It’s a kind of grief… I didn’t think I’d be so emotional, Shona McGarty reveals the real reason she quit EastEnders
THE thought of turning 30 filled Shona McGarty with dread.
It wasn’t a milestone she was looking forward to or felt like celebrating – in her mind, it represented the end of her youth, and she worried about what opportunities would be left for her on the other side.
As it turned out, there was nothing to fear. “I’ve never had so much fun,” she says.
“I am a strong, independent woman. I’m confident and happy and I feel like I’m going to say ‘yes’ to everything and just go for it.”
This renewed confidence and self-belief has proved life-changing for Shona, now 32, pushing her towards the huge decision to quit EastEnders, the show where she made her name playing the iconic Whitney Dean for the last 16 years.
She told producers last summer of her wish to leave the BBC soap, and says she’s never wavered since.
She’s adamant this is the right thing to do at exactly the right time in her life and career.
As she prepares for her final scenes to air next month, it feels like the end of an era, but although the prospect of life away from Walford is a little daunting, she can’t wait to get cracking with whatever is coming next.
“It was a really difficult decision, because it’s all I’ve ever known. I pretty much grew up on the Square, so I feel like I’m leaving home.
“But I had to put on my big girl pants and be quite brave, because life is so short, and you feel that more and more as you get older.
“There are other opportunities and areas of the industry I want to explore before I get too old! All things come to an end and this is the new chapter of my life.
“So although it was a big decision, once I’d made it, I was quite resolute that this was something I had to do.
“I mean, 16 years is amazing. I’ve had a really good run and Whitney needs a break. She’s had a pretty tough paper round.” Not half.
Ever since she arrived in Walford in 2008, Whitney – the adopted daughter of Bianca Jackson (played by Patsy Palmer) – has been at the heart of countless hard-hitting story lines, including grooming, sexual abuse, baby loss, kidnap, stalking and illicit affairs.
As an integral character for such a long time, she will undoubtedly be a massive loss to the show, and the fans who lined the street outside Elstree Studios to wave Shona off after her last day of filming earlier this month were testament to the impact she’s had over the last 16 years.
“I’m not gonna lie,” she says, “I feel like it’s a kind of grief and I didn’t think I’d be so emotional.
“But seeing all the fans who had these messages and cards was just beautiful and, although I tried to keep it together, I actually fell to pieces.”
Shona is keeping her cards close to her chest about her plans, although she does reveal that after finishing on EastEnders she had just one week off before starting a new top-secret job.
And it seems highly likely that music will feature heavily in her future.
In November 2022, she performed a spine-tingling version of Leonard Cohen’s Hallelujah at the Festival of Remembrance at the Royal Albert Hall.
She also regularly posts videos of her singing to social media, which her followers love.
I pretty much grew up on the Square, so I feel like I’m leaving home
Shona says: “Singing will always be there, like it has been since I was a little girl. It’s always been my first love and I’ll continue with it, no matter what – even if it’s just a one-woman show in the shower!
“I’ve written lots of songs, things that I’d like to maybe share with the world one day. Working on an album is something I’ve always wanted to do and I can definitely see that happening.
“I’ve got things in the pipeline, which I can’t announce yet, but my plans are to do everything and anything!”
It’s not just professionally that things are looking good for Shona.
She’s in a relationship with Irish musician David Bracken – the pair went Instagram official in September with Shona describing him as “my whole world”.
There have even been rumours of an engagement after she was spotted wearing a ring on her wedding finger, but she denies this today.
“We’re not engaged, no,” she says. “I’m not going to talk about David, bless him, because he doesn’t like being out there too much. But yes, I will say that I’m very happy in my personal life.”
Shona grew up in Borehamwood, Hertfordshire, not far from the EastEnders’ studio, and first found a love of performing when her parents sent her and younger sister Camilla to a local Saturday-morning drama group.
“As a kid, I was always messing around doing accents and impressions and pretending to be different characters for a bit of a laugh.
“I was quite shy, but I also had so much energy, and my mum and dad didn’t know what to do with it.
“They sent us to this drama group where you did an hour of singing, dancing and acting, and we just loved it. I fitted straight in and, after a while, I was advised to think about getting an agent, so it went from there, really.”
Growing up in the public eye hasn’t been particularly easy though, and Shona says there has been a darker side to fame, which she struggled with during her teens.
“I’ve been called fat over the years, and when I was younger it got to me and made me self-conscious of how I looked.
“At that age, you’re so self-conscious of everything, but I was also on the telly every night in people’s front rooms, so it was very strange.
“But I had so many incredible women around me – like Patsy Palmer – telling me not to look at all of that stuff and that I was beautiful.
“My sister and my mum, who has been my best friend and therapist, have been by my side the whole time. They’re very strong women.
I had so many incredible women around me – like Patsy Palmer
“And now? I couldn’t give… Well, I won’t swear, but I’m quite happy in my own skin. I laugh whenever I see things like that now, and think that person, whoever they are, must be so insecure.”
‘Feel confident’
Shona’s policy with trolls isn’t to block or even to ignore them. “I’d never get argumentative on the internet or in person, it’s just not my way. My reaction is to kind of joke with them.
So I say something like: ‘Thank you so much. I couldn’t agree more!’ And mostly, they apologise because it’s really all so silly.”
Shona’s EastEnders’ exit story line has been a closely guarded secret for months with speculation swirling that Whitney (whisper it) might be killed off.
Over the last few weeks, we have seen her heavily pregnant with cheating partner Zack’s baby, as well as becoming entangled with troubled teen Britney and her drug-addicted mother Keeley – but viewers will have to wait until next month to see whether the saga ends in tragedy.
“It’s always up to the writers and the producer – it’s their show at the end of the day,” says Shona, when asked if she was involved in the discussions about her fate.
“But the one thing I did request was for Whitney to remind the audience of where she’s come from and how feisty she was when she first arrived.
Patsy has been like my second mummy
“And they’ve done it perfectly. They’ve made her feisty again, and I’m so happy with the way everything ties up.”
The plot also involves the return (again) of Patsy Palmer, which Shona was thrilled about.
“She messaged me and said: ‘Mummy’s coming home!’ I was like, ‘What?!’ She told me they’d asked her to come back to be part of my story line and I couldn’t believe it.
“Patsy has been like my second mummy. She’s always been there for me, and even though she has this amazing life in Malibu now, she’s always on the end of the phone and she just inspires me so much.
“She will always make me feel confident, and to have her come back for this story line meant so much to me.”
Patsy stayed on in the UK after filming to DJ at Shona’s leaving do last month, where colleagues past and present gave her the ultimate send-off.
Perry Fenwick, who plays Billy Mitchell, wrote her a poem and Shona grabbed a few mementoes from the set, including the hat and scarf she wore for her very first scenes all those years ago. She also plans to frame a pair of Whitney’s trademark hooped earrings.
“It was honestly the best night, full of so many people I love. To have everyone I’ve worked with for so many years celebrating me was incredible.
“Chris Clenshaw [executive producer] said a few words in his speech which really moved me, and they played clips of Whitney’s best bits, which had loads of things that I’d forgotten, like the fact that Whitney’s first boyfriend was Peter Beale! It was a fantastic night.”
Whatever does come next, having managed the relentless pace of life on a top soap opera will stand Shona in good stead.
She says there are plenty of guest stars more used to TV drama and other areas of the industry who have found it difficult to cope.
“Some of the biggest actors – people we’d be starstruck by – have come to EastEnders and have struggled because they’re not used to the fast pace, being on your feet for 12 hours, going home and learning lines and then doing it all again at 7am the next day. They can’t hack it.
“With other jobs, you might have a week to do one scene – we get 20 minutes and sometimes not even that.
“You have to be strong and to go at that pace is a skill. I’m so incredibly grateful for what I’ve learned there about craft.”
There used to be such a stigma about being in a soap that you’d be typecast and never work again
She has a dream to work with Angelina Jolie and is clearly ambitious – she reckons the days of snootiness about soap actors are long gone.
“There used to be such a stigma about being in a soap that you’d be typecast and never work again.
“But if you look at people like Himesh [Patel] who played Tamwar, he’s in films with Leonardo DiCaprio. That’s amazing, insane. So I think that has gone now!
“I feel really good about myself and really hopeful for the future. I’m just looking forward to every opportunity that comes my way.”
- Watch EastEnders from 6am on iPlayer and Mondays-Thursdays, 7.30pm, BBC1.
In the make-up chair with Shona
Do you have any skincare heroes?
Elizabeth Arden Advanced Ceramide Lift And Firm Day Cream.
What do you splurge on?
Perfume – my favourite is Penhaligon’s Halfeti.
Any beauty bargains?
Primark’s make-up range is amazing.
What are your make-up bag essentials?
Lottie London Mascara and Tarte Shape Tape Concealer.
Best beauty hack?
Invest in your skin, as you need a good canvas.
Who’s your beauty icon?
Angelina Jolie – who else?