EastEnders Lorraine Stanley reveals she’s landed another new role after brutal axing from the soap
EASTENDERS’ Lorraine Stanley has revealed she’s landed another new role after her brutal axing from the soap.
Lorraine, 47, confirmed her character Karen Taylor would be leaving the BBC show for good with an emotional statement in August.
But it looks like the actress’ fans will get to see her in action sooner than they might have expected as she’s bagged herself a brand new job.
Lorraine announced today that she’s set to star as Queen Rat in this year’s Dick Whittington pantomime in Portsmouth.
The star, who is from the seaside city, will tread the boards at the Kings Theatre during the festive period this year.
She wrote on Facebook: “I can’t wait for this!!!! Panto in my home town with me old mate Jack Edwards is going to be epic!!!
“Ratty is coming to play Kings Theatre get your tickets early and I’ll see you after the show Xxx.”
Lorraine shared a screenshot of her post to Instagram, along with a link to tickets.
Her big new role also made the front page of her local newspaper, which she proudly posted too.
But it’s not the first gig she’s found herself since being dropped from EastEnders as she recently started shooting for the upcoming film Departures, directed by Neil Ely and Lloyd Eyre-Morgan.
Lorraine will play Janet in the British picture – the mother of main character Benji – who returns to Amsterdam after having an affair with a married man there the year before.
Soap fans were left outraged last year when it was confirmed EastEnders matriarch Karen would be written out of show, with the Launderette manager last seen in Walford in February.
But she recently dropped the biggest hint yet that EastEnders fans haven’t seen the last of Karen.
After it was revealed to the residents of Albert Square that Karen’s son Keanu had been murdered, Lorraine pointed out that there’s going to be a funeral.
When asked about a possible return, Lorraine exclusively told The Sun: “You’ll have to wait and see. I can’t say too much, you know I can’t.
“You know there [will be] a funeral of some sort, I would imagine. I’m not allowed to say anything!”
When we pointed out that Karen would move heaven and Earth to make her son’s funeral, Lorraine agreed, adding: “She couldn’t miss her own son’s funeral, could she?”
