It’s been 15 years since Whitney Dean (Shona McGarty) moved to Albert Square with her adoptive mum Bianca Jackson (Patsy Palmer) and half-siblings Tiffany Butcher (Maisie Smith), Liam Butcher (James Forde) and Morgan Butcher (Devon Higgs) and she’s become a Walford icon in that time.
However, all good things must come to an end, and that’s sadly the case for Whitney’s time on the Square as actor Shona has confirmed she’s leaving the soap world behind for pastures new.
Announcing her departure over the weekend, Shona said, “I have decided to spread my wings and will be leaving EastEnders. I have loved my years in the show. I have been trusted with some incredible storylines and have made amazing friendships – and family – which will endure."
As we prepare for Whitney to leave EastEnders, here’s a look back at some of her saddest storylines over the years.
Being groomed by Bianca's boyfriend Tony
Whitney was given a major storyline from the moment she arrived in Walford as it quickly came to light that she had been groomed and sexually abused by Bianca's peadophile boyfriend Tony King (Chris Coghill) since she was 12 years old. Whitney revealed all to Bianca on her 16th birthday and Tony was eventually sentenced to 13 years in prison after a barrister saw messages between the pair on Whitney's phone. A few years later, Whitney finds out that Tony died in prison.
Forced into prostitution by her boyfriend Rob
Following a short-lived relationship with Connor Stanley (Arinze Kene) - who cheated on her with Bianca's mum Carol - Whitney met Rob Grayson (Jody Latham) and moved in with him after running away from home. It was later revealed that Whitney had been sleeping with Rob's friends to pay off his debts. Eventually she manages to escape with help of Fatboy (Ricky Norwood) and her brother Ryan Malloy (Neil McDermott), who fights with Rob on the pier until he falls into the water and dies.
Her ill-fated marriage to Lee
After falling for Johnny Carter (Sam Strike), who doesn't reciprocate her feelings because he's gay, Whitney takes a liking to his brother Lee (Danny-Boy Hatchard) when he returns from Afghanistan. When Lee develops depression, Whitney kisses his dad Mick (Danny Dyer) but Lee responds by proposing to Whitney. She ends the relationship when she discovers he gave her chlamydia after sleeping with Abi Branning (Lorna Fitzgerald), but gives him another chance when she falls pregnant. Sadly, Whitney suffers a miscarriage and her relationship with Lee starts to break down due to their money problems. When Whitney pawns her wedding ring, Lee hits her in the face and although he promises to never hit her again, he later moves away and files for divorce.
Stalked by Tony's son Leo
When her fiancé Callum Highway (Tony Clay) reveals he kissed Ben Mitchell (Max Bowden), Whitney calls off the holiday and goes on the honeymoon by herself. While she's away, she meets Leo King (Tom Wells) who is later revealed as the son of Whitney's abuser Tony. Tony is convinced that his dad is innocent and that Whitney and Bianca made up the abuse, but when Whitney explains the truth Leo becomes obsessed with her and tells her he loves her due to their shared connection to Tony.
When she rejects him, Leo begins stalking Whitney and even opens up a stall on the market to be closer to her as well as spying on her from the attic above her bedroom. When he appears in her room with a knife, Whitney gets involved in an altercation which ends with him dying when he falls on the knife.
Whitney's unborn baby is diagnosed with Edward's Syndrome
It seemed like Whitney had finally found her happily ever after when she fell pregnant after sleeping with Zack Hudson (James Farrar). Although their relationship initially started as a one night stand, the pair agreed to raise their baby together - although Zack went off the rails when he was diagnosed with HIV.
A scan confirmed that the baby had omphalocele, where the organs develop on the outside of the body, with further tests showing that the unborn baby had Edwards syndrome. Whitney is forced to terminate the pregnancy and has to give birth to the deceased baby, which she and Zack called Peach.