BBC EastEnders fans in tears as they spot hidden detail during Whitney Dean exit
EastEnders viewers were left sobbing on Thursday night as Whitney Dean exited the BBC One soap after 16 years.
It was revealed last year that Whitney actress Shona McGarty had quit the hit soap. Whitney, who first made her debut back in 2008, has been part of several explosive storylines over the past 16 years and more recently she was left heartbroken to discover partner, and father to her newborn baby Dolly, Zack Hudson had cheated on her with friend Lauren Branning.
After the heartbreak, Whitney decided to leave Walford for good on Thursday with newborn Dolly and foster daughter Britney Wainwright, revealing she was moving to Wakefield to be near brother Ryan Malloy. Whitney was at first left daunted over the big plans but was reassured when adoptive mother Bianca Jackson offered to come with her.
EastEnders viewers were left sobbing on Thursday night as Whitney Dean exited the BBC One soap after 16 years
Later in the episode, Whitney decided to tell Zack her plans to leave to which the new father was left devastated and in retaliation to learning Bianca was going with her, he decided to drop the bombshell that she knew all along that he'd slept with Lauren and kept it a secret.
Whitney was left utterly heartbroken to learn about Bianca's betrayal and later she officially uninvited her from Wakefield. Before leaving Walford for good, Whitney met with Zack and Lauren separately ahead of an emotional leaving do at the Queen Vic, where several residents then walked her to the bus stop. In emotional scenes, Whitney, Dolly and Britney all left Walford for good as Julia's Theme played out.
Soap watchers were quick to take to Twitter, now X, over the scenes where some eagle-eyed viewers spotted a sweet hidden detail. Fans spotted that Britney was wearing the same hat that Whitney had worn during her first ever debut back in 2008. One person said: "Class nod to Whitney that ending it on a bus with Britney wearing the hat from her first episode! Mad #Eastenders" while a different account put: "It’s the way the episode ended. The little Easter eggs, Britney wearing Whitney’s cap. Whitney quoting Bianca from when they first came on the square. What an ending #Eastenders."
Fans spotted that Britney was wearing the same hat that Whitney had worn during her first ever debut back in 2008
Elsewhere, another viewer wrote: "Honestly didn't expect to get so emotional watching tonight's episode It really does feel like the end of an era seeing Whitney leave though. Such a nice send off for her, especially loved Britney wearing the same cap Whitney wore when she first arrived #EastEnders", a different account put: "Ahhhh the ending had me in such crazy tears literally grew up watching Whitney gonna miss her so much #Eastenders" while another added: "But of course I cried because the Julia’s theme is EMOTIONAL and Whitney really is a legend on this show. I’m so upset. #Eastenders."
EastEnders airs Mondays to Thursdays at 7:30pm on BBC One and BBC iPlayer. Follow Mirror Celebs on Snapchat , Instagram , Twitter , Facebook , YouTube and Threads.