One EastEnders star departed Walford tonight in sad scenes – with more exits set to come on the BBC soap
An EastEnders star has bid farewell to the Square. Micah Balfour departed the BBC soap this evening, just eighteen months after joining as George Knight’s estranged son Junior.
In sad scenes this evening, Junior said goodbye to his ex Cindy and his sisters Anna and Gina. He shared his prized car with his uncle Kojo and warned his dad to stay away from Nicola Mitchell.
As he bid farewell to the Square, he headed off to start a new life in Dubai. A BBC spokesperson previously confirmed the departure to The Mirror, explaining: “We can confirm Micah will be leaving EastEnders later this year, we wish him all the best for the future.”
When Junior arrived on the Square less than two years ago, bosses teased “there is more to Junior than meets the eye”.
Upon his casting on EastEnders, then-executive producer Chris Clenshaw said in a statement: “I’m delighted to welcome Micah Balfour to the cast of EastEnders as he takes on the role of Junior Knight.
“Although Junior has been referenced since the Knights arrived in the Square, the audience knows very little about George’s son and the circumstances behind their estrangement.
“Junior arrives in Walford following an unlikely meeting with his dad, and is quickly thrust into the heart of the drama. However, it will soon become apparent to viewers that there is more to Junior than meets the eye.”
Micah’s exit from the BBC soap comes just before the departure of Anna Knight, played by Molly Rainford.
“New boss Ben Wadey is making sweeping changes on the show and his decision coincided with Molly deciding she wanted to pursue other challenges,” a source added, “She’s hugely talented and wants to spread her wings and see what else is out there for her.”
“Molly came into the show two years ago, and in that time has been trusted with some great storylines. It’s just so happened that when Molly was considering other options in her career, a meeting was held to discuss the future of the character, and both parties were in mutual agreement that it was the right time for Anna Knight to wave goodbye to Walford.”
Of Micah’s departure, a source said: “Bosses decided not to renew Micah’s contract and he filmed his final scenes last month. Obviously Micah was gutted but he understands how it all works. His final scenes will air before Christmas. The door is being left open.”
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