Phil Mitchell (Steve McFadden) has been a very naughty boy in recent EastEnders scenes, and he may be set to be caught out if he doesn’t play his cards right.

Phil made the mistake of sleeping with Emma Harding (Patsy Kensit) after a row with fiancé Kat Slater (Jessie Wallace), which could prove more costly than he initially anticipated.

It was clear that his betrayal was bothering him, and soon ex-wife Sharon Watts (Letitia Dean) had picked up on his sour mood, pointing out that only money or a woman could leave him feeling like that.

She soon deduced that he had slept with someone, and though Phil remained tight lipped over who it was, Sharon urged him to tell Kat, before she found out elsewhere.

Though Phil insisted she would never find out, Sharon pointed out that those were famous last words, and it would soon transpire that she was right.

Elsewhere, Emma was having her own problems, with Ben Mitchell (Max Bowden) still refusing to let her see granddaughter Lexi (Isabella Brown).

She was desperate to keep Lexi in her life, despite having walked out on Lola just weeks before her death, and was hurt that ben wouldn’t give her a chance.

However, she was soon struck with an idea, and a sure fire way to get what she wanted.

Phil was horrified to see that Emma had paid him a visit, while Kat was in the room next door.

He urged her to keep her voice down as she demanded that Phil and Ben allow her to see Lexi.

With their night of passion hanging over them, Emma revealed just how low she was prepared to sink to get what she wanted.

She told Phil, in no uncertain terms, that if he didn’t let her see Lexi, then she would tell Kat everything.

Is Phil and Kat’s relationship set to be destroyed by Emma’s bombshell, or will Phil find a way to keep her quiet?

MORE : EastEnders spoilers: Killer’s secret is out as brutal murder is exposed

MORE : EastEnders’ Danielle Harold responds to I’m A Celebrity rumours

Lily Slater (Lillia Turner) has been struggling with motherhood in EastEnders, since giving birth to daughter Charli at just 13-years-old.

It doesn’t help that mum Stacey (Lacey Turner) is keen to take control, leaving Lily feeling as though she hasn’t had the chance to learn how to be a mother.

In tonight’s (September 13) episode, Lily took Charli to the café alongside nan Jean (Gillian Wright), but became overwhelmed when Charli started to cry.

Luckily, Jean was on hand to help Lily comfort Charli, telling her what to do instead of just doing it for her.

With Lily clearly feeling defeated, Jean assured her that it takes time to get used to being a mum, though Lily remained downhearted as she admitted that she didn’t think motherhood was going to be this hard.

Later, after Stacey had put Charli down for her nap, Lily confided in Jean that she was frightened her daughter wouldn’t love her as much as she would Stacey.

Jean was horrified by the suggestion, and wanted to know exactly why Lily felt that way.

She comforted her by explaining how difficult being a mum is, and how it is a job that comes with no training or exams.

While affectionately playing with Lily’s hair, she pointed out that Lily had seen both her and Stacey make mistakes while parenting, but that they just have to keep trying.

Jean was able to drag a small smile out of Lily, but it was clear that she still felt down.

Will Lily continue to struggle, or will she listen to Jean’s words of wisdom and stop being so hard on herself?

MORE : Brian Conley lands big new role after quitting EastEnders and rubbishing feud claims

MORE : EastEnders spoilers: Killer’s secret is out as brutal murder is exposed

The following article contains spoilers for Wednesday’s (September 13) EastEnders, which has NOT yet aired on TV, but can now be viewed on BBC iPlayer.

The true secret behind the murder of Ranveer Gulati has finally been exposed in recent EastEnders scenes, as Denise Fox (Diane Parish) got her hands on the full, unedited video of the horrific event.

Viewers may remember that Suki Panesar (Balvinder Sopal) set up a camera to catch Ranveer out during their business meeting, but was left horrified when he attacked her.

In self defence, Suki lashed out, hitting Ranveer over the head.

It was then that Ravi Gulati (Aaron Thiara) arrived and, believing that Suki had killed him, agreed to dispose of Ranveer’s body.

However, he was in for quite a shock when Ranveer began to move, and soon Ravi had finished what Suki had started, unaware that the camera was still rolling in the corner.

Though Suki has spent the last year believing that she was responsible for the murder, Denise’s discovery may have changed everything.

In tonight’s (September 13) episode, Denise and Jack Branning (Scott Maslen) joined Chelsea Fox (Zaraah Abrahams) and the Panesars for a dinner party, celebrating Ravi and Nugget’s (Juhaim Rasul Choudhury) move in with Chelsea.

Though Denise had promised to be supportive of her daughter, things soon took a turn when Chelsea revealed that she had spoken to Gina Knight (Francesca Henry) and learnt that Denise had been accusing Ravi of dealing drugs.

Following the argument, Jack decided to take Denise home, though she didn’t leave the house empty handed.

Earlier in the episode, Denise grew suspicious that Ravi may be hiding something when he was so quick to take his laptop away from Nugget.

Viewers saw Ravi place it down in the hallway, and offer Nugget his phone instead.

However, when he later went back for it, Ravi was horrified to find it gone.

Denise’s actions came as no surprise, given her vendetta against Ravi and her determination to get him out of the picture, but she certainly got more than she bargained for when Ricky Mitchell (Frankie Day) helped her to recover the lost files on the computer.

As she sat down to watch the once deleted video, she was horrified to see Ranveer’s attack on Suki play out, and clearly shocked to see her ‘kill’ him.

However, the biggest fright came as the video rolled on, revealing Ravi’s true actions that day.

Unfortunately for Denise, she wasn’t the only person watching the video, as it soon became clear that Ravi was stood in the doorway…

Is Denise in danger? How far will Ravi go to keep her quiet?

MORE : Brian Conley lands big new role after quitting EastEnders and rubbishing feud claims

MORE : EastEnders’ Danielle Harold responds to I’m A Celebrity rumours

Brian Conley has already lined up his next gig following his departure from EastEnders, with the comedian set to go on tour.

The actor, who plays Rocky, will tour the UK, stopping by eight venues in total between September and March, with more dates set to be announced in due course.

Word of his show, which is titled The 3rd Farewell Tour… To Date, came shortly after reports in the media which stated that Brian would be leaving EastEnders after two years as Rocky Cotton, with claims of tension behind the scenes.

Brian subsequently confirmed that he would, in fact, be leaving the popular soap – which is enjoying one of its finest periods in recent memory, scooping trophy after trophy – but shot down the claims of feuds with bosses.

‘Now you may have heard reports that I am leaving EastEnders, and it was a tough decision but it is true – I am going, and I made the decision for many reasons,’ he said in a video posted on his social media account.

‘It is tough because there’s such a wonderful crowd in front of the camera and behind, and I loved my three years there.

‘As to truths in the reports, there are parts saying I clashed with TV bosses and the crews, I didn’t clash with anyone or go on a rant.

‘I have gone with their blessings at the Beeb and I am excited for the future and where it’s going to go.

EastEnders also confirmed reports of Brian’s exit, with a spokesperson similarly debunking claims of trouble behind-the-scenes.

‘There is absolutely no truth in any claims of a feud with bosses and the show fully support Brian in his decision to leave which was made some time ago. 

‘We wish him the best of luck for the future as we continue to work towards his exit storyline which has been in the works for some time.’

Fans have already started speculating in regards to how Rocky will be written out of EastEnders, with some wondering if he could be the victim of the Christmas murder, which was teased in a flash-forward sequence earlier this year.

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EastEnders star Danielle Harold has addressed reports that she’s being lined up for the next series of I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here!

It was claimed earlier this week that the actress, best known for playing Lola Pearce on the BBC One soap, ‘caught the eye’ of the ITV bosses, who were keen to have her participate in the next offering of the jungle.

Danielle, however, seemingly debunked such rumours during an appearance on Loose Women when asked if there was any truth to them.

‘It is like all year round there is something,’ she said to Ruth Langsford. ‘One minute I am in Strictly, then I am in that.

‘I’ll probably be on Dancing on Ice next week! Calm down! There is always something, whatever the latest show is they always say your name.’

Ruth tried to get a definite answer from Danielle, asking her outright if she’s going into the jungle, to which the soap star started to responded with: “No”.

‘There are just rumours about me going somewhere and I love it!,’ Daniella continued. ‘I sit at home and go “Ooh there and there”.

Danielle was written out of EastEnders earlier this year after Lola died from a terminal brain tumour, a storyline which has received critical acclaim. 

For her work on the story, she went on to pick up the award for Best Leading Performer at The British Soap Awards, before scooping the Serial Drama Performance gong at the National Television Awards.

Both trophies were viewer voted.

Discussing what the future holds, Daniella said: ‘Everyone keeps asking. I am so excited for what’s next because it has been half of my life that I have been [at EastEnders] now.

‘So to be able to audition now which I have started too and get into different characters I am just loving it and it is so much fun, it is really great fun.’

If you’ve got a soap or TV story, video or pictures get in touch by emailing us soaps@metro.co.uk – we’d love to hear from you.

Join the community by leaving a comment below and stay updated on all things soaps on our homepage.

MORE : 12 soap spoiler pictures: Coronation Street dead body found, EastEnders surprise wedding outcome, Emmerdale resident left to die, Hollyoaks secret and more!

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Alfie Moon (Shane Richie) is set to find a new supporter in his cancer fight, and EastEnders viewers may be surprised to learn that it won’t be Kat Slater (Jessie Wallace).

In recent scenes, Kat learned the truth about Alfie’s prostate cancer scare and rushed to the hospital to be with him as he got his results.

After seeing how upset she was, Alfie told Kat that he had got the all-clear, something which would prove to have been a lie in upcoming episodes.

Having learned about Phil Mitchell’s (Steve McFadden) passionate moment with Emma Harding (Patsy Kensit) ahead of his wedding to Kat, Alfie heads to Peggy’s to have it out with him.

Once the pair are alone, Alfie throws a punch, and as they battle it out, it soon becomes clear that Phil’s infidelity isn’t the only thing Alfie is struggling with.

Soon, Alfie reveals that he had lied about the results, and emotionally tells Phil that he does have prostate cancer.

Phil is stunned as Alfie explains that he has to have a prostatectomy, leaving Phil and Alfie to head their separate ways alone, with Phil off to the registry office and Alfie getting a cab to the hospital.

However, Alfie won’t be alone for long, as soon he will get support from best friend Linda Carter (Kellie Bright).

When Linda learns from Mitch Baker (Roger Griffiths) that Alfie had gone to the hospital, she puts two and two together and heads over to be there for him.

What will Alfie make of Linda’s support in this difficult time?

MORE : EastEnders legend Kacey Ainsworth makes admission as she slams ‘Worst Dressed’ lists

MORE : EastEnders legend Natalie Cassidy celebrates her 30 year Sonia-versary in inspiring way

Phil Mitchell (Steve McFadden) may need to watch his back in EastEnders, as fiancé Kat Slater (Jessie Wallace) has revealed her temptation to follow in his former lovers’ footsteps and shoot him.

The pair had a bust up in a recent episode when Kat learnt that Phil had hidden Alfie Moon’s (Shane Richie) cancer scare from her.

Their tryst ended with Phil sleeping on the sofa after Kat admitted that she wasn’t sure she wanted to marry him after all.

When Phil came to make amends the next day, Kat revealed that she knew he’d kept it from her in fear that it would send her running back into Alfie’s arms.

She assured him that that wouldn’t happen, as she wasn’t like his exes.

She was quick to make a dig at Kathy Beale (Gillian Taylforth) and Sharon Watts (Letitia Dean), who had both bedded Phil’s brother Grant, before revealing that she was tempted to pull a gun on him like two of his other exes already had.

The first scorned lover to shoot Phil was Lisa Fowler (Lucy Benjamin) after he mistreated her in their relationship, in the iconic ‘Who shot Phil?’ whodunit storyline.

Viewers didn’t know Lisa was responsible until a dramatic episode which saw Phil confront her and reveal that he knew what she had done.

Many years later, Phil was shot once again, this time by ex-partner Shirley Carter (Linda Henry) on his wedding day to Sharon.

Shirley shot Phil in the chest and made a run for it, having been upset over his decision to marry Sharon despite having an affair with her.

Kat and Phil failed to put their differences aside after their confrontation, with Phil ultimately cheating on Kat with Emma Harding (Patsy Kensit).

Could Kat be set to discover his betrayal and go through with her plan to shoot him?

MORE : EastEnders star ‘ties the knot with fiancée three years after split’

MORE : As Brian Conley quits EastEnders, Rocky’s explosive exit amid fire and murder twists

Lily Slater (Lillia Turner) has been struggling with motherhood ever since giving birth to daughter Charli at just 13-years-old in EastEnders.

The teen mum is desperate to prove that she can be a good parent, however, one mistake has left mum Stacey (Lacey Turner) taking more control than ever.

In recent scenes, Lily grew increasingly frustrated over her mother’s interference as they prepared for a visit from social worker Naz.

During the visit, Stacey continually answered for Lily whenever she was asked a question, leaving the new mum frustrated.

Jean Slater (Gillian Wright) had clearly picked up on the tension, as she soon laid into Stacey after Naz had left.

Jean pointed out that Lily needed to be able to ‘find her feet and speak for herself’, to which Stacey asked if she wanted Naz to find out about the incident the previous day.

Lily and Ricky (Frankie Day) had taken Charli out for the afternoon, but were caught trying to feed her crisps by Jack Branning (Scott Maslen).

Jean explained that it had been a mistake, and that everyone was allowed to make them, as Naz had said herself.

However, Stacey was quick to point out that they weren’t like normal families and they had no room to make mistakes, seeing as Lily was a 13-year-old mum and Stacey was an ex-criminal with a stalker.

Stacey was quick to point out that they didn’t have the luxury of making mistakes, much to Lily’s upset.

Lily soon pointed out that she wouldn’t have said anything to Naz about the previous day, and insisted that she had learnt her lesson.

She revealed that she just wanted Stacey to help her feel like she could do things instead of doing them for her, and was trying her best to learn how to be a good mum.

Will Stacey take Lily’s words on bored and back off a bit?

MORE : EastEnders star ‘ties the knot with fiancée three years after split’

MORE : As Brian Conley quits EastEnders, Rocky’s explosive exit amid fire and murder twists

EastEnders star Brian Conley has set the record straight, hitting back at claims of backstage tension amid his exit from the soap.

The acclaimed actor and comedian is set to depart the soap later this year, with reports suggesting that the abruptness of the decision is causing upset with show bosses.

Additionally, Rocky’s goodbye was linked to the upcoming murder at Christmas, partially told through a flash-forward episode earlier this year.

With fans eager to know the truth, and storylines intricately being webbed together in the build-up, it was said that Brian’s departure may throw a spanner in the works.

An EastEnders spokesperson told Metro.co.uk at the time: ‘There are many rumours and theories circulating about whose body is under the Christmas tree but, to not spoil the drama for the audience, we will not be commenting on any speculation.’

Now, Brian himself has poured cold water on the suggestion of backstage drama, releasing a statement in a video.

‘Hello lovely people its me Brian Conley aka Rocky, sending out this message especially to all the EastEnders fans,’ he said.

‘Now you may have heard reports that I am leaving EastEnders, and it was a tough decision but it is true – I am going, and I made the decision for many reasons.

‘It is tough because there’s such a wonderful crowd in front of the camera and behind, and I loved my three years there. As to truths in the reports, there are parts saying I clashed with TV bosses and the crews, I didn’t clash with anyone or go on a rant.

He added wryly: ‘They will probably report on this now, saying I have had a ranting about ranting – but I am not ranting.

‘I have gone with their blessings at the Beeb and I am excited for the future and where it’s going to go.

‘I’m also excited about Rocky’s exit as I know it’s good! Sending much love, all EastEnders fans, enough said.’

An EastEnders spokesperson added: ‘We can confirm that Brian Conley will be leaving EastEnders.

‘There is absolutely no truth in any claims of a feud with bosses and the show fully support Brian in his decision to leave which was made some time ago.

‘We wish him the best of luck for the future as we continue to work towards his exit storyline which has been in the works for some time.’

Rocky has been central to a number of major storylines since arriving on the Square.

Often portrayed as a cheeky-chappie comedy character, he was first introduced as a con-man, working with Dotty Cotton (Milly Zero) to fleece Sonia Fowler (Natalie Cassidy).

He would later strike up a romance with Kathy Beale (Gillian Taylforth), but it was later revealed that he was, in fact, already married.

Now, he is contending with the return of Kathy’s son Ian (Adam Woodyatt).

Kathy is a member ‘The Six’ – that is, one of the potential killers of the mystery body on the floor this Christmas.

How Rocky becomes linked to this remains to be seen…

MORE : As Brian Conley quits EastEnders, Rocky’s explosive exit amid fire and murder twists

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EastEnders star Aaron Sidwell appears to have confirmed that he’s married fiancée Tricia Turner, after sharing a heartfelt post in which he refers to her as his ‘wife’.

The actor, who portrayed Steven Beale in the BBC One soap, heaped praise on theatre icon Tricia in a post on X, formerly Twitter, after she stepped in to replace the lead star on the West End production of Lord Of The Rings.

Sharing a lovely picture of them together, Aaron wrote: ‘My brilliant wife! Seen the show once, not listened to the score until yesterday afternoon. 

‘4 hours rehearsal and smashes it out the park. Superstar @TriciaAT @WatermillTh.’

Metro.co.uk has reached out to Aaron’s reps for comment.

The news comes after Aaron and Tricia reportedly went their separate ways during lockdown.

The couple got engaged in 2019, with Aaron sharing the happy news on his social media pages with a picture of he and Tricia kissing in Carnaby Street.

‘Here’s to the future Mrs Sidwell,’ he wrote at the time, finishing out the tweet with: ‘#SheSaidYes.’

Aaron is best known to viewers for his portrayal of Steven Beale, son of Cindy Williams (Michelle Collins) and Simon Wicks (Nick Berry), in EastEnders.

He played the character for two stints in the long-running serial, originally appearing between 2007 and 2008, before reprised the role once more in 2016.

Steven met a shocking end in 2017 following a fire in Beales’ restaurant, now known as Walford East.

The character has been the subject of much discussion as of late, with his mum Cindy having staged a shocking comeback from the dead.

Cindy, who has been living in witness protection for years, broke down upon returning to Walford, knowing she’ll never get the chance to make things right with Steven and Lucy (Hetti Bywater), who was also killed.

If you’ve got a soap or TV story, video or pictures get in touch by emailing us soaps@metro.co.uk – we’d love to hear from you.

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EastEnders fans were rocked by the news of Brian Conley’s sudden exit from the BBC soap, with many wondering what this could mean for the upcoming Christmas murder story that has been building up since February.

Brian’s character Rocky Cotton has strong links to the storyline already, given that he has recently married Kathy Beale (Gillian Taylforth), who is one of The Six.

During their fateful wedding day, Rocky learnt that he wasn’t actually divorced from previous wife Jo (Vicki Michelle), but decided to go through with saying his vows anyway.

When Kathy later discovered the truth, she was devastated, and left in financial ruin when Jo demanded £50,000 to keep quiet.

This is not the first time Rocky has let Kathy down, leading many fans to wonder if he may be the one to find himself dead on the floor at Christmas, with Kathy having delivered the fatal blow.

However, with Brian’s sudden departure allegedly having impacted plans for the Christmas murder, what does this mean for the storyline, and how will Rocky end up leaving?

What does Rocky’s exit mean for the Christmas murder story?

With six women at the helm of the dastardly Christmas day murder, the body on the floor could literally belong to anyone.

Between them, The Six are connected to almost everybody on the Square, and more than a handful of people have upset them over the past year.

As it stands, the only clue we have to the murder victim’s identity is a pair of cufflinks, which are currently in the possession of Jack Branning (Scott Maslen), making him the most likely suspect at this stage.

However, we’ve seen many a whodunit in our time, and we know that that is more than certainly going to change as we draw closer to Christmas Day.

Over the months, we have been tracking the clues dropped by EastEnders, and at this point there are enough to make any number of endings plausible.

If the show had planned to kill Rocky off in this big whodunit, they have laid enough groundwork up to this point for any number of other characters to be a plausible victim, meaning that any changes should be totally unnoticeable to fans.

The main impact will undoubtedly come in Kathy’s thread of the storyline, given that up until this point, the main man to have wronged her has been Rocky.

With The Six having already cheersed to the men in their lives ‘getting what they deserve’, Rocky’s exit may have taken Kathy’s potential victim out of the running.

However, with Ian Beale (Adam Woodyatt) back in Walford and already rocking the boat, she may have a new enemy as Christmas approaches.

Could we still be set to see #KillerKathy trending on Christmas day? Could she seek revenge on someone else for driving her husband out of Walford, or even murdering him?

With that in mind, let’s consider how Rocky may be set to leave Walford.

The past comes back to haunt him

We all know that Rocky is no angel, and his first storyline saw him committing fraud and being an all-round not very nice guy.

However, he seems to have turned over a new leaf in recent months, despite a few poorly judged decisions, and left his life of crime behind.

But that doesn’t mean that he couldn’t go back, and end up being thrown in prison for some crime or another.

Just after their wedding, Kathy and Rocky paid Jo to keep quiet about his bigamy, though she was quick to demand more money.

Though they were able to frighten her off, Jo’s final scene showed her taking a mysterious phone call, telling the person on the other end that there was ‘plenty more for the taking’.

Could Jo come crawling back out of the woodwork for more money? And when broke Rocky and Kathy refuse, will she go to the police about their sham marriage, leaving Rocky facing prison for bigamy?

Jo Cotton’s sidekick

With Rocky having joined the show as a conman, it wouldn’t be out of the realms of possibility for it to be revealed that his whole relationship with Kathy was just one massive con.

We know that Kathy has had bad experiences with men in the past, with all of her husbands having treated her badly in one way or another. This has left her vulnerable, and potentially the ideal target for a romance scam.

Could Rocky have seen a successful businesswoman, still vulnerable after her past relationships, and taken advantage of that by wooing her in order to get his hands on her savings and businesses?

Could he have secretly been in cahoots with Jo this whole time, and be set to run off into the sunset with her and Kathy’s money?

The café fire – Insurance scam

Fans of the show will know that there is a big stunt coming up this Autumn, with the café set to catch fire and leave lives in jeopardy.

But will it catch fire or be set on fire?

Following Jo’s blackmail, Kathy and Rocky have been left with absolutely no money, after using all of Kathy’s savings to pay her off.

Their plan to sell the chippy in order to earn some money back was scuppered by the arrival of Ian, who decided to reclaim his property and take it off the market.

With that in mind, could Rocky come up with an elaborate plan to earn some quick cash by setting fire to the café as part of an insurance scam?

We’ve seen the likes of Alfie Moon (Shane Richie) pull similar stunts in the past, with his actions ending in horror for Kat Slater (Jessie Wallace), who was trapped inside their burning home.

Could the same thing happen to Rocky and Kathy, and Rocky’s guilt over the situation lead him to confess to starting the fire and being carted off to prison?

Or could someone catch him in the act, leaving him to face the long arm of the law?

The café fire – Rocky’s tragic death

Even if Rocky doesn’t start the fire, it is likely that he will still be heavily involved in the action, given that his wife owns the business.

Could Rocky see the blaze and rush in to save Kathy, assuming that she is trapped inside, before succumbing to the flames himself?

Could Rocky already be inside the building when the fire starts, and fail to find a way out in time?

Or, could The Six actually be set to go on a full murder spree, with their first victim coming well before Christmas as they vow to set the café on fire together, deliberately killing Rocky in their bid to see the men in their lives ‘get what they deserve’?

Another exit

Of course, many characters over the years have left Albert Square either by taxi, tube or plane.

Perhaps Rocky will see the fire in the café and decide that he’s had enough of Walford’s drama and make a quiet, unassuming departure via public transport.

In this era of EastEnders, absolutely anything is possible.

Whatever the case, rumours that there is a backstage feud at the show due to the decision have been rubbished by both Brian and the soap.

He told fans: ‘Now you may have heard reports that I am leaving EastEnders, and it was a tough decision but it is true – I am going, and I made the decision for many reasons.

‘It is tough because there’s such a wonderful crowd in front of the camera and behind, and I loved my three years there. As to truths in the reports, there are parts saying I clashed with TV bosses and the crews, I didn’t clash with anyone or go on a rant.

He added wryly: ‘They will probably report on this now, saying I have had a ranting about ranting – but I am not ranting.

‘I have gone with their blessings at the Beeb and I am excited for the future and where it’s going to go.

‘I’m also excited about Rocky’s exit as I know it’s good! Sending much love, all EastEnders fans, enough said.’

An EastEnders spokesperson added: ‘We can confirm that Brian Conley will be leaving EastEnders.

‘There is absolutely no truth in any claims of a feud with bosses and the show fully support Brian in his decision to leave which was made some time ago.

‘We wish him the best of luck for the future as we continue to work towards his exit storyline which has been in the works for some time.’

MORE : Is Freddie Slater leaving EastEnders as Bobby Brazier joins Strictly?

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Freddie Slater arrived in Albert Square just last year, but he’s quickly become a much-loved face in EastEnders.

He rocked up looking for his real dad, and soon found out that it wasn’t Billy Mitchell (Perry Fenwick) – but the truth came as a terrible shock.

Freddie was completely devastated to learn that his mum, Little Mo, had been raped by his biological father, Graham Foster, in 2003, and took himself back home to talk things through with her – but returned.

So with actor Bobby Brazier, who plays him, getting set to sparkle in Strictly, will Freddie be leaving EastEnders?

Let’s find out.

Is Freddie Slater leaving EastEnders?

Freddie Slater will be leaving EastEnders – but the good news for fans is it’s only temporarily.

Bobby is keeping tight-lipped about the storyline that would lead to his character’s temporary exit.

‘I’m taking a break,’ he confirmed.

‘I’ve filmed it all, and I’m not telling you.’

But in words which will bring comfort to his many fans, he added: ‘I’ll be back.’

So far, we haven’t seen Freddie’s exit storyline playing out, and as the show is filmed in advance, we’re expecting him to remain on screen for at least a couple of weeks.

It’s been quite a year for Bobby, who won the Rising Star prize for his performances as Freddie at the National Television Awards earlier this month.

He paid tribute to his dad as he left viewers in tears during his poignant acceptance speech.

Bobby is the son of late Big Brother star Jade Goody, who died of cervical cancer aged just 27 in March 2009.

Goody’s mum Jackiey Budden shared her pride ahead of Bobby’s Strictly debut, saying: ‘I’m over the moon and he’s just stepped in his mum’s shoes — he’s in Jade’s trotters.’

Bobby joins the likes of Amanda Abbington, Zara McDermott, Les Dennis, and Angela Rippon as part of the Strictly 2023 cast, which launches on Saturday (September 16).

He’s one of the favourites to win the coveted Strictly Glitterball.

MORE : Brian Conley suddenly quits EastEnders role as Rocky ahead of Christmas murder

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EastEnders star Maisie Smith has shared her love with the victims of the Morocco earthquake just days after leaving the country herself.

The rare, devastating earthquake, which reduced a number of buildings in Marrakech to rubble, had a magnitude of 7.2 and has tragically claimed the lives of over 2,000 people.

Tremors of the quake in North Africa were said to be felt as far as Portugal and Algeria.

The quake is the deadliest in the country since a 2004 tremor in Al Hoceima in the northern Rif mountains, which killed over 600 people.

The Tiffany Butcher actress revealed on Instagram that she had flown back from Marrakech just a few days ago, narrowly avoiding the tragedy.

‘I can’t believe it,’ she captioned a picture of herself strolling through the Medina in Marrakech.

‘We only just flew back from this beautiful country just two days ago.

‘My thoughts are with all the victims and the families of those who lost their lives in this tragedy.’

Maisie visited Morocco with boyfriend, and fellow Strictly Come Dancing 2020 competitor, Max George, and gave fans an insight into the trip with pictures on her Instagram.

She received a number of compliments from fans as she posed by the pool in the sunshine, as well as three love heart emojis from beau Max.

The actress is perhaps best known for her work on EastEnders, having joined the show at just six years old.

In 2021, she left the show, as character Tiffany decided to head off to Germany with brother Liam, leaving husband Keegan behind.

However, she has since revealed that she is ‘sure’ she will return to the show in future.

MORE : EastEnders spoilers: Phil Mitchell cheats on Kat Slater with unexpected character

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The following article contains spoilers for Tuesday’s (September 12) EastEnders episode, which has NOT yet aired on TV, but can now be viewed on BBC iPlayer. 

EastEnders is no stranger to a shock twist or two but this is one that we absolutely did not see coming.

Phil Mitchell (Steve McFadden) is set to cheat on his beloved bride-to-be Kat Slater (Jessie Wallace) with none other than Emma Harding (Patsy Kensit), the estranged mum of Lola Pearce (Danielle Harold), who has turned up once again.

The scenes in question, which can be viewed on iPlayer right now, take place in Tuesday’s episode, with Kat and Phil at odds after the former discovered that the latter had been keeping things from her, primarily in regards to Alfie Moon’s (Shane Richie) cancer fears.

Kat freezes her fiancé out, with Sharon Watts (Letitia Dean) on hand to offer both she and Phil some advice, hoping to reunite the feuding lovers.

Taking Sharon’s advice on board, Kat decides to make things right before it’s too late, but little does she know that Phil is too busy having a passionate moment with Emma in the office at Peggy’s!

Oh dear.

Subsequent scenes will see Phil struggle with his guilt over what he’s done, with Keanu Taylor (Danny Walters) getting wind of the hard-man’s betrayal, determined to use it as leverage.

Sharon, however, comes to Phil’s aid, threatening her once-beloved Keanu, who is left heartbroken by her actions and therefore continues to drink – before accidentally blabbing all to Alfie instead!

Horrifed, Alfie confronts Phil on the day of his wedding to Kat, punching him, with the two men battling it out.

Phil, however, soon realises that Alfie has something else on his mind. Alfie admits that he lied – he does, in fact, have prostate cancer and he’s having a prostatectomy.

Can he and Phil get back on the same page? And will Kat find out what Phil has done?

EastEnders airs Mondays to Thursdays at 7:£0pm on BBC One or stream first from 6am on BBC iPlayer.

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Suki Panesar (Balvinder Sopal) is set to hatch a risky plan to get rid of villain Ravi Gulati (Aaron Thiara) for good in EastEnders.

In upcoming scenes, Denise Fox (Diane Parish) is set to steal Ravi’s laptop, which viewers will know contains incriminating footage from the murder of Ranveer.

Last year, Suki was left believing that she had killed Ranveer after he attacked her, however it was actually Ravi who finished the job.

In upcoming scenes, Suki urges Denise to give a statement to the police about the incriminating video of Ravi, which she agrees to, against Chelsea Fox (Zaraah Abrahams) and Jack Branning’s (Scott Maslen) wishes.

Unfortunately, with no physical evidence and Suki’s previous failed statement, the police dismiss their concerns.

Viewers may remember that Suki found the recording of herself fighting Ranveer off earlier this year, and planned to show it to the police in order to save son Kheerat from his life sentence.

However, things went awry when Suki realised that husband Nish (Navin Chowdhry) had wiped the recording, meaning she had no proof that Kheerat was innocent.

With the police unwilling to help again now, Suki realises that she has no choice but to take matters into her own hands.

Though Denise tries to distance herself from the Panesars, it isn’t long before Suki comes back to her with a fully formed plan.

She reveals to Denise that she is going to secretly record Ravi’s confession, but will it work?

When she meets Ravi in The Albert to get the plan underway, an ill-timed phone call from the prison ruins things.

The call leaves her shaken, and soon Ravi is threatening more harm to her family if she doesn’t keep quiet.

Desperate, Suki goes back to Denise and begs her to help put Ravi away for his crime, but Denise refuses, in fear for the safety of her family.

Will Ravi get away with it, or will the women find a way to bring him down?

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Jay Brown (Jamie Borthwick) has not been coping well since the death of his beloved wife Lola Pearce (Danielle Harold) in EastEnders. However, he may soon be set to find new love in a surprising place.

Lola tragically passed away from a brain tumour earlier this year after a year-long battle, leaving Jay completely devastated.

Though she has left behind a number of special videos to help her family remember her, her absence is still sorely felt, by Jay more than most.

Recent scenes have seen him watching her videos through tears while responding to her, as though she is still there.

In upcoming scenes, he will continue to struggle, but there may be a light on the horizon.

After struggling to sleep because of his grief, Jay spends the night walking through London. As he returns to Albert Square, he meets Nadine (Jazzy Phoenix), and is warmed by her company.

The next day, Jay apologises to her for his abrupt departure the night before and agrees to take her for a drink at The Albert.

The pair are able to put the misunderstanding aside and enjoy their time together, but soon Nadine wants to take things a step further.

She invites him back to her apartment, and there she attempts to seduce him.

Jay, still grieving for the love of his life, turns down her advances.

When Nadine later arrives back in the Square, Jay is worried about being seen with her.

Will he allow himself to move on after Lola’s death, or will he continue to push Nadine away?

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When you have two EastEnders legends like Kat Slater (Jessie Wallace) and Phil Mitchell (Steve McFadden) preparing to get married, you just know that it is going to be full to the brim with drama.

While Kat is excitedly preparing to marry her man, Phil is fighting with his conscience over his actions the previous week.

Things only get worse when Louise calls Kat and demands that she tell Phil that Keanu Taylor (Danny Walters) can’t have access to his daughter, Peggy.

This puts Phil in an awkward position, and he comes up with an idea to get himself out of the mess he’s made.

Heading over to the Arches, Phil tells Keanu a whopping great in an attempt to keep him quiet: He’s already told Kat all about Emma Harding (Patsy Kensit), and says that she has forgiven him.

The day before the wedding, Jean Slater (Gillian Wright) surprises Kat with hen-do in the Queen Vic, where the women of Walford are eagerly waiting to toast her last night of freedom.

As the drinks flow, Kat finally makes peace with ex-husband Alfie Moon (Shane Richie), but when he reveals that he can’t be at the wedding, she is gutted.

It isn’t long before Keanu arrives in the Vic and, having spotted Kat’s high spirits, begins to realise that Phil has lied to him. He is quick to send his rival a text, revealing that he is going to tell Kat everything.

Horrified that his whole marriage may be set to go up in flames, Phil rushes over, but is stopped in his tracks by Sharon Watts (Letitia Dean), who promises to sort things out.

Sharon pulls Keanu aside while he is mid conversation with Kat and threatens him, making it clear that he will be sorry if Kat finds out the truth from him.

Keanu agrees to Sharon’s demands, but as he continues to drink, his tongue grows looser, and he is soon spilling Phil’s big secret to unsuspecting Alfie.

Poor Alfie is clearly haunted by what he’s heard, and heads over to the Arches the next day to get the full truth from Keanu, before heading to No.29 to reveal all…

Over at Peggy’s, Phil and the other Mitchell men raise a toast to family, but are soon interrupted by a scorching Alfie.

When he manages to get Phil alone, Alfie throws a punch. As the men battle it out, it becomes clear that there is more to Alfie’s emotions than he is letting on, as he finally admits that he lied about not having prostate cancer.

Emotions are high as Alfie tells Phil that he has to have a prostatectomy, before Phil heads to his wedding alone.

Kat is panicked as Phil turns up late. Will they go through with the wedding?

MORE : EastEnders’ iconic stars dress up in murder costumes for NTAs and we’re obsessed

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Brian Conley has suddenly quit his role on BBC soap EastEnders as Rocky Cotton ahead of the big Christmas murder, it’s been reported.

It’s been claimed that the actor ‘wanted out for a while’, two and a half years after making his debut.

‘Brian was a brilliant signing and has been a big hit with fans,’ an insider said.

‘But it looks as though he’s just not enjoying being on EastEnders anymore — and has been telling a lot of colleagues and telly friends he wanted out for a while.’

They continued to The Sun: ‘It’s all come to a head, and at the National TV Awards last week he was pretty open with co-stars and friends about his exit.’

It’s been alleged that the soap had ‘made so many plans’ around his character Rocky and that the 62-year-old’s departure could impact the upcoming murder that’s set to be revealed at Christmas.

It’s been claimed that while the BBC wanted Brian to remain on the programme, he decided against staying, leaving bosses at the broadcaster ‘furious’.

The insider stated: ‘There has been a lot said in private about him messing up their plans.

‘Whatever has wound him up, it feels like he can’t get out of there quick enough – and now they’re going to have to rewrite their storyline plans for his rapid exit.’

Ahead of this year’s festive episode, EastEnders fans already know that a murder is set to unravel after it was revealed that a dead body was lying next to the Vic’s Christmas tree.

The source suggested that Brian’s exit might result in the BBC switching around the victim of the Christmas murder.

‘There was always a plan for a major death at Christmas — but it wasn’t initially going to be this,’ they said.

‘If Brian wants out, it makes sense to switch it around. There’s time to do that before they start filming the Christmas storylines.’

However, some fans who reacted to the news of Brian leaving the soap expressed their hope that his departure will be written into the script separately.

‘I hope this doesn’t derail the Christmas death because if it does it’ll be a big shame, I just hope they write a separate exit,’ one person said on X (formerly Twitter).

When contacted for comment by Metro.co.uk, the BBC said: ‘There are many rumours and theories circulating about whose body is under the Christmas tree but, to not spoil the drama for the audience, we will not be commenting on any speculation.’

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Alfie Moon (Shane Richie) was left in tears in recent EastEnders scenes as he relayed the results of his prostate cancer tests to former flame Kat Slater (Jessie Wallace).

Up until tonight’s (September 11) episode, the only person to have known about Alfie’s cancer scare was Phil Mitchell (Steve McFadden), Kat’s other half.

This secret had allowed them to grow closer, sparking suspicion for oblivious Kat.

After learning from son Tommy (Sonny Kendall) that Alfie and Phil had been taking him to Boxing Den, Kat confronted Alfie about what was really going on.

It was then that Alfie was forced to confess that Tommy had lashed out at him, and the boxing training had been an attempt to positively channel his emotions.

Upset that she was being kept in the dark over matters that involved her son, Kat confronted Phil, who got the wrong end of the stick about her conversation with Alfie.

He assumed that she was talking about Alfie’s upcoming tests, and, unaware that she was still in the dark, let slip about his cancer scare.

Kat demanded to know everything, and Phil had no choice to but to tell her everything.

Despite the fact that she was due to look round a wedding venue with her husband-to-be, she demanded that he cancel it, before heading off to look for Alfie.

Poor Alfie was absolutely terrified about his appointment, and made up excuses not to go.

However, when Kat found him in the Queen Vic, she insisted that he couldn’t miss it, and pointed out that he would get through it, with her by his side if he needed.

The pair were soon joined by Phil, and together the trio headed to the hospital for Alfie’s results.

Though Kat remained upbeat for him, as soon as Alfie headed into his appointment, her bravado slipped, as she wondered what life would be like without Alfie.

It wasn’t long before Alfie emerged from the doctor’s office, and it was instantly clear that he had been crying.

However, he quickly announced that he had got the all clear, as Kat rushed to embrace him.

Were Alfie’s tears really just tears of relief, or is he hiding something?

MORE : EastEnders star Patsy Kensit confirms ‘cruel’ streak for Emma – and addresses Albert Square future

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Lily Slater (Lillia Turner) faced the wrath of her mother Stacey (Lacey Turner) in recent EastEnders scenes after behaving irresponsibly with daughter Charli.

13-year-old Lily was coming to terms with the idea of being a new mum, and getting used to the changes that would bring to her life.

Despite her initial fears while in the hospital, Lily was keen to be Charli’s sole carer, and asked Stacey if she would go out and leave her and Charli alone together for a few hours.

Stacey was obviously horrified by the idea, especially considering the fact that her terrifying stalker Theo Hawthorne (William Ellis) was on the loose, but when Lily pointed out that she had been left alone with siblings Hope and Arthur, she began to sway to the idea.

As Lily revealed that she was worried she wouldn’t be able to transition to Charli’s full time carer if Stacey continued to interfere, she decided to leave Lily and Charli alone for two hours, in order to help business partner Eve Unwin (Heather Peace) with the lunchtime rush.

The only condition was that Lily had to report to Stacey via text every 15 minutes, and with Jean (Gillian Wright) popping in and out all day, she was assured that nothing bad would happen.

Unfortunately, things soon got out of hand, when Ricky Mitchell (Frankie Day) came over and encouraged Lily to take Charli to the park to see their friends, using the argument that the fresh air would do the baby good.

As they met with their friends, Denzel Danes (Jaden Ladega) soon came up with the idea to try and get a viral video out of baby Charli, in order to try and get free stuff from brands.

Their plan was to feed Charli a crisp and film her reaction – something which could have proved fatal had Jack Branning (Scott Maslen) not intervened.

Thankfully, the doting granddad caught them mid video, and instantly put a stop to it with a few stern words.

He soon marched an ashamed Lily and Ricky over to Stacey, where he made it clear that he wasn’t happy with how things were going.

Furious and humiliated after being shouted at by Jack, Stacey marched Lily home.

Things were only set to get worse for Stacey, as Eve picked up a call from social worker Naz, wanting to meet the next day.

Will Lily and Stacey be able to pull together to impress the social worker, or could Lily’s irresponsible behaviour cause her to lose Charli for good?

MORE : Dame Barbara Windsor’s widower Scott Mitchell gives rare look into new relationship with EastEnders star

MORE : EastEnders star Patsy Kensit confirms ‘cruel’ streak for Emma – and addresses Albert Square future

Despite being convicted by a court over failing to pay for a tank of petrol, Danniella Westbrook reportedly no longer has to make the payments previously asked of her due to a legal loophole.

The former EastEnders star, 49, was stopped at the airport last month while in Ibiza after her passport thew up a warning to staff.

The warning was in relation to her previous arrest in 2018, when she was detained for 14 hours by police in Spain, later being convicted of fraud for failing to pay for £39 of petrol.

Danniella recalled driving to Benidorm to see a mate but not having any money to pay for the petrol she filled her car with.

The former Sam Mitchell star handed her driving licence and a copy of her passport to the staff member but didn’t return to pay the next day, and ‘couldn’t remember where the petrol station was anyway.’

As the issue was unsolved, it was flagged up at passport control during the 49-year-old’s recent holiday, which left her fearing that she might go to prison.

Daniella was subsequently notified of the judge that would be dealing with her case and was told to return to Spain to make payments on a plan, with the actress having shared her concerns that the amount she owed would’ve sky-rocketed in the five years since the incident took place.

A new report in MailOnline, however, states that the EastEnders icon’s conviction is now ‘spent’ due to a legal loophole and therefore she won’t have to pay anything.

According to the publication, officials had not been able to formally notify Danniella of her punishment within a year of its issue.

Metro.co.uk has reached out to Danniella’s reps for comment.

Danniella is best known for portraying Sam Mitchell in EastEnders, initially between 1990 and 2000.

The character was written out of the show, and when she returned in 2002, it was actress Kim Medcalf who played her. Danniella would go on to reprise the role in 2009, as Sam made a memorable comeback.

The actress would make one final appearance in 2016, as Sam returned to Walford for mum Peggy’s funeral.

Kim Medcalf, meanwhile, reprised the role last year. Her iteration of Sam is currently off-screen, though is expected to return later this year.

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Patsy Kensit has been confirmed to make an explosive return to EastEnders as Emma Harding.

The Emmerdale and Holby City actor, 55, appeared in the soap earlier this year as Lola Pearce’s (Danielle Harold) estranged mum, reconnecting with her following her cancer diagnosis.

Emma and Lola’s relationship was anything but plain sailing as the pair clashed while also sharing some tender moments.

However, her exit from the soap was anything but as Lola said she never wanted to see her again when she said she was leaving for a job in America.

She briefly returned for scenes in Lola’s emotional funeral, and show bosses have since said she will be hitting our screens again in the autumn.

The news has left many wondering about Patsy’s own family including her partners and children as her soap return is soon to cause chaos with her onscreen loved ones.

Here’s everything we know about Patsy’s children and partners ahead of her latest EastEnders episodes.

Does Patsy Kensit have a partner?

Patsy is currently single after splitting with fiancé Patric Cassidy in July.

The pair began dating in 2022 before Patsy announced her split from the Dirty Dancing actor.

Following her breakup, Patsy told The Mirror about how dating is ‘very tricky’ in your fifties.

‘At my age, I don’t meet people as I’m normally in bed at 9pm,’

‘On the show I just finished [Death in Paradise] they were going to the bar and I was like, “I can’t. I have got to be in bed by 8pm.”‘

The Lethal Weapon actor has been married and divorced four times, first tying the know with Big Audio Dynamite’s Dan Donovan in 1988 before they split in 1991.

In 1992, she wed Simple Minds’ Jim Kerr before they broke up four years later in 1996.

The following year, Patsy married Oasis legend Liam Gallagher before they divorced in 2000. She then struck up a relationship with DJ Jeremy Healy, and in 2007 she announced the pair were set to marry.

In 2008 they split briefly before reconciling and marrying in 2009. However, by 2010, the couple separated.

Patsy has also been romantically linked to footballers Ally McCoist, Ryan Giggs, and Michael Gray, rapper Killa Kela, and comedian and actor David Walliams.

Does Patsy Kensit have any children?

Patsy Kensit has two children, the first of which is son James, 29, whom she welcomed with her ex-husband Jim in 1993.

She and ex-husband Liam also share a son, Lennon, 23, who was born in 1999 and whose godmother is Elizabeth Hurley, whom Patsy starred alongside in Kill Cruise.

Earlier this year, Patsy furiously defended her son James against ‘nepo baby’ criticism, saying he has ‘grafted’ for his work.

Posting a picture of the pair on Instagram, she congratulated him for playing a key role in Arctic Monkey’s show at the Emirates Stadium.

‘So proud of you Son. What an amazing show,’ she captioned the post.

‘And for any a**e holes who think my son hasn’t grafted for nearly 15 years. No help from his dad or me can do one. He’s worked his a**e off and he has the respect and love from so many people he works for and with. You are the love of my life darling. So so proud.’

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EastEnders star Danielle Harold is reportedly being lined up to take part in this year’s series I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here!

The acclaimed actress, who played Lola Pearce, is said to have ‘caught the eye’ of the ITV bosses, following the string of awards she’s won for her work on the BBC One soap.

Danielle, as viewers know, was written out of EastEnders earlier this year after her character Lola died from a terminal brain tumour, a storyline which has received critical acclaim.

For her work on the story, the soap star went on to pick up the award for Best Leading Performer at The British Soap Awards, before scooping the Serial Drama Performance gong at the National Television Awards.

Both trophies were viewer voted.

‘Danielle is at the height of her career and in demand after her moving storyline on EastEnders, but she’s really caught the eye of ITV bosses to appear in the upcoming series of the jungle,’ a source told The Sun.

‘As well as being a talented actress with a huge fanbase, Danielle has a fun personality with a wicked sense of humour, which makes her the ideal campmate for the show.

‘It could propel her into superstardom at an exciting time in her acting journey.’

When approached for comment, an ITV spokesperson said: ‘Any names suggested for I’AC’m A Celebrity are just speculation.’

Metro.co.uk has also reached out to Danielle’s reps for comment.

Danielle surprised EastEnders viewers last week with a brief return, appearing as Lola in a video message recorded prior to her death for daughter Lexi

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Scott Mitchell has opened up on his romance with EastEnders star Tayna Franks.

The 60-year-old widower of late Albert Square legend Dame Barbara Windsor has found love again three years after his wife’s death following a long battle with Alzheimer’s.

The new couple went official over the summer, having first met when they ran the marathon in 2019 to raise money for Alzheimer’s Research UK in Dame Barbara’s name.

Appearing on Monday’s episode of This Morning, he told hosts Holly Willoughby and Dermot O’Leary: ‘We met the first year that we did the marathon.

‘It’s a very funny thing. I could not have picked two ladies who are more opposite, they are the polar opposites when it comes to talking about their personal life.’

He hailed his partner as ‘an incredible lady’, but Scott wants to ‘respect’ her desire not to have her personal relationships discussed in the public eye.

He added: ‘Barbara, if she had sneezed at 11 o’clock, she’d give you a three-hour interview whereas Tanya is an incredible lady, but she believes that her personal relationships are not something that she wishes to discuss.

‘I respect that. We did meet through running and we still do run together.’

Scott was married to the late Peggy Mitchell icon from 2000 until her death in 2020.

Scott, Tanya, and the rest of the EastEnders cast trained for the marathon in 2019, 2021, and 2023.

Although Scott keeps their romance private, he did open up earlier this year about the close bond they share.

He said: ‘Life feels really good right now and we are enjoying some special time together.’

A source close to Barbara’s friends and family previously told The Sun that they’re happy Scott has found love again.

The EastEnders actress left her role as Rainie last year after she reunited with husband Stuart Highway (Ricky Champ) and decided to start a new life elsewhere with their son, Roland, who is Bernie’s (Clair Norris) biological child.

This Morning airs weekdays at 10am on ITV 1.

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Patsy Kensit has admitted Emma Harding is a ‘flight risk’ as she prepares for her latest EastEnders return.

The 55-year-old star will be back in Albert Square for a run of episodes as Lola Pearce’s (Danielle Harold) estranged mum arrives to cause more chaos after causing ripples when she entered the soap earlier this year in the wake of her daughter’s cancer diagnosis.

Her habit of coming and going at her leisure caused issues for Lola and daughter Lexi’s (Isabella Brown) lives, and their family were unimpressed.

Lexi is returning to some form of normality after losing her mother, but Patsy’s character is back for another stint.

‘Emma is a flight risk,’ the actress admitted on Monday’s episode of This Morning. ‘She will say and believe everything that she’s telling this person and then walk out of the door.’

She added: ‘It’s cruel.’

After making her debut in January, Patsy has been keen to return and described the BBC soap as her ‘dream job’.

‘I’m a superfan, it really is a dream come true,’ she smiled, noting that she talked about the possibility with her agent. ‘That was really top of list. It was manifested.’

She recalled: ‘It was only going to be a short visit, and then they asked me to come back… I dipped in and out, and it’s been fantastic.’

When it comes to the future, Patsy was asked if the door is open for more appearances after this week, and while she’s obviously keen, she’s not giving anything away.

‘I mean, I hope it to be – it’s up to the wonderful writers. They’ve really written a brilliant character,’ she said. ‘To stay involved, it’s so interesting. I get to say all the things to people I would never say in real life.’

She teased: ‘Who knows? But it’s been an honour to be there and I’ve loved every minute of it.’

This Morning airs weekdays at 10am on ITV 1.

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The character of Peter Beale on EastEnders has been recast several times. When he returned to Albert Square recently as part of the storyline that also saw Ian and Cindy Beale’s shock return to Walford, Thomas Law once again took up the role that he’d played from 2006 to 2010.

Following Thomas Law’s first departure from the Square, the part of Peter went to Ben Hardy. His time on the show covered the massive storyline when Peter’s sister Lucy Beale (Hetti Bywater) was killed. Following her death viewers were gripped as an intricate whodunnit story unfolded. Eventually it was revealed that the killer had been Lucy’s younger sibling Bobby (played by Eliot Carrington at the time).

Peter couldn’t live with the family’s decision to try to keep Bobby’s actions secret, so he moved to New Zealand. His girlfriend Lauren Branning (Jacqueline Jossa) gave birth to their son Louie and they joined Peter in his new life.

For Ben Hardy, the decision to leave the show came out of a sense that he wasn’t doing his best work. He told Deadline:

‘I think there’s a point where I had to leave, because I felt like if I didn’t leave, I’d get stuck in this. … You’re trying to make it the best it can be, but it can leave you feeling a little bit unfulfilled because the nature of the beast is they have to produce so much material in such a short space of time. So things do feel a little bit rushed.’

Ben acknowledged that there are actors who can thrive in this kind of environment, saying, ‘There are some actors on there that are still very much engaged in trying to make things the best they can be.’

For Ben, however, this wasn’t the case.

‘For me anyway, personally, I reached a point where I felt myself starting to not try to make the best version of something, I found myself going, “That’ll do.” Then as soon as that started to enter my mind, I was like, “I need to get out of here.”

‘I felt like I was getting quite downtrodden and it wasn’t getting to a place where I wanted to be. I was starting to give up, and I was like, “I can’t do that.”’

Since leaving Walford Ben has gone on to become a Hollywood star, playing Queen’s drummer Roger Taylor in the acclaimed biopic Bohemian Rhapsody. He also achieved superhero status as Angel in X-Men: Apocalypse, as well as having lead roles in other films, TV and theatre.

Viewers are about to see him in a completely different role, alongside Jason Patel in Unicorns, a love story between an Essex car mechanic and a South Asian drag queen.

‘It is about inclusivity, about people loving whoever they want to love,’ Ben said. ‘I think if people walk out of this movie and go, “That was a beautiful love story,” then that’s the reaction that we want.’

With all of the roles that he’s taken since leaving Walford, Ben credits EastEnders with being his ‘screen education,’ he said.

‘I felt much more comfortable going to work on films, having had that day-in/day-out training of just all the technical stuff you don’t want to be thinking about on set. It becomes muscle memory, like, “Where have I got to be? Where’s the camera? What lens are we on?” All that kind of stuff.’

Unicorns will be released in the UK in October.

MORE : Bobby Brazier confirms exit from EastEnders

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EastEnders star Bobby Brazier has confirmed an exit from the BBC soap, but don’t worry, as he will be back.

The Freddie Slater star is taking a break from the demanding soap schedules in order to compete in this year’s series of Strictly Come Dancing.

His exit will come after a jam-packed year for character Freddie, who arrived on the Square in 2022 looking for his real dad.

He soon found out that Billy Mitchell (Perry Fenwick) wasn’t his dad, as he had been led to believe, but remained in the dark about his true parentage.

During his time on the Square, he struck up friendships with Bobby Beale (Clay Milner Russell) and Alfie Moon (Shane Richie), before eventually moving in with Alfie.

In recent months, Freddie once again decided that he wanted to find his biological dad, and soon learnt his real name, allowing him to track him down and arrange a meeting.

After his meeting with Graham Foster (Alex McSweeney), Kat Slater was forced to tell Freddie the truth behind his conception.

Freddie was completely devastated to learn that his mum, Little Mo, had been raped by Graham in 2003, and soon took himself back home to talk things through with her.

Having arrived back in the Square, he then upset best friend Bobby by giving into temptation with Anna Knight (Molly Rainford), despite being fully aware of Bobby’s feelings for her.

Speaking about his exit to the media, Bobby Brazier kept tight-lipped about the storyline that would lead to his temporary exit.

‘I’m taking a break. I’ve filmed it all, and I’m not telling you. I’ll be back.’

Bobby has had a very successful year so far, having picked up the award for Rising Star at the National Television Awards. Could he top it off with a Strictly win?

MORE : EastEnders’ Danielle Harold responds to I’m A Celebrity rumours

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Lola Pearce’s (Danielle Harold) mum Emma Harding (Patsy Kensit) returns to EastEnders this coming week, and it’s very clear she’s going to cause problems for a number of Walford residents.

We met Emma during Lola’s final storyline in the show, which eventually saw her die after being diagnosed with a brain tumour. She revealed the reasons why Lola ended up in care and also caused trouble for Jay Brown (Jamie Borthwick), and then attended her daughter’s funeral.

Before Emma left Albert Square, she gave Lexi (Isabella Brown) her phone number, and in upcoming episodes, Jay discovers that the young girl has been texting her grandma.

When Emma makes her way back to Walford, she tells Jay that Lexi has been messaging her for weeks and that she’s really worried about her.

Jay throws Emma out, but Callum Highway (Tony Clay) says that it might be best to listen to her for Lexi’s sake, just in case she is struggling.

He then learns that Emma was being truthful about Lexi texting her after all.

Jay reads the anguished messages from Lexi, who says that she contacted Emma because she didn’t want to upset her dads any further.

In the week, Emma continues to push for access to Lexi, which Jay reluctantly allows.

During an emotional chat, Emma promises to never leave Lexi again, but Ben Mitchell (Max Bowden) arrives and soon destroys her hopes.

As Ben and Jay clash once more, will they remember that Lexi is the focus and should prioritise what she wants?

If Jay continues to let Emma see Lexi, will he end up regretting it if she causes more trouble?

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EastEnders is set to be rocked by the return of Patsy Kensit in the role of Emma Harding in upcoming episodes.

Emma, Lola Pearce’s (Danielle Harold) estranged mum, caused ripples when she entered the soap earlier this year in the wake of her daughter’s cancer diagnosis.

She caused plenty of upheaval in Lola and daughter Lexi’s (Isabella Brown) lives as she came and went at her leisure, much to the anger of Lola’s husband Jay Brown (Jamie Borthwick) and Lexi’s father Ben Mitchell (Max Bowden).

Now, as Lexi returns to some form of normality after losing her mother, Emma is set to crash back into all of their lives.

As we gear up for more chaos in the Square, many soap fans may need a refresher of when Emma first graced our screens and when she bowed out.

Here’s what you need to know.

Who did Patsy Kensit play in EastEnders?

Patsy made her EastEnders debut in January when she entered the soap as Lola Pearce’s estranged mum, Emma Harding.

She arrived on the soap on January 25 after Billy (Perry Fenwick) and Phil Mitchell (Steve McFadden) tracked her down in the run-up to her daughter’s wedding to Jay.

Emma questions why Dan Pearce (Paul Warren), Lola’s father, didn’t track her down, to which Billy drops the bombshell that he died 10 years prior, but what he doesn’t inform her about is Lola’s devastating brain tumour diagnosis.

After learning she has a granddaughter, Lexi, Emma returns to Albert Square to meet her and reconcile with Lola, watching them from afar as she is too nervous to introduce herself.

She learns about Lola’s brain tumour from a vlog, and begins supporting Lexi and Lola by confronting a bully of Lexi’s at school and delivering money anonymously to Lola, all without them knowing who she really is.

Her true identity is eventually revealed in a fiery confrontation with Billy, leaving Emma to explain the heartbreaking reason she wasn’t in Lola’s life as she uncovers Dan’s vicious abuse towards her including throwing a boiling kettle of water over her.

Lola is dubious about her claims, but after seeing her burns and hearing accounts of abuse from Billy, she believes her mum and rushes to find her and stop her from leaving Walford for a second time.

After reconciling the pair work on building their relationship which is rocked by Lola’s terminal cancer diagnosis as the pair try to spend as much time together as possible.

When did she leave the soap?

In March, it was revealed Lola only had six months to live which devastated her family, including Emma who had only just reentered her life.

Jay confronts Emma following the news, urging her not to break Lola’s heart if she cannot handle the news and the effects of her illness.

After the conversation, Emma hits Lola with another blow – that she has received a job offer in America and will be leaving.

Lola is furious with her and tells her she never wants to see her again, with the pair never patching things up before Lola’s tragic death in May.

Viewers last saw Emma at Lola’s funeral, where she quietly entered the service to pay tribute to her beloved daughter.

Following her time on the soap, Patsy penned a heartfelt thank you to her fellow castmates.

Posting a selfie on her Instagram page, she wrote: ‘We’re leaving on a jet plane! Don’t know when I’ll be back again…. Going to the heat. Great news this Friday that my severe chest infection I’ve nursed since December has now been diagnosed and I’m on the right antibiotics and need to convalesce for a bit and will be right back on my feet!!!

‘Cannot thank my amazing cast members at the simply awesome experience I’ve had working on @bbceastenders for being so kind and loving to me. Big thank you to the BBC the producers writers crew and the EE family .

‘Costume makeup AD’s Ang at the help desk.. the fabulous @jamie_b10 and the phenomenal @danielle_harold for making me laugh my arse off everyday. I love you both… @theemmabarton so so many people…. A new adventure begins✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨ps cannot forget the best agent in the world @celebagentsuk David Hahn and Sue I love you both ❤️❤️❤️❤️’

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Jean Slater (Gillian Wright) starts to worry about Stacey (Lacey Turner) during this week’s EastEnders.

The beloved character is trying to readjust after a hellish week involving Theo (William Ellis), her stalker.

Stacey ended up being held hostage by Theo as Lily (Lillia Turner) gave birth to baby Charli. She eventually escaped and towards the end of the week, believed the nightmare was over after reporting Theo to the police.

Understandably, the ordeal has had an impact on Stacey, but she’s determined to put it one side this week as the focus is on baby Charli, who has kept everyone at No.31 up all night.

That morning, Stacey takes charge, but Lily convinces her and Eve (Heather Peace) to go to work and let her take care of her daughter instead.

Stacey agrees, but disaster then strikes when Jack (Scott Maslen) spots Lily and Ricky (Frankie Day) clowning around with Charli.

Marching over to Stacey, Jack throws accusations around and, mortified, Stacey then drags Lily home.

During another meeting with the social worker, Stacey and Lily pretend that everything is fine which leaves Jean concerned.

She then encourages Stacey not to be so heavy-handed with Lily and to let her make mistakes and learn, but Stace fails to listen and continues nit-picking Lily’s parenting towards the end of the week.

Jean tells Stacey off, prompting her to explain why she’s being so overprotective.

Jean reminds Stacey that Theo has gone and Lily is the one who must protect Charli, but when Stacey goes outside, she finds something horrifying waiting for her…

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