EastEnders spoilers follow.
EastEnders is lining up a game-changing week for Sharon Watts next week, as the show continues to build towards the much-anticipated flashforward scenes at Christmas.
Sharon has some big decisions to make when she gets a firm job offer abroad, but, unsurprisingly, her plans don’t go down well with her ex-partner Keanu Taylor.
Fearing he could lose son Albie forever, Keanu teams up with his mum Karen to make a shocking new plan.
Here, Letitia Dean – who plays Sharon – discusses her alter ego’s on-off relationship with Keanu, and whether she’s ready to leave Walford behind.
How is Sharon feeling about Keanu at this point?
“I think deep down she’s heartbroken but she’s covering. It was such a whirlwind when Keanu returned and I think it was inevitable that they were both going to revisit the love they once shared because it was more than just a fling. I think Sharon really thought her and Keanu would be in it for the long haul but now she feels like their relationship is doomed. Keanu refuses to see that Sharon acted in his best interest and from a place of love but I think she’s also tired of the constant up and down of their relationship so she’s trying to bury her feelings to move forward amicably.”
Dorian clearly has a soft spot for Sharon. Is she enjoying the attention?
“She’s been down for so many weeks so it’s rather nice to have someone take an interest, even if it is just a bit of harmless flirting. “
This week, Dorian makes Sharon an offer that will be hard to refuse. Can you give us more detail on this?
“Dorian offers Sharon the chance to move to Abu Dhabi to set up shop in a new gym. It would obviously be a huge change for Sharon as Walford is her home, but with her relationship in tatters, I don’t think she feels like there’s much left to keep her there. It would be a great business move for her, and would offer security for Albie’s future so it’s very tempting.”
Is she tempted to make the move or do you think she still has feelings for Keanu?
“They have tried time and time again to make it work, but they just can’t seem to find a way through. I think she wants to get off this merry-go-round once and for all and put herself and her son first. It would also make the breakup a lot easier if there were thousands of miles between them instead of living just across the Square from each other. Plus, I think she’d be pleased to see the back of Karen for a while!”
Sharon is at loggerheads with Keanu when he betrays her trust. How does this make her feel?
“She’s furious at him. Time and time again, Keanu has proved to Sharon that he can’t be trusted to look after their son. When he does a disappearing act with Albie, Sharon finally thinks enough is enough. She knows that Keanu worships Albie and wouldn’t do anything to hurt him but it’s clear he is incapable of behaving responsibly. After losing Denny, Albie’s safety is non-negotiable, so the idea that he would up and leave with their son without telling her his whereabouts puts the fear of god in her.”
Sharon comes up with a plan to make things more civil with Keanu. Can you explain this in more detail?
“It’s clear that neither of them can come to a resolution on their own, so Sharon consults a lawyer to put an agreed plan in place so that Keanu is clear on what’s expected of him when looking after Albie and what access he’s entitled to. She never wanted to get to this point, but he’s left her with no choice and it’s not long before things start to get ugly between the pair.”
Do you think Sharon still loves Keanu?
“Without a doubt, but I think she questions whether he ever really loved her, or whether he just wanted to be with her because of Albie. It’s never easy between them, so she’s torn between her head and her heart, but we’ll have to see which one wins.”
EastEnders airs on Mondays – Thursdays at 7.30pm on BBC One. The show also streams on BBC iPlayer.
Read more EastEnders spoilers on our dedicated homepage.
