Poppy Meadow
Encyclopedia
Poppy Meadow is a fictional character
from the BBC
soap opera EastEnders
, played by Rachel Bright
. She was introduced on 11 January 2011 as the best friend of established character Jodie Gold
(Kylie Babbington
), in several scenes which filled in for those cut from a controversial baby-swap storyline. Poppy returned in June 2011 as a supporting character, and was used to add a comedy element to the series. Her storylines focussed on her friendship with Jodie and their intertwined love-lives. Both characters departed on 14 November 2011.
Critics gave a mixed response to Poppy's introduction. It was deemed "bizarre and utterly irrelevant" by Jody Thompson of the Daily Mail
, and pointless and unnecessary by the Metro Daniella Grama. The Guardian
Stuart Heritage, however, called Poppy "perhaps the greatest television bit-part character of the modern age". Her return attracted more favourable reviews from the tabloid press; several Daily Mirror writers have given Poppy positive reviews, and The Sun criticised the termination of her contract.
as the best friend of Jodie Gold
(Kylie Babbington
). They talk in the Queen Victoria pub about their daily life and current affairs, while Jodie tries to arrange Poppy a date with Tamwar Masood
(Himesh Patel
). Her plan is ruined when they are interrupted by Tamwar's mother Zainab
(Nina Wadia
). After, Jodie's boyfriend Darren Miller
(Charlie G. Hawkins
) takes them for a meal in the local café, where Poppy advises Jodie to ignore Darren in order to manipulate him. Poppy returns to Walford some months later. She is afraid to admit that she is dating Jodie's ex-boyfriend, but eventually does so, and Jodie gives the relationship her blessing. Tyler Moon
(Tony Discipline
) flirts with Poppy, but she rejects his advances. When Poppy loses her job, Jodie suggests she work at the Walford beauty salon as a receptionist. Tyler resumes his flirting and Poppy continues to respond negatively, but after revealing that she is having problems with her boyfriend Julian, she decides to date Tyler to make him jealous.
Jodie and Darren become engaged; she asks Poppy, Lauren Branning
(Jacqueline Jossa
) and Lauren's sister Abi
(Lorna Fitzgerald
) to be her bridesmaids. Poppy discovers that Darren and Lauren had a drunken one-night-stand at his stag party
, and warns them that if they do not tell Jodie, she will. Jodie later admits she already knows and still wants to get married, but Darren calls off the wedding and leaves Walford. Poppy moves out of her mother's home and later becomes flatmates woth Jodie. They rent a flat from Ian Beale
(Adam Woodyatt
), but when he increases their rent, they refuse to pay and are evicted. They then move in with Tyler and his brother, Anthony
(Matt Lapinskas). It soon emerges that Poppy is attracted to Anthony. He asks her out on a date, but has stronger feelings for Jodie, who he later kisses. Remorseful, Jodie decides to leave London. She admits the kiss to Poppy, who is furious and refuses to speak to her. Tyler tricks the two girls into meeting up and they are able to repair their friendship. Poppy decides to leave too; she goes to live with her mother, while Jodie leaves to find Darren.
, though The Sun assessed that this venture had failed. On 24 October 2011, it was announced that the pair were to leave the show. They made their final appearance on 14 November 2011. According to an EastEnders spokesperson, there is potential for Poppy to appear again in the future. In a interview with Inside Soap
executive producer Bryan Kirkwood
said of a possible return, "We may see Poppy pop up as I'm a big fan of Rachel Bright and the character, but Kylie is keen to pursue other roles."
Sarah Dempster of The Guardian
deemed her "dumb", RTE
called her "insane" and "irritating", and Susan Hill of the Daily Star called her "pretty". In a press release announcing Poppy and Jodie's departure, they were described as "giggly girls"; Digital Spy
Daniel Kilkelly and the Daily Star have similarly referred to them as a "ditzy duo" Bright stated in an interview that in real life she is "nothing like Poppy".
described her first scenes with Jodie as "bizarre and utterly irrelevant", and Daniella Graham of the Metro said that "viewers were left questioning why on earth anyone thought this pointless sub-plot was necessary." In contrast, The Press and Journal Derek Lord deemed their scenes "a welcome addition to the show". He wrote that, "as a double act, [Jodie and Poppy are] no Morecambe and Wise
, but at least they bring an element of something approaching humour to the otherwise soul-destroying drabness of the London soap." Jim Shelley
of the Daily Mirror called Poppy the "Optimist of the week" for her line "I bet it's really nice here when they ain't having a funeral", and "Delicate flower of the week" for her line "That is so well tragic innit?", on Tommy Moon dying of a cot death. Stuart Heritage from The Guardian said that Poppy made an impact in her two episodes, and branded her "perhaps the greatest television bit-part character of the modern age". Heritage said she has "the name of a Bond girl
, the hair of a Winkleman
and the voice of a Katie Price robot running low on batteries". He called her electrifying and hoped that she would return.
Roz Laws of the Sunday Mercury
commented on Poppy's return that, "Walford needs all the humour it can get these days." The Daily Mail Jaci Stephen declared her love for Poppy and Jodie's scenes and noted, "Great girls, excellent pairing and very funny. More, please!" In the Daily Mirror, Jennifer Rodger called them a "refreshing change", and Tony Stewart deemed them "The daftest girls in Soapland and probably the funniest." Stewart was one of several critics to express displeasure over their axing; he called it a "shame". Jane Simon and Brian McIver of the Daily Record
described them as "an adorable female double act [and] E20's answer to 2 Shoes", and wrote, "apparently there just isn't enough room for sunny, funny, glass-half-full types in Walford." The Sun noted that Jodie, Poppy and Norman Simmonds (George Layton
), who was axed at the same time as the duo, were EastEnders "three funniest characters", and the Huffington Post similarly opined that they had "injected some humour into the famously gloomy soap". Bright stated that during her time in the show, she received a lot of fan mail, "saying how much they liked the double act between Poppy and Jodie and that we were a breath of fresh air."
Fictional character
A character is the representation of a person in a narrative work of art . Derived from the ancient Greek word kharaktêr , the earliest use in English, in this sense, dates from the Restoration, although it became widely used after its appearance in Tom Jones in 1749. From this, the sense of...
from the BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
soap opera EastEnders
EastEnders
EastEnders is a British television soap opera, first broadcast in the United Kingdom on BBC One on 19 February 1985 and continuing to today. EastEnders storylines examine the domestic and professional lives of the people who live and work in the fictional London Borough of Walford in the East End...
, played by Rachel Bright
Rachel Bright
Rachel Bright is a British actress.-Career:Bright graduated from the Birmingham School of Acting in 2007 and has since been based in London...
. She was introduced on 11 January 2011 as the best friend of established character Jodie Gold
Jodie Gold
Jodie Gold is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders, played by Kylie Babbington. She first appeared on screen on 7 June 2010. On 24 October 2011, it was announced Babbington's contract would not be renewed and Jodie departed on 14 November 2011, along with Poppy Meadow...
(Kylie Babbington
Kylie Babbington
Kylie Jane Babbington is a British actress.Babbington was born in Havering, London in 1987. She studied acting and musical theatre at the Italia Conti Academy of Theatre Arts and appeared in productions of Assassins, Elergies, Essex Girls and Odin.In 2010 she was cast in the BBC soap opera...
), in several scenes which filled in for those cut from a controversial baby-swap storyline. Poppy returned in June 2011 as a supporting character, and was used to add a comedy element to the series. Her storylines focussed on her friendship with Jodie and their intertwined love-lives. Both characters departed on 14 November 2011.
Critics gave a mixed response to Poppy's introduction. It was deemed "bizarre and utterly irrelevant" by Jody Thompson of the Daily Mail
Daily Mail
The Daily Mail is a British daily middle-market tabloid newspaper owned by the Daily Mail and General Trust. First published in 1896 by Lord Northcliffe, it is the United Kingdom's second biggest-selling daily newspaper after The Sun. Its sister paper The Mail on Sunday was launched in 1982...
, and pointless and unnecessary by the Metro Daniella Grama. The Guardian
The Guardian
The Guardian, formerly known as The Manchester Guardian , is a British national daily newspaper in the Berliner format...
Stuart Heritage, however, called Poppy "perhaps the greatest television bit-part character of the modern age". Her return attracted more favourable reviews from the tabloid press; several Daily Mirror writers have given Poppy positive reviews, and The Sun criticised the termination of her contract.
Storylines
Poppy arrives in WalfordWalford
Walford is a fictional borough of east London in the BBC soap opera EastEnders. The name Walford is both a street in Dalston where one of the series' creators, Tony Holland, lived and a blend of Walthamstow, where Holland was born, and Stratford. The suffix 'ford' is also found throughout East...
as the best friend of Jodie Gold
Jodie Gold
Jodie Gold is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders, played by Kylie Babbington. She first appeared on screen on 7 June 2010. On 24 October 2011, it was announced Babbington's contract would not be renewed and Jodie departed on 14 November 2011, along with Poppy Meadow...
(Kylie Babbington
Kylie Babbington
Kylie Jane Babbington is a British actress.Babbington was born in Havering, London in 1987. She studied acting and musical theatre at the Italia Conti Academy of Theatre Arts and appeared in productions of Assassins, Elergies, Essex Girls and Odin.In 2010 she was cast in the BBC soap opera...
). They talk in the Queen Victoria pub about their daily life and current affairs, while Jodie tries to arrange Poppy a date with Tamwar Masood
Tamwar Masood
Tamwar Masood is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders, played by Himesh Patel. He made his first appearance on 1 October 2007.- Storylines :...
(Himesh Patel
Himesh Patel
Himesh Jitendra Patel is a British actor who began his career in the BBC soap opera EastEnders, playing Tamwar Masood. His first appearance on the programme was on 1 October 2007. Patel is also a member of the National Youth Theatre. He also appears in the 2010 spin-off series EastEnders: E20.-...
). Her plan is ruined when they are interrupted by Tamwar's mother Zainab
Zainab Masood
Zainab Masood is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders, played by comedienne Nina Wadia. She made her first appearance on 16 July 2007.-Backstory:...
(Nina Wadia
Nina Wadia
-Television and film:Wadia first came to prominence in BBC sketch show Goodness Gracious Me, playing characters such as Mrs "I can make it at home for nothing!" and one half of The Competitive Mothers...
). After, Jodie's boyfriend Darren Miller
Darren Miller
Darren Miller is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders, played by Charlie G. Hawkins. He made his first appearance on 6 September 2004 and departed in the episode broadcast on 20 September 2011.-Storylines:...
(Charlie G. Hawkins
Charlie G. Hawkins
Charlie George Hawkins is an English actor. He was raised in Islington where he has lived since birth.His most notable role is Darren Miller in the BBC soap opera EastEnders, which he has starred in since 2004, although he has had other roles in films, dramas, documentaries and advertisements...
) takes them for a meal in the local café, where Poppy advises Jodie to ignore Darren in order to manipulate him. Poppy returns to Walford some months later. She is afraid to admit that she is dating Jodie's ex-boyfriend, but eventually does so, and Jodie gives the relationship her blessing. Tyler Moon
Tyler Moon
Tyler Moon is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders, played by actor Tony Discipline. Tyler is the son of Eddie Moon , half brother of Michael and Craig Moon , brother of Anthony Moon and cousin of Alfie Moon...
(Tony Discipline
Tony Discipline
Tony Discipline is an English actor. His best known role to date is the character of Tyler Moon, the youngest son of already established character Eddie Moon and on-screen brother of Anthony and Michael Moon .-Career:Discipline has had only one major role to date, Tyler Moon...
) flirts with Poppy, but she rejects his advances. When Poppy loses her job, Jodie suggests she work at the Walford beauty salon as a receptionist. Tyler resumes his flirting and Poppy continues to respond negatively, but after revealing that she is having problems with her boyfriend Julian, she decides to date Tyler to make him jealous.
Jodie and Darren become engaged; she asks Poppy, Lauren Branning
Lauren Branning
Lauren Branning is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders. She first appeared in the show on 3 July 2006 played by Madeline Duggan, was absent from 23 June to 27 September 2010, and returned as played by Jacqueline Jossa.-Storylines:...
(Jacqueline Jossa
Jacqueline Jossa
Jacqueline Mary Jossa is an English actress from Bexley, London, best known for her role in the BBC soap opera EastEnders as Lauren Branning.Jossa was born in the London Borough of Bexley...
) and Lauren's sister Abi
Abi Branning
Abigail "Abi" Branning is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders, played by Lorna Fitzgerald. She first appeared in the show on 3 July 2006.- Storylines :...
(Lorna Fitzgerald
Lorna Fitzgerald
Lorna Katie Fitzgerald is a British actress from Northampton. She lives in Hunsbury. Her most notable role to date is that of Abi Branning in the British soap opera EastEnders.- Personal life :...
) to be her bridesmaids. Poppy discovers that Darren and Lauren had a drunken one-night-stand at his stag party
Bachelor party
A bachelor party , also known as a stag party, stag night or stag do , a bull's party , or a buck's party or buck's night , is a party held for a man shortly before he enters marriage, to celebrate his "last night of freedom" or merely to spend...
, and warns them that if they do not tell Jodie, she will. Jodie later admits she already knows and still wants to get married, but Darren calls off the wedding and leaves Walford. Poppy moves out of her mother's home and later becomes flatmates woth Jodie. They rent a flat from Ian Beale
Ian Beale
Ian Albert Beale is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders, played by Adam Woodyatt. He is the longest-serving character and the only remaining original character to have appeared continuously since the first episode on 19 February 1985...
(Adam Woodyatt
Adam Woodyatt
Adam Brinley Woodyatt is an English actor and media personality, best known for his role as Ian Beale in the long-running BBC soap opera EastEnders...
), but when he increases their rent, they refuse to pay and are evicted. They then move in with Tyler and his brother, Anthony
Anthony Moon
Anthony Moon is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders, played by Matt Lapinskas. Anthony is the son of Eddie Moon , half brother of Michael Moon and Craig Moon , brother of Tyler Moon , and cousin of Alfie Moon...
(Matt Lapinskas). It soon emerges that Poppy is attracted to Anthony. He asks her out on a date, but has stronger feelings for Jodie, who he later kisses. Remorseful, Jodie decides to leave London. She admits the kiss to Poppy, who is furious and refuses to speak to her. Tyler tricks the two girls into meeting up and they are able to repair their friendship. Poppy decides to leave too; she goes to live with her mother, while Jodie leaves to find Darren.
Casting
Poppy was introduced in two episodes on 11 and 13 January 2011, in "filler" scenes which were substituted for scenes cut from a controversial baby swap storyline. A spokeswoman for EastEnders confirmed that the scenes had been edited following viewers' strong response to the story, but said that no complete scenes were removed: "Given the audience response to this storyline, we felt on this occasion that it was appropriate to respond and make some changes. The vast majority of material remains intact and we don't believe that those trims we have made will weaken or detract from the overall storyline for viewers." In an interview with the Daily Mirror, Bright stated that her first scene was her favourite throughout her tenure, as "all [she] could think was, 'I'm sitting on a bench in the Square!'". Kylie Babbington, who played Jodie, revealed in May 2011 that Poppy would be returning and would have comical scenes. Bright made her return on 30 June 2011. Poppy and Jodie were reportedly used to add humour to the soap, in the style of reality-drama series The Only Way is EssexThe Only Way Is Essex
The Only Way Is Essex, is a British BAFTA award-winning semi-reality show based in Essex, England. It shows "real people in modified situations, saying unscripted lines but in a structured way."...
, though The Sun assessed that this venture had failed. On 24 October 2011, it was announced that the pair were to leave the show. They made their final appearance on 14 November 2011. According to an EastEnders spokesperson, there is potential for Poppy to appear again in the future. In a interview with Inside Soap
Inside Soap
Inside Soap is a weekly UK magazine, released every Tuesday. It covers current and future storylines in soap operas shown in the United Kingdom....
executive producer Bryan Kirkwood
Bryan Kirkwood (producer)
Bryan Kirkwood is a Scottish-born British television producer. He was the producer of teen Channel 4 soap opera Hollyoaks from 2006 until 2009 and has been the executive producer of the BBC soap EastEnders since 2010.- Personal life :...
said of a possible return, "We may see Poppy pop up as I'm a big fan of Rachel Bright and the character, but Kylie is keen to pursue other roles."
Characterisation
Poppy is a brunette beautician who wears false nails, and is best friends with Jodie. The EastEnders website describes Poppy as someone who "may come across as a pretty faced bimbo", but is willing to stand up for herself, is not a push-over, and "woe betide you should you cross her". Several critics have described Poppy as "ditzy".Sarah Dempster of The Guardian
The Guardian
The Guardian, formerly known as The Manchester Guardian , is a British national daily newspaper in the Berliner format...
deemed her "dumb", RTE
Raidió Teilifís Éireann
Raidió Teilifís Éireann is a semi-state company and the public service broadcaster of Ireland. It both produces programmes and broadcasts them on television, radio and the Internet. The radio service began on January 1, 1926, while regular television broadcasts began on December 31, 1961, making...
called her "insane" and "irritating", and Susan Hill of the Daily Star called her "pretty". In a press release announcing Poppy and Jodie's departure, they were described as "giggly girls"; Digital Spy
Digital Spy
Digital Spy is a British entertainment and media news website. According to Alexa Internet traffic statistics, as of February 2011, Digital Spy is the 93rd most popular website in the United Kingdom, with an overall Alexa ranking of 2,088....
Daniel Kilkelly and the Daily Star have similarly referred to them as a "ditzy duo" Bright stated in an interview that in real life she is "nothing like Poppy".
Storyline development
In the 19 September 2011 episode, Poppy discovered that Jodie's fiance Darren (Hawkins) had cheated on her. Hawkins assessed that, as she was loyal to Jodie, she felt she would effectively be lying to her if Darren did not confess. He explained, "Poppy doesn't want to see Jodie in pain, but she can't keep the secret." Poppy later started dating Anthony Moon. Laspinskas deemed his character "pleased that somebody likes him", and said that while he was also interested in Jodie, he was put "on the spot" by Poppy and so did what he thought was expected of him in asking her out. He and Jodie later kissed; Laspinskas revealed that Jodie would be angry with herself for betraying Poppy and decide to leave London. Inside Soap predicted that Anthony had landed himself in a big mess, and that he was "playing with fire" by kissing both Poppy and Jodie. RTÉ wrote, "[Jodie] and Poppy have never let a man come between them. Poppy may have something to say to Jodie when she finds out they have kissed." Digital Spy and the Daily Star later confirmed that Poppy would forgive Jodie and they would leave Walford together.Reception
Poppy's introduction received a mixed response from critics. Jody Thompson of the Daily MailDaily Mail
The Daily Mail is a British daily middle-market tabloid newspaper owned by the Daily Mail and General Trust. First published in 1896 by Lord Northcliffe, it is the United Kingdom's second biggest-selling daily newspaper after The Sun. Its sister paper The Mail on Sunday was launched in 1982...
described her first scenes with Jodie as "bizarre and utterly irrelevant", and Daniella Graham of the Metro said that "viewers were left questioning why on earth anyone thought this pointless sub-plot was necessary." In contrast, The Press and Journal Derek Lord deemed their scenes "a welcome addition to the show". He wrote that, "as a double act, [Jodie and Poppy are] no Morecambe and Wise
Morecambe and Wise
Eric Morecambe and Ernie Wise, usually referred to as Morecambe and Wise, or Eric and Ernie, were a British comic double act, working in variety, radio, film and most successfully in television. Their partnership lasted from 1941 until Morecambe's death in 1984...
, but at least they bring an element of something approaching humour to the otherwise soul-destroying drabness of the London soap." Jim Shelley
Jim Shelley (TV critic)
Jim Shelley is a British television critic who writes a column for the Daily Mirror each Monday titled Shelleyvision. Prior to writing for the Daily Mirror he wrote for The Guardian and his collection of reviews "Interference: Tapehead vs. Television" was published by Atlantic Books...
of the Daily Mirror called Poppy the "Optimist of the week" for her line "I bet it's really nice here when they ain't having a funeral", and "Delicate flower of the week" for her line "That is so well tragic innit?", on Tommy Moon dying of a cot death. Stuart Heritage from The Guardian said that Poppy made an impact in her two episodes, and branded her "perhaps the greatest television bit-part character of the modern age". Heritage said she has "the name of a Bond girl
Bond girl
A Bond girl is a character or actress portraying a love interest, of James Bond in a film, novel, or video game. They occasionally have names that are double entendres or puns, such as "Pussy Galore", "Plenty O'Toole", "Xenia Onatopp", or "Holly Goodhead"...
, the hair of a Winkleman
Claudia Winkleman
Claudia Anne I. Winkleman is an English television presenter, film critic, radio personality and journalist.- Early life and family :...
and the voice of a Katie Price robot running low on batteries". He called her electrifying and hoped that she would return.
Roz Laws of the Sunday Mercury
Sunday Mercury
Sunday Mercury is a Sunday tabloid published in Birmingham, UK, and owned by Trinity Mirror.The first editor was John Turner Fearon , who left the Dublin-based Freeman's Journal to take up the position...
commented on Poppy's return that, "Walford needs all the humour it can get these days." The Daily Mail Jaci Stephen declared her love for Poppy and Jodie's scenes and noted, "Great girls, excellent pairing and very funny. More, please!" In the Daily Mirror, Jennifer Rodger called them a "refreshing change", and Tony Stewart deemed them "The daftest girls in Soapland and probably the funniest." Stewart was one of several critics to express displeasure over their axing; he called it a "shame". Jane Simon and Brian McIver of the Daily Record
Daily Record (Scotland)
The Daily Record is a Scottish tabloid newspaper based in Glasgow. It had been the best-selling daily paper in Scotland for many years with a paid circulation in August 2011 of 307,794 . It is now outsold by its arch-rival the Scottish Sun which in September 2010 had a circulation of 339,586 in...
described them as "an adorable female double act [and] E20's answer to 2 Shoes", and wrote, "apparently there just isn't enough room for sunny, funny, glass-half-full types in Walford." The Sun noted that Jodie, Poppy and Norman Simmonds (George Layton
George Layton
George Layton is an English actor, director, screenwriter and author. He was educated at Belle Vue Boys' Grammar School in Bradford and later studied acting at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts where he won the Emile Littler award. He went on to leading parts at Coventry and Nottingham and...
), who was axed at the same time as the duo, were EastEnders "three funniest characters", and the Huffington Post similarly opined that they had "injected some humour into the famously gloomy soap". Bright stated that during her time in the show, she received a lot of fan mail, "saying how much they liked the double act between Poppy and Jodie and that we were a breath of fresh air."