Roland Manookin arrived in EastEnders 18 months ago to lead a new branch of the Mitchell family but is now being axed from the soap as BBC say ‘we wish him the best’
An EastEnders actor is leaving Walford after just 18 months as he is axed by bosses in a shock move. Roland Manookin, who played Teddy Mitchell in the BBC soap, arrived alongside on-screen sons Elijah Holloway and Lewis Bridgeman but will now be leaving them.
He arrived to lead a new branch of the Mitchell family, but has now become the latest star to leave the show after new boss Ben Wadey took control earlier this year. A source said Rolans took a risk in the soap after a successful career in film and being known for roles in The Football Factory and Rise of the Footsoldier.
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A source told The Sun: “Roland took a big risk agreeing to join EastEnders after his long and successful career in film. There was big hopes for the Mitchells being revitalised by the new family but things obviously changed for some reason and the material just wasn’t there for Teddy.”
They added: “Bosses made the decision that the character had run his course and that was that. It seems such a waste.”
A spokesperson from the soap also confirmed the news in a statement: “We can confirm Roland will be leaving EastEnders this year, and we wish him all the best for the future.”
The latest announcement follows a string of actors being axed from the show as Clair Norris, Matthew James Morrison and Micah Balfour were all also axed by bosses.
Bobby Brazier and Molly Rainford, who appeared on the latest Celebrity Race Across the World, also left the show after “mutual decisions after talks with bosses”, and Lacey Turner decided to leave the show on an extended break.
The BBC soap has also faced backlash after viewers criticised the return of Michelle Ryan as Zoe Slater after 20 years. Viewers said procedures ‘botched’ the return with a ‘dud’ storyline after it was long-awaited by fans.
The new changes to the soap also include an almighty flash-forward twist as an episode on New Year’s Day 2026 takes us a year into the future. We will see a glimpse of 2027, as well as major hints of all the big plots unfolding across the next 12 months from that day. Max Branning will take centre stage, as Jake Wood makes his comeback to the BBC soap.
Speaking about the big episode and what’s ahead, Executive Producer Ben Wadey teased the show first. He said: “For the first time in the show’s history, we’re going to be offering our viewers an entire flashforward episode set on New Year ’s Day 2027.
“2026 is going to be full of drama in Walford, especially for the Brannings, and the episode is sure to raise plenty of questions on how Max has got himself and his family into such predicaments, but all is not what it seems, so stay tuned for 2026 to find out how and why.”
Source: Mirror
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