WHITNEY’S JOY WON’T LAST LONG

EastEnders star Shona McGarty on why her troubled character’s delight at being pregnant will be short-lived

No one could accuse Whitney Dean of having it easy. Since moving to Albert Square in 2008 she’s been sexually abused, forced into prostitution and her current engagement is hardly love’s young dream. So it’s not surprising that Shona McGarty, the actress who plays her, sometimes finds it difficult to raise a smile.

‘I find it easy to cry on camera because I’ve had lots of practice,’ says Shona. ‘Because I’m not used to playing happy, if I get a scene where it says, “Whitney bursts out laughing”, I worry I won’t be able to do it.’

Adds Shona, 24, ‘I prefer playing gritty storylines. They’re challenging, and what EastEnders fans want to see.’

Which means Shona’s had some of her toughest scenes recently. Whitney, who was brought up by her father Nathan’s partner Bianca Jackson after his death, is thrilled to be pregnant with her fiancé Lee’s baby. ‘Whitney never had a proper family, so this is all she’s ever wanted,’ explains Shona.

But don’t worry, she’ll be miserable again soon as Lee is hiding a secret: he cheated on Whitney with Abi Branning. ‘Whitney assumes Lee will be over the moon,’ says Shona, ‘but on EastEnders secrets don’t stay secret for long. You’ll have to wait and see what happens, but I don’t think anything will stop Whitney having this baby.’

Shona has been equally resolute in her desire to achieve acting stardom. ‘At primary school I told my teacher, “I don’t do maths... I’m going to be an actress!”’ she recalls. ‘Mum got called in and I apologised, but from then on I was determined.’

Growing up near the EastEnders set in Hertfordshire, Shona started acting in local theatre and joined the soap aged 16. ‘My first scene with Patsy Palmer, who played Bianca, was at a local bus stop in Borehamwood and my friends were walking past asking what I was doing. I had to say, “Nothing, go away”, because I wasn’t allowed to say I was in EastEnders!’

That was eight years ago, and Shona is now one of the most recognisable faces in British soap, especially now Whitney is pulling pints behind the bar in the Queen Vic. ‘I couldn’t have been more excited when I found out,’ grins Shona. ‘Though I’m yet to shout, “Get out of my pub!” like Barbara Windsor famously did!’

Off screen things couldn’t be going better either. Shona’s moved in with her electrician boyfriend Ryan Harris, who she describes as ‘normal and down-to-earth. Because he was never a fan of EastEnders, and didn’t even know who I was when we met, he keeps me grounded.’ So will playing a pregnant woman make her broody? ‘No, I’m too young. I’ve got a couple of dogs, so I’ll just get a third!’