Charlie Brooks to quit EastEnders for Hollywood?

Charlie Brooks could quit EastEnders for a third time to chase a Hollywood career.

The actress who plays superbitch Janine Butcher in EastEnders has her sights set on a film career, according to The Sun.

The newspaper claimed Charlie, 32, has told friends she wants to try her luck in America.

An insider told The Sun: "Charlie wants to give a LA a try and won't be satisfied until she does. As far as she understands, there will be an option to return. Janine is a ratings winner, and she's hugely regarded among the cast and crew."

Charlie joined EastEnders as Janine in 1999, left in 2004 and came back again in 2008.

She quit for a second time in September 2012, and spent six months out, taking part in ITV's I'm A Celebrity... Get Me Out Of Here! and travelling with her eight-year-old daughter Kiki.

In February she started filming EastEnders again.

Charlie has not confirmed or denied the quitting rumours, but told The Sun: "I've only just returned to EastEnders and I'm really happy. I've some big storylines coming up and am really excited by them."

EastEnders' Shane Richie (Alfie Moon) picked up the TV Bafta on May 12 for best soap and continuing drama and afterwards mocked soap actors who leave to pursue Hollywood roles.

He said: "They all want to come back. I did the same, 'I'm going to Hollywood' - I got to Borehamwood!"

 

Patrick McLennan

Patrick McLennan is a London-based journalist and documentary maker who has worked as a writer, sub-editor, digital editor and TV producer in the UK and New Zealand. His CV includes spells as a news producer at the BBC and TVNZ, as well as web editor for Time Inc UK. He has produced TV news and entertainment features on personalities as diverse as Nick Cave, Tom Hardy, Clive James, Jodie Marsh and Kevin Bacon and he co-produced and directed The Ponds, which has screened in UK cinemas, BBC Four and is currently available on Netflix. 


An entertainment writer with a diverse taste in TV and film, he lists Seinfeld, The Sopranos, The Chase, The Thick of It and Detectorists among his favourite shows, but steers well clear of most sci-fi.