Tilly Keeper praises Lorna Fitzgerald's 'bitter sweet ending'

Tilly Keeper thinks Lorna Fitzgerald got a "bitter sweet ending" on \'EastEnders\'.

The nation were left distraught last week when Abi Branning (played by Lorna) died when her heartbroken family agreed to withdraw her life support after tests revealed that she was brain dead but, although Tilly is devastated her best friend will no longer be on set, she\'s thrilled she got to bow out of the programme on a huge high.

Speaking exclusively to BANG Showbiz at the National Television Awards, held at London\'s The O2 arena, last night (23.01.18), Tilly, 20, said: "It\'s lovely for Lorna as an actress and how well-loved Abi was as a character for her to go out like that so it was a bitter sweet ending. \'EastEnders\', though, we\'re getting our edge back!"

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But it\'s not just Lorna, 20, who has left the show as Harry Reid - who played Ben Mitchell - and Jacqueline Jossa, who portrayed Lauren Branning, have also gone - but, luckily for them, producers have decided to leave the door open for a possible return.

Tilly - who plays Louise Mitchell in the long-running soap - explained: "It\'s one of those things - unfortunately - you can never look past your contract.

"Obviously I\'m so close to all three of them so I will miss them terribly.

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"They are my best friends inside and outside of work. But they make for excellent stories and they\'re wonderful characters who have had their time on screen."