EastEnders star Shona McGarty emotionally revealed she won’t be tuning into her final soap episode as Whitney Dean.
The actress, 32, confirmed she leaving Albert Square after 16 years, and her last ever episode will air today
In a video shared on her Instagram, Shona addressed her followers while sITTING beside her boyfriend David Bracken.
‘Hey guys,’ she began
‘So this is a little message just to say I have of course been following Whitney’s journey this week and obviously it’s her last week, which has been really emotional to watch because I know it’s coming to an end.’
Unfortunately, she won’t be able to watch Whitney’s final onscreen moments because she’s away rehearsing for her role in 2:22 A Ghost Story this summer.
Her partner David also has to travel back to Ireland to play a show.
She continued: ‘[He] has to fly back to Ireland because he has a gig, obviously he’s a musician and that’s the name of the game.
‘So I really want to watch my last episode, which is tomorrow night… I really want to watch [it] with him and with my whole family, just like I did with my first episode.
‘So I’m not going to watch my last episode until Saturday when David’s home and I’m back home. So if I’m not really active on [social media] it’s because I’m trying not to get distracted and watch it.’
The video cut out, and in a follow-up she admitted she “got a bit emotional” talking about her farewell.
She said: “Sorry about that. Got a bit emotional, which is only natural. I mean, I’ve been there for 16 years.
‘It has been really emotional and I just want to say thank you to everyone who’s ever supported Whitney, ever. Or even if you didn’t support Whitney and you gave me a hate comment … it’s still support.’
She concluded: ‘But thank you so much for everything. 16 years is a long time. It’s been a tough old paper round. I’ve loved every single minute of it.
‘And who knows… the door is wide open and Whitney could come back in in her high heels and really big earrings one day. Love you all loads.’
Whitney has finally waved Walford goodbye – and cut three people out of her life in the process.
Over the years, Whitney has faced a lot of ups and downs on Albert Square, but she has finally decided that it is time to start fresh elsewhere, with daughters Dolly Dean-Hudson and Britney Wainwright (Lola Campbell).
Tragically, just last week Whitney had everything she’d ever wanted: A loving fiancé, children of her own and Bianca Jackson (Patsy Palmer) by her side.
However, that all came crashing down in true EastEnders style this week when Britney dropped a huge bombshell in the middle of Whitney and Zack Hudson’s (James Farrar) wedding ceremony, revealing that he’d slept with Lauren Branning (Jacqueline Jossa).
