EastEnders' Isaac Baptiste to depart as actor Stevie Basaula leaves soap
The EastEnders character has been embroiled in a number of hard-hitting storylines over the years.
Albert Square will be saying goodbye to one of its locals, as actor Stevie Basaula is set to depart from his role as Isaac Baptiste.
The actor – who joined EastEnders at the beginning of 2020 as the secret son of Patrick Trueman (Rudolph Walker) – will leave the show after two years on screen, the BBC One soap has confirmed.
In other storylines, the teacher was accused of dealing drugs to students at school, and also embarked in a tumultuous relationship with Lola Pearce (Danielle Harold).
Isaac was also at the centre of a hard-hitting schizophrenia storyline that resulted in him getting sectioned in July 2021 after he stopped taking his medication.
Following speculation over the weekend that the star had quit the show, EastEnders producer Kate Oates confirmed the news in a statement.
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"Stevie has been a huge asset to EastEnders during his time here; not least through his incredible performance across Isaac's schizophrenia story," she said.
She continued: "As a member of the Trueman family, he will always be a part of one of our most iconic families. We will miss him, and wish him well in his new ventures."
Stevie’s departure comes after other EastEnders exits in 2022 including those of Maisie Smith as Tiffany Butcher and Danny Dyer as Mick Carter.
Explaining the reason behind his decision to leave EastEnders, Basaula said in a separate statement that it was time to explore the “next chapter” of his career.
"What a dream come true! Grateful to have spent over two years on one of the biggest shows in the country, there's nothing like it," he said.
"Thank you for everything you've given me. I've learnt so much during my time and I'm proud to have been a part of some important work and to have made friends and memories that I'll cherish for a long time."
He continued: "EastEnders has been an essential part of my growth both as a young man and an actor, and I'm now excited and feel ready to explore this next chapter of my career."
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