Lillia Turner, who plays Lily Slater in EastEnders, is 17 years old and not related to her on-screen mother Lacey Turner. The actress joined the BBC One soap in 2020, taking over from Aine Garvey, and has been at the centre of major storylines, including her character's teenage pregnancy.
Lily Slater's current storyline
Lily is currently involved in the aftermath of Joel Marshall's attack. During Tuesday's episode, she told DC Craig Ingram that she saw Denzel Danes sneaking off before Joel was attacked. An investigation is ongoing.
Lillia Turner's age and character details
Lillia was born on March 16, 2009, making her 17. Her character, Lily, is 16. Lily is the daughter of Stacey Slater (Lacey Turner) and Ryan Malloy (Neil McDermott). She first appeared on 23 June 2010. In 2023, Lily learned she was pregnant with Ricky Branning's child and gave birth to daughter Charli Slater in September of that year.
In May 2025, Lillia temporarily left the show for her GCSEs but returned in August 2025.
Previous actresses to play Lily
Aine Garvey played Lily from 2014 to 2019. Before that, the role was played by Kennady Lacy-Breckenridge, Alfie Duncan, and Poppy Crake in 2010. No official reason was given for Aine's departure, but recasting is common for younger characters.
Lillia and Lacey Turner's relationship
Despite their similar surnames and looks, Lillia and Lacey are not related. Lacey praised Lillia's acting, telling Digital Spy: "Lillia is such a great little actress. There's something about her that is so warm and so natural, and her instincts are just bang-on. She's been so desperate for a storyline of her own for so many years, so to see her have one is lovely."
EastEnders airs Monday to Thursday at 7.30pm on BBC One and is available on BBC iPlayer from 6am.
