Bye Bye Barbara

Tonight, we say goodbye to one of soap’s most loved icons, as Barbara Windsor bows out of EastEnders, after having played the Mitchell matriarch Peggy Mitchell for sixteen years.  Our favourite barmaid could only watch in horror last night, as she saw her beloved pub, The Queen Vic explode in a ball of flame, following a tense stand-off with her estranged son, Phil Mitchell.

Tonight, as the Mitchell family struggle to come to terms with the previous night’s traumatic events, Peggy realises that she must move away and start afresh, if the rest of the family are ever going to move out of her shadow, therefore bringing down the curtain on a glorious and tempestuous time in Albert Square.

Peggy was first cast in Walford back in 1991, and Barbara took over in 1994.  Since then, has been involved in some of the soap’s biggest storylines, from battling breast cancer, regular run-ins with Sharon Watts, and three doomed marriages to the likes of clueless Frank Butcher and the devious Archie Mitchell.  Barbara received the Best Actress gong at the 1999 British Soap Awards, and received a Lifetime Achievement award at the same ceremony a decade later.

After a two-year absence between 2003 and 2005, whilst fighting the Epstein-Barr virus, Barbara returned to EastEnders at the end of 2005.  Last October, she announced her decision to quite EastEnders, so she could spend more time with her family and her third husband, Scott. 

Peggy’s impact on Albert Square and Barbara’s time in EastEnders will never be forgotten.  She is similar to what Ken Barlow is to Coronation Street and Harold Bishop to Neighbours, a true soap icon.  Everyone working at the BBC and those who watch EastEnders will certainly miss her presence. 

Best wishes for the future Barbara.  

Blow For The Square As The Lovely Lacey Quits

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 25^th 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.