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Exclusive: EastEnders' Stacey Branning set to be diagnosed with bipolar disorder
By Beth Neil 14/05/2009
EastEnders is to explore mental illness in one of its hardest-hitting storylines yet.
Stallholder Stacey is diagnosed with bipolar disorder - formerly called manic depression - following her increasingly erratic behaviour since the death of a friend.
In tonight and tomorrow's episodes of the hit BBC1 soap, Stacey, whose mum Jean has mental health problems, moves closer to breaking point.
Lacey Turner, 21, who plays the character, said: "It's great that EastEnders is continuing to raise awareness of this difficult issue. I hope I can do justice to this challenging storyline."
The soap's executive producer Diederick Santer added: "Stacey is a character of highs and lows, of great passions and dark moods.
"This week, those contrasts become bigger and we realise her mood is far more complex than simply being upset about her friend's death."
EastEnders has worked with charities such as Mind on the sensitive storyline.
Mind's Paul Farmer, who hopes it will help dispel some myths surrounding mental illness, said: "It's fantastic that a highprofile soap is prepared to explore a mental health issue through such a popular, well-loved character."
