For more than 20 years, Lacey Turner has been the face of Stacey Slater, one of the most loved (and most chaotic) characters in EastEnders history. Now she’s off the Square, has a memoir out and is one of the stand-out dancers on Strictly Come Dancing 2026. So after two decades as one of the BBC’s biggest soap stars, what is Lacey Turner’s net worth?
What is Lacey Turner’s net worth?
Unifresher estimates Lacey Turner’s net worth at around £2.5 million in 2026, within a likely range of £1.5 million to £3.5 million.
Here’s how we got there. When the BBC first published its top talent pay in July 2017, Turner was placed in the £150,000 to £199,999 band for 2016–17, alongside EastEnders co-stars such as Scott Maslen and Gillian Taylforth. She played Stacey from 2004 to 2010 and again from 2014 to 2025, so roughly 17 years on the soap. She would have earned far less as a teenager in her early years, but assuming she averaged somewhere between £100,000 and £200,000 a year across her time on the show, that adds up to around £1.7 million to £3.4 million before tax, or very roughly £1 million to £2 million after it.
On top of that come her other TV and radio roles, adverts, a podcast, a debut memoir and her 2026 Strictly fee. Her work is paid through her company, Dexter Lat Limited, whose most recent accounts (to 31 March 2026) show net assets of just £541, which tells us that profits are paid out to her rather than left in the business. Factor in a long career, savings and family home, minus tax, agent fees and the costs of raising three young children, and around £2.5 million feels like a fair, realistic estimate. As always, the true figure is only known to Lacey and her accountant.
Who is Lacey Turner?
Lacey Amelia Turner was born on 28 March 1988 in Edgware, in the London Borough of Barnet, and grew up in Hertfordshire, close to the Elstree studios where EastEnders is filmed. She briefly attended the Sylvia Young Theatre School at the age of 10 and did early stage work and adverts, including one for Haribo.
She married Matt Kay in a private ceremony in Ibiza in 2017, and the couple have three children, born in 2019, 2021 and 2025. Lacey has spoken publicly about experiencing miscarriages and has campaigned for better support for parents going through the same, including in the BBC documentary Miscarriage: Our Story in 2020.
Lacey Turner’s EastEnders career
Becoming Stacey Slater
Turner joined EastEnders in 2004, aged just 16, as Stacey Slater. Stacey quickly became one of the soap’s most popular characters, and Lacey’s performances, including a hard-hitting bipolar disorder storyline, earned her a huge haul of awards. She is reported to have won more than 40 awards for the role, including four National Television Awards, eight British Soap Awards and 11 Inside Soap Awards.
Time away and a big return
She left Walford on Christmas Day 2010 and spent a few years working elsewhere, most notably as Molly Dawes in the BBC Three drama Our Girl (2013–2014), a role later taken over by Michelle Keegan. She also appeared in Being Human, Switch and Call the Midwife. She came back to EastEnders briefly in early 2014 and full-time from August 2014.
Leaving the Square in 2025
In May 2025, it was announced that Lacey would be leaving EastEnders later that year, with the door left open for a return. Stacey left Walford for a fresh start in Brazil in autumn 2025. While filming her final scenes, Lacey told cast and crew: “I am coming back, I won’t be long.” For another EastEnders favourite’s finances, read our guide to Danny Dyer’s net worth.
Lacey Turner’s other work and business
Away from acting, Lacey hosted the podcast We Started Here in early 2025, about famous faces who began their careers in soaps. She has also fronted campaigns for Royal Mail and Asda’s Tickled Pink.
Her biggest new venture is her first book, Gold Dust, published by Viking (part of Penguin) on 22 October 2026. It looks back at the women who shaped her, from her nan to EastEnders legends Barbara Windsor and June Brown.
Behind the scenes, her work runs through Dexter Lat Limited, a company she set up in 2009 and of which she is the sole director. Its filings are public on Companies House, though as a small company it doesn’t have to publish its turnover or profits.
Lacey Turner on Strictly Come Dancing 2026
Scores and results are correct up to Icons Week (17–18 October 2026).
Lacey was the first celebrity announced for Strictly Come Dancing 2026, and she’s partnered with Vito Coppola, who won the glitterball with Ellie Leach in 2023. So far, she’s been one of the most consistent dancers in the competition:
- Week 1: Cha-cha-cha to Whitney Houston’s “How Will I Know”, 27 points (third on the leaderboard)
- Movie Week: Quickstep to a song from Toy Story, 28 points
- Week 3: Samba to “Bamboléo”, 26 points
- Icons Week: American Smooth to Adele’s “Hometown Glory”, 29 points, her best score so far
Her strong first week saw bookmakers install her as an early favourite to win. It’s a well-trodden path, too: soap stars have a great track record on the show, as Kelvin Fletcher proved when he lifted the trophy in 2019. For the full line-up, see our Strictly Come Dancing 2026 cast net worth guide.
FAQs about Lacey Turner
What is Lacey Turner’s net worth?
Unifresher estimates Lacey Turner’s net worth at around £2.5 million in 2026, within a range of £1.5 million to £3.5 million, based on her EastEnders earnings, other TV work, book and Strictly fee, minus tax and costs.
How much did Lacey Turner earn on EastEnders?
The BBC doesn’t publish exact salaries, but its 2017 pay disclosure placed her in the £150,000 to £199,999 band for 2016–17.
Has Lacey Turner left EastEnders?
Yes. Stacey Slater left Walford in autumn 2025, but Lacey has said she plans to return and the BBC has left the door open.
Who is Lacey Turner’s Strictly partner?
She is partnered with Vito Coppola, the 2023 Strictly champion.
How old is Lacey Turner?
Lacey Turner was born on 28 March 1988, so she is 38.
Who is Lacey Turner married to?
She married Matt Kay in Ibiza in 2017, and they have three children together.