Inside EastEnders real-life romances from ‘heartbreaking’ splits to on-set reunion
EastEnders has seen its fair share of on-screen romances over the years, but it has also sparked a few off-screen relationships among its stars - here are some of the most memorable.
EastEnders has not only been a breeding ground for unforgettable on-screen couples, but it’s also sparked real-life romances among its cast members.
Over the years, big names like Loose Women’s Nadia Sawalha and Phil Mitchell actor Steve McFadden have found love behind the scenes.
Joe Swash also had a romance with his soap co-star Kara Tointon before the pair split and he went on to marry Stacey Solomon.
Thankfully, these soap stars’ off-screen love stories are far less complicated than their Albert Square alter egos. Sadly, none of these relationships lasted, with each one fizzling out after a few years. Here, we shine a light on the actors who met on the set of EastEnders and became real-life couples, reports the Express.
Steve McFadden struck up a romance with Lucy Benjamin when she joined the cast as Lisa Fowler in 1998. Their time together saw Lisa embroiled in an on-screen love affair with Phil, and she was later revealed as his shooter in the notorious Who Shot Phil Mitchell storyline.
While their characters had a rocky relationship on the show, Steve and Lucy’s off-screen romance blossomed, with the pair dating for four years from 1999 to 2003.
Despite parting ways, the two have remained good friends, with Lucy revealing on ITV’s Loose Women how much she enjoyed working with Steve, 65, again when Lisa returned to Albert Square in 2017.
“There is so much stuff between Lisa and Phil. It was easy to play that. It was strange really, but lovely to be working with Steve, Tish and Natalie Cassidy again,” Lucy shared.
She added: “It was strange really but within 10 minutes it was like I’d never been away. It felt like reuniting with old friends and I knew they would take good care of me upon my return.”
Away from the EastEnders set, Steve is a proud dad to five kids and shares his life with his partner Karen Cairns.
Lucy, 54, split from businessman Richard Taggart in August 2023 after 17 years of wedded bliss, with insiders suggesting at the time their relationship had “run its course”.
The couple were blessed with two daughters during their marriage.
Joe Swash and Kara Tointon
Actress and former strictly -come-dancing>Strictly Come Dancing winner Kara Tointon first graced the screens of EastEnders fans in 2006 as Mickey Miller’s half-sister, played by Joe Swash, before her character left the show three years later.
During her time on the soap, Kara was romantically involved with two co-stars. She first dated Martin Fowler star James Alexandrou in 2006, with their love story lasting for a year and a half.
Shortly after their romance fizzled out, she fell for Joe. The duo even shared the stage in a Snow White pantomime at the Bristol Hippodrome.
However, the pair called it quits in 2010, leaving Kara, 41, heartbroken.
Joe, now 42, got real with The Sun about his past relationship woes, confessing: “She genuinely does everything right. It was my fault it broke down. I didn’t know what I had until she was gone.”
Following their split, Kara found happiness anew with Marius Jensen and the couple had their first little one in 2018. They expanded their brood with a second boy in 2021 but decided to go their separate ways the next year.
Meanwhile, Joe’s heart took flight when he tied the knot with Loose Women’s very own Stacey Solomon back in 2022. They are doting parents to their trio of kiddos; Rex, five, Rose, three and the toddler Belle, who is just one.
Jacqueline Jossa and Tony Discipline
Over to the land of Walford love stories, Jacqueline Jossa and Tony Discipline’s paths crossed on the EastEnders set in 2011, sparking an off-screen romance to go along with their character’s fling.
Their relationship lasted over 1.5 years until Tony made his exit from the series in 2013, leading to a split amidst rumours they “grew apart”.
Jacqueline came back to us as Lauren Branning in 2022 and has been Dan Osbournes wife since 2017. With their daughters Ella, nine, and Mia, six, they are family goals while Tony became a dad to a baby girl in 2021.
Nadia Sawalha and Marc Bannerman
Remember Nadia Sawalha before she became a Loose Women icon?
She was winning hearts in Albert Square as Annie Palmer between ’97 and ’99. Marc Bannerman, 51, caught her eye when he brought Gianni Di Marco to life on the soap from ’98 till the millennium.
Nadia Sawalha once opened up to OK! Magazine about the dark times she faced after her husband, Justin Mildwater, tragically took his own life in 1997, shortly after their split. She poignantly revealed: “If it wasn’t for Marc I don’t know what I’d have done.”
However, even though they shared a deep bond, Nadia and Marc’s romance ended after three years.
She’s since found happiness with TV producer Mark Adderley, tying the knot in 2002, with the pair now having two daughters.
Shona McGarty and Matt Lapinskas
Shona McGarty, best known as Whitney Dean on EastEnders, joined the soap in 2008 and hit it off with co-star Matt Lapinskas, who played Anthony Moon. Their real-life romance blossomed similarly to fellow cast members Jacqueline Jossa and Tony Discipline.
Shona and Matt were an item for more than a year until circumstances changed with Matt’s exit from the show.
The plot thickens as Matt was cast in Dancing On Ice, performing with pro skater Brianne Delcourt, and whispers of a new love story began to circulate. Yet, Shona felt compelled to set the record straight about their breakup.
Taking to Twitter, she clarified: “Thanks for support guys! Yes it’s true Matt and I have split but it has nothing to do with Brianne. Clear head and new beginnings! Mwah xx.” (sic)
Emma Barton and Joel Beckett
Joel Beckett, famed for his role as Jake Moon in EastEnders between 2004 and 2006, found off-screen romance with Honey Mitchell actress Emma Barton.
The duo first crossed paths when Emma joined the soap in 2005, but sparks didn’t fly until a year later. The couple reportedly enjoyed a three-year relationship, maintaining a low profile away from the public gaze.
Post their split, Emma embarked on a long-term relationship with TV presenter Stephen Mulhern, whom she met during a pantomime production in 2009.
Sadly, their love story concluded in 2011, with both parties remaining tight-lipped about the details. Stephen later revealed to The Mirror that the relationship had reached its “natural end”.
EastEnders airs Monday – Thursday at 7:30pm on BBC One and iPlayer.