The 73-year-old has been a regular on the show for the last 32 years, which makes him the longest serving character on the soap to date.
This means that, if Eric doesn’t recover from the car accident, Emmerdale will effectively be closing the book on a piece of history.
So let’s take a closer look at the actor who’s played Eric Pollard for us for all these years.
Who plays Emmerdale’s Eric Pollard?
Since 1986, actor Chris Chittell, 70, has played Eric Pollard on Emmerdale.
Chittell was born in 1948 in Hampshire, and started his career in the limelight as a model.
One of his first acting parts came in 1964 when he appeared in Peter Shaffer’s The Royal Hunt of the Sun at the Chichester Festival Theatre, and in 1965, he made his first TV appearance as Len in the series Knock on Any Door
Chris then went on to appear as Potter in To Sir, with Love in 1967, and as Trooper in 1968’s The Charge of the Light Brigade. He also featured in a 1968 episode of The Avengers as Bassin.
Chris Chittell in an episode of The Avengers (Picture: ABC)
He appeared in TV show The Tomorrow People from 1974 until 1975 as Chris, and as Lt. Milne in the film Zulu Dawn in 1979.
In 1984, his last regular TV role before his decades-long stint on Emmerdale was that of Junior on Tucker’s Luck.
Then, two years later, he took on the role of Emmerdale’s resident amoral sass-pot Eric Pollard, and that’s where we’ve been able to find him ever since.
It was a huge shock to fans of Coronation Street to learn this week that Faye Brookes, who plays Kate Connor in the soap, will be leaving.
After Rana Habeeb’s (Bhavna Limbachia) explosive exit earlier in the year, she was the last woman standing in the much-loved couple, and Kate’s been on a mission to find who caused the factory collapse that killed her beloved.
There has been speculation that the actress is taking time out to plan her wedding to Gareth Gates, as well as rumours that she might be heading off to another acting role.
All we know for sure at the moment is that Faye says she’s on to ‘pastures now’, which does suggest she has other work ready to go once she says goodbye to the cobbles.
But will this be the last we see of Kate and Faye in Weatherfield? And when will her last episode air?
Thanks to everyone for your amazing support, but after 4 fabulous years in Weatherfield it's time for me to explore new opportunities, I've loved playing Kate Connor, but she needs a break for a little while and so with a song in my heart I'm off to pastures new. #kana#corrie♥️
Fans will be happy to know that the door has been left open for Faye to return to the show.
Currently, it’s not completely clear what her exit storyline will be, but we do know that her last episodes will be out in the Autumn of this year.
In a statement, Corrie bosses stated: ‘Faye is a very talented actress who has put her all into the portrayal of Kate Connor for the past three and a half years, we wish her every success for the future. She will be on screen until early autumn and the door will be left open.’
There should be plenty of drama to keep you occupied in the meantime, however, as Faye said in an interview: ‘I love my job and feel like I’ve only just begun to sink my teeth into Kate.’
Hopefully she gets a chance to do so in these last few months, and at least there won’t be a grisly death on the cards like in Rana’s case.
This year however, we could be in for some exceptionally high drama, as several of the soap’s stars are slated to leave – which means anything could happen to the characters they play.
Here’s a round-up of all the actors and their characters who have either announced that they will be taking their leave of Coronation Street in 2019, or have already left us…
Faye Brookes, who plays Kate Connor
Kate Connor has been through the mill lately, what with the death of her true love Rana Habeeb on what was supposed to be their blissful wedding day.
Not long after these tear-jerking scenes aired, Faye Brookes announced her exit from the soap on Twitter, writing: ‘Thanks to everyone for your amazing support, but after 4 fabulous years in Weatherfield it’s time for me to explore new opportunities, I’ve loved playing Kate Connor, but she needs a break for a little while and so with a song in my heart I’m off to pastures new.’
Her last scenes are due to air in autumn, and indeed, maybe it really is for the best that poor Kate takes a break from Weatherfield after all this fresh trauma – goodness knows she deserves it! But for all we know, she could come back one day…
Details as to why she Connie left Corrie have been kept vague, with a source quoted in The Sun as saying: ‘Connie is still very much part of the Corrie family but Gina’s time on the street has come to a natural end – for now.
But this might not be the last we see of Gina, as they added: ‘The character could return, but it won’t be as a permanent fixture and Gina won’t be living on the cobbles anymore.’
On the subject, she told The Sun: ‘When I was lucky enough to be offered four episodes I could never in my wildest dreams have thought I’d be here 13 years later. It’s been an incredibly difficult decision but it feels like the right time for me to explore some other roles.’
As for when she’s due to leave, nothing has been confirmed but we can likely expect her exit sometime between late summer and autumn.
Tristan Gemmill, who plays Robert Preston
After four years on the soap, Tristan Gemmill announced in late April that he was going to be leaving Corrie as well, to, according to his Twitter, ‘head for pastures new.’
A spokesperson for Coronation Street told Metro.co.uk: ‘Tristan has done Coronation Street proud. His character Robert has been at the centre of some truly high stakes drama and some deep felt emotional stories.
‘Tristan has delivered all of this with huge aplomb and great professionalism and there is plenty more drama to come before he leaves us.’
While no specific date has been given, Tristan is due to be taking his leave of the soap sometime later this year.
Brooke Vincent, who plays Sophie Webster
Brooke and her boyfriend, Sheffield United Footballer Kean Bryan, are expecting their first child together, so the actress is going to be heading off on maternity leave later on this spring.
So even though she’ll be absent from the soap for a little while, this won’t be the last we see of Sophie.
Katie McGlynn, who plays Sinead Tinker
Sinead looks set to bow out later this year although Coronation Street are not confirming this one. Instead, they commented: ‘Katie is fully committed to playing out the extremely important storyline she is currently portraying on screen. This story still has a long way to go. Any speculation threatens to undermine the storyline for viewers.’
David Metcalfe (Matthew Wolfenden) has been warned to prepare himself for the worst when it comes to the fate of Eric Pollard (Chris Chittell) as the risk of brain damage becomes a very real possibility following the car crash that almost killed him in Emmerdale.
As Megan Macey (Gaynor Faye) fights with her conscience over causing the crash and contemplates handing herself into the police, things continue to look bleak for Eric.
Newcomer Jamie Tate (Alexander Lincoln) is being blamed for the accident and he has really wanted to make a good impression in the village and show that he is nothing like his wicked mum Kim (Claire King).
But when he visited the hospital to apologise and assure David that it was all an accident, he ended up being punched across the face in front of a guilty Megan.
As Faith Dingle (Sally Dexter) tried to calm the situation, Amy Wyatt (Natalie Ann Jamieson) tried to force everyone to face the reality that Eric is in a really bad way.
(Picture: ITV)
And more bad news came when the doctor told David that they were going to bring Eric out of his coma but there is every change that there could be permanent brain damage.
As David was told to hope for the best but be prepared for the worst, his eyes were filled with tears as he was faced with the prospect that his dad’s life may have changed forever in an instant.
Meanwhile, Megan had talked herself out of going to the police and admitting she was texting behind the wheel when the crash happened but if Eric’s illness is as serious as David fears, will she change her mind?
Viewers will have to wait and see whether Eric comes out of his coma okay or whether he will be forced to live with lifelong ramifications from the crash.
Kim Tate (Claire King) was left fearing that her reunion with her son Jamie (Alexander Lincoln) was going to be short lived in Emmerdale as, unlike her, he has a massive problem with everyone hating him where he lives.
While Kim has positively thrived in making enemies, Jamie has been left feeling terrible after believing he is to blame for Eric Pollard (Chris Chittell) being left in a coma during a car crash.
In actual fact, it was Megan Macey (Gaynor Faye) texting at the wheel and crashing into Jamie’s car which caused Eric to be hit but as she hides this guilty truth, Jamie has been taking the brunt of the backlash.
He turned up at the hospital to check for an update on how Eric was going but was greeted by a violent punch from David Metcalfe (Matthew Wolfenden), despite him protesting that it was an accident.
Diane Sugden (Elizabeth Estensen) also gave him short shrift as he signed out of the B&B but when Kim turned up and tried to convince him to stay, he was having none of it.
(Picture: ITV)
As he headed out though, fully planning to head back to Liverpool, he encountered a lady with an injured dog and Rhona Goskirk (Zoe Henry) was impressed with his professionalism in dealing with the situation at the vets surgery.
She told him that the job was his if he wanted it and later, they headed to the cafe to talk more about it. Kim was there and was delighted to hear that Jamie had had a change of heart and would be sticking around after all – albeit under Rhona’s roof.
Kim was extremely grateful to Rhona but accepted that this is just a small step – she has a long way to go if she wants to repair her relationship with Jamie fully.
Coronation Street’s Leanne Battersby (Jane Danson) is desperately trying to remain Team Nick, but with everyone against him, will she find out the truth while trying to clear his name?
Her own sister Toyah Battersby (Georgia Taylor) is convinced he’s guilty as sin, although she did concede that he handed the report to the police as soon as it was found under his mattress.
But with Imran Habeeb (Charlie De Melo) for a boyfriend, who’s hellbent on seeing Nick burn in hell for Rana’s (Bhavna Limbachia) death, Toyah is inclined to believe the bad in Nick, and wants her sister to see the truth about him too.
In fact, Toyah went as far as to tell Leanne to cut him out of her life for good.
Leanne tried her hardest to maintain her 100% conviction that Nick was innocent, even after he was arrested over the report theft and quizzed again on the roof collapse. But niggles started creeping in, especially as Shona revealed that there was something dodgy going on with David and Nick and the £2,500 cash she’d found lying around when she was hunting for dosh to give to Clayton.
Leanne confronted Nick about it and he gave her an A-grade brush off, telling her Shona probably had made it up.
But Leanne was not daft and knew he was hiding something, and the seed of doubt was planted, especially when Nick turned it all around on her, saying he was shocked at her behaviour.
He then threw Toyah and Imran out of the house, and Leanne pledged her allegiance to her dodgy bloke.
But Leanne will start to dig deeper to either clear her boyfriend’s name or discover the real shock truth he’s hiding – what will she find out?
Katie McGlynn has reportedly become the sixth confirmed Coronation Street exit in the last three months as Sinead Tinker’s dramatic cancer storyline heads for an emotional ending.
The departure comes in the wake of exit announcements from Kym Marsh (Michelle Connor), Faye Brookes (Kate Connor) and Tristan Gemmill (Robert Preston). Recently on screen, Bhavna Limbachia’s finally scenes as Rana Habeeb aired while Connie Hyde also departed as Gina Seddon.
Sinead has been central to the emotional cancer storyline and has wowed viewers with her performances, earning herself nominations in the upcoming British Soap Awards.
Coronation Street are not confirming the exit nor the nature of any departure storyline but did hint that it could be a result of a natural and sad ending to her illness story.
A spokesperson told Metro.co.uk: ‘Katie is fully committed to playing out the extremely important storyline she is currently portraying on screen. This story still has a long way to go. Any speculation threatens to undermine the storyline for viewers.’
(Picture: ITV)
A source told The Sun: ‘Katie has just been nominated for a British Soap Award so it’s a big loss and not what bosses would have wanted to hear. She’s been central to a number of key storylines this last year or so and will need replacing urgently.’
Sinead recently gave birth to her baby Bertie in tense labour scenes but was given the all clear after chemotherapy treatment ended. But her cervical cancer storyline is likely to continue, leaving fans fearing that the character is going to be killed off.
On screen, her partnership with Rob Mallard as Daniel Osbourne has led to some impactful episodes but whether Daniel would be able to cope with losing Sinead remains to be seen.
The exit remains speculation at this stage and, if confirmed, would not be until later in the year.
The night out that changed everything for so many was meant to be full of fun and laughter but it quickly descended into a nightmare. Is Maya Stepney (Louisa Clein) dead after her abuse of Jacob Gallagher (Joe-Warren Plant) was exposed? And who stabbed Ellis Grant (Asan N’Jie)?
A series of shocking confessions and flashbacks reveal what truly happened to those most impacted by the night out from hell – and Victoria Barton (Isabel Hodgins) has had her entire life shattered while Rhona Goskirk (Zoe Henry) has a guilty secret to share as she faces losing everything.
Here are the latest spoilers:
10 Emmerdale spoilers
Billy recalls what happened when Ellis was stabbed.
Leyla makes a shocking confession to Jacob as Maya’s scarf is found.
Rhona is racked with guilt following the kiss – can Pete forgive her?
Victoria recalls her night of horror to a stunned Moira.
Billy is left fearing that he has lost Ellis forever after the stabbing.
Maya is missing but is she dead after a woodland showdown?
Jessie and Marlon want answers over what happened.
David is unsettled and struggles in the wake of revelations.
Moira consoles Victoria and tries to help in any way she can.
Monday 6th May
(Picture: ITV)
Ellis wants justice for what happened that night. He asks an uneasy Billy to drive him to the police station, but Billy seems to be hiding something. Does he have a confession?
Leyla is worried when she learns David is trying to find Maya, as he frets over the school teacher not answering her phone.
Rhona is caught in an uncomfortable situation in the Woolpack.
Moira manages to encourage Victoria to open the door to her, but she realises something is very wrong.
Tuesday 7th May Part One
(Picture: ITV)
On a road outside of the village, Billy recalls what happened that fateful night to Ellis and Aaron.
In a flashback we see Billy searching for Ellis outside of the club with the fire alarm ringing, and soon it becomes clear what really happened.
Tuesday 7th May Part Two
(Picture: ITV)
Leyla makes a huge confession. In a flashback to that night out, Tracy, Leyla and Pria confront Maya outside of the club. They force her to get into the car and drive her away. Under pressure and afraid of what they might do, Maya escapes and makes a run for it. But things take a terrifying turn. Have they murdered Maya?
Wednesday 8th May
(Picture: ITV)
The truth about Victoria’s night becomes clear as she slowly starts to open up to Moira about what happened.
In a flashback, Victoria is outside the club with the fire alarm sounding as she heads off in search of Robert.
Amy, Kerry, Bernice and Rhona all leave in a taxi while Victoria is seen sat on a wall next to a kebab van, and the whole horrific story becomes clear when she suffers a terrifying attack.
Thursday 9th May Part One
(Picture: ITV)
The village is left reeling by all of the revelations from that huge night out. Will anyone be the same again?
David is left unsettled, while Moira is left to console Victoria over the horror that happened to her.
Billy is afraid he’s lost Ellis for good after he finally learned the truth, as Rhona is feeling guilty over her actions.
Thursday 9th May Part Two
(Picture: ITV)
David is horrified by the betrayal and is struggling to deal with it. Moira tries to help, but is there any coming back from this?
Jessie and Marlon demand answers from Billy and Ellis. Has the family been ripped apart by that night?
Pete is faced with deciding whether or not he can forgive Rhona.
Friday 10th May
(Picture: ITV)
Victoria is grateful to have had Moira to confide in, but Moira is afraid for her. She knows what’s to come and realises how tough what lies ahead will be.
Concerns grow for Jacob in the wake of Leyla’s revelations and David’s discovery of the full truth.
Rhona faces an uncertain future, will Pete be able to forgive?
EastEnders is awash with familiar faces in upcoming episodes as Mick Carter (Danny Dyer) and Max Branning (Jake Wood) return and both have a lot of catching up to do especially as Ben Mitchell (Max Bowden) is hatching a risky plan that could have serious consequences for Max’s future.
Meanwhile, the sudden reappearance of Arshad and Mariam Ahmed (Madhav Sharma and Indira Joshi) throws Iqra and Habiba (Priya Davdra and Rukku Nahar) into a spin. Meanwhile, as the Atkins family move in, Stuart Highway (Ricky Champ) is facing some dangerous allegations from Rainie Branning (Tanya Franks).
New faces and old plus a healthy mix of scheming – it’s an interesting week of EastEnders!
10 EastEnders spoilers
Ben calls in a favour from a friend to take on Rainie.
Chantelle takes control as the Atkins family move into their new home.
Billy spots Habiba and Adam together and Lola susses what is going on.
Linda and Tina are excited when Shirley reveals that Mick has arrived home.
Stuart is unsettled as Rainie accuses him of spending time with a schoolgirl.
Ted offers his flat to Mitch, Dinah and Bailey and he moves in with Patrick.
Louise discovers she is pregnant and worries about Keanu’s reaction.
Max returns and faces the reality that Jay still legally owns the car lot land.
Iqra and Habiba are caught off guard when Arshad and Mariam return.
The attraction between Kat and Kush continues to grow.
Monday 6th May
(Picture: BBC)
The Atkins family move into their new home and Chantelle takes full control but Karen interferes and tries to sell off some of Kim’s belongings, leading to a nasty clash. Gray and the children arrive just in time for the commotion and an embarrassed Chantelle has a go at Karen.
Rainie gets distracted from an argument with Ben over the car lot when she spots Stuart and Bex talking closely. Meanwhile, Ben calls in a favour and has the cars from the car lot stolen.
The Carters are delighted when Mick returns while Lola decides to befriend Habiba after realising what’s going on with her and Adam.
Tuesday 7th May
(Picture: BBC)
Rainie stirs up trouble by telling her that she saw Stuart with a schoolgirl but soon she is distracted when she notices the cars have been stolen and she aggressively confronts Ben. As Ben plans his next move, Max returns home while Ben tells Jay he still legally owns the car lot land.
(Picture: BBC)
Stuart feels trapped when Sonia confronts him over the accusation while Keanu promises Louise that he will never put her in danger again. Iqra and Habiba are caught out when Mariam and Arshad return early while Lola tries to befriend Habiba.
Stacey asks Mo to move back in while Mick and Linda look to the future.
Thursday 9th May
(Picture: BBC)
Bex is shocked to discover that Louise is pregnant and she encourages her to break the news to a stunned Keanu. After Louise rushes off, Keanu confides in Karen and she gives him a tough reality check.
(Picture: BBC)
Phil instructs Keanu to do another driving job while Ben encourages Jay to fight Max for the car lot land back. Ben later suggests they go into business together so Jay turns to Ruby for advice. Sonia confronts Bex over Stuart while Karen gets a worrying call from Dinah. Kat and Kush share more sparks.
Friday 10th May
(Picture: BBC)
Ruby reminds Jay about the appointment with a financial advisor and shares her worries about Ben’s intentions. After seeing the exchange, Ben has a new ploy to get to Jay and before long, the pair confront Max with their demands.
Dinah is struggling with the toll she is taking on Bailey and Karen tries her best to support them while Louise needs Bex’s support.
Emmerale’s Maya Stepney (Louisa Clein) has disappeared, the girls seem certain she’s not coming back, and now an overly heavy suitcase made them act the most shifty they have since the whole turn or events. Is Maya in it?!
Something went down in those woods, and viewers as yet have no clue as to what, but a good guess would be that the girls took their anger to the extreme when they found out Maya has been abusing Jacob for months.
Nothing so far has been confirmed, but the biggest clue to date that Maya was murdered fell into viewers laps, and also almost fell down the stairs, when Leyla Harding (Roxy Shahidi) and Tracy (Amy Walsh) tried to lug a suspicious suitcase down from Maya’s bedroom.
They claimed it was full of her clothes ready to be sent to her mother’s, but their absolute unease at Frank (Michael Praed) offering to help move it sent theories flying into the twitterverse.
Is there a dead Maya inside that suitcase?
Leyla later said they needed to burn the case, and that they ‘can’t afford to overlook a single detail.’
Why would they be acting weird if it really was just full of clothes and not teeming with evidence of their killing?
(Picture: ITV)
The girls had originally been worried that Maya might return, but they later seemed adamant that there was no way she’d ever be back in the village. What’s made them so certain, other than death? Or could that case really just be full of Maya’s things?
Tracy tried to come up with a cover story as to why it was so heavy: ‘Well Maya doesn’t know how long she’s going to be at her mum’s, right. So she’s packed for every eventuality.’
And they noted it had been ‘too close for comfort’ when Frank questioned them on it. But not everyone is convinced that Maya is currently zipped up and decomposing in that case, which would be a bit dark even for Emmerdale.
Could Maya shock us all and waltz right back in to pick up with Jacob where she left off?
If she does, where the heck has she been all this time?!
Sean Slater’s (Rob Kazinsky) return has already been a heavy mix of emotions for the troubled character and his family, partiuclarly Jean (Gillian Wright) and Stacey (Lacey Turner). But things are about to head to the next level tonight as Sean makes a staggering and life changing confession as he fears his mum Jean will die.
Since returning, Sean’s mood has been in a very dark place and it has become clear to the audience that he is here to make amends and, as Rob puts it, ‘clear his slate’ before then taking his own life in a heartbreaking suicide story.
Whether or not he can be saved from his demons remains to be seen but tonight, he and Jean head away from Walford and he is moved by the strength that his mum is showing in the face of her cancer.
The pair have a lot of catching up to do but when an accident leads to Jean ending up in a serious situation, Sean decides it’s now or never when it comes to getting something off his chest.
(Picture: BBC)
As he makes a stunning confession to Jean – he might end up getting a shock of his own afterwards. But as the week heads towards an intense climax, could it be the end for both Sean and Jean?
Rob Kazinsky exclusively told Metro.co.uk: ‘The week progresses when Sean enters with this idea of what he is going to do. He knows there is a finite amount of time for him to say what he needs to say – he doesn’t want to be here anymore. He is getting things off his chest and reaching that point when he is more and more ready to go.
‘The one thing that has really tortured him for some time is how he has treated his family and how he has blamed his mother for what he has lived for. He spends more time with Jean and sees what she is going through and what he has done to her and he becomes more and more sure of what he wants to do.
‘The beautiful thing about this sequence is that there is somebody else in life who understands suicide, depression and mental health better than him and it’s his mum.’
But will their relationship be destroyed beyond any repair after what happens next?
Holby City will be airing a very special episode addressing mental health as part of Mental Health Awareness Week later this month.
The episode will centre around Chloe Goddard (Amy Lennox), who will be left struggling after learning her mum Ange (Dawn Steele) is the birth mum of Dom, having given birth as a teenager and given him up for adoption.
As Chloe tries to deal with the news, it becomes clear she has had mental health issues in the past, and this huge revelation threatens to push her over the edge. The episode will then look into her back story and other issues she’s suffered.
The episode will also give an update on Sacha Levy’s mental health battle after he starred in a poignant episode last year, and later used his experience in the 20th anniversary episode where he gave a speech at a conference all about what he’d been through.
The episode will also see a guest story exploring horse therapy for anxiety and depression.
Holby’s sister show Casualty has also been praised for it’s portrayal of mental health issues of late, with Iain (Michael Stevenson) recently attempting to take his own life in a huge crossover episode which saw his colleagues battle to save him.
He thankfully was saved, and soon will be returning to work as the show visits the aftermath of his suicide attempt.
The special Holby City episode will air on 14th May.
And naturally it’s created speculation over the future of her character Sinead Tinker, following her cervical cancer battle.
So could Katie’s exit spell a sad end for Sinead? Here’s what we know…
When is Katie McGlynn leaving Coronation Street?
No actual exit has yet been confirmed for the actress and remains speculation at this stage.
A spokesperson for the soap told metro.co.uk: ‘Katie is fully committed to playing out the extremely important storyline she is currently portraying on screen.
The character has faced a cancer battle in recent months (Picture: ITV)
‘This story still has a long way to go. Any speculation threatens to undermine the storyline for viewers.’
Sinead recently gave birth to her and husband Daniel Osbourne (Rob Mallard)’s son Bertie earlier this year in tense labour scenes.
Is Sinead Tinker going to die?
It’s not yet been revealed how the character’s ongoing storyline will play out.
Sinead was given the all-clear after chemotherapy treatment ended, but her cervical cancer storyline looks likely to continue – raising fears the character could die.
If reports that Katie is leaving the soap turn out to be true, those fears could well be raised further, with fans left wondering if Sinead might be killed off.
The actress herself has admitted that much as she loves Corrie, she is also keen to explore other opportunities in the future.
‘I’ve really enjoyed my time on the Street and it’d be amazing if I got to stay as it is like a family here,’ she said earlier this year.
‘But at the same time, as an actor, I’d love to go out there and see what there is, I like doing different things and it’d be exciting to see if I could play a different character again.’
Katie has been nominated for a British Soap Award for best female dramatic performance, with the ceremony due to take place at The Lowry Theatre, Manchester, on Saturday 1 June.
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Despite soaps still regularly pulling in consistent viewers both live and through catch up and delivering some of the most powerful issue based writing and cast performances, there remains a snobbery around many when it comes to actors have started their journey on a show like EastEnders or Coronation Street.
Rob Kazinsky recently reprised his role as Sean Slater in the Walford serial after over a decade away when he was involved in major LA productions such as True Blood and Warcraft.
And he told me that he would love for more soap stars who have gone on to make it big to return to their roots for a bit to prove that there is no shame in starring in a soap – in fact, he is adamant that Sean is the most complex and challenging character he has ever had to play.
The argument around soap snobbery was raised again recently when a Twitter user told Rob she felt bad for him for having to take a step back.
Addressing this, he said to me: ‘The person who made that comment, I felt bad for her because she wasn’t being malicious. But there is an inherent snobbery towards soaps. When I got cast in True Blood, people were furious. Someone said: ‘I don’t want some scummy EastEnder in True Blood!’
(Picture: BBC)
‘99% of the actors I have worked with couldn’t do this job. This is the hardest job I have ever done – if you can be good in a soap, you can be good in anything. While I was still in discussion with Kate over whether I should come back, I went on some forums just to get what the feel was.
‘I saw a thread of Rob Kazinsky – why would he ever come back? Somebody said it would change the perspective that people have if someone came back who was doing really well to show that it isn’t a stepping stone. It isn’t a place that you should look down on but you should damn well admire it. This is still the best drama that you can get.’
Clearly passionate about EastEnders and frustrated about the snobbery the genre faces, Rob was animated as he talked – and his words were music to my ears and those of many soap fans.
He continued: ‘Two hours a week of intense drama going out every week – social issue changing stuff every single year. So I thought “maybe it would be powerful to go back from where I have been lucky enough to get. Maybe I could change how people see this.”
‘I am not going to pretend that a lot of me wasn’t afraid of coming back because of that reaction and it annoyed me then – and it annoys me now. Casting directors in England still won’t see me because I was in a soap.
‘Producers used to say they loved me but I needed more work between EastEnders and the movie they were working on. But how do you get that? I had to leave the country – I didn’t have a choice. People don’t want you to go on from these shows but people should appreciate that Jake Wood is still the best actor I’ve ever worked for and Gillian Wright is just as good. Lacey Turner – you don’t find talent like that anywhere else.
‘I have worked with some of the best in the world – Idris Elba, Reese Witherspoon, Sir Ian McKellen Guillemero de Toro – and these people I work with at EastEnders could do that as well. We should be more appreciative of the talent that Jake and Gillian and the others have. We should be proud – god forbid in this country that we don’t tear each other down? Maybe we can just be happy for people to go on and do other stuff.
‘We should hold EastEnders to the same level that we hold American TV shows so people will not be so afraid of going back because of that snobbery. I left this show and became successful in America as others like Nathalie Emmanuel and Ricky Whittle have – the list keeps going now. So many successful actors from British soaps go overseas and find success – it is not a lower standard here, I think it’s the highest possible standard. I just wish people would see it the same way.’
Emmerdale’s Will Taylor (Dean Andrews) is nervous. He’s got terrifying plans for Harriet Finch (Katherine Dow Blyton), but he can only pull them off if daughter Dawn (Olivia Bromley) is on side. And with her loyalty wavering, it looks like he might have to deal with her too or risk everything.
Will has noted how Dawn has seemed less enthusiastic of late and has begun to question how far she’s prepared to take their revenge plan.
The two women have got too close for his liking, and he doesn’t think Dawn will take their terrible plot the whole way.
So she’s put to the test.
She desperately tries to tell him she’s only using Harriet to get Lucas back, but Will isn’t at all convinced.
Dawn asks what she can do to prove her loyalty, she wants to show she’ll do absolutely anything for her dad. But she’s left stunned when Will tells her what she needs to do.
Will she go through with it?
He’s dangerous and a wee bit unhinged given the stunts he’s pulling on Harriet, could Dawn be at serious risk too if she doesn’t comply?
A seventh Coronation Street exit has been confirmed within three months as Lucy Fallon has announced her decision to quit the role of Bethany Platt after four years in the show. She is due to leave next year amid a ‘brilliant’ story.
It is generally unprecedented for so many high profile exits to be announced but Faye, Tristan, Lucy and Katie have all been reported as leaving the soap in the same week.
Producer Iain Macleod said: ‘Lucy advised us at the start of this year that she would like to leave at the end of her current contract in 2020 to pursue other projects. She is an amazing performer and has been at the centre of some huge stories for us during her time on the show.
‘I have no doubt that her stellar career will continue beyond the cobbles and would like to wish her all the best in whatever she does next – starting with the brilliant final chapter of Bethany’s story!’
Lucy Fallon said: ‘After the most incredible four years, I have made the extremely difficult decision to leave Coronation Street at the end of my contract in 2020. It’s hard to put into words how much this show means to me.
‘I’ve made lifelong friends with some of the most talented and hardworking people in the industry, I’ve had some terrific and immensely important storylines and I’ve laughed with the best people everyday. I’m so thankful to Iain and everyone at Coronation Street, I owe everything to them and I will miss them greatly.’
These two have endured a lot of tragedy in their time (Picture: BBC)
Tragedy and strife runs deep in the history of the Slater clan, and Sean and his sister Stacey are no exception.
Sean Slater (Rob Kazinsky) has recently made his return back to Albert Square and his arrival hasn’t been short of drama and heartbreak.
Him and his little sister Stacey (Lacey Turner) are no strangers to hardship, having lost their father when they were young.
So who is their late dad, and how did he die?
How did Sean and Stacey Slater’s dad Brian die?
Sean and Stacey Slater’s father is Brian Slater, who has never actually been seen on the soap, except in photographs.
This is because Brian died at the hands of his son Sean back when Sean was just a teenager, and before the troubled youth had ever appeared on EastEnders.
Even though Sean never meant to kill his father, after he punched his dad in an argument, poor Brian ended up suffering a brain hemorrhage and died the next day.
Kyle (Riley Carter Millington), was originally called Sarah and was the first transgender character ever in a British soap opera to be played by a transgender actor.
Rob Kazinsky exclusively told Metro.co.uk: ‘The week progresses when Sean enters with this idea of what he is going to do.
He knows there is a finite amount of time for him to say what he needs to say – he doesn’t want to be here anymore. He is getting things off his chest and reaching that point when he is more and more ready to go.’
Will all the psychological trauma that Sean has endured, coupled with his guilt, combine to push Sean over the edge? Or will he be able to accept help in his hour of need and choose to live?
You’ll have to tune in to find out…
EastEnders is next on tonight, 2 May, on BBC One at 7:30pm.
Matt and Sophia are set to be husband and wife (Picture: Sophia Perry, Instagram)
EastEnders actor Matt Di Angelo has taken himself off the market after proposing to his longtime girlfriend Sophia Perry this week.
The happy couple have given their Instagram followers serious travel envy over the past week with their romantic holiday to the Dominican Republic, which has included rest, relaxation – and a surprise proposal.
A few days into their break, Matt, 32, found the perfect moment to pop the question to Sophia and it involved a sandy beach, a bottle of champagne and, even better, pizza.
A couple after our own heart.
After asking Sophia to be his wife, the former soap star shared a photo of the engagement set-up, which included the stunning diamond ring placed inside the pizza box with the beautiful beach in the backdrop.
And of course, Sophia said the all-important “yes”.
Sophia was completely in her element shared a photo of the engagement ring on her finger, while holding a glass of bubbly in one hand and chomping on pizza in the other.
She sweetly captioned the image: ‘ I [love] PIZZA… AND MY FIANCÉ.’
The proposal was perfectly timed to coincide with Matt’s 32nd birthday which fell on Wednesday (1 May), the day he proposed, which certainly made for the perfect present.
After sharing the happy news, the couple were bombarded with congratulatory messages from Matt’s celebrity friends, including his former EastEnders co-star Rita Simons, who said: ‘Mazeltov!!! Finally! You’re gonna be a real grown up!!!’
Hollyoaks actor James Sutton chimed in: ‘MAAAAAATE!!! HUGE congrats to you both. Wonderful news x.’
Ironically, Sophia is a wedding planner so no doubt preparations for her own nuptials will go off without a hitch.
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EastEnders has hit us with powerfully emotional and tragic scenes tonight but is Jean Slater (Gillian Wright) dead after passing out from blood loss in the wake of Sean (Rob Kazinsky) confessing that he punched his father when he was 16, which he believes led to the brain haemhorrage?
A disengaged Sean headed out for a day out with Jean – one he potentially wasn’t planning to return from as he eyed up a cabinet of guns while struggling with suicidal thoughts.
He decided he needed to be honest with his mum but as he struggled to find the right moment, Jean became distressed when her hair started to fall out and she asked Sean if he would shave her head for her. As he did as she asked, they bonded and he seemed wowed by her strength.
She thanked him and they later went for a walk as Sean tried to talk to his mum about how he had messed his whole life up and how he had taken everything from her. Jean cheerfully said that he had brought it all back now but as he tried to explain further, she fell and cut open her leg.
(Picture: BBC)
She hid the wound from Sean, not wanting to ruin the day out but back home, he spotted all of the blood and realised how serious it was, especially when a woozy Jean told him that chemotherapy thins the blood so they might not be able to stop it.
Sean couldn’t get a signal for an ambulance but Jean begged him to stay with her, seemingly resigned to the fact that this would be the end for her.
(Picture: BBC)
Knowing that it was now or never, Sean braced himself and as Jean fell in and out of consciousness, he told her that he had killed his dad and he was so sorry and going to put it all right now.
As he dashed out of the cottage, Jean whispered that she loved Sean before closing her eyes firmly shut. Has she died – and is Sean about to follow her as he takes drastic action?
Sean Slater (Rob Kazinsky) had one purpose when he returned to EastEnders and that was to put his demons to rest and tie up loose ends with his family – including by confessing that he ‘murdered’ his dad Brian.
A day out with Jean (Gillian Wright) took a turn he wasn’t expecting and as he fears she is now dead moments after he made the staggering admission, he has disappeared from the cottage, not long after spotting firearms in a nearby building.
I sat down with Rob, who promised some of the most intense scenes in the soap’s history as the tragic drama unfolds. He said: ‘The scenes were very hard for me because of why I wanted to do the storyline in the first place. I had to put myself in the mind of someone I love very much in order to get there and to understand what that person lives through on a daily basis. I don’t think people can even comprehend what that is like to exist where you don’t even want to get to the end of the day.
‘It was two whole days of staying somewhere very dark. I wanted to play it numb and matter of fact but that doesn’t really work in a dramatic format so I had to try some truth and honesty of what I’ve seen and mix it with a dramatic performance.
‘He knows there is a finite amount of time for him to say what he needs to say – he doesn’t want to be here anymore. He is getting things off his chest and reaching that point when he is more and more ready to go.’
And he is intensely proud of the scenes he and Gillian have filmed together, admitting that he believes it is some of the best work he has ever done. The subject matter is one that is close to him – and many viewers watching at home – so it was clear that he wanted to do it justice.
I have watched the next two episodes of @bbceastenders maybe half a dozen times. If you don’t watch anymore, or if you never have, tune in today and tomorrow to see Gillian Wright deliver one of the most beautiful performances I have ever seen.
He enthused: ‘I think we have done some amazing work. We had an amazing crew and Pete Lawson wrote an awesome script. Michael Owen Morris directed the episodes – he understood what we were trying to achieve with mental health. We were all very much on the same page. While I think people might not be thrilled with the fact that I’m not in the middle of stunts, I am hoping that what we do present them with is much more thoughtful and honest.
‘This is very hard for me personally as I am close to the subject matter but I hope that I did it justice and I hope that we present something true that helps people. It’s very hard to be sure of that because every experience of these issues is vastly different – I just hope we make people ask questions. Working with Gillian and Lacey always presents unbelievable material.
‘Regardless of your experience of mental health and whether you care about the issues, I think the scenes will impact you. You will be stunned by what Gillian Wright can do every single scene, day after day. I hope that people are pleased with how we brought Sean back.’
