Maggie Steed set to leave EastEnders as bosses kill off Joyce Murray
THE exit door at EastEnders has been busy this week — with Lee Ryan and Richard Blackwood both waving goodbye to the soap.
And there will soon be another departure in Albert Square, as Maggie Steed, below, who plays Joyce Murray, heads off.
But while Woody Woodward (Lee) and Richard’s Vincent Hubbard have both had the door left open to return, there will be no going back for Joyce.
I’m told she will die in her sleep next week, leaving husband Ted, played by Christopher Timothy, heartbroken.
Maggie and Christopher joined the show last year, but clearly have not wowed bosses enough with their performances.
And as Joyce leaves, there will be another new face as her daughter Judith, played by Emma Fielding, arrives on the Square.
A BBC source said: “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.
His and Joyce’s daughter Judith will come into play and will be involved in new storylines with the Taylor family.” Joyce’s death isn’t the only shock lined up on the BBC1 soap.
Bosses are tackling the tricky subject of youth gangs and knife crime in one upcoming story.
It will see Shakil, played by Shaheen Jafargholi, fighting for his life after being stabbed. The attack will take place in the alleyway behind the Queen Vic, before the assailants ditch him in some bushes nearby.
But new show boss John Yorke isn’t taking the story lightly.
He has worked with former Eastenders actress Brooke Kinsella, whose brother Ben was fatally stabbed in 2008, to make sure they portray it in the right way. She said last night: “The pain of Ben’s loss will never go away, there isn’t a day that we don’t miss him.
“I commend EastEnders for choosing this storyline to portray the realities of knife crime.”
READ MORE FROM DAN WOOTTON'S BIZARRE TV COLUMN
IT'S EVA FOR EVER
CORRIE’S Catherine Tyldesley is “truly grateful” soap bosses won’t kill off her character Eva as it means she can return.
Catherine — who The Sun revealed in December will leave later this year — told ITV’s Loose Women: “I’d love to see Eva when she’s 80-odd — boobs up to her eyeballs, still working, throwing drinks.”
The mum-of-one first appeared on the soap in 2011. Her final scenes as Eva will see her give birth on a bathroom floor and hand her baby girl to Toyah Battersby to register as her own.
'Say we'll be pals again
CORONATION Street’s Kym Marsh could be about to make my pop music dreams come true now that she’s kissed and made up with former bandmate Suzanne Shaw.
Feuding Hear’Say pair Kym and Suzanne haven’t spoken properly since the group’s split in 2002 but hugged in front of stunned guests at a magazine party on Wednesday.
And their emotional reunion, which saw Suzanne, below, burst into tears after the embrace, could pave the way for the pop band to one day sing again.
An onlooker said: “Suzanne couldn’t contain her emotions as her and Kym came face-to-face for the first time in years.
“She had tears in her eyes and Kym seemed genuinely touched she was so happy to see her.
“It looked as though they had finally put the past behind them and were even overheard arranging a catch up.”
I would never say no to seeing Hear’Say’s Noel Sullivan back on stage.
Biz bit
CORRIE’S Eileen, Sue Cleaver, suffered in the icy cold as she filmed outdoor scenes. She said: “It was brutal - my face was actually grazed from the horizontal hail and sleet.” Poor Eileen, all that and she has to put up with Pat Phelan too.
Coffee is cobblers
THERE’S nothing better than a cheery barista dishing out a free coffee to brighten up your day.
But sadly for the Corrie cast, the latest addition to their studio set hasn’t provided them with the caffeine fix they hoped for.
Victoria Ekanoye, who plays Angie Appleton, says she was upset to discover the show’s new Costa Coffee hasn’t even got any beans. She said: “The shop is actually tiny and they don’t serve coffee. It’s a bit gutting. We have to go to the green room.”
The move to bring Costa and a Co-op on to the cobbles as part of a sponsorship deal angered fans, who accused the ITV soap of selling out.
The revamped set also includes a tattoo parlour. Viewers could soon see Audrey Roberts, played by Sue Nicholls, getting an inked sleeve – and a new fella if she’s lucky.
On whether she’d ever have a tat, Sue said: “It depends if there’s a dishy tattooist. If so, then yes. I’d like a big hunk.”
She’s chosen worse boyfriends over the years.
TONIGHT'S PREVIEW
IN EMMERDALE, as Liv prepares for her day in court she turns to booze to steady her nerves.
IN Emmerdale, as Liv prepares for her day in court she turns to booze to steady her nerves.
Elsewhere, Priya’s living arrangements prompt a furious reaction.
Tori is under pressure in Home & Away as Robbo’s condition continues to deteriorate, while Ash takes his thirst for revenge too far and ends up getting arrested.
In Neighbours, Paige suggests to Jack they move away because she is making too many people miserable.
Piper helps Terese with her promotional video.
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