EastEnders star Lorraine Stanley has shared her sadness after it was reported she’s been booted from the BBC soap.
It was confirmed last weekend that the actress, 47, best known for playing Karen Taylor, would be leaving the famous square after six years.
Lorraine’s exit came just hours after Shone McGarty, who has played the role of Whitney Dean since she was 16-year-old, quit the soap after 15 years on the show.
READ MORE: EastEnders ‘blunder’ leaves viewers fuming as Freddie Slater heads up to roof of Vic
And now, Lorraine has spoken out for the first time since the news of her soap exit.
(Image: BBC/Jack Barnes/Kieron McCarron)
Taking to her Instagram on Friday (August 4) she shared a clip from the Australian show Summer Heights High, which sees a character saying his farewells during his last day of work.
In the caption she wrote: “Hey everyone! I’m so grateful for all of your lovely messages this past week.
“Thank you to @daranlittle for creating the Taylors and to the BBC for giving me the opportunity to play such a fabulous character.”
(Image: WireImage)
She continued: “I’ll be sad to be saying goodbye to Karen Taylor and will miss all the cast and crew at Eastenders. However, I’m looking forward to my next chapter and excited about being a jobbing actor again and starting new ventures.
“Again your kind words of support have been amazing!!!”
It is understood Lorraine will be written out of the show at the end of the year, much to the disappointment of viewers at home.
A source told The Sun: “It’s always a tough call for bosses when deciding which characters will leave the soap, but it has to be done to keep storylines fresh and create new arcs for characters.
“Lorraine had a great run on the soap and was a real scene stealer with her comic timing and she has certainly made her mark with fans.”
(Image: BBC/Jack Barnes/Kieron McCarron)
Have you joined Threads? Follow Daily Star to keep up to date on all things showbiz here.
Lorraine has played the loveable laundrette worker Karen on EastEnders since 2017 and it’s fair to say she’s had a whirlwind of a time.
The single mum first rocked up at E20 with her children Keanu (Danny Walters), Keegan Baker (Zack Morris), Bernadette (Clair Norris) and Riley and Chatham – played by real-life brothers Tom and Alfie Jones.
It didn’t take long before the family became embroiled in several dramatic storylines including topics of domestic abuse, poverty and racial profiling.
Earlier this month, Portsmouth-born Lorraine announced her engagement to her partner of nine years, Mark Perez, who she shares a daughter with.
But the joyous news didn’t stop there after the actor won the top prize at the British Soap Awards earlier this year and is set to scoop up another award at the Inside Soap Awards later this year.
For more of the latest showbiz and TV news from the Daily Star, make sure you sign up for one of our newsletters here.
Source: Celebrities - dailystar.co.uk
