| Kate Mitchell | |||||||
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| EastEnders character | |||||||
| Portrayed by | Jill Halfpenny | ||||||
| Introduced by | Louise Berridge | ||||||
| Duration | 2002–05 | ||||||
| First appearance | 24 December 2002 | ||||||
| Last appearance | 7 January 2005 | ||||||
| Classification | Former; regular | ||||||
| Profile | |||||||
| Alias | Kate Morton (Maiden name) Kate Tyler (Code name) |
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| Date of birth | 1972 | ||||||
| Occupation | Police officer (until 2003) | ||||||
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Kate Mitchell (née Morton) is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders, played by Jill Halfpenny.
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Kate meets Phil Mitchell (Steve McFadden) in hospital where he visits his godson, Jamie Mitchell (Jack Ryder), who is dying from injuries sustained in a road accident. When Jamie dies, Kate supports Phil, and they begin a relationship. As an undercover policewoman, she says her full name is Kate Tyler and she is a nail technician. Kate helps her boss Jill Marsden (Sophie Stanton) and DI Dominic Price (Paul Brennen) set up the honey-trap on Phil to get a confession after rumours that he murdered his former wife, Lisa Fowler (Lucy Benjamin) surface but it does not work when Kate falls in love with Phil, so Marsden fires her.[1] Despite initial anger, he forgives her and she sets up a nail salon called SophistiKate's. Phil proposes to Kate and she accepts.
On their wedding day, her alcoholic father, Geoff (Maurice Roëves), is an unwelcome presence; he openly dislikes Phil, but they make up for Kate's sake. Kate demands to see her daughter, Louise (Rachel Cox), and they come to an agreement regarding access. Lisa, however, is unhappy with this and aided by Den Watts (Leslie Grantham), who frames Phil for attempted robbery and assault, reclaims her daughter and leaves Walford. Disgusted, Kate ends their marriage.
Kate takes on a new work partner, Den's wife Chrissie Watts (Tracy Ann Oberman), a hairdresser. Kate and Den begin an affair, and when Chrissie finds out, she hacks off Kate's hair before confronting her. However, they later become friends again and continue to work together. After her father's suicide, Kate is offered the opportunity to rejoin the police force in Brighton. She takes the offer, closes the salon, and leaves Walford.
It was announced on 6 October 2004 that Halfpenny had been axed by new executive producer Kathleen Hutchison. Halfpenny is said to be "devastated" by this news. A BBC spo0kewoman told The Mirror: "Jill's contract has come to an end but that is no reflection on her as an actress, producers just felt there was nowhere left for the character to go. She won't be killed off and the door will be left open for her to return."[2]
Jo Atkison from Western Mail talked about the Kate/Phil/Marsden storyline saying, "Betrayal with a capital B is the order of the day in the Square this week. It's the cop Kate plot I'm interestedin. To shop or not to shop is a dilemma that Kate finds hard to cope with as she waits for the confession that will nail Phil for good".[3]
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