After 16 years, Whitney Dean said an emotional goodbye to EastEnders tonight. When her character moved to Wakefield, actress Shona McGarty graciously left the soap opera.
When she and her girls boarded the bus to leave the Square, she left behind her stepmother Bianca, her ex-best friend Lauren, and her former fiancé Zack.
However, some fans deemed it “perfect,” while others deemed it the “worst exit ever.” What position do you hold now?
Whitney Dean leaves EastEnders
Whitney quickly made things right after deciding last night, Wednesday, May 22, that she was leaving Walford permanently. By the Thursday, May 23, episode, she had already arranged for Britney to be placed in school, found a place to stay (with brother Ryan), and created a completely new social services plan.
Bianca promptly declared that she would be moving with her. But when a furious Zack admitted that Bianca had known about him and Lauren the entire time, everything fell apart.
Whitney confronted her mother and informed her that Wakefield was no longer her home. Whit resisted Bianca’s tears and cries for another chance.
Before leaving, Sonia also urged her to speak with Lauren. Whit did, but he was not going to forgive. “You lost a mate,” she told her, severing all connections.
Sad “Best of luck with your new life,” Lauren wished her. Whit, though, just snapped back, “Don’t need it.”
Zack and Whitney next met by Peach’s tree. She informed him that their love and sorrow for Peach had kept them together when it shouldn’t have been done and that they had never truly loved each other enough. But because their time together gave them Dolly, she assured him that she would never regret it.
Additionally, Whitney pledged that she would not make it difficult for him to see Dolly because she knew he would be a fantastic father and that moving to Wakefield wouldn’t be difficult.
Knowing that Whitney needed to go, Zack said a tearful goodbye to his daughter and let her go without any resistance.
Following their farewell in The Vic, Whitney, Britney, and Dolly strolled through the market, receiving enthusiastic applause from the vendors.
“Will we be okay?” Britney inquired as they boarded a bus to King’s Cross. Whitney assured her, “We always figure something out.” then grinning to herself.
Fans react to Whitney’s exit
A few viewers thought the entire episode was excellent when they watched the farewell scenes.
“I just saw Whitney’s farewell scene. It was very moving and touching to watch. The ideal way for Whitney Dean to end an amazing sixteen years in Walford. One person said, “Shona McGarty, you were one of the best actors on the show and will be greatly missed.”
“I’m so emotional,” said an additional. Whitney has my undying love. I will miss her presence on my screens. It’s unbelievable that I’m crying.
“Whitney made a really great exit! A third person said, “I loved every scene, especially with Callum. The actors’ and actresses’ acting felt so real.”
“Watched tonight’s EastEnders and I got emotional,” remarked a fourth. I’m grateful to Shona for Whitney Dean; she will always be my favorite EastEnder. That exit was ideal.
I was genuinely surprised by how moved I felt while watching tonight’s episode. Whitney’s departure does, however, feel like the end of an era. Another person commented, “Such a lovely send-off for her, especially loved Britney wearing the same cap Whitney wore when she first arrived.”
‘Worst exit ever’?
Many other EastEnders viewers, though, detested the farewell.
“With the exception of the slideshow and Stacey’s appearance, I detest everything about Whitney’s departure. Still, Shona will be greatly missed,” one person remarked.
Another concurred, saying, “Honestly, (poor Krushed Kush aside), I think Whitney’s exit might be right up there with the worst I’ve seen for this show.” Meta, disgusting, and incredibly unfair: “Why is it that one self-centered lady is idolized while the other self-centered individuals who deceived her are shunned?”
“Worst exit story ever—after everything this show put her through, Whitney deserved better. What a letdown, logging out until Christmas,” a third person commented.
“Whitney’s ending was so dead,” a fourth person said. Shona was so deserving of better than that!
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