Lucy Benjamin

 ( 1970 Births ) 

From 1998 to 2003, Benjamin played Lisa Fowler in the BBC One soap opera EastEnders. During her time on the programme, she was involved in one of the soap's most viewed storylines, known as "Who Shot Phil?" (2001). The storyline centred on the shooting of her on-screen lover Phil Mitchell, and who, out of the many potential candidates, was responsible. Her character was eventually revealed to be the shooter. She was asked back for a short period in 2003, to help with the forthcoming exit of Steve McFadden, who was taking a hiatus from the programme. After leaving EastEnders, Benjamin appeared in the BBC television programme The Afternoon Play and the BBC medical drama Casualty. She has also appeared in pantomimes across London, as well as touring for six months in the play Framed. In April 2006, the Daily Mirror reported that Benjamin was in talks with EastEnders about reprising the role of Lisa Fowler. Benjamin stated in an interview that all rumours of her returning to EastEnders were inaccurate.

In June 2006, Benjamin appeared on , which she won. She was mentored by judge Louis Walsh. She also appeared as Heather in Stephen Fry's drama Kingdom. In October 2006, Benjamin appeared in an episode of the BBC soap opera Doctors. In September 2008, she appeared in All Star Family Fortunes, winning £10,000 for her charity Rosie's Rainbow Fund. Benjamin then starred in The Pretender Agenda at the New Players Theatre with Lee Ryan, as well as starring in the horror film Not Alone. In 2009, she was a contestant in the ITV1 series I'm a Celebrity...Get Me Out of Here! In August 2010, Benjamin returned to EastEnders for one episode in a storyline that was building up to the exit of Barbara Windsor.

In 2013, Benjamin starred as Velma Von Tussle in the UK tour of the West End stage show Hairspray. Between April and July 2017, Benjamin had a recurring role as Denise Ellisson in Casualty. Benjamin reprised her role as Lisa for a short stint in July 2017, part of on-screen daughter Louise Mitchell's (Tilly Keeper) bullying storyline.

In 2014 Benjamin appeared in the role of Maggie in the comedy series Detectorists. Radio Times for January 2023 when the series was rebroadcast

On 27 May 2019, it was announced that Benjamin would be returning to EastEnders on a permanent basis. She returned on 2 September 2019, and departed in January 2020 alongside Keeper. In May 2021, she starred in another episode of the BBC soap opera Doctors as Jan Fisher. For her appearance in Doctors, she won the award for Acting Performance at the RTS Midlands Awards. The win marked her first award in her career. In 2022, she reprised her role of Jan in Doctors.

In the first episode of The X Factor: Battle of the Stars on 31 May 2006, Sharon Osbourne accidentally revealed that Benjamin was pregnant. Benjamin smiled while host Kate Thornton commented: "I don't think you wanted that announced tonight, did you?" Benjamin gave birth by caesarean section to a daughter at Harold Wood Hospital in London on 22 November 2006. On 19 October 2010, she revealed that she was three months pregnant with her second child. In April 2011, she gave birth to a second daughter.

In May 2015, she claimed £326,000 for infringement of her privacy rights, although substantial she was awarded less than half that sum, £157,250 by Mr Justice Mann as part of an overall £1.2 million celebrity payout relating to the phone hacking scandal carried out by Mirror Group newspapers ( Trinity Mirror), under her married name, Lucy Taggart.