Former EastEnders star Shona McGarty has announced a big update for her post-Albert Square career.
The actor, who portrayed Whitney Dean, has long been vocal about her love of music having previously showcased her singing on the soap in addition to recording a few songs for charity.
In a post on Instagram on Saturday (28 June), McGarty shared that she’s back in the studio with legendary music producer Steve Anderson, who is known for his work with Kylie Minogue and Britney Spears.
“My happy place!” wrote McGarty in the post, which included a pair of photos and a short video. “Working with @mrsteveanderson is an absolute dream, we got so much accomplished in our studio session yesterday, and I feel it is all coming together nicely.”
McGarty’s post was met with supportive messages from friends and followers in the comment section, with former Love Island host Laura Whitmore writing: “Yes Shona! Love that you’re making music x”
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McGarty, who played Whitney from 2008 until 2024, shared in April that she was working with Anderson on some songs, writing on Instagram: “The two most special days in the studio!… It felt so good getting back behind the mic and dusting off the ol’ vocals again.”
The actor had previously explained the reasons behind her departure from the BBC soap, sharing: “I’ve loved my time in Walford, but with the character of Whitney, bless her, she’s had some awful things happen to her, and I think she needs a break.
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“The door’s open and I could always come back in the future. But at the moment, I want to pursue things that are in my heart, like singing — stuff that I’ve been doing since childhood and dreaming about. EastEnders has been amazing; I just want to do other things.”
While Whitney is long gone, Walford recently said goodbye to two characters as Bernie Taylor and Felix Baker both left East London, bringing an end to the respective stints of Clair Norris and Matthew James Morrison.
EastEnders airs on Mondays-Thursdays at 7.30pm on BBC One. The show also streams on BBC iPlayer, where most episodes drop early at 6am ahead of their TV broadcast.
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