User:Bluebolt94/Kirsty Branning

Kirsty Branning is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders, played by Kierston Wareing. Kirsty is the third wife of Max Branning (Jake Wood) and the secret that Max has withheld from his former wife and current fiancée Tanya Cross (Jo Joyner) for several months. Kirsty's storylines include faking a pregnancy to stop Max leaving her, and her ex-fiancé Carl White (Daniel Coonan) trying to end her relationship with Max. In September 2013, it was announced that the character has been axed, and will depart in the New Year.

Storylines
Kirsty unexpectedly arrives at Max's home on Christmas Day after his brother Derek Branning (Jamie Foreman) informs her of where he lives. Tanya answers the door and Kirsty introduces herself as Max's wife, moments before Max and Tanya are going to remarry. It is revealed that Max met Kirsty in 2011 after his split from Tanya, when he was living with Derek. Kirsty was working as an erotic dancer and was introduced to Max through Derek. They were both at a low ebb and Kirsty fell in love with Max, and they married. They planned to move to Manchester together but Max returned to Walford after hearing there was trouble there. Max learnt of Tanya's cancer and stood by her, and left Kirsty behind. Unknown to Max, Kirsty was pregnant with his child. Derek stayed in contact with Kirsty, and Max sent money so she could divorce him. Derek did not give Kirsty the last payment, but lied to Max that Kirsty had signed divorce papers. Derek told Kirsty that Max did not want the child and she terminated the pregnancy. After this is revealed, a huge argument ensues after which Derek suffers a massive heart attack and dies. Kirsty stays in Walford and gets a job at the local pub, The Queen Victoria. On the day of Derek's funeral, Max and Derek's sister Carol Jackson (Lindsey Coulson) tells Kirsty that if she cannot find proof that Max loves her, then she must leave. When Kirsty meets Max, they argue but end up kissing passionately. Kirsty then attends the funeral, upsetting Tanya as Max has told her that Kirsty has left Walford. Tanya pays Kirsty to leave, but she does not go, so Tanya allows Kirsty to come to a family dinner to see what Max has with her. Kirsty revels in the fact that there are family problems. When Max's daughter Lauren Branning (Jacqueline Jossa) is upset, Kirsty takes the opportunity to bond with her, upsetting Tanya. Kirsty gives Lauren the keys to her room at the B&B. Max finds the keys and pockets them. Tanya finds them and assumes Max is still involved with Kirsty, so she goes to Kirsty's room and starts packing her belongings. Kirsty catches her, so Tanya tells Kirsty to leave, giving her the divorce papers to sign but Kirsty writes "never" on them. Lauren visits Kirsty and tells her to leave as Max will always want Tanya. Later, Kat Moon (Jessie Wallace) urges Kirsty to move on from Max, and as she realises how much she is hurting Max by staying, she signs the divorce papers. She tells Max she is leaving Walford. Tanya realises that Max still has feelings for Kirsty and ejects him from their home as Kirsty leaves Walford. Kirsty returns her wedding ring through the post. Max finds her staying with her ex-boyfriend Carl White's (Daniel Coonan) brother, Adam White (Ben Wigzell), who is abusive towards her. After Adam beats Max up, Kirsty and Max reconcile with a passionate kiss in Max's car. She returns to Walford and lives with Max in the B&B.

Kirsty is angry when Max continues to say he has a special connection with Tanya because they have children. Kirsty tells Max she is pregnant, and Max says he is not ready to have a child with her. They agree that she will have an abortion, but she confides in Kat that she is not really pregnant, and Max then asks Kirsty to not abort the pregnancy. Kirsty then hopes she will get pregnant, and announces to her neighbours in the pub that she is pregnant. Max then finds himself and Kirsty their own home. Kirsty worries when people ask questions about her pregnancy, and Kat urges her to tell Max the truth. Adam starts calling Kirsty, as Carl is due to be released from prison. Kirsty worries that they will track her down. She cancels a pregnancy scan appointment but lies to Max that the hospital cancelled it. Max takes her anyway and Kirsty suffers a panic attack, so she does not have a scan. Kirsty is stunned to see that Carl has arrived in Walford. She tells him she is married and pregnant, and that he should leave. However, Carl insists he will win Kirsty back. Eventually Kirsty thinks she may be pregnant, so takes a pregnancy test but bins it when Max arrives. They argue about Carl and the bin is knocked over, so Max finds the test. She admits that she was never pregnant, so Max returns to Tanya, as he was only with Kirsty because of the pregnancy. Tanya, however, refuses to take him back, and leaves Walford. Max moves into his old house. While Max is away from Walford, Kirsty and Carl visit Carl's mother, Nora White (Lynn Farleigh), because she does not know they have split up. On Max's return, Carl lets Max think he is now with Kirsty. Max tells Kirsty he could not stop thinking about her while he was away, so she suggests that they meet later, and if Max does not arrive then their relationship is over fod good. Carl discovers this, so makes sure Max is busy at work and visits Kirsty at the time Max was meant to be there. The next day, Carl implies to Max that he and Kirsty had sex. Max tells people about this. She is angered by what both Max and Carl have done and rejects them both. When she confronts Max again, they passionately kiss, but are interrupted by Lauren, who has been in a rehabilitation clinic. Kirsty then puts the relationship on hold for Lauren's sake. However, Lauren convinces them to reunite, as Max is lovesick. Carl continues to interfere in Kirsty and Max's marriage, and when Max is arrested for cutting the brakes of Carl's car, he ends his relationship with Kirsty and says he is guilty. Kirsty does not believe him, and suspects Carl forced Max into this position. In desperation for money, Kirsty has sex with Carl, and then steals £1000 from him. Max is then acquitted of the crime and reunites with Kirsty. However, Carl then tells Max that he had sex with Kirsty while he was in prison, and this leads to Max ending his relationship with her.

Casting
Wareing knew about the part of Kirsty in April 2012, and discovered she had the part in August at a meeting with executive producer Lorraine Newman and series consultant Simon Ashdown, who offered her the role. She started filming at the end of October, knowing her first episode would be on Christmas Day. She described her first scene as "really weird", "surreal" and "bizarre" because she had grown up watching EastEnders. The character was kept a secret, with no announcement being made, and the only people Wareing told she had the part were her father and brother. She found it more difficult over time to keep the secret, as for her, it was "exciting and nerve-wracking" and she wanted to share her news. She had to tell people who saw her arriving at BBC Elstree Studios that she was temping in the office or playing a background role.

Personality
Wareing said in an interview released after her first episode was broadcast, that she loves playing Kirsty, saying "there are a lot of places she can go, I feel." She said that Kirsty has "a lot of sides to her", meaning there are a lot of directions in which the character could be taken. She said that as not much is known about the character, "there is potential for a lot to come out about her." At first she thought Kirsty was "a bitch", but felt that eventually people may need another side to her and sympathise with her. She added that Kirsty is "far from boring". An official statement said "Kirsty is set to cause trouble for Max and Tanya. Will Max and Tanya's relationship survive, and will Kirsty want to give up her husband? One thing's for sure, Kirsty is fiery, flirty and does what she wants."