EASTENDERS legend Lacey Turner is leaving the BBC1 soap later this year, but bosses are already looking forward to planning her return…

The actress, 37,who plays Stacey Slater on the show, will be off screens later this year to focus on life and opportunities outside of Walford, but bosses promise that there is lots of drama to come for her character beforehand.

The star, who first joined the soap 21 years ago, has with documentary maker hubby Matt Kay, a 5-year-old daughter named Dusty Violet, a 3-year-old son named Trilby Fox, and a baby daughter named Gipsy Olive, who was born in January, this year.

Lacey told the Sun: “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 said: “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.”

An EastEnders spokeswoman said: “We can confirm that Lacey will be off-screen later this year, but there is plenty of more drama to come beforehand and we will look forward to planning Stacey’s return when Lacey decides the time is right.”

Just weeks after giving birth, she returned from maternity leave to play her part in Martin Fowler’s exit scenes in the show’s live episode.

And Lacey’s character Stacey left fans in tears as she said an emotional goodbye to Martin in February.

In heartbreaking scenes he proposed and planned the next 40 years of their lives before the paramedics told Stacey that he would likely not survive his injuries.

Stacey couldn’t bring herself to tell Martin what was happening, but he realised and then tragically died in her arms.

Lacey has become a household name thanks to her long career on Albert Square playing the role of Stacey Slater.

Away from the drama of Eastenders, she enjoys quiet domesticity with her husband Matt Kay and their kids.

Her departure comes as the star recently opened up on motherhood and its challenges.

She said: “The world today leads you to believe that the most expensive option is the best option, but that’s not the case.

“I want people to know that being frugal is nothing to be ashamed of, it’s a skill.

“We don’t dress our children in designer clothes, it’s perfectly okay to dress your children in high street clothes.

“It’s crazy in the world we’re living that people are saving up to be parents.

“Being a parent is one of the most amazing things that can happen that are lucky enough to be parents, it’s natural thing for most people to want to be a parent, so why aren’t we making it normal, easy and open and honest as possible.”

The actress also discussed her biggest pressure as a mum as she revealed a sweet piece of advice her nan gave her about parenting.

The telly star said: “You make decisions daily as a parent, it changes with age, the older they get there’s different decisions to make.

“You want what is best for them, you want them to have the best nutrients they can have, you want them to watch the programmes they are going to learn from and not a load of rubbish.

“There’s daily pressures.

“I try and remind myself of the most, I talk about my nan a lot but my nan always used to say to me, she’s very old school… she used to say ‘as long as they have a full belly, clean clothes and they’re loved, that’s all that matters’, as long as you’re doing your best, then that’s good enough.

“Sometimes when life gets crazy and it does, the work for people never ends now, it used to end on a Friday, it doesn’t.

“The world moves at 100mph, as a nation we don’t get that chance to stop, which we used to do.

“Add being a parent into that, it’s hard, it’s so much harder than it should be – being a parent should be enjoyable and it should be made as simple and easy as possible and it shouldn’t cost you a fortune.”

Lacey reportedly scoops a five-figure salary for the EastEnders role she started in 2004.

Yet she opened up on the “daily struggles” shared by many as costs of everyday items, as well as bills, soar.

She told of the impact of the financial climate on her family and said: “You do what you can.

“Ultimately if you strip everything back we’re all the same, it doesn’t matter what industry you’re in.

“You could be a broker, you could be hairdresser, you could be a gardener – we’re all facing the same struggles daily.

“Some people earn more money than others but everyone has different kinds of problems and ultimately underneath that is the judgement.

“You cannot judge people you don’t know, you never know what another person is going through.”