EastEnders fans have been left reeling and furious after the BBC gave one of the soap's longest-serving characters a shockingly abrupt and 'disrespectful' send-off.
Jay Brown, portrayed by actor Jamie Borthwick for an incredible 16 years, made his final exit from Walford in scenes that aired this week, and viewers are absolutely livid with how the show's writers handled his departure.
A Whirlwind and Unsatisfying Farewell
Rather than a dramatic, plot-heavy exit fitting for a cornerstone character, Jay's leaving story was wrapped up in a matter of minutes. After a brief heart-to-heart with his foster father Billy Mitchell (Perry Fenwick), Jay simply got into a car and drove away, leaving Albert Square behind for good.
Fans immediately took to social media to express their outrage, branding the farewell as 'rushed', 'underwhelming', and a 'complete disgrace' for a character with such a rich history on the show.
Social Media Erupts in Anger
Twitter and Facebook became hotbeds of frustration as viewers voiced their disappointment. One incensed fan wrote, "16 years of dedication and that's how you send him off? An absolute joke."
Another commented, "What a pathetic exit for Jay. After everything his character has been through, he deserved a massive storyline, not a 30-second conversation. Shame on you, #EastEnders."
The sentiment was overwhelmingly negative, with many long-term followers of the show feeling that both the character and the actor were severely short-changed by the lacklustre writing.
A Legacy of Compelling Storylines
Jay Brown first arrived in Walford as a teenager back in 2006 and quickly became a integral part of the show's fabric. He has been at the centre of some of EastEnders' most hard-hitting plots, including his struggles with grief following the deaths of his father and wife, and more recently, a devastating storyline about drug addiction.
This extensive and emotional history is precisely why fans feel his off-screen exit, with minimal fanfare, was such a poor decision that failed to honour the character's legacy.
With BBC bosses and programme writers now facing significant backlash, many are wondering if this criticism will lead to a more fitting return for the character somewhere down the line.
