Is Whitney Dean leaving EastEnders? Shona McGarty has opened up about the Leo King murder trial

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EASTENDERS star Shona McGarty has said her character Whitney Dean will be forever ‘broken’ after killing evil stalker Leo King in self-defence.

Whitney has been arrested and charged with the murder of Leo on the BBC One soap – but what’s going to happen next?

Whitney has been charged with the murder of Leo in EastEnders

What’s next for Whitney Dean after being arrested in EastEnders?

The future is looking uncertain for Whitney after she handed herself into the police for stabbing Leo and killing him in an act of self-defence.

The cops were quick to close in on Whit and charge her with murder, leaving lawyer Gray Atkins to try and pick up the pieces.

And with Gray struggling to cope under the pressure, it’s looking like he might lose hope and step down as her solicitor.

Spoilers have revealed that Kush will be urged to plead guilty to his GBH charge against Leo so that Gray doesn’t lose the case by fighting it and get Whitney charged with murder as a result, but it’s not yet clear what he’ll decide to do.

In the latest EastEnders trailer, it’s fair to say things aren’t looking great for Whitney as she puts her blood-drenched hands to her head and screams: “Nothing is going to change what I did.”

But fans will have to tune in to find out whether Whitney will be charged with murder and face time behind bars.

Gray is serving as Whitney’s solicitor in EastEnders

What has Shona McGarty said about Whitney’s trial in EastEnders?

Shona McGarty – who plays Whitney – has spoken out to say her character will never recover after killing Leo regardless of the outcome of the trial.

Speaking to The Mirror, the star said: “Whitney likes to think that it’s over but deep down she knows it’s not because even though Leo’s gone, he’s still going to win.”

She continued: “Whitney has now killed someone and whatever happens next, that’s not something she can ever forget. I think it could change Whitney forever.”

Shona went on to explain her character’s mindset: “Whitney feels guilty, distraught and is completely broken, she doesn’t know which way to turn.

“She does feel like it was an accident but she’s worried people won’t see it that way because of the circumstances, no one was there to witness what happened.”

She added: “She does also feel guilty that it’s Leo as well, it’s tragic – he didn’t believe that his dad was a paedophile and Whitney knows that he was. It’s really awful and sad.”

The star added that she’d enjoyed filming the dramatic scenes: “It’s also nice to have happy storylines but I do prefer playing the darker dramatic stuff. As an actress, I really enjoy getting my teeth stuck into a storyline, I’ve been really lucky.”

Whitney faces a murder trial in EastEnders

Is Whitney Dean leaving EastEnders?

There’s been no suggestion that Whitney will be leaving EastEnders any time soon.

Soap boss Jon Sen has even hinted that Whitney’s ordeal will be part of a two-year storyline for the character.

In 2019 he told Metro.co.uk: “This story becomes a chapter in a much longer arc that we have planned going forward.

“Without saying too much, this is just one more chapter in her story, but overtime — over the next 18 months — she learns from everything that you’re going to see, and going on into Christmas, and the 35th next year.”