Jean ‘lonely and scared’ after devastating EastEnders twist
EastEnders star Gillian Wright has revealed that alter ego Jean Slater will be left ‘lonely and scared’ following a horrifying plot twist this week.
The actress, 65, has been in the BBC One soap for 21 years – with some of her biggest storylines including Jean’s portrayal of living with bipolar disorder, her attempted suicide and an ovarian cancer diagnosis.
Next week, the Walford favourite is set to face another challenge, as she discovers long-term partner Harvey Monroe (Ross Boatman) has been cheating on her with Kathy Cotton (Gillian Taylforth).
Jean is ‘completely oblivious’, actress Gillian told us about her character.
‘I think [she] may be slightly aware that she’s been a bit rude in moments, and a bit snappy at times as she makes little apologies as she’s going along, but I think she absolutely takes that relationship for granted on the assumption that it’s solid’ she explains.
‘In a solid relationship like that, you can be off with each other at times, and you don’t have to worry about whether that means it’s the end of the relationship.
‘It wouldn’t occur to Jean that Harvey would be the sort of person that would ever be looking at anybody else.
‘The assumption is that he is comfortable with Jean as well, but that they’re just not getting on very well with each other at the moment as they’ve got so much on their plates.’
In scenes that air next week, the Slater clan gear up for a caravanning holiday that Harvey originally bought for him and Kath’ to enjoy.
There’s immediate tension when Stacey (Lacey Turner) decides that she doesn’t feel up to going, and Harvey is caught in the crossfire when he tries to make amends between her and daughter Lily (Lillia Turner).
He tries to find comfort in Kathy, who gives him a somewhat frosty reception, and eventually confesses his love. It’s her that he wants, not Jean.
However, when Harvey returns home, a huge twist follows – as Gillian explains: ‘The camping trip hasn’t worked out, but what a lovely thing to do for all of them, because it was for all of the Slaters from her perspective.
‘So, she wants to give him something back and, at the same time, in the wake of everything she realises it’s so easy to lose somebody.
‘So, Jean thinks “why not”. She wants to go for it, ask him to marry her and really cement what they’ve got.’
Yikes.
A stunned Harvey is unsure what to say, and quickly flees. Jean is mortified, but later takes his silence as an acceptance of her proposal.
Caught in the middle of two women, he heads to speak with Kathy as the Slaters’ celebrations begin, and they share a kiss. What they don’t realise is that Cindy Beale (Michelle Collins) has recorded their intimate moment.
Later, amid the engagement celebrations at The Vic, she decides to exposethe affair in front of everybody.
‘The truth is there on the screen, but she doesn’t want to see it’ Gillian added.
‘At the moment, she’s angry and hugely betrayed, and justifiably so.
‘She feels lonely and scared, and she’s putting on a brave face.’
