FOUR More Characters to Leave EastEnders

The moment we have been dreading is finally here, and that's not to say it's the end of the axing's. As with every new EastEnders boss comes a culling of characters of some sort, and Chris Clenshaw is no exception.

News has been announced today of four more actors who will be leaving the soap in upcoming episodes, that's on top of Danielle Harold's character, Lola Pearce.

So who will be leaving the soap? Sadly Ricky Champ (Stuart Highway), Dayle Hudson (Peter Beale), Barbara Smith (Dana Monroe) and Kelsey Calladine-Smith (Jada Lennox) will all be making their Walford departures this summer.

An EastEnders insider told Digital Spy: "It's nothing personal to any of the cast going, it's simply a creative decision – for big storylines to happen you have to say goodbye to people, that's the nature of soap.

"Chris has some really big stories planned and viewers will see his stuff starting to air over the summer. He's really keen to take the show back to its roots, build up the clans again with some big explosive long-running stories. It's an exciting time to be on the show."

More details about the individual storylines which will lead to the departure of these characters will be announced soon and we'll of course update you when that becomes available.

EastEnders airs weeknights on BBC One.