Stacey Branning is to suffer from postpartum psychosis in ‘EastEnders’.
Lacey Turner’s character Stacey – who was diagnosed with bipolar in 2009 – is to struggle with the rare condition that affects some women after they give birth when she welcomes her second child into the world just before Christmas.
‘EastEnders’ executive producer Dominic Treadwell-Collins said: "Stacey’s mental health story will be one of our biggest storylines over Christmas and the beginning of 2016 as we explore Stacey’s bipolar disorder and its effects on her and those closest to her.
"We have always had a big commitment to Stacey’s story and this time we want to explore the effects of postpartum psychosis on those with bipolar – something which, although a rare illness, is unfortunately more common when mothers with bipolar give birth – and look at what we are doing as a country to help mothers experiencing this."
The BBC One soap has worked closely with mental health charities Mind and Bipolar UK as well as other experts in the field and women who have experienced postpartum psychosis.
Meanwhile, Stacey will also be dealing with the pressure of knowing her newborn baby is not her boyfriend Martin’s but rather her close friend Shabnam’s husband Kush.
Dominic added: "Lacey is one of the most raw and intuitive actresses on television and it’s exciting to watch her getting her teeth into a really intense storyline as Stacey battles against the world. With the truth about Stacey’s baby’s parentage bubbling underneath and the final reveal of the meaning of Stacey’s key, this story is going to place Stacey right in the centre of a very big storm…"
EastEnders: Stacey Branning to suffer from postpartum psychosis
