EastEnders: Lola's Best Bits
As Danielle Harold says goodbye to the BBC soap, we take a look back at some of Lola's most iconic moments
It's been just over four years since Lola Pearce made her EastEnders debut and now she's waving goodbye to Albert Square.
The teenage tearaway turned hairdresser and single mum said her said farewell to pops Billy Mitchell after he robbed her on-again off-again lover Jay into the old bill in emotional scenes, heading north to Newcastle with baby Lexi in tow.
Danielle Harold's devious bubbly blonde made quite the impression in E20 from the day she arrived, making quite the personal journey on-screen and even giving birth in a live episode.
Let's take a look back at some of her best bits...
First impressions count for everything
http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p00ldpj4/player
For a long time Lola wasn't sure she wanted baby Lexi, but a fall down some steps soon gave her a reality check. It was while she was in hospital recovering that she realised she wanted to keep the baby, and set about changing her life for the better… even if just for a little while.
Baby Lexi's live birth
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I5-TMC5g9qA
Danielle Harold took on quite the challenge back in 2012, 'giving birth' to baby Lexi live on air as part of EastEnders' live Olympic Torch extravaganza.
Lola v Alexa
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t18cSQD14-k
Not long after baby Lexi was born, Lola went head to head with old pal Alexa when the teenage bully started picking on her pal Abi Branning. The scrap very nearly cost Lola her baby daughter, but it's a prime example of just how willing the wily teen has always been to stand up for her friends.
Fighting for custody with Phil Mitchell
Not content with the single mum's parenting plans and upset about his son's murderous antics, Phil decided to take his granddaughter Lexi away from Lola, resorting to all sorts to make sure the tot wouldn't go home to her mum and Billy.
Lola didn't take the treatment lying down though, fighting tooth and nail to prove she was indeed a good mother and make sure she got little Lexi back.
Her calm and collected reaction to Lexi's meningitis scare showed a different side to the teenage mum, and even convinced Phil that the little'un was in good hands.
And finally, finding love in a hopeless place
The course of true love never did run smooth down Albert Square, and Lola, Abi and Jay learned that the hard way.
The three teens were locked in a never-ending love triangle that some feared might have turned one-time wannabe vet Abi into a murderous maniac.
Lola fell for quite a few fellas, from Fatboy to Dexter and Peter Beale, over the years but it was Jay who had her heart at the end of the day.
Ain't it a pity pops Billy had to go and spoil their happily ever after?
You can watch a 60-second rundown of next week's episodes of EastEnders below.
And visit our dedicated EastEnders page for all the latest news, interviews and spoilers.
