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<\/p>\nEastEnders star Brian Conley has reportedly abruptly quit the soap in a shock move.<\/p>\n
The Sun claims that the actor, 62, – who has played Thomas ‘Rocky’ Cotton since May 2021 – has clashed with bosses on the long-running show and\u00a0demanded to be written out.<\/p>\n
Producers are now reportedly scrambling to rewrite storylines for his rapid exit and it has been claimed that another key Christmas storyline could be his death.<\/p>\n
An insider told the publication:\u00a0‘It’s all come to a head. The truth is, bosses are furious.’<\/p>\n
‘It looks as though he’s just not enjoying being on EastEnders any more \u2014 and has been telling a lot of colleagues and telly friends he wanted out for a while.<\/p>\n
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Unexpected:\u00a0EastEnders star Brian Conley has reportedly abruptly quit the soap in a shock move<\/p>\n
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Upset: The Sun claims that the actor, 62, – who has played Thomas ‘Rocky’ Cotton since 2021 – has clashed with bosses on the long-running show and demanded to be written out<\/p>\n
‘The Beeb wanted him to stay, but he’s having none of it. They’d made so many plans around him and his character, and they really thought he was in for the long haul.<\/p>\n
‘Whatever has wound him up, it feels like he can’t get out of there quick enough \u2014 and now they’re going to have to rewrite their storyline plans for his rapid exit.’<\/p>\n
The source also claimed that plans had already been drawn up for another major character death in this year’s Christmas storyline which was hinted at in a recent flash-forward scene.<\/p>\n
However after recent issues with Brian it is not thought his character could be killed off instead.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The BBC has been contacted for comment by MailOnline.\u00a0<\/p>\n
It comes after in June revealed he could be facing the chop in this year’s Christmas cliff-hanger.<\/p>\n
The actor told host Steph McGovern\u00a0Steph’s Packed Lunch that the BBC1 soap is planning to film a number of different endings for this year’s Christmas Day episode to keep viewers guessing.<\/p>\n
He said: ‘In February we had a lovely episode where if flashed forward to Christmas, and someone’s dead in The Vic and Letitia is there in a wedding dress and she’s covered in blood.<\/p>\n
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Disruption:\u00a0Producers are now reportedly scrambling to rewrite storylines for his rapid exit and that another key Christmas storyline could be his death<\/p>\n
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Reaction:\u00a0An insider told the publication: ‘It’s all come to a head. The truth is, bosses are furious’<\/p>\n
‘So everyone’s going, ‘O my God, who’s dead?’, as well as all the actors in the show, and all you saw was it’s a male, or is it, I don’t know.<\/p>\n
‘You just saw the cufflinks and I think everyone has been looking out for those cufflinks for a while now.’<\/p>\n
Asked by Steph if the cast knew who the victim was Brain replied: ‘None of us have got a clue.\u00a0<\/p>\n
‘I believe leading up to Christmas, there might be ten of us laying there so that it will be a big surprise to us as well.<\/p>\n
‘We’re all going to maybe film a moment where we’re all laying on the floor and then right up until the last minute they can reveal on Christmas Day who it is.’<\/p>\n
Asked if he was worried about potentially being killed off, Brian said: ‘You’re in an ongoing drama so you know people do pass away and you do live on tenterhooks, especially if you’re enjoying it, and we all are, they’re a lovely bunch, everyone there.<\/p>\n
‘I’m very happy to be there and I just think what we’re doing now and the fact that it’s the number one soap is very exciting.’<\/p>\n
Conley has been the host of The Brian Conley Show, as well as presenting the Royal Variety Performance on eight occasions.\u00a0<\/p>\n
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Happy: Despite the news Brian was seen posing and smiling with the cast at the NTAs just last week<\/p>\n
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Mystery: It comes after in June revealed he could be facing the chop in this year’s Christmas cliff-hanger\u00a0<\/p>\n