EastEnders’ heartbreaking storyline involving potentially brain-damaged baby Ollie has left the cast sobbing off-screen.
Danny-Boy Hatchard – who portrays former army recruit Lee Carter in the long-running soap – has revealed the shocking plot, which sees Mick and Linda Carter’s (Danny Dyer and Kellie Bright) son develop a bleed on the brain and suffer several seizures after a recent fall, has affected every actor involved.
He explained to the Daily Star newspaper: "Any kind of storyline that we do that can affect a family, affects us. As actors we actually feel it. We reflect on what people who are going through it must be feeling. It does really hit home when you’re covering situations like this. So of course it’s emotional. Viewers are seeing how we [the family] come together to deal with it."
But the Carter clan may have a little while to go before they’re leaning on each other as the devastating news is set to tear them apart when loveable landlord Mick loses it and throws the blame on to his daughter Nancy Carter (Maddy Hill).
The feud will likely lead to the departure of the tomboy after Maddy announced she is quitting the soap later this year.
She said recently: "It was time for Nancy to take a break from her family and me from ‘EastEnders’ after having a wonderful time working on the show.
"I was surrounded by a terrific team both on and off camera and I shall miss seeing them all on a daily basis, especially the fabulous Carter family."