Lou Beale

Lou Beale
EastEnders character
Anna Wing as Lou Beale
Portrayed by	Anna Wing Karen Meagher (flashback)
Duration	1985–1988
First appearance	Episode 1 "Poor Old Reg" 19 February 1985 (1985-02-19)
Last appearance	Episode 362 26 July 1988 (1988-07-26)
Classification	Former; regular
Created by	Tony Holland
Introduced by	Julia Smith
Book appearances	Home Fires Burning Swings and Roundabouts Good Intentions The Flower of Albert Square
Spin-off appearances	CivvyStreet (1988)
Lou as she appeared in CivvyStreet, played by Karen Meagher
In-universe information Other names Louise Ada Beale Occupation Housewife Family Beale Brothers Terence Sisters Flo Doris Miller Liz Elsie Queenie Husband Albert Beale (backstory) Sons Harry Beale Ronnie Beale Kenny Beale Pete Beale Daughters Maggie Flaherty Pauline Fowler Dora Beale Norma Beale Grandsons David Wicks Ian Beale Mark Fowler Martin Fowler Granddaughters Michelle Fowler Elizabeth Beale Other relatives Vicki Fowler

Lou Beale is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders, played by Anna Wing. Her first appearance is in the first episode, which was broadcast on 19 February 1985, and her last is in episode 362, first shown on 26 July 1988, after which the character was killed off. The character is played by Karen Meagher in the 1988 EastEnders special, CivvyStreet, set during the Second World War. She appears in 232 episodes.^[1]

Lou Beale was the first EastEnders character to be created by series co-creator Tony Holland, taking the inspiration for some of the series' earliest characters from his own London family and background.

Lou is the archetypal East End matriarch throughout EastEnders' first three years. An intimidating force within the local community, she is the dowager of Albert Square's central family, the Beales and Fowlers. Never afraid to speak her mind, and woe betide anyone who manages to get on her wrong side, Lou has the respect of her friends and family, even if they do find her a bit of a nuisance at times.