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EastEnders rocked as popular character QUITS

Yet another star has quit the soap and changes continue

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The soap merry-go-round continued at apace yesterday with another character quitting EastEnders.

It has been announced that Ellen Thomas, who plays feisty Claudette Hubbard, will be leaving the BBC soap.

She is going to follow her heart to a theatre role as she joins the cast for upcoming stage show The Hotel Cerise.

Ellen has played Claudette in Easties since March 2015 and will be leaving Walford for one last time in the coming weeks.

The good news is that soap bosses have confirmed to The Mirror that the character won’t be killed off.

A spokesperson for EastEnders told Mirror Online: “As our regular viewers will know, Claudette has often been seen coming and going from the Square to visit her family and friends.

“This is the end of another stint for Claudette and we wish Ellen all the best for the future.”

Ellen will start her run on the stage at The Theatre Royal Stratford East in October and November.

She is just one of many high profile departures from the TV soap.

There has been dismay among EastEnders fans after it was announced that Nitin Ganatra, who plays Masood Ahmed, will leave before the end of the year.

He has been in Walford for nine years and fans are apparently ‘gutted’ about his departure.

Viewers thanked Nitin for the highs and lows that his character has brought and wished him luck for the future.

Read more: Has Danny Dyer confirmed that he is leaving EastEnders?

Other fans lamented the fact that the soap will not be the same without him.

Speaking out about the reaction to his departure, Nitin said: “Genuinely touched by the response to the news of my leaving EastEnders.

“Thank you for the Masood love.”

Read more: Look out Essex! Is Bear about to be let loose in TOWIE?

The 49-year-old actor will say his final goodbye before the end of the year but there is good news for fans.

The character will not be killed off so there is a door open for Nitin to return to Masood at some point in the future.


Nancy Brown
Associate Editor