Lauren

-Lauren to her family when they are suspicious of her boyfriend.

Lauren is Millie's biological sister. She is known for her temper, love of make-up and desire for her parents to get back together throughout early series. She can be manipulative towards her sister but there are certainly times when the pair get on well. She also has an obsession with a boy band called 'The Temper Hearts'. Lauren likes to push people into doing things that she think they'll like but it often ends in regret. In later series, we see her acknowledge that her parents will never get back together and she accepts her new family.

#### Family

Lauren is the daughter of Tony and Sharon, whilst her sister is Millie. She becomes Mike and Amber's step-daughter through the course of the show. Her relations to Amber means that she's the half-sister of Hector and the step-sister of Fran and Jake. Her family situation with Mike makes her Craig's step-sister.

## Character History

### ***Series 1***

#### **Surprise Party**

Lauren tells Millie she wants their parents back together for her birthday. Lauren and Millie blow the electric fuse and they call Tony to fix it. Millie gives Lauren an electronic photo frame for her birthday and Lauren is pleased when Sharon and Tony reminisce over the photos. However, they soon argue and when Mike visits with flowers for Sharon and presents for Lauren and Millie, they soon realise Mike is dating Sharon.

#### '**Double Date**

Lauren and Millie go to their dad's, expecting Tony to be sad about Sharon and Mike. He pretends to be fine about being single, but he isn't, so Lauren and Millie persuade him to date again. Lauren and Millie set up an online dating profile for Tony, but his dates are unsuccessful. Tony brings home a woman named Karen to meet Lauren and Millie, who notice she is identical to their mum. Lauren and Millie try to hint on, but eventually tell him and although thinking they disliked Karen, he realises they are right. Karen ends things with Tony.

#### **The Babysitter**

When Sharon plans a night out with Mike, the childminder falls sick, so Mike's son Craig looks after Lauren and Millie. Tony tells Lauren he has a date. Craig ends up putting Lauren and Millie on the stairs and they get their revenge by pampering him whilst he is asleep. They spice the pizza and barricade themselves in the kitchen when Craig goes for a drink. When Lauren and Millie threaten to post pictures, Craig reveals that Mike is planning to move in with Sharon and Lauren is hurt as she hoped Tony would come back. Lauren and Millie tell Sharon it's OK for Mike to move in.

#### **Bigging Up Dad**

Lauren and Millie arrive at their dad's and Amber is also due to visit. Tony tells Lauren and Millie he hasn't told Amber about them. Lauren and Millie clean Tony's flat in an attempt to make him cool. They then start to cook lunch, but they leave the kitchen when Amber and Tony come in. Amber finds Lauren's make up bag and when she is about to leave, thinking Tony has other girlfriends, Lauren and Millie introduce themselves. Amber worries about being too boring and Tony tells her that Lauren and Millie have attempted to big him up. Lauren and Millie learn that Amber has two children.

#### **Trick or Treat**

On Halloween, Lauren and Millie meet Amber's children, Fran and Jake. Amber lends Lauren a dress for a party, which Tony disapproves of her wearing. Lauren has to wear a different outfit, but when it gets torn, she turns out to have Amber's dress on underneath and Amber lengthens the dress.

#### **Moving Day**

As Mike and Craig are moving in, Millie is giving up her room and sharing with Lauren. Lauren refuses to move her stuff, causing her and Millie to argue. Lauren struggles with her homework on pregnancy, so she goes to Tony's to see Amber. Amber has to bring a pregnant patient, Chloe, to the flat and Amber gets trapped in the bathroom, so Lauren reassures Chloe. Amber introduces Lauren and Tony to Chloe's baby.

#### **Staycation**

Millie overhears Sharon and Mike planning to go to France, so she and Lauren plan to get themselves invited by guilt tripping Sharon. Mike announces to the kids that they will be going to France the following week, but Craig is allowed to stay behind. Lauren and Millie are disappointed the holiday is an adventure holiday. Lauren asks Craig if he can look after them, but after initially agreeing, he changes his mind. Lauren finds out Craig is planning a party and she blackmails him. Lauren is annoyed with Millie when after trying to get a better holiday with dad, they end up with a week on a canal boat. Sharon and Mike guilt trip Millie into confessing what she and Lauren did. Lauren and Millie have to go on holiday with their dad.

#### **Boy Band**

Lauren gets excited when she learns The Temper Hearts have a gig the same night she and Millie planned to see a film. Amber offers to take Lauren, so Lauren teaches her the dance moves, facts on the bands and shows her their songs. Lauren and Amber rush to the gig, but aren't allowed in as the doorman says they are late. Millie gets Lauren into the gig by pretending she is Nathan's girlfriend.

#### **Mobile Wars**

Lauren wants a smartphone and Millie persuades Mike to buy her one. The family soon become annoyed with it and Mike confiscates it. When Sharon and Mike decide to return it, they find it has been stolen and it's found under Millie's mattress. Millie figures out Craig took the phone because he doesn't want to lose his dad to them. Lauren tells Mike to stop acting like he's her dad, but they later talk to each other.

#### **Baby Brain**

Millie finds a catalogue on a cot page open on a magazine and she tells Lauren that Sharon and Mike want to have a baby. Lauren and Craig find her looking through old baby clothes and Lauren, Millie and Craig work together to stop it from happening. Lauren, Millie and Craig find a list of names and a phone number for a nursery. Lauren wakes Sharon and Mike up through the night. After Sharon tells Lauren and Craig she has a surprise that will change their lives after the doctors, Lauren and Craig thinks she is pregnant and Mike overhears them. Lauren thinks Tony could be the father and asks Amber how expectant fathers behave. The family later find out that Sharon has ingrown toe nails, the names were styles of bunk beds and the nursery was for plants. Lauren claims the top bunk bed.

#### **Bermuda Calling**

Mike is offered the chance to get a job in Bermuda and Lauren and Craig are pleased, but Millie only agrees after talking to Tony. Craig thinks Lauren and Millie will change their mind, so gets them to imagine life in Bermuda. Lauren and Millie decide they want to stay.

#### **A Different Christmas**

Millie suggests to Sharon that they have new traditions at Christmas, which Lauren is against. Millie notices Lauren crying at bedtime and she confides in Millie that she wants things the way they were. On Christmas, Lauren wants Sharon to make cinnamon muffins and she hands out the presents like she always does. Millie ends up arguing with Sharon and blames her and Tony for changing everything. Lauren and Millie go to their dad's and are pleased Sharon kept turkey sandwiches as a tradition. Tony gives Lauren her photo album for her present. Millie decides to let Lauren put the angel on the tree.

### **Series 2**

#### **Gloria**

Sharon panics when Lauren tells her that aunt Gloria is visiting as she hasn't told her about her and Tony divorcing. Lauren gets Tony to come round for dinner, they pretend Mike is Tony's brother and Craig is Lauren's boyfriend. Millie tricks Sharon and Tony into telling Gloria the truth and Gloria admits she divorced her husband. Unaware Gloria knows the truth, she asks Lauren for a picture with Craig.

#### **Surprise, Surprise**

Millie finds out Tony is planning a surprise 13th birthday party from Lauren, however, Sharon is also planning a birthday party. Millie tries on Lauren's make up and she asks Lauren to teach her how to be a teenager. After showing her how to be a teenager, Lauren tells her she can't see her as a teenager. Lauren tells Millie she'll be having 2 birthday parties, one with each parent, at different times. Craig arranges an open invite to the party at Sharon's, but Lauren says they can have the party at Tony's. Lauren and Millie get them to have the parties together. Millie has her party at Sharon's and lots of people turn up. Lauren gives Millie a selfie stick.

#### **Take a Hike**

Lauren wants to do her school's Highland challenge and Lauren isn't impressed with the dirty, smelly boots Sharon gives her. Millie and Tony take the mick out of Lauren, whilst Amber encourages her. Amber gives Lauren a pop-up tent and Mike trains her. Lauren decides to pull out when a boy she likes isn't going and when Millie plans a sleepover with Fran. After overhearing Millie and Fran on video chat, Lauren decides to do the challenge.

#### **Head to Head**

Lauren takes the mick out of Craig working at Sunnyshopper. Lauren is jealous when Craig shows her his new trainers, however, Craig is sacked when he falls asleep at work.

#### **The Guitar Hero**

Lauren and Craig want to go to a superhero fest, but Sharon can't afford a ticket for both of them. Craig enters a radio competition to win a ticket and he asks Lauren for help, but she gives him the wrong answer. Sharon returns home from work with a ticket for the Superhero Fest. Lauren and Craig try to convince Sharon why they should get the ticket. Sharon reveals she won two tickets so they can both go.

#### **Mum v Mum**

Lauren, Millie and Craig are embarrassed by Sharon's clothing choice and singing and Sharon creates an online profile. When they come home from school, Sharon reveals her new hairstyle. Sharon uploads photos of Lauren online. Lauren plays a game on Craig's tablet and she beats his high score.