Ray (East Enders) - Linda Clarke

Linda Clarke, played by Lynda Baron, is the mother of Jane Beale and Christian Clarke. She appeared for a couple of episodes in 2006, and then regularly from November 2008 to February 2009.

Linda surprised her daughter by coming to Walford for Jane's wedding to Ian Beale. Linda instantly caused controversy when she called Ian a bad father after she heard his daughter, Lucy, talking to her friend, Lauren Branning, about strippers. She also criticised Pat Evans's earrings at Jane's hen-party, and berated Jane for wearing white when she was marrying for a second time. Linda revealed that Jane's birth name was Lesley, and continued to call her Lesley during her stay. When Jane's affair with Grant Mitchell was revealed at the wedding ceremony, Linda left Walford and returned to Florida.

Linda returned on 10 November 2008, telling Ian and Jane that she and her husband Roger had gone on separate holidays. Ian asked her to make a cake for Suzy Branning to beat Shirley Carter in a cake-baking competition. However, Linda got upset, started drinking, and made a sloppy effort. Later, in the Queen Vic pub, a very drunk Linda tried to come on to Charlie Slater, offending his girlfriend, Brenda Boyle, in the process. Explaining her actions, Linda admitted to Ian and Jane that she had split up with Roger and was moving in with them.

Linda had not seen Christian for nearly 20 years before she returned to Walford. Initially, Christian intended to keep his distance from his mother but after learning how Lucy and Peter Beale had lost their mother, Cindy, Christian attempted to rebuild his relationship with Linda and she briefly moved in with him. However, Christian announced that he was going to bring up Roxy Mitchell's daughter, Amy, but Linda had doubts as to whether it was the right thing for her son. The following night, after Roxy changed her mind, Linda found that Christian had gone back to his old ways of bringing anyone home. Linda decided to leave him and tell Jane. She appreciated Ian for letting her move in with them and told him she would do whatever she could to help them. She continued to live with the Beales over Christmas.

On 26 January 2009, Linda received a letter from her husband, asking her to come back to him. Confused, Linda looked for solace at the Queen Vic pub, sharing a few drinks with Patrick Trueman, (who was also drowning his sorrows). Later that day, Jane and Denise Wicks found Linda and Patrick kissing passionately. The next day, Patrick told Linda that he hoped for a reconciliation with his wife, Yolande. Trying to put her marriage behind her, Linda decided to stay in Walford but Ian suggested that she move into sheltered accommodation. Later that day, Linda fell and hurt her leg, and Ian thought this was a ploy for her to stay. While Linda was asleep, Ian stole the letter from her husband, and then invited him to fetch her.

On 3 February 2009, Roger arrived at the Beales' house. He declared his affair was over, and asked Linda to return to Florida. While Jane and Ian were positive about this, Christian warned Linda that his father would only hurt her again. Christian suggested that Linda move in with him, but she declined and returned to Florida with Roger.

Since her departure she has been mentioned several times by her family. At Christmas 2009 Jane berated Ian for breaking her present from Linda. In April 2010 Masood Ahmed, upon discovering Christian's affair with his married son Syed, paid for Christian to go visit his mother in Florida but he opted not to go. Jane then went to stay with her for three weeks from May to June 2010 for her birthday after Ian, panicking in case she discovered Lucy's abortion, contacted Linda to ask if Jane could stay with her for a while.