Latest news with #MattKay
Daily Mail
17-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
EastEnders star Lacey Turner reveals 'never-ending guilt' before quitting the soap opera in shock decision
EastEnders legend Lacey Turner has discussed her 'never-ending guilt' before making the bombshell decision to quit the soap opera. The actress, 37, joined the cast as Stacey Slater in 2004, and after departing in 2010, she reprised her role in 2014, but she is set to leave the show again later this year. She is stepping back to focus on her family life with her husband Matt Kay and their three kids - daughters Dusty, five, and Gipsy, four months, and son Trilby, four. Now, Lacey has opened up about the 'guilt' she previously felt leaving her beloved children to go to work on the long-running BBC show. 'The older they get, the more you realise how quickly the little years pass. It's bonkers, so I take it day by day, week by week,' she told OK! Magazine. 'You feel guilty leaving them, but also guilty for not earning, it's just never-ending. But we've got to stop judging and start supporting each other.' Lacey said she is looking forward to taking a break, admitting she has never had one before, as she hopes to focus on her family and other work commitments. She also hit back at the judgement that is often placed on parents and said she wants to put an end to the opinion that people have to be 'rich' to good parents. 'You don't need to have the most expensive formula or toys or pram - I overheard a couple saving up to have a baby, that shouldn't be the case,' she said. 'Parenting isn't about money, it's about love, time, and doing your best.' In an interview with MailOnline, Lacey also opened up on cost of living struggles and parenting stigmas, saying: 'It doesn't matter what industry you're in, we're all the same.' 'You do what you can. Ultimately if you strip everything back we're all the same, it doesn't matter what industry you're in,' she added. 'You could be a broker, you could be hairdresser, you could be a gardener - we're all facing the same struggles daily. 'Some people earn more money than others but everyone has different kinds of problems and ultimately underneath that is the judgement. You cannot judge people you don't know, you never know what another person is going through.' According to reports, Lacey earns between £150,000 to £190,000 for her work on the soap, which falls in the same pay bracket as Gillian Taylforth who plays Kathy Beale. Earlier this week, Lacey confirmed she will be leaving EastEnders later this year, with bosses hinting there will be plenty of drama in store before her departure. She told The Sun: 'It's time for myself and Stacey to take a rest and who knows what Stacey will get up to in her time away? Knowing Stacey, it will never be boring.' An EastEnders spokesperson added: 'We can confirm that Lacey will be off-screen later this year, but there is plenty of more drama to come beforehand and we will look forward to planning Stacey's return when Lacey decides the time is right.' A source added: 'Lacey made the decision last year to take some time out from the show, she's had a busy year both on and off screen, so it feels a good time to give Stacey a rest. 'Lacey loves EastEnders, and it's no secret how much EastEnders love Lacey, so it's not a question of if she will be back, but when.' Lacey made a brief return from maternity leave in February to feature in EastEnders' live 40th Anniversary episode, when Stacey's husband Martin Fowler was tragically killed in the Queen Vic explosion. At first, it appeared that Martin had been successfully rescued from underneath the beam, but his heart then stopped as firefighters rushed to try and save him. His ex-wife Stacey (Lacey) was left in floods of tears as Martin died in front of her eyes just moments after he declared his love for her and proposed. The heartbreaking episode ended with Stacey hugging Martin's lifeless body while her screams could be heard by those waiting outside the Queen Vic for news.
The Sun
13-05-2025
- Entertainment
- The Sun
EastEnders' Lacey Turner dropped major clue that she was set to quit BBC soap days ago as fans are left devastated
EASTENDERS star Lacey Turner has dropped a huge clue that she was set to quit the BBC soap days ago. The Sun revealed yesterday that Lacey, who plays Stacey Slater, will be off screens later this year to focus on life and opportunities outside of Walford, but bosses promise that there is lots of drama to come for her character beforehand. 5 5 The star, who first joined the soap 21 years ago, has with hubby Matt Kay, a five-year-old daughter named Dusty Violet, a three-year-old son named Trilby Fox, and a baby daughter named Gipsy Olive, who was born in January, this year. Speaking to The Sun last week, Lacey said she was becoming more "brave" and "bold" when it comes to her career and other projects. Speaking about her future on the soap, Lacey hinted at her exit saying: "I think as any working person, you weigh up your options and I do what is best for us really. "That may change as they change, as they grow. If something doesn't work, then you change it. "I personally do my best and we do our best and that works. "I really love my job, I will always do. "As you get older you get a bit braver and a bit bolder and I'm at an age now where I will do what is right for us." The mum-of-three also admitted that she currently has her hands full with her two eldest and her newborn. She said "I love my job and I wouldn't work if I didn't, it works for us. Lacey Turner reveals embarrassing way her EastEnders co-stars found out she was pregnant "I'm still a mum even when I'm at work, parenting it doesn't ever end, even when they're at school, you're thinking what they're going to have for dinner, what they've got to do when they get in, it's constant, it doesn't stop being a parent." It was revealed that Lacey will be leaving the soap but bosses are already planning for her comeback. Lacey told the Sun: 'It's time for myself and Stacey to take a rest and who knows what Stacey will get up to in her time away? Knowing Stacey, it will never be boring." A soap insider said: "Lacey made the decision last year to take some time out from the show, she's had a busy year both on and off screen, so it feels a good time to give Stacey a rest. "Lacey loves EastEnders, and it's no secret how much EastEnders love Lacey, so it's not a question of if she will be back, but when.' An EastEnders spokeswoman said: "We can confirm that Lacey will be off-screen later this year, but there is plenty of more drama to come beforehand and we will look forward to planning Stacey's return when Lacey decides the time is right.' Just weeks after giving birth, she returned from maternity leave to play her part in Martin Fowler's exit scenes in the show's live episode. And Lacey's character Stacey left fans in tears as she said an emotional goodbye to Martin in February. In heartbreaking scenes he proposed and planned the next 40 years of their lives before the paramedics told Stacey that he would likely not survive his injuries. Stacey couldn't bring herself to tell Martin what was happening, but he realised and then tragically died in her arms. Lacey has become a household name thanks to her long career on Albert Square playing the role of Stacey Slater. 5 5 5
The Sun
12-05-2025
- Entertainment
- The Sun
Lacey Turner LEAVING EastEnders as bosses plan huge Stacey Slater exit storyline
EASTENDERS legend Lacey Turner is leaving the BBC1 soap later this year, but bosses are already looking forward to planning her return… The actress, 37, who plays Stacey Slater on the show, will be off screens later this year to focus on life and opportunities outside of Walford, but bosses promise that there is lots of drama to come for her character beforehand. 7 7 7 7 The star, who first joined the soap 21 years ago, has with documentary maker hubby Matt Kay, a 5-year-old daughter named Dusty Violet, a 3-year-old son named Trilby Fox, and a baby daughter named Gipsy Olive, who was born in January, this year. Lacey told the Sun: 'It's time for myself and Stacey to take a rest and who knows what Stacey will get up to in her time away? Knowing Stacey, it will never be boring." A soap insider said: "Lacey made the decision last year to take some time out from the show, she's had a busy year both on and off screen, so it feels a good time to give Stacey a rest. "Lacey loves EastEnders, and it's no secret how much EastEnders love Lacey, so it's not a question of if she will be back, but when.' An EastEnders spokeswoman said: "We can confirm that Lacey will be off-screen later this year, but there is plenty of more drama to come beforehand and we will look forward to planning Stacey's return when Lacey decides the time is right.' Just weeks after giving birth, she returned from maternity leave to play her part in Martin Fowler's exit scenes in the show's live episode. And Lacey's character Stacey left fans in tears as she said an emotional goodbye to Martin in February. In heartbreaking scenes he proposed and planned the next 40 years of their lives before the paramedics told Stacey that he would likely not survive his injuries. Stacey couldn't bring herself to tell Martin what was happening, but he realised and then tragically died in her arms. Watch the moment EastEnders' Lacey Turner 'saves' James Bye during live episode after Martin Fowler star hints he forgot lines Lacey has become a household name thanks to her long career on Albert Square playing the role of Stacey Slater. Away from the drama of Eastenders, she enjoys quiet domesticity with her husband Matt Kay and their kids. Her departure comes as the star recently opened up on motherhood and its challenges. She said: "The world today leads you to believe that the most expensive option is the best option, but that's not the case. "I want people to know that being frugal is nothing to be ashamed of, it's a skill. EastEnders stars who QUIT MICHELLE Collins has seen her second EastEnders stint boost her bank balance. Yet what stars have quit this year? The Sun exclusively reported how Michelle, 62, was down to £20,000 in her company accounts when she agreed to a shock back-from-the-dead return to Albert Square last year. Her character, Cindy Beale, was presumed dead off-camera in 1998. Yet what about the 2024 exits? Earlier this summer, loyal soap fans appeared to note how Stevie Mitchell had "quit" the long-running series. It came after Alan Ford enjoyed just six-months on-screen. Bobby Beale actor Clay Milner Russell also left this year after five years in Walford. Fans also feared Martin Fowler actor James Bye would "quit out of boredom" over recent storylines. Additionally, a host of stars have quit the BBC soap for Hollywood fame. One of the most successful stars to come from the BBC One soap is Rob Kazinsky. He played Stacey Slater's brother Sean Slater from 2006 to 2009, he has starred in Hollywood blockbusters Pacific Rim and Captain Marvel. Ben Hardy, who quit EastEnders as Bobby Beale almost a decade ago, went on to break Hollywood the following year, when he starred as Archangel in X-Men: Apocalypse. Since then, he has played Roger Taylor in Queen biopic Bohemian Rhapsody, and he starred in Michael Bay 's Netflix movie 6 Underground. Michelle Ryan played Zoe Slater until 2005. She starred as the lead in short-lived American series Bionic Woman from 2007 to 2008. "We don't dress our children in designer clothes, it's perfectly okay to dress your children in high street clothes. "It's crazy in the world we're living that people are saving up to be parents. "Being a parent is one of the most amazing things that can happen that are lucky enough to be parents, it's natural thing for most people to want to be a parent, so why aren't we making it normal, easy and open and honest as possible." The actress also discussed her biggest pressure as a mum as she revealed a sweet piece of advice her nan gave her about parenting. The telly star said: "You make decisions daily as a parent, it changes with age, the older they get there's different decisions to make. "You want what is best for them, you want them to have the best nutrients they can have, you want them to watch the programmes they are going to learn from and not a load of rubbish. "There's daily pressures. "I try and remind myself of the most, I talk about my nan a lot but my nan always used to say to me, she's very old school... she used to say 'as long as they have a full belly, clean clothes and they're loved, that's all that matters', as long as you're doing your best, then that's good enough. "Sometimes when life gets crazy and it does, the work for people never ends now, it used to end on a Friday, it doesn't. "The world moves at 100mph, as a nation we don't get that chance to stop, which we used to do. "Add being a parent into that, it's hard, it's so much harder than it should be - being a parent should be enjoyable and it should be made as simple and easy as possible and it shouldn't cost you a fortune." Lacey reportedly scoops a five-figure salary for the EastEnders role she started in 2004. Yet she opened up on the "daily struggles" shared by many as costs of everyday items, as well as bills, soar. She told of the impact of the financial climate on her family and said: "You do what you can. "Ultimately if you strip everything back we're all the same, it doesn't matter what industry you're in. "You could be a broker, you could be hairdresser, you could be a gardener - we're all facing the same struggles daily. "Some people earn more money than others but everyone has different kinds of problems and ultimately underneath that is the judgement. "You cannot judge people you don't know, you never know what another person is going through." 7 7 7
The Sun
11-05-2025
- Entertainment
- The Sun
EastEnders' Lacey Turner says ‘we're all facing same struggles' over cost of living crisis despite six-figure salary
EASTENDERS favourite Lacey Turner has candidly opened up on the impact of the cost of living crisis on her family of five. The BBC star, who gave birth to her third baby back in January, has told how "we are all facing the same struggles." 6 6 6 Lacey, who plays Stacey Slater in the BBC One soap, reportedly scoops a five-figure salary for the EastEnders role she started in 2004. Yet she opened up on the "daily struggles" shared by many as costs of everyday items, as well as bills, soar. Lacey is mum to little girl Gipsy, five months, as well as Dusty, aged five, and three-year-old son Trilby who she shares with her husband Matt Kay. She told of the impact of the financial climate on her family and said: "You do what you can. "Ultimately if you strip everything back we're all the same, it doesn't matter what industry you're in. "You could be a broker, you could be hairdresser, you could be a gardener - we're all facing the same struggles daily. "Some people earn more money than others but everyone has different kinds of problems and ultimately underneath that is the judgement. "You cannot judge people you don't know, you never know what another person is going through." According to OK! Magazine, Lacey is earning between £150,000 to £190,000 for her soap role. Just weeks after giving birth, she returned from maternity leave to play her part in Martin Fowler's exit scenes in the show's live episode. She added to MailOnline of money worries: "I look at my shopping bill and think when did that go up? "What would be a £70 shop suddenly becomes a £120 shop and you go oh my God, I'm not buying them again." Meanwhile, the failed side-hustle businesses of soap stars recently came to light. And over at Coronation Street, some cast members have gone to war after a handful were able to top up their income with brand deals - and others weren't. Other TV favourites have also candidly addressed their experiences of bankruptcy. FAMILY LIFE Lacey and her husband Matt are childhood sweethearts and tied the knot in Ibiza back in 2017. They announced the pregnancy on a picturesque beach by holding a picture of Lacey's ultrasound scans. She commented: "Aren't we lucky..." Lacey previously called motherhood the "hardest job I have ever done in my life." However, she wouldn't have it any other way. She told The Sun: "But it's also the best thing in the world. "It has changed me because it makes you see everything differently. "It highlights what's important and what isn't! I think I'm much more chilled out now I'm a mother. "Somehow we manage to juggle everything and everyone and yet we still feel guilty for certain things. "I think until you have done it you can't understand how challenging it is yet so rewarding." 6 6 6
