EastEnders actress Kitty Castledine, who plays Penny Branning on the BBC soap, comes from a family with famous connections. Her younger brother, Leo Castledine, is a professional footballer currently playing as a midfielder for Championship side Middlesbrough, having joined the club in January 2026.
Penny Branning's Storyline
Kitty first appeared as Penny Branning in January 2024, the daughter of Jack Branning (Scott Maslen), becoming involved in a drugs plot alongside her cousin Lauren Branning (Jacqueline Jossa). Months later, Penny broke the law again when she caused a club crush in a revenge attack on Chelsea Fox (Zaraah Abrahams), which nearly killed her teenage sister Amy Mitchell (Ellie Dadd).
Despite her misdemeanors, Penny has settled down with her boyfriend, Vinny Panesar (Shiv Jalota), and they are expecting their first baby together. However, in true EastEnders style, the unborn child appears to be biologically Harry Mitchell's (Elijah Holloway), though he is yet to know he is about to become a father for the first time.
Famous Family Background
Before landing her first major role on the soap, Kitty, 22, graduated from the London Academy of Music and Drama (LAMDA). Her brother Leo previously played on loan at Huddersfield Town from Premier League outfit Chelsea, where he impressed by netting 12 goals in 27 appearances for the Terriers.
"I'm absolutely over the moon to join what is a massive, massive club," Leo said about his move to Middlesbrough. "It's a really big step for me in my career, and I'm very excited to be here. There's always been trust in young players at this club if they can perform, and I want to perform at my highest level," reported BBC News.
Parents' Careers
Leo and Kitty are the children of Lucy Alexander and Stewart Castledine, who reportedly married in 2000 during a ceremony in Richmond, London, after being introduced by a mutual friend. Lucy is renowned for presenting popular daytime programmes such as Homes Under the Hammer and A Place in the Sun, while Stewart was also a professional footballer.
Stewart had a nine-year stint with Wimbledon and also turned out for Wycombe in the second tier. He has also appeared on television, presenting BBC One's Big Strong Boys and Houses Behaving Badly. EastEnders airs Monday to Thursday on BBC One and iPlayer.
