Tanya Branning
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
 |
This television-related article or section describes an aspect of the series in a primarily in-universe style. Please rewrite this article or section to explain the fiction more clearly and provide non-fictional perspective. |
| EastEnders character | ||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 |
||||||||||||||
| Tanya Branning | ||||||||||||||
| Portrayed by | Jo Joyner | |||||||||||||
| Duration | 2006— | |||||||||||||
| First appearance | 27 June 2006 | |||||||||||||
| Profile | ||||||||||||||
| Date of birth | 20 February 1975 | |||||||||||||
| Status | Separated | |||||||||||||
| Home | 5 Albert Square | |||||||||||||
| Occupation | Businesswoman | |||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||||
Tanya Branning (née Cross) is a fictional character in the popular BBC soap opera EastEnders. She is played by Jo Joyner.[1] She made her first appearance on 27 June 2006.
Contents |
[edit] Development
 |
Please help improve this section by expanding it. Further information might be found on the talk page or at requests for expansion. |
In early reports of the character's arrival, her name was spelt Tania. This was later changed on the official BBC website.[2][3][4] She originally turned down the role of Tanya as she had doubts over her acting ability.[5]
During the Stacey and Max affair storyline, Jo Joyner did not read any other parts of the EastEnders scripts apart from her own. This was because she felt her acting improved by not knowing what the character of Max did behind her character's back.[4]
[edit] Background
Tanya came from a harsh family and lived on a rough council estate with her sister Rainie, and her parents, from whom she later became estranged.
When she was just eighteen, she started having an affair with Max, who was at that time married to Rachel. She fell pregnant with Lauren and married Max in a shotgun wedding.
[edit] Storylines
Tanya arrived in Albert Square to collect her husband after his car broke down, unaware that he was visiting his family in Walford. She stayed in the Square, despite finding out that Max was having an affair with a woman called Gemma Clewes. To try and make it up to her, Max brought Tanya her own salon, which she had always dreamed of owning. The day before the salon, Booty opened, Max's ex-wife Rachel turned up in a bid to persuade her son Bradley to move back home with her. She wanted revenge on Max for hurting her many years ago when he left her and Bradley for Tanya, so she attacked Tanya at the opening of her salon and tried to kiss Max. Sean Slater soon tried to kiss Tanya at her house but she warned him to stay away from her and her family.
Tanya was unaware that Max had started an affair with Stacey Slater in December 2006, but she began to grow suspicious of his strange behavior. At Peggy Mitchell's birthday party, Tanya got slightly drunk, and ended up getting into a fight with Stacey, until Max and Sean broke them up. In the pub toilets, Sean kissed Tanya until Tanya stopped it, thinking of her marriage. Max broke off his affair with Stacey and temporarily relocated his family to Spain. During their absence, Stacey and Bradley became engaged, and Tanya was delighted to welcome Stacey into the family. In August 2007, Tanya received a visit from her sister Rainie, a drug addict who claimed that she was clean now. Tanya gave her a choice between taking some money that Tanya had withdrawn from the bank earlier that day or staying and getting help for her addiction. Rainie waited until Tanya was distracted to take the money and leave. Sean later uncovered Max and Stacey's affair when he saw them together but did not tell Tanya as he did not want to hurt her. He asked her to leave Walford with him, and Tanya said if she was not married then she might.
In December 2007, Tanya gave birth to a baby boy, Oscar, which Max delivered. Relations between them temporarily improved, until on Christmas Day, Bradley and Stacey's wedding video was played, and the Slaters and Brannings saw footage of Max kissing Stacey. Tanya was horrified and decided to leave with Lauren, Abi and Oscar. Max begged her to stay, claiming the affair only lasted a short time. Tanya eventually decided she would stay because of the children, but decided Max was the one who should leave. After a struggle on the stairs Tanya slipped and hit her head, she soon got up and told Max to leave which he then did. In January 2008, Rainie returned, saying she had given up drugs, and returned Tanya's money. Max called Social Services and Rainie was told to take a drugs test, which revealed that she was taking cannabis. Tanya asked her to leave for Lauren, Abi and Oscar's sake. Around February, Tanya began a full relationship with Sean, which initially she kept hidden from her children. Max and Tanya's divorce hearing took place on Valentine's day 2008. Abi had burnt the original copy of the implicating DVD and Tanya's solicitor's assistant stole a back-up copy of the DVD after being paid by Max.
In late February, Abi invited Max to Tanya's birthday. He was jealous of her flirting with Sean, and spiked her drink, causing her to inadvertently reveal her new relationship to her children. Max took the children home with him, and refused to allow Tanya to reclaim them, intent on turning them against her.In March, Tanya started an elaborate plot with Sean to get revenge on Max. She accepted Max back into the family home on the proviso that he sign everything over to her so that if he were to cheat again, she and the children would not be left penniless. Max thought they were back together as a couple, but Tanya had no intention of a reunion. She planned to take everything Max has got and then leave him for good. She prepared a meal for Max, spiking his wine with crushed pills. When he collapsed, she and Sean took him in a van to some deserted woodland, where Sean had dug a hole and placed a coffin in it. They put Max in the coffin and left him, seemingly to die. However, Tanya later felt guilty and returned to dig Max up. He attacked her, but she fought off his advances. He asked her why she had come back, and she broke down. He broke down with her, and decided to leave to avoid her any more pain. Tanya tthen ended her relationship with Sean, admitting that she had been using him all along.
She formed a friendship with her brother in law, Jack Branning. Sean noticing the attraction between Tanya and Jack, warned Tanya that he would kill any man she grew close to. Tanya was unsettled but this did not stop her having lunch with Jack. When Lauren and Abi pressed her to dance with Jack, she did so but drew back because of the chemistry. Tanya was then persued by an irate Sean who broke into her house when she refused him entry. Tanya reasoned with Sean and told him he needed to find someone else to save him because she couldn't. He eventually accepted this and left. Jack backed off and Tanya was confused by his coldness until she learnt Dot had warned him off. She reassured Jack he could continue to visit her and the girls. Jack came to see Tanya, admitting he refused to go to Ibiza with Ronnie on her account. She was horrified when he tried to kiss her and threw him out. Seeing Abi watching a video of Max, she assured Abi she didn't mind Abi missing her dad. After talking to Jane, Tanya tracked Jack down only to witness Maggie comming on to him. Displeased, she said he was as bad as Max but she eventually changed her mind. She went to Jack's flat and apologised for comparing him to his brother. They kissed passionately and ended up sleeping together.
[edit] Reception
Joyner won the 'Best Actress' award at the Digital Spy Soap Awards in 2008 for the part of Tanya and also went on to win 'Best Dramatic Performance' at the British Soap Awards 2008 and made the final four in the 'Best Actress' category. [6]
Over 11.4 million viewers tuned in to watch Tanya bury Max which prompted 167 viewer complaints, citing the inappropriate nature of the scenes, which aired prior to the 9.00 pm watershed. The BBC responded with the statement: "Whilst we appreciate that these episodes were dramatic, they were carefully filmed and edited in order that Max's ordeal was in the main implicit, rather than explicit, whilst still retaining their powerfulness. It's also important to note that Max made it out alive after Tanya realised she couldn't go through with her plan to leave him for dead. The burial is in no way glamorised or glorified, rather we see that when pushed to the edge, Tanya's behaviour becomes out of character, and indeed that it's Tanya herself who ultimately suffers because of her actions. Once again we are sorry that you did not enjoy these episodes."[7]
To date, the episodes have received over 600 complaints. [8]
[edit] References
- ^ "Additions to the Branning clan", bbc.co.uk. URL last accessed 2007-02-26
- ^ "EXCLUSIVE: NO ANGEL JO OFF TO ALBERT SQ", The Mirror. URL last accessed 2007-02-26
- ^ "[1].
- ^ a b Joyner, Jo. Interview with Richard Madeley and Judy Finnigan. Richard & Judy. 2007-02-26.
- ^ "'EastEnders' star Joyner turned down role", Digital Spy. URL last accessed 2008-02-11.
- ^ "Digital Spy Soap Awards 2008: Jo Joyner", Digital Spy, 2008-03-21. Retrieved on 2008-03-21.
- ^ John Plunkett. "BBC says sorry to EastEnders viewers", The Guardian, 2008-03-25. Retrieved on 2008-03-25.
- ^ "BBC defends soap burial storyline", BBC News, 2008-03-26. Retrieved on 2008-03-26.
[edit] External links
|
|||||
