Cindy Williams

Cindy Williams is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders, that has been played by four actresses since being introduced in 1998. Cindy is brought up by her maternal grandmother and aunt off-screen after her mother, Cindy Beale (Michelle Collins), supposedly dies off-screen in prison while in labour. In June 2023, Cindy Beale made an appearance in France alongside Ian Beale which confirms she had not died during childbirth, she went into Witness Protection. Still unknown to Cindy Jr. Ella Wortley and Cydney Parker both portrayed the role from 1998 to 1999, followed by Eva Sayer in a brief appearance in 2007. On 18 July 2013, it was announced that Cindy would return to the series as a regular character, with Mimi Keene taking over the role. Cindy leaves her home in Devon to join her half-siblings Peter (Ben Hardy) and Lucy Beale (Hetti Bywater) in Walford. Since being re-established in 2013, Cindy has featured in storylines that see her learn of (and subsequently come to terms with) the murder of her sister Lucy (see Who Killed Lucy Beale?), enter a relationship with Liam Butcher (James Forde), and struggle as a teenage mother to daughter Beth Williams. Cindy made an unannounced departure on 17 August 2015. Storylines Cindy is born to Cindy Beale (Michelle Collins) and Nick Holland (Dominic Taylor) in prison, as her mother is serving a sentence for attempting to murder her former husband Ian Beale (Adam Woodyatt). Cindy Sr supposedly dies shortly after the birth due to an embolism. Nick is not interested in his daughter, so Cindy lives with her grandmother Bev Williams (Diane Langton) and aunt Gina Williams (Nicola Cowper) in Devon. Ian is aware of the responsibility he has towards Cindy Jr as her guardian, and is concerned as to who should care for her. However, Bev is unwilling to look after Cindy due to her age and suggests that Ian has her, but Gina, who is unable to have children, contests this. She is subsequently given custody of Cindy. When Cindy was eight years old, Ian visits Gina and Cindy, thinking Gina is sending him poison pen letters as Cindy Sr, though she is not. When Cindy is 14 years old, she breaks into Ian's house in Walford, wanting to see her half-brother Peter Beale (Ben Hardy) about something that happened in Devon. Peter tries to drive her away, but Ian allows her to stay.