Yahoo News EastEnders star Lucy Benjamin addresses Lisa Fowler gambling twist
EastEnders spoilers follow.
EastEnders star Lucy Benjamin has opened up about her character Lisa Fowler's recent gambling storyline.
The soap legend returned to Walford last month for a brief stint, where viewers found out that life has been very difficult for Lisa since she last left the Square.
Lisa had come back with granddaughter Peggy to blackmail the child's father, Keanu Taylor — with it later being revealed she'd needed his money to fund her gambling addiction.
Speaking to The Mirror, Lucy credited the EastEnders writing team with always giving her "brilliant stuff" for her troubled character Lisa.
"I was quite surprised she's got this gambling addiction but then, when you look at Lisa, you think actually none of it surprises me because she has been very troubled in her life and it's quite an easy path," she said. "Lisa is one of those people where trouble comes to her and she doesn't go looking for it... it lands on her doorstep. So when they told me about this current storyline, I was like: 'Yeah, bring it on!'"
The soap star also credited EastEnders executive producer Chris Clenshaw with ensuring an issue-based story like this one was handled sensitively and realistically.
"I always get fabulous stuff to play for Lisa, she always gets brilliant storylines," she added. "Soaps in general, they do a really good job of being responsible when they have these kind of storylines. It's always really considered and very much researched. There is no greater honour than being given the responsibility of playing those kind of storylines and doing them justice.
"I want to serve a storyline well just because there are real people out there that are suffering these things and sometimes soaps can make a difference to these people that might be suffering in silence. Watching and connecting with a soap can often be the lifeline that they need."
For now, Lisa has returned to Portugal with baby Peggy, but there have been rumblings that Keanu isn't willing to let his daughter go so easily.
Lucy Benjamin has been at the heart of some of EastEnders' most dramatic storylines of all time, including the infamous 'Who Shot Phil?' mystery and the death of her best friend Mel Owen.
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
The National Gambling Treatment Service offers free, confidential help for anyone who is worried about their gambling, or someone else's gambling. Call the 24-hour freephone National Gambling Helpline on 0808 802 0133, or visit begambleaware.org. Further information and resources can be found on the Gambling Commission's website.
You Might Also Like
