EastEnders star Gillian Wright not sad about Lacey Turner leaving soap
EastEnders actress Gillian Wright is not upset about Lacey Turner leaving the soap later this year to spend time with her family, and instead "applaud[s]" her for stepping back.
Gillian Wright respects Lacey Turner for taking a break from EastEnders.
Lacey joined the hit BBC soap as Stacey Slater in 2004, and after departing Walford in 2010, she returned in 2014, but she is set to leave later in 2025 to focus on family life with her husband Matt Kay and their three children - daughters Dusty, five, and seven-month-old Gipsy, and son Trilby, four.
Gillian - who has played Stacey's mum Jean Slater on-and-off since 2004 - thinks Lacey deserves to have a rest from doing EastEnders, and she knows they will stay in touch off-screen.
She told the new issue of Inside Soap magazine: "Everyone asks if I feel sad, and I don't - I applaud her for taking a step back and reuniting herself with her family.
"There was a period of eight years where Lacey was on the show without me and vice versa, so we're used to it, and I think we're both very good at keeping each other present in our on-screen lives."
Gillian is certain Lacey will come back to EastEnders in the future.
She added: "It's not like the character will be forgotten, and I'm sure we'll see her back at some point.
"Lacey deserves this, she's worked really hard."
Lacey returned to EastEnders 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 Gipsy.
And Lacey now feels it is the right time to take a break from the soap.
Previously speaking to The Sun newspaper, she said: "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."
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."
