[1] In December 2014, Jossa filmed her final scenes prior to taking maternity leave, which aired on 24 February 2015, following the show's 30th anniversary celebrations.

In September 2017, it was announced that Jossa and Lorna Fitzgerald, who plays Lauren's sister Abi, had been axed by executive consultant John Yorke.

[8] Her storylines during her original stint have included running over her father Max Branning (Jake Wood), alcoholism, supporting her mother Tanya Branning (Jo Joyner) through cervical cancer, her friendships with Lucy Beale (Hetti Bywater) and Whitney Dean (Shona McGarty), a sexual relationship with her first cousin Joey Branning (David Witts), an affair with a married alcoholic Jake Stone (Jamie Lomas), engagement to Peter Beale (Ben Hardy), struggling to deal with Lucy's murder, giving birth to Peter's son Louie, a relationship with Peter's half-brother Steven Beale (Aaron Sidwell) following the ending of her relationship with Peter, becoming attracted to Max's boss Josh Hemmings (Eddie Eyre) who also becomes her own boss, having an abortion after becoming pregnant by Steven, dealing with his death, finding out her sister Abi is pregnant by Steven after an affair, working against Weylands plans for development on Albert Square, falling from The Queen Victoria roof alongside Abi, and dealing with Abi's death following the fall.

Since her return in 2024, Lauren's storylines have included being framed for drug trafficking by her cousin Penny Branning (Kitty Castledine), reuniting with Peter (now played by Thomas Law), feuding with Peter's mother Cindy Beale (Michelle Collins), sleeping with Whitney's fiancée Zack Hudson (James Farrar), being injured during a crowd crush and stampede, falling pregnant for Peter again, dealing with a painkiller addiction, exposing Cindy's affair with Junior Knight (Micah Balfour) and being a suspect in the "Who Attacked Cindy?"

The eldest child and daughter of Max (Jake Wood) and Tanya Branning (Jo Joyner), Lauren moves to Walford with her parents and younger sister, Abi (Lorna Fitzgerald) in July 2006.

In 2007, Lauren discovers that her father is having an affair with her half-brother Bradley Branning's (Charlie Clements) fiancée, Stacey Slater (Lacey Turner), after accidentally filming them kissing on her video camera.

She celebrates her 16th birthday at a party in R&R nightclub, where her uncle Jack Branning (Scott Maslen) is shot by Kylie (Elarica Gallacher).

Lauren suspects that Max killed Archie after he tells her that Bradley was not the culprit, and she notes his violent tendencies when he confronts Jay Brown (Jamie Borthwick) for making crude sexual remarks after she rejects his attempt to proposition her.

The relationship is threatened when Tanya finds out, and their romance ends when Ryan flees after killing Rob Grayson (Jody Latham), who had been sexually exploiting Whitney for financial gain.

Lauren's rebellion continues, and she reunites with her old friend Lucy Beale (Hetti Bywater) at Pat Evans' (Pam St Clement) funeral.

Joey leaves Walford after Derek dies from a heart attack, but returns and reunites with Lauren, where Lucy witnesses them kissing.

She tries to persuade Jake not to start drinking, but he angrily throws a bottle of wine at Lauren, injuring her face; she forgives him before he leaves Walford.

Determined to overcome her grief, Lauren restarts the business, but finds an email from someone wanting to meet on the night Lucy died.

She initially refuses, planning to join Tanya in Devon but after he tells her that his brother Bobby Beale (Eliot Carrington) is Lucy's killer, she changes her mind and decides to go to New Zealand.

She later gives birth to a baby boy who she names Louie, in honour of Peter's great-grandmother, Lou Beale (Anna Wing).

Lauren makes a statement to the Police claiming that Bobby killed Lucy but they do not believe her and she returns to New Zealand with Louie, vowing to come back and clear Max's name.

When Max is due to have a court hearing following Bobby's confession, Lauren and Abi write a letter saying they will wait for him in the pub, asking Stacey to deliver it.

When Jane discovers Steven has been stealing money from the restaurant, he explains he borrowed it to pay Peter's debts as he is drinking heavily and getting into fights, and Lauren does not know the whole truth.

Lauren discovers Weyland & Co's Project Dagmar, a plan to develop Albert Square into luxury apartments, and photographs a scale model.

Josh asks Lauren to stall Willmott-Brown and Fi Browning (Lisa Faulkner) at a press launch so he can get evidence of the bribes, so she chains herself to their property, but is arrested for breach of the peace.

Lauren briefly returns to Walford in December 2022 for Dot's funeral, where she comforts her uncle Jack and her cousin Sonia Fowler (Natalie Cassidy).

Lauren is shocked when Whitney's fiancé Zack Hudson (James Farrar) attempts to kiss her while she is in Milton Keynes.

Whitney returns from Milton Keynes and Lauren is stunned to discover that she is illegally fostering a girl named Britney Wainwright (Lola Campbell).

She and her immediate family—father Max (Jake Wood), mother Tanya (Jo Joyner) and sister Abi (Lorna Fitzgerald)—are an extension of the popular and long-running Jackson/Branning clan, who have appeared in the series since 1993.

'"[18] Lauren's primary storylines concerned a school girl romance with Peter Beale (Thomas Law), a friendship with the delinquent Lucy Beale (Melissa Suffield), and being caught in the middle of her warring parents, who separated in the serial in 2007 when Tanya discovered Max was cheating on her with Stacey Slater (Lacey Turner), Lauren's half brother Bradley's wife.

[19] Despite a change of heart, the recording was seen by the entire Branning family on Christmas Day, an episode that drew 13.9 million viewers, 55.3% of the total audience share.

"[24] In January 2012, Jossa praised her storyline in which Lauren starts binge drinking due to the stress of her mother suffering from cancer.

[29] In September 2012, Alison Rowley of Digital Spy said that Lauren will fall in love with her cousin Joey Branning (David Witts).

[33] Derek suggests to Joey that if he tells the police that he was driving the car that drunken Lauren crashed, she can avoid a prison sentence.

[43] Jossa's Sexiest Female nomination made the viewer-voted shortlist,[44] but she lost out to Natalie J. Robb, who portrays Moira Dingle in Emmerdale.