In March 1995 , a reporter from '' Inside Soap '' said " The Square 's toughest mum , and David 's ex-girlfriend Carol Jackson , has got a few secrets of her own , considering she 's had four children by four different men . " They predicted that it would not be long before Carol 's past caught up with her . In July 2015 , Gary Gillatt of '' Inside Soap '' praised Coulson 's acting as Carol came to terms with her mental and physical scars following her mastectomy , " Was n't Lindsey Coulson amazing in '' EastEnders '' this week ? The script was uncompromising , the acting first rate . Bravo '' EastEnders '' ! " Since Carol 's exit in 1999 , writer Dorothy Hobson used Carol 's continued absence on-screen despite numerous upsets in her children 's lives as indicative of lack of realism in soaps . She believed Carol 's absence during Sonia 's motherhood detracted from the storyline . She added " you knew she might be judgemental towards Sonia , but she would have sorted out her problems and supported her as a mother . " Coulson was nominated for " Best Supporting Actress " at the 1997 Inside Soap Awards . She was nominated in the Best Serial Drama Performance category at the 16th National Television Awards in 2011 for her portrayal of Carol . She was also nominated for ' Best Actress ' and ' Best Dramatic Performance ' at the 2011 British Soap Awards , and for ' Best Actress ' at the 2011 Inside Soap Awards . In March 2011 , '' EastEnders '' won in the Soaps and Continuing Drama category at the Royal Television Society Programme Awards , and the judges praised Coulson 's portrayal of Carol , saying the soap was " A real class above the rest with a stunning central performance from Lindsay Coulson . " Anne Leask from the '' Sunday Mirror '' branded Carol a " dark and brooding put-upon single mum " who was desperate to get married
16th National Television Awards
16th National Television Awards
Carol Jackson