EastEnders' Shona McGarty opens up on 'irresponsible' suspension for lateness
EASTENDERS mainstay Shona McGarty has reflected on her past suspension from the hit soap, admitting she was "lazy and irresponsible" at the time.
Shona McGarty plays Whitney Carter in EastEnders
The star, who plays Whitney Carter in the hit soap, was given her marching orders for four weeks after being consistently late on-set, leaving cast and crew infuriated.
Now, the actress has admitted she only had herself to blame.
"I was like, 'Oh god, this is bad'," she recalled.
"It was lazy and irresponsible of me. I only lived round the corner as well, that's what made it hilarious."
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I was like, 'Oh god, this is bad'
Speaking to The Sun's Fabulous magazine, she added: "It was typical of me as I was always late for school.
"There was no excuse really, I was just tired and young."
It's been a typically busy festive period on Albert Square, including the surprise return of Michelle Fowler - albeit with a new actress in the role.
Show boss Sean O'Connor teased: "We wanted her to be recognisably the Michelle we knew, Pauline and Arthur's daughter, but also somebody who has grown up and moved on and is a bit different.
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Michelle Fowler has also returned
"She's been in America for 20 years so of course she's going to be in some way changed and different than she was when she left.
"As we know from her youth, Michelle was always a very a complicated girl. She was a troubled, complicated, young woman, and now she's hitting her mid-late 40s she's an even more complex character."
EastEnders continues tonight at 8pm on BBC One.