EastEnders' Shona McGarty quits role as Whitney Dean after 15 years
Actress Shona McGarty is to leave her role as Whitney Dean next year.
Actress Shona McGarty has quit her role as Whitney Dean after 15 years in EastEnders.
The BBC One soap is set to wave goodbye to the long-running character in scenes to air next year, with her exit storyline yet to be revealed.
Speaking exclusively to The Sun on Sunday, McGarty commented: "I have decided to spread my wings and will be leaving EastEnders. I have loved my years in the show.
"I have been trusted with some incredible storylines and have made amazing friendships — and family — which will endure."
The actress's final scenes are set to air early next year when her contract is believed to end and it is currently unknown if the door will remain open for the tragic heroine.
By entering your details, you are agreeing to our terms and conditions and privacy policy. You can unsubscribe at any time.
A source told the paper that Shona "is hoping the door will be left open for her character to return one day, but nothing is guaranteed and it is all in the hands of the scriptwriters."
The news comes alongside the story that actress Lorraine Stanley is being written out of her role as Karen Taylor in the soap.
Whitney made her debut in EastEnders in 2008 as she joined the show as the step-daughter of returning fan-favourite Bianca Jackson (Patsy Palmer) alongside the latter's children, Liam, Tiffany, and Morgan.
In her first year, McGarty wowed fans and critics with a hard-hitting storyline that explored Whitney having been the victim of child sexual abuse and grooming at the hands of Bianca's boyfriend, Tony King, played by Chris Coghill.
The character went on to be at the centre of a further gritty storyline which saw Whitney become the victim of sexual exploitation at the hands of pimp Rob Grayson (Jody Latham).
Further storylines saw Whitney enjoy romances with the likes of Arthur "Fatboy" Chubb (Ricky Norwood), Tyler Moon (Tony Discipline), and Joey Branning (David Witts), before going on to marry Lee Carter (Danny-Boy Hatchard).
Whitney and Lee's marriage broke down after he suffered from depression and even assaulted Whitney, later cheating on her and passing on chlamydia to Whitney, which contributed to the miscarriage of their pregnancy.
Following Lee's exit, Whitney fell in love with his father Mick Carter (Danny Dyer) and they shared a kiss. However, their dalliance went no further after it was discovered by Mick's beloved wife Linda Carter (Kellie Bright).
Further storylines saw Whitney in a romance with Woody Woodward (Lee Ryan) and then saw her fall in love with Lee's friend Callum Highway (Tony Clay), but their romance came to an end after he fell in love with Ben Mitchell (Max Bowden) and came out as gay, but Whitney remained his friend despite their aborted wedding.
In recent years, Whitney became the victim of stalking at the hands of Tony King's son Leo King (Tom Wells), which ended in a scary confrontation that resulted in her killing him in self-defence.
After this, Whitney found love with Kush Kazemi (Davood Ghadami) but he was murdered by serial killer Gray Atkins (Toby Alexander-Smith), who was obsessed with her.
Most recently, Whitney has found love with Zack Hudson (James Farrar) after a one-night-stand saw her become pregnant with their child Peach, but sadly the pregnancy had Edwards' syndrome and omphalocele, resulting in the decision to terminate the pregnancy.
Fans will have to wait and see what Whitney's exit means for her and Zack's romance.
Read More
- EastEnders 2023 summer preview: 5 spoilers from Chris Clenshaw
- 8 EastEnders spoilers for next week: Freddie Slater meets his evil father
- EastEnders’ Bobby Brazier predicts heartache in Freddie’s search for dad
- EastEnders’ Molly Rainford on Anna Knight stealing to find ‘Rose Knight’
- EastEnders return confirmed for villain Graham Foster who raped Little Mo
- EastEnders' Gillian Taylforth teases Kathy and Rocky future after Jo's threats
- EastEnders is nowhere near the axe – it's having a renaissance
- EastEnders' subtle flash-forward clue may hint at Christmas murder victim
- EastEnders spoilers: Sharon Watts betrayal of Keanu exposed by voicemail?
- EastEnders’ Patsy Kensit to return for another appearance as Lola’s mum
- EastEnders star confirms Nish Panesar comeuppance amid Christmas theories
- EastEnders airs Christmas flash-forward clue with amber cufflinks twist
- EastEnders summer return for Angela Wynter as Yolande Trueman
- EastEnders' Michelle Collins confirms flashbacks and Cindy Beale breakdown
- EastEnders boss Chris Clenshaw reveals impact of Cindy return on Knights
- EastEnders' Adam Woodyatt hypes up Ian reunions with Phil and Sharon
- EastEnders' Michelle Collins teases Cindy's scenes with love rival Elaine
- 15 EastEnders questions we still have after Cindy and Ian Beale's return
EastEnders airs Mondays to Thursdays at 7:30pm on BBC One and from 6am on BBC iPlayer. Visit our dedicated EastEnders page for all the latest news, interviews and spoilers. If you’re looking for more to watch, check out our TV Guide and Streaming Guide.
Try Radio Times magazine today and get 12 issues for only £1 with delivery to your home – subscribe now. For more from the biggest stars in TV, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.
Authors
Lewis Knight is the Trends Editor for Radio Times, covering trending titles from TV, Film and more. He previously worked at The Mirror in TV, Film, and Showbiz coverage alongside work on SEO. Alongside his past work in advertising, he possesses a BSc in Psychology and an MA in Film Studies.
