Is Lacey Turner the new Jessie Wallace?

0 Comments | Sunday Mirror, Dec 4, 2005 | by Words: Lara Kilner

The stars of EastEnders are no strangers to controversy, often seeing their antics splashed across the tabloids front pages. Ross Kemp and Steve McFadden (Grant and Phil Mitchell) were beaten up by their women, Leslie Grantham, aka Dirty Den, was embroiled in an internet sex scandal, and as for those Slater girls The latest star to fall under the curse of the Slater family is Lacey Turner, who plays rebellious teenager Stacey in the soap. She was caught on CCTV having sex in a hotel corridor with her boyfriend, Jake Gotlib, signalling the start of a life in full glare of the media spotlight for the young actress.

Laceys character Stacey is being groomed as the new Kat Slater in the show, ready for Jessie Wallaces departure on Christmas Day. With her wild antics, it looks like Lacey is well equipped to step into Jessies shoes.

Following a recent bar mitzvah party at the Carlton Tower Hotel in Londons Knightsbridge, Lacey and her beau were spotted catching a lift to the 18th floor, where they had sex on a chair in the hallway. Unfortunately for them, they were caught by a maid and by CCTV cameras, and the story was all over the next days papers. Ironically, that same evening, she featured in a sketch on Children In Need, shot a fortnight earlier, in which she joked about not being stupid enough to be caught filmed having sex.

If Lacey follows in the footsteps of her on-screen cousin, it wont be the last time she causes a scandal. Jessie has a well- documented turbulent personal life, from drunken fights with her co- star Hannah Waterman to her volatile relationship with former boyfriend, Dave Morgan just weeks ago, Dave claimed the actress has banned him from seeing their daughter, Tallulah. Jessie has even suffered her sister, Danielle Mason, going public about her fraught relationship, claiming Jessie has cut her out of her life.

Then theres the other scandalous Slater sister Im A Celebrity... star Elaine Lordan, who played Lynne in the soap. Stories are rife about the actresss alleged alcohol problem. While pregnant, she caused uproar after a drunken fight outside a pub in north London, and was apparently sacked by the soap for being drunk on set. Most recently, she collapsed twice in the jungle, and left the reality show after just one night.

But Elaine and Jessie are now making way for a new generation of feisty EastEnders lasses. Alongside Lacey is co-star Louisa Lytton, who plays gangster Johnny Allens daughter, Ruby. The pair are firm friends, and were spotted recently in Laceys Mini Cooper car outside a McDonalds in Elstree. Louisa listened as Lacey scoffed fries, smoked tabs, and talked about the exposure of her sexual antics. Then, she took a call on her mobile perhaps it was from Jessie Wallace, giving her a few tips on how to avoid being caught in the act. It looks like shes going to need them