EastEnders fans ‘work out’ surprise twist as major character quits Walford for good
EASTENDERS fans are convinced they’ve worked out a surprise twist involving Bobby Beale ahead of his exit from the soap.
Bobby actor Clay Milner Russell has been a regular fixture in Walford since he took over the role in 2019. However, he’s now bidding the Square goodbye.
Soap fans believe Bobby’s exit will line up with the return of his adoptive mum, Jane Beale, played by Laurie Brett.
Jane returned to the Square last week and immediately went head-to-head with her ex-husband Ian’s (Adam Woodyatt) current wife Cindy (Michelle Collins).
Cindy has not made life easy for Bobby since she returned to the Square last year, and this could be the reason for his upcoming departure.
As fans of EastEnders will know, Bobby accidentally murdered Cindy’s daughter and his half-sister Lucy (Hetti Bywater) in 2014. The epic whodunit storyline led to Bobby doing a long stint in a juvenile prison before he was released in 2019.
Following his return, Bobby converted to Islam and suffered a breakdown while seeing visions of Lucy.
He is now also dating Cindy’s daughter Anna Knight (Molly Rainford), which has caused more clashes between him and his step-mum.
However, upon her return to Walford, Jane, who covered for her son after discovering he’d killed Lucy, revealed that she is back together with Masood Ahmed (Nitin Ganatra) and that they are living happily in Cornwall.
EastEnders fans are convinced Jane has returned to take Bobby back with her.
Speculating about what might kick off Bobby’s exit storyline in an EastEnders online forum, one viewer said: “I’m fairly certain Anna will dump him for Freddie and that will be the trigger for him to leave the square.”
However, another BBC soap fan suggested that would be just the beginning.
“I know what you mean but there’s a bust up with Bobby and Cindy coming up, which might mean that he leaves because of this? Or it might be a combination of both things that drive him away,” they wrote.
Agreeing, a third said: “Yeah and maybe Ian forgives Cindy too quickly as well, which just makes him think ‘well no one wants me here.’”
Many fans said they will be sad to see Bobby go.
One said: “I think Clay has done a fantastic job portraying Bobby’s character. He’s somehow managed to make him very likeable after the ridiculous decision to have Bobby be the one responsible for Lucy’s death.
“I also enjoy Bobby and Freddie’s friendship. I will miss Clay’s work a lot but am glad they seem to be aiming for a Bobby Beale exit to live with Jane in the Cotswolds, with Masood also being part of his life to share the Muslim faith. Bobby deserves that and I hope Clay does come back to the Square with Jane and Masood in the future.”
But another noted that Bobby will be better off with Jane away from Walford: “They’ll certainly treat him better than Ian and Cindy! Cindy is so vile to Bobby it can be uncomfortable to watch. I know she has reason to hate him, but I still feel sorry for Bobby as he is such a nice lad now,” they commented.
“I agree,” said another. “He’s like a lost soul at the Beale’s house. Ian, Peter and Kathy are fine, but Cindy is something else and the fact that she’s Anna’s mum is even harder for him.”
Clay, 24, is the fifth actor to play killer kid Bobby, having taken over from Eliot Carrington in 2019.
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Speaking about his decision to leave the soap, an insider said: “He was never going to stay in EastEnders forever. He’s loved playing Bobby, but he became an actor to play all kinds of roles and he wants to do that.
“The door is being left open, but for now, it’s a definite goodbye.”
Bobby’s departure follows the major exit of his uncle Ben Mitchell (Max Bowden), who was axed from the soap earlier this year.
However, unlike Ben – who is now in prison for crimes he committed in America – there is hope that Bobby could have a happy ending with Jane and Masood.