EastEnders' fans love that Tracey finally has her own storyline after 30 years

It has been a long time coming but EastEnders’ favourite, Tracey, has finally nabbed herself her own storyline… We just wish that it was on better terms.

Fans of the BBC One soap have been rejoicing online after the actress, who has been a regular extra on the show for over 30 years, was the focus of last night’s episode after she was unceremoniously fired from the Queen Vic pub by newcomer Woody last Friday.

Played by Jane Slaughter, Tracey has been in the show since its very first episode on the 19th February 1985, originally working on a flower stall.

She soon became a staple barmaid at the Vic, even helping to facilitate Kathy Beale’s grand return to the E20 back in 2015, but her lines have been few and far between and she has certainly not been at the centre of a big plot before this week.

After being forced to let go of Tracey, pub landlady Shirley Carter decided to throw a leaving do in her honour, with the whole of the Square showing up to show their support.

The characters paid poignant tribute to Trace as they remembered all of the off-screen times that she had been there for them over the years, even admitting that her job at the Vic helped her through “two divorces and a cancer scare” as it was revealed that she used to get the bus to the pub from East Ham every day, refusing to find work closer to home because she loved her job so much.

When Tracey was a no-show fellow long-timer Ian Beale, played by Adam Woodyatt, found the scorned barmaid sitting on a bench and the two had a touching heart to heart, with Tracey ultimately opting out of attending the party.

The episode ended with Walford’s residents protesting Tracey’s sacking and demanding justice, with Vincent Hubbard offering Tracey a job at rival bar ‘The Albert’.

Fans of the show felt divided as the episode aired, with many rejoicing that Tracey was finally getting the acknowledgement that she deserves but also heartbroken for the downtrodden character.

Taking to Twitter, they wrote:

Here’s hoping that her new job at The Albert will put a smile back on Tracey’s face… And we also have a feeling that Woody might live to regret his decision to fire her.

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