Tanya Branning (also Cross and Jessop) is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders, played by Jo Joyner.

Tanya's storylines have included opening her own salon, giving birth to her third child, discovering her husband Max Branning (Jake Wood) had an affair with Stacey Slater (Lacey Turner) before divorcing and then burying him alive with the help from her new partner Sean Slater (Robert Kazinsky), marrying Greg Jessop (Stefan Booth), starting an affair with Max on her wedding day to Greg, dealing with her eldest daughter, Lauren Branning's (Madeline Duggan/Jacqueline Jossa) alcoholism, battling cervical cancer, discovering that Max has a secret wife, Kirsty Branning (Kierston Wareing) on their second wedding day, witnessing her daughters Lauren and Abi Branning (Lorna Fitzgerald) fall from the roof of The Queen Victoria public house and subsequently dealing with Abi's death, which leads to her mental breakdown.

To make it up to her, Max buys 10 Turpin Road for Tanya, which she turns into a beauty salon named Booty.

When the affair is revealed on Christmas Day on a video recording recorded by Tanya and Max's daughter, Lauren Branning (Madeline Duggan/Jacqueline Jossa), Tanya asks for a divorce and starts a relationship with Stacey's brother Sean Slater (Robert Kazinsky).

After discovering this, she breaks up with Max, but he decides to tell the truth to his fiancé, Vanessa Gold (Zöe Lucker) who reveals all to Greg.

Later, Tanya agrees to allow Cora to move back in, after she has been thrown out by Dot Branning (June Brown).

She confronts Cora, who refuses to talk about it, but eventually tells Tanya that Ava died not long after her birth and it hurt so much she never told anyone, not even the father.

Lauren is involved in a car crash and tells Tanya that she is in love with her cousin, Joey Branning (David Witts).

In February 2015, Tanya returns to Walford to attend Ian and Jane's wedding, and after the reception, she agrees to sit and have a conversation with Max.

During the conversation, she reveals that she is taking part in a fashion course in Manchester and asks Max if Oscar can move in with him for a while, as he would be stuck with a nanny most of the time if he went with her, due to Tanya's commitment to the course.

Tanya also explains her concerns about Abi's recent troubling behaviour leading to being accused of killing Lucy, and she and Max end up arguing over whether each other are to blame for this.

Before leaving, Tanya admits that she was thinking of rebuilding her relationship with Max, but Jane assures her that that would have been one of the biggest mistakes of her life.

When Cora visits Walford, she senses that Lauren does not love her fiancé Steven Beale (Aaron Sidwell) and questions whether he is controlling her.

Months later, Cora reveals that Tanya has been admitted to a psychiatric hospital because of the increasing trauma of losing Abi.

"[4] Also, having worked quietly and successfully in the industry for eight years, Joyner was unsure if she would be comfortable with the level of fame being on EastEnders would bring her.

The show's executive producer Diederick Santer revealed that some planned storyline material for Max and Tanya was put on hold until Joyner's return from maternity leave.

[8] On 6 May 2010, Joyner filmed a single episode that was broadcast on 23 June,[9] and she made her full-time return on 27 September 2010.

"I did always say to Diederick [Santer] when this happened that as far as I was concerned, the only way she can kill Max is when she finds out on Christmas Eve in a blind fit of rage – that's the only time when she could be a murderer.

[17] Executive producer Bryan Kirkwood said that viewers will see Tanya receive the devastating news that she has cervical cancer.

[17] The director of Jo's Cervical Cancer trust Robert Music said that EastEnders must depict the disease accurately and responsibly saying "It's about educating the general public who perhaps aren't aware of the disease, but also with cervical cancer, there are thousands of women out there who have been diagnosed or are living with this.

"[17] "This is a disease that affects thousands of women and their loved ones in the UK every year, and for many can be preventable by taking proactive steps, such as attending cervical screening when invited.

"[17] Music added: "EastEnders have gone to great lengths to research this story with us and we hope that by showing this storyline to its millions of viewers, it will not only raise awareness of cervical cancer but also help the public to be more informed about this issue.

[18] Kirkwood said in a news release that EastEnders worked closely with experts to ensure that the issue is accurately portrayed and that viewers will see how Tanya will use her inner determination to deal with what will be one of the toughest challenges of her life.

He added that she was "really hungry to learn, to understand what the impact was, and she felt a responsibility to get this right"[18] Joyner stated that she "feels grateful" to be in a cervical cancer storyline.

"[22] On 1 May 2012, it was reported that Joyner would take a prolonged break from the show at the end of her current contract, to spend time with her family, and an inside source stated that she "will definitely return".

Speaking of this, Joyner said, "I love playing Tanya and being part of such a great show, but she has been on quite a rollercoaster over the past seven years and I have come to realise that it's right for her to step away from Walford for a bit longer than originally planned.

Joyner was initially nervous about going back due to her mistake in the live episodes, but knew she had to return when the story was pitched to her.

[31] Joyner then went on to appear in the episodes broadcast on 19 January 2018 and 16 February 2018 as part of her on-screen daughter Abi Branning's (Lorna Fitzgerald) death and funeral.

[36] On Digital Spy's 2012 end of year reader poll, Joyner was nominated for "Best Female Soap Actor" and came fourth with 13.4% of the vote.

[39] The UK communications regulator Ofcom later found that the episodes depicting the storyline were in breach of the 2005 Broadcasting Code.