‘EastEnders’ bosses have confirmed the third departure from the soap in the space of a week, with the news that actress Maggie Steed is bowing out of BBC series.
Maggie’s final scenes as Joyce Murray are set to air next week, with the character set to die in her sleep, devastating her on-screen husband, Ted.
News of her exit comes after it was announced that actors Richard Blackwood and Lee Ryan will also be bidding farewell to Albert Square in the near future.
However, while Joyce is to be killed off, it’s thought ‘EastEnders’ bosses will be leaving the door open for Richard and Lee’s characters to potentially return in the future.
An insider told The Sun: “Joyce’s time on the Square has been a brief one and, after her death, Ted will come out of his shell a bit and viewers will see more of him.
While ‘EastEnders’ viewers now have three departures to prepare themselves for, there was also a shock return in Thursday’s (22 March) episode, when Kat Slater shocked Walford when she turned up at her own wake, having been thought to be dead.
Rumours recently began circulating that her on-screen husband Alfie Moon would be joining her in the near future, despite actor Shane Richie insisting he was keen to take some time out from the soap, which ‘EastEnders’ bosses have done little to dispel.
These casting changes are all part of big decisions executive producer John Yorke has been a part of since returning to the soap’s team last year.