EastEnders teen stars now – Huge transformation, career u-turn and pop stardom

The teens of Albert Square have faced as much drama as the adults in EastEnders throughout the years.

From exposing affairs, to shock murder revelations and devastating exits, the Walford teenagers have been at the centre of some of the soap's most gripping storylines.

The soap has also made household names of many of its stars – but where are they now?

READ MORE: Where EastEnders Bobby Beale stars are now – From George Michael fame to rival soap role

As drama continues to build once more with Ricky Jnr learning he is going to become a dad, Daily Star takes a look at where former EastEnders teen stars are now.

Charlie Jones (Ben Mitchell)

Multiple actors have played Ben Mitchell through the years including Matthew Silver, Morgan Whittle, Joshua Pascoe and currently, Harry Reid.

However, one of the actors to play Ben Mitchell for the longest was Charlie Jones, who took over the role in 2006 for more than four years.

After the Watford residents believed Kathy Beale was dead, Ben returned to Albert Square to live with dad Phil – and also showed a flair for dancing and singing in a lot of his episodes too.

However, Daily Star reported that Charlie was left devastated when the character was recast, so that Ben Mitchell could be involved in more 'adult' storylines, with the then 13 year old actor needing to be consoled by his on-set chaperone following the news.

Commenting on the recasting news, an EastEnders spokesperson said: "It's common practice in continuing drama to recast actors employed as children to take on more challenging adult storylines."

However, that was not the last that we saw of Charlie, who went on to study acting at the Academy of Live and Recorded Arts (ALRA).

Fans were delighted to see the now adult actor making a cameo in BBC drama series Noughts and Crosses in 2020, where he looked unrecognisable from his Ben Mitchell Days.

Since then, he has also starred in the Netflix film Jingle Jangle: A Christmas Journey.

Away from our TV screens, Charlie is also in a long term relationship with actress Flora London, who has starred in TV series including Endeavour and McDonald & Dodds.

Elliot Carrington (Bobby Beale)

Another EastEnders resident to be played by multiple actors is Bobby Beale, with Kevin Curran, Alex Francis, Rory Stroud and current actor Clay Milner Russell taking on the role.

However, fans will remember teenager Elliot Carrington playing Bobby Beale following the shock revelation that the character had murdered his sister Lucy.

In a special live episode celebrating EastEnders' 30th anniversary, Bobby was revealed as the killer, and he was sentenced to three years in a young offender's institute.

Prior to EastEnders, Carrington had starred in television programmes including Casualty and Hetty Feather, and in the stage version of Billy Elliot.

Most recently, he starred in the Channel 5 documentary, The Double Life of George Michael, in 2018 as a younger incarnation of the singer.

However, no other acting roles are listed for Elliot on IMDB and it appears the star keeps his personal life away from the public eye, so not much is known about what the star is up to now.

Madeline Duggan (Lauren Branning)

Although Jacqueline Jossa is famous for playing Lauren Branning, the Albert Square resident was originally played by actress Madeline Duggan.

She played Lauren between 2006 to 2010, during which time her character exposed dad Max's affair with Stacey Slater during a shocking Christmas moment.

Since then she has not left our screens, appearing in TV series such as Silent Witness, The Tunnel, The Smoke, Home Alone and Maybe I'm Fine.

She also revealed on social media that she had been working in a doctors surgery part-time, saying "being an out of work actress doesn't pay)."

After answering questions from her fans on Twitter following a re-run of the famous 2007 Christmas episode, she also said she was happy to be re-cast, saying: "I understand it more now lol I looked like a baby in that ep and I was tiny and didn’t grow (still only 5’2).

"I get that they wanted someone older to play different story lines & I'm very glad it happened."

Madeline has also showcased a huge transformation from her time on the soap, and regularly shares glam snaps with her 23k Instagram followers.

That's not all, as the star also shared her secret talent for singing in 2020, when she teamed up with Frank Bruno and X Factor winner Sam Bailey to record a cover of Shakin Stevens' Merry Christmas Everyone, to raise money for Alzheimer's Society and Action For Children.

Melissa Suffield (Lucy Beale)

Melissa Suffield played teenage Lucy Beale between 2004 to 2010, landing the role when she was just 11 years old.

Her role was later re-cast with Hetti Bywater playing the character, before Lucy Beale was killed in one of the soap's most famous murder storylines.

After leaving the soap, the actress appeared in Little Crackers and Casualty, before making a career u-turn.

Away from our screens, Melissa is still very much in the public eye and now works as an Instagram influencer who regularly posts about body positivity.

Speaking to Daily Star about her work as an influencer, she said: "I know what my voice is and my voice is speaking to that postpartum experience."

Melissa welcomed a son called River in 2020 with husband Robert Brendan, who works on board a cruise ship.

She also most recently shared a sweet snap of the three of them together on Instagram, as Robert prepared to work away, saying in the caption:

"And just like that, three becomes two again,"

"After a lovely 3 months together, Robert has returned to the ship for another 4 months- so it’s back to mum and River 24/7. We’ve had a wonderful break, and although we’re all used to this now, it doesn’t get any easier."

She continued: "But it’s all entirely worth it for moments like these. Time spent together, or seeing River’s face when we both appear as he wakes, and being able to simply sit and do nothing, with company.

"Tiny small joys that so many take for granted. We never do."

Thomas Law (Peter Beale)

Peter Beale has been played by no less than seven actors since the nineties, including Francis Britten-Snell, Alex Stevens, Joseph Shade, James Martin, Ben Hardy and current actor Dayle Hudson.

However, teenager Thomas Law rose to fame as Peter Beale between 2006 to 2010.

After leaving the soap, the actor has not shyed away from the limelight however, appearing in TV series including Casualty and Hollywood films including A Cinderella Story: If The Shoe Fits in 2016.

He has also shown off his impressive vocal talents on social media, with the actor choosing to focus on his music career in recent years and sharing videos of himself on Instagram singing and playing guitar – as well as releasing songs on streaming service Spotify.

However, eagle-eyed fans spotted a now adult Thomas making a return to our TV screens last year in ITV series The Bay, playing DC Eddie Martin, and also in the film Last Train to Christmas.

Thomas has also delighted fans on social media with snaps of his hunky transformation, showcasing his toned abs and ripped muscles in a series of photos, with one fan commenting: "Dammmmmmmmnnnnnnn, [you] got so sexy."

Nicola Stapleton (Mandy Salter)

Nicola Stapleton first arrived on our screens as troublesome teen Mandy Salter in 1992, with the teen becoming embroiled in huge plots including the blackmail of Ian Beale.

She was also part of one of the soap's most famous couples, when she dated Aidan Brosnan (played by Sean Maguire), with the pair's relationship facing its fair share of troublesome times before both left the square in 1994.

After beginning her career at an early age in TV series including Simon and the Witch, and films such as Hansel and Gretel, Nicola has starred in some of the UK's biggest programmes including ITV series Bad Girls, where she played Janine Nebeski between 2005 to 2006.

That's not all, as she also starred as Joe Nardone in Channel 4's Young Person's Guide to Becoming a Rock Star, as well as playing multiple roles in BBC hospital drama Casualty.

The actress also made a return to EastEnders in 2011, after more than 17 years away from Walford – and does not appear to have aged a day as she showcased an incredible transformation, which saw her ditch her brunette locks for long blonde hair.

Her return came with quite a twist too, when Mandy began dating Ian Beale – the man she had previously blackmailed – before departing the square once more in 2012.

EastEnders is not Nicola's only soap role however, as she also played Danielle Hutch in Emmerdale between 2008 to 2009, and Savannah Madeiros in Hollyoaks Later.

Most recently, Nicola has voiced Rosie in the popular children's TV series Thomas & Friends, and appeared in BBC series Call The Midwife as Thelma Haig in 2021.

Although the star tends to keep her personal life away from the public eye, her official Twitter account lists her as "Actress, writer and Mummy! Director of A Noodles Production."

Sean Maguire (Aidan Brosnan)

Sean Maguire became a soap heartthrob on EastEnders as Aidan Brosnan in 1993, where he played an apprentice footballer for Walford F.C.

However, it was not long before he got into a relationship with troublesome teen Mandy Salter – leading him on a downward spiral that saw him battle addiction and become homeless.

Blaming her for his misfortune since arriving in Walford, he left Albert Square for good in 1994 – with Mandy leaving later in the same year.

After leaving EastEnders, the actor landed a number of roles in some of the UK's biggest TV series including Holby City, Scott & Bailey and Death in Paradise.

He also launched a pop career, releasing three albums and landing more than eight Top 30 UK Chart hits.

However, the star revealed to podcast Celebrity Catch Up: Life After That Thing I Did, that he chose to move to Los Angeles in 2001 after receiving abuse when he became famous.

He said: "I found that level of being recognisable is not what you think it’s going to be.

"I was hit in the face so many times. Going on holiday with my friends led to so many altercations and terrible moments and it just made life so much harder than it did make it easier or cool, that I realised celebrity is not for me. I just wanted to just be an actor."

After moving to the US, he landed a role in sitcom Off Centre in 2001, alongside American Pie star Eddie Kaye Thomas, with Sean describing it as "one of the happiest times" in his life.

He has also become a favourite with fantasy fans too, after playing Robin Hood in the hit TV series Once Upon A Time between 2013 to 2018.

That's not all, as Sean most recently played Sir Effingham in The Magicians in 2020, and Joe in the TV series S.W.A.T in 2022, as well as appearing in films such as Meet The Spartans and The Red Dress.

Away from the limelight, Sean has been married to his wife Tanya Flynn since 2012, with who he has three children.

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