EastEnders has introduced fans to some of soap’s most iconic couples – but did you know that there have been real life romances away from Albert Square too?
Throughout the decades, love has blossomed between huge soap stars including Loose Women’s Nadia Sawalha and heartthrob Marc Bannerman, along with Phil Mitchell actor Steve McFadden and former EastEnders star Lucy Benjamin.
However, while some relationships have gone the distance, others have sadly reached their end after just a few years.
Here, Daily Star takes a look at the real life EastEnders couples who are no longer together.
Kara Tointon and Joe Swash
(Image: UK Press via Getty Images)
Former Strictly Come Dancing winner and actress Kara Tointon joined EastEnders in 2006, as the half sister of Joe Swash’s character Mickey Miller – until the character was written out three years later.
During her time on the series however, Kara had relationships with two of her EastEnders co-stars, dating Martin Fowler actor James Alexandrou from 2006 for 18 months.
Soon after, she began dating Joe Swash and the couple were together for over two years – even starring in a Snow White pantomime at the Bristol Hippodrome together.
(Image: PA)
However their relationship came to an end in 2010, leaving Kara devastated, with Joe telling The Sun: “She genuinely does everything right. It was my fault it broke down. I didn’t know what I had until she was gone.”
Six years after their split, Kara gave birth to her first child with fiancé Marius Jensen, with the happy couple welcoming their second child in 2021.
Meanwhile, Joe Swash is in a long term relationship with Loose Women star Stacey Solomon, with fans sharing their messages of congratulations in 2021 when they became parents to a baby girl. They also have a baby boy called Rex.
Jacqueline Jossa and Tony Discipline
(Image: Getty Images)
Former EastEnders stars Jacqueline Jossa and Tony Discipline found romance on set in 2011, and dated for over 18 months while working together on the soap.
However, the couple split up after Tony left the soap, and it is reported that he has now left the world of acting and now works as a fireman.
Meanwhile, Jacqueline has also stepped away from Albert Square, and away from the limelight, she is now married to Dan Osbourne.
Together the couple have two children called Ella and Mia, who she regularly shares sweet snaps of on Instagram.
Shona McGarty and Matt Lapinskas
(Image: Daily Mirror)
Whitney Carter actress Shona McGarty had a sweet romance with Matt Lapinskas, who played Anthony Moon in the BBC Soap.
In a relationship arc similar to co-stars Jacqueline Jossa and Tony Discipline, they were together for over 18 months from 2011 to 2013, before splitting after Matt left EastEnders.
Matt went on to appear in Dancing On Ice with professional dance partner Brianne Delcourt, with rumours circulating that the two had become close.
(Image: PA Wire/Press Association Images)
However, Shona addressed their split on social media, saying on Twitter that his appearance on Dancing On Ice had nothing to do with ending their relationship.
She said in a tweet: “Thanks for support guys! Yes it’s true Matt and I have split but it has nothing to do with Brianne. Clear head and new beginnings! Mwah xx.”
It is now reported that Matt has also left acting behind him and now works in the construction industry.
Lucy Benjamin and Steve McFadden
(Image: Press Association)
Steve McFadden met ex-girlfriend Lucy Benjamin on the set of EastEnders, after Lucy arrived on the soap to play Lisa Fowler.
During that time, not only did Lisa have a relationship with Phil, but she was also the culprit in the famous Who Shot Phil Mitchell storyline.
Although the characters had a fiery relationship on screen, Steve and Lucy’s love blossomed off screen, with the couple dating for over four years from 1999 to 2003.
However despite their split, both Steve and Lucy have remained close friends, with Lucy telling ITV daytime programme Loose Women that she enjoyed working with him again during Lisa’s return to Albert Square in 2017.
(Image: BBC / Jack Barnes)
“There is so much stuff between Lisa and Phil. It was easy to play that. It was strange really, but lovely to be working with Steve, Tish and Natalie Cassidy again,” said Lucy.
She added: “It was strange really but within 10 minutes it was like I’d never been away.
“It was like having old mates back and I knew they would look after me on my return.”
Away from EastEnders, Steve McFadden has five children and is in a relationship with girlfriend Karen Cairns.
Meanwhile, Lucy Benjamin has been married to businessman Richard Taggart since 2006.
Emma Barton and Joel Beckett
(Image: Getty Images)
Another of the Moon brothers to have a real life EastEnders romance was Joel Beckett, who played Jake Moon between 2004 to 2006.
However, his soap romance began after he left the soap, when he dated Honey Mitchell star Emma Barton for over two years from 2006.
Emma was previously married to lawyer Nigel Stoat, but the couple divorced in 2005 – in the same year that the actress joined the soap.
It is reported that the couple’s split was amicable, with The Mirror saying that Emma was “making the most of being single.”
However after their split, Emma went on to have a long term relationship with TV personality Stephen Mulhern for over three years between 2009 to 2011, after they met while working together on a pantomime.
Sadly their romance did not last, with the couple remaining private about their split, but Stephen later revealing to The Mirror that it had come to its “natural end”.
Nadia Sawalha and Marc Bannerman
(Image: BBC)
Long before she was a Loose Women star, Nadia Sawalha played Annie Palmer in EastEnders from 1997 to 1999 – where she found love with co-star Marc Bannerman.
Marc was one of the soap’s heartthrobs, playing Gianni Di Marco from 1998 to 2000, and Nadia has opened up about how he helped her following the death of her husband Justin in 1997.
(Image: Getty Images)
She told OK! Magazine: “If it wasn’t for Marc I don’t know what I’d have done.”
However despite their close bond, she and Marc split in 2000 after he left the soap.
Since then, Nadia has been married to TV producer Mark Adderley from 2002, with whom she has two children.
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Source: Celebrities - dailystar.co.uk
