Everything you need to know about Penny Branning...

Who plays Penny Branning in EastEnders? Penny Branning first arrived in Walford in 2008, when she was played by Mia McKenna-Bruce. She was initially a recurring...
Claire Crick
By Claire Crick

Who plays Penny Branning in EastEnders?

Penny Branning first arrived in Walford in 2008, when she was played by Mia McKenna-Bruce. She was initially a recurring character.

In November 2023, it was announced that the role would be recast. Penny returned to Walford in early 2024, this time played by Kitty Castledine.

Executive producer Chris Clenshaw said: “It’s been a long time since Penny Branning was in Walford. She’s a very different person from the one our viewers might remember.”

Kitty was thrilled to join the cast: “My whole family are EastEnders fans and the inclusion of disabled talent on screen is so important to me as a wheelchair user. I’m thrilled to be playing someone as fiesty and cool as Penny.

What happened to Jack’s daughter, Penny?

Jack’s job in the police is sadly the reason behind his daughter being in a wheelchair.

Back in 2006, Jack caught a drug dealer who deliberately hit Penny with his car while she was waiting for a bus with her mum, Selina. The injuries were so great that Penny’s spine was severed.

Who is Penny’s mum in EastEnders?

Penny’s mum is Jack’s ex-wife, Selina Branning, played by Daisy Beaumont. She made her first appearance on the soap on 21 January 2008 and was last seen on screen on 14 April 2008.

Following Penny’s hit-and-run, she and her mother lived in France for many years before Penny returned to Walford.

Is Penny disabled in real life in EastEnders?

Yes, when she was seven years old, Kitty was diagnosed with a rare, acute inflammatory disorder of the spinal cord called transverse myelitis, which left her paralysed.

As a wheelchair user, Kitty is passionate about showing more disabled characters on screen, but not to solely focus on the disability.