For more than two decades, Lacey Turner was the beating heart of Albert Square. As Stacey Slater in EastEnders, she won more awards than almost any soap actor of her generation, and in 2026 she stepped out of Walford to become one of the frontrunners on Strictly Come Dancing. Here is the story of the girl from Hertfordshire who grew up a stone’s throw from the studios that made her famous.
| Full name | Lacey Amelia Turner |
|---|---|
| Date of birth | March 28, 1988 |
| Age | 38 (as of November 2026) |
| Birthplace | Edgware, London, England |
| Nationality | British |
| Occupation | Actress, author |
| Known for | Stacey Slater in EastEnders, Our Girl, Strictly Come Dancing 2026 |
| Spouse | Matt Kay (married 2017) |
| Children | Three |
| Book | Gold Dust (Penguin, October 2026) |
| Net worth | Not publicly disclosed |
Early Life
Lacey Amelia Turner was born on March 28, 1988, in Edgware, north London, to Les Turner and Beverly Harvey. She grew up in Hertfordshire with her two sisters, Daisy and Lily, not far from the BBC’s Elstree studios where EastEnders is filmed. Years later, that short journey would become her daily commute.
Performing came early. At around ten she enrolled at the Sylvia Young Theatre School, the London stage school known for training a long list of soap and pop stars, though she stayed only a year. She went on to study at Peterborough and St Margaret’s School in Bushey while taking acting classes on the side. Before television called, she picked up stage work, voice jobs and adverts, including a memorable spot for Haribo.
Career
2004–2010: Becoming Stacey Slater
In 2004, a teenage Turner auditioned for EastEnders for the part of Demi Miller. She did not get it. Producers instead offered her a different role: Stacey Slater, a sharp-tongued, fiercely loyal member of the Slater clan. She made her first appearance in November 2004, and the character quickly became one of the soap’s most popular.
What set Turner apart was her ability to carry heavy storylines without losing Stacey’s humour. Over the years the character dealt with bipolar disorder, sexual assault and an affair with her father-in-law, Max Branning, a plot that culminated in the soap’s live 25th anniversary episode in February 2010. Turner was at the centre of that broadcast. Later that year she left the show, with Stacey’s on-screen exit airing on Christmas Day 2010.
2011–2014: Life outside Walford
Away from the soap, Turner proved she could lead a drama. She appeared in the BBC Three supernatural series Being Human in 2011, took the lead in the Sky Living thriller Bedlam and starred as Stella Munroe in ITV2’s Switch in 2012. She also appeared in the improvised BBC drama True Love.
Her biggest role in that period came with Our Girl, the BBC military drama in which she played Molly Dawes, a young woman from east London who joins the Army. After the original film and the first series, Michelle Keegan took over the lead from series two. In 2014 Turner also made a guest appearance in Call the Midwife.
2014–2025: Return and record-breaking run
In December 2013, the BBC announced that Stacey was coming home. Turner returned on screen in February 2014 and was back full-time later that year. Her second stint lasted more than a decade and included some of the soap’s most-discussed plots, as well as three periods of maternity leave. In February 2025 she was part of the live episode marking the show’s 40th anniversary.
Those years gave Stacey some of her defining relationships. Viewers had already watched her doomed romance with Bradley Branning during her first stint; on her return, her on-off marriage to Martin Fowler became one of the show’s long-running threads. She was also one of the women at the centre of “The Six”, the ensemble storyline in which six Walford women were bound together by a fatal secret, while the soap also returned to Stacey’s bipolar disorder, a storyline first explored during her early years on the show.
Part of Turner’s appeal is that she never seemed to play a soap character as a type. Stacey could be funny, reckless and tender within the same episode, and in her memoir she shares the advice she received from EastEnders matriarchs such as Barbara Windsor and June Brown. That grounding in the show’s history is a big part of why fans still see her as the face of the Slater family.
The awards followed her throughout. According to Wikipedia, Turner has collected more than 40 awards for the role, including four National Television Awards and eight British Soap Awards, a tally that makes her one of the most decorated actors in British soap history.
In May 2025, she announced that she would leave EastEnders, saying she needed a rest. Stacey’s farewell aired in early October 2025, with the character leaving for Brazil after a dramatic showdown. Turner was clear it was not goodbye forever: in an emotional message to cast and crew after her final scenes, she promised she would “be back in a minute.”
What’s New in 2026
On June 10, 2026, the BBC made a surprise early announcement: Lacey Turner would be the first celebrity confirmed for the 24th series of Strictly Come Dancing. “I am a huge fan and can’t quite believe I will be taking part and not watching at home this year,” she said at the time. She was paired with Italian professional Vito Coppola, the 2023 champion.
The partnership has been one of the stories of the autumn. On Halloween night, October 31, 2026, Turner and Coppola topped the leaderboard with a Charleston that scored 36 points, which judge Motsi Mabuse called the “best dance of the night.” You can read our full report on Strictly’s Halloween week, where she competed alongside singer Delta Goodrem and Dani Dyer. Bookmakers have since made her one of the favourites to lift the Glitterball trophy.
Turner has also become an author. Her memoir, Gold Dust: My Life (So Far) with the Women Who Shaped Me, was published by Penguin on October 22, 2026. The book looks back at her years on EastEnders and pays tribute to the women who influenced her, from her own family to soap legends Barbara Windsor and June Brown.
Earlier, from January to March 2025, she hosted the podcast We Started Here, in which she talked with fellow soap alumni about their early careers.
Personal Life
Turner married Matt Kay, whom she has known since her teens, in a private ceremony in Ibiza on September 5, 2017. The couple are widely described as childhood sweethearts and have kept their family life largely out of the spotlight.
They have three children, whose privacy the couple carefully protects. Turner has chosen to speak openly about the difficult road to motherhood: she has talked publicly about experiencing two miscarriages before her first pregnancy, and in 2020 she took part in the Channel 5 documentary Miscarriage: Our Story to help other families going through the same experience.
Off screen she remains close to several former co-stars, including Jessie Wallace and Natalie Cassidy, both of whom she has called friends.
Net Worth
Lacey Turner’s net worth is not publicly disclosed, and neither is her EastEnders salary or her Strictly fee. Figures circulate on celebrity-wealth websites, but none has been confirmed by Turner, the BBC or a reliable outlet, so we do not repeat them here. What is certain is that her income has come from more than twenty years of leading soap work, prime-time drama roles, television appearances and, since October 2026, her first book.
FAQ
How old is Lacey Turner?
Lacey Turner was born on March 28, 1988, so she is 38 years old as of November 2026.
Who is Lacey Turner’s husband?
She is married to Matt Kay. The couple wed in Ibiza on September 5, 2017.
Has Lacey Turner left EastEnders?
Yes. Her exit as Stacey Slater aired in October 2025, but she has said she intends to return.
Who is Lacey Turner’s Strictly partner?
She is dancing with Vito Coppola on Strictly Come Dancing 2026.
How many children does Lacey Turner have?
She has three children with her husband, Matt Kay.
What is Lacey Turner’s book called?
Her memoir is called Gold Dust: My Life (So Far) with the Women Who Shaped Me, released by Penguin on October 22, 2026.
Sources
- Wikipedia – Lacey Turner
- Irish News (PA) – Lacey Turner announced as first celebrity to join Strictly
- GB News – Strictly unveils first celebrity of 2026
- Irish News – Lacey Turner praised for best dance of the night
- GB News – Lacey Turner announces EastEnders exit
- AOL – Lacey Turner confirms return plans in emotional goodbye
- Penguin – Gold Dust by Lacey Turner
- RTÉ – Lacey Turner marries childhood sweetheart
- Hello! – Lacey Turner’s family life