EastEnders fans were heartbroken as Lola Pearce was given a devastating update on her brain tumour following the surgery.
Lola - played by Danielle Harold - recently underwent surgery after being told she had a tumour. Lola and her family have been left reeling by the diagnosis, as they all try and come to terms with it and what it might mean for the future.
As Lola came out of surgery, her partner Jay Brown (played by Jamie Borthwick ) sat by her side and held her hand, with Billy and Honey looking on from the end of her hospital bed. They tried to get answers from the nurse, but she insisted it would be best to wait for the doctor to do their rounds so they could explain how things had gone.
It took a while before the doctor came to speak to them - and he had some devastating news.
He told Lola that they weren't able to get all of the tumour, and as they believed it was a type that spreads and grows quickly, he explained that her tumour was likely to be incurable. Billy and Jay were horrified by the news, as a single tear fell from Lola's cheek.
When Billy asked the doctor what that meant, Lola replied to say: "It means they think I'm going to die pops."
Viewers tuning into the show were devastated by the scenes, and rushed to Twitter to share their thoughts - with one fan insisting they know when Lola will pass away in heartbreaking scenes.
"Oh god my heart is shattered to pieces," one wrote, as a second added: "We knew it was coming, but the doctor saying Lola’s brain tumour is incurable was just heartbreaking #EastEnders."
A third shared: "So I'm guessing lola dies on Christmas #Eastenders."
Actress Lola previously explained how much it mean to her to be portraying such an important storyline.
"It means so much to be trusted with a storyline like this – one that’s close to many people’s hearts. Sadly many of our viewers will be able to relate to Lola’s story and it’s been heart-breaking to speak to the families affected by brain tumours and hear their stories. They’ve been so amazing in sharing their experiences with me, and I’m so lucky to have them. I wouldn’t be able to do this storyline without their support," she shared of the scenes.
Whilst Chris Clenshaw, Executive Producer, added: "It was vital for us to work alongside Macmillan and Brain Tumour Research to take on, and accurately present, such a profound and emotional storyline for Lola, one that many viewers may relate to. Danielle [Harold] has thoughtfully relayed the realities of being diagnosed with a brain tumour with grace and understanding. We hope that this storyline resonates with the audience, and that we represent it as sensitively, and accurately as possible."
