Lesley Jane Beale (also Clarke and Collins) is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders, played by Laurie Brett.

[5] Jane's storylines have included her relationship and later marriages to Ian Beale (Adam Woodyatt), an affair with Grant Mitchell (Ross Kemp), accidentally shot by Ian's stepson Steven Beale (Aaron Sidwell) which results her desire to have a child of her own following a hysterectomy, a relationship with Masood Ahmed (Nitin Ganatra), her popular friendship with Tanya Branning (Jo Joyner), covering up her adopted son Bobby's (Eliot Carrington) role in the murder of her stepdaughter Lucy Beale (Hetti Bywater), being paralysed after being brutally attacked with a hockey stick by Bobby, caught up in the fire at Beale's restaurant, which was started by Steven before she was then left in the blaze by Max Branning (Jake Wood) and being forced by Max to leave Walford which led to a second departure.

After he dies, Jane and Ian start dating and she moves in with him and his children, Lucy (Melissa Suffield), Peter (Thomas Law), and Bobby (Alex Francis).

Ian explains that Janine was blackmailing him and admits he stole Archie Mitchell's (Larry Lamb) laptop on the day he was murdered to retrieve the recording.

Fearing that Jane will learn the truth, Ian persuades her to visit her mother, Linda Clarke (Lynda Baron), in Florida.

Ian attempts to woo Jane by cooking for her and offering the Argee Bhajee after her, admitting that he overheard what she said at Zainab's house.

She is horrified when Greg Jessop (Stefan Booth) asks Ian to be best man at his wedding to Jane's best friend Tanya Branning (Jo Joyner).

Jane and Ian's relationship deteriorates when she meets a man named Martin (Alasdair Harvey) at a pub quiz.

When Jane returns six months later after Bobby visits her, she's shocked to learn that Ian is engaged to Mandy Salter (Nicola Stapleton) and that Masood and Zainab have split.

She arrives at their house just as Ian is about to propose to his current fiancée, Jane's friend Denise Fox (Diane Parish).

[11] The next month, Jane returns to watch Bobby compete in a school spelling competition, lodges with Masood, and agrees to buy into Ian's restaurant.

Bonding with Jane over past experiences, Ian kisses her, but she flees the house in humiliation, then is further appalled when Max Branning (Jake Wood) tries to seduce her.

Denise digs up Lucy's missing purse and phone in Patrick's allotment and Jane convinces Ian not to hand them in to the police.

Jane does not want everyone to know about their relationship, but Alfie Moon (Shane Richie) has already found out and the news quickly spreads across the Square.

Jane is upset when her parents decline her invitation, disapproving of her remarrying Ian, but Sonia Fowler (Natalie Cassidy) supports her and she makes her matron of honour.

Ian forgives Jane and, with the twins' maternal half-sister Cindy Williams (Mimi Keene), they agree that Bobby can never find out.

Jane brings Lucy's effects up from under the floorboards, telling Ian she kept them as security, and she is seemingly happy to allow Ben to take the blame.

Phil prevents Bobby from turning in the evidence but it is clear that Jane is not coping, as she begins to behave erratically, suggests that the Beales flee Walford and ultimately confesses the truth to family friend Sharon Mitchell (Letitia Dean), who has found out after watching Cindy's video message meant for Bobby.

Jane stops him in time but both are stunned when Ian's mother Kathy Sullivan (Gillian Taylforth) turns up in Walford after being believed to be dead for ten years.

When Jane's paralysis improves that she is able to use a laptop properly, Lauren and Steven come up with a plan to distract her from looking at the restaurant's accounts.

When she finally sees them, she realises payments are being made to a non-existent company so tells Sharon that it can only be Ian or Steven but she worries about confronting the wrong person.

They both apologise to Max and he claims to understand their motivation to protect their child and says he wants to move on, shaking both their hands and buying them a drink.

Peter (Thomas Law again) brings Bobby (now Clay Milner Russell) to see Jane, but he is resistant to their reconciliation, admitting he does not understand why she covered up Lucy's death to protect him.

A few months later, Bobby experiences a traumatic episode arising from his girlfriend Anna Knight (Molly Rainford) falling pregnant and terminating their baby.

"[19] Speaking on the character's relationship with her husband, she likened herself to his mother, Kathy (Gillian Taylforth), stating: "if Jane doesn't work out for Ian, no one will!

Brett said that she was "absolutely thrilled" with the reaction that she received, after the episode was broadcast, opining that it proved that Jane is a popular character.

[22] On 23 October 2017, Jane made a previously unannounced departure from the show after being forced to leave Walford by Max Branning (Jake Wood).

"[26] Kevin O'Sullivan of the Sunday Mirror said that Jane was an EastEnders veteran who had a "seismic departure" as she "checked out of soapland's asylum in characteristically crazy style".

[27] Virgin Media called 2009 the "Good year" for Jane because she left her ex-husband Ian, "the most boring and selfish man in Walford.

"[28] Brett was nominated for "Best Actress" at The British Soap Awards 2015, but lost to co-star, Kellie Bright, who portrays Linda Carter.