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How could Kathy Beale return to EastEnders? |
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#1 |
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Inactive Member
Join Date: Jun 2014
Posts: 82
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How could Kathy Beale return to EastEnders?
I have seen many discussions on this forum about this issue. I am unsure about but although I understand why people think it would be controversial move, I could also understand why people think it could work. Kathy Beale was superb and even John Yorke, regarded the decision to kill her off as “one of the biggest mistakes they’ve ever made” and writers have tried to think of ways to bring her back. Gillian Taylforth has said that she would be prepared to return to EastEnders and she is also leaving Hollyoaks. Also, her death was off-screen, we did not even see her funeral and Ian did not identify the body. Den Watts came back, viewers actually saw his ‘first death’ so there is a precedent. Also, some would argue that a pregnant woman randomly spotting her cousin (who is on the run from the police) is not credible but the Stacey Branning return worked as a storyline. There are also many possibilities as to why Kathy could “return from the dead”. Perhaps “Kathy’s death” was a case of witness protection and perhaps Gavin was a criminal. Another possibility could have been that Gavin was an abusive husband and that the woman who died in the car crash was Gavin’s mistress but was identified by Ted Hills as Kathy so that Kathy could flee South Africa using a fake passport. Maybe she played a part in Gavin’s death and suffered a breakdown hence why she decided to leave Ben. She could also have dark secrets from South Africa and her time in London perhaps Nick Cotton could blackmail her like he did in 1986?
It would undoubtedly affect Ian, Phil and Ben but also Dot, Shirley, Sharon, Jane, Denise, Peter, Lexi and Lola. She could make friendships with Babe and Cora. She could even have a secret grandson from Donna Ludlow (I think Adam Deacon or Ben Drew could play him) who could cause trouble. She could take care of Phil if he falls off the wagon. Also, it would make sense seeing as 2015 is the show's 30th anniversary and Kathy is a much loved original character. I am sceptical but I am leaning towards the 'she should return' side. |
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#2 |
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Join Date: Nov 2008
Posts: 7,951
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She couldn't return because she's dead.
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#3 |
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Join Date: Oct 2011
Posts: 4,919
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Quote:
She couldn't return because she's dead.
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#4 |
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Join Date: Dec 2013
Posts: 726
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I like how people assume Gillian Taylforth is desperate to get back for a long stint in Eastenders.
Especially as she seems to be happy taring in different roles then moving on, if she really really wanted to go back I am sure the producers would have made it happen a long time ago but aside from the fact her character died, there's nothing to suggest she'd want to or needs to go back permanently. |
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#5 |
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Join Date: Jan 2014
Posts: 5,663
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Kathy was kidnapped in south Africa after her partner got involved with gangs. thats all you need to say. its plausible, reasonably realistic (certainly on par with Phil and Derek Branning's writing) and after the fallout fans would forget and she would settle back in nicely.
My only concern is she looks the same age as Jane and Denise. |
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#6 |
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Join Date: Nov 2013
Posts: 2,806
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Kathy would never let Ben and Ian think she was dead for the past decade and that is that.
Amnesia would be ridiculous, being held away against her will even more ridiculous. Kathy's dead unfortunately. |
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#7 |
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Join Date: Nov 2009
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Short answer - she can't - she's dead. I have no time for these witness protection, coma theories. Ian went to SA after she died - even if he didn't see her body (and we have no reason to suppose he didn't) why would her sister in law conceal a coma and if it were witness protection Ben would have gone in as well as he was only 10. And she would never have agreed to him coming back to live with Phil.
Killing her off waas a mistake but it has happened annd there is no going back on it. |
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#8 |
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Join Date: Apr 2007
Posts: 125,435
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She's dead.......but this is soap. Anything is possible.
That is all I have to add
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#9 |
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Join Date: Jan 2014
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But why can't Kathy's partner have manipulated her and got her involved in something? she was raped twice and fell victim to drunk Phil.
or if her partner got involved with gangs and gun crime all might not be as it seems. |
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#10 |
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Join Date: Nov 2009
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Quote:
But why can't Kathy's partner have manipulated her and got her involved in something? she was raped twice and fell victim to drunk Phil.
or if her partner got involved with gangs and gun crime all might not be as it seems. They can do it, anything is possible but if they do they are leaving anything remotely resembling a realistic soap reflecting every day life in Britain and veering into US daytime soap area. There's nothing wrong with those, they're entertaining but they are not what our British 'kitchen sink' dramas are designed to be. Before anyone says Dirty Den - he was always involved with organised crime, he was a heartless bastard that would let his family go through the pain of grieving for him and they put a get out clause in from the beginning in 89 by not showing his body and then having him identified only by a ring. |
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#11 |
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Join Date: Nov 2009
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Quote:
But why can't Kathy's partner have manipulated her and got her involved in something? she was raped twice and fell victim to drunk Phil.
or if her partner got involved with gangs and gun crime all might not be as it seems. It would be totally out of character. |
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#12 |
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Join Date: Nov 2009
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Quote:
Kathy was kidnapped in south Africa after her partner got involved with gangs. thats all you need to say. its plausible, reasonably realistic (certainly on par with Phil and Derek Branning's writing) and after the fallout fans would forget and she would settle back in nicely.
My only concern is she looks the same age as Jane and Denise. |
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#13 |
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Join Date: Nov 2010
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I can't see any way how EE can bring back Kathy without stretching credibility and making a total hash of it. All this talk of witness protection and kidnap is far too sensationalist. It was a terrible decision to kill her off just to give Phil a storyline, but it's happened, and there's no going back IMO.
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#14 |
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Join Date: Jan 2014
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And they killed another woman so there was a body and forced her sister I law to identify it? Also, to what end did they kidnap her? Her husband was killed as well? Who were they getting money from or forcing to do something by keeping her captive for 10 years if her husband is dead and the rest of her family (Ian, Ben, Pohil, Ted) all believe she is dead?
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#15 |
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Join Date: Jun 2011
Location: Albert Square
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Quote:
human trafficking / sex slavery
This is plausible, if done right! Bringing back people from the dead shows creativity in thinking, in my opinion, unless they died onscreen, everyone is alive, even Pete Beale, but Frank Butcher is dead! |
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#16 |
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Join Date: Jun 2012
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But don't you all realise that if Kathy had been trafficked or had amnesia or anything like that, she would be a completely different character. She would be a woman who didn't resemble Kathy in any way, which defeats the purpose.
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#17 |
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Join Date: May 2008
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well it could work, as all the twists and turns of other unexpected oldies turning up, i suppose Kathy could too (
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#18 |
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Join Date: Jan 2014
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Quote:
But don't you all realise that if Kathy had been trafficked or had amnesia or anything like that, she would be a completely different character. She would be a woman who didn't resemble Kathy in any way, which defeats the purpose.
I can see her turning dark like Ronnie, or having OCD like Vanessa. |
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#19 |
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Join Date: Jun 2011
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Quote:
But don't you all realise that if Kathy had been trafficked or had amnesia or anything like that, she would be a completely different character. She would be a woman who didn't resemble Kathy in any way, which defeats the purpose.
A few weeks of counselling, Kathy Beale is back! And when you have Amnesia, you just forget the things that have happened, your personality does not change! |
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#20 |
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Join Date: Nov 2009
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I'm not a shrink but if anybody seriously believes that 10 years of being kept in captivity, as a sex slave or prolonged amnesia is something that could be got over with a few weeks of counselling then I don't think you understand anything about basic human psychology. It would change somebody completely, it would as somebody else said, need to be a completely different character and one with more traumas than anybody we've ever seen in the show beofre. Kat, Whitney, Ronnie with all their sexually abusive pasts and losing children rolled together wouldn't come close to the mess somebody would be in after 10 years of prolonged abuse like that. Especially when they've been kept away from their children - one of whom was only 10.
I don't see how they could possibly deal with a storyline like that without totally insulting anybody that has been through anything like that such as John McCarthy or the girls in America that escaped last year or Josef Fritzl's daughter. I don't mean to offend but I find the idea horrific and jumping the shark narrative wise and if they did it i'd stop watching for reasons of taste if nothing else. It is meant to reflect everyday London life albeit heightened. When was the last time you heard of someone coming back from the dead after 10 years because they've been kept as a sex slave? And again, the idea she'd be back to normal after a few weeks counselling is incredibly offensive. |
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#21 |
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Join Date: Jun 2011
Location: Albert Square
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Quote:
I'm not a shrink but if anybody seriously believes that 10 years of being kept in captivity, as a sex slave or prolonged amnesia is something that could be got over with a few weeks of counselling then I don't think you understand anything about basic human psychology. It would change somebody completely, it would as somebody else said, need to be a completely different character and one with more traumas than anybody we've ever seen in the show beofre. Kat, Whitney, Ronnie with all their sexually abusive pasts and losing children rolled together wouldn't come close to the mess somebody would be in after 10 years of prolonged abuse like that. Especially when they've been kept away from their children - one of whom was only 10.
I don't see how they could possibly deal with a storyline like that without totally insulting anybody that has been through anything like that such as John McCarthy or the girls in America that escaped last year or Josef Fritzl's daughter. I don't mean to offend but I find the idea horrific and jumping the shark narrative wise and if they did it i'd stop watching for reasons of taste if nothing else. It is meant to reflect everyday London life albeit heightened. When was the last time you heard of someone coming back from the dead after 10 years because they've been kept as a sex slave? And again, the idea she'd be back to normal after a few weeks counselling is incredibly offensive. I may have used a few weeks as an expression, didn't really mean a few weeks, more like many! |
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#22 |
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Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: In the wine cellar *hic*
Posts: 17,562
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How could Kathy Beale come back?
Only as a ghost! FGS, she's dead. Not breathing. No more. A massive mistake by TPTB (just like Pat) but unfortunately one that can't be undone. All these scenarios are mildly amusing to read (some imaginations out there!) but if EE wants to maintain it's credibility it will never happen. |
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#23 |
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Inactive Member
Join Date: Jun 2014
Posts: 82
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Quote:
I like how people assume Gillian Taylforth is desperate to get back for a long stint in Eastenders.
Especially as she seems to be happy taring in different roles then moving on, if she really really wanted to go back I am sure the producers would have made it happen a long time ago but aside from the fact her character died, there's nothing to suggest she'd want to or needs to go back permanently. |
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#24 |
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Join Date: Nov 2012
Posts: 2,547
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She can't, she's dead
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#25 |
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Join Date: Feb 2014
Location: The Sixth Circle of Hell
Posts: 20,236
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'She's not pinin'! She's passed on! This Beale is no more! She has ceased to be! She's expired and gone to meet 'er maker! She's a stiff! Bereft of life, she rests in peace! If you hadn't nailed 'er to the perch she'd be pushing up the daisies! 'Er metabolic processes are now 'istory! She's off the twig! Shes kicked the bucket, she's shuffled off 'er mortal coil, run down the curtain and joined the bleedin' choir invisible!!
THIS IS AN EX-BEALE!! ![]() ![]()
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