EastEnders Spoilers: Les And Pam Coker Exit The Square

The Coker family are set to leave Walford for good after it was announced actors Roger Sloman and Lin Blakley will not have their EastEnders’ contracts renewed.

The cross dressing funeral director and his wife are set to leave the BBC One soap later this year in the latest shake up of the long-running series and the news was confirmed today in a statement from the show, which read: “We can confirm that Roger and Lin will be leaving ‘EastEnders’ later this year.

“They have been a pleasure to work with and we wish them all the best for the future.”

The change is the first decision made by EastEnders new executive producer Sean O’Connor - who took the reigns from Dominic Treadwell-Collins - and comes after the Cokers’ grandson Paul, played by Jonny Labey, was killed off last month.

Ben Mitchell’s boyfriend was murdered in a homophobic attack and the actor admitted it wasn’t his decision to leave the show.

He said: “It wasn’t my choice, but I’m a big believer in everything happens for a reason.”

Though it hasn’t been revealed how the Cokers will say goodbye to Albert Square, sources revealed there is “plenty of drama” yet to come from the grieving grandparents.

A source told The Daily Mirror newspaper: “Pam and Les have been a big part of the show over the past few months and with their current storyline, bosses felt that it was the right time for their characters to leave the Square.

"There is still plenty more drama to come from the Cokers before they leave Walford. The decision not to renew their contracts is the first change made by the soap’s new executive producer Sean O'Connor, who previously worked on radio soap ‘The Archers’.

Meanwhile, it was recently reported that renowned Walford bad boy and Whitney Dean’s half-brother Ryan Malloy - played by Neil McDermott - is set to return when the character is released from prison.

Picture Credit: BBC