EastEnders legend bids sad farewell to soap – 29 years after debut
AN EastEnders legend has bid a sad farewell to the BBC soap – 29 years after her debut.
Thursday’s episode saw Julie Bates leave Walford for India, just weeks after the death of her husband Nigel
Julie finally read Nigel’s letter, which revealed he had left her his pension, meaning she could afford to take the trip of a lifetime.
Nigel wrote: “It’s not to be used for bills. I want you to go to India and live for me.
“Thank you for being my wife. You are my world. Be happy. I love you always. Thank you for loving me for the rest of my life.”
It marked the end of actress Karen Henthorn’s time on EastEnders, almost 30 years after she made her debut in Walford.
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She had returned as part of Nigel’s early on-set dementia storyline in July last year, having previously appeared between September 1997 and April 1998.
Following her final scenes airing on Thursday, Karen appeared in a farewell video on EastEnders’ official social pages.
Standing next to a huge bouquet of flowers on the BBC set, she said: “It’s my last day and I’ve had the best time. The best 10 and a half months.”
She went on to pay tribute to the cast and crew and said: “Whatever you do in life, it’s always about people and kindness.”
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Karen then thanked the EastEnders fans, saying: “thanks for your love, your support and your commitment and dedication to the programme, which you love as much as I love.
“And I’m going to really miss you. So thanks everyone, take care of each other, loads and loads of love.”
The video then showed the moment Karen filmed her final scene before she was presented with her flowers and applauded by the crew and co-star Steve McFadden, who featured in her final scenes.
Executive Producer Ben Wadey gave a speech, telling Karen how much of an impact she had had on the show since her return, and how much she will be missed.
He added, as Karen wiped her eyes: “Your constant waterworks, your endless tears, but your performance has really been amazing.
“Thank you for everything, you’ve been amazing.”