Dinah took her own life in Thursday’s episode, believing her daughter would have a brighter future without her.
Anjela Lauren Smith left the soap this week when her character Dinah Wilson took her own life after struggling to deal with her MS symptoms.
EastEnders fans were left worried about the impact Dinah’s suicide would have on her nine-year-old daughter and carer Bailey Baker, played by Kara-Leah Fernandes.
And now producers have revealed that they are working with UK childhood bereavement charity Winston’s Wish to explore the challenges Bailey will face as she deals with her mother’s death.
‘With Dinah and Bailey’s story, we have been able to examine what happens when poor physical health takes its toll on mental health and we have also explored the topic of young carers and what happens when a child loses a parent,’ Kate Oates told Metro.co.uk.
‘In Bailey’s case, she has been her mother’s primary carer for the majority of her life and now not only must deal with losing her mum, but also understand Dinah made the decision to end her life.’
Bailey’s dad Mitch Baker, played by Roger Griffiths, found Dinah dead this week. Heartbreakingly, Mitch blamed himself as he had been late to meet her. This prompted a guilty Karen Taylor to confess that she knew Dinah had wanted to end her life.
Dinah had previously asked Karen to help her commit assisted suicide, but Karen had refused and thought she had managed to talk her friend out of it.
This week we’ll see Karen, played by Lorraine Stanley, worry that her actions might send her to prison. But EastEnders fans think that Bailey will need her mum’s friend more than ever as she struggles to cope with her loss.
‘Karen is so good with Bailey!’ one viewer tweeted. ‘She’ll be like a surrogate mum.’
But will Mitch, who blasted Karen after her confession and even told her she was 'dead' to him, ever be able to forgive her?
