It’s tissues at the ready for EastEnders viewers soon, as we prepare to say goodbye to beloved character Lola Pearce (Danielle Harold).
The popular character’s health has been failing fast in recent episodes after she was told that her brain tumour didn’t respond to treatment and even palliative chemo didn’t work.
As the end nears for Lola her friends and family gather for goodbyes – but some people can’t cope with the tragic reality of what’s happening and try to find other ways to deal with the situation.
Will everyone have the chance to spend precious time with Lola?
Jay calls in help from a nurse
When it becomes clear that it’s the final few days of Lola’s life, Jay (Jamie Borthwick) knows he can’t cope alone and calls in nurse Suzanne for support. When Lola suffers another seizure Suzanne warns Jay that they’re nearing the end.
Actress Danielle Harold revealed that Lola is also aware of what is happening and knows that she doesn’t have long left.
‘Lola definitely starts to feel her decline quite quickly during her palliative care. Her symptoms are getting worse, she’s becoming more forgetful and she’s having more seizures so she’s definitely aware her time is coming to an end now.’
Billy struggles – and is arrested
When Billy (Perry Fenwick) hears that his precious granddaughter has reached the last hours of her life he panics about the effect the situation will have on Lexi (Isabella Brown), Will (Freddie Phillips) and Janet and gets them out of the house to protect them.
Unable to deal with things he turns to drink and has a run-in with Nish (Navin Chowdhry), who deliberately winds him up. Overcome with rage and grief, Billy smashes the window of the Minute Mart and Martin (James Bye), Honey (Emma Barton) and Phil (Steve McFadden) have to restrain him. When Jack (Scott Maslen) arrives to try to calm things down Billy accidentally hits him – and is promptly arrested.
Ben goes to America to find hope for Lola
As Lola’s loved ones prepare to say goodbye to her, a notable absence is Ben Mitchell (Max Bowden), who has gone to America to try to find some treatment that might help Lola – still refusing to believe there’s nothing that can be done. Worse still, he hasn’t been in touch and nobody knows exactly where he is, leaving Billy and Jay furious and Kathy (Gillian Taylforth) and Callum (Tony Clay) concerned.
Kathy asks Callum to use his detective skills to track his husband down. Will he find Ben in time?
Kim and Denise plan a special gesture to cheer dying Lola
Despite suffering increasingly with anxiety following her car accident, Kim (Tameka Empson) is determined to put a brave face on to visit Lola. She and Denise (Diane Parish) pay a visit to their dear friend and former work colleague and try to lift her spirits.
They make sure that Lola knows that all her friends and neighbours are thinking about her by staging a special greeting for her in the Square in hugely emotional scenes.
‘Denise and Kim come to see Lola as she’s of course really poorly now, so they come round to try and make her feel a bit better, talk to her and make her feel pampered.’ Danielle Harold explained.
‘They just sit around her bedside to be with her and to say their goodbyes.’
Billy’s fate is in Nish’s hands
As Honey and Phil desperately try to get Billy released so he can say his goodbyes to his granddaughter, Jack says it can only happen if Nish agrees to withdraw his witness statement and doesn’t press charges against Billy for breaking the window. Can Honey and Phil get Nish to agree?
Lola’s loved ones gather to say goodbye
As the end approaches, Lola becomes increasingly unresponsive. Jay battles with his emotions and tries to stay strong for her. Kathy and Callum visit Lola’s bedroom and make a promise to her that they will look after Lexi.
Will Lexi be able to say her own goodbyes to her mum? And will her dad Ben get back to Albert Square in time?
Neighbours and friends gather at the Vic
As the news of Lola’s death makes its way around Albert Square, Linda (Kellie Bright) invites Callum, Jack, Rocky (Brian Conley), Whitney (Shona McGarty), Denise and others to a lock-in at the Queen Vic, where they comfort each other and talk about Lola’s life and the tragedy of her dying so young.
EastEnders airs these scenes w/c Monday May 29 at 7:30pm on BBC One.
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