EastEnders bosses to RECAST Ben, Lucy

[dirrty]

EastEnders bosses have decided to recast young characters Ben Mitchell and Lucy Beale, Digital Spy can confirm.

The pair, currently portrayed by 13-year-old Charlie Jones and 17-year-old Melissa Suffield, will remain as regular fixtures of the Walford soap with new faces playing the parts.

Ben, whose departure from the BBC serial was announced last month, is still expected to bow out temporarily as his current storyline involving stepsister Louise (Brittany Papple) reaches its climax. However, he will subsequently make a comeback played by another actor.

Producers had also previously confirmed that Suffield is to make her final appearance as Lucy later this year. A new actress will now be recruited to take over the role of Ian Beale's wayward daughter.

Speaking of the decision to recast both characters, an EastEnders spokesperson commented: "It's common practice in continuing drama to recast actors employed as children to take on more challenging adult storylines."

Meanwhile, a Walford insider told DS: "They were both suited to playing younger versions of their characters but sometimes a higher level of experience is needed as their characters mature."

EastEnders is currently undergoing a cast overhaul following the arrival of the soap's new executive producer Bryan Kirkwood.

http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/soaps/s2...-ben-lucy.html

this is just preposterous. the fact that they're recasting them essentially straight away opposed to waiting a few years (like with sam for example) is silly as we all associate the characters with these actors.

[immense]

to be honest, they are awful actors though, we will get new associations with the new actors. ben's acting has actually been the talking point of some of his story lines which isn't really acceptable for eastenders.

[dbgtz]

im glad they are with ben but I still want melissa, I will only accept it if she's really hot and can act half decent. And whoever does ben srsly needs to act good and not have a gay ass voice.

[dirrty]

to be honest, they are awful actors though, we will get new associations with the new actors. ben's acting has actually been the talking point of some of his story lines which isn't really acceptable for eastenders.

true true. ben is a terrible actor, but he's like a person who you dislike but find it funny to laugh at and not take interest in his storylines. but i suppose that's not what eastenders are after. i bet the 'new' ben won't be a little queenie though - or he could be a complete in your face gay character rly.

i like lucy as a character as she does a ***** pretty well (and it seems shes almost like that irl). i just hope the 'new' lucy can do just the same, but we don't want another janine.

[Shar]

Good. I hate Melissa Suffield and the actor that plays Ben is so rubbish at acting, he sound like a moany kid.

[Chris]

Nooo! I hate it when shows do that, takes a while to get used to it. :[

[Sharon]

I love Lucy ;l

Hate Ben, good decision hopefully this new one won't be such a queer guy - remember when he was dancing to Girls Aloud

[immense]

I think what preposterous said is right, it'll either be someone overly camp or someone really moany.

[ifuseekamy]

I'm not bothered about Melissa, she's too uncharismatic and her acting doesn't extend much beyond doing a pantomime "I'm plotting something evil" smirk at the camera. From spoilers it looks like

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Ben goes to kiddy prison where he'll probably be hardened up a bit

and when he returns I assume he'll be played by this new actor.

[Kyle]

ben's acting is awful, his voice is annoying and he generally looks like someone that everyone wants to punch.