'EastEnders' actress Shona McGarty is "grateful to have been trusted" with her stalker storyline on the BBC One soap.
Shona McGarty
The 28-year-old actress' character Whitney Dean is facing a lengthy jail term for the murder of her stalker Leo King - the son of her teenage abuser Tony King - who died after a dramatic showdown between the pair which resulted in him falling on his own knife.
In the week of episodes that marked the show's 35th anniversary, Whitney was overcome with guilt and handed herself into the police claiming self defence.
Shona admits that she "cried" when she first read the plot and she insists it has been the most rewarding storyline of her almost 12-year stint in Albert Square.
In an interview in the new issue of Inside Soap magazine, she said: "When I first read the script, I cried. It's such a huge and brave journey for Whitney to go on. I was excited about the way it was all being filmed, too. It felt like a film - 'Whitney locked up' has to be one of the most challenging and exciting things I've done while as 'EastEnders' ... I really enjoyed this plot, and I'm so grateful to have been trusted with it.
"Although Whitney knows she killed Leo in self-defence, she can't help but feel guilty. She did technically kill a man. She she feels maybe she should be punished in some way."
Shona has been blown away by the response from 'EastEnders' fans and she has even had one viewer speak to her in a supermarket about her alter ego's hunger strike.
She said: "The viewers have been fantastic, and I've had some really kind messages online. People have said they found it quite emotional to watch. I also had a very sweet older lady approach me in the supermarket, who said, 'I'm glad to see you eating again, dear.' "
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