Karen Taylor's daughter Chantelle

[Perdita]

EastEnders viewers will finally get to meet Karen Taylor's mysterious daughter Chantelle in an upcoming storyline.

The character of Chantelle has often been mentioned, but never been seen on-screen since the Taylor family arrived in Walford. Fans and even the cast have campaigned for Chantelle's arrival ever since.

They will all get their wish in 2019 when Chantelle turns up in Albert Square at last, making a huge first impression with her compassionate and bubbly personality. However, we'd advise not setting her off because she shares her mum's hair-trigger temper.

While Karen (Lorraine Stanley) and Mitch (Roger Griffiths) will initially be happy to see Chantelle, there will be signs of strain between mother and daughter that surface before long.

"The Taylor family are set to be complete when Chantelle arrives in Walford and Chantelle certainly has that feisty Taylor streak," senior executive producer Kate Oates promised. "Things are set to get a whole lot louder in Walford in 2019."

Casting for Chantelle Taylor is currently underway, with an announcement to be made on that front at a later date.

Another Taylor will also be turning up before the New Year! S Club 7's Hannah Spearritt is reprising her role as Karen's sister Kandice to throw a wrench in the family's Christmas plans.

With Mitch and Kandice both turning up for the holidays, is it even possible for Christmas in the Taylor household to go off without a hitch?


Digital Spy

[lizann]

neon jungle singer cast as chantelle

[Perdita]

EastEnders has a new face joining Albert Square, as Neon Jungle singer Jessica Kate Plummer is entering the fray.

https://i2-prod.mirror.co.uk/incoming/article14091778.ece/ALTERNATES/s615b/0_PDP_SDR_060813neon_003JPG.jpg

The star has been cast on the BBC soap as Taylor family member Chantelle Baker, the daughter of Karen and Mitch Baker.

Jessica will be familiar to some viewers through short-lived girl group Neon Jungle – a band which also included Shereen Cutkelvin, who came fifth on the 2017 series of The X Factor as part of group The Cutkelvins.

Chantelle's arrival has been much-anticipated, especially as the show confirmed last year that the character would be joining in early 2019.

Karen star Lorraine Stanley previously opened up about Chantelle joining Albert Square, saying: "I can't wait. I'm so excited to learn more about Chantelle, see what their history is and what Chantelle is up to now. So yes, the Taylors are expanding, which is really exciting.

"Karen hasn't seen her daughter for so long, so I think there might be a bit of tension there. Chantelle has created a new life for herself, so it will be interesting to see how she reacts to Karen and all her siblings."

Chantelle is said to be quite kind, bubbly and not afraid to stand up for herself, but as Lorraine mentioned – it seems there'll be some conflict with her mother...


Digital Spy

[tammyy2j]

I merged the threads

I did not realise she is also Mitch's daughter

Is she married with kids?

[lizann]

i thought she was older than keanu, a lot older

[Perdita]

https://images.immediate.co.uk/volatile/sites/3/2019/03/The-Atkins-Family-1-9e8a1d8.jpg?quality=90&resize=620,413

Karen Taylor's daughter Chantelle is finally arriving in EastEnders later this month — and she's not coming alone!

The BBC One soap has unveiled the first look at Neon Jungle singer Jessica Kate Plummer and the new family she'll bring to Albert Square to reunite with Karen (Lorraine Stanley) and Mitch Baker (Roger Griffiths).

Chantelle is arriving along with husband Gray Atkins (Krypton's Toby-Alexander Smith) as well as their daughters Mia and Mackenzie. While Chantelle's bubbly personality endears her to everyone in Walford, she also shares mum's fiery side when pushed too far.

Her husband Gray is a hard-working solicitor in London whose success took Chantelle away from Taylor Towers years earlier. Now that the couple are reunited with Karen and the family, tension erupts when they find Chantelle's absentee dad Mitch back in the picture too.

“Just like the majority of the UK, I grew up watching EastEnders," Jessica said today (March 11). "It’s an absolute honour to be joining the cast with all my childhood favourites… Rickaaaaaaaay."

Her new co-star Toby-Alexander added: “I’m delighted to be joining the cast of EastEnders as I’ve always been a fan. I’m looking forward to seeing what Albert Square has in store for Gray.”

EastEnders senior executive producer Kate Oates has promised that having the "tough, sharp and streetwise" Chantelle back with the Taylors will shake up the family's dynamic in a major way.

"To the rest of the Taylor family, she is definitely the one who’s ‘done good’: leaving home early, and landing on her feet marrying the handsome and successful Gray," the producer said. "But will Chantelle’s picture-perfect lifestyle put her and Gray into conflict with the rest of her family?”

Chantelle and Gray will first be seen on-screen in EastEnders later this month on BBC One.


Digital Spy

[lizann]

pregnant and staying with abusive gray

[lizann]

jays dated her in school so he knows taylor family

[tammyy2j]

https://www.digitalspy.com/soaps/eastenders/a33935165/eastenders-chantelle-atkins-domestic-abuse-storyline-tragic-ending

Devastatingly, after finally trying to escape from Gray, Chantelle is killed by her husband in what has been a heartbreaking storyline to watch unfold.

The tragic ending to Chantelle's story has been planned from the beginning, with the aim of showing viewers the awful reality of domestic abuse.

The soap has worked very closely with two charities, Women's Aid and Refuge, on the storyline, consulting closely with them on scripts. Recent Women's Aid research reports that two-thirds of survivors stated their domestic abuse had escalated during lockdown, and three quarters of women living with an abuser said they felt they could not leave or get away.

Refuge reported a 54% rise in women contacting its helpline in need of emergency accommodation in the first week of July, when compared with the last week in June.

Plummer's final scenes as Chantelle will air later this month.

[lizann]

let me guess gray lives happy for a while with kids and whitney until caught a year or two later

[parkerman]

let me guess gray lives happy for a while with kids and whitney until caught a year or two later

And then released because there was a technical error at the trial.

[lizann]

And then released because there was a technical error at the trial.

or max banged up for it

[parkerman]

or max banged up for it

Shame we can't use emojis any more as I would have liked to roll on the floor laughing.

[Perdita]

Shame we can't use emojis any more as I would have liked to roll on the floor laughing.

You can if you can remember the code ..:rotfl: : rotfl : without the spaces between ::

[parkerman]

You can if you can remember the code ..:rotfl: : rotfl : without the spaces between ::
..:rotfl:

Thanks, Perdy. :)

[tammyy2j]

Jessica Plummer has discussed Chantelle Atkins' upcoming death as part of the show's domestic abuse storyline.

In upcoming episodes, Chantelle plans her escape from her abusive and violent husband Gray (Toby-Alexander Smith). After an unsuccessful attempt, she is killed by her abuser.

Before her death, Chantelle calls a women's refuge instead of reaching out to her family.

Explaining that decision, Jessica said: "Chantelle's parents have a relationship with her husband, so for her to tell her parents is to potentially not escape. Gray is clever, he's smart, and he's not going to let her just walk out of the door.

"I think it's easier for her to just run."

The star added: "She loves her dad and is probably the closest to telling him, but at the same time knows that her dad would probably kill Gray. So she wants to protect her dad in that way as well.

"Even though she probably loves her mum more, I think Chantelle is quite resentful about the fact that her mum is always commenting on how perfect her life is and that her mum hasn't noticed that something's wrong.

"Whereas her dad, even though she's not as close to him, picked up on it straight away, so she has that secret bond with him."

Jessica also addressed the plot's importance and commented on the difference between Chantelle and Gray's storyline and previous domestic abuse storylines.

"She holds herself with such high regard, she doesn't cower, and she stands up for herself," she said.

"I don't think Chantelle even realises how bad it is at the start. She thinks, 'Well, my life is perfect. It's just that one small little thing. If I could just figure out, everything would be absolutely fine!'

"It's important to show that this is still domestic abuse, even though it doesn't look like the typical cowering-in-a-corner, locked-in-a-room versions. To the outside world, Gray is charismatic, he's charming, he's successful ? he's perhaps not the typical person that is portrayed in domestic abuse storylines."

Digital Spy

[Ruffed_lemur]

Such a sad story, and a shame that Chantelle is leaving this way.

[tammyy2j]

Such a sad story, and a shame that Chantelle is leaving this way.

I think Kheeret has strong feelings for her

[Timalay]

I wonder when Grey gets found out, that Karen will move in after kids get the house.

[lizann]

I wonder when Grey gets found out, that Karen will move in after kids get the house.

or mitch

[parkerman]

I wonder when Grey gets found out,

This is Eastenders. What makes you think he will get found out?

[Perdita]

This is Eastenders. What makes you think he will get found out?

Will be a year at least if ever :cartman: