Shocking news for Tanya

Reports today suggest Tanya Jessop will be diagnosed with cervical cancer in the coming months!



Tanya who is having an affair with ex husband Max, will be told the devastating news just as she decides who it is she wants to spend the rest of her life with.



An EastEnders insider said: “Tanya’s cancer storyline is going to be one of the biggest of the year. When she finds out that she has the life-threatening disease, her complicated love life has to take a back seat.”



Talking about the upcoming plot Bryan Kirkwood said: “EastEnders has worked closely with experts in the field to ensure we accurately portray this sensitive issue. Viewers will see how Tanya uses her inner determination to deal with what will be one of the toughest challenges of her life.”
From - http://www.soapsecrets-spoilers.com/...summer-preview

EastEnders newlywed Tanya Jessop is to be diagnosed with cervical cancer in a forthcoming storyline, show bosses have announced.

The businesswoman and mother-of-three receives the bombshell news from doctors later this year, just as her current infidelity storyline featuring husband Greg and ex-partner Max Branning reaches a climax.

Confirming the plot, EastEnders' executive producer Bryan Kirkwood told the Daily Star Sunday: "EastEnders has worked closely with experts in the field to ensure we accurately portray this sensitive issue.

"Viewers will see how Tanya uses her inner determination to deal with what will be one of the toughest challenges of her life."

News of Tanya's shock diagnosis follows weeks of speculation over the character's future after previous hints that she would receive "a huge, life-changing shock" in the months ahead. Jake Wood, who plays Max, had also confirmed that a "big twist" was in store.

EastEnders viewers have recently seen Tanya (Jo Joyner) cheat on Greg by embarking on a steamy affair with Max, and the Daily Star Sunday also reports that Greg - played by Stefan Booth - will depart Albert Square once the truth about his wife's betrayal is exposed.

A show source told the newspaper: "Stefan's exit will come shortly after he discovers what Tanya has been up to."

Tanya's illness storyline is expected to air across the autumn.

I hope the writers do this storyline justice and I think Jo (Tanya) will do well with it

Does she die?

I would hope it would be handled better than the baby cot death and swap

EastEnders star Jo Joyner has pledged her commitment to ensuring that her cervical cancer storyline is as "honest and true to life" as possible.

The actress's character Tanya Jessop will be diagnosed with the illness later this month. Tanya's new plot begins next week when she learns that she has abnormal smear test results.

EastEnders bosses officially announced the storyline in June, confirming that the show had worked closely with various experts and charities including Macmillan Cancer Support for research purposes.

Meanwhile, speaking to All About Soap about how she has personally researched the plot, Joyner commented: "I've talked to a lot of survivors of cervical cancer through a charity called Jo's Trust - the name's just a coincidence! They also have a great website, which is very informative and has helped me a lot.

"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."

Tanya receives the worrying news about her smear test results just as she is preparing to tell husband Greg (Stefan Booth) that she wants to be with her ex Max Branning (Jake Wood).

Asked whether it makes Tanya question who she wants to be with all over again, Joyner replied: "Definitely. She remembers her mum looking at her dad with pity [when he was ill] and she'd hate that happening to her. She has some serious thinking to do about her future now."

Jo Joyner has said that EastEnders fans are split over Tanya Jessop's affair with her ex-husband Max Branning.

The Albert Square plot saw the mother-of-three begin a secret relationship with her former partner after marrying builder Greg (Stefan Booth).

"It's like Marmite," the actress told TV Times magazine. "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 fancy him feel like Tanya and forgive him because he's just naughty and they love it."

An upcoming storyline will see Tanya's world turned upside down when she is diagnosed with cervical cancer. Joyner admitted that the illness will be the "start of a really difficult time for her".

"Tanya's dad died of cancer and she nursed him through it. She has seen it first-hand and therefore has a deep-seated fear of it. It is the start of a really difficult time for her," she said. "She is going to want to keep up appearances.

"You don't tend to lose your hair with cervical cancer treatment, but I will grab any chance to show her dropping her guard. I'll be looking duller towards the end. It's my job to make this as honest and truthful as I can."

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.

shes doing a good job so far! hopeing it comes out soon, i really want her to tell someone

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Katy

shes doing a good job so far! hopeing it comes out soon, i really want her to tell someone

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She does. When she was upset last friday about being a terrible mum. I could almost feel the pain. Maybe being a new mum herself helps potraying the storyline.

It might have been better if we had seen Tanya going for a smear test and her dad dying her cancer been mentioned before now and also the stupid Max affair wasnt happening at the same time but Jo as Tanya is playing her role very well

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Perdita

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.

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I think Dot finds out

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.

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".

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…

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Shown tonight on BBC1

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."

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."

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.

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

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.

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."

© BBC
EastEnders' Tanya Jessop had a huge year on the show in 2011 with high-profile storylines including her big Walford wedding with builder Greg, subsequent affair with ex-husband Max, and most notably the challenging times she faced after being diagnosed with cervical cancer.

In real life, meanwhile, Digital Spy readers last month voted in their thousands to name Jo Joyner as 2011's 'Best Soap Actress' in recognition of her portrayal of Tanya.

Here, in an exclusive interview, Jo chats to us about the reader poll result and what's to come for Tanya in the coming weeks.

Congratulations on being voted our readers' top soap actress of the past year!
"Thank you - I'd like to say thanks very much to everyone who voted. I really value the opinion of the Digital Spy readers, because they're the best judges - they're the ones who are always watching and have been with the show for a long time. It's a real privilege."

It's been a big year for you on the show, so how would you sum it all up?
"I'd say the cancer storyline has been the main thing for me in the past 12 months - it has been all-consuming and most of my time has been spent on it, because EastEnders gave the story quite a long time to build and the viewers have been on the journey with Tanya.

"Before that, Tanya was having an affair with Max and getting back together with him, and I even had a wedding at the beginning of last year. It's definitely been a big year - I've gone from the extremes of a big soap wedding with all the trappings, to Tanya being incredibly ill."


What kind of a reaction have you had from viewers over Tanya's cancer storyline?
"I've had some really great feedback about how awareness of smear tests and cervical cancer has been brought back to the forefront again. That's what the BBC and everyone here hopes for when we go for a big storyline like this - that it becomes an educational tool and awareness is raised. I've also spoken to people who are going through the illness who have found Tanya's story to be really positive and a real relief.

"As well as that, I had some more great feedback when I met a woman from Macmillan Cancer Support who was working with the Government. They did two studies focusing on how women with cervical cancer felt about going in for chemotherapy and radiotherapy - one took place before Tanya's story had started, and the other took place afterwards. She told me that in the second study, the reaction was so much braver and more positive - people knew that they might not lose all of their hair and that there's a really good chance of survival. I think that's a really great thing."

How is Tanya feeling about everything at the moment?
"Well, Tanya has confided in all of her family now - and previously it had been a lot for her and Lauren to carry on their own. Things are a lot easier for her now as she has so much more support. She can ask people for help with the salon and the kids now, which is great."

There's always lots of magazine speculation about where Tanya's story could go next, including recent suggestions of a 'deathbed wedding' or 'Max killing Tanya to end her suffering'. What's your take on all of the wild rumours?
"I think there's bound to be stuff like that - it's a soap, so people want the extreme spectacle! But actually, EastEnders have been really keen to stick to the truth of the situation, which is that cervical cancer has a great survival rate when it's caught early.

"Hopefully the outcome will be positive for Tanya - she's having the treatment, she's feeling a bit better now and she's coming out the other side of it. Even if things did take a turn for the worse, I think it's extremely unlikely that there would be a mercy killing or anything like that."


We've seen Tanya reunite with Max, but does she still have insecurities when it comes to their relationship?
"There's massive insecurities there, and I think it's going to be really interesting to explore that over the next couple of months, as we're filming it at the moment. From my research, I did discover how invasive the treatment can be for cervical cancer. So I spoke to the storyliners and we talked about how very often in a soap, somebody will survive cancer and then it all gets forgotten about. But when I spoke to survivors, I heard that the side-effects from chemotherapy and radiotherapy are quite big - and people can be left with life-long issues because of the treatment.

"Because of the type of cancer that Tanya's got, those issues will inevitably affect her sex life with Max and their relationship. Tanya's relationship with Max has often been based on how she needs to keep him on his toes, as she fears that he could stray at any second. But Tanya's not feeling like the same woman at the moment, so I think it'll be quite sad to watch."

How are things between Tanya and her mum Cora at the moment?
"I think that now we've explored all of the history with Tanya's father, the two of them are in a new territory. Cora can sometimes be distant and cold, but you have to remember that they hadn't spoken for a long time. At the moment, because of Tanya's illness, Cora is being supportive and quite 'mummy' - but there's always the possibility that things could take a turn for the worse with their relationship, so I think that could change."


We're also currently seeing Lauren go off the rails a bit. How does Tanya cope with that?
"At first, Tanya wasn't really aware of it as much as she should have been. It amazes me when people say that Tanya is a great mum, because so often she just doesn't see what's right under her nose when it comes to her kids! Lauren's problems are news to Tanya and Max - and Tanya feels incredibly guilty about it.

"Now that Tanya is coming to the end of her treatment and hopefully she'll be okay, it's time for her to take a look around her and see what's changed. She's been in this 'cancer bubble', but now she sees that she's been neglecting some of the people around her."

Tanya will also soon lose her best friend, as Jane is leaving the Square again…
"It's awful! Laurie Brett has already filmed her final scenes and I miss her hugely, and Tanya definitely misses Jane. Tanya has also lost Rainie in the past couple of months, so a lot of the females in her life are leaving. I think she needs to get close to Bianca or Carol or somebody, because she's short on a female friend!"


Are you enjoying having Derek in the Branning clan now?
"Jamie Foreman is fantastic - I played his mistress years ago in a show called Family. So when they said that the new Derek Branning would be Jamie, I just thought he was a perfect choice.

"And Tanya definitely has issues with Derek, as he had a fling with Rainie at her wedding, when Rainie was only 17 and a bit of a drunk. As far as Tanya's concerned, Derek took advantage of her sister. And who knows, he might have tried to take advantage of Tanya in the past. He's a wrong'un and she's not keen!"

Do you think there's still some secrets to be revealed about the time that Max spent with Derek away from the Square?
"Of course there will be - and it makes me sick just thinking about it! I think that's another reason why Tanya doesn't like Derek - she knows that Max was with him when he was missing. Tanya knows damn well that Derek will know some secrets and that they'll be about Max - because Max always has secrets! That'll be eating away at Tanya as we speak."

How did you feel about being involved in Pam St Clement's final episode recently?
"It was really lovely and a very emotional time for everybody on the set, as she's such an icon. Pam did some lovely work and in her final days on set, there was a lovely feeling because she'd requested particular directors and crew to work on her final block. It was a real privilege to play a part in Pat's final episode. Funnily enough, I hadn't really worked much with Pam in the time that I've been at EastEnders, so that was the most that we'd ever worked together."


Would you like to see more from Lorna Fitzgerald, who plays Abi, this year?
"I think it's going to be an exciting year for Lorna. She's been a natural on the show ever since she was younger, and I think she's one of our best actresses. What's lovely about this year is that she'll be doing her GCSEs, and then hopefully once that's out of the way, she can get something that's a bit heavier and a bit bigger. She'll be old enough to work longer hours, so I think they'd be mad if they didn't give her something to sink her teeth into at some point this year."

How do you feel about Jacqueline Jossa, who plays Lauren, being up for the 'Best Newcomer' prize at the National Television Awards?
"It's fantastic - we're all so proud. I think Jacqueline has done a brilliant job and she's great to work with. We'd be so thrilled if she won, because she totally deserves it."

Do you think EastEnders also has a good chance for the 'Best Serial Drama' prize?
"I hope so - we've got so many great families in EastEnders at the moment. We've got the Masoods, the Brannings and the Mitchells - so there's some very strong characters and fabulous families. I think we cover every generation really well, so I think we should win!"

How long would you like to stay on EastEnders for?
"I'm really, really happy here. Hopefully I'll be around for this next year, and I'd love to be able to stay for a long time, actually. The practicalities are that I'd love to be with my kids a bit more as well, so who knows? But at the moment I'm extremely happy, as I'm in a great family on a great show!"

EastEnders fans will see Max and Tanya's relationship come under strain next week as the pressure of their current situation begins to take its toll.

With Valentine's Day coming up, all is not well between the couple as they seem distant and are failing to communicate with each other properly.

Tanya has received the date for her next scan, and it's her mum Cora (Ann Mitchell) who realises that she's scared of never feeling like a woman again due to her battle with cervical cancer.

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Meanwhile, Max (Jake Wood) chooses to confide in Jack (Scott Maslen) over his own feelings, confessing that he's struggling with the new dynamic of his relationship - and fears that he and Tanya aren't working without the usual passionate spark between them.

When Valentine's Day does arrive, things get worse as Max and Tanya have to spend the evening eating fish and chips at home following a mix-up with their reservation at the Argee Bhajee.

Later, when Max innocently suggests that Tanya should take her cardigan off, she becomes self-conscious and heads to bed alone.

Jo Joyner, who plays Tanya, first spoke about these developments in her interview with Digital Spy last month, saying: "There's massive insecurities [between Tanya and Max], and I think it's going to be really interesting to explore that over the next couple of months… Tanya's relationship with Max has often been based on how she needs to keep him on his toes, as she fears that he could stray at any second.

"But Tanya's not feeling like the same woman at the moment, so I think it'll be quite sad to watch."

With recent rumours that fans should watch out for Max's wandering eye in the coming weeks, is Tanya right to be worried?

EastEnders airs these scenes on Monday, February 13 and Tuesday, February 14 on BBC One.

EastEnders star Jo Joyner has insisted that she doesn't find it too difficult to switch off from her emotional storyline.

The actress's character Tanya Jessop has been battling cervical cancer over the past few months after being diagnosed last summer.

Joyner, reflecting on the plotline, told the Daily Star: "Rather than it making me depressed after filming those difficult scenes, I tend to go home relieved that it's not my life.

"I go home and laugh even more hysterically than I would normally because of what's happening to Tanya.

"Saying that, my husband doesn't agree. He thinks I carry it all more than I think I do.

"He says I come back miserable, but once I've put the kids in the bath and had a laugh, then I feel good again."

EastEnders viewers will see Tanya's relationship face further problems in the coming days as her partner Max (Jake Wood) struggles with the lack of passion between them.

EastEnders star Jo Joyner has warned that her character Tanya Jessop's troubles may not be over once she gets the all-clear from cancer.

Tanya and her loved ones receive heartwarming news next week as an MRI scan reveals that her treatment has been successful.

However, Joyner told Inside Soap that EastEnders will explore the aftermath of Tanya's illness in the episodes to come.

"Tanya's overwhelmed by the news," she explained. "I talked to the story team about this, because I think it's really important to emphasise that this isn't the end of it all for Tanya. You never really get the all-clear from cancer - she's just clear of it for now.

"The treatment Tanya's undergone has really taken a toll on her. And I think at the back of her mind, she will always be worrying about the possibility of the cancer coming back. She's moving on to the next phase of her life now - and that's going to be equally scary."

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Viewers will see Tanya initially struggling to stay cheerful as her family celebrates around her.

Joyner added: "Tanya can't work out why she doesn't feel like celebrating. But then she realises it's because she's scared her cancer might come back - she's worried that she might jinx it. That's just something she's got to get her head round and learn how to deal with."

EastEnders fans will see Tanya get her MRI scan results on Thursday, March 15 at 7.30pm on BBC One.

EastEnders fans see Tanya Jessop's troubles with partner Max Branning come to a head next week as she is finally honest with him about her fears.

As Tanya was given the all-clear from cervical cancer a few weeks ago, Max (Jake Wood) is keen to start moving their relationship forward again in the coming days. However, he's in for a shock as Tanya reveals exactly why she has been shying away from him.

In real life, meanwhile, Jo Joyner - who plays Tanya - has secured a string of nominations at this year's British Soap Awards, receiving nods for 'Best Actress', 'Best Dramatic Performance', 'Best On-Screen Partnership' for her scenes with Jake Wood and 'Best Storyline' for Tanya's cancer.

Digital Spy recently caught up with Jo for a catch-up chat about all things Tanya.

Congratulations on your British Soap Award nominations! How does it feel to have had so much recognition this year?
"It's a bit nerve-wracking, actually! I'm not particularly used to it and I certainly wasn't expecting it. Because I've been nominated for a few, I suppose I feel a bit of pressure to at least get something!"

It'll be a big night for the Brannings as Lorna Fitzgerald (Abi), Scott Maslen (Jack) and Jamie Foreman (Derek) are all up for prizes too…
"I know, I'm really proud of them and I think the nominations are all well-deserved. Obviously Scott is the sexiest male on telly! I'm really thrilled for Lorna, too, because every year at the Soap Awards my one disappointment has been constantly wondering why she isn't up for 'Best Young Performance'. I think Lorna genuinely deserves to win that one, so I'm delighted that she's up for it.

"I also think that Jamie is a fantastic addition to the Brannings - he's an excellent actor, a joy to work with and a lovely, lovely guy. The nominations are all very exciting."

Have you got your dress for the night sorted yet?
"I have! I'm not particularly glamorous, I'm afraid - I'm not very good at glamour! But I've got a very pretty blue silk dress for the night, which I love."


Looking back over the past year, are there any scenes that you particularly enjoyed or you're most proud of?
"I've had some really lovely stuff written for me in the past year, without a doubt. I think the material I've most enjoyed doing is possibly the moments in between - so the anxiety before treatments and the little quiet moments.

"I also really enjoyed doing the scene in the kitchen where Tanya told Cora and Rainie that she had helped her father to die. I enjoyed doing that because it was so difficult to film and I was really getting my teeth into it.

"Another scene that stands out is the one where Tanya was packing memory boxes and had written letters for the kids. I thought that was brilliantly written - it was so awful and I was in tears reading it, let alone trying to film it. I think the writers were really great at getting across Tanya's anger over the situation in that scene - especially her fear that Max wouldn't be able to carry on without her. It was such a complex scene and I really enjoyed it."

Now that Tanya's had the all-clear from her cancer, what's your take on the current state of play between her and Max?
"I think at the moment they're trying to live in a brave new world. Tanya wants to get on with things and seize every moment, because she's never been more aware of how precious life is. But at the same time, she is living with the damage that the cancer treatment can cause.

"I specifically asked the writers to look at that. I felt that very often in soaps, a cancer storyline is forgotten about as soon as somebody gets the all-clear. But chemotherapy and radiotherapy are very extreme treatments, and those have their own consequences on the body. You might be clear of the cancer, but you might be damaged in other ways.

"Because it's such a female cancer that Tanya was having treatment for, it's really hit her at the very heart of her relationship with a husband who already found it hard to stay faithful. So Tanya is in a very vulnerable position with Max at the moment.

"They're struggling with working out how they can be a couple when they're quite nervous and tentative about going back into the bedroom."


How do things develop between them next week?
"Well, it's now become such a big issue. Tanya hasn't been honest with Max about her feelings when it comes to their sex life. Instead, she's told him, 'The nurses say I should just wait a bit longer'. That wasn't actually the truth, so she's now got herself into a really tricky situation.

"Max eventually becomes aware that not sleeping with Tanya hasn't been under doctors' orders. Max reacts in quite a typical way, asking, 'What do you mean, you don't want me? What have I done wrong?'

"But by the end of the week, they do straighten things out and they enter a new world of trying to go back to the very basics of when they first started seeing each other. Max tries to be a bit more romantic and they reminisce. It's a great way to start their new chapter."

As you mentioned, you came up with the idea to explore these problems for Tanya's relationship following her illness. Did you feel a responsibility to ensure Tanya's journey was portrayed accurately?
"Yeah, you definitely feel very responsible. I've been at EastEnders for six or seven years, and I don't think I'd ever been up to the story team in all that time. That's because they're very good up there - they come up with the ideas, they're in charge of that department and I do my acting. I've never felt like interfering or getting involved.

"But when you're given the responsibility of a storyline like this, you have to justify it and talk to the press about it, so I needed to make sure that I was doing a good job and that we were coming at the storyline from the right angles. The team here always were - it's just that I had a more personal, emotional side that I could draw on.

"So it was a little bit more collaborative than it normally would be, and I really enjoyed that. They've been very good and humoured me, I suppose!"

Is there anything you would have done differently?
"Well, the fact is we work on incredibly extreme schedules here - it's not like any other television show that you would ever work on. On a three-parter, you'd do six or seven scenes per day, whereas here we'll film 17 to 20 scenes. You could be in every single one of those scenes, and they could be across eight different episodes.

"That means that a difficulty arises when you get scenes where you're supposed to look terrible due to the cancer treatment, but in the following scene in 20 minutes' time, you're supposed to look fine because you're pretending to your family that you're not having treatment."


Things are looking up for Tanya and Max, but is it true that things are going to get worse where Lauren's drinking problem is concerned?
"I think things are definitely going to get worse before they get better when it comes to Lauren. This is a storyline that the team decided to do a long time ago, and they've given it a nice longevity. They've been weaving it in gradually and slowly, which I think is always a great thing in our soaps. When they take their time with a storyline like that, you can pretty much guarantee that it's going to come to some sort of climax.

"Hopefully, as it's the BBC, we'll all learn something from that. But at the moment, Tanya is pretty ignorant of how bad things are with Lauren…"

EastEnders star Jo Joyner is to take a break from the soap in 2013, it has been reported.

The British Soap award-winning actress, who plays Tanya Branning on the BBC One show, has asked to take leave when her current contract ends in order to spend more time with her family.

The Daily Star quotes Joyner as saying that her recent plotlines have been "full-on", adding that she told a friend: "The rest of this year is going to be even more dramatic, because the Brannings have got some amazing stuff coming up."

The publication also claims that the actress is keen "to spend some quality time with [her] family".

Joyner is said to have already agreed a return to EastEnders and her character will not be killed off.

An EastEnders spokesperson said on Monday night (April 30) that Joyner "will be taking a break from filming in 2013 but will definitely return".

The news comes just 24 hours after June Brown - who plays Dot Branning - confirmed that she will take a six-month break from EastEnders to spend time working on her autobiography.

EastEnders star Jo Joyner has explained her forthcoming break from the soap, confirming that she wants to strike the right balance between work and her family commitments.

Earlier this week, it was revealed that Joyner will be taking time out from her role as Tanya Jessop in 2013. Her departure will follow another dramatic year for Tanya and her on-screen family.

Mum-of-two Joyner has now spoken about the situation for the first time, using her Twitter account to assure fans that she isn't quitting permanently.

She told one follower: "I'm not leaving! Just a little break, some time to be a better mum. It's all about finding a balance."

Later, the actress added: "It will only be a short break to spend time with family, and it's ages off. It's going to be a busy year for the Brannings."

Joyner took home two prizes at the British Soap Awards on Saturday night (April 28).