“EastEnders has confirmed that Penny Branning is expecting, with actress Kitty Castledine revealing that her character feels ‘scared’ about the pregnancy storyline.”
EastEnders has delivered a major twist for Penny Branning as she learns she is expecting her first child with boyfriend Vinny Panesar.
The BBC One soap unveiled the shocking news following Jack Branning’s (Scott Maslen) family Sunday roast, hosted with his partner Denise Fox (Diane Parish) and his brother Max (Jake Wood).
The gathering quickly spiraled into chaos when Jack spotted a pregnancy test among the shopping. At first, he assumed it belonged to Chelsea Fox (Zaraah Abrahams), but his suspicions soon turned to teen parents Lily Slater (Lillia Turner) and Ricky (Frankie Day) after noticing their odd behavior.
Just as Jack was about to question his teenage daughter Amy Mitchell (Ellie Dadd) about a possible pregnancy, Penny (Kitty Castledine) shyly admitted that the test was hers. Despite initially denying she was expecting, Jack confirmed the test was positive and reprimanded Penny for not telling the truth.
Kitty Castledine has played Penny on the BBC One soap since January 2024. Talking about her character’s shocking revelation, the actress admitted that Penny feels “scared” about the result of the pregnancy test, reports OK!.
She explained: “The thought of potentially becoming a young mum with a disability is overwhelming and difficult to process. She experiences waves of emotion, much like many new mums do when faced with an unexpected pregnancy.
“As she begins to open up to others, she realises she has people around her who can support her. She also wants time to reflect, understand her true feelings, and decide what steps to take next.”
Kitty further confirmed Penny’s wish to keep the news under wraps, saying, “She wants to bury her head in the sand and avoid confronting the reality of a possible pregnancy.”
“The thought of not only being a young mum but also a young mum with a disability is something she isn’t ready to face. She’s very independent and would only rely on someone if absolutely necessary. It brings up emotions she wasn’t prepared to deal with.”
Jack Branning has always had a complicated relationship with his eldest daughter, Penny, who spent most of her life in France with her mother, Selina. She was left permanently paralysed after a revenge attack targeted Jack—who had accepted money from a drug lord for inside information—and hit both her and Selina.
The incident left Penny with a spinal cord injury, paralyzing her from the waist down, and she now uses a wheelchair.
Kitty Castledine’s personal health journey
Off-screen, 24-year-old Kitty also uses a wheelchair due to a life-changing condition she developed in childhood.
The actress was just seven when she experienced a medical emergency that led to her hospitalisation and a diagnosis of transverse myelitis. This rare and serious condition affects the central nervous system, with roughly 300 people in the UK diagnosed each year.
As a result of her immune system attacking her spinal cord, Kitty now relies on a wheelchair.
Kitty’s mother, Lucy Alexander, known for her work on Homes Under the Hammer, previously spoke about her daughter’s diagnosis on the White Wine Question Time podcast back in 2019.
Reflecting on how her daughter’s condition has shaped their lives, Lucy explained: “It’s been transformative for us as a family and for her. It’s incredible to watch a child—she’s a young woman now—adapt and take control of her life,” reports The Express.
She continued, “Even now, every day takes my breath away when I see her wheeling herself up to me. It’s tough, really tough. It makes you more selfless, it gives you strength, and things that used to bother me just don’t matter anymore. I can connect with people who are grieving or sad in ways I couldn’t before. My relationships are deeper.”
Kitty’s famous family
Kitty comes from a well-known television family. Her mother, Lucy Alexander, is a familiar face on beloved daytime shows like A Place in the Sun and Homes Under the Hammer.
Her father, former Premier League footballer Stewart Castledine, played for Wimbledon for nine years and also appeared for Wycombe in the second tier. Stewart has also been on TV, presenting shows including BBC One’s Big Strong Boys and Houses Behaving Badly.
Stewart and Lucy reportedly tied the knot in 2000 in Richmond, London, after being introduced by a mutual friend.
The couple have two children: Kitty and their son Leo Castledine, 20, who is also a footballer and currently plays for Middlesbrough.
Before joining Middlesbrough, Leo spent time on loan at Huddersfield Town from Premier League club Chelsea and has represented England at the U19 level five times.
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