EastEnders boss Chris Clenshaw has revealed what made him choose Lola Pearce for the BBC soap's devastating brain tumour storyline.
The soap's Executive Producer explained his tough choice in choosing a character, and deciding to kill them off in heartbreaking scenes.
Actress Danielle Harold will bow out of the show in devastating episodes next week, as her character Lola passes away at home.
Lola was diagnosed with a brain tumour last year, and soon learned she didn't have long to live - with her keen to make memories for her daughter Lexi.
Next week the character's loved ones must say goodbye for the final time, as the character dies, with her tragic storyline coming to an end.
Speaking to The Mirror and other press, Chris revealed why he chose Danielle's character Lola for the storyline after choosing to cover the disease and its impact on someone living with a brain tumour.
Ultimately, he realised he would have to kill off the character given the circumstances of the plot, and he revealed why he felt Lola was the right character to choose.
Viewers have been left devastated by the decision and the news Lola will be leaving, but Chris said that it needed to be such a loved character for it to have the impact he hoped for in raising awareness for the condition.
Chris said: "I think it’s incredibly difficult. None of us want to say goodbye to the character, and none of us want to say goodbye to Danielle, but I think that’s the character Danielle has created.
"She is so well loved, and you can only really tell a story like this with a character that is so well loved."
As Danielle confessed she never saw her character in the way that Chris did, in terms of the audience's love, she admitted she'd found the support overwhelming.
Confessing he went back and forth over whether to kill off Lola or not, Chris added of his decision: "It wasn’t a decision that we took lightly, we discussed it for many months, and we wanted to make sure that it was the right decision.
"Through the research, they have been overwhelmed by the awareness that it’s raised."
After reading out an email one viewer sent to him after finding herself connecting to the storyline, especially from young Lexi's point of view, Chris said: "This is why we tell these stories."
Lola was told her condition was terminal last year, but as her treatment stopped working recently she learned the devastating news she had just months to live.
This soon became weeks in tragic scenes, as doctors informed Lola there was nothing more they could do for her.
Lola was taken home from the hospital as she wanted to spend her last days at home with her family, including daughter Lexi.
Next week, Lola begins to suffer seizures, and the nurse breaks the news to Jay that his wife doesn't have long left, and is near the end.
As the week continues, Jay stays with Lola who is now unresponsive - as the nurse arrives and explains there will now be long periods of unconsciousness and it's time for everyone to say goodbye.
By the end of the week, Lola has tragically passed away leaving Walford in mourning and in shock.
EastEnders airs Mondays to Thursdays at 7:30pm on BBC One and BBC iPlayer.
