11 September 2023 , 17:30
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EastEnders fans will know all about the iconic Kat Slater and her dramatic storylines, which have included in infamous baby swap scandal, the breakdown of her relationship with Alfie Moon and the jaw-dropping revelation that Zoe Slater was actually her daughter and not her sister.
The loudmouthed barmaid has been played on the BBC soap by Jessie Wallace since 2000, and while her life in Albert Square has been more than a little turbulent, the actress herself has had her ups and downs in life too. From struggles in her love life to an arrest and a drink driving offence, Jessie has even found herself banned from EastEnders on more than one occasion. Thankfully though, these days she's found love again and seems happier than ever.
Jessie began playing Kat back in 2000 (BBC)
Her life off-screen has been just as turbulent (BBC/Kieron McCarron)Jessie grew up in Enfield, North London, and was actually born Karen Jane Wallace, but changed her stage name to Jessie after her late grandmother. After school, she trained as a makeup artist before working at the Royal Shakespeare Company for two years where she befriended actor Iain Glen, who encouraged her to apply for drama school.
She landed her first role on The Bill in 1999, but a year later she was cast as the feisty Kat Slater and began her life in Walford. But Jessie hasn't been on our screens solidly for the past 23 years, as some rocky patches in her personal life have seen her get banned from the EastEnders set for months at a time.
She was first suspended for two months in 2003 because of her behaviour, and she said at the time that it was such a blow that it gave her the drive to better herself. She explained to The Guardian: "It really was a kick in the teeth. I would turn up late. I was so blasé about stuff. I don't think I was very popular at the time on set. The two months' suspension gave me two months to think about what I was doing."
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In 2018, Jessie was reportedly forced to leave the British Soap Awards early after pre-gaming too hard, and in 2020 she was once again handed a two-month suspension from EastEnders after her behaviour was called into question over an incident while filming the show's 35th anniversary special.
Jessie has been banned from the EastEnders set twice before (BBC/Jack Barnes/Kieron McCarron)"Bosses were left with no choice but to discipline her," an insider told The Mirror at the time. "During the meeting, she was told to sort herself out before returning to work."
And Jessie hasn't just found herself in trouble at work either, as she's also had several run-ins with the law. As recently as last year Jessie was arrested for allegedly assaulting a police officer outside the Verve club in Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk. She was released with a caution after the event in June 2022 and was "spoken to" by BBC bosses about her conduct.
Her love life has been just as much of a rollercoaster too. She famously fell in love with police officer Dave Morgan, who was assigned to look after her during a previous court case. They moved in together after just one month, got engaged and welcomed daughter Tallulah, now 18, before splitting in a blaze of acrimony two years later.
Jessie has a daughter with ex-partner Dave Morgan (WireImage)
She's now in a new romance with Justin Gallwey (Instagram)Jessie went on to find love with catering boss Vince Morse but called their 2011 wedding off on the day when it emerged that he'd sent an explicit picture of Jessie to an ex. And she was once linked to Paul Whitworth - a good friend of gang boss Reggie Kray.
Now though, the actress has found love once again and seems to be happier than ever with her fiancé, Justin Gallwey. The pair got engaged recently after more than a year of dating, and just a few weeks ago Jessie shared a sweet selfie of the couple on her Instagram account which showed them enjoying a sunny day at the beach.
The adorable photo came after Jessie was spotted out and about without her engagement ring. The absence of a ring sparked speculation that the engagement was off but they have since set the record straight. A close friend of Jessie's told the Mirror: "Jessie simply popped out without her ring on, as she often does if she's working as she obviously can't wear it whilst filming, it's nothing more than that, they're very much together."