Richard explains 'EastEnders' exit

Theo Morgan on March 10th, 2008
Don't miss her in the slightest. Wendy Richard is so miserable and it really showed in her performances.

Jon, London on March 10th, 2008
Oh shut up you old misery. I'd hardly say it was stressful doing that job - for the kids yes but not the oldies. Everyone knows they are pampered. No one misses her and no one is really bothered why she left. Just glad she did.

Julie, Coventry on March 10th, 2008
Don't miss Pauline (Wendy Richards) in Eastenders one bit. She did not hold the show together with her consant moaning morning, noon and night.

baldbilluk, Glasgow on March 10th, 2008
To be honest with you EE is even more brilliant than ever before, Sorry but Windy Richard is just not missed, actually none of the Fowlers are missed especially as we have more than enough good characters to replace them, so Happy Retirement Old Sour Puss!!!!!!

Mickebloke, London on March 10th, 2008
Vile character who is not missed. Shame, as in the beginning she was a nice person, but then that cropped hairdo does nothing for her.

Phil, Cornwall on March 10th, 2008
It's always a bit sad when a long-running character leaves a show, as the viewers have shared their highs & low over the years and feel nostalgic about them, but I think in the case of Pauline, it was probably for the best. Wendy obviously wanted to leave show for several reasons & doesn't seem to regret it and judging by the comments I've read about her departure so far, it seems the viewers agree too! Still, she had some memorable moments over the years, such as when she hit husband, Arthur over the head with a frying pan, after she found out about his affair with Mrs. Hewitt!

Jack, Crawley on March 10th, 2008
No actor or actress in EastEnders is bigger than the show itself. Sour faced, acid tongue and a misery - but enough about Wendy! I heard someone wanted to abduct her dog Betty & charge her a FORTUNE ransom - its all the rage!

F. Owler, London on March 10th, 2008
They turned a nice (if occasionally overbearing and picky) lady into a moaning, evil old bag. It's not surprising the character isn't missed. I always thought it would have been better to pair her up with someone like Charlie Slater, who'd been in the same boat marriage-wise and could have brought out her softer side.

Andy, London on March 10th, 2008
I don't miss Pauline one bit. Towards the end of her run she was a very dry character and I was getting tired of the lack of energy put into her performances. Her finishing storyline sucked and I'm glad it was dealt with in a matter of 2/3 months.

Dev, London on March 10th, 2008
I still think there's a big void from Pauline's departue. She was a true stalwart of the show - the stuff of legend. It was a big mistake to kill her off.

Neil Tennant, Wallsend on March 10th, 2008
Wendy Richard should appear in Coronation Street!

niall, ireland on March 10th, 2008
eastenders made her a star.how can she just turn her back on it.so ungrateful.dev you could not be more wrong

John, London on March 10th, 2008
She was brilliant, shame she can't/wouldn't come back.

kevin waterford on March 10th, 2008
i think Paulines character was ruined by the producers at that time so she does not deserve the hatred she is getting .

Andrew Williams on March 10th, 2008
I have not realy noticed that pauline (wendy richard) has left the show,eastenders has got better since a lot of the old characters have left. she only said that cuz no one heard from her since she left eastenders. im glad she did leave!!!

Greg, Walsall on March 10th, 2008
Just amazes me how these people as soon as they leave slag the programme off. I bet she never grumbled about the salary she received over the years. No actor or actress for that matter is bigger than the programme itself. I just think they get too big for their boots & want this & that & when they can't have it they want to leave. Saw Natille Casidy recently & she loooked amazing. She didn'tseem to have anything bad to say about EE. No I don't miss Pauline Fowler either.

thomas, ireland on March 10th, 2008
it has i miss here been mean

Keith, Dublin on March 10th, 2008
I think obviously there was a bit of a vaccum after the Fowlers left the Square. However, I really think the Beales are the new generation of Fowlers, if that makes any sense. They have fitted into Pauline's old house like a glove. The show in itself has moved on as life does. The show is great the moment, and I think the Fowlers will always be fondly remembered. Personally, I felt Pauline was right to go. However, I disagreed with her exit storyline. It was handled horribly. She should have been sent to America or Scotland, somewhere, just not to her grave!

jinty, scotland on March 10th, 2008
No it was about time she left she was dragging the show down with all her moaning'

Gary, London on March 11th, 2008
Miss her are you kidding she was the biggest moan on TV. I would of killed her off years ago

Jack, Bristol on March 11th, 2008
Terrible Character! SO SO glad shes gone!!

Jon, Kent on March 11th, 2008
The fact is EastEnders lost it's way, 2003 to 2006 possibly it's worst years in terms of continuity and storyline structure. The writers were desperate to try and repair numerous blunders and today, yes, it may have improved but I for one along with Wendy stopped watching the show. I fully support the reasons Wendy left because the storylines were getting ridiculous and for being the longest serving cast member (minus Ian) I don't think she got a decent send off. People saying she's miserable in real life? Well, I've never met her so couldn't possibly state that fact. In my opinion Wendy played the character of Pauline very well and was given some gritty storylines. Yes Pauline was miserable and downtrodden in her dowdy cardigans but she developed into a matriach. Obviously I don't think the soap misses her because it has now evolved from the Fowler era and things have moved on plus in retrospect there probably wasn't anywhere else for the character to go.

kazz falcon on March 11th, 2008
i think i will miss her when Pauline Fowler leaves. It will be years from now. I like Pauline. Right now, I am enjoying her on EastEnders with HER family - Mark and Martin.

Robert, London on March 11th, 2008
EastEnders doesn't have a proper matriarch/ battle-axe now. Pauline was a nice character at first but they turned her bitter, I think they turned her so bitter nearer the end so that we wouldn't miss her. it would be good if Pauline was still there, they brought in so many new characters in 2006-2007 period.

sarish nelson on March 11th, 2008
dnt miss wendy 1 bit...she never smiled, laughed. all she did was moan and have a go at everyone

roy, london on March 11th, 2008
she did the right thing by leaving eastenders, like her i too have stopped watching eastenders and for those who think eastenders is better with out her or the fowlers...all i can say i how very sad. i miss pauline, she was just like lou beale,,a real martriach not the likes of peggy and pat who are pathetic.

brian, london on March 12th, 2008
the show is absoloutley garbage, its not the same show that first started. i understand why she left as the producers just dont seem to know what to do next. they try to add contraversy all the time and they get the characters history so wrong and that piss`s me of (i.e peggy has breat of the she`s leaping in and out of bed with a guy she has just met?..yeah thats reallity for ya.

donna, hoxton on March 12th, 2008
i can tell you for a fact!,i work at the daily mirror and there was no interview with wendy richard .the story was lifted from an article when she left and explained why she left. here`s a clue for all you that dont know..an exclusive interview will have a photo from the interview.

colin jones, cardiff on March 12th, 2008
always watched the show from the start ,but im rapidly going of it. lets hope they dont lose anymore of the older lot or we will be left with hollyoaks mark11(dear god)

tommy trainer, oxford on March 12th, 2008
thought that article might be a bit bulls*** as they would have had an exclusive interview in the centre pages and not on the side of the page makes you realise you cant believe a word they say well done donna for coming out

Stephen on March 12th, 2008
Guys remember, the writers write the stories for Wendy Richard, Wendy Richard is not Pauline Fowler, Pauline Fowler may have been a moaner but you cant call Wendy Richard one as she is not that character, so dont insult the actress by using terms such as "old sour puss", its just not needed - Blame the writers not Wendy

Harriet, Surrey on March 12th, 2008
I think it was perfect time for her to go, thought the death was a bit random though, however, I think the square is at its highest form at the moment, i love every character in it, and think Ian is becoming quite a funny character

Alex, Brighton on March 13th, 2008
harriet so you think E/E is at its highest form at the minute? you either work there or your in a mental home or as i suspect about 13 years old? they have lost all the old proper carachters that was the backbone of this dross

sijay, brentford on March 14th, 2008
i liked the fowler family and would like to see them return

javeria iqbal on March 14th, 2008
oh shut up u old bag...... when you were on eastenders i never used to watch it because you made it soooo boring to watch....i now only watch it because you're not in it....its such a relief...face it girl.. you only left because you knew nobody watched it and you felt like seeking attention...trust me... nobody was sorry to see you leave

Gary, Greenford on March 16th, 2008
Pauline, like the programme itself became more stale than the bread in my local corner shop! Considering it is meant to be BBC1's No.1 programme, they make some terrible continuity mistakes, naff storylines and is just crud, lets face it, its the 21st century and nobody in the square has a washing machine, they go to the cafe for a cup of tea, where's their kettles?, if Peggy hasn't barred you from the pub, shes giving you a drink "on the ouse!", everyone has long lost relatives that turn up from all sorts of places, nobody (well apart from Brad) commutes to work, the bus is always waiting at the stop and dont come in threes! the Tube station - well dont get me started on that!. everyone shops in the minute mart, there is no through traffic, and because the characters are so unused to traffic, whenever there is one, someone gets run over and killed, theres only a few houses in the square but always one available to rent or buy when a character needs one, they all shop for their clothes in the market, when an argument starts in the Queen Vic, the music stops, (hmm would be angry if I had paid the jukebox for the song thats stops suddenly), everyone has the right amount of change for the shopping, the drinks, or the food in the cafe, anyway I won't go on anymore because I think I am morphing into a moaner like Pauline!!!

tanya, nottingham on March 17th, 2008
i think shes right the ay the bbc made her character evil ive watchec eastenders since 1985 and i have really liked her character through the years its a shame really she would of made a perfect slanging match for zainab masood

james, coventry on March 17th, 2008
i miss pauline:( those producers need shooting what they did to her;(

Mark, West Midlands on March 17th, 2008
Pauline who?

mark, england on March 18th, 2008
eastenders is not the same with out her she was the best there and allways will be just wish theynever killed her of so she cound come bk. eastenders are to busy getting rid of the best people like den watts he was simply the best