The legendary Kathy Beale first appeared in EastEnders’ opening episode in 1985 and has become one of Walford’s leading ladies over the years
EastEnders icon Kathy Beale, portrayed by Gillian Taylforth, has been a staple of Albert Square since the soap’s first episode in February 1985. In her early days on the show, Kathy was married to Pete Beale, played by Peter Dean, the twin brother of Pauline Fowler (Wendy Richard), mother of the late Martin Fowler (James Bye).
After a failed marriage with Phil Mitchell (Steve McFadden), Kathy left the Square in 1998 and relocated to South Africa with their son Ben and her new husband Gavin Sullivan (Paul Nicholas). She returned briefly for two separate stints in 1999 before leaving again on 6 January 2000.
However, years later, her distraught son Ian (Adam Woodyatt) was told she had died in a car crash, which turned out to be false. In 2015, Kathy dramatically returned to Walford and has remained a fan favourite ever since.
Recently, Kathy was involved in covering up Keanu Taylor’s (Danny Walters) death and even attempted to kill Cindy Beale (Michelle Collins) by hitting her with a snow shovel on Christmas Day.
Gillian Taylforth has brought Kathy Beale to life for decades, so let’s look at the soap star’s life off-screen.
Kathy Beale’s age is often a hot topic among EastEnders fans on social media, thanks to Gillian’s stunning blonde hair and youthful appearance, reports Plymouth Live.
In September 2022, EastEnders paid a touching tribute to Queen Elizabeth II following her passing.
During an emotional conversation with Denise Fox (Dianne Parish) and Linda Carter (Kellie Bright), Kathy revealed she was 73 years old, making her 75 now.
However, in reality, Gillian was born on August 14, 1955, in Islington, North London, making her 69 years old.
Gillian’s character, Kathy, has quite a romantic history in Walford. Most recently, she tied the knot with gambling addict Rocky Cotton (Brian Conley), only to regret it months later when he burned down her café.
Off-screen, Gillian was once romantically involved with co-star Nick Berry, who played Queen Vic barman Simon Wicks, also known as ‘Wicks.’
The pair, who were stepmother and stepson on-screen, dated for three years between 1985 and 1988.
However, Gillian moved on and started a relationship with Geoff Knights in the late 1980s. They have two children together, Harrison and Jessica. Sadly, Geoff passed away in 2013 at the age of 58 from stomach cancer.
In 2015, Gillian found love again but confirmed that her new partner at the time, Dave Fairbairn, was battling prostate cancer.
Two years later, the soap star announced that Dave was cancer-free, according to The Mirror. However, she called off her wedding to Dave in 2019.
Gillian is reportedly dating Philip Oag, and the couple was spotted together in October 2023. According to The Sun, Gillian and Philip found love in 2022.
An insider told the publication, “Gillian is head over heels for Philip—they’ve been secretly dating for over a year, and he’s even moved into her home. Everyone’s so pleased for her.”
Gillian, a gem in Albert Square, has acted in her blood as her sister is Kim Taylforth.
Kim is also a well-known actress who has starred in rival British soaps, including Hollyoaks, The Bill, and Family Affairs.
Her first appearance was when she was just 15 years old in the BBC sitcom, Steptoe and Son. She’s also recognised for her role as Marilyn Fenner in ITV’s Bad Girls and has appeared in Operation Good Guys and London’s Burning.
In addition to TV, Kim has appeared on the stage in numerous pantomimes across the UK as either the Wicked Queen or the Good Fairy.
What else Gillian starred in?
During her 15-year hiatus from EastEnders, Gillian continued to shine in many other television roles, including Jackie Pascoe on Footballers’ Wives and Sergeant Nikki Wright on ITV’s The Bill.
In 2009, she guest-starred as MP Justine Walker on Casualty in an episode titled Parent Trap. In this episode, the mother of a splintered family attempts to regroup her family.
The British actress also played Sandy Roscoe in Hollyoaks for a couple of years before making a grand return to EastEnders in 2015.
