EastEnders has aired the emotional departure of five characters in Friday\u2019s episode.<\/p>\n
Following on from Phil Mitchell (Steve McFadden) exposing the Taylor family\u2019s involvement in the staged kidnapping of Albie Watts<\/a>, Thursday\u2019s episode saw a guilty Keanu Taylor (Danny Walters) lie that the plot had been purely driven only by his mother Karen Taylor<\/a> (Lorraine Stanley).<\/p>\n In the aftermath, with her neighbours shunning her, Sharon Watts (Letitia Dean) contemplating involving the police, and Phil baying for blood and wanting the return of the ransom money he had supplied Sharon with, Karen decided that she needed to flee Walford.<\/p>\n In Friday\u2019s instalment, Karen remained firm on her decision to keep the money and flee Albert Square for good but was initially rejected by former partner Mitch Baker (Roger Griffiths) when she asked him to join her and their grandchildren Mia (Mahalia Malcolm) and Mackenzie Atkins (Isaac Lemonius).<\/p>\n On the Square, Mitch clashed with Karen\u2019s son Keanu and delivered him some home truths about needing to own up to his mistakes.<\/p>\n In Karen\u2019s flat, Karen spoke honestly and emotionally with daughter Bernadette Taylor (Clair Norris), asking her to join her. However, Bernie rejected Karen\u2019s offer, deciding her life was in Walford and recalling how their family has been so altered in recent years, following the murder of older sister Chantelle Atkins (Jessica Plummer) and the departure of older brother Keegan Baker (Zack Morris).<\/p>\n Bernie also admitted that she has felt like a spare part in recent months and did not want to go with her mother just to help with childcare. Promising that she would visit her mother, Bernie and Karen shared an emotional goodbye and the latter encouraged Bernie to not hate Keanu for what had happened.<\/p>\n In the Queen Vic, Mitch spoke to best pals Tom \u201cRocky\u201d Cotton (Brian Conley) and Harvey Monroe (Ross Boatman) about the situation and their words on his closeness to Karen made him realise how much he loved her and always had.<\/p>\n Returning to the flat, Mitch professed his love for Karen and revealed his intention for him and his daughter Bailey Baker (Kara-Leah Fernandes) to join Karen and their grandchildren.<\/p>\n As the episode concluded, Karen, Bernie and Mitch dug up the memorial tree for Chantelle and put it in a van with the rest of their belongings before making their getaway.<\/p>\n An anguished Keanu noted the tree was missing and ran after the van to stop them going and Phil noticed too and yelled that it wasn\u2019t over and he would have his money.<\/p>\n Yet, despite this, Karen and Mitch sped out of Walford with the three Baker kids and spoke about plans to head to Spain.<\/p>\n Karen joked that if Mitch marries her she is still keeping her name as she will \u201calways be Karen Taylor\u201d.<\/p>\n The episode closed with the emotive piano theme known as Julia\u2019s Theme as they left Walford.<\/p>\n While the BBC declined to confirm<\/strong> to RadioTimes.com<\/a> whether this would be the final appearance of Karen Taylor and Mitch Baker, their exit scenes felt rather final.<\/p>\n Including the emotional Julia\u2019s Theme and the script being penned by the Taylor family\u2019s creator Daran Little certainly adds to that sense of finality.<\/p>\n Karen and the Taylors first debuted in the soap back in 2017.<\/p>\n![\"Roger](\"https:\/\/images.immediate.co.uk\/production\/volatile\/sites\/3\/2022\/01\/452946-e0cb1f7.jpg?quality=90&resize=620%2C413\" "\\"452946,EastEnders\\"\/")
\n<\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture>\n<\/div>![\"Lorraine](\"https:\/\/images.immediate.co.uk\/production\/volatile\/sites\/3\/2023\/08\/Karen-Taylor-ec03bf6-e1692805839804.jpg?quality=90&resize=620%2C413\" "\\"Karen")
\n<\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture>\n<\/div>Have Karen Taylor and Mitch Baker left EastEnders for good?<\/strong><\/h2>\n