Rainie Cross

Rainie Cross
EastEnders character
Portrayed byTanya Franks
Duration2007–2008, 2010–2011, 2014–2015, 2018–2022
First appearanceEpisode 3410
2 August 2007 (2007-08-02)
Last appearanceEpisode 6513
25 August 2022 (2022-08-25)
ClassificationFormer; regular
Introduced by
Spin-off
appearances
The Queen Vic Quiz Night (2020)
In-universe information
Other namesRainie Branning
Rainie Highway
Occupation
  • Barmaid
  • Cleaner
  • Prostitute
  • Car salesperson
  • Undertaker
FamilyBranning
FatherBill Cross
MotherCora Cross
SistersTanya Branning
Half-sistersAva Hartman
HusbandMax Branning (2018–2020)
Stuart Highway (2020–present)
Adoptive sonsRoland Highway
NephewsOscar Branning
Dexter Hartman
NiecesLauren Branning
Abi Branning
Other relativesAbi Branning

Rainie Highway (also Cross and Branning) is a fictional character from the BBC One soap opera EastEnders, played by Tanya Franks. Introduced as the drug-addicted sister of Tanya Branning (Jo Joyner), Franks has had three separate guest stints in 2007 (two episodes), 2008 (four episodes) and 2010 (seven episodes) and between 12 April and 8 December 2011. Rainie returned on 16 June 2014, when she was revealed as Ian Beale's (Adam Woodyatt) mystery phone contact, having been with Ian on Good Friday, the night of Lucy Beale's (Hetti Bywater) murder (see "Who Killed Lucy Beale?") but departed again not long after. In January 2015, it was confirmed that Rainie would return for the conclusion of the "Who Killed Lucy Beale?" storyline.[1] Rainie made another guest appearance on 19 January 2018 and returned full-time to the show on 24 April 2018, now married to her former brother-in-law, Max Branning (Jake Wood). In June 2022, it was announced that Franks had left the show, with Rainie's final episode airing on 29 June 2022.[2] She reappeared for a brief stint on 23 until 25 August 2022 to coincide with the departure of her husband Stuart Highway (Ricky Champ).

Since her permanent reintroduction, Rainie has had sex with both Max and Jack Branning (Scott Maslen), joined Max in a custody battle with her mother Cora Cross (Ann Mitchell) over Max and Tanya's granddaughter Abi, has feuded with Ben Mitchell (Max Bowden) and kidnapped Abi. Rainie's other storylines have included a custody battle between Max and the Beale family over Abi, another drug relapse and addiction to painkillers, and her imprisonment for assaulting Kathy Beale (Gillian Taylforth), taking over the local funeral parlour alongside her husband Stuart, hiring Bernadette Taylor (Clair Norris) as a surrogate for her and Stuart leading to the birth of their son Roland, and supporting Stuart through his breast cancer diagnosis.

Described as "the slightly broken sister who's one step away from a vodka bottle", Rainie's storylines have often centred on her addictions to drugs and alcohol. During her seven episode guest stint in 2010, Rainie was involved in a highly criticised crack cocaine storyline with Phil Mitchell (Steve McFadden). It was branded "inappropriate" and "horrid" by the Daily Record. EastEnders star Natalie Cassidy (who plays Sonia Fowler) also criticised the storyline, saying she was "shocked", but Franks defended the storyline, though she herself was not surprised that viewers had complained.

  1. ^ Kilkelly, Daniel (4 January 2015). "EastEnders plans 'Who Killed Lucy Beale?' flashback episode – EastEnders News – Soaps – Digital Spy". Digital Spy. Retrieved 5 January 2015.
  2. ^ "EastEnders confirms Rainie Highway's exit plan after Stuart split". Digital Spy. 21 June 2022.