Penny was previously mentioned to be the daughter of Jack Branning (Scott Maslen). Jack's girlfriend Ronnie Mitchell (Samantha Janus) finds tickets for a ballet, which Jack says are for Penny as it is her birthday and she loves dancing. Ronnie answered the phone to Penny's mother, Selina Branning (Daisy Beaumont) and later met her. Penny entered the room in a wheelchair, and Selina asked Ronnie if she knew why Penny was paralyzed from the waist down. Jack later claimed that when he was a police officer, he caught a drug dealer who deliberately hit Penny with his car when she and Selina were waiting at a bus stop. It was later revealed that Jack was a corrupt officer taking payment from a drugs baron in return for tip-offs. When Jack was unable to tip off the baron and he was arrested, one of his associates carried out the attack in revenge. Jack took Penny and Selina out for Penny's birthday, and afterwards they kissed in Selina's flat. Selina revealed the next day how upset Penny was that Jack was not there when she woke up. Selina decided to move to France where her parents lived, taking Penny with her. Penny visited Jack in April 2008 and was cold towards Ronnie, preferring to go shopping with her aunt Tanya Branning (Jo Joyner). Penny did not want to return to France but was persuaded by Jack.
2024
After 15 years, Penny returns with her cousin, Lauren Branning (Jacqueline Jossa) and Lauren’s son, Louie Beale (Jake McNally). They are seen in France in January 2024 at a party that they are hosting. It is revealed that Penny has a connection to a woman named Juliette Dubois (Lily Catalifo) and Juliette reveals that Penny is keeping secrets. The next morning, Penny, Lauren and Louie arrive in England and a sniffer dog smells something in Lauren's bag. A police officer finds a parcel of drugs but they are not hers but instead, Penny's. Penny then reunites with Jack and informs him on the conflict with Lauren. Jack tries to deal with it but isn’t allowed. After hearing the ‘full’ story, Jack questions Penny on if she planted the drugs in Lauren’s bag as that is usually the most likely outcome. After Peter Beale (Thomas Law) suspects that Penny planted the drugs on Lauren, Penny hands herself in to the police. At the police station, Jack quickly visits her to find out that Penny had denied a lawyer. Jack then instructs her to take any deal she’s offered. Peter and Jack talk in the square and Peter mentions Juliette, Jack then relays this to the police investigating with Penny. In an attempt of blackmail, Penny pushes herself out of her wheelchair but then blames it on the DI, she then tries to make a deal linked to her and Lauren being released but is caught in the act as the DI reveals there’s 2 cameras. The DI then asks Penny to confess everything about Juliette to get her and Lauren set free. Lauren is released although after a conversation with Peter, Lauren questions if Penny was behind the drug incident, Penny confesses and Lauren is angry and immediately plans to leave Walford with Louie, but after a conversation with Sonia Fowler (Natalie Cassidy), the cousins manage to make up. Penny and Lauren make a plan to move in together although Peter disapproves of this due to the drugs, so therefore, Penny gets him drunk and makes him realise that she’s not a bad person. Lauren is surprised that Penny managed to change Peter’s mind. The next week, Peter assists Penny and Lauren by moving into 29A Albert Square.
When her half-sister, Amy Mitchell (Ellie Dadd) is struggling with her relationship, Penny visits her and Amy reveals that she wants to sleep with her boyfriend, Denzel Danes (Jaden Ladega). Penny is a bit concerned at first but shows support to Amy and doesn’t stop her. When Whitney Dean (Shona McGarty) leaves Walford in late May, Penny temporarily becomes the owner of her clothing stall. When she returns from France after visiting her mother, she meets Harry Mitchell (Elijah Holloway), and things quickly become flirtatious between the two and they later sleep together, though Penny hides this from Jack.
Penny then arranges a promo night at Peggy's wine bar with Chelsea Fox (Zaraah Abrahams). Penny manipulates Chelsea into drinking on the job, and is caught by Phil Mitchell (Steve McFadden), her boss. Chelsea is then sacked and Penny spitefully takes the job, insulting Chelsea and belittling her. Chelsea attempts to tell Phil about Penny's true ways but Phil doesn't listen, and employs Penny. Penny continues to be a manipulative manager to Chelsea. Some time later, Penny arranges a carnival night to prove herself as manager, but the booking is sabotaged by Chelsea and a crowd crush occurs. Penny panics when she notices Amy trapped but things escalate when the crowd stampede and Penny is knocked out of her wheelchair. Penny panics if anyone has died, but thankfully, everyone survives. Amy's condition stabilises in hospital but Penny is later taken in for questioning after CCTV proves illegal tickets were distributed. Penny tries to prove her innocence to Jack but fails to do so, and he admits his favouritism for Amy. When Penny comes under fire for being accused of causing the crush at Peggy's, Harry is there for her and the two become closer.
Upon finding out that Chelsea was responsible and that Jack essentially chose Chelsea over Penny, Penny asks Harry for his help in getting revenge on Jack. Harry comes across Jack on the Square and teases him, which ends up with Jack punching him in the face. Harry finds out that Tommy Moon (Sonny Kendall) recorded this altercation and pays him £50 to get the video. Harry then confirms that he will aid Penny in taking down Jack. They create a plan to pretend to have ended their relationship in their plan to destroy Jack. Jack then contacts one of his co-workers in the police and tells Penny that he has found out that Harry is dangerous, telling her that the police believe Harry may have killed his ex-girlfriend, Shireen Bashar, who went missing a few months ago. Penny doesn't care and continues seeing Harry. Jack, thinking that Penny and Harry aren't seeing each other anymore, tells her that he's going to meet a witness that knew Harry and Shireen back in Dartford, Felicity Hall (Rose Shalloo). Penny convinces Jack to let her meet Felicity instead, hoping to convince her not to make a witness statement. However instead, Felicity's story turns Penny against Harry. Later on, Penny and Jack see Harry being arrested in public and being taken into a police car. After Harry is released, him and his mother, Nicola Mitchell (Laura Doddington) gun for Penny after she accidentally got him arrested.
Development
In 2008, executive producer Diederick Santer decided to explore the family of established character, Jack Branning (Maslen), to give him more of a detailed backstory. This was used by bringing in Penny and her mother, Selina Branning (Beaumont) as recurring characters.[1]Mia McKenna-Bruce was cast in the role of Penny, and appeared in two separate guest stints.[2][3] One from January to February, and another in April, all that year.[1]
In November 2023, it was announced Penny would be heading back to Walford with her cousin, Lauren Branning (Jossa). This time, the character was made a regular character. It was decided that the character would be recast and the role was given to Kitty Castledine. Castledine expressed she was thrilled to be joining the show, due to watching it while growing up.[4]
"My whole family are EastEnders fans, and I remember sitting on my Nanny Kay’s lap to tune in, [...] The inclusion of disabled talent on screen is so important to me as a wheelchair user, so I’m thrilled to be playing a character as feisty and cool as Penny."
— Kitty Castledine on her casting as Penny.
Executive producer, Chris Clenshaw said on the casting announcement, "It’s been a long time since Penny Branning was in Walford, and she’s a very different person from the one our viewers might remember."[5] About her characters representation of wheelchair users, Castledine said, "It’s really important that disability is visible on screen, because there hasn’t been a lot of representation, and I’m proud to be someone representing disability."[6]
On her casting announcement, Castledine said, "Penny is great. She’s so cool, and she’s got this dry humour that I love."[7] When describing Penny to The Mirror, Castledine said, "Penny is a firecracker, 100%. [Penny and Lauren] kick up a storm from the outset and bring some of that classic Branning drama back to Walford. [...] Her morals are all over the place, [...] She has a real sense of destiny, she knows what she wants and she’ll get it – she doesn’t really care who is in the way."[8] Castledine later opened up about her character's issues with familial relationships and friendships. She said in an interview with Inside Soap, "I don't think she's used to having people around her who want to be with her and care for her. She has a coping mechanism where she tends to push people away, which is tricky when you're in Walford and everyone relies on friends and family. It doesn't really win her any friends, which is a shame, because Penny is so fun to be around."[9]
Penny was Chelsea Fox's (Abrahams) step-sister and due to this, Penny persuades Chelsea to give her a trial shift at Peggy's wine bar. Penny convinces Chelsea to have a drink while working and she is demoted by Phil Mitchell (McFadden). Out of spite, Chelsea messes with the amount of tickets at an event at Peggy's, which causes a crowd crush. On her relationship with Chelsea, Castledine said to Inside Soap, "I think in that moment she lets her ego get the better of her, Penny does love her family, but sometimes in the heat of the moment she forgets that. It does end up prompting some bad blood between Penny and Chelsea, which is a shame."[9]
Before her return aired, EastEnders fans seemed to think that the timing of Penny's return seemed strange, and speculated that her and Lauren could be returning for Jack's funeral, and he could be the victim of The Six storyline.[10] In January 2024, Metro journalist, Melissa Parker, stated, "I feel I know Penny; I know disabled women like her. We will only have achieved enough for and in disability representation when we bring these disabled women and their well-hidden stories to the forefront of media – and celebrate them."[11] When Jack, sees her leaving her flat with Harry Mitchell (Holloway), after the pair slept together, fans described the scene as 'cringey' and 'awkward' with mixed reviews.[12] Similarly, MyLondon said these scenes were 'dirty'.[13] In October, Ash Percival, also from the Metro, described Penny as a 'major' character, after only 9 months since returning to the soap.[14] When it seemed possible that Penny might be leaving the soap, viewers expressed their sadness over this on social media.[15] In May 2024, Chloe Timms from Inside Soap wrote that Penny should be on seen onscreen more, commenting that the character had "made a big impact" and joking that Penny "has the best hair on the Square".[16]
