EastEnders producers are reportedly scrambling to rewrite storylines following the abrupt departure of actor Brian Conley, who played Thomas 'Rocky' Cotton on the BBC soap. The 62-year-old has announced a new tour, The 3rd Farewell Tour…To Date, starting September 24 in Peterborough, amid claims he clashed with bosses and demanded to be written out.
According to reports, Conley's exit has forced the show to revise its Christmas storyline plans. An insider told The Sun: 'It's all come to a head. The truth is, bosses are furious. It looks as though he's just not enjoying being on EastEnders any more — and has been telling a lot of colleagues and telly friends he wanted out for a while.'
The source added that the BBC had hoped Conley would stay long-term, but he is 'having none of it'. Plans for a major character death in the Christmas episode, hinted at in a flash-forward scene, may now be altered to accommodate Conley's rapid exit. It is thought his character could be killed off.
Conley joined EastEnders in May 2021. In June, he revealed that the show planned to film multiple endings for the Christmas Day episode to keep the cast and viewers guessing about the identity of the victim. He told Steph's Packed Lunch: 'None of us have got a clue. I believe leading up to Christmas, there might be ten of us laying there so that it will be a big surprise.'
