Tags: Soap Character.
Laurie Bates is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders played by Gary Powell. Laurie was introduced by producer Mike Gibbon in September 1989 as a rival to the long-established character Pete Beale (Peter Dean) – he opens up a business in direct competition to him and then dates his estranged wife Kathy (Gillian Taylforth). Laurie Bates was one of many characters to be axed early in 1990 following the introduction of the serial’s new executive-producer Michael Ferguson.