EastEnders favourite stars in exclusive first look at new film role as 'eccentric' mother caring for her son following his breakdown

Former EastEnders favourite Lorraine Stanley is set to appear in upcoming feature film Departures – and Radio Times can exclusively reveal a first look clip showing her "eccentric" supporting character in the film.
In the clip, we see Stanley's character Janet caring for her gay son, the film's main character Benji (Lloyd Eyre-Morgan, also writer and co-director) who has recently suffered a breakdown.
"I made that from scratch darling, look at the state of you," she tells him at the beginning of the short clip. "Is this you now? This is it?"

We then hear voiceover narration from Benji explaining that his mum "wasn't perfect", coupled with more examples of her having a go at him as they sit at the kitchen table.

But Benji adds that "she's way better than she used to be", at which point we cut to her drinking wine in the bathtub and shouting, "I wanted a f**king grandkid, that's all."

You can watch the clip in full – alongside a brief trailer for the film – at the top of this article.

The official synopsis for Departures, which recently premiered at BFI Flare, reads: "Benji encounters Jake at an airport gate, there is instant chemistry. Their relationship unfolds through monthly secret trips to Amsterdam."

It is further described as "a must-see British comedy-drama that dissects a toxic relationship with humour and raw emotion" adding that it was "inspired by real heartbreak".

The synopsis continues: "What begins as thrilling monthly getaways to Amsterdam soon unravels into a doomed relationship of convenience. Struggling to move on after being dumped, Benji spirals into addiction and fleeting hook-ups, haunted by the love he lost."

Alongside Eyre-Morgan (Outings, 3 in a Bed) and Stanley, the cast for the film also includes David Tag (Hollyoaks, Waterloo Road), Tyler Conti (Guy Ritchie’s The Gentlemen, Hollyoaks) and Liam Boyle (Emmerdale Farm, Coronation Street), and it was created by a collective of British, working-class LGBTQI+ filmmakers.

Eyre-Morgan and co-director Neil Ely said of the project: "Departures is self-financed by Manchester creatives who believe in the story enough to carry it forward without waiting for permission or institutional support.

"Every step of the film is built through persistence, and a shared belief in what we are trying to say. We work with working-class Manchester creatives to tell a unique LGBTQ story based on the filmmakers’ lived experiences."

They added that they were "incredibly proud" that the film was receiving a national cinema release, calling it "a rare and meaningful moment" and "proof that films made outside traditional systems can still reach audiences on the biggest screens".

In the run-up to release, there will be a number of Q&A Screenings with the cast and crew hosted by famous faces including Russell Tovey and Drag Race winner Danny Beard, while Russell T Davis will host a special hometown Q&A screening in Manchester on 17 April.

Departures is released in UK cinemas on Friday 17 April 2026.

Check out more of our Film coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what's on. For more TV recommendations and reviews, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.