Anna Wing was an English actress who had a long career in television and theatre, known for portraying the role of Beale family matriarch Lou Beale in the BBC soap opera EastEnders.
Wing in 2007
The Beales and the Fowlers are a fictional family in the BBC soap opera EastEnders. They were the main family for storylines in early episodes of EastEnders, and remained as such ever since. With at least one member of the family having been a member of the cast from the first episode in February 1985, they are the show's longest serving family. The original Beale/Fowler family consisted of matriarch Lou Beale and her children Pete and Pauline, alongside their families including their children Ian, Mark, Michelle and their spouses Kathy Hills and Arthur Fowler. Additionally, several members of the family have been introduced at a later point, including Pauline and Arthur's son Martin who was the first baby to be born into the show in 1985. The family has been headed with a matriarch first seen with Lou, and over the years, Lou's daughter Pauline, Ian's wife Jane Collins and more recently Pete's wife Kathy, have filled this role.
The original Beales and Fowlers as shown in 1985 (top) Michelle, Mark and Ian; (bottom) Arthur, Pauline, Lou, Kathy and Pete
Beale family in 2010 from left to right: Peter, Bobby, Lucy, Jane, Ian, and Christian
The Fowlers — Arthur, Michelle, Vicki, Pauline and Mark — at Michelle's graduation in 1994
From left to right: Peter, Lucy, Ian, Jane, Bobby and Cindy in 2014