BBC Share Add as preferred source on Google Add as preferred source on Google By Claire Crick 25 Feb 2026, 15:02 By Claire Crick 25 Feb 2026, 15:02 Who is Penny Branning's mum in EastEnders? Everything you need to know Selina is Jack's ex-wife... Jack Branning Penny Branning Share Add as preferred source on Google Add as preferred source on Google By Claire Crick 25 Feb 2026, 15:02 By Claire Crick 25 Feb 2026, 15:02 EastEnders favourite Penny Branning is facing a huge life change after discovering she’s pregnant, but while she considers her future, fans want to know more about the character, like who Penny Branning’s mum is. Fans of the soap will know that Penny returned to Albert Square back in 2024. Since then, she has become known for her quick one-liners and no-nonsense attitude. However, who plays the character now? Why is Penny in a wheelchair? And how is Jack responsible? Here is everything you need to know about Penny Branning… Penny and Vinny are facing huge life changes (Credit: BBC) Who plays Penny Branning in EastEnders? Penny Branning first arrived in Walford in 2008, when she was played by Seven Dials and Tracy Beaker Returns actress Mia McKenna-Bruce. She was initially a recurring character. Article continues below Read all the latest spoilers In November 2023, it was announced that the role would be recast. Penny returned to Walford in early 2024, this time played by The Break star 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.”Don't miss a single story! Add us as a Preferred Source in Google for all your EastEnders newsIt's important to us that you never miss our articles when searching for stories! We have all the latest TV news & schedules to share with our community of loyal readers. Click here and tick TVGuide.co.uk to ensure you see stories from us first in Google Search. However, Kitty isn’t the only famous face in her family. In fact, her whole family is well-known. Her mum, Lucy Alexander, is known for presenting shows like A Place in the Sun and Homes Under the Hammer. Kitty’s dad is the ex-Premier League footballer, Stewart Castledine. And her brother is a professional footballer for Championship club Middlesbrough. Mia McKenna-Bruce as Penny Branning (Credit: BBC) 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 and she has been in a wheelchair ever since. The guilt was too much for Jack to handle, which resulted in his estranged relationship with his daughter when she was younger. Selina Branning is Penny Branning’s mum in EastEnders (Credit: BBC) Who is Penny Branning’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. She appeared in just 5 episodes. Where is Penny Branning’s mum in EastEnders now? Following Penny’s hit-and-run, she and her mother lived in France for many years before Penny returned to Walford. Selina is currently still living in France. Although she is mentioned on screen from time to time, there are no current plans to bring her back. Penny has been in a wheelchair since she was young (Credit: BBC) Is the actress who plays Penny in EastEnders disabled? 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. While appearing on the podcast White Wine Question Time in 2019, Kitty’s mum, Lucy, revealed her daughter’s condition changed her life. She said: “It’s been the making of us as a family and of her. It’s really phenomenal how I’ve watched a kid – she’s a young woman now – change her life and turn it around.” Read more: Who’s leaving, joining and returning to EastEnders? Complete list of cast exits, arrivals and returns. Share Add as preferred source on Google Add as preferred source on Google Good to Know Share Add as preferred source on Google Add as preferred source on Google By Claire Crick 25 Feb 2026, 15:02 By Claire Crick 25 Feb 2026, 15:02 Previous Story Next Story
