Laura Beale (also Dunn) is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders, played by Hannah Waterman.

Following her debut in the show's 15th anniversary special, Laura embarked on a relationship with local businessman Ian Beale (Adam Woodyatt); he originally hired her to care for his children, but they later got married in 2001, after Laura helped Ian overcome his financial bankruptcy ordeal.

Their marriage soon fell apart, however, after Laura had an off-screen one-night stand with next-door neighbour Garry Hobbs (Ricky Groves), before giving birth to a baby named Bobby, whose father turned out to be Ian, despite her initial belief that Garry was the father due to Ian's vasectomy.

Soon afterwards, Laura was placed in dire financial straits after a feud with her sworn enemy, Janine Butcher (Charlie Brooks).

The follow-up to their last confrontation resulted Laura's death, when she fatally tripped down the stairs, in a departure that became listed as one of EastEnders' best exits by Virgin Media.

Laura Dunn first appeared in Albert Square when she is employed by local businessman Ian Beale (Adam Woodyatt) to work as a nanny for his children, Peter (Joseph Shade), Lucy (Casey Anne Rothery) and Steven Beale (Edward Savage).

When Mel is arrested for money laundering and drug dealing, having been falsely implicated by her late husband Steve Owen (Martin Kemp) for his criminal activities, she signs her business over to Laura – worried about them being seized by the authorities.

The argument escalates into a fight, which ends with Janine overpowering Laura and vowing revenge on her before leaving.

In her haste to answer the door, she runs down the stairs and trips on a toy, breaking her neck as she falls.

She is found dead by Janine's estranged stepmother Pat Evans (Pam St Clement).

On 6 January 2000, it was announced Waterman would be joining EastEnders as Laura Dunn, a nanny hired by Ian Beale (Adam Woodyatt) to care for his children.

[1] Shortly after she joined the show, Waterman began to be recognised by members of the public and she commented "It can be quite intimidating when people stare at me in the street, so I've resorted to doing what I never dreamed of before – wearing a baseball cap to go shopping.

"[3] On 22 December 2003, it was announced Waterman was to leave EastEnders, and her character was killed off after falling down the stairs, shortly after a fight with Janine Butcher.

[7] However, other critics described the character as a "loser" and "dreary", and that Ian and Laura were the "most miserable married couple in Albert Square".