Whitney Dean’s time in EastEnders: All the tragedies, a doomed love life and a longed-for family
The unlucky-in-love Walford resident is played by actress Shona McGarty
Whitney Dean in EastEnders is about it make her exit from the soap. She has decided to leave Walford with daughter Dolly and foster daughter Britney for good.
It’s been a tough 16 years on the Square for our Whit. With a string of failed romances behind her since she arrived back in 2008, it’s time for her to make a fresh start.
The stepdaughter of Bianca Jackson was abused by Bianca’s fiancé Tony King, suffered sexual exploitation at the hands of Rob Grayson and has been married once and engaged four times.
Whitney is played by actress Shona McGarty. The talented young woman was only a teenager when she got the role, and has grown up on screen.
Whitney Dean and Tony King
When Bianca’s fiancé Tony arrived in the Square fresh from prison it became clear that he had groomed teenage Whitney and started a relationship with her when she was just 12 years old.
Tony’s control and emotional manipulation of Whitney was hard to watch. And as Whitney grew older, Tony lost interest – instead turning his affections to her friend Lauren Branning. Eventually, on the day Whitney turned 16 – and still believing her romance had been consensual – she confessed all to her horrified stepmum, Bianca.
Bianca called the police and Tony was arrested, while Whitney grew to understand that his interest in her was abuse. Tony later killed himself in prison.
Whitney’s abuse storyline was revisited when Tony’s son, Leo, arrived in the Square in 2019, looking for revenge.
Whitney’s sexual exploitation
Whitney then met Rob Grayson (played by Shameless star Jody Latham) who saw she was troubled and vulnerable and helped her when she needed someone.
But Rob was manipulative and soon Whitney was tricked into having sex with men to pay off Rob’s debts.
Whit’s friend Lauren was determined to get her mate away from Rob but she couldn’t do it alone. When Whitney ended up in Southend, it was Whit’s half-brother Ryan (dad of Stacey Slater’s daughter, Lily) who went to help.
He ended up fighting with Rob on the pier and Rob died.
Whitney and Lee Carter
Whit fell for Lee Carter almost as soon as he arrived in the Square and the pair got engaged. But Lee was struggling with depression and Whitney found it difficult to cope with.
When Lee overheard Whit admitting she was thinking about calling off their relationship, he went missing on their wedding day and got drunk instead.
But the pair worked through their differences, even though Whitney had kissed Lee’s dad, Mick. When Whit confessed to snogging Mick, Lee forgave her and proposed again.
Whitney was thrilled when she found out she was pregnant, and heartbroken when she later miscarried. But she and Lee eventually tied the knot.
Their marriage was full of difficulties, though, with Lee’s mental health getting worse. He even hit Whitney on one occasion. Eventually, Lee left Whitney on Valentine’s Day and moved to Dover.
Whitney Dean in EastEnders and her heartbreak
After Lee left, Whitney – who was still struggling with her feelings for Mick – got close to his friend Woody Woodward (played by Blue star Lee Ryan). They got engaged and planned to move to Spain to run a bar.
But Woody skipped off without Whitney, simply leaving her note telling her she was better off in Walford. What a rat!
Whit’s stepsister Tiffany set up a date for her with Callum ‘Halfway’ Highway and though their romance got off to a slow start, Whitney eventually fell for the kind-hearted former soldier.
But Callum wasn’t be honest with his girlfriend, and though he proposed to Whitney and they began planning their wedding, he secretly had feelings for Ben Mitchell.
After Callum confessed to kissing Ben, Whitney agreed to go ahead with the wedding but she changed her mind on the big day and the pair broke up.
Leo King
When Whitney then came home from her solo honeymoon, she told her friends she’d met another man – Leo. But Tiff warned her that she’d seen him at Whitney’s wedding and Jack was suspicious of the awkward newcomer.
It was revealed that Leo was Tony King’s son. He was convinced Whitney had made up the allegations about his dad, and he wanted revenge.
He began stalking Whitney, making her life a misery and eventually hiding out in the attic at Sonia’s house and spying on poor Miss Dean.
After a dramatic confrontation in the house, Whitney and Leo ended up struggling and Leo fell on to the knife Whit was using to defend herself.
In a panic, Whitney called Mick for help and then went to the Carters’ boat party on the Thames in the special 35th anniversary episodes.
Whitney was arrested for Leo’s murder and was held in prison while she was waiting for her trial.
But thanks to unlikely hero Gray Atkins Whitney was found not guilty.
Whitney, Kush and Gray
Whit was a real support for Gray and his kids since the death of Chantelle – at Gray’s hands, of course, though Whitney didn’t know that.
But when she got close to Kush, Gray wasn’t impressed and when, after a whirlwind romance, the pair got engaged, Gray was even more annoyed.
So serial killer Mr Atkins pushed Kush in front of a tube train, just as he and Whitney were heading off to Dubai to start a new life together.
With Whitney heartbroken and convinced the Mitchells were behind Kush’s death she took revenge and accidentally put Kat Slater in hospital.
Whitney takes on Gray
It wasn’t long before Whitney was growing closer to Gray again. But then she saw his nasty side and realised what he was really like.
When Tina Carter’s body was found, Whitney pieced the puzzle together and realised Gray killed her. As Gray’s murderous secrets came spilling out, he and Whit ended up in a showdown on a railway bridge.
Here, he finally confessed to killing Kush and Whitney was about to push him, but Mitch Baker saw them. He saved Gray, wanting him to face justice for all his kills – including Mitch’s daughter, Chantelle.
Gray was convicted and sent to prison, where he remains.
Whitney and Zack Hudson
The market trader’s relationship with Zack Hudson got off to a rocky start. They both clearly liked each other, but after a one-night stand, player Zack freaked out when Whit revealed she was pregnant.
It was clear to Whitney he wasn’t committed to their relationship or being a dad. But he eventually told her he wanted to be part of the baby’s life and would be there for them both.
However, when he was diagnosed with HIV, Zack began pushing everyone away. Fearful he’d infected Whit and the baby, he told her he wanted nothing to do with either of them.
But soon the pair decided to try again. However more tragedy was around the corner.
Whitney loses baby Peach in EastEnders
At her 20-week scan, Whitney discovered her baby had a condition called Omphalocele. It meant the organs were growing outside her body. The doctors assured her they could operate when she was born.
However, more heartbreak was to come when they were told the baby had Edwards’ Syndrome. This meant she was unlikely to survive until birth.
Whitney made the heartbreaking decision to terminate the pregnancy so as not to put Peach through any more suffering. Whitney and Zack then broke up again.
He eventually confessed he did love Whit and wanted to be with her, but that he had HIV. Devastated Whitney was upset over the lies and dumped him for good.
Or not…
Baby joy for Whitney
Zack and Whitney decided once again to give things another go. They hit yet another stumbling block when Whit said she never wanted to get pregnant again. Instead she wanted them to become foster parents.
Zack didn’t want that, but eventually came round to the idea and agreed. But as they began their fostering journey, Whitney found out she was pregnant.
Despite initially wanting to have a termination due to her fears, they decided to keep the baby.
Things got tough when they visited Bianca in Milton Keynes and Whitney grew close to a young girl called Britney. Whit was determined to foster her to get her away from her drug addict mother, but didn’t go through the proper channels and instead paid Keeley off. She failed to tell Zack what she had done.
When Zack found out the truth, he was fuming. But Whit insisted she would choose Britney over him. He went out and had sex with Lauren Branning after getting drunk.
Immediately regretting it, he went home to Whitney, made up with her and committed to their family. They fostered Britney properly, got engaged and began planning their wedding.
Whitney Dean’s exit from EastEnders
After going into labour on her hen night, Whitney gave birth to baby Dolly. She and Zack were a picture of happiness, but he was struggling with his guilty secret. Britney had also found out the truth and was torn over whether to tell Whitney.
She eventually blurted it out – at the altar! Just before Whitney and Zack could say their vows, she told Whit he’d cheated on her with Lauren.
Whitney ended things for good and despite umming and ahhing over whether to take her back has now made the announcement she and the girls are leaving Walford for good.
But will Zack let her go without a fight?
