Carol Jackson (Lindsey Coulson)

[tammyy2j]

Given the actress involved she will do the storyline justice

[lizann]

get her back with david soon

[tammyy2j]

Carol Jackson's storyline comes back to the forefront on EastEnders next week as she collects her test results from the hospital and is diagnosed with breast cancer.

After receiving the news, it's not long until Carol makes some big decisions by breaking up with her partner Masood Ahmed (Nitin Ganatra) and paying a visit to her daughter Sonia Fowler in search of some support.

Here, Lindsey Coulson - who plays Carol - reveals her thoughts on exploring the sensitive storyline.

Prior to Carol's diagnosis, what are her feelings for David? Did she mean it when she told him she loved him at Christmas?
"Yes, she did. I think she's always loved David and has been pushing that down because she knows he's probably a bad boy and probably not right for her, and the last time she declared her love he went away. I think she thinks he's changed. She knows that she does absolutely love Masood as well, but David's her first love."

Before her results are in, is Carol bracing herself for the worst?
"Yes, she's gone to the worst case scenario. She does think she's got breast cancer, she's gone to that really scary place already."

How does Carol react when her fears are confirmed and she is diagnosed with breast cancer?
"It feels like her head's imploding. I've heard from several people that's what it feels like to get that news and it's how I believe it would be."

Is Carol confident that David will give her the support she needs?
"I'm not sure she's 100% on that, but at the moment the biggest thing is the fear of life and death. I don't think she's sure still."

We know that Carol pays a visit to Sonia to tell her the news…
"Yeah, she feels more comforted by Sonia than anybody actually. Sonia is a natural carer isn't she, as she's a nurse as well, but Carol feels very quietly at ease with Sonia. She's very practical, whereas Bianca's so heady and a bit like Carol where they spar too much. Everything feels alright when Carol's with Sonia."

Carol finally breaks down while listening to Sonia's daughter Rebecca playing the guitar. Why does it happen at that moment?
"It's all sinking in. She's been holding it in, caring and worrying about everybody else, but the enormity of it and the whole process hits her whilst she's listening to that beautiful music. I think that's a key moment for her."

Why does Carol end her relationship with Masood? Is it because she loves David more?
"I don't think it's as clear-cut for her, actually. I like to play the ambiguity. In another life she would have been with Masood, because she knows this man is kind and gentle and caring and safe, but she can't quite let go of the bad boy. She can't quite let go of when she was 14 years old and how he made her feel.

"There is no real reason, nothing Masood did wrong, but she's at a crossroads. I think it's really sad that she ended it just as his mum died, but I also think that all of those things happened and she needed to clear it up. I think she felt very sad about that."

How will the diagnosis change Carol's everyday life?
"I think clearly if you have something like this, the small things are just not important as we're talking life and death here. I think it will change things, and she certainly thinks it will at the moment.

"But she's trying to do normality too. Lots of the women I spoke to who had experienced breast cancer were saying that it's a bit like being in a goldfish bowl, you're trying desperately to grab onto something that's normal."

What kind of impact do you want the storyline to have?
"So many women are affected by breast cancer, so it's massive as it affects so many families and so many people. I've had a lot of people in my life who have been affected by it. To be honest, it's quite a difficult question for me to answer. People may be interested in Carol, who is a character who you might like or might not like, but you will be interested because you know her, you'll be interested in the way she deals with it.

"It would be fantastic if it made people check their breasts, as so much of it can be dealt with. It's not a death sentence now, it can be caught. Women are living with it and are dealing with it. I think it's massive for women because breasts are a part of your sexuality and it's about child rearing as well, so it's a huge thing.

"And if you did prostate cancer for men, or testicular cancer, hopefully that would prompt men to do the same. Hopefully it will let people know that if you actually find something, go and get it checked as soon as possible because the more you prolong something the more it happens."

Have you been doing research to help you play the storyline?
"Yes, a lot. I've spoken to about five different women and I've read up on lots of stuff, but in fact I had to stop in the end as I'm obviously dictated by the script and by staying true to Carol as a character. Everybody's journeys are unique and unique to them, and their own experiences.

"For a while I felt responsible to get it so right for all of these women, and I can't. And I felt a bit overwhelmed by it, so then I said I wanted to see a nurse. I wanted to talk to someone very clinically about it, so that was good to see from her perspective. And my night reading is about cancer and the treatment of it. Cancer years ago was a word you couldn't say, and now you can say it, and now we can get better from it.

"When soaps are covering these storylines which can really raise awareness is when they're at their best, in a way. It's difficult when you're entrenched in it, because you can't always see it. In my head, I think people are just going to go, 'oh', but as an actor you hope it will have an impact like that. The storyline is going to be done forensically."

[Ruffed_lemur]

Oh no, another cancer storyline. Just as Corrie's is nearing an end!

[Perdita]

Carol Jackson will be diagnosed with the faulty BRCA2 gene as part of a new storyline in Eastenders.

Viewers of the soap recently saw Carol inform her daughters, Sonia and Bianca, that she was going to be tested for the gene.

The discovery of the gene, which will air later this month, will kickstart a storyline that will run for the remainder of the year.

One of Carol's daughters will also find out that she is affected by the BRCA gene.

Executive producer Dominic Treadwell-Collins said: "She reacts very differently to her mother. We don't want to scaremonger, we want to show every little moment of a woman going through this and the way it affects her children, brothers, sisters and parents."

Lindsey Coulson, who plays Carol, spoke to The Telegraph about her own research for the role.

"I wanted to layer some detail and the writers are brilliant if I phone up after reading a script and say, look, don't take me to the pub now, I need to go home and sleep because it's the third day after chemo," Coulson explained.

"I suggested Carol drinking mint tea and green tea because I'm quite fired up about the nutritional side. For a while, I was so immersed in it, I almost believed I had cancer myself. It is a big fear for all of us.

"I'm following an alkaline diet, having read about the links between sugar and cancerous tumours. I'm interested in whether someone like Carol would have that knowledge too."

Coulson said that he has known people who have survived cancer and others who haven't been so lucky.

"I want to get it right for them," she added. "I talked to a chemotherapy nurse and what you go through is not pretty.

"The viewers will see it warts and all. Chemo is a toxic poison and you are not going to look great. People need to see that Carol is losing her hair. I'm for as much authenticity as possible."

[Perdita]

Carol Jackson's happy wedding day takes an unexpected turn on EastEnders next week as fears mount that her fiancé David Wicks won't turn up for the ceremony.

When Bianca finds out about David's secret kiss with Nikki Spraggan, she urges her father not to go ahead with the nuptials if he has any doubts.

When David's quest for 'something blue' later takes him away from Walford, will he be back or has he taken Bianca's advice?

Here, Lindsey Coulson - who plays Carol - previews the big episodes ahead for her character.

How is Carol feeling about her wedding to David?
"I think Carol is excited. They've gone and set a date at the registry office and she just wants to get it all sorted. Carol was in hospital after collapsing and could have died, so I think she's really excited and they are closer than ever."

On Carol's wedding day, she's in the car ready to go but there's no sign of David. What goes through her mind?
"I think as the time goes on, she thinks he's not going to show up and she gets angry and feels stupid. She's thinking, 'Of course he was going to do this - it's what he does'. She feels angry at herself more than anything."

Does Carol trust David?
"Yes, I think she does. There's no reason for her not to at the moment, as she doesn't know anything about Nikki. Carol has been at her lowest low with the cancer and David is still there for her, so I think they've got an incredible trust at the moment."

Why has David always been the man for Carol?
"I think it's just her heart and the history between them. She can't help herself - the feeling that she feels with him is too good. Her head has an argument with her heart most of the time, but it feels right to her."

How do you think Carol would react if she found out about David's secret kiss with Nikki?
"I think she'd feel let down and angry with herself for allowing herself to open up her heart to him again. But Carol is also fighting cancer, so that makes you a different person and I don't think she's got a lot of energy, really - so she'd just feel let down again."

What impact does Carol's cancer have on her desire to marry David?
"It's made her want to marry him more, because life's too short. She's worried about the children and knows he would look after them. I think she also just feels, 'Why not?'

"The lovely thing about it is that when you look at what Carol is going through and what she's looking like - and when David could've had a very blonde beautiful woman - he's got to love Carol, hasn't he? I think she feels very loved by him. So I think he's been really supportive, apart from all the court stuff. She feels loved."

Carol asks Liam to walk her down the aisle. Has her cancer brought them closer together?
"Yes, they have a lovely relationship. I think Carol had lovely relationships with her sons - obviously one died and one's in India. I think she misses that, and she sees that in Liam. I think he's very supportive and genuinely loves and cares for her."

After her recent collapse, would you say Carol is pushing herself too much with the wedding?
"I think she probably is pushing herself too much, just because she wants to work and wants to be in control. I think Carol didn't realise the impact the chemo would have on her. It has taken her by surprise - I think it does with anybody who's at that point.

"I don't think it's in Carol's nature to take it easy - I think she finds it too hard to not be the controller and she's not comfortable with people doing things for her."

Over the years, did you ever think Carol and David's wedding day would come?
"No, not really. But I think as David's got older he's realised that what he wants is not just some dolly bird - he wants someone who knows him and understands him."

What else can fans expect from the wedding?
"It's an EastEnders wedding so there's bound to be drama!"

What was it like filming the wedding day itself?
"It was bizarre because I looked so different. I was wearing a wig - and a different wig - and for the first time in a long time I had make-up on. I felt like a different character, so that was slightly unsettling as an actor."

Did you have any input into Carol's wedding dress?
"Yes I did. We decided that she would have the fairy-tale dress without it being too silly. She didn't know she was going to survive this cancer, so I think she went for something more traditional than she might well have done. That's quite poignant in itself, I think."

What's it like having Natalie Cassidy back on the show as Sonia?
"It's fantastic - I absolutely love working with Natalie. She is a true professional and we have such a lovely bond. I've known her since she was 10, and I'm really grateful to be spending more time with her."

How does it feel to be up for Best Actress at the British Soap Awards?
"It's lovely - it's a real compliment. I'm glad people have enjoyed what I've been trying to do with this particular story, and it's really nice to be acknowledged. But the whole cast are doing such wonderful work at such speed, you want all of them to be up.

"I don't think you can single one person out, to be honest - but it's rather lovely and thank you to everyone that's voted and is still voting."

Have you been able to watch yourself on screen while playing Carol's storyline?
"I think some people find it hard. It's quite hard to watch and it's hard for my family to watch because no matter if it's Carol, it's sort of me. It's quite incredible being bald, it's fairly freeing as an actress.

"I'm just really pleased that the story and the script and everybody involved with it - including make-up and costume - all have collaborated really well. That's been a real joy and I've really enjoyed working with everybody. To try and make the story truthful with her cancer but also how Carol gets on with her life with it has been so important.

"So it's been a pleasure but a strange pleasure. Hopefully I'm portraying it so that some people have identified with it."

[tammyy2j]

I hope they marry

[lizann]

she is leaving

[maidmarian]

she is leaving

Oh no! Permanently or a "break"?
Do you know anymore please.

[maidmarian]

Dupl