15 August 2023 , 14:12
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EastEnders legend Shona McGarty seems totally smitten with her new mystery man and it provoked a cheeky response from her co-star.
The actress could soon be swapping Albert Square for a stint on an ice rink, as ITV eye up the soon-to-be former soap star for the next series of Dancing On Ice, after 15 years playing Whitney Dean on the long-running show. She's not letting that speculation stand in the way of romance, it seems.
The 31-year-old posted an gushing upload on Instagram, with the words: "Meeting you was like listening to a song for the first time and and knowing it would be my favourite." She captioned her post: "Happier than ever..." with a big love heart.
The cute update left her followers feeling the love but James Farrar, who plays Zack Hudson in the BBC soap, couldn't let the moment pass without teasing her a little. He sarcastically replied: "I fancy him so bad..." Most recently, Shona's character endured a heartbreaking miscarriage with her love interest Zack and the pair clearly click off-screen.
Her co-star James Farrar was quick to have his say! (BBC/Jack Barnes/Kieron McCarron)Life is going to be very different for Shona, who has been a staple in Walford since 2008, joining when she was just 16. Now the soap star has made the "difficult" decision to leave and it looks like she has not been short of offers.
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It is believed that her final scenes on EastEnders will air next year, when her contract will run out, and producers are currently deliberating her exit storyline. A source says : "It wasn’t an easy decision for Shona to make and she is gutted to be walking away from her soap family, especially as she has grown up on set with most of them. She’ll be sorely missed by the cast.
"But she feels like now is the right time in her life to step away and try something new. She is hoping the door will be left open for her character to return one day, but nothing is guaranteed and it is all in the hands of the scriptwriters."
Her loved-up post grabbed plenty of attention (Instagram)Shona told The Sun on Sunday it was her call to go and said: "I have decided to spread my wings and will be leaving EastEnders. I have loved my years in the show. I have been trusted with some incredible storylines and have made amazing friendships — and family - which will endure."
It's since been reported the soap star is currently sitting at the top of ITV's wish-list for the next series on Dancing On Ice, set to premiere in January next year. It will be the first series of the star-studded reality TV series to air since former co-host Phillip Schofield parted ways with ITV earlier this year.
"Shona is a great name for Dancing On Ice and she is on ITV’s wish-list. She is a huge talent and a very well-known name and to walk off EastEnders and straight onto their rival channel’s biggest show would be a huge coup," a source has claimed to The Sun, adding how "snaring Shona" from the BBC would be "massive" for ITV.