She played the role of Diane Butcher in the BBC soap opera EastEnders as a regular cast member from 1988 to 1991, making subsequent guest appearances in 1993, 1994, 1997, 2008 and 2012.
[2] She trained at the Sylvia Young Theatre School and during this time she secured her first acting role when she made on/off appearances in BBC's Grange Hill.
"[4] Bosses at EastEnders had reportedly been keen for Lawrence to remain on the cast, as they were hoping for an on-screen reunion of the Butcher family; Mike Reid had agreed to reprise his role as Frank, though Diane departed before his reintroduction.
She enjoyed minor chart success in 1991, when her cover of Donna Summer's 1977 hit "Love's Unkind" (produced by Pete Hammond with Nigel Wright for Simon Cowell's IQ Records)[8][9] reached No.
[10] Lawrence worked with the successful pop writers and producers, Stock Aitken and Waterman, recording a follow-up single, "Secrets", a track taken from Kylie Minogue's Rhythm of Love album.
In theatre, Lawrence has played Janet in the West End's adaptation of The Rocky Horror Show and was also a lead in Daisy Pulls It Off.
Lawrence began her association with the hit 1970s musical Boogie Nights in 2001 and played the leading female, Debs, on two major tours.