EastEnders has lost an array of its stars over the past year with the BBC soap’s viewing figures dropping below both Emmerdale and Coronation Street.
In January 2021 veteran EastEnder Adam Woodyatt took an extended break to tour in the play Looking Good Dead, in which he starred alongside former on-screen wife Laurie Brett.
Adam also appeared on I’m A Celebrity! last year, where he revealed that no decision had been made about his possible return to EastEnders. He added that he wouldn’t be free until April 2022 at the earliest, reports The Mirror.
Maisie Smith, who plays Tiffany Butcher-Baker, announced her decision to quit in October, having played Bianca’s bolshy daughter on and off since 2008 when she was just six-years-old.
(Image: BBC / Kieron McCarron/Jack Barnes)
In February 2021, Jake Wood’s final scenes as Max Branning aired. The popular actor quit after 15 years in the role.
Laila Morse’s latest stint as Mo Harris lasted from 2018 to 2021. In an interview she said: “I left in April. If they wanted me to go back for a one-off thing or a storyline lasting a couple of weeks I would, but I wouldn’t go back full-time.”
Last June, Davood Ghadami, who plays Kush Kazemi, also quit. He has been a major star in EastEnders for the past six years.
(Image: BBC)
In October, it was also confirmed that Clair Norris will be leaving her role as Bernadette Taylor after she said she needed to “take a break”.
Rose Ayling-Ellis, who plays Frankie Lewis, took a break to star in Strictly – which she won – but soap bosses say she is set to return.
It was also revealed by the Sunday Mirror that Danny Dyer has quit after being poached by Sky.
(Image: BBC/Kieron McCarron/Jack Barnes)
The actor – who has played Queen Vic landlord Mick Carter since 2013 – has signed to an upcoming drama.
EastEnders has been struggling in the soap ratings war for some time now.
Although bosses are keen to point out it is a massive hit on iPlayer – with 57m streams – its viewing figures have dropped dramatically.
At Christmas in 1986, an incredible 30.1m viewers tuned in to watch Dirty Den (played by Leslie Grantham) hand divorce papers to Angie Watts (Anita Dobson).
(Image: BBC/Kieron McCarron/Jack Barnes)
But this year the show pulled in only 2.9m viewers – landing it in 10th place in the 10 most watched programmes on Christmas Day – beaten by both Emmerdale and Coronation Street.
A mixture of Covid as well as sport on TV were the reasons behind the soap’s all-time low last July, with 1.7m viewers.
Ratings expert Stephen Price said: “The soaps’ dominance of traditional TV appears to be on the wane, no longer impervious to challenge from the linear opposition and losing fans to the streamers.”
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Source: Celebrities - dailystar.co.uk
