Ray (East Enders) - Rachel Branning

Rachel Branning is the mother of Bradley Branning, and ex-wife of Max. She arrived in Albert Square when Bradley's grandfather Jim threw him out of his house. She was still bitter about Max cheating on her with Tanya. She attacked Tanya at the opening of Booty. Rachel was determined to split Max and Tanya up so she tried to kiss Max, although he did not reciprocate. She apologised to Tanya that she had kissed Max as part of her plan to split them up. Rachel then returned to Tring.

Rachel returned to the Square on 18 October 2007 to help with preparations for Bradley's wedding to Stacey Slater. She was trying to take control of everything and continually kept making snide remarks about Tanya. She also warned Stacey that she could be next on Max's list of women, but like Tanya, Rachel was unaware of Stacey's affair with Max. Tanya told Rachel to move on, but she remained stuck in the past.

On 3 January 2008, she again returned to the Square after Dot had called her to tell her that Bradley needed her help due to the revelation of Stacey's affair with Max. Rachel took action and told Bradley that he should move in with her to take his mind off things. Bradley first said no, but after second thoughts, agreed to go back to Rachel's. Bradley then left Dot a note, saying to her that he has changed his mind and has gone by himself.

On 12 February 2008, Stacey travelled to Tring to find Bradley again and went to Rachel's house. Rachel was not pleased to see Stacey, still angry at her for hurting Bradley due to her affair with Max and told her that Bradley wanted nothing more to do with her and tried to throw her out. Stacey then told Rachel that she had been pregnant with Bradley's child, but Bradley forced her to have an abortion. Rachel showed sympathy to Stacey and gave her Bradley's address. Bradley later confronted his mum about giving Stacey his address, but Rachel told Bradley she gave Stacey his address because he needs to make a choice about his relationship with her, and that choice must be made.

Bradley travelled to Tring to spend Christmas Day 2008 with her. She came to Walford for Bradley and Syd Chambers' leaving party on 8 October 2009. She made snide remarks towards Tanya, who returned home and convinced Max to come to the party. Rachel got drunk and warned Tanya that Max would always be a cheater, but Tanya defended her husband and told Rachel to move on from her own heartbreak.

Rachel returned on 3 December 2009 when Max needed money, telling her that he needed to forward it to Bradley in Canada, but asked her to make the cheque out to him. Masood Ahmed drives Rachel back to Tring is his taxi but Max notices Rachel did not sign the cheque so he phones her mobile. She removes her seatbelt to reach her bag and Masood falls asleep at the wheel, causing the car to swerve and topple over. Masood is slightly injured but Rachel is hospitalised with a ruptured spleen. When Max visits her she tells him that she knew he was going to forge her signature on the cheque as she had known he was conning her all along, which she explained she had stopped the transfer. Rachel is discharged and visits Max, giving him a cheque for £3,000, saying she does not want to see his children out on the street.

On 22 February 2010, Max contacts Rachel to tell her that Bradley has died after falling from the rooftop of The Queen Victoria public house. Max's sister Carol Jackson phones Rachel about the funeral and she cries on the phone. Rachel makes her final appearance at Bradley's funeral on 5 March, where she lays flowers on his grave with Dot Branning (June Brown).