Bobby Brazier speaks out after EastEnders exit and reveals hopes for future acting roles

Bobby Brazier has finally opened up about his future after deciding to leave EastEnders, where he has spent the past three years playing Freddie Slater.

The 22-year-old, who joined the BBC soap in 2022, became a fan favourite thanks to Freddie’s dramatic storylines, including the teen discovering unsettling truths about his biological father and navigating a potential romance with Anna Knight.

Last month it was revealed Bobby would be departing from the show later this year, and now the actor has spoken publicly about what lies ahead of him once he waves goodbye to Albert Square.

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At the National Film Awards, where he won a prize for his work on the new Paramount+ series Curfew, Bobby admitted that his next steps are uncertain.

He told OK! Magazine: "I don't know, I guess that's how it really goes and how it works in this industry. You never really know what's next until you go for it.

"But yeah, I'd like to play a variety of different roles so I can work out what I like, what I'm good at and what I need to work on."

While EastEnders has confirmed Bobby’s upcoming exit, soap bosses had been keen to continue working with the actor. A spokesperson for the soap previously said: "We can confirm that Bobby Brazier will be leaving EastEnders, and we wish him all the best for the future."

However an insider shared more insight into how the decision played out, revealing: "Bosses had a meeting with Bobby only recently as they had a plan in mind for a storyline, and it just so ­happened that Bobby was also thinking that now was the right time to look for other opportunities outside the show. The timing of the decision worked for both, but his final scenes are not for a while yet."

Beyond the world of EastEnders, Bobby has been busy expanding his acting career. After his success as runner-up on Strictly Come Dancing in 2023, he took on a new role in the series Curfew, where he plays a rebellious schoolboy called James.

This project gave him the chance to work alongside performers his own age. He expressed his excitement about that new development in an interview that took place ahead of the show's premiere, sharing: "I hadn’t really had the chance to work with actors my age very much either, so that was very cool. We’ve stayed in touch – there’s a group chat going on."

Bobby appears opposite X Factor winner Alexandra Burke in Curfew, and he has spoken highly of his co-star, saying: "I found Alexandra Burke really inspiring. We did a lot of scenes together as she played our teacher.

"I would love to do what she has done and go into the West End. I would love to be talented enough to get up on stage and sing and dance every night. But I know how much hard work goes into that."

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