BBC EastEnders fans brutally bash ‘red herring’ characters after ‘boring’ scenes
A new devastating storyline begun this Wednesday in EastEnders and fans were in tears for Yolande. Meanwhile, another handful of them questioned the returns of two legends.
Lauren and Penny Branning were welcomed back in EastEnders in late 2023 but following the latest instalment of the soap, fans are begging for them to be axed.
Yolande Trueman (portrayed by Angela Wynter) was at the centre of a hard-hitting hour-long episode of the London-based program this Wednesday, April 17, 2024, as she was the victim of a brutal sexual assault. The instalment explored the complex road to healing for rape survivors, delving into the horrific past of repeating offender Pastor Clayton (Howard Saddler).
But while the soul-crushing storyline left many viewers in tatters for the fan favourite, as they wondered how she could ever cope with her trauma in silence, other soap watchers were perplexed as the instalment only featured brief appearances of Walford legend Lauren Branning (Jacqueline Jossa) and cousin Penny Branning (Kitty Castledine).
EastEnders fans have asked bosses to axe Penny and Lauren Branning, disappointed by their returns (
BBC/Jack Barnes/Kieron McCarron)
The pair were brought back into the fold in the Square at the epitome of suspense as their comebacks followed the beginning of a grisly murder storyline and Keanu Taylor’s shock death in the Queen Vic. For months, several viewers were convinced the teased returns of Lauren and Penny brought the promise of trouble for Jack Branning, and they even speculated Lauren’s father Max could make his own comeback.
Since then, however, fans have been complaining about their lack of presence on their screens and some have gone as far as to beg bosses to axe them once and for all.
“Seems Penny and Lauren were brought back as red herrings so we’d think Jack was killed at Christmas. Penny’s drug story dropped & Lauren is just following Whit around”, one of them commented on X, formerly known as Twitter, referring to Penny Branning’s explosive re-introduction to viewers which saw her working for a drug dealer and getting her cousin arrested in France.
Another quickly responded: “They must have been… Because both Lauren and Penny are pointless and boring af atm”, while a third lamented elsewhere: “It’s such a shame that JW doesn’t want to return as Max right now. It’s the perfect time for him to come back right now especially with Lauren & Penny on the Square.” One fan then lamented: “that was a good episode even if there was no Penny again.”
“Sick of Lauren! Leave Whitney and Britney alone, they know what they’re doing!!”, one soap watcher vehemently penned. One final fan quipped: “Lauren’s being annoying & needs to go back to Sweden or whatever.” The criticism targeting Lauren and Penny has been rife for several weeks, with some penning in posts shared online earlier in April: “No idea why #EastEnders still think it’s a good idea to have Penny & Lauren back from France. Write them out!”
But it seemed Lauren was the main soap character to earn the ire of X users as she was seen trying to stop her pal Whitney Dean (Shona McGarty) from making out that wayward Britney is her daughter before walking down Memory Lane with the Beales, who had a heart-warming tribute pint at The Vic in Lucy Beale’s honour for the tenth anniversary of her murder.
In recent months, a new love storyline was teased for Lauren as a struggling Zack Hudson (James Farrar) made a pass at her behind Whitney Dean’s back. Could soap bosses revisit the faux pas as Whitney is set for an emotional exit?
