Lacey Turner has spoken candidly about suffering a miscarriage while working on EastEnders, revealing that she continued with her day on set despite what she was going through.
The 38-year-old actress, who became a household name playing Stacey Slater in the BBC soap, has opened up about experiencing two miscarriages before becoming a mum. Lacey now shares three children with her husband Matt Kay, daughters Dusty, seven, and Gipsy, 20 months, as well as five-year-old son Trilby.
Looking back at the devastating experience, the actress admitted that she had become so accustomed to dealing with the subject that she simply continued working when she suffered a miscarriage at EastEnders.
'I just carried on'
Speaking to Prima magazine, Lacey said: 'I had a miscarriage on the set of EastEnders. I had become so matter-of-fact about the subject because I just carried on.'
'Looking back, it's quite sad to know I reacted in such a way. Everyone was so supportive when I told them, and now, I've learned to be more in tune and speak up.'
Lacey spent much of her life working on EastEnders after joining the soap as a teenager. She was just 16 when she made her first appearance as Stacey in 2004 and quickly became one of Albert Square's most recognisable residents.
From Walford to Strictly
During her years in Walford, Stacey was placed at the centre of numerous major storylines, with Lacey earning widespread recognition for her performances. Her first stint came to a dramatic conclusion in 2010 when Stacey fled Walford on Christmas Day after admitting she was responsible for killing Archie Mitchell.
Lacey subsequently spent several years away from Albert Square and took on a string of different television roles. Her credits during the break included supernatural drama Bedlam, BBC military series Our Girl and a role in Call The Midwife.
However, Stacey's absence from Walford wasn't permanent. Lacey returned to EastEnders in 2014 and remained a major part of the soap for more than a decade before departing once again in 2025. This time Stacey was given a very different exit, leaving Walford behind to begin a new chapter in Brazil and live closer to her brother Sean.
New challenge
With EastEnders currently behind her, Lacey has decided to challenge herself in a completely different way by signing up for the latest series of Strictly Come Dancing. The actress revealed she had previously been approached about taking part in the BBC dancing competition but had turned down the opportunity.
Explaining why the timing finally felt right, she told Prima: 'I'm nearly 40 and I want to start doing things I'm scared of'. She added: 'I want to go out of my comfort zone and push myself to see what I'm capable of.'
And Lacey admitted her three children have also played a part in her decision to take on something new. She continued: 'Maybe it's a midlife crisis, but I want to show my children that they can do anything they put their mind to.'
Lacey is among 15 celebrities taking to the dance floor for this year's competition. During the launch show on Saturday, September 19th, it was revealed that the former EastEnders favourite had been partnered with Italian professional dancer Vito Coppola.
The celebrities have yet to face their first live-show performances, meaning Lacey will soon swap Albert Square's dramatic storylines for an altogether different challenge under the Strictly ballroom lights.
