Heather Peace talking in an interview; inset, as Eve on EastEnders (Credit: BBC/ITV/Composite: ED!)
Soaps

EastEnders star Heather Peace asked show bosses not to kill off Eve

The actress is keen to avoid harmful tropes

EastEnders star Heather Peace has spoken out on rumours that her character, Eve Unwin, can ‘never be killed off’ in the soap. It has been thought that, when Heather joined the cast, she asked for a clause in her contract for Eve to survive her time on the Square.

But is there any truth to the rumour?

Eve looking upset on EastEnders
Eve narrowly escaped Walford with her life (Credit: BBC)

Eve narrowly escapes Walford alive following showdown with Nish

This comes amid a terrifying week for Eve, after Nish discovered evidence of her affair with wife Suki. Confronted with CCTV footage of the pair together, Nish laid a trap for Eve, tricking her into a meeting.

As Eve laid into Nish, telling him the extent of her affair with Suki, Nish lashed out. Striking her over the head with a champagne bottle, he knocked Eve unconscious and then called son Ravi.

On Nish’s orders, Ravi drove a bound and gagged Eve into the woods, before digging a makeshift grave. However, Eve then broke free long enough to talk Ravi out of killing her.

Ravi told her to run, never to return to Walford or try and contact Suki again. He then assured Nish that he’d killed Eve.

Eve looking thoughtful on EastEnders
Heather wanted to avoid the infamous ‘bury your gays’ trope (Credit: BBC)

Heather Peace discusses rumours that Eve ‘can’t be killed off’ in EastEnders

Appearing on comedian Suzi Ruffell’s podcast Out, star Heather Peace addressed the rumours of the special clause in her contract.

When asked by Suzi whether such a clause exists, Heather said: “It’s sort of got blown out of proportion, but not certainly not contractually binding. I made a suggestion. What I did was bring up the tropes, which is that [gay women on TV are] either psychos or they die.”

“And I just pointed this out to the producers, who weren’t aware of the tropes. Why would they be? Because you look into it, you know.”

She continued: “They were like, ‘is that really a thing?’ I was like, ‘yeah, there’s literal actual articles written on it if you want to have a look. It’s absolutely fine if there’s no more stories for the character, if you don’t want me here anymore, but I’m just asking… if it’s possible not to kill her.”

Eve lives to fight another day… but will she survive a return trip to Walford?.

Read more: Complete EastEnders cast list for 2023 right here!

Escaping your KIDNAPPER! 😰 | Walford REEvisited | EastEnders

EastEnders usually airs Monday to Thursday at 7:30pm on BBC One

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Joel Harley
Freelance Writer