Former Loose Women star Carol McGiffin has revealed she was left in tears during one particularly emotional scene in EastEnders.
In a recent interview with Best magazine, the Loose Women panellist shared shared that very few things move her to tears. “I don’t love a good cry because it makes me look uglier, but sometimes you need it,” she joked.
She explained that while it’s rare for her to become emotional, some moments hit harder than expected.
She said: “Lost loved ones or pets justify full-on, days-long, wracking, snotty sobs—but they’re rare.”
However, Carol admitted that one TV moment caught her off guard. “Mostly I cry over ridiculous things like films and TV shows. I cried when Pat Butcher died in EastEnders—the sight of her earrings all laid out ready for the funeral was just too much.”
Carol’s touching admission refers to the death of Pat Butcher, played by Pam St Clement, who was written out of the BBC soap in 2012 after an impressive 26-year run.
Pat made her debut in 1986, just a year after EastEnders first aired. Her departure came after an emotional storyline in which she was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in 2011.
A year later, viewers watched her final scenes as loved ones gathered at her bedside during her final moments.
Carol, a familiar face on British TV, is best known for her long-running role on Loose Women, which she joined in 2000. She remained on the panel for many years before officially leaving in 2023.
Speaking to Woman’s Own magazine, she recently ruled out a return to the show: “I don’t regret leaving. I don’t fit in there anymore.”
Outside of Loose Women, Carol has appeared on a number of popular programmes, including Ant & Dec’s Saturday Night Takeaway, 8 Out of 10 Cats, This Morning and Celebrity Big Brother.
She joined the 12th series of Celebrity Big Brother in 2013 and finished in fourth place, behind Lauren Harries, Abz Love, and eventual winner Charlotte Crosby.
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