Penny Branning (Kitty Castledine) is at the centre of a major new EastEnders storyline, that has seen her fall pregnant with Vinny Panesar's (Shiv Jalota) baby.
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The daughter of Jack Branning (Scott Maslen) is certainly a firecracker of a character, but recent episodes have shown a more vulnerable side.
She revealed to cousin Lauren Beale (Jacqueline Jossa) that she'd never envisioned herself as a mother as a result of her disability. Unfortunately, Jack put his foot in it and agreed with her concerns, and the two shared an emotional heart-to-heart about her life-changing injuries.
Penny was first introduced in 2008, though there was quite a lengthy absence before she returned in 2024 – so you may be forgiven for forgetting some of the finer character details.
Read on to find out what happened to Penny Branning, how Jack is responsible, who her mum is, and who plays her on EastEnders.
Penny Branning's backstory - what happened to her?
Penny Branning is the daughter of Jack Branning and Selina Branning. She is the half-sister of Amy Mitchell (Ellie Dadd), Ricky Branning (Frankie Day) and the late James Branning.
Although she was born in 1998 on the show, she was first seen on-screen in 2008, when she was played by Seven Dials and Tracy Beaker Returns actress Mia McKenna-Bruce. The star is also set to play Maureen Starkey in the upcoming The Beatles biopics.
Penny is a wheelchair user, as a result of a terrible accident she suffered as a child. This took place off-screen.
Kitty Castledine plays Penny Branning in EastEnders. BBC/Jack Barnes/Kieron McCarron
When Jack and Selina were together, he caught a drug dealer who then hit Penny with his car in an act of revenge.
It left Penny's spine damaged, and as a result, she needs to use a wheelchair.
When she arrived back in Albert Square in 2008, Jack tried to reconnect with his daughter and her mother by taking them out for her birthday.
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But when he wasn't there the next morning, Penny was devastated, and Selina decided it would be better for her if they moved to France and away from Jack.
Penny visited later in the year, and though she didn't get on with Jack's girlfriend Ronnie Mitchell (Samantha Womack), she did connect with his sister-in-law Tanya Branning (Jo Joyner), and contemplated staying in Walford with her.
However, Jack persuaded her to go back to France and be with her mum.
After that, Penny had a few mentions, until she was finally seen back on-screen (portrayed by a different actress, Kitty Castledine) still in Paris.
It was revealed she's been up to no good, having become a drugs pusher, which resulted in Lauren getting arrested on New Year's Day 2024.
Who is Penny Branning's mum?
Selina Branning is Penny Branning's mum. She was the first wife of Jack Branning, and they were married for 10 years between 1997 and 2007.
She appeared in just 5 episodes between January and April 2008, and was played by Daisy Beaumont.
Who plays Penny Branning now?
Penny is at the centre of a huge new storyline. BBC/Jack Barnes/Kieron McCarron
Kitty Castledine has played Penny Branning in 143 episodes of EastEnders since January 2024.
Castledine has a very famous mum - Lucy Alexander, who used to present Homes Under the Hammer. Her dad is famous, too, as an ex-Premier League footballer, Stewart Castledine.
Before EastEnders, Castledine had a role in The Break as Katy.
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