New executive producer Bryan Kirkwood and his bosses were dealt a huge blow to their future plans for BBC’s EastEnders last week, when news broke through of the impending departure of one of the most popular actresses in Albert Square history; Lacey Turner is to leave the show.
Turner, who plays the popular character Stacey Slater, has seeked the desire to chase up other opportunities in the world of acting. Having played Stacey since 2004, the time may be right for her to move onto pastures new. However, EastEnders will be a poorer show without her extraordinary talent, that made her stand out, even during the mid-part of the last decade, when the show was in rapid decline.
Lacey has had some incredible storylines in her six years on the Square. She arrived in November 2004, as a meddling character, determined to cause havoc for many people, whatever it took. Quickly, she soon settled down with Bradley Branning and the two lovebirds embarked on a Romeo & Juliet romance. Stacey was also involved in the year-long affair with Bradley’s dad Max, which kept viewers hooked on how Bradley would find out what his cheating wife and deceitful Dad had been upto. On Christmas Day 2007, all was revealed on a DVD, in one of EastEnders finest recent moments. Since then, Stacey also had to deal with the disease, bipolar, a first of British soaps. It saw Lacey take on some really challenging and gritty roles, making her standout even more than before.
More recently, Stacey married Bradley again, but in the live episode to culminate EastEnders 25th anniversary, Bradley, on the run from the police plunged to his tragic death off the roof of the Queen Vic. Seconds later, Stacey confessed to Max that she had been the one who killed the hated Archie Mitchell on Christmas Day 2009. A showdown between the two recently occurred on-screen, as Max tried to catch-up and make Stacey pay for her actions.
On her departure, Lacey told the media website Digital Spy: “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." "I'll miss Stacey and everyone in Albert Square very much but the time has come to try something different."
In the past five years, Turner’s successful acting has won her numerous awards, ranging from Best Actress at the National Television Awards, to Best Newcomer at the British Soap Awards. She has amassed a staggering twenty-eight awards, some as part of a storyline and the Best Serial Drama, which EastEnders normally ends up winning.
Kirkwood has confirmed that a dramatic exit is being written for Stacey, and the door will remain open to one of Walford’s most favourite and iconic characters making a return in the future. So don’t worry Stacey fans, she won’t be departing in a coffin, no need for the tissues!
Lacey Turner has been a real credit to EastEnders and she will be profoundly missed by everyone at the BBC. However, her success playing Stacey Slater surely means we haven’t seen the last of her on television. She can only go onto brighter and bigger ventures in the future.
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