Timothy West's role as Stan Carter in EastEnders is 'drawing to a close'

(Image credit: BBC/Kieron McCarron)

EastEnders star Timothy West is going to leave his role as Stan Carter, the show's executive producer has confirmed.

Brass actor Timothy joined the BBC One soap in January this year, but boss Dominic Treadwell-Collins has confirmed that his time in Albert Square is drawing to a close and that he will make a memorable exit.

Dominic told the Daily Star Sunday: "When you have an actor of Tim's calibre joining your cast, you treasure every day that you have him - and we knew from the start that Stan's stay with the rest of the Carter family would be a finite one.

"But what a stay - and as we draw towards Stan's exit from the show, the audience should get ready as one of Britain's finest actors pulls out all the stops and gives his King Lear..."

Timothy was cast as Shirley (Linda Henry) and Tina's (Luisa Bradshaw-White) father and Mick's (Danny Dyer) grandfather Stan, although Mick still thinks Shirley is his sister rather than his mum, so he is under the impression Stan is his dad.

A source told the Radio Times: "When Timothy West signed up to play Stan we always knew how long we had him for. To have someone of his calibre in EastEnders has been incredible. And there's still a long way to go yet."