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Daily Mirror
Daily Mirror
Entertainment
Lewis Knight

Jessie Wallace's exit won't affect EastEnders Thames drama as her scenes were already filmed

EastEnders star Jessie Wallace's temporary departure from the soap won't affect the upcoming 35th anniversary episodes.

The British actress, 48, who plays Kat Moon on the soap, will be taking two months out from the BBC show following an "incident" during filming.

There had been fears Jessie's absence could play havoc with EastEnders' highly-anticipated anniversary episodes on the river Thames.

However, the Daily Star reports that Jessie had already filmed her scenes the explosive story, which takes place on a boat and will see a character killed off.

A source told the paper: "There’s a real buzz around the set as everyone is very much looking forward to celebrating the milestone," revealed their source.

"They'd already filmed all those episodes on the boat along the Thames which Jessie is in, so thankfully her suspension did not cause any chaos to the storyline."

Kat's temporary exit shouldn't affect the Thames boat episodes (BBC)

In further discussion of Jessie's position in the soap going forward, the insider says Jessie has been asked by show bosses to use the break to make some positive changes.

"During the meeting she was asked to sort herself out before returning to work," they said. "The writers are coming up with a storyline to explain Kat’s temporary exit from Walford."

An EastEnders spokesperson told the Daily Star: "We do not comment on artists' contracts."

Jessie has played EastEnders icon Kat Slater since 2000 (BBC)

Jessie has portrayed Kat on and off since 2000 and her most prominent storylines have included the revelation that her sister Zoe Slater ( Michelle Ryan ) was actually her daughter and her long-running romance with husband Alfie Moon ( Shane Richie ).

The character is currently in a relationship with soap hunk Kush Kazemi ( Davood Ghadami ) but it is unknown if Kat's exit will affect their partnership going ahead.

The BBC has been approached for comment by Mirror Online regarding the impact of her exit on the 35th anniversary episodes.

EastEnders continues on Monday at 8pm on BBC One.

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