Roland Manookian, who played Teddy Mitchell on EastEnders, has been axed from the BBC soap after just 18 months. The actor arrived alongside on-screen sons Elijah Holloway and Lewis Bridgeman to lead a new branch of the Mitchell family, but bosses have decided to let him go.
A source told The Sun: “Roland took a big risk agreeing to join EastEnders after his long and successful career in film. There was big hopes for the Mitchells being revitalised by the new family but things obviously changed for some reason and the material just wasn’t there for Teddy.” They added: “Bosses made the decision that the character had run his course and that was that. It seems such a waste.”
A spokesperson for the soap confirmed the news in a statement: “We can confirm Roland will be leaving EastEnders this year, and we wish him all the best for the future.” Manookian is known for his roles in The Football Factory and Rise of the Footsoldier.
The departure follows a string of other actors leaving the show, including Clair Norris, Matthew James Morrison, and Micah Balfour. Bobby Brazier and Molly Rainford also left after mutual decisions with bosses, while Lacey Turner has taken an extended break.
Meanwhile, the soap has announced a flash-forward episode set on New Year’s Day 2027, featuring the return of Max Branning, played by Jake Wood. Executive Producer Ben Wadey said: “For the first time in the show’s history, we’re going to be offering our viewers an entire flashforward episode... 2026 is going to be full of drama in Walford, especially for the Brannings.”
