Kara Tointon and Ricky Groves quit EastEnders

Kara Tointon and Ricky Groves quit EastEnders
Kara Tointon and Ricky Groves quit EastEnders (Image credit: BBC)

Kara Tointon and Ricky Groves are leaving EastEnders. Kara, best known as sultry Dawn Swann, and Ricky, who plays Garry Hobbs, will go out with a bang this summer, The Sun reports. "Viewers will have to wait and see if there is a happy ending, or whether they go their separate ways," a source said. Speaking about her time on the show, Kara said: "It has been the best four years of my life. I will always hold the show dear to my heart and be an avid fan." Meanwhile, Ricky admitted: "It has been wonderful playing Garry. But I am looking forward to new things." Soap boss Diederick Santer paid tribute to their 'great performances' and said: "Ricky and Kara go with our thanks and our best wishes." Meanwhile, it's a big week for EastEnders next week as Peggy and Archie prepare for their wedding. CLICK here for photos of the lead up to the big day. Click here to watch whatsontv.co.uk's new weekly soaps video preview, the Soap Scoop Get all the latest soap gossip delivered straight to your door. Subscribe to Soaplife magazine today

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.