Lacey Turner first graced our screens in November 2004 as Eastenders' rent-a-gob Stacey Slater.

With only a short stint at the Sylvia Young Theatre School (she says it wasn't for her) and a few TV ads under her belt, she was plucked from obscurity at the age of 16 to join Walford's new generation of troublemakers. She quickly became one of the soap's most popular characters.

Lacey grew up in Elstree in North London, and her house backed onto the TV studios where the show is filmed - she used to watch the show's stars arriving for work and dream of being one of them. Not bad to have achieved her life's ambition by the the time most teenagers are taking their GCSEs. She still lives at home with her mum and dad - at least it is easy for her to get to work in the morning.

Lacey's portrayal of the feisty but lovable Stacey has not only made the character a household name for 'Enders fans, but has brought her tons of recognition too. She has been showered with a multitude of TV and soap awards in the three years she has been on our screens.