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EastEnders' Shona McGarty, who plays Whitney Dean on the soap, will be leaving her role at the end of the year.
It's reported that Whitney's final scenes will broadcast early next year, when he contract is believed to run out, with producers currently thinking about her exit storyline.
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Shona has played beloved Whitney Dean since she was 16 but has now taken the decision to leave Albert Square after some gruelling challenges in Walford.
The actress told The Sun on Sunday that she is spreading her wings but "loved her years on the show", adding: "I have been trusted with some incredible storylines and have made amazing friendships – and family – which will endure."
A source explained the decision for the actress wasn't easy and she's "gutted" to be leaving after making the difficult choice to exit.
However it's said Shona now feels it's time to try something new.
They added: "Shona is really looking forward to new projects and expanding her career horizon."
Whitney won't be solo in leaving Walford, with Karen Taylor, played by Lorraine Stanley, also set to exit after seven years on the soap.
Shona has taken on some challenging storylines ever since she joined the soap as a teenager, with one of her first being Whitney detailing her sexual abuse and grooming at just 12-years-old.
She's suffered through multiple ups and downs which saw her get married once and engaged three times, while her beau Kush was killed by Gray Atkins because he wanted to be with Whitney.
In 2016, Whitney suffered a miscarriage and her latest challenging storyline saw her unborn baby diagnosed with Edwards syndrome.
Fans of the show have often called for Whitney to get her happily ever after following multiple challenges she's had to face – but all rarely ends well in soapland.
Although the soap writers haven't decided a course of action for Whitney's exit, it's said Shona is hoping the door will be left open for her character to return one day.
While there is a risk Shona could be killed off, there's scope for her to join her sister, Tiffany (Maisie Smith) after she left Walford to move to Germany.
Whitney's on-screen mum, Bianca (Patsy Palmer) is living in Milton Keynes with her boyfriend Terry – so there are options to keep her storyline open.
It'll still be a few months before Shona's final scenes are filmed, but she'll bid farewell in early 2024.
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- Eastenders
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