BBC EastEnders' Jacqueline Jossa's life off screen - family tragedy to Dan Osborne marriage

Jacqueline Jossa, who shot to fame playing troubled teen Lauren Branning on EastEnders in 2010, has become one of the nation's favourite celebs. With her loving husband Dan Osborne and their two daughters, the former Queen of the Jungle often gives her 3.4 million Instagram followers a peek into her lovely life.

However the family was recently devastated when their holiday home was raided, with thieves making off with valuables worth £20k. The star, 32, reportedly woke to see two masked raiders shining torches in their Marbella home back in August, stealing a haul including the star's engagement ring. At one point Jac even feared robbers had kidnapped one of her daughters.

We look at all the hurdles the star has jumped over on her way to becoming the nation's darling.

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Growing up

Jacqueline's birth was seen as a blessing and a "miracle", following two devastating family losses. Her parents, Selina and John, had tragically lost two baby boys before Jacqueline was born.

The actress has previously opened up about the loss of her two siblings, one to cot death and the other due to an illness caused by lack of oxygen at birth. "Her parents Selina and John went through this huge loss and somehow found the strength to try again and Jac was born," a source revealed during Jacqueline's time on I'm a Celebrity...Get Me Out of Here!

"In many ways she is seen as a miracle child. Of course the family have never forgotten what happened and it makes Jacqueline even more grateful for her own children and also the need to seize the day and appreciate life."

Jacqueline's family history made her understandably nervous when she was expecting her own children. "There's no reason to think that would ever happen to me as there's no hereditary link. But it's such an awful thing to go through and I've seen how it has affected my mum," she shared during her pregnancy," she said at the time. "It's hard not to worry when you have a baby. It's a nerve-racking time."

Family life

Jacqueline settled down and became a mum and married Dan Osborne in June 2017. The reality TV star shares Ella and Mia with the former TOWIE star - who is also a father to Teddy Osborne from a previous relationship.

However, their journey hasn't always been smooth. In 2020, when the couple were rumoured to be on a break, Dan admitted to past mistakes Speaking to The Sun, he confessed: "I've made mistakes, yeah. I've done things I shouldn't have done. Me and Jac have spoken about that and she has forgiven me."

"I know in the past I've denied things when they're not true, then when something has been true, I probably just kept my mouth shut. I was a different person."

After winning the title of Queen of the Jungle in 2019 on ITV's Lorraine, Jacqueline addressed her relationship. The mum-of-two said: "I want to hit a restart button. It's been two years of me basically giving him hell and it's not like he's got away lightly at all. He knows he's done wrong."

In December 2019, he responded to the claims on Twitter: "So after weeks, months, years of constant articles and rumours, some true, some very untrue. I want to publicly say, I know I have made mistakes, we all do as humans, but I've made some that have almost cost me my family.

He added: "I have seriously learnt from these massively, so I want to publicly apologise to my beautiful wife and my family for the mistakes I've made. I am the luckiest man in the world to have what I have with Jacqueline and my three incredible children and I will spend the rest of my life being the best husband and dad that I can be. Jac, myself and our families are excited for the future, one filled with love and happiness together."

He said: "We truly appreciate everyone that has supported us as a couple, we are ending this year stronger than ever."

Dan and Jacqueline are now happier than ever, living with their two girls in a beautiful house in Essex.