'EastEnders' Tanya gets cold feet over treatment, reveals Jo Joyner

EastEnders star Jo Joyner has spoken of how her character Tanya Jessop almost abandons her cancer treatment in a forthcoming episode.

Tanya prepares to start a course of radiotherapy and chemotherapy later this month, but she nearly pulls out of her treatment plan until her daughter Lauren (Jacqueline Jossa) talks her round.

Joyner told Soaplife of the upcoming hospital scenes: "[Tanya] bottles it. While Lauren pops away to get a drink of water, Tanya escapes to the toilet and thinks to herself, 'I'm too scared'.

"Then she meets this woman called Siobhan who asks Tanya if she's a patient on the cancer ward. Tanya shakes her head and says actually she was just leaving."

Joyner added that Tanya only sees sense when Lauren finds her and they have a heart-to-heart.

"Tanya struggles to justify her decision in the face of Lauren's logical arguments and ultimately decides to go through with it," she explained. "It turns out Siobhan is a cancer patient, too. They share a moment of understanding and agree to be 'text buddies'."

The actress also revealed that Tanya will be plagued with doubts over her chances of beating her illness in upcoming scenes.

"She's remaining positive and thinks she has a good chance," Joyner explained. "It's not until later that she goes, 'Oh God no, maybe I will die from it and this is actually horrifying' and she spins out."

Tanya received her diagnosis back in August and EastEnders bosses worked closely with various experts and charities while devising her storyline.

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Watch Tanya's EastEnders character trail below: