EastEnders star Ellie Dadd has thanked fans for their support following an 'emotional' week for her character Amy Mitchell, who killed her groomer in self-defence.
Amy, as viewers of the BBC One soap know, was groomed by detective Craig Ingram, played by Matthew James Bailey, who used her guilt in the attack on Joel Marshall to manipulate her. The storyline reached a dramatic peak this week when Craig fled the Square with Amy, who had managed to secure access to her inheritance early. When police suspended the bank accounts, Craig turned violent and attacked Amy, who retaliated by hitting him across the back of the head with a candlestick in self-defence.
Craig's Death and Amy's Silence
Craig was subsequently confirmed dead, and Amy, unsure if she could trust the police, decided to keep quiet about how things ended at the bedsit, claiming she ran away from abusive Craig. As for where the storyline goes next remains to be seen, but star Ellie, who delivered a powerhouse performance alongside co-star Matthew, marked the big scenes with a post on Instagram, thanking everyone for the response to the story.
'I just wanted to take a moment to say a huge thank you to everyone who has taken the time to send such kind, thoughtful and supportive messages this week,' she wrote on her Stories. 'It's been a particularly big and emotional week for Amy on screen, tackling incredibly difficult and sensitive subjects. Stories like these are so important in raising awareness, starting conversations and most importantly helping people feel seen, heard and less alone.'
Ellie's Gratitude and Matthew's Tribute
'I feel incredibly grateful to have been trusted to be part of telling this story, and I can only hope that in some small way it has helped survivors feel understood, encouraged others to speak out, or reminded anyone going through something similar that they are not alone. I know the past couple of months have been a hard watch and very uncomfortable at times but that's exactly why we do stories like this. Thank you again for all the love and support it genuinely means more than you know.'
Craig star Matthew, who confirmed his exit to Metro last night, shared Ellie's post to his own story, branding her 'one of the most talented humans' he's ever worked with. Discussing the powerful storyline, Matthew told Metro: 'I'm so proud to be a part of this storyline and raise awareness, and working with Barnado's and Violence Against Women to stop it. We're working with incredible charities to make sure this story is told sensitively and accurately. The whole message is to tell people that manipulation comes in all forms and all shapes and sizes. Whether you think it's love or not, there are people out there who are willing to listen, and hopefully what we can do is get people to speak up and talk about it, and if they're scared or if they're worried about what might happen, that there are people out there who are willing to listen and will help you.'
EastEnders airs Mondays to Thursdays at 7:30pm on BBC One or streams from 6am on BBC iPlayer.
