Stacey Slater (Lacey Turner)

[Perdita]

ARCHIE assassin Stacey Branning will get away with murder - because EastEnders bosses are desperate for her to stay in the soap.

The fall guy (yet again) will be her poor hubby Bradley, with detectives blaming him for the Queen Vic killing.

A whopping 16.6 million viewers saw Bradders plunge to his death just before Stacey's confession in Friday night's live episode to mark the show's 25th birthday.

But bipolar Stacey - played by multi-award-winning Lacey Turner - won't be going down.

An insider told us: "Lacey is with us for the foreseeable future.

"But don't forget she told her father-in-law Max that she killed Archie - so there are plenty of twists and turns to come."

Yesterday Lacey, 21, revealed she nearly couldn't say the infamous words, "It was me, I killed Archie" - due to a bad sore throat.

Terrible

Earlier in the day she'd missed the dress rehearsals because she'd lost her voice - then she lost it again straight after filming.

She said: "It's typical isn't it - just as the live is upon us I get ill and lose my voice but, to be honest, even though I felt terrible nothing was going to stop me doing it.

"Everyone has worked so hard on this episode and it is such a big part of TV history that I just knew I couldn't miss it. I just made sure I rested my voice throughout the day so I could save it for the filming."

And sexy singleton Lacey had NO inkling she was Archie's killer until 20 minutes before the show.

The plot was such a huge secret that the cast had to rehearse TEN possible endings. Lacey, 21, said: "I honestly couldn't believe it. I had no idea and didn't for one minute think it would be Stacey.

"Usually you are told when you get such a big storyline but this really must be the best-kept secret in EastEnders' history."

She went on: "I got a call to go and see Diederick (Santer, the executive producer) about 20 minutes before we went live. We all knew he was going to see Archie's killer but I didn't think for one second it would be me.


NOTW

[alan45]

Just another one in a long list of people who get off with murderand other serious crime down on Albert Square. Of course some of the cast have even got away with crimes in real life allegedly.

[StarsOfCCTV]

I quite like Lacey so I'm glad she's staying... not that the character should get away with murder but it would be easy for the police to think it was Bradley with the DNA evidence and him running from them. Makes him look like he's guilty.

[Perdita]

Off topic, I know, but I love your avatar, Stars

[angelblue]

I think it is going to be really difficult for Stacey after this if anything the gulit is possibly going to rip her apart, she has Archie blood on her hands. But also the man she truly loved is dead because of her and she also has to live with the fact that everyone is calling her husband a murder when in actual fact he is innocent.

[Dazzle]

And she's pregnant too! Poor Stacey, you've gotta feel sorry for her despite Bradley taking the blame for her crimes.

I'm glad Lacey's not leaving any time soon. Stacey may go down for murdering Archie when Lacey does eventually leave EE.

[Chris_2k11]

Im glad shes getting away with it, Archie was a bast**d - she's already lost Bradley because of him.

oh and brilliant ratings!

[Ruffed_lemur]

I hope she gets away with it too. Losing Bradley is just terrible for her!

[alan45]

Why should she get away with murder.

[Dazzle]

Whilst I theoretically agree that she shouldn't get away with it, I don't want Lacey to leave EE so I hope she doesn't get found out. Plenty of people get away with murder in real life.