List of East Enders Characters (1991) - Lorraine Stevens

Lorraine Stevens (previously Salter), originally played by Linda Henry (1991-1992) and later played by Victoria Alcock (2012), makes her first appearance in November 1991. The character was brought in as part of a storyline focusing on Pat (Pam St Clement) and Frank Butcher's (Mike Reid) marital problems. In the storyline, Pat goes to a bar, intending to pick up another man for sex, and meets Lorraine. Pat helps Lorraine when a man starts to harass her, claiming to have spent money on her the night before and implying Lorraine is a prostitute. Shortly after, Lorraine turns up at the Butchers' house, requesting a place to stay. She outstays her welcome and when she is asked to leave, she threatens to tell Frank that Pat has been cruising for other men in bars, causing some difficulty in the Butchers' marriage. Seeing Lorraine's existence makes Pat realise that she has left her promiscuous lifestyle behind her.

The following year, in March 1992, Lorraine contacts Pat from hospital. She has been severely beaten by her boyfriend Gary (Thomas Craig) and needs Pat to take care of her 15-year-old daughter Mandy (Nicola Stapleton). Having had her daughter taken into care by the social services in the past, Lorraine wants to prevent this from happening again. Pat is initially unwilling to help, but she eventually relents and Mandy stays at the Butchers'. Lorraine is released from hospital the following week, and she abandons her daughter. Mandy ends up homeless and sleeping on the streets. On Christmas Eve 1992, Lorraine contacts Mandy and tells her she is coming to visit. She does not arrive, so Mandy travels to her flat on Christmas Day to reunite. Lorraine is not there and Mandy is instead greeted by Gary. After getting into a fight with Gary, Mandy flees from her mother's tower block with Mark Fowler (Todd Carty).

On 23 January 2012, Daniel Kilkelly of Digital Spy reported Lorraine would be returning to EastEnders the following month. Actress Victoria Alcock was recast in the role, taking over from Henry (who was also on the cast of EastEnders playing a different character, Shirley Carter). Of her casting, Alcock said, "I am absolutely thrilled to be joining the cast of EastEnders and am looking forward to working with my good friends Linda Henry and Nicola Stapleton again. I can't wait to see people's reaction when Lorraine arrives on the Square!" Kilkelly said Lorraine has remained "a brash character and certainly hasn't grown up." Alcock predicted that viewers would be "shocked" by the actions of Lorraine. Speaking of Lorraine's arrival, Alcock told TV Choice: "There will be a collective intake of breath from viewers because just when you think she couldn't stoop any lower, she goes full-steam ahead." Alcock added that the residents of Albert Square will discover why Mandy is such a leech as she gets it from Lorraine. Alcock added: "Allegedly she let some awful things happen to Mandy, which may come out in time. I think viewers are interested in the broken shells of a character and she's definitely a broken shell." Alcock also said she wanted Lorraine to be more than just a villain. She said that people are not made this way, something happens to make people the abuser, and that's from being abused. Alcock thought that Lorraine was abused as a child.

Returning on 1 March 2012 after 20 years of absence, Lorraine appears in The Queen Victoria public house after Lucy Beale (Hetti Bywater) contacts her to come to Walford, assuming she is a man that Mandy is having an affair with. Mandy does not want her around, but she bonds with Mandy's partner Ian Beale (Adam Woodyatt), who invites her to stay with them. When they are alone, Lorraine is verbally and phsyically abusive to Mandy. Lucy is shocked to overhear Lorraine telling Mandy that nobody cares about her and men do not fall in love with girls like her. During a meal at a restaurant, where Lorraine convinces Ian to order champagne, Lucy reveals that Lorraine has stolen Ian's money and that she is an alcoholic. In retaliation, Lorraine accuses Mandy of using Ian for money and making him work for sex, upon which Ian banishes Lorraine on 9 March 2012.

Off-screen, Lorraine causes problems for Mandy by informing Mandy's ex-boyfriend where she lives, causing Ian to become insecure. Lorraine reappears on 30 April 2012, nearly two months later, claiming that her years of alcohol abuse has left her very ill, and that she is dying. Although Mandy does not believe her initially, she eventually agrees to look after her. Ian forbids this, so Mandy leaves Lorraine outside the tube station, telling her she cannot disobey Ian's wishes. Lorraine, who is doubled over in pain, collapses. Mandy later visits Lorraine in hospital, where they start to bond. However, Lorraine soon turns nasty again and tells Mandy she never loved her. Several weeks later, just before her wedding, Mandy goes to visit Lorraine in hospital but is devastated to learn that she has died. Lorraine's death is not screened. Nobody except Mandy attends Lorraine's funeral, mirroring what Lorraine said to Mandy that nobody would care if she died.