“She did it on purpose, Jay. She did it for us.”

By Laura Denby

Published: Wednesday, 31 May 2023 at 12:00 am


This article includes discussion of brain tumours and terminal illness that some readers may find upsetting.

Lola Pearce-Brown (Danielle Harold) died in tonight’s heartbreaking episode of EastEnders (31st May), doing so in a way that became her final act of love for her family.

Nurse Suzanne informed Lola’s husband Jay Brown (Jamie Borthwick) that he still had time to say goodbye to her – but Jay struggled to know where to begin. As Phil Mitchell (Steve McFadden), Kathy Beale (Gillian Taylforth) and Callum Highway (Tony Clay) arrived to see Lola for the last time, Phil couldn’t cope and fled, even when granddaughter Lexi (Isabella Brown) asked where he was going.

Callum told Lola that his absent husband Ben (Max Bowden) was on his way, and that if he was there now Ben would say that she and Lexi were the best thing to ever happen to him. He promised that they would take care of Lexi before saying a last goodbye.

Jay soon returned to sit by Lola’s bedside, but snapped when Lexi wanted to play music and paint her mum’s nails.