It was a said moment tonight (Friday 5th February) as viewers said goodbye to Rakhee Thakrar's character, Shabnam Masood.
“Every now and again a job and a group of people change your life, I can definitely say that about EastEnders," Rakhee told us. "I’m so grateful for having the chance to play Shabnam Masood and particularly her story. It feels like the right time for both myself and the character to move on. I’m very thankful for my time on the show, it’s been brilliant.”
"It feels like the right time for both myself and Shabnam," Rakhee revealed on her decision for leave. "My experience on this show has been really special, and I'm so grateful for having the chance to have played Shabs, she's a real gift. A complicated character, who I've loved getting to know. Now, I feel like it’s the time to try different projects and new people to play."
Rakhee's decision to move on has been in the pipeline for a few months. "It was a hard decision as I really love this character and this show. I can't thank Dom [Treadwell-Collins] enough for trusting me with Shabnam and particularly her story."
We wondered what Rakhee will miss the most. "So much! All the amazing people who work at EastEnders. I've met some of the most talented, hardworking, humble people both in front of and behind the cameras. I'll particularly miss Nitin, Himesh, Davood and Lacey, I've learned so much from them. The brilliant scripts and directors, I could go on and on!"
Turning to highlights of her time in the show, Rakhee was quick to pick Shabnam and Kush’s stillbirth storyline. I'm so proud to have been part of that. I've seen how much it's meant to so many parents and families. Stillbirth needs to be talked about, and I hope our story in some way helps people to do that. It's truly been one of the best experiences of my life."
And Rakhee has a few parting words for her fans. "Thank you for watching! Particularly to anyone who's written to me by hand or twitter e.t.c.; you have no idea how much it's meant to me, thank you. And especially a big thank you to all the mothers who've shared their stories and got involved with #SayTheirName. Your reaction was profound."
And asked if she would ever return to Walford... "We'll she's only in Ealing, so you never know!"
Relive the moment Shabnam got a traditional EastEnders exit in the episode.
