Lacey Turner to leave EastEnders as soap bosses tease 'plenty of drama' to come for Stacey Slater
'EastEnders' actress Lacey Turner, who plays Stacey Slater, is to leave the BBC One soap later this year to give her and her character a "rest".
Lacey Turner is to leave 'EastEnders' later this year to take some time out from the show.
The 37-year-old actress - who plays Stacey Slater - returned from maternity leave in February for James Bye's exit as Martin Fowler, during the show's 40th anniversary week episodes, just weeks after she gave birth to her third child, Gipsy.
But Lacey is planning another "rest" from the BBC One soap later this year.
She told The Sun newspaper: "It’s time for myself and Stacey to take a rest and who knows what Stacey will get up to in her time away?
"Knowing Stacey, it will never be boring."
A soap insider told the publication: "Lacey made the decision last year to take some time out from the show, she’s had a busy year both on and off screen, so it feels a good time to give Stacey a rest.
"Lacey loves 'EastEnders', and it’s no secret how much 'EastEnders' love Lacey, so it’s not a question of if she will be back, but when."
However, 'EastEnders' bosses have teased there will be "plenty of drama" to come before Lacey's Albert Square departure, and they are already excited about planning her character's Walford return.
An EastEnders spokeswoman said: "We can confirm that Lacey will be off-screen later this year, but there is plenty of drama to come beforehand and we will look forward to planning Stacey’s return when Lacey decides the time is right."
Lacey - who also has five-year-old daughter Dusty and three-year-old son named Trilby with her documentary-maker husband Matt Kay - recently admitted she shed real tears while filming James Bye's 'EastEnders' exit.
She said on the 'Happy Mum, Happy Baby' podcast: "It was hard because James and I are really close, like brother and sister.
"I felt like he had died - every tear that came out of my eye [while filming] was genuine sadness, I didn’t rehearse it."
