always said even the strongest person can become a victim. I think if she'd come to rely on Gavin during a very vulnerable period of her life it could be credible, especially as she was living thousands of miles away from her home and support network.

I hope a lot of thought has gone into making it credible.

And another Doormat is born!!

Let's hope this story is the start of Kathy finding the strength to break away from Gavin.

And Paul Nicholas will have a job to outdo
"Archie" who I thought was a believably evil
person- without being panto or ridiculous!

You're right, Archie was a fantastically evil villain without veering into being panto. It's hard to imagine how Gavin will outdo him.

[storyseeker1]

An insurance scam isn't credible, Kathy is a rape victim, was married to Phil and slept with Grant but cowers for this husband Gavin so lies to her sons she died, always thought Kathy was a strong character

So was Peggy when she was with Archie, but she still ended up marrying him (only for a hew hours mind you, but still). The problem with these type of guys, is that they don't start crushing people's souls right away. They start off small, through suggestion and manipulation; so small that their victims don't even notice it. I think if Gavin had done something big straight away, like hit her or something, Kathy would have immediately squared up to him and left. But like I said, they always start off with something unnoticeable, suggesting things like "You shouldn't do that," or "Try this. It's better". You do what they say because what they ask first isn't that big of a deal, and you don't want to cause a fuss. Then, over time, they have more and more 'suggestions' that become more and more elaborate and commanding, and before you know it, you wake up and find yourself doing everything they want you to do, with no freewill of your own.

It's so easy to happen. Even the strongest willed people have ended up losing their inner strength because of people like that.

[maidmarian]

I think it'll all depend on how Kathy and Gavin's relationship comes across on screen. If you read or watch any real life domestic abuse (including psychological abuse) stories, it's always said even the strongest person can become a victim. I think if she'd come to rely on Gavin during a very vulnerable period of her life it could be credible, especially as she was living thousands of miles away from her home and support network.

I hope a lot of thought has gone into making it credible.

**part of my reply /in wrong place-sorry
I do know what you mean about Kathy & Gavin.
Women in that position can lose their self-confidence
and end up in a version of "Stockholm Syndrome"!
And I hope she can break away-otherwise a good
character spoilt.**

Let's hope this story is the start of Kathy finding the strength to break away from Gavin.



You're right, Archie was a fantastically evil villain without veering into being panto. It's hard to imagine how Gavin will outdo him.

Regarding making the story credible. Two things-

Im sorry to say I dont take much notice of
who the writers are -but hopefully it will
be the ones who have written recent Shabnam
episodes -not the "Dean" ones.But as story
will run for some time-probably a mixture.

Secondly -as you have said it depends how
its explained to Ian &Ben and their reaction.
As Ben was a small boy when Kathy left
him - might expect he would be most bitter
But it may not turn out that way - small
boys can be very protective of their mothers
- especially if they are old enough to understand
bad treatment and remember it.
So lets hope all facets of story well - thought
out!!

I think the unbelievability of scam rests
not on Kathy being bullied/co-erced into
it but on the fact they got away with it -at all
and for so long.
Also that it will come to light through confession
rather than normal processes!