Where could we be seeing the soap star next?

By Morgan Cormack

Published: Tuesday, 05 September 2023 at 21:04 PM


Danielle Harold may no longer be starring as Lola Pearce-Brown in EastEnders, but it won’t be the last we see of her on our screens.

The actress took home the award at this year’s National Television Awards for Serial Drama Performance, winning over nominees including Coronation Street’s Charlotte Jordan, Emmerdale’s Dominic Brunt and Coronation Street’s Maureen Lipman.

Her final performances as Lola wowed fans after she tackled the emotional storyline of discovering that she had a terminal brain tumour and eventually passing away.

But on her exit from the soap, it looks as though Harold is ready to tackle something else in the drama sphere.

Talking to RadioTimes.com and other press at this year’s NTAs, Harold said of her life post-Walford: “I wish I’d have gone to an island and relaxed. Straight back into auditioning so I can’t wait to see what’s next!”

She said: “I would love to do a series with a beginning, middle and an end to the story. Because with EastEnders as a soap, you’re constantly thinking… so it’d be lovely to do something with a beginning, middle and an end.”

Danielle Harold as Lola and Jamie Borthwick as Jay in EastEnders
Danielle Harold as Lola and Jamie Borthwick as Jay in EastEnders.
BBC/Jack Barnes/Kieron McCarron

When asked whether she’d ever consider venturing into the world of reality TV now that she’s done with EastEnders, Harold said: “I don’t know really. That’s what’s exciting about leaving a soap when you’ve been in it for such a long time, it’s like the world changes, the industry changes so much – I’m really excited to see what’s next.”

On winning her award this evening, Harold said: “I can’t tell you how much this means to me, it means so much.”

Harold had previously revealed that she struggled to power through the script for the episode in which Lola dies, saying that it was “the hardest thing to read” but that it was also “the most beautiful episode of EastEnders I’ve ever read”.

Harold said that scene in which the character dies is “definitely the most difficult thing I’ve ever filmed in my life”, explaining: “Obviously, we haven’t experienced it and so, just to put yourself in that mindset, it was really difficult, and slow your body down and everything. I thought that would be the easy part.”

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