EastEnders' Stacey's real life - famous sisters, tragic loss and 'miracle' baby
Stacy Slater burst onto our screens in 2004 as a feisty, troubled teenager and went on to become a fixture on EastEnders, causing trouble and breaking hearts. Her character has been involved in some dramatic storylines over the years, from her abortion to her diagnosis with bipolar disorder and her affair with Bradley's dad Max Branning. That's not to mention her killing Archie.
She's played by actress Lacey Turner, whose life off-screen is thankfully very different to that of her character, although the 35-year-old has always lived near Albert Square. Turner was born in Edgware, but was raised in Hertfordshire near to the BBC studios in Elstree. The TV star has previously told The Mirror in 2006 that she could see part of the set from her bedroom. She said: "From my bedroom window you could see part of the square and you could hear them all filming at night. I used to say to my mum, 'I wanna be on that!'"
Turner went on to study singing, dancing, and acting after school but left the Sylvia Young Theatre School after one year as it wasn't her "cup of tea". In her younger years, she appeared on stage and in various adverts before auditioning for EastEnders. She initially was up for the role of Demi Miller, before being cast as Stacey and she started on the show the day after finishing school.
Her sisters have also both appeared in soaps (Instagram)
Lacey and her family are very close (Instagram)Outside of EastEnders, Turner isn't the only famous face in her family, with both her siblings having starred in soaps and one also having a music career. She has two sisters, Daisy and Lily, with Daisy being two years younger than her. The blonde previously appeared in Hollyoaks as Jenny Houston. Her character was eventually murdered by serial killer Silas Blissett.
Daisy previously spoke of what it was like to all be following similar careers, saying: "All three of us do it. Lacey and I acted as kids. Our mum, Bev, let us do everything – singing, dancing and acting. I was at home with my mum and sisters when I got the call to say I'd got the part [in Hollyoaks]. Lacey said if I need her, she is there. I suppose there is a bit of pressure because she is very good at what she does. She has done it for years and I am just starting out."
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Meanwhile Lily, the youngest of the three, has also starred in EastEnders. She played Shenice, who was the daughter of Kat Slater's friend Martine. When Lily auditioned, she used her mother's maiden name – Harvey – and didn't let on that she was Turner's younger sibling. Even the then-boss of the series, Bryan Kirkwood, didn't realise the pair were related. He said "I sat down and watched a tape of a very talented young girl. And it was only after we decided that I was told it was Lacey's sister. So it was a complete accident." She's since gone on to have a music career.
Turner has previously shared how the three of them are really close and they speak "every day". She told New! Magazine in 2021: "My middle sister lives in Singapore and we haven't seen her for such a long time, which is really sad. She was supposed to be in Ibiza with us, but because of the pandemic, this hasn't happened as Singapore has restrictions in place. I don't know what we would do without FaceTime."
Lacey with her lookalike mum (Instagram)Their mother, Beverly Harvey, is rarely seen but snaps online show Turner looks just like her mum, with the pair sharing the same dark hair and features. And even other stars can see the uncanny resemblance, with Emmerdale actress Charley Webb commenting on a post to celebrate Harvey's 60th birthday to share that the pair look "like sisters". Meanwhile, actress Kellie Bright commented that she "loves" Turner's mum, while Louisa Lytton also shared well wishes.
Outside of her mum and sisters, Turner has also started her own family with husband Matt Kay, who was her teenage sweetheart. The pair met when they were just 15 at a friend's house and have been together ever since - - something Turner sees as "really lucky".
They tied the knot in 2017 at an exclusive resort in the north of Ibiza, with many of Turner's EastEnders co-stars there to celebrate with the happy couple, including the late Barbara Windsor, Jake Wood, Laurie Brett, Scott Maslen, Aaron Sidwell, and James Bye. She was also supported by her four bridesmaids - sisters Lily and Daisy, her stepsister Mimie and new sister-in-law Amber - and two little flower girls.
Matt and Lacey were teenage sweetheartsTurner heartbreakingly went on to suffer two miscarriages before welcoming her two "miracle" children, daughter Dusty Violet and son Trilby Fox, with Kay. She has since opened up about how using private healthcare helped her have her children. "If I'd not gone private I'd probably still have no babies," she told The Sun newspaper. "There wasn't really any aftercare. I was told that I'd had a miscarriage and that was it. I really felt quite overwhelmed and lost during our miscarriages. We found ourselves confused. We had no explanation, just a sudden feeling of the excitement of having a baby to feeling completely empty and lost. To go through that once is hard enough. Earlier doctors' advice and support would have helped."
She added: "We were lucky enough to go to a private specialist. Everyone should have that opportunity. It's great that the subject of miscarriage is becoming less of a taboo subject. There are great charities which can help."
Turner had previously admitted pregnancy has "never been an exciting experience" for her as the worry is always in the back of her mind. She told OK! magazine: "Yes, I was concerned. I didn't know how long it would take and you worry you may suffer more heartache, but, thankfully, everything's been fine. I don't think pregnancy will ever be an exciting experience for me as I always have that worry in the back of my mind. But the further along I go in the pregnancy, the less I worry."
Lacey and Matt have two kids (laceyturner/Instagram)
However, the star hopes to have moreShe went on to admit there was a time when she wondered if she could ever become a mother. "I always wanted to be a mum and I did wonder at one point whether it would happen for me. It was a really tough time for both Matt and I, so I feel so lucky and grateful to be expecting my second child. It was a huge relief [when I passed the seven weeks]. I still feel nervous but I think I always will. I got past seven weeks, then nine weeks, and so on." The actress hoped that by sharing her story, it would make others feel "hopeful" about their own pregnancy journeys.
And she's previously confessed she'd still like to have more children. "I'd still have four [children]" she said in an interview with OK! VIP Club. "I would be happy with three and I'd be happy with two if this was our lot. "[But] We're so lucky to have the two we've got, but I would definitely have more. It definitely won't be any time soon, though – we have our hands full at the moment!"
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