Lacey Turner has said that she left EastEnders because she was curious about other roles.

The 26-year-old actress played Stacey Slater from 2004 to 2010, with the character's last appearance on Christmas Day that year.

Asked why she left the show, Turner told Metro: "I woke up one morning and thought, 'My god, I've been here six years'. I was curious about what else was out there.

"It was my first job. I'd done theatre when I was 11 and wanted to go back to it and explore other things. I thought if I didn't leave when I did, I'd have been there forever."

She continued: "I had such a lovely time there and was blessed with great storylines. I loved Stacey as a character, made lovely friends and had the best seven years of my life."

Turner admitted to missing EastEnders and added: "I spent so much time there - more than I did at home.

"I miss playing Stacey but it's nice to have a life and be able to do things I didn't have time to do before, such as go to the hairdresser or dentist. Just normal things.

"I can't believe it's been two years since I left. It feels like yesterday. I don't know whether I'll ever go back to EastEnders. I'd certainly never say never because I loved being Stacey."

Watch Lacey Turner talk to Digital Spy about her farewell scenes below: