Is Eve leaving ‘EastEnders’?

Warning: this article contains spoilers for Eastenders

As one of the longest-running soap operas on television, it’s not surprising when characters leave Eastenders. And it’s even less of a shock when someone is killed off. After all, the drama has to come from somewhere.

However, some plotlines leave viewers dumbfounded, especially when they end up with a long-running and beloved character getting the boot from the show. While it’s the nature of soaps to need new blood every so often, this can feel a bit brutal to viewers who have grown to identify with certain characters.

So, it’s unsurprising to find out that many viewers were worried about the fate of Eve Unwin (played by Heather Peace) after a tumultuous wedding episode in which she and fiance Suki faced a dramatic and potentially deadly outcome, thanks to the actions of Suki’s malicious and controlling ex-husband Nish. So, is Eve leaving Eastenders after getting killed off? Read on to find out!

Who is Eve in Eastenders?

Eve Unwin first appeared in Eastenders in late 2021. She was introduced as the ex-wife of Stacey Slater, whom she married in prison in order to be released on probation.

Eve has had a rough life in many ways, having been abused by her family for her sexuality. She did manage to become a solicitor, but was disbarred after assaulting a man. Her introduction to Albert Square was suitably violent, with Unwin punching a couple of characters as she believed they were responsible for Stacey winding up in prison.

Throughout 2022, Eve and Suki (Balvinder Sopal) slowly fell in love, and after a few very dramatic, soap-worthy hiccups, they were due to get married in the first episode of 2025. However, Suki’s abusive ex-husband Nish was ready to spoil their special day in a deadly fashion…

Is Eve leaving Eastenders?

Fans of the character can rejoice: no, Eve is not leaving Eastenders. While Nish did manage to successfully get Eve to drink poisoned champagne, she was taken to hospital and survived. This was also true of Suki, who fell off a balcony alongside her controlling ex. Thankfully, it was Nish who paid the ultimate price for his skullduggery, while the newlyweds managed to pull through.

As it transpires, Peace was never going to see her character killed off in this way, thanks to a bargain she struck with Eastenders bosses when she took on the role. As per The Express, Peace wanted to avoid her character falling into a tragic trope that has befallen many other lesbian characters in popular media: dying unexpectedly:

“I’m very well aware of this, I understand my community…I’ve done a radio show where we’ve talked about this. Lesbians quite often meet a bad end, like, proportionately way more so than any other…And the one thing I did say to the producers was, ‘You want rid of me?’ And they’re very open to talking. I said, ‘At any point you can get rid of me, but I’m asking you now: Don’t kill her off.'”

Thankfully for the many fans of Eve, the producers have stayed true to their word…for now.