Shocking news for Tanya

[lizann]

EastEnders star Jo Joyner has revealed that her character Tanya Jessop will break her silence over her illness in the coming weeks.

Tanya was recently left stunned when she had some abnormal smear test results, which prompted her to scrap plans for a reunion with ex-husband Max as she was haunted by the memory of her late father becoming a burden to her mother when he was unwell.

Later this week, doctors confirm to Tanya that she is suffering from cervical cancer and she continues to face her ordeal alone - not wanting daughters Lauren or Abi to know what's going on as she fears upsetting them.

However, speaking to Inside Soap, Joyner confirmed that Tanya's situation does not remain a secret forever.

"I know who she turns to, but it's kind of accidental," the actress explained. "The doctor asks Tanya if there's anybody she could tell, but she explains that she's left her husband and her best friend Jane Beale has gone, so there isn't anyone.

"But somebody does find out about her cancer - and that's who she ends up confiding in."

EastEnders bosses have worked closely with various charities and experts while devising Tanya's storyline, including Jo's Cervical Cancer Trust and Macmillan Cancer Support.

I think Dot finds out

[alan45]

EastEnders star Stefan Booth has confirmed that viewers have not yet seen the last of his character Greg Jessop.

Greg bowed out from Walford earlier this month after discovering that his wife Tanya (Jo Joyner) had been having an affair with her ex Max Branning (Jake Wood), but Booth has recently been back on set at EastEnders filming new scenes in the role.

"Tanya and Greg need some time apart, but he'll be coming back to sort things out," Booth told Inside Soap. "There are still so many questions that need answering after the big reveal.

"I can't tell you too much but the door was always left open for Greg to return - and he does."

Asked whether Greg will show a nastier side following his heartbreak, the actor replied: "I knew it was Greg's job to be the nice guy and for him and Tanya to play happy families so Max could come along and ruin it. But it'd be cool to be the baddy - such fun!"

Booth also revealed that he has new projects on the way beyond his return stint on EastEnders.

"I've got a couple of British films lined up and I'm doing Snow White at Christmas in Birmingham," he said.

[alan45]

EastEnders has been praised by a cancer charity for helping spread awareness about cervical cancer.

Jo's Cervical Cancer Trust has received an extra amount of calls to its helpline following Tanya Jessup (Jo Joyner)'s cervical cancer diagnosis on the soap last week.

EastEnders executive producer Bryan Kirkwood revealed that the soap's producers and Joyner visited Jo's Cervical Cancer Trust for research into the storyline.

"Eastenders has worked closely with experts in the field to ensure we accurately portray this sensitive issue," Kirkwood said in a news release. "Viewers will see how Tanya, a mother of three, will use her inner determination to deal with what will be one of the toughest challenges of her life."

The charity's director Robert Music explained that a soap such as EastEnders must depict the disease accurately and responsibly.

"It's incredibly important. Soaps have a real responsibility when they cover any sort of health issue to make sure that they get the facts right, whether it's a diagnosis, whether it's the treatment. It's about educating the general public who perhaps aren't aware of the disease, but also with cervical cancer, there are thousands of women out there who have been diagnosed or are living with this.

"It's very important to get the storyline right for them as well so that they're also confident and comfortable that the programme is acting responsibly.

"Certainly with regard to the character Tanya and her storyline, I think EastEnders have done a fantastic job, being very responsible. They've listened to us, wanted to work with us and other experts to make sure that every stage of the process that Tanya's going through is accurate."

Music added that Jo Joyner was "fantastic" when she visited the charity, and that she was "really hungry to learn, to understand what the impact was, and she felt a responsibility to get this right".

[alan45]

EastEnders' Tanya Branning reaches a turning point in tonight's episode of the soap as she finally tells Lauren about her illness.

The build-up to Tanya's decision begins when Abi (Lorna Fitzgerald) starts to behave rebelliously, joining forces with Ben and Lola to terrorise Grace - playing practical jokes and destroying her garden.

When Abi arrives back home escorted by a police officer, Tanya (Jo Joyner) is shocked and tries to discipline her daughter. However, Lauren defends her younger sister by claiming that her behaviour is only to be expected given all the recent upheaval.

Lauren (Jacqueline Jossa) soon takes things a step further by accusing Tanya of having another affair - suspicious over her recent mysterious absences.

As the pressure becomes too much, Tanya can't hide her secret any longer and tells Lauren what's really been going on…



Shown tonight on BBC1

[Perdita]

EastEnders star Jo Joyner has said that she feels grateful to be tackling a cancer storyline.

The 34-year-old's Albert Square alter ego Tanya Branning was recently diagnosed with cancer, but did not tell her ex-husband Max (Jake Wood) or her daughters Lauren (Jacqueline Jossa) and Abi (Lorna Fitzgerald).

Joyner told Soaplife magazine: "It's a privilege to be given any sort of serious storyline and a real responsibility.

"I'm going to make it as honest and true to life as I possibly can. I will grab every chance I can to show Tanya dropping her guard."

Delving into her character's past, Joyner added: "Tanya remembers her mum looking at her dad with pity and she'd hate that happening to her.

"Tanya's dad died of cancer and she nursed him through it. She's seen it first hand and therefore has a deep-seated fear of it."

[Perdita]

EastEnders star Jo Joyner has stressed the importance of keeping her cervical cancer storyline as realistic as possible.

The actress explained that viewers will notice changes in the appearance of her character Tanya Jessop as the current plot continues.

Tanya was diagnosed with her illness in August and EastEnders fans will see her undergo further treatment in episodes which air next month.

Joyner, asked whether Tanya will start to look ill on screen, told Soaplife: "I'd like her to and I made a point of saying, 'Unless we ever see Tanya looking tired these references are going to be rubbish', because she's keeping up the pretence and putting on lots of make-up.

"But I've had my extensions out and the false lashes are coming off. It will be a slow decline."

Joyner also promised that Tanya's feelings for ex-husband Max (Jake Wood) will be revisited in the coming weeks.

She said: "He's the love of her life. There's some really great stuff to come with Max, Cora and Tanya and her past. It all comes to a bit of a head."

[Perdita]

EastEnders star Jo Joyner has spoken of how her character Tanya Jessop almost abandons her cancer treatment in a forthcoming episode.

Tanya prepares to start a course of radiotherapy and chemotherapy later this month, but she nearly pulls out of her treatment plan until her daughter Lauren (Jacqueline Jossa) talks her round.

Joyner told Soaplife of the upcoming hospital scenes: "[Tanya] bottles it. While Lauren pops away to get a drink of water, Tanya escapes to the toilet and thinks to herself, 'I'm too scared'.

"Then she meets this woman called Siobhan who asks Tanya if she's a patient on the cancer ward. Tanya shakes her head and says actually she was just leaving."

Joyner added that Tanya only sees sense when Lauren finds her and they have a heart-to-heart.

"Tanya struggles to justify her decision in the face of Lauren's logical arguments and ultimately decides to go through with it," she explained. "It turns out Siobhan is a cancer patient, too. They share a moment of understanding and agree to be 'text buddies'."

The actress also revealed that Tanya will be plagued with doubts over her chances of beating her illness in upcoming scenes.

"She's remaining positive and thinks she has a good chance," Joyner explained. "It's not until later that she goes, 'Oh God no, maybe I will die from it and this is actually horrifying' and she spins out."

Tanya received her diagnosis back in August and EastEnders bosses worked closely with various experts and charities while devising her storyline.

[Perdita]

EastEnders' Jo Joyner thinks Tanya Jessop has kept ex-husband Max Branning at a distance as she doesn't want him to see her suffer.
Tanya is struggling to cope battling cervical cancer and keeping it a secret and has kept true love Max at arms length while she suffers alone.
Jo told Inside Soap magazine: "Tanya just didn't want Max to be around to watch her deteriorate.
"Their relationship has been based on Tanya having to be sexy and attractive to keep Max on his toes. But she hasn't got the energy to work so hard to keep him."
But Tanya's secret is about to come out and Jo said she is enjoying working with Jake Wood again as Tanya leans on Max.
She said: "It's been lovely to have Jake back. I love the dynamics between Max and Tanya. It's a comfortable history for us actors to understand their relationship."
The 33-year-old actress said she had found Tanya's cancer storyline very rewarding.
She said: "It was a big responsibility for me. When anyone in soap is given a storyline like this, that tackles a subject that's so relevant and important, you take it very seriously. I feel very grateful that they trusted me with this plot."

PA

[Perdita]

EastEnders star Jo Joyner has said that viewers will soon gain a better understanding of why her character Tanya Jessop has struggled so much with her cervical cancer diagnosis.

Tanya has only confided in daughter Lauren (Jacqueline Jossa) over her illness, preferring to keep it a secret from the rest of her family. She also recently made the shock decision to stop having treatment.

Speaking on Loose Women today, Joyner explained: "She's kind of dealing with it in a way that I think I would never deal with it, but who knows what we would react like? And it will come out over the next couple of days, exactly why she has got such a deep-seated fear about it all, and what her connections are with it.

"You're reading the scripts thinking, 'Poor Lauren', but then you've got to justify it because you've got to go and do it."

She continued: "You can only really tell one person's story. There's always going to be some people who will go, 'When I had chemo, I never did that'. But I do take it very seriously. I looked at the particular treatment for this particular cancer, because they're all very different and they all affect you in very different ways."

Joyner said that the general response to Tanya's story has been "positive", adding that she is looking forward to the new twists in store now that Max (Jake Wood) is back on Albert Square.

She said: "We'll wait and see. Will she have him back? Will she want him back? Will he want her? It's a very different situation now."

EastEnders continues tonight at 7.30pm on BBC One.

[Perdita]

EastEnders star Jo Joyner has said her character Tanya getting back with ex-husband Max is like Marmite for viewers.
Tanya Jessop is struggling to cope with battling cervical cancer and has turned to cheating ex Max Branning for support, but Jo told the TV Times not everyone is pleased to see the couple back together.
Jo said: "Them being back together is like Marmite. Some people hate the idea, others love it.
"A lot of people think Max is really smarmy - they're the ones who don't fancy him.
"The ones who find him sexy feel like Tanya and forgive him."
The 33-year-old actress thinks Tanya has kept Max at a distance until now as she doesn't want him to see her at her lowest.
She said: "Tanya and Max's relationship has always been based on her having to be sexy and attractive, to keep him on his toes.
"Now she's in a situation where she hasn't got the energy or ability to be like that, so the terms of their reunion are utterly different."