Rebecca "Bex" Fowler (also Miller, originally known as Chloe Jackson) is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders. Bex is the daughter of Martin (James Alexandrou/James Bye) and Sonia Fowler (Natalie Cassidy). She was born on-screen during the episode broadcast on 26 October 2000. Bex was played by twins Alex and Vicky Gonzalez from 2000 to 2002, and Jade Sharif from 2005 to 2007. The character was reintroduced in January 2014, with Jasmine Armfield taking over the role. On 28 January 2020, it was announced that Armfield had decided to leave the soap; she departed on-screen in the episode broadcast on 6 March 2020. In February 2025, it was announced that Armfield would reprise the role of Bex for a short stint following the death of the character's father Martin, and Bex returned on 2 April 2025 and departed on 17 April along with Sonia and Bianca Jackson (Patsy Palmer).
Her storylines on EastEnders included being put up for adoption after her birth and returning to her biological parents after the death of her adoptive parents, being caught up in a custody battle between her parents and her paternal grandmother Pauline Fowler (Wendy Richard), her relationship with Shakil Kazemi (Shaheen Jafargholi), forming a friendship with Louise Mitchell (Tilly Keeper), being bullied by Louise and her friends, dealing with the grief of Shakil being murdered, discovering that her love interest Preston Cooper (Martin Anzor) has been sleeping with her aunt Michelle Fowler (Jenna Russell), becoming infatuated with Sonia's boyfriend Gethin Pryce (Cerith Flinn), getting into the University of Oxford, developing an addiction to ADHD drugs, dealing with depression and running away, attempting suicide and overdosing during a boat party on the River Thames.
Development Reintroduction (2014)
Bex, (now played by Jasmine Armfield), returned along with her mother Sonia (Natalie Cassidy) for a storyline involving Carol Jackson (Lindsay Coulson) being diagnosed with breast cancer. Bex made her return on 15 January 2014. Armfield's casting as Rebecca was announced in January 2014. Of her casting, Armfield's drama school principal, Teri Levett, said, "I'm so very proud of her. Jasmine is a really hardworking student. EastEnders is going to be fantastic for her and I'm really, really pleased." When Armfield auditioned for EastEnders, she was unaware of the character she would be playing and was "surprised" when she found out, saying of her casting, "My agent called and I couldn't believe it...it was amazing news".Jasmine Armfield on Twitter: First interview with @InsideSoapMag ! Feeling very lucky🙏🏻❤️
Relationships and bullying With the introduction of Shaheen Jafargholi as Shakil Kazemi, Tilly Keeper said, "there will probably be maybe a little bit of a love triangle and a lot of jealousy" between Louise and Bex. Keeper also added that Louise will show a "bit more of a manipulative side."
A sexting plot began in December 2016, with Bex, Shakil and Louise as central characters. The storyline progressed into a revenge porn plot, following the aftermath of the bus crash Disaster Week. David Brown, from Radio Times, says the storyline "tackles a topic that should be of massive concern to both tech-savvy teenagers and parents who fear they're being left behind when it comes to the way their offspring communicate" and "that the fallout of these rash actions" could lead to legal consequences for Louise, Bex and Shakil. He also added that the show "is in a powerful position in that it can provide moral guidance to its younger viewers" and "has the potential to articulate the fears and worries of viewers who might not be able to express such concerns by themselves".
Bex enters a storyline where she is bullied by Madison Drake (Seraphina Beh) and Alexandra D'Costa (Sydney Craven). They are friends of Louise Mitchell (Tilly Keeper) who meet Bex through their mutual friend; they begin to taunt Bex for months. Louise also then starts bullying Bex and their friendship deteriorates. On one occasion, they are in a scene where Bex is brutally attacked in a school bathroom by the girls, and viewers were noted to be angry. Madison and Alexandra then also fall out with Louise after realising Louise still wishes to be friends with Bex and in the final showdown Louise is then pushed onto a tray of burning candles. Armfield had stated that her scenes in filming the bullying actually scare her. Fans later praised Armfield for her work in the storyline.
Keegan Baker (Zack Morris) and Shakil Kazemi (Shaheen Jafargholi) are stabbed in altercation with a gang over a stolen bike and Shakil dies as a result of his injuries.
Attempted suicide and 2020 departure In spring 2019, Bex is struggling with her dependency on ADHD medication. After recovering from her addiction, she is then met with struggling to cope after being accepted by Oxford university and being rejected by former boyfriend Shakil's older brother Kush Kazemi (Davood Ghadami). She later runs away after being encouraged by Stuart Highway (Ricky Champ), but is then found. After managing to pull herself from the crowds of the Queen Vic, Lisa Fowler (Lucy Benjamin) notices the brave face being put on by Bex and encourages Bex to tell Sonia about how she is feeling as Lisa sees past her brave face and also has a history of poor mental health. Bex later doesn't and does attempt suicide: she is saved by Sonia and survives the ordeal.
On 28 January 2020, it was announced Armfield was set to depart from the soap in coming months. She departed on 6 March 2020 after deciding to have a gap year before attending Oxford university and travel the world.
2025 return In February 2025, following Martin's death in the 40th anniversary week of EastEnders, it was announced that Armfield would reprise her role as Bex for a short stint. A "devastated" Bex returns to Albert Square and "tries to adjust to everything that has happened", including Martin's death, Sonia being imprisoned for a crime Reiss Colwell (Jonny Freeman) committed and the birth of her half-sister, Julia. Of her return, executive producer Chris Clenshaw said: "We're delighted to welcome Jasmine home to EastEnders as part of Martin's farewell. There's no way that Bex would miss her dad's funeral, and Sonia needs her eldest daughter more than ever." He hinted that during her five-year absence on the soap, Bex had developed wisdom and experience and would return with a shift in personality. Armfield added: "It's wonderful to be back at EastEnders and to see so many familiar faces. It's amazing for me to come home, but for Bex, it's an absolutely devastating time because she's lost her dad. She's grown up a lot, having spent the past few years travelling, so we're going to see a much more mature and grown-up version of Bex this time around."
Storylines 2000–2007 Sonia does not know that she is pregnant until she goes into labour and Mo Harris (Laila Morse) delivers the baby. After her daughter is born, Sonia is taken to hospital and tells her social worker Ameena Badawi (Shobna Gulati) upon meeting her that she does not want her baby. She names her baby Chloe and Sonia decides she wants Chloe adopted. Sonia hands Chloe over to Ameena, who takes Chloe into foster care. Martin and his mother, Pauline Fowler (Wendy Richard), discover Martin is the father, Pauline wants custody of Chloe, which Sonia is against. Martin agrees that he wants Chloe for Pauline's sake, but admits to his brother, Mark Fowler (Todd Carty), that he does not want to be a father and Chloe is adopted by Neil and Sue Miller (Sadie Shimmin). The Millers change Chloe's name to Rebecca. In 2002, Sonia, now suffering depression over the guilt of abandoning her daughter, kidnaps Rebecca and barricades herself inside her house. Neil and Sue (now Victoria Willing), understandably upset about Sonia's actions, give Dot Branning (June Brown) fifteen minutes to persuade Sonia to give Rebecca back before they phone the police. Dot successfully persuades Sonia to give Rebecca back.
In 2005, Neil and Sue are killed in a car crash and Rebecca moves in with Sue's mother, Margaret Wilson (Janet Amsden). Sonia reads about the crash in the newspaper and she and Martin, who are now married, are concerned for their daughter and decide to track her down to make sure she is well. Posing as friends of the Millers, Margaret allows the Fowlers into their home where they meet Rebecca (now Sharif). It is only when they admit who they really are that she tells them to leave. Pauline demands to be part of Rebecca's life, causing upset. Sonia is furious when she discovers Pauline and Martin have been seeing her daughter behind her back. Eventually Sonia gives into her urges and grows closer to Rebecca too. Margaret decides to make Sonia and Martin Rebecca's legal guardians in case anything happens to her, unaware that Sonia and Martin have separated due to Sonia's lesbian adultery. Sonia persuades Martin not to tell Margaret that they have split up, but when the truth comes out, Margaret is furious and refuses to give Sonia guardianship of Rebecca. When Margaret has a fall and dies, Rebecca is given to Martin and Pauline refuses Sonia access, causing many rows.
Sonia and Martin reunite in December 2006. On Christmas Day 2006, Pauline dies just before emigrating to America. Rebecca saw Sonia slap Pauline before her death and believes that Sonia killed Pauline. Sonia tries to hush Rebecca but the truth comes out and Sonia is arrested following a row with Martin. After absconding with Rebecca, Sonia is cleared of Pauline's murder when Joe Macer (Ray Brooks), Pauline's husband, admits to manslaughter. Sonia leaves Walford with Martin and Rebecca in February 2007.
2014–2020 Rebecca returned on 15 January 2014, now portrayed by Armfield, when Carol Jackson (Lindsey Coulson) tells Sonia about her breast cancer diagnosis. Rebecca is seen in October 2014 when Sonia discovers that she has been missing school to practice her guitar for music school with Charlie Cotton (Declan Bennett). Having arranged for Rebecca to appear at The Queen Vic, Charlie calls Sonia. Rebecca performs a cover song of "You and I" by One Direction. In March 2015, Rebecca, tired of strife between her parents, enters a rebellious phase of her life. She adopts a goth fashion style and insists on being referred to by her former name, Chloe, before deciding to go by Bex. Bex rejects Sonia as she has been living away from them, and they become further estranged when Martin (now Bye) reveals Sonia is having a lesbian relationship with Tina Carter (Luisa Bradshaw-White). Martin, realising the situation may be his own fault, decides to have Bex live with Sonia, reasoning that she needs to spend more time with her mother.
Martin starts a relationship with Stacey Branning (Lacey Turner) and moves in with her and her daughter Lily (Aine Garvey). Martin plans to propose to Stacey and Bex gives him her blessing but is glad when they decide not to marry. Stacey gives birth to a son, Arthur Fowler, although unbeknownst to Martin, Arthur is not his son. When Stacey is diagnosed with and sectioned due to postpartum psychosis, Bex realises Martin is struggling with Arthur, Lily and work, so she draws him up a schedule. She accompanies Martin on a visit to the hospital to see Stacey. When Martin learns the truth about Arthur's paternity, he goes to stay with his sister Michelle Fowler (Susan Tully) in America and when he returns, he intends to leave for good. Martin then reveals that Kush Kazemi (Davood Ghadami) is Arthur's father to everyone in the pub, including Bex. Martin tells Bex that Arthur is still her brother, and Bex later explains to Stacey that she hurt her father. When Martin and Stacey get engaged, Martin tells Bex, who says that Arthur really is her brother now.