Vivienne "Viv" Slater (née Porter, previously Harris) made her first appearance 5 October 2001. She was portrayed by April Martin. Additionally, Natasya Rush portrayed Viv as a child in the spin-off episode EastEnders: Pat and Mo and by an uncredited actress in a flashback on 25 December 2018.
Backstory[]
When her daughter Kat had her twins, she sent Mo Harris to collect both babies to bring them home but when Mo arrived Viv said there were only taking Zoe. Viv was cut up about it. She never spoke about him after that day.
Viv said that she didn't want to take the risk of him turning out like his father (Harry Slater).
Storylines[]
Vivienne is the late wife of Charlie Slater and she flashbacks in a near-death sequence when Kat Slater attempts to commit suicide.
Viv is the daughter of Mo Porter and Stuart Mullins. Mo and Stuart had a one-night stand resulting in the birth of Viv, in her life, she was brought up by Mo and her stepfather, Jimmy Harris and she had very little contact with her biological father. After she left school at 15, She attends a dance and meets Charlie Slater, the pair later began dating and eventually get engaged. Soon after engagement, Viv loses her virginity to Charlie, Viv then becomes pregnant at 16. After believing that Charlie will not want to marry Viv, Mo begins to try and force Viv to have an abortion; however, Charlie proves himself to be supportive and Viv later gives birth to her and Charlie's daughter, Lynne Hobbs.
After the birth of Lynne, Viv and Charlie get married and the two later have three more children, which were all females: Kathleen, Belinda Peacock and Maureen Slater. As the 4 girls are growing up, Viv's personality changes and she starts to become more of a hard, bitter and colder woman. Later, Viv suffers the death of her stepfather, Jimmy, she has no father figure and also resents the fact that she has no sons, only daughter. She slowly begins to favour her oldest daughter, Lynne, whilst Kat, Belinda, and Little Mo all vie with one another for Charlie's attention, making Viv feel that she is second-best to her daughters.
When Viv catches one of her 13-year-old daughters, Kat, trying to run away, it later emerges that Kat is pregnant after being raped by her uncle, Harry Slater. Kat later breaks the news to Viv that Harry raped her, however Viv shockingly pretends not to believe Kat, although she secretly orders Harry to leave behind everyone's back, causing him to flee to Spain. Viv keeps this secret from Charlie and then sends Belinda and Little Mo away from the homely environment to go and live with their auntie, also Charlie's sister, Violet Slater to prevent Kat's pregnancy from coming to light. Months later, after Kat gives birth to her daughter, Zoe Slater, Viv decides to raise Zoe as her and Charlie's youngest daughter, not allowing Kat to play her motherly role. Viv miserably dotes on her own granddaughter, Zoe, however she continues to treat her own daughters with contempt; although they loyally stick by their mother through thick and thin, they all eventually are forced to endure her harsh discipline. Some time later, Viv has a stroke and is then mainly nursed by Charlie and Little Mo. Viv luckily manages to make amends with all 4 of her daughters, shortly before her unfortunate death aged 48.