Ray (East Enders) - Liz Turner

Liz Turner
EastEnders character
Portrayed by Kate Williams
Introduced by Kate Harwood
Diederick Santer
Duration 2006, 2009–10
First appearance 12 September 2006
Last appearance 5 August 2010
Classification Former; regular
Profile
Date of birth 5 March
Occupation Market trader (fruit and veg, sweets)
Family
Husband Ted Turner
Sons Owen Turner
Granddaughters Libby Fox

Elizabeth "Liz" Turner, played by Kate Williams, is the mother of Owen Turner (Lee Ross), the abusive ex-husband of Denise Fox (Diane Parish). Initially a recurring character, Liz first appeared on 12 September 2006. She returned in July 2009 on a more regular basis, and in April 2010 it was announced that the character had been axed along with five others by the new executive producer Bryan Kirkwood as part of a plan to "breathe new life into the show". Her final episode was broadcast on 5 August 2010.

Liz arrives in Walford from her home in Spain for Owen's trial, following his arrest for assaulting Denise. When Owen receives a suspended sentence, Liz arranges for him to move to Cardiff with her sister, and tries to take Owen away in a taxi. As the taxi leaves, Owen gets out and tells his mother he needs an alcoholic drink. He returns drunk, and knocks Liz unconscious. She wakes up to find that he has kidnapped his daughter Libby (Belinda Owusu), and tried to kill her and himself. Liz tries to visit Libby in hospital, but Denise lies to her that Libby is sleeping. She then returns to Spain.

She returns three years later for Libby's 18th birthday, and tells Libby that Owen wants her to visit him in prison. Libby does visit him, but regrets it after Denise finds out from her other daughter, Chelsea (Tiana Benjamin). Liz tries to apologise to the Foxes about what Owen did to them, but Denise refuses to accept it. Liz then tries to get to know Libby better, but Libby informs her that Denise does not want Owen back in her life and Libby is going to support her mother's decision, meaning that she is no longer able to spend time with Liz. After an emotional goodbye between grandmother and granddaughter, Liz visits Owen one last time before returning to Spain, but he demands that she cancel her flight. The next week Liz decides to live in Walford, becoming Dot Branning's (June Brown) lodger, which is met with opposition from Denise. She starts working on Ian Beale's (Adam Woodyatt) fruit and veg stall and starts learning dances with Patrick Trueman (Rudolph Walker) for a charity event, and they eventually go on a date.

When Owen is released from prison, he comes to Walford to see Liz, even though his license conditions forbid it. Owen starts a vendetta against Denise's new fiancé Lucas Johnson (Don Gilet), and Lucas calls the police feeling very jealous of his presence to Denise. Lucas has Owen arrested for breaching his licence conditions, and when Liz visits him in prison he fails to convince her that Lucas is not the man everyone thinks he is. Liz orders Owen to get away from Walford, but he confronts Lucas on the day of his wedding to Denise, so Lucas murders him by strangling him with his bow tie. Liz feels guilty as she has sent Owen away from Walford so that he cannot interfere. She constantly tries to call him but thinks he has disowned her after not returning the calls, so she decides to give up and return to Spain. She returns again a few months later, turning up at Lucas and Denise's house, worried that she has not heard from Owen. She enlists Patrick's help, and they discover Owen has not used his mobile phone since the day he disappeared. Liz and Lucas argue over Owen, but Lucas promises to help her find her son. Liz mentions that Owen never fails to send flowers on her birthday, and is relieved when she receives flowers in Owen's name, but is suspicious when they are lilies, as Owen always sends daffodils. She returns to Spain without telling Patrick, but after he speaks to her on the phone, she says she will return to continue searching for Owen.

When Liz returns to Walford, she and Patrick start a relationship. Patrick worries that Liz wants to marry him but is relieved when Liz says she does not want to get married at her age. She decides she cannot continue the relationship without Owen's blessing, so begs Patrick to help find him. However, Denise asks Patrick to ask Liz to back off searching for Owen, and Patrick attempts to end their relationship, but Liz still wants to continue. That night Owen's body is discovered in the Square, and the next day the police inform Liz, leaving her devastated. Liz informs the police that she believes Denise is capable of killing Owen and watches as she is taken in for questioning. Liz then mourns Owen with Libby, but Libby disowns her after finding out that Liz had spoken to the police about Denise. Another body is found, which is identified as Denise's. Liz goes to Denise's wake and Patrick asks her to leave, but Libby says she wants her to stay and she reconciles with her granddaughter. On Libby's birthday, Liz gives her a photo of Owen. Later, she sees Denise and her family run from the house and Lucas being arrested. Patrick tells Liz that Lucas is the one who killed Owen, not Denise. It is revealed that Lucas had been keeping Denise prisoner and the body they buried belonged to someone else.

Liz decides she will return to Spain after Owen's funeral, and Chelsea asks to come with her to start a new life. Denise insists that Libby goes with them for a holiday. Preparing to leave, Liz says a final goodbye to Dot, saying it is hard to meet friends at her age, but Dot remains relatively cold towards Liz, hiding the fact she not want her to leave. Liz then says goodbye to Patrick, saying she will not return to England and that he has missed his chance. Waving goodbye to Walford, Liz leaves in a taxi with Libby and Chelsea.

Read more about this topic:  Ray (East Enders)

Famous quotes containing the word turner:

    We inherit plots.... There are only two or three in the world, five or six at most. We ride them like treadmills.
    —Janette Turner Hospital (b. 1942)