Bev Slater
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
18 September 2018
11 January 2019
| Bev Slater | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| EastEnders character | |||||||||
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| Portrayed by | Ashley McGuire | ||||||||
| Duration | 2018–19 | ||||||||
| First appearance | Episode 5779 18 September 2018 | ||||||||
| Last appearance | Episode 5849 11 January 2019 | ||||||||
| Introduced by | John Yorke | ||||||||
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Bev Slater is a fictional character from the British soap opera EastEnders, played by Ashley McGuire. The character and casting was announced in September 2018 and she debuted 18 September of the same year. McGuire had previously appeared on the soap as a guest character in 2004. Bev was introduced as the estranged mother of Hayley Slater (Katie Jarvis) and her initial stint sees Bev try to reconnect with Hayley, who is pregnant. Hayley gives Bev a chance but ends up fighting with her when she suggests that Hayley scam the baby's father out of money. In October 2018, it was reported that McGuire would return for another stint and Bev's return aired on 6 November 2018, after Hayley gives birth. Bev initially supports Hayley but then tries to manipulate her into selling her daughter, Cherry Slater. Bev later returns for additional episodes over the next two months, and her last appearance aired on 11 January 2019. Throughout her stints, she also gets into fights with Kat Slater (Jessie Wallace) and Jean Slater (Gillian Wright). Critics have characterised Bev as vile, scheming, toxic and evil, and her behaviour towards her daughter and granddaughter has been criticised by viewers.
Ashley McGuire's casting as Bev, the estranged mother of pregnant Hayley Slater (Katie Jarvis), was reported on 11 September 2018 in advanced spoilers released for the soap.[1] McGuire had previously appeared on EastEnders as guest character Carol in 2004.[2] It was reported that Bev and Hayley's reunion would be "tense" and that Hayley would not be happy to see her mother arriving in Albert Square, the soap's fictional setting, and teased that Bev's arrival could ruin Hayley's new-found more positive attitude towards her pregnancy.[1] It was never confirmed whether Bev was biologically related to the other members of the Slater family.[3] Bev's debut aired on 18 September 2018, and she initially appeared in three episodes until her initial departure on 21 September 2018.[1]
In the storyline, Hayley is unhappy when she sees her mother and is angry at Jean Slater (Gillian Wright) when it emerges that she called her.[1] Hayley's relative Kat Slater (Jessie Wallace) is also unhappy to see Bev.[4] Hayley decides to hear her mother out[5] and goes to E20, the local nightclub, to catch up with Bev, but she then realises that her mother has not changed and that Bev has only come to see her in encourage Hayley to fleece her unborn baby's father for money and to con married men for money, and is furious when Bev calls the baby a "walking cash machine".[6][7] After Bev says that she should have aborted Hayley, a "devastated and angry" Hayley almost hits her mother with a bottle but calls her "evil" instead.[7][8] After the heated argument, a "Terrified" Hayley ends up clutching in pain and begs Bev for help as she is bleeding and is worried that she is going to lose her baby, but Bev ignores her daughter and goes inside a cab, telling her that she used to wish that Hayley had been born dead.[7][6]
In October 2018, it was announced that McGuire would be returning to EastEnders as Bev the following month.[9] Her new stint began on 6 November 2018.[10] Bev returns after Hayley gives birth to Cherry Slater and abandons her on Arshad (Madhav Sharma) and aunt Mariam Ahmed's (Indira Joshi) doorstep; Hayley is then taken in by Bev, who tells her that she has done the right thing.[11] Bev also tells Hayley that she would have been a bad mother and that she should have aborted the baby.[12] When Kat goes looking for Hayley, Bev pretends that she has not seen her.[10] Hayley later changes her mind and gets Cherry back, and Bev supports Hayley and says that Cherry can help fix her past.[11] Bev also "shocks everyone" by taking Cherry and Hayley decides to go back with Bev rather the other Slaters, and Bev "stands firm" despite Kat's pleas for Hayley to come with them.[10]
However, Bev soon begins criticising all of Hayley's actions towards Cherry and tries to lower her confidence in an attempt to convince her she is a bad mother and turn her away from motherhood.[13] Despite Hayley trying her best to be a good mother, Bev interferes.[14] It is soon revealed that this is part of Bev's scheme to manipulate Hayley and get her to sell Cherry.[13][15] Hayley becomes suspicious of Bev when she finds her making secret phones calls and taking a picture of Cherry.[16][13] When Hayley discovers what Bev is up to, she is horrified and clashes with her mother but Bev does not apologise and attempts to make her daughter believe that she just wants what is best for Cherry.[16][15][13] Bev also lies to Hayley about the money, saying that a couple made an offer for a few hundred pounds when they actually offered £100,000.[17] Hayley ends up calling Jean for support after this, and Bev subsequently goes to Jean and warns her to stay out of the situation.[18] Kat lashes out at Bev when Hayley tells her that Bev wants her to give up Cherry.[15] In response to this, Bev offers Kat part of the money if she gets Hayley to agree to the plan.[15] Weeks later, Hayley calls Bev as the pressure on her begins to increase due to the return of Kat's husband, Alfie Moon (Shane Richie), who is Cherry's biological father, which Hayley is hiding from Kat.[19]
Bev returns again in the episode originally airing on 20 December 2018.[20] Upon her return, Bev also joins the choir Jean is in.[20] Earlier that month, it had been reported that Bev would go "head to head" with Kat in the 2018 Christmas Day episode.[21] This occurred prior to Kat finding out that Alfie is Cherry's biological father in the same episode.[21] In the episode, Hayley is worried that her secret will be exposed and so asks Bev to take her and Cherry in, but things end up getting "heated" between Bev and Hayley and so Kat steps in and stands up for Hayley.[21] Bev then makes another appearance on 10 January 2019, when she drops in to see Hayley.[22] Bev's final appearance aired on 11 January of that year.[23]