What happened to Abi Branning in EastEnders? Lauren's sister explained | Radio Times

❚ We may earn commission from links on this page. Our editorial is always independent (learn more)

As a result of this, Abi was the younger sister of Lauren Branning (Madeleine Duggan, Jacqueline Jossa), the older sister of Oscar Branning, and the half-sister of Bradley Branning (Charlie Clements).

However, Abi is sadly no longer among the living and Lauren has spoken multiple times about missing her younger sister.

So, what happened to Abi Branning in EastEnders?

More like this

What happened to Abi Branning in EastEnders?

Abi Branning died in EastEnders in the episode broadcast on 19th January 2018.

Initially introduced as the apple of her father's eye in 2006, young Abi grew up before our eyes over the 12 years she was on our screens but also became a more complicated character in this time frame.

As a child, Abi struggled with the tempestuous marriage of her parents Max and Tanya which saw them split and reunite multiple times.

In her teens, Abi found her first love in her romance with Jay Brown (Jamie Borthwick), even amid tensions with her friend Lola Pearce (Danielle Harold).

While maintaining her relationship with Jay, Abi also sought to support her older sister Lauren through her struggles with alcoholism, which ultimately contributed to Tanya and Oscar leaving Walford for good in 2013.

Eventually, after a long struggle, Abi planned to go to university and Jay was to join her but the return of her childhood friend Ben Mitchell (then played by Harry Reid) saw it become clear that Jay did love Lola and he ended their romance.

Following this and her accidentally running over her pet dog Tramp, Abi turned into a bitter and darker person in 2014.

Despite being aware that Ben is gay but in denial and Abi enters into a romantic relationship with him. Ben is arrested for the murder of Lucy Beale (then Hetti Bywater), Abi lies that her father Max assaulted his lover Lucy, prompting Max's arrest and contributing to his year-long wrongful imprisonment.

Abi soon becomes aware that Ben is cheating on her with Paul Coker (Jonny Labey).

At the encouragement of her scheming new friend Babe Smith (Annette Badland), Abi lied to Ben that she was pregnant to keep her relationship with him. Despite Ben's requests to terminate the pregnancy, Abi maintained that she wanted the child.

However, when Ben later admitted that he had tested positive for chlamydia and she did too, Babe pushed Abi during a scuffle between Ben and his father Phil (Steve McFadden) in the Queen Vic, leading to her faking a miscarriage.

Eventually, the truth came out that Abi had faked her pregnancy thanks to a vengeful Babe, a blackmailing Louise Mitchell (Tilly Keeper), and Abi's confession to Ben.

In the aftermath, Ben humiliated Abi in the pub and exposed her actions, before being emotionally blackmailed into resigning her job at the Vic by Babe.

In revenge, Abi exposes all of the crimes of Babe herself, prompting her to become a pariah, before Abi takes revenge by locking Babe in the Vic freezer, nearly killing her. After this, Babe framed her sister Sylvie Carter (Linda Marlowe) for the crime and both Abi and Babe resumed working in the Vic under a tense truce.

Following Babe's departure from Walford in 2017, Abi continues working at the Vic but also training to be a vet.

Abi then embarked on an affair with Lauren's boyfriend Steven Beale (Aaron Sidwell) and learned he was faking having a brain tumour to keep his unstable relationship with Lauren, helping him fake his illness with medical scans and medication from her vet surgery. Lauren, meanwhile, secretly terminated her pregnancy with Steven.

Later, Abi learned she was pregnant by Steven but a fire placed him, her and a vengeful Max in danger. Afterwards, Abi told Steven he was to be a father to his delight, but he died from wounds sustained in a confrontation with Max during the fire.

In the aftermath of Steven's death, Abi mourned her great love and revealed all of her and Steven's secrets, disgusting Lauren.

Abi lost her job at the vet surgery due to her actions and was also made redundant at the Queen Vic but remained pregnant with Steven's child, later receiving support from Lauren.

After a break away from the Square, Abi returned in late 2017 to find that Max had become public enemy number one due to his plotting revenge on Walford with property redevelopment plans with James Willmott-Brown (William Boyde).

Despite clashing with Max and his being ostracised, Abi and her father reconciled.

On Christmas Day 2017, Tanya returned to Walford and exposed Max's further crimes - including his role in the death of Steven.

A guilty Max then headed to the roof of the Queen Vic to attempt suicide, prompting Abi and Lauren to climb up onto the ledge he was standing on to persuade him to come down.

However, the harsh weather led to Lauren slipping and both she and Abi fell to the ground below.

While Lauren made a full recovery from her injuries, Abi was left in a coma and was later declared brainstem dead.

Abi's baby daughter was delivered by caesarean section and Max remained in denial that his daughter would regain consciousness.

Eventually accepting that he had lost Abi forever, Max was present with Lauren and Tanya as they switched off Abi's life support in January 2018.

Following Abi's funeral in February 2018, Max focused on raising Abi's daughter, whom he named Abi Branning Jr. in honour of her late mother.

Read more:

EastEnders airs Mondays to Thursdays at 7:30pm on BBC One and from 6am on BBC iPlayer.

Visit our dedicated EastEnders page for all the latest news, interviews and spoilers. If you're looking for more to watch, check out our TV Guide and Streaming Guide.

Try Radio Times magazine today and get 10 issues for only £10 – subscribe now. For more from the biggest stars in TV, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.