Actor Nicholas Bailey has commented following his exit from the BBC soap EastEnders on Christmas Day, after portraying Dr. Anthony Trueman on and off for more than 25 years.
An EastEnders legend has spoken out following a shocking Christmas Day twist that saw his character killed off.
Nicholas Bailey confirmed he has left the BBC soap after playing Anthony Trueman on and off for the past 25 years.
Since his return to Walford in the summer, viewers learned that he is the father of Zoe Slater’s (Michelle Ryan) twins, whom she gave up for adoption in 2006.
On Christmas Day, a physical confrontation erupted between Zoe and Anthony, leaving Anthony’s lifeless body on the floor.
Believing she had killed her former flame, Zoe handed herself into the police. However, on Boxing Day, Kat Moon (Jessie Wallace) discovered that Chrissie Watts (Tracy Ann Oberman) had orchestrated events to frame her daughter for murder.
It has not yet been revealed how Anthony died, but actor Nicholas Bailey has confirmed that his Christmas Day scenes marked his exit from EastEnders.
Reflecting on his dramatic departure, Nicholas said: *“A Christmas storyline is a huge moment in soap, so to have that and a big Christmas Day exit was a real honour.
“Of course, it was bittersweet because it meant I was leaving. I’ve felt really at home since returning to EastEnders, but the storyline itself is fantastic and offered me far more to do than I expected.
“It’s been amazing to step out of my comfort zone and perform some incredible scenes full of remarkable lines. My jaw dropped when our producer, Ben Wadey, revealed where the story was heading and what would happen.”*
“But I think it was a masterstroke because, looking back, Anthony was always a bit like a pressure cooker—letting things build and build until the steam finally escapes. This time, he just couldn’t keep the lid on!”
Nicholas first appeared as Dr. Trueman in December 2000 and remained a regular character until his 2003 departure, with brief returns in 2004, 2005, and 2014.
The doctor recently came back to Albert Square for the wedding of his father Patrick (Rudolph Walker) and Yolande (Angela Wynter).
Reflecting on playing the iconic role for the final time, Nicholas said: “I was sad that things were ending, but I wanted to embrace the excitement of this storyline as a launchpad for some incredible developments coming in 2026.”
“I love EastEnders and I love seeing the show succeed. So, while I’m sad to be saying goodbye to Anthony, I’m glad it means my colleagues will have some incredible storylines to explore following his death.
“Walking onto the EastEnders set every day has been amazing because you get to work with fantastic people in every department. There’s such a strong, positive culture, and everyone supports one another.
“I’m very grateful to the fans of EastEnders for their unwavering support over the years and all the positivity they’ve shown me. I began this stint full of gratitude, and I’m leaving with the same feeling.”
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