EastEnders fans tuning into The One Show to watch one of its stars were left unimpressed and flocked to social media to complain. Danielle Harold appeared live in the BBC One show's studio on Wednesday night (November 2) to chat about her latest hard-hitting storyline.
Viewers of the BBC soap recently saw Lola Pearce, played by 30-year-old Danielle receive a heart-breaking glioblastoma multiforme diagnosis. They witnessed an emotional scene last week in which the normally outgoing beautician Lola was told by a doctor that she was suffering from the notoriously aggressive form of cancer and would need to undergo an operation imminently.
Danielle, who has played Lola, the granddaughter of Billy Mitchell, since 2011, was chatting about "massive responsibility" of portraying her character’s brain tumour diagnosis and subsequent cancer treatment has been.
“It’s been a massive responsibility to be given this storyline by the show, just because it’s affected so many people," she told The One Show's hosts Alex Jones and Jermaine Jenas. "Especially me starting the story, I didn’t realise just how many that it does (affect) and just how little awareness there is and just how little funding there actually is for brain tumour research as well. So to touch on this story, it really means a lot to me and the show."
But those tuning into The One Show expecially to see Danielle's appearance were left fuming after Danielle was given just a few minutes to speak to Alex and Jermaine. They felt they spent longer talking to the soap star's fellow guest, sports commentator Gabby Logan, about her new book.
@brizzletonian tweeted: "I bet Danielle Harold is wondering why she bothered showing up. They gave her about 2 minutes and even then kept going back to Gabby Logan #TheOneShow." @BevVeggie wrote: "I'm sorry I thought you brought Danielle on the show to talk about the coverage of Lola’s brain cancer storyline? Such an important subject yet you turned today’s episode into the gabby show #disappointed #TheOneShow."
@LadyFerny fumed: "So f***ing rude, Danielle comes on to talk about something important and the presenters talk over to talk to Gabby. So unprofessional." @lindaswalford shared: "Please invite danielle back again, she wasn’t asked many questions and only got to say a couple words!!! #TheOneShow."
@LauJane_ posted: "Watched Danielle's interview on #TheOneShow. They barely gave her any time and then used her time to talk to Gabby who had already been interviewed. That was a shame #EastEnders." @suzysasha added: "#TheOneShow Wish they'd have given Danielle longer. Wanted to know why she was leaving and what did she hope to do next. If you blinked you'd have missed the interview. Too much time talking to Gabby."
Following her appearance on the show, Danielle was seen back on screen as Lola in the latest episode of EastEnders and there were more tears as the hairdresser was devastatingly told after she woke from surgery that her brain tumour is incurable. Lola was told that while doctors were able to remove some of the tumour, it continues to grow at a rapid rate.
"He thinks I’m going to die, pops," Lola said to Billy through tears. In October EastEnders announced it was working with two leading cancer charities – Brain Tumour Research and Macmillan Cancer Support – to ensure Lola’s storyline is portrayed as sensitively and realistically as possible. It came after reports earlier this year that Danielle would be leaving the soap."
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