EastEnders star Lorraine Stanley reveals career news after being axed from soap

Lorraine Stanley has announced her latest career venture on social media
Lorraine Stanley has announced her latest career venture on social media -Credit:WireImage


EastEnders actress Lorraine Stanley has officially unveiled her latest career plans after leaving the BBC soap earlier this year. As regular viewers will know, Lorraine announced her character Karen Taylor’s departure last August, with the character last seen on screen in February 2024.

Yet after a mere three months away from our screens, the actress has revealed she will be taking on a brand new role in her hometown, as she is set to star as Queen Rat in this year's Dick Whittington pantomime in Portsmouth. Lorraine will be treading the boards at the Kings Theatre over the Christmas period later this year, with the family friendly production sure to attract audiences of all ages, as well as allowing the star to reunite with a very dear old friend.

Fresh from her EastEnders exit, Lorraine has revealed she is taking to the stage later this year
Fresh from her EastEnders exit, Lorraine has revealed she is taking to the stage later this year -Credit:REX/Shutterstock

Sharing the news on social media, Lorraine wrote: "I can't wait for this!!!! Panto in my home town with me old mate Jack Edwards is going to be epic!!! Ratty is coming to play Kings Theatre get your tickets early and I'll see you after the show Xxx.”

As well as her upcoming panto role, Lorraine appears to be a woman in demand, as the former Walford favourite has recently begun filming for a brand new film called Departures. In the gritty British drama, Lorraine is set to play the character of Janet, the mother of the main character Benji, who returns to Amsterdam after having embarked on a steamy affair with a married man in the city.

Although no further details have been given about the rest of the plot line, Lorraine’s latest role is far from the first time she has appeared on the silver screen, with the actress previously having appeared in Tom Hardy flick Legend back in 2015, and in 2016’s award winning Suffragette movie, alongside acting heavyweights such as Meryl Streep, Helena Bonham Carter and Carey Mulligan.

Lorraine was last seen on EastEnders back in February
Lorraine was last seen on EastEnders back in February -Credit:BBC/Jack Barnes/Kieron McCarron

The positive career update comes after EastEnders fans were left devastated by Lorraine’s departure, following a decision by the BBC to axe her character Karen Taylor amid the fallout of her son Keanu Taylor’s murder. Yet in a potential plot twist, the actress has since teased that fans may not have seen the last of Karen, as she hinted that a return for the funeral was a possibility.

When quizzed about a return, the actress told The Sun : "You'll have to wait and see. I can't say too much, you know I can’t. You know there [will be] a funeral of some sort, I would imagine. I'm not allowed to say anything!”

The star then teased further adding: "She couldn't miss her own son's funeral, could she?"