User:Bluebolt94/Belinda Peacock

Belinda Peacock is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders, portrayed by Carli Norris. The character was originally played by Leanne Lakey from 2001 to 2003. Belinda is the sister of Kat Slater (Jessie Wallace), Lynne Hobbs (Elaine Lordan), Little Mo Slater (Kacey Ainsworth) and daughter of Viv (April Martin and Natasya Rush) and Charlie Slater (Derek Martin). She is the second youngest of the girls, being older than Little Mo and younger than Kat according to her introductory episode. Belinda rejected her working class roots and likes to think she is superior to her sisters, but is not as classy as she makes out. Lakey made her last appearance as Belinda on 25 December 2003.

Casting and Development
Belinda returned for a guest stint between 11 and 21 January 2016, portrayed by Norris. Of her casting, Norris commented, "Becoming one of the Slaters is an absolute dream, especially to be part of such a big and important storyline. It's brilliant to be working with Shane and Jessie". Norris returned to the series, with Belinda appearing more regularly from 14 April 2016. Seven months later, on 11 November 2016, Belinda made a previously unannounced departure from the show. Norris thanked her fans and added that she "loved" the role and hoped "to be back one day".

Storylines
Belinda is married to Neville Peacock (Gary Webster) who is wealthy and Belinda frequently brags about this to her sisters. She wears a blonde wig and speaks in an exaggerated accent, but reveals her true self at Lynne's hen night under the influence of alcohol. Belinda usually turns up in Albert Square when she is having marriage problems. She has brief flings with Jamie Mitchell (Jack Ryder) and her brother-in-law Garry Hobbs (Ricky Groves).

Although Belinda resides in Kent, within driving distance of Walford, she makes great use of her villa in Lanzarote. She often holidays there and her grandmother Mo Harris (Laila Morse) frequently visits, although Belinda often lets down her father Charlie. Belinda is mentioned 2008 when she promises Charlie that she is returning to spend some time with him, only then to cancel, leaving Charlie very upset. Belinda also makes a small cameo appearance in the DVD spin-off Slaters in Detention, where she is arrested after Charlie says she is the only normal daughter he has, but sees Belinda at the station and withdraws the remark. She is mentioned in December 2012 by her sister, Kat, when Mo and Jean Slater (Gillian Wright) take Kat's son Tommy Moon to visit her, and in February 2014 when Kat tells her husband Alfie Moon (Shane Richie) that she was with Belinda while she was actually trying to track down Stacey Branning (Lacey Turner).

Belinda returns in January 2016 after Charlie dies of a heart attack, and accuses Kat of killing him as she was arguing with him when he died. An explosive argument then ensues between Belinda and Kat over Charlie and Mo, which leads to Kat revealing that she had another son when she gave birth to Zoe, and that Mo knew about him. Belinda believes that Kat is just making excuses and leaves with Mo. Belinda returns later in January for Charlie's funeral, and eventually manages to make amends with Kat. However, when she makes a thoughtless comment about Stacey, who is suffering from postpartum psychosis, Kat throws a drink over Belinda and then storms off. Belinda catches up with her, and recalls the time when she, Viv, Little Mo and Zoe visited Ireland and saw Viv visit a couple with a boy; Kat realises that that was in fact her son. When Stacey is discharged from the mother and baby unit, she arranges a family lunch and invites Belinda, Jean and Jean's new husband Ollie Walters (Tony O'Callaghan). Belinda learns that her cousin Kyle Slater (Riley Carter Millington) is transgender and when Jean is convinced Kyle is lying, Belinda encourages Stacey to stand up to her. Belinda then tells Stacey and Martin they will have to move out as Kat and Alfie promised to pay their rent for a year, which has now ended.

Belinda visits Stacey and Buster Briggs' (Karl Howman) realises she is wealthy. He gets her address by offering a fish delivery and later goes with his grandson Lee Carter (Danny-Boy Hatchard) to her house to steal her koi carp. Lee tells his father Mick Carter (Danny Dyer) where they are, so Mick stops them and returns the fish as Belinda returns home and sees him through her window. The next day, Belinda visits the Carters and invites Mick and his wife Linda Carter (Kellie Bright) to her house for dinner; when they get there, Neville makes it clear to Mick that the couple are into swinging and will not allow Mick to refuse because they have CCTV footage of him in their garden. Mick tells Linda this, so she confronts Neville, accusing him of not having real intimacy in his relationship and wanting power over women. Belinda realises this is true so leaves with Mick and Linda, revealing Neville's CCTV cameras are fake. Neville follows them to Walford, where Belinda ends their relationship because she does not feel loved. He insults her and Mick punches him, forcing him to leave. Belinda then moves in with Stacey, Martin and Kyle. Neville gives Belinda £50,000 as a divorce settlement and she uses the money to open a beauty salon.

In August 2016, Belinda flirts with Grant Mitchell (Ross Kemp), much to the annoyance of his daughter Courtney Mitchell (Alice Nokes). They meet again and they later head to Belinda's flat to have sex, but are interrupted by her family. Stacey later discovers that Belinda's new beauty business, Elysium, is severely struggling financially after all of Neville's money was used to set it up. Due to Belinda's money being relied on to pay the rent monthly, Stacey's husband Martin Fowler (James Bye) rages at Belinda, ordering her to find the money. Belinda resorts to attempting to prostitute herself to wealthier men, however after joining forces with Lauren Branning (Jacqueline Jossa) to help her reduce costs and advertise through social media, Belinda eventually manages to find the rent money. Belinda begins a relationship with Masood Ahmed (Nitin Ganatra), although he initially fears she is after his money and they have sex. However the relationship doesn't last when Belinda asks Masood to call his ex wife Zainab Masood (Nina Wadia) who is in the process of a divorce. Belinda finds an old card from her schoolfriend Maggie who has recently been through a divorce and contacts her. They both come to a conclusion they should start a new life with their newfound freedom by travelling around Italy and they both leave Walford together.