EastEnders’ Bobby Beale star ‘quits’ BBC soap after five years in shock exit

EastEnders Bobby Beale star Clay Milner Russell will be saying a “definite goodbye” to Albert Square.

After starring on the show for five years, he has made the “difficult decision” to part ways with the BBC show. It has been reported that he is on the hunt for new roles away from soap operas.

Clay, 24, is the fifth actor to play killer kid Bobby after he took over from Eliot Carrington in 2019. BBC viewers have seen Clay return to the Square after a stint in a young offenders unit for killing his big sister Lucy Beale.

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Since making a resurgence to Walford Bobby hasn’t had an easy ride after suffering some breakdowns. He also converted to Islam and had a tense reunion with Lucy’s mother Cindy Beale since being back.

Earlier today a source told The Sun: “Clay’s a talented actor and he’s ambitious. He was never going to stay in EastEnders forever.”

The insider added: “He’s loved playing Bobby but he became an actor to play all kinds of roles and he wants to do that. The door is being left open but for now, it’s a definite goodbye.”

An EastEnders spokeswoman confirmed the news and released a statement on the actor’s shock departure saying: “We can confirm that Clay will be leaving EastEnders later on this year, and we wish him the best for the future.”

An insider added: “Clay is a young actor so he wants to use these years to try his hand at other roles.

“He absolutely loves working on EastEnders and has made such great friends on the show so it was really difficult for him to make that decision, but having been a part of the show since 2019, he now feels like the time is right to explore other options.”

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Source: Celebrities - dailystar.co.uk