EASTENDERS has aired a shock exit – and a surprising return to Walford tonight.
The BBC soap said goodbye to Bobby Beale after actor Clay Milner Russell quit the soap after five years.
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Viewers watched this week as Bobby was devastated to find girlfriend Anna Knight had terminated her pregnancy and then cheated on him with his best mate Freddie Slater – and it convinced him to leave Walford for good.
After visiting Lucy’s grave to say goodbye, Bobby was found by Ian and Cindy.
But as he asked for some time alone with his sister, Cindy lost it and raged at him for being there and speaking to her daughter – and he finally fought back.
He told CIndy that he didn’t care if she hated him anymore – he deserves to have a life with Ian agreeing that Lucy would want him to move on.
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Bobby then revealed that Jane was on her way to collect him and take him back to the Cotswolds.
The family gathered to say goodbye to Bobby with Kathy becoming tearful at her grandson leaving.
And when Jane arrived, Cindy couldn’t help but take a pop at her cardigan for one final row.
“It’s weird being back,” said Jane.
“Feels like time’s stood still. Sometimes I felt like I couldn’t breathe around here.”
Ian told her: “Look after our special boy.”
Freddie Slater caught kissing best friend’s girlfriend in shock EastEnders scenes
“Haven’t I always?” she replied as Anna Knight arrived to beg Bobby for another chance.
“I really do love you Bobby, and I think we could make this work, I really do,” she said.
But Bobby finally found his strength and told her where to go: “No. I don’t want to make it work.
“You should’ve told me that you were pregnant but you just made assumptions which proves that you don’t really know me, not the real me, not what’s in my heart.”
As he spoke Freddie arrived and Bobby added: “So why would I want to be with you? You two deserve each other.”
He told Jane he was ready to go adding: “It’s time to forget being Bobby Beale and just focus on being Bobby.”
And after a goodbye to his family again Bobby climbed in the car and they drove off.
EastEnders stars who QUIT
MICHELLE Collins has seen her second EastEnders stint boost her bank balance. Yet what stars have quit this year?
The Sun exclusively reported how Michelle, 62, was down to £20,000 in her company accounts when she agreed to a shock back-from-the-dead return to Albert Square last year.
Her character, Cindy Beale, was presumed dead off-camera in 1998.
Yet what about the 2024 exits?
Earlier this summer, loyal soap fans appeared to note how Stevie Mitchell had “quit” the long-running series.
It came after Alan Ford enjoyed just six-months on-screen.
Bobby Beale actor Clay Milner Russell also left this year after five years in Walford.
Fans also feared Martin Fowler actor James Bye would “quit out of boredom” over recent storylines.
Additionally, a host of stars have quit the BBC soap for Hollywood fame.
One of the most successful stars to come from the BBC One soap is Rob Kazinsky.
He played Stacey Slater’s brother Sean Slater from 2006 to 2009, he has starred in Hollywood blockbusters Pacific Rim and Captain Marvel.
Ben Hardy, who quit EastEnders as Bobby Beale almost a decade ago, went on to break Hollywood the following year, when he starred as Archangel in X-Men: Apocalypse.
Since then, he has played Roger Taylor in Queen biopic Bohemian Rhapsody, and he starred in Michael Bay’s Netflix movie 6 Underground.
Michelle Ryan played Zoe Slater until 2005.
She starred as the lead in short-lived American series Bionic Woman from 2007 to 2008.
