‘It makes sense!’ Shona McGarty addresses Whitney Dean’s EastEnders exit after fan complaints

EastEnders fans were recently forced to say an emotional goodbye to soap icon Whitney Dean (Shona McGarty) as she left Walford after 16 years – but some fans weren’t happy with the way her exit panned out.

Whitney left Albert Square on a bus with Britney Wainwright (Lola Campbell) and baby Dolly, to start a new life in Wakefield with brother Ryan Malloy.

Her decision to leave came after fiancé Zack Hudson’s (James Farrar) one night stand with Whitney’s best friend Lauren Branning (Jacqueline Jossa) was finally exposed – on their wedding day, no less.

To make matters worse, when Whitney found out that mother figure Bianca Jackson (Patsy Palmer) had known but didn’t tell her, Whitney chose to cut her out of her life altogether.

As Whitney, Britney and Dolly headed off on the bus, a number of family members and friends gathered to wave them off.

Though some fans complained that Whitney’s exit wasn’t as dramatic as they’d hoped, given what an iconic character she was, and that she didn’t get the happy ending she deserved, actress Shona McGarty has defended her exit scenes, revealing that they were true to her character.

‘I think she did get her happy ending,’ Shona told RSVP Live. ‘It makes sense the way she left on the bus, the way she came in. It was very fitting and quite nice, actually.’

Shona also pointed out that things could have been worse, as Whitney now still has the opportunity to come back.

‘At least she wasn’t under the bus!’ She added. ‘She could always come back.’

Leaving the show after 16 years was a huge decision, but Shona revealed that she is excited for what the future holds.

‘It feels great actually. I feel really free and excited for the future. I just had to be brave and make that decision. I had been toying with the idea for the last two or three years. The only reason is that I want to do different things. Time flies in life – I had been in EastEnders 16 years, I gave it a good go.’

Following her exit from the BBC soap, Shona has already lined up her next project, as she joins the cast of 2:22 A Ghost Story, where she is set to play the role of Jenny.

‘It’s very different from television because if you make a mistake, you can’t do it again. But I’m so excited to be on stage,’ she enthused.