EastEnders star Linda Marlowe has described playing dementia sufferer Sylvie Carter as "a gift" following the character's final scenes in the soap on Thursday night.
The episode - which also saw Michelle seriously injured in a car crash - concluded with Sylvie's daughter Tina discovering that her mother had been electrocuted after her radio fell into the bath.
Poor Sylvie. 😭 #EastEnders pic.twitter.com/Ty4w8wtuqd
— BBC EastEnders (@bbceastenders) March 30, 2017
However, veteran actress Marlowe contended that Sylvie was "happy at the end".
"She was with the dog, singing to the music and having a bath," Marlowe told the BBC. "So for me to film them they were probably the happiest moments for Sylvie that I've had to film."
Marlowe said that playing Sylvie had been one of the highlights of her career.
"It's a gift for an actress to get a role like that, with so much depth of different behaviour at different times," she explained.
"Also, to have done it for two-and-a-half years, I've never played the same character for so long. There were so many layers and that was a really great role to play."
Marlowe revealed that she had researched the realities of life with dementia before she was even cast as Sylvie because she had intended to star in a solo show about a woman with dementia.
"I visited this beautiful home down in Cornwall," she recounted. "I was there for three days spending time with the residents. It was a wonderful bit of research I'd done, not knowing that later I was going to be playing Sylvie."
The role was also very close to home for Marlowe.
"I also had a friend with vascular dementia and he died while I was actually filming EastEnders," the 76-year-old continued.
"He was a dear friend of mine and for many years of his illness he used to fiddle with things, touch a piece of cloth or a blanket, and his hands were constantly moving. So there were lots of things I had observed from people with dementia."
Marlowe said she had been struck by just how much her performance had affected viewers of the BBC show.
"The unbelievably extraordinary thing I've had is the huge amount of people that stop me in the street, and just how young they are, more so than adults," she said.
Is Tina making the right decision? #EastEnders pic.twitter.com/w8l3fWs7eQ
— BBC EastEnders (@bbceastenders) March 17, 2017
"Girls and boys tell me they absolutely love the character and have rushed after me to say I've helped them because their nan is like Sylvie, and they love their nan so much and it makes them feel alright because it's done so beautifully. They say Sylvie makes them understand, because it reminds them of their own life."
Here are some of the fans' reactions:
@TheLindaMarlowe Your acting has been second to none. Sad to see you go. #Eastenders
— Amal (@amal1612) March 30, 2017
I tell you there needs to be more recognition for @TheLindaMarlowe @BLuisaW Just sensational acting @bbceastenders #Whataweek #Eastenders
— Christopher Wood (@ChrisJW1987) March 30, 2017
@TheLindaMarlowe You are fantastic. To portray a character with dementia the way you have done is unbelievable. #Eastenders
— Lew (@LewisH92) March 30, 2017
sad to see Sylvie go!! @TheLindaMarlowe played the part beyond well. I've just cried in my sitting room for 5 minutes 😫😫 #Eastenders
— Molly (@HarryReidFP) March 30, 2017
@DaranLittle @bbceastenders The 'caring' storyline involving Sylvie and Tina has been so important to raise awareness - some emotional scenes x #EastEnders 😰💕💔
— 🌴☀️Valerie Hill ☀️ (@Portsmouth_gal) March 30, 2017
EastEnders airs weeknights (except Wednesdays) on RTÉ One and BBC One.
