Soaps

Bailey Baker: EastEnders’ young star and her award-winning portrayal

Bailey is played by talented young actor Kara-Leah Fernandes

Bailey Baker in EastEnders is the daughter of Mitch Baker and Dinah Wilson. She is the half-sister of Keegan Baker and the late Chantelle Atkins, and auntie to Chantelle’s children Mia and Mackenzie.

Bailey is also the unofficially adopted daughter of Karen Taylor and sibling of Karen’s other children Bernie Taylor, Keanu Taylor and Chatham and Riley Taylor.

Bailey Baker EastEnders
Bailey has been in EastEnders since 2019 (Credit: BBC)

Young actor Kara-Leah Fernandes has played Bailey since 2018. She had roles in the TV adaptation of the novel The Long Song, and sitcom Hold the Sunset, before she took on the role of Bailey.

The talented youngster even scooped the Best Young Actor award at the British Soap Awards in 2019 for her portrayal of smart, caring Bailey.

Kara-Leah Fernandes
Kara-Leah won the Best Young Actor award at the British Soap Awards in 2019 (Credit: ITV/YouTube)

When she accepted her award, Kara-Leah said she had a disabled brother so she could relate to Bailey’s story.

Bailey Baker in EastEnders

Bailey first arrived in the Square with her dad, Mitch. He’d come to mend his ex Karen’s bathroom and brought Bailey with him, though he told everyone she was his friend’s daughter.

Bailey’s family were pleased to get to know her (Credit: BBC)

When Mitch accidentally revealed that Bailey was his little girl, everyone was shocked but they soon fell in love with the quirky, clever kid.

Bailey and her mum

Bailey was a carer for her mum, Dinah, who had multiple sclerosis. Dinah was distressed by how Bailey had to see her suffer terrible pain. She decided to end her own life.

Bailey’s mother, Dinah, had multiple sclerosis (Credit: BBC)

Karen Taylor helped Dinah take her own life, by making sure Bailey was out of the house when her mother died.

When Bailey discovered Karen was involved she was distraught and Mitch was angry.

But they both forgave Karen when they realised she’d acted with good intentions.

Bailey on the run

When Karen lost her job in the launderette, the Taylor/Baker household began suffering terrible money problems. Little Bailey worried that she was putting extra pressure on the family’s finances and ran away.

Bailey ran away because she was worried about money (Credit: BBC)

With Bailey still missing, Mitch, Karen and the rest of the family are desperate for news about their little girl. But will they find her before someone else does?

What do you think will happen to Bailey? Leave us a comment on our Facebook page @EntertainmentDailyFix and let us know.


Kerry Barrett
Freelance Soap Writer