Departing EastEnders star Aaron Sidwell has promised fans that there's danger ahead as the storyline involving his character Steven Beale reaches its conclusion.
Viewers have seen master manipulator Steven lying to fiancée Lauren (Jacqueline Jossa) about having a brain tumour.
But Lauren's father Max (Jake Wood) and sister Abi (Lorna Fitzgerald) both know that Steven is lying, with Max now blackmailing his future son-in-law.
"That's a great dynamic that's not fully come into play yet, and Steven's very much been the manipulator and now he is becoming manipulated," Sidwell told guest presenter Christine Lampard on ITV's Lorraine.
"I think we are going to start to see the danger there now, because he's completely out of control of the situation. He was anyway, but now he's not even running the show... He really does become the puppet."
Sidwell told the host that Steven's storyline has been difficult for him because he recently lost a close friend to cancer but that actors cannot pick and choose plots. "This was given to me and I had to run with it," he said.
.@bbceastenders' @aaronsidwell talks about Steven's deception pic.twitter.com/HCMr0EkkT3
— Lorraine on ITV (@ITVLorraine) August 11, 2017
When news of the 28-year-old star's exit from EastEnders was confirmed on Thursday he took to Twitter to dismiss reports that he was quitting the soap over the storyline.
"Whilst my storyline has been incredibly challenging given my personal situation, this has not lead to me quitting the show in protest," he wrote.
A quick message to the fans of @bbceastenders pic.twitter.com/pV6YHIS9g3
— Aaron Sidwell (@aaronsidwell) August 10, 2017
"I have always been lucky enough to have the support of the BBC and I respect them more than I can explain. I love EastEnders and everyone connected to the show with all my heart."
Sidwell has signed up to play Fiyero in the upcoming tour of hit musical Wicked, which arrives at Dublin's Bord Gáis Energy Theatre in July 2018.
ICYMI: @BBCEastEnders star @aaronsidwell will be dancing through life as 'Fiyero' in the forthcoming 2018 Wicked UK & Ireland Tour! pic.twitter.com/B13IJ41So8
— Wicked UK (@WickedUK) August 10, 2017
"When an opportunity comes up like that I just had to take it and it was the right time for me," he said, revealing that he had almost joined Wicked four years ago.
EastEnders continues Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays on BBC One.
Turning it up a notch: But what is Max playing at? 🤔 pic.twitter.com/6yHW1gVWSM
— BBC EastEnders (@bbceastenders) August 1, 2017
