Clair Norris to leave EastEnders after eight years
'EastEnders' star Clair Norris will leave her role as Bernadette 'Bernie' Taylor later this year after eight years on the BBC soap.
Clair Norris is leaving 'EastEnders' after eight years.
The 27-year-old actress, who plays Bernadette 'Bernie' Taylor in the BBC soap, will leave Albert Square later this year in a move that will bring an end to the family's presence in Walford.
A spokeswoman for 'EastEnders' confirmed the news, stating: "We can confirm that Clair will be leaving 'EastEnders' later this year and we wish her all the best for the future."
Clair's exit comes amid a period of transition from the soap as new producer Ben Wadey takes charge following the departure of Chris Clenshaw.
A source told The Sun newspaper: "Every time a soap gets a new boss they want to make their own changes – it's nothing personal.
"The writing has been on the wall for Bernie for some time so it wasn't really a surprise to Clair.
"She was the last Taylor standing and it's time to close the chapter on them and let Clair go on to do other things."
A second insider said: "Everyone at 'EastEnders' loves Clair but often characters have to leave for new stories to begin, that's the nature of soap.
"Clair will be missed but she will always be part of the 'EastEnders' family."
The star has played Bernie on 'EastEnders' since 2017 and previously revealed that she "pushed" for her alter ego to have a different sense of style to that of her own.
She told OK! magazine in 2022: "I can't say I really like the checked shirts and purple coat! I wouldn't be taking any of her clothes home!
"But I really love that about playing Bernie and I really pushed for that at the start.
"I really did want her to be completely different and I like that I look separate to Bernie because it's so easy to think that I am Bernie, so sometimes looking a little bit different, people can see that I am just playing a character."
However, the difference in style doesn't always prevent Clair from being recognised by fans.
She explained: "It goes in dribs and drabs. I'm quite lucky because of the power of make-up.
"When I've got a bit of make-up on and am not wearing Bernie's clothes, I can kind of get away with it a little bit.
"But because I've been on the show for quite a while, it doesn't quite work anymore. Even when I had a mask on, people still recognised me, which is mad because all you're seeing is someone's eyes."
