Beetroot Man to Quit EE in sympathy with Poison Dwarf

[alan45]

EASTENDERS veteran Steve McFadden is threatening to quit rather than soldier on without screen mum Barbara Windsor.
Babs, who has been playing fearsome matriarch Peggy Mitchell since 1994, is due to leave the soap within the next two months.

And Steve - Peggy's hardman son Phil - may well follow her out of Albert Square when his contract ends in the summer.

http://files.stv.tv/img/articles/89429-steve-mcfadden-doesnt-like-playing-himself-100x70.jpg

Asked if he would seriously consider quitting, the 50-year-old actor replied: "Yeah, I really would. I'm not leaving yet. My contract's up in August. Then we'll see."

Steve, who has been in EastEnders for 20 years, said he was "absolutely gutted" over Babs' departure.

He added: "I'm sure they will leave the door open for her - they'd be mad not to.

"Her leaving will be a massive hole for the show and for me personally as well."

The soap's scriptwriters have begun to pen Peggy's exit.

And after she goes boozy Phil will be the only senior Mitchell character left.

Even then, he will have a less central role after losing control of the Queen Vic to cousin Roxy (Rita Simons).

Babs, 72, who attended Wednesday night's National TV Awards with her 46-year-old husband Scott Mitchell, said of her departure: "It'll still be a couple of months before I go.

http://img.thesun.co.uk/multimedia/archive/00466/SNN0919A2G_466479a.jpg

"Then I want to spend more time with my husband.

"He's not getting any younger, you know!"



Read more: http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/showbiz/tv/soaps/2819024/Steve-McFadden-may-quit-BBC-soap-EastEnders.html#ixzz0dIPoTe2n

[JustJodi]

Alan you must be thrilled that both of your favorites are leaving EE LOL

[CrazyLea]

I am :D Maybe this will mean less Mitchells and less the "We're Mitchells" thing going on!
GRRRRR I ca haglde roxy and tonie,. but nt the readst!

[Perdita]

Let's wait and see.... he has a young family to support, he is pretty much stage cast and with his 'good' looks will probably not find it so easy to get new employment. Maybe he will change his mind about quitting

[JustJodi]

I think if Adam ( Ian) quit today, he would have one heck of a time finding another job as well.. look at Natalie (Sonia ) she hasn't been in any thing but STRICTLY COME DANCING,, Charlie ( Janine) only did a bit part in a made for BBC series as some fish wife..what has Jessie ( Kat ) done,to me there appears to be very little work for people who have been typecast......... this is just my opinion:hmm:

[alan45]

Beetroot Man will go the way of most other ex EE ''stars'' and move accross to ITV's ailing soap Sun Hill CID.

I doubt though whether he would have the same success as Roberta Taylor.

I can hardly see him becoming a doctor on Holby either

[sindydoll]

sad to see him go but i understand his reasons

[Perdita]

Maybe he will stay if they promise to make him boss of the Vic again in the not so distant future, he is only threatening to go, don't cry just yet. :)

[alan45]

Maybe he will stay if they promise to make him boss of the Vic again in the not so distant future, he is only threatening to go, don't cry just yet. :)

Who's crying?????:cheer::lol:

Mc Fadden like the national Treasure is a one trick pony and will finf it hard to get acting jobs as anything other than an alcoholic washed up gangster who is as scaryas Paddington Bear

[Chloe O'brien]

Alan how distraught you must have been posting this. I can feel your pain. Who else are we going to pick on if Mr Beetroot goes. I don't see Steve and Babs going down the reality show road. The local Sainsbury is more suited to them. I can see it now Babs on checkout 12 Steve on checkout 13. BEEP!!! Hey Steve have you got a code for these Macintosh Apples. :rotfl::rotfl:

[parkerman]

Perhaps they can both join the Sun Hill C.I.D. :D

[tammyy2j]

I love the thread title name LOL

[Chris_2k11]

"scary as paddington bear" :rotfl: lol love it

[Chloe O'brien]

I don't want him to go. He's my gulity pleasure. :D What would be really funny is once both Phil and Peggy have departed the square. They bring Grunt back to run the Vic. :rotfl:

[Perdita]

Grunt is not going to be anybody without his brovver and movver in EE, better off in hostile environments no scriptwriters have influence on :D

[lizann]

thats mean we are stuck with the blondie mitchells i'll miss baldie mitchell he is a fun drunk

[megan999]

thats mean we are stuck with the blondie mitchells i'll miss baldie mitchell he is a fun drunkI agree, he plays drunk well ! Well I for one would be sad if he went too. Roxy and Ronnie are okay, but for me the Mitchells just wouldn't be the same if both Peggy AND Phil left! I might be the only one but I LIKE the Mitchell family :D

[Chloe O'brien]

I don't like amy of the mitchells apart from Grunt, But I have this unhealthy obsession with Phil and Peggy. Their acting is rubbish but the square would be a dull place without them. and I'm only thinking of MrMcFadden's welfair. He won't get another well paid acting job if he does quit EE. The list of ex cast members have proved that.

[Dutchgirl]

I'll miss him. He is a nasty piece. But he does ad something to the show. Nice to see if he can turn around to being poor for a while.He can stay for Ben and his cousins.
Grant will only come back if EE has been hijacked by a bunch of African Pirates.

[sean slater]

I cant believe that Steve Mcfadden would leave just because Barbara Windsor is leaving, its not very professional is it? there must be another reason other than that. I think Phil's a really good character, defo think he should stay. But then i suppose there is a question over what he will actually do, if he hasnt got his family, or the Vic, he hasnt got a lot going for him. I would like Grant to come back on a permanent basis, these flying visits are kinda pointless.

[Siobhan]

if he goes what happens with Ben... will he leave too or move in to Ian's?

[Chris_2k11]

if he goes what happens with Ben... will he leave too or move in to Ian's?
Leave hopefully :cheer:

[alan45]

if he goes what happens with Ben... will he leave too or move in to Ian's?

He can become a young tearawy on The soap formerly known as The Bill

[parkerman]

Milky Bar Ben, the scourge of Neil Manson.:lol:

[alan45]

Milky Bar Ben, the scourge of Neil Manson.:lol:

Back in the days when there was a Uniform presence on the streets of Sun Hill, Reggiebabe and Des would have made short work of him

[Perdita]

Steve McFadden has revealed that he wanted to permanently bow out of his EastEnders role this year.

The 51-year-old, who has played Phil Mitchell for 20 years, admitted that Barbara Windsor's leaving announcement prompted him to consider his future on Albert Square.

He told TV Times: "I thought it might be time to move on, with Barbara going."

However, the actor claimed that isolation from his on-screen family may open new doors for Phil, who becomes addicted to crack cocaine in the next few weeks.

McFadden explained: "But then I realised that it's a chance to do something different with Phil. The umbilical cord will be cut. We've had Phil and grant, then Phil and Peggy, but now he'll be on his own.

"I've stayed with the show because they've kept it interesting. Another important factor for me is that I don't have to spend months away from home touring, like some actors do."

The star added: "I'm not in a relationship at the moment, but family life is very important to me. I'm very close to my [four] children

[alan45]

Steve McFadden has claimed that his storylines this year in EastEnders have been the most challenging of his career.

The 51-year-old, who joined the serial in 1988, also reflected on his 20-year role as Phil Mitchell.

He told TV Times: "I can honestly say that this has been my most challenging and exciting year in EastEnders. To be able to say that after 20 years is quite something, don't you think?"

Recalling his first scene, he continued: "I had this really difficult line. It was, 'This place is ripe for the picking', which is an awkward bit of phrasing.

"I was really nervous. EastEnders started when I was at RADA, aged 25. Every day I was coming home and watching it as I was learning how to act."