It has been years since the character of Lauren Branning left Eastenders, and fans are curious why. The series throws light on a soap opera which has been created by Julia Smith as well as Tony Holland. BBC has commissioned the show for their channel. The plot of the series is set in a fictional borough of London.
Throughout the episodes, we see the focus on various residents who are living around the place and their families. It has been running for more than a decade now and has won numerous awards for the genre.
It has shown us the elements of domestic violence as well as alcoholism and drug abuse with much ease and understanding. The critics have always appreciated the program.
Lauren Branning was introduced to the episodes back in 2008. The character was enacted by actress Jacqueline Jossa for the better half. She is the eldest child of Max and Tanya Branning. She is the sister of Bradley and Abi, as well as Oscar and Annie.
Throughout the episodes, we have seen her be a feisty young woman who is always ready to speak everything that is on her mind. We have seen her being a part of a lot of the drama that happens on the show.
One of the biggest storylines that she was included in was back when Lauren found out about her father’s affair with Stacey Slater. Then she was later dealing with the death of her brother Bradley which took a toll on her mental health.
She was also in the middle of a battle with alcoholism and helped raise awareness about the same. Lauren was written out of the series back in 2018.
Although, she came back on EastEnders in 2022, and fans were highly excited about the same. Right now, we see her in a setting with her husband, Peter Beale.
Although, it is not confirmed whether her stay at Walford is permanent or it was just a temporary one. Well, with this return, fans must be wondering why she was written out of the series back in 2018. Thus, here we have mentioned all the reasons.
Why Did Lauren Branning Leave EastEnders in 2018?
Back in 2018, it was reported that Jacqueline Jossa, the actress who played the part of Lauren Branning, wanted to explore some other opportunities in her career after being a part of the series for eight long years.
Along with that, even the producers felt as if the story of Lauren had come to a natural end, and it would be better to write her off. This also inspired the writers to introduce some new characters on the show for a fresh perspective and drama.
While talking about the same, Jossa said that she felt it was time to change her direction a bit. She talked about how she had been working on the show for eight years and now wanted to be a part of some different things.
Jacqueline said that she will forever be grateful for the opportunity that she landed to play Lauren on EastEnders. She would also miss her costars, who were there for her all these years together.
Producers’ View On Lauren’s Exit
Later, the writers of the series also narrated their views on Lauren’s exit in 2018. They said that her story was coming to a natural end and it would be better for her to explore more opportunities as an actress.
As for Lauren, the character has been through a lot with the death of her brother and her divorce from Peter as well. The lowest of low points in her life included the battle with alcoholism.
It was obvious that she needed to move on from the neighborhood and the same place and start a new chapter for herself in her life.
Along with that, the writers also felt like introducing a few new characters on the show. It would give the series a new sense of direction, and they were right about the same. Lauren’s exit meant a way for other characters, such as Tiffany Butcher as well as Dotty Cotton.
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