ABI’S DARK SECRET IS OUT

EastEnders star Lorna Fitzgerald on the shocking baby revelation that’ll spell the end for her character

Poor Lauren Branning. Her fiancé Steven is barely cold in his grave when this week she finds out her younger sister is having his baby. Oh yes, Abi Branning’s pregnancy – the bombshell viewers have been waiting to explode – will finally be out in the open.

Pain, jealousy and pure hatred are behind Abi’s decision to tell all, says Lorna Fitzgerald who plays the troubled 21year- old. ‘Abi was devastated by Steven’s death; she feels it was the worst thing that could have happened to her. With Steven dead, she feels she has nothing left apart from their baby, so what’s losing a sister that you don’t like anyway?’

Abi’s bitterness over Lauren’s successful career was a driving force behind her affair with Steven. Abi, a kitchen assistant, revealed to him that Lauren had secretly aborted his child and devastated Steven found comfort with Abi. ‘She went after Steven to get back at Lauren but as time went on she grew feelings for him,’ explains Lorna. A roller- coaster ride followed with Steven faking a brain tumour, being exposed as a liar and dying at his disgusted fatherin-law Max’s hands in a fire.

Grief- stricken Abi breaks Lauren’s heart with her baby news during a blazing row after Lauren catches Abi wearing her wedding dress (pictured, inset). Lorna, 21, says, ‘Lauren’s angry and bemused at how her own sister could do something like this. Can you imagine how you’d react? It would be awful, the ultimate betrayal. I feel sorry for Lauren – while I don’t think she was in love with Steven, to find out that

people she thought loved her have lied to her would be horrific.’

Lorna believes this story stretches all the way back to Abi’s 13th birthday party, when Lauren selfishly turned up drunk. ‘Abi always felt Lauren made everything about her, but in the past few years has realised she doesn’t need to play second fiddle any more and can stand up to her sister.’ The war between them will end in explosive scenes in December and will lead to Abi and Lauren leaving the soap. Lorna, who joined EastEnders in 2006, says, ‘I’ve loved it here, but it’s an honour to get a

big storyline and leave with a bang – it’s more memorable.’

Lorna, from Northampton, can’t wait to try new things when she waves goodbye to Albert Square. ‘I’d love to go on stage, and be in a film; I’m excited for the future,’ she says. ‘I feel extremely lucky; it’s great I had an opportunity here at such a young age and I plan to use it as a platform.’ Before any of that, Lorna says there is plenty more to her. ‘I can’t give too much away, except to say there’s exciting stuff to come. The viewers will love it.’