If you’re an EastEnders fan (and who isn’t?) then cast your mind back a few years and you’ll probably remember the dramatic moment that Ruby Allen (played by Louisa Lytton) was carted off out of Walford in the back of a police car.
Ruby’s exit came after her deceit finally caught up with her and she was exposed for lying about expecting Martin Fowler (James Bye)’s baby and being assaulted by Stacey Slater (Lacey Turner). But now, Ruby is set to return for Walford for what's sure to be an explosive comeback ahead of the soap's 40th anniversary.
During her time away from EastEnders, which she appeared in back in 2005, Louisa has been very busy. Not only has she married her partner Ben Bhanvra and given birth to their daughter, but she’s also had a complete career change and ventured into the world of fashion.
Here's everything you need to know about her...
Who is Louisa Lytton?
Louisa is an actor, best known for playing Ruby Allen in EastEnders and Beth Green in The Bill. She's also appeared in the likes of Edge of Heaven and Murdoch Mysteries. As well as her acting career, Louisa is a mum and the director of clothing company Aura Soul London.
How old is Louisa Lytton?
Louisa is currently 35 years old. She was born on 7 February 1989.
Where is Louisa Lytton from?
Louisa was born and raised in London.
What happened to Ruby on EastEnders?
Ruby was just a teenager when she first appeared on Albert Square looking for her father, gangster and club owner Johnny Allen (Billy Murray). She quickly became close pals with Stacey Slater and later dated Stacey's brother Sean (Rob Kazinsky). Ruby had a complicated relationship with her dad, which was only made worse by his criminal activities and feud with the Mitchell brothers. Johnny was arrested when his crimes caught up with him and he was sentenced to life imprisonment. He later died of a heart attack behind bars when Ruby's boyfriend Sean visted him and revealed he was only dating Ruby to get closer to Johnny's money.
After her father's death, Ruby left Walford but 12 years later, she returned to Albert Square. Shortly after her comeback, Ruby was raped by two men, Ross and Matt, on a night out. Although people accused her of false allegations, justice prevailed in the end and Ross and Matt were jailed for ten years.
Ruby then began dating Max Branning (Jake Wood) and bought the club from Mel Owen (Tamzin Outhwaite) and Sharon Watts (Letitia Dean). She hired Martin Fowler as a bouncer and they grew close following her split from Max. Stacey was, unsurprisingly, not happy that her friend was romantically involved with her ex and began stealing money from Ruby as revenge.
After he talked her down from reporting Stacey to the police, Martin and Ruby got married although she was worried he still had feelings for his ex and told him she was pregnant. Ruby visited a clinic and stole another woman's baby scan to protect her lies before finding out she really was pregnant, although she sadly suffered a miscarriage. During a confrontation with Stacey, Ruby fell down the stairs and used the fall as an explanation for losing her baby - accusing Stacey of pushing her. Stacey was then convicted of assault and sentenced to a year in prison.
While Stacey was in prison, Ruby grew close to her mum Jean (Gillian Wright) and later confessed to lying to send Stacey down. Jean forced Ruby to come clean to Martin, which she did before revealing that she's pregnant - however Martin didn't believe her. Ruby was then arrested when drugs from Jean's cannabis farm were found in the house. She ended up in prison and applied to sell the house and divorce Martin before giving birth to their child off-screen.
It was announced in September 2024 that Ruby is set to return to Walford.
What has Louisa Lytton been up to since leaving EastEnders?
Louisa set up clothing company Aura Soul London in 2022 and the brand launched their first collection last March. Aura Soul London is a “family focused clothing line” with adorable matching outfits for adults and children.
Adorably, the brand is named after Louisa’s daughter Aura as the little one’s name means ‘soul’ in Italian – hence the brand name Aura Soul.
Who is Louisa Lytton's husband?
Louisa is married to businessman Ben Bhanvra. They tied the knot in 2022 after being forced to postpone their wedding three times. The couple are parents to a daughter, Aura.
Does Louisa Lytton have Instagram?
Yep, you can keep up to date with Louisa's on and off-screen exploits on Instagram at @louisanastrilytton.