Eastenders [News, Spoilers and Discussion]

EastEnders stars Lacey Turner and Gillian Wright are to bow out of the soap later this year, Digital Spy can confirm.

The pair - who play bipolar-suffering mother-daughter duo Stacey Branning and Jean Slater - will step down from their roles after almost six years, with Turner in particular expressing her desire to pursue other acting opportunities.

The door for a potential return will be firmly left open for Stacey, while Jean's future has yet to be determined.

Storyliners are currently working on dramatic departures for the two characters.

Speaking of her decision to leave, Turner said: "I've had the most fantastic time at EastEnders. Stacey has been such a brilliant role for me to play, as has being part of the feisty Slater family.

"I'm so lucky to have had such challenging storylines, from the affair with Max and being diagnosed with bipolar to the complete shock of being revealed as Archie's killer during the live 25th Anniversary episode."

She added: "I'll miss Stacey and everyone in Albert Square very much but the time has come to try something different."

New executive producer Kirkwood commented: "We'll be very sad to see Lacey Turner leave the show. Lacey is one of the best young actresses on TV at the moment and the fact that she's won 28 awards in the last five years is testament to this.
"It's only right that someone as talented and versatile as Lacey should pursue new challenges and we wish her the very best of luck."

He continued: "In the meantime, viewers can look forward to a typically dramatic Slater family exit when she leaves and the door will be left open for Stacey Branning to return to Albert Square in the future."

Meanwhile, Wright (above left) said of her departure: "It's been an honour to play Jean especially as the public response to her has always been so supportive. It's been a real privilege to be able to heighten awareness of bipolar disorder.

"I've thoroughly enjoyed working with my onscreen Slater family, in particular working with Lacey and developing such a great rapport over the years."

Kirkwood added: "Gillian has brought real heart and pathos to the role of Jean Slater, a complex and fragile character who has really been taken into the public's affection."

Earlier this month, it was announced that head of the Slater clan, Charlie - Derek Martin - is to leave along with five others.

Turner first appeared in the Albert Square soap in November 2004 and has been a regular ever since, while her screen mother Wright made her brief debut the following month. She reappeared a year later for another short stint, before joining full-time from November 2006.

MelanieC wrote: »

Terrible news. Stacey in particular will be a big loss. Hope the producers don't think they can replace her with the new youngblood - Leon, Fat Boy etc and their boring overacting. That would be a travesty. :mad:

Exactly. Turner has consistently been the best actress in the soap over the last few years winning award after award for her achievements and storylines. It will be awful to see her go, and I'm sure the soap won't be the same without her. At least they will have left an opportunity for return in the future.

ooooooh Christian got Muslimed

I wish Jane has punched Zainab

Fatboy has weird eyes

angel01 wrote: »

Stacey told Bradley she killed Archie off camera
Ben hurt Louise off camera
Christian gets beaten up off camera
Phil and Dawn get together off camera

there are much more...

Yes some of them I would have liked to have seen on camera especially Stacey telling Bradley.

Did Ronnie tell anyone else about Archie raping her besides Roxy? That storyline seems to be forgotten. I thought Roxy might have asked is he was Danielle's real dad.

BTW where is Stacey lately? Becca is on the stall for her and there seems to be no mention of her.

Felt sorry for Zainab at the end, even though she is a cow.

ToniTuddle wrote: »

Makes a fresh change seeing the woman being flung out on the street instead of the man.

Roy kicking out Pat
Archie kicking out Janine
Ian kicking out Laura

Yes...fresh :P

Shazanne wrote: »

Masoods are dynamite at the moment - and to think most people did not rate them when they first came on board:P
But that stupid storyline with Peggy, Pat and that slimball reporter? That is soooo stupid! If they weren't all pensioners it wouldn't be so bad - not that I'm being ageist - but it's the most juvenile thing I've ever seen! Roll on Peggy's departure from EE if that's the best they can come up with for her!:D

He is a slimeball, would be cool if Pat chokes Peggy to death

It's been far from plain sailing for EastEnders' Syed Masood over the last few weeks - his gay love affair with best friend Christian was exposed, his wife fled with his unborn baby and he's been ostracised by his own family. Returning to Albert Square in a bid to make amends, Syed's determined to put things right with his mother, father and brother. Wanting to shut out his problems, a teetotal Syed buys a bottle of vodka and begins necking it in his flat. However, after an argument with Roxy - who suggests that he leave Walford for good as there's nothing left for him - Syed continues to drink, before spotting a bottle of pills on the table. It's only when Masood finds him unconscious on the floor of his flat that he realises his son's desperate state. Here, DS chats to Marc about the latest twist in Syed's story - and how Zainab tells Syed that she wishes he was dead...

What's Syed's state of mind at the beginning of next week?
"Syed's family have turned their back on him and he's been ostracised by the community, so he's all alone. He seeks solace in the one place he thinks he’ll be okay - his local mosque. They, in not so many words, tell him where to go, too. He's really in a dark place. He has no wife, no baby, no Christian, no family and the final straw is the reaction he receives at mosque. He's lost."

How does his suicide attempt come about?
"It's really interesting what the writers have done with it. It's not a cry for help and it's not a reckless decision, either. Although it is an attempt on his own life, it's not premeditated in any way. He buys a bottle of vodka to shut his head off from all the problems. He's never drunk alcohol before as it's not part of his culture, so downing a bottle of vodka isn't a good idea…"

Aren't there pills involved? Isn't that part premeditated?
"There are pills, but it's not premeditated in the sense that he goes to get the pills from a cabinet - the pills are just lying on the table while he's getting drunk. He's already off his head on the vodka and starts looking at the pills quite quizzically. You don't see him again until Masood finds him spark out on the floor. So he does take the pills but they're an afterthought on Syed's part, more than anything."

The end of the week's quite shocking...
"Basically, Zainab's talking to Syed while he's semi-conscious on his hospital bed and essentially tells him that she wishes that Masood hadn't found him and wishes that he'd died. It's a spur of the moment thing on her part. It's not vicious - it all comes from a place of love. In her heart of hearts, I don't think she means it. It's all in the heat of the moment. Nina absolutely hated doing it because it's so dark and harsh. We found it quite upsetting to film actually - we were both crying!"

Do you think you could ever see Syed's family accepting Christian as his partner?
"I think that'd be nice, but it's cloud cuckoo land to think that. I really don't think it'll happen. Because of the traditional nature of the family, I can't see them coming to terms with Syed and Christian as a couple. And actually, I don't even think Syed can come to terms with them as a couple. Time will tell, though. It's such a hard thing to reconcile faith with sexuality and make it work.

Do you think Syed and Christian could ever be together?
"Syed and Christian are very different people. Christian's very out and proud whereas Syed isn't that kind of gay man - he's very insecure and doesn't like shouting it from the rooftops. As a couple, if they did get together, that would come between them. Christian would want to be holding hands on the street but Syed wouldn't be comfortable with that. It's not just a religion thing for Syed, it's more about the kind of man he is.

"As for whether they could ever be together... I hope they can be. But if they did, it'd be a rocky road. It won't be all happiness. And if there is happiness, it'll definitely be temporary."

What did you think of the twist which saw Masood turn his back on Christian after the attack?
"It's quite shocking not to help someone in need, especially as the Masoods and Beales have such close ties. It's certainly unforgivable that Masood walked past and there was an element of Masood wanting to wash his hands of everything. It was a great twist, though. I don't think Syed finds out, either. Certainly not in the near future, anyway. Nitin's been excellent through this entire storyline."

What was your reaction when you discovered that Amira left with Syed's baby?
"It was such a shocker! They way they executed it with the whole Amira and Chelsea pregnancy confusion was excellent. And of course, it leaves the door wide open for Preeya if she were to return…"

Do you think Syed will find out that she's pregnant?
"I'd love Qadim to come back. At some point, Qadim will find out that Amira's having Syed's baby because she isn't going to be able to hide it for very long. I'm not sure how Qadim could come back, but it'd be a really interesting dynamic. Ramon [Tikaram] is so commanding in that role. Qadim didn't get Syed the first time, so maybe when he finds out, he could maybe kidnap Syed!"

Is there going to be any happiness for Syed?
"Fingers crossed. Once he's got through the suicide bid and the bit of turmoil in the aftermath, he picks himself back up again. He actually tries to seek help from an unlikely source... I do hope there's more happiness to come, though. Regardless of whether he ends up with Christian, he'll lose his family as the Masoods aren't going to stand by his sexuality."

Do you have the same obsession with checked shirts as Syed?
"Oh my God, I'm wearing one right now! But it's mine. The wardrobes are blurring, though. I'm not really into the wide assortment of coloured t-shirts that I get to wear. There's one that I always dread wearing when I see it on the rail in my dressing room - it's the salmon-pink one. We've have argued, though, over whether it's coral.

^ I like how Denise's "lifeless" arm is clutching the diver's hand :P

bubbaloo wrote: »

I'm so with you on this one. I am so sick of Billy and his disasters. Zzzzzzz! They need to do something exciting to shake things up!

It just seems that every storyline of his involves him desperately needing cash and doing shifty things to get some. Change the record I think. I'd love to see him getting a flash job and becoming quite rich!

greenie wrote: »

It just seems that every storyline of his involves him desperately needing cash and doing shifty things to get some. Change the record I think. I'd love to see him getting a flash job and becoming quite rich!

It would have been great if Archie left him everything in his will

I think Honey and her dad Jack die so Billy has to take full time care of his kids

JP Liz V1 wrote: »

It would have been great if Archie left him everything in his will

I think Honey and her dad Jack die so Billy has to take full time care of his kids

Lol and have him the proud owner of the Vic!! I'd say there would have been some funny scenes if they'd gone that way.
I had a feeling that would happen with Honey...guess there are a lot more 'money worry' storylines down the road for him & us then:(