Who is Rainie Highway in EastEnders? Did she sleep with Ian Beale?
Rainie Highway in EastEnders has been popping up in some of the Squares most dramatic storylines, including Phils crack addiction and the who killed Lucy Beale mystery, for years. Since 2018, shes been a fixture in Walford and has settled down with Stuart Highway. Rainie was born Rainie Cross. Shes the daughter of Cora Cross, and sister to Tanya Branning and Ava Hartman. She was (briefly!) married to her former brother-in-law, Max Branning. Rainies been in EastEnders for many years (Credit: BBC)  Rainies got no children of her own, but shes an aunt to Lauren, Oscar and the late Abi Branning, as well as to Avas son, Dexter. Shes also the legal guardian of her great-niece, also called Abi. Rainie is played by experienced actress Tanya Franks. She played Karen Ellis in Family Affairs, and DI Rowanne Morrell in The Bill, as well as starring with Sharon Horgan in Pulling. Read more: Shane Richie hints Alfie Moon could return to EastEnders  Shes also made appearances in Ashes to Ashes, Pramface, Mum, Broadchurch, Chewing Gum and Inside No 9, as well as treading the boards in the theatre in many plays. And she also runs her own production company called Stock-pot Productions. We dont know how she finds the time! Tanya ran the marathon with Barbara Windsors husband Scott Mitchell in April 2019 (Credit: Lensi Photography / SplashNews.com)  And as if thats not enough to keep her busy, Tanya is a dedicated runner. She took part in the London Marathon in 2019, raising money for a dementia charity inspired by her former co-star Barbara Windsor. Rainies addictions  Back in the day, Rainie always brought trouble with her to the Square. She was an alcoholic and a drug addict and she had a real self-destructive streak. She introduced Phil to crack cocaine in a very controversial storyline, though Phil later helped her kick the drugs and drink again. Phils helped Rainie in the past (Credit: BBC)  Rainie blamed her addictions on her relationship with her mother, Cora, and her sister, Tanya, though the women worked hard to repair their friendships. She often turned to prostitution to fund her habits. After Lucy Beale was murdered, Ian Beale received mysterious messages from someone in his phone as R. It was later revealed that hed been with Rainie on the night Lucy died. Rainie and Ian have history (Credit: BBC)  Rainie blackmailed Ian about their liaison and even dragged Mick Carter into the murky business when he followed Ian and was shocked to find himself arrested for soliciting. Rainies custody battle  When Abi Branning died, Max and Rainie cooked up a scheme to get custody of her baby daughter. They got married and pretended to be a couple, promising to give little Abi a stable home. But Rainies mother, Cora, also wanted the tot and gave Rainie 50,000 to stop the fight. Rainie took the money but revealed the bribe to the social workers. The battle for baby Abi was pretty nasty (Credit: BBC)  Even though Rainie had developed feelings for Max, he didnt feel the same way  at first  and she turned to his brother Jack for comfort. But though Max and Rainie did make a go of it for a while, their romance fizzled out when he went abroad. Stuart and Rainie Highway in EastEnders  Its a match made in heaven! Rainie and Stuart met at an AA meeting and quickly fell in love. Rainie and Stuarts wedding didnt go to plan but they eventually tied the knot (Credit: BBC)  Their romance seemed to put both of them on an even keel and despite some hiccups along the way, including a fairly unconventional wedding day, theyre happily settled down, looking after little Abi, and running the funeral parlour. Now the couple want a baby of their own but they know a surrogate is their only option. Entertainment Daily has a dedicated EastEnders spoilers section for you to get your fix before the latest episodes air. EastEnders air tonight (June 7) at 8.05pm on BBC One. EastEnders airs Mondays at 8.05pm, Tuesdays and Thursdays at 7.35pm and Fridays at 8.30pm on BBC One. Head to our Facebook page @EntertainmentDailyFix and tell us what you think about the current storylines. Leave us a comment on our Facebook page @EntertainmentDailyFix and let us know what you think.