EastEnders legend Lucy Benjamin looks completely different with grey hair two years after leaving soap

EASTENDERS legend Lucy Benjamin has transformed her look for her latest acting role.

The Louise Fowler actress, 51, who first stepped foot in Walford in 1998, was last seen in Albert Square in 2020.

Off-screen, Lucy has celebrated her milestone 50th birthday with a balloon-filled bash before turning her focus to her latest role.

After previously starring in the stage musical Hairspray, she is again treading the boards in the new theatre adaption of Henry VI, as well as show Wars Of The Roses.

Yet there's one big difference - the EastEnders star's iconic blonde curls associated with Lisa's character are gone.

Lucy has stayed true to her natural hair colour and tied her grey curls in a bobble as she rehearsed on-set.

She was seen wearing a beige top and black jeans - not the clobber she will wear in character - as she went through her lines in her role as Eleanor, Duchess of Gloucester, for the production for the Royal Shakespeare Company.

Posting an image of her at work to her Instagram, she gushed: "Week 7 of rehearsals. Lovin' it!"

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Lucy's soap character Lisa was first introduced to the Square in December 1998 as an assistant market stall inspector.

During her time in Walford, she had two major relationships - Phil Mitchell and Mark Fowler.

Lucy was last seen on the soap in January 2020, when she left in dramatic fashion with daughter Louise Mitchell.

They fled to Portugal to save Louise from a life in prison.

Louise, mum to Peggy Taylor, was consumed by her guilt at luring ex and father to her child Keanu to his death and was suffering from a breakdown.

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But with Louise on the edge, Lisa told Phil she was taking their daughter to live in Portugal.