Lorraine Stanley

Lorraine Marie Stanley (born 28 June 1976) is an English actress, known for playing Kelly in the 2006 film London to Brighton and Karen Taylor in the BBC soap opera EastEnders (2017–2024).

Lorraine Marie Stanley was born on 28 June 1976 in Portsmouth, Hampshire, the daughter of June (née Almy), and David Stanley.

She was brought up in Portsmouth by her parents, who divorced when she was ten years old.

She has Scottish and Polish ancestry from her father and mother respectively.

She then trained at London's Arts Educational Schools.

Stanley's made her acting debut in 2000, when she appeared in the crime drama film Gangster No. 1 in a minor role as the attacker's friend.

She also appeared in episodes of The Bill and London's Burning.

In 2004, Stanley appeared as a young Mo Harris in the EastEnders spin off Pat and Mo which aired in April 2004 and revealed what caused the feud between Mo and sister-in-law Pat Butcher, who was played by Emma Cooke.

In 2006, Stanley took the lead role in the neo-noir crime film London to Brighton.

She portrayed Kelly, a prostitute who is coerced into procuring an 11-year-old girl for a paedophile.

2008 Trial and Retribution.

Playing Sarah Randle who's brother Mark was murdered.

In 2014, Stanley was cast to play the role of Simone in Spencer Hawken's 2016 film No Reasons.

Stanley and her partner Mark Perez have been together since 2014, and have a daughter, named Nancy, born in 2015.

In 2016, Stanley appeared in EastEnders as Thelma Bragg, the mother of Linzi Bragg who enters an illegal relationship with Jay Brown (Jamie Borthwick).

She appeared in eight episodes.

A year later, Stanley returned to EastEnders, this time on a permanent basis portraying Karen Taylor, the head of the newly introduced Taylor family, who arrived in June 2017.

In July 2023, it was announced that Stanley had been "written out" of the show after six years, and Stanley's final scenes aired on 8 December 2023 though she later returned for a one off appearance on 25 December.

On 24 January 2024 it was confirmed she would return to the series in February less than 3 months since her departure.