Gayle later appeared as an extra in TV Drama "London's Burning" and in the Children's ITV television programme "Press Gang" in 1990 as a background member of the news team, and that same year she won the role of Hattie Tavernier in the popular BBC soap opera "EastEnders". The introduction of the Tavernier family heralded the first time that an entire family had joined the programme all at once. Their introduction was also a well-intentioned attempt to portray a wider range of black characters than had previously been achieved on the show. Gayle's character remained in the show for three years as Ian Beale's PA and was featured in an array of storylines including being abandoned by her fiancé Steve Elliot (Mark Monero) and suffering a miscarriage as a result. However, music was always Gayle's first passion, and in 1993 she left "EastEnders" to pursue a singing career.