EastEnders fans were left shocked and saddened last night as character Paul Coker, played by Jonny Labey, was bumped off in typical bleak style.
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Phil referred to Paul as Ben’s “friend” leaving Ben furious that he was still unable to accept their relationship, even with Paul being dead.
However, the curly-haired hunk – who joined the long-running soap previous year to wreak havoc for Ben Mitchell (Harry Reid) – believes he still had a lot more to give and is devastated his time got cut short before he got to show off his talents.
Meanwhile, the future of Paul’s boyfriend Ben still hangs in the balance but Lin Blakley – who plays Paul’s grandmother Pam – previously hinted that he will live after the hunk’s demise.
Soon after, the Mitchell family suffer another blow by being told that Ben has died in a tragic accident.
But in last night’s episode the mix up became clear when Ben’s half-brother Ian Beale (Adam Woodyatt) and father Phil Mitchell (Steve McFadden) went to identify what they thought was Ben’s body, only to find Paul (Jonny Labey) there instead.
As Kathy held her emotional son, Phil realised his mistake and made a decision to comfort Ben over his loss.
When she returns to the square, her world is turned upside down when Shirley delivers the devastating news.
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If ‘Enders fans were wondering, Ben’s new accident-related storyline will pave the way for Paul’s exit also. A spokesman for EastEnders said: “We can confirm Jonny will be leaving the show later this year. Bosses are keeping tight lipped about what’s in store but there’s plenty of drama in store for Paul before he leaves”.
