EastEnders fans fume as BBC soap misses key scene in Stacey Slater's heartbreaking exit

Stacey Slater said goodbye to Walford in tonight's emotional episode of EastEnders, as she headed to Brazil with her youngest children Hope and Arthur.

The trio headed off in a taxi at the end of the episode, as they said an emotional goodbye to the Slater family, but Jean Slater was nowhere to be seen.

Earlier on in the episode, we saw Jean stuck on a tube with Priya, as a technical difficulty meant the lights had gone out and the tube had come to a stand still. Jean was oblivious to everything going on back home, including Max's return and Stacey and Zoe's huge fight.

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The fight broke out when Stacey, and the rest of the Square found out the bombshell news that Zoe and Max had previously been an item. In the midst of the feud, Zoe exclaimed that Stacey "didn't love Martin as much as you say" leading to Stacey slapping her across the face.

Despite missing the drama, Jean knew something was going on however, from the multiple missed calls from Mo, and a message from Stacey asking her mother to call her.

Amid all the chaos of the unknown, Jean began to have a panic attack, but luckily, Priya was on hand to calm her down. Jean then expressed to Priya how she felt she'd been selfish in persuading Stacey not to move to Brazil after everything she'd done for her over the years.

Jean expressed that Stacey deserved a fresh start after everything she'd been through, unaware that Stacey had changed her mind and was heading off after all.

The Slaters attempted to ring and message Jean before Stacey had to take off for her flight, but of course, couldn't get through to her. When Jean did finally arrive back in Walford, it was too late, as Stacey had to leave to make sure she didn't miss her flight.

Fans were left devastated that they didn't get to witness a goodbye scene towards the mother and daughter, with one tweeting: "nah jean didn’t even get to say bye!"

"The fact that we didn't get a final scene between Stacey & Jean before Stacey's exit!!" wrote another, alongside a crying and heartbreak emoji.

"I’m kinda sad there’s no final goodbye with Jean and the entire exit was focused about Max and not Stacey leaving for a fresh start after everything what happened but the acting again was fantastic as always but no one is topping her 2010 exit," another wrote.

However, some saw the positives, with one writing: "it’s reassuring that stacey didn’t get julia’s theme or have a proper final scene with jean. it says to me it’s not a matter of if she will be back just when. I will miss her a lot whilst she’s away."

Jean was left fuming with Zoe at the end of the episode, blaming her for Stacey's departure. "You did this! You made her go! I know you Zoe Slater, you're a toxic little madam!", as she ordered Zoe out her house.

But will Stacey be back?

EastEnders airs Mondays to Thursdays at 7:30pm on BBC One and BBC iPlayer.

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