EASTENDERS has shocked the nation after baby-faced 12-year-old Lily Slater announced she was expecting a child – in one of the UK’s youngest-ever soap pregnancies.
But Lacey Turner, who plays Lily’s mum Stacey, says she would support her own daughter Dusty every step of the way if she found herself in the same position.
Lacey Turner, who plays mum Stacey, says she would support her own daughter every step of the way if she fell pregnant
Lacey as Stacey Slater with Lillia Turner as her pregnant pre-teenage daughter Lily
In an exclusive interview with HOAR on Sunday, Lacey, 34 — who shares three-year-old Dusty and two-year-old son Trilby with her husband of six years Matt Kay, also 34 — says she hopes her daughter would feel comfortable confiding in her.
She said: “I hope that if Dusty did come home I would be able to explain to her how difficult at times it can be as a parent and give her all the tools and the knowledge she would possibly need. Hopefully she would make the right decision for her, whatever that would be.”
She added: “Having a no-secrets relationship with your child is really important. We are just telling people that you can speak to someone, whether it is your parent, grandparent, a cousin, anyone you can speak to about it, so it highlights being open and honest. I can’t imagine that is an easy thing to say.”
However, Lacey admitted she was shocked when EastEnders producers Kate Oates and Chris Clenshaw first told her about the pregnancy storyline involving Lily — played by 13-year-old Lillia Turner.
Lily is expecting the baby with Ricky Mitchell Jr, also 12, after losing her virginity to him late last year.
Stigma attached
But after initially vowing to have an abortion, Lily decided to keep the baby, with Ricky saying he would save his pocket money to help towards childcare costs.
Lacey said: “I think initially my reaction was the same as most people’s — ‘Wow, that is young’ — but having done research, it happens.
Lacey also revealed how Barbara Windsor is still a huge part of the show – Lacey with Albert Square legend Dame Barbara, who died in 2020
Lacey soon after making her 2004 screen debut as rebel Stacey Slater
“A lovely lady sent us a message to say she was in hospital and the girl opposite her was 12 and had just given birth. She wanted to thank us for highlighting the story and portraying what happens in real life.”
But Lacey, whose screen character is mum to Lily, Arthur and Hope, added: “I was just pleased Stacey wasn’t pregnant because with two kids at home and three at work, you don’t really want any more.”
She continued: “We tell stories that there is stigma attached to, including mental health and HIV, and over the years we’ve given those storylines a voice which allows the nation to talk about it.
“I know with Stacey and my screen mum Jean Slater’s bipolar that it has really helped and educated a lot of people. It is nice when you get a storyline you know people can relate to and there will be someone out there that might need to watch it to give them the confidence to go ahead and delve into it themselves.”
Lacey burst into Walford as mouthy rebel Stacey in 2004 aged 15.
Now her character is highlighting the cost of living crisis which has seen Stacey, who runs hot dog stall Stacey’s Baps, take drastic measures to feed her kids — including stealing cash while on a cleaning job with her mum.
Lacey said: “I have wanted to play a storyline about a family struggling for money for ages and it has come at a time when sadly a lot of people are going through the same thing.”
She revealed how her parents Bev and Les worked around the clock to provide for her and younger sisters Daisy, 32, and Lily, 21, and keep a roof over their head — with her bedroom window overlooking part of Albert Square at Elstree Studios in Hertfordshire. She said:
“Growing up, we never went without. We lived a lovely life but my mum had two jobs, my nan always had two or three jobs.
“When you are in someone’s living room four nights a week you want them to go, ‘Oh my God, that is how I feel!’
“If you get that, you have achieved what you wanted to.”
Lacey said she gets stopped in the street by people who empathise with Stacey, and she added: “Walking around the supermarket, walking down the street, people are saying, ‘Thanks for telling the story, you are telling it really well!’ That is all you want when you do this job, someone from the real world to say, ‘Good job’. That is the best feedback you can get.”
Away from her EastEnders work, Lacey is training for the London Marathon to raise money for Alzheimer’s Research UK in memory of the late Dame Barbara Windsor, who died aged 83 after seven years with dementia.
Lacey revealed how Barbara — who played Peggy Mitchell in the soap and attended her wedding to Matt in Ibiza in 2017 — is still a huge presence on the show’s set.
She said: “When you are in the Vic you can hear her behind the bar — her little feet. She is very much still alive on EastEnders on our screen.”
Lacey is training alongside EastEnders co-stars Jake Wood (Max Branning) and Tanya Franks (Rainie Cross), along with Barbara’s widower Scott Mitchell.
He has raised thousands for Alzheimer’s since Carry On legend Barbara died peacefully in a London care home in December 2020, with Scott — 26 years her junior — by her side.
Lacey said: “I have never run in my life. The most I have done is run a bath, so this is a bit of a shock for my body. But I’ve really surprised myself because if somebody had told me to run a mile I’d have laughed in their face. I am up to 13.1 miles and I can’t quite believe it but it is so amazing.
“And Scott has done such an amazing job at keeping Barbara’s legacy going and raising money for Alzheimer’s Research UK.”
- Babs’ Army – run by Scott, who is taking on his third marathon – is hoping to raise £50,000 for Alzheimer’s Research UK. Donations can be made via a link in the Instagram page @BabsArmy.
Stacey in a tense moment with Phil Mitchell, played by Steve McFadden, in 2019
Lacey Turner has been married to Matt Kay for six years
