Irene Raymond (also Carter and Hills) is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders, played by Roberta Taylor.

It isn't long before Irene finds an eligible man to flirt with, and this happens to be the recovering alcoholic Terry Raymond (Gavin Richards).

Irene becomes good friends with local restaurant owner Rosa di Marco (Louise Jameson) and she is a fan of any new-age fad she ever comes across; during her time she participates in feng shui, aromatherapy, and meditation, much to the bemusement of her sceptical husband.

Irene is over the moon but her joy soon turns to rage when she discovers that Terry has invited fellow Walford residents Frank and Peggy Butcher (Mike Reid and Barbara Windsor), as well as Roy and Pat Evans (Tony Caunter and Pam St. Clement).

Whilst on holiday, Terry begins to despair over Irene's obvious unhappiness with their marriage and her complaints about her dull life in Walford.

In an attempt to 'call her bluff' he sets Irene up with a rented car, gives her a wad of money and suggests that she leave there and then and travel the world like she has always dreamed.

Irene was introduced in 1997 as the estranged mother of the already established characters Sarah (Daniela Denby-Ashe) and Tony Hills (Mark Homer).

Her introduction followed the axing of the Hills' family patriarch Ted (Brian Croucher), who departed the serial the episode before Irene's arrival.

[5] While author Rupert Smith has stated that she was "flighty, bitchy and self-centred [...] the mother from hell", but noted that she was a "breath of fresh air when compared to her ghastly children".

Producers were disappointed by her decision to leave, with one source commenting, "Roberta's an outstanding actress who brought a little extra magic to Walford.

"[9] The Christmas Day 1999 scenes in EastEnders involving Terry, Troy and Irene were described as "compelling viewing" by Merle Brown, critic for the Daily Record.

She added, "All three played their parts excellently, especially Gavin Richards as Terry, who actually made you feel heartfelt sorrow for his usually despicable character.

Never entirely happy with Terry - and even less so since her plundering of Troy [...] and when [Irene] broke, the torrent of rage, frustration, self- loathing and self-doubt that Roberta Taylor unleashed was undeniably moving.