EastEnders actress Kitty Castledine was recently captured in a family photo during their Christmas getaway. The 23-year-old joined the BBC soap in January 2024, playing Penny Branning alongside her cousin Lauren Branning, portrayed by Jacqueline Jossa. They entered the show after living in Paris but faced legal trouble due to alleged drug smuggling, from which they escaped.
In August 2024, Penny faced a crisis at Peggy’s Bar when a club crush occurred during her bank holiday event. Chelsea Fox, played by Zaraah Abrahams, manipulated the booking system out of revenge for losing her job, leading to overcrowding and hospitalization of Lauren and Amy Mitchell, both of whom recovered.
Penny later had a brief relationship with Harry Mitchell before discovering his involvement in a murder investigation related to his ex-girlfriend Shireen, who was murdered by Nicola Mitchell. On screen, Penny is connected to prominent Walford figures like Jack Branning and Max Branning, but off-screen, Kitty comes from a well-known family background.
Kitty’s mother, Lucy Alexander, is known for presenting “Homes Under the Hammer” and hosting “Place In The Sun” on Channel 4, while her father, Stewart Castledine, is a former Premier League footballer who also appeared on television shows like “Big Strong Boys” and “Houses Behaving Badly.” Their son, Leo Castledine, is a 20-year-old footballer currently playing for Huddersfield Town on loan from Chelsea, having represented England at the U19 level.
Lucy recently shared a festive family photo on Instagram, featuring her husband, Stew, and their children, Kitty and Leo, enjoying a Christmas break in Yorkshire. Fans and friends extended their well-wishes, with Ruth Langsford commenting on the lovely family picture and others expressing admiration for the Castledine family.
“EastEnders” airs on BBC One and iPlayer from Monday to Thursday.