Pam St Clement (Pat Evans) - was she axed from EastEnders?

wizardtwizardt Posts: 2,125
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When the news was announced in 2011 that Pam St Clement decided to quit EE, everyone all assumed that Pam chose to leave the show. She did actually say that herself. But last year, Barbara Windsor said Pam St Clement only wanted a break and she didn't actually want to leave permanently. I wonder if they axed Pam by killing Pat off?

I'm seriously annoyed with the producers for killing off Pat :(
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Comments

  • lionkingonstagelionkingonstage Posts: 3,046
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    Dunno what happened. Would love to know the truth. However I doubt we ever will.
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 515
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    I think she wanted to leave, but she didn't want to be killed off. But she was anyway.
  • BabanBaban Posts: 2,040
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    I always laugh at soap stars who "don't want to be killed off" as they're clearly just going to see if they can find something better and when they (undoubtedly) don't they go crawling back to soaps:')

    Don't think this was true in Pam St Clemente's case but still
  • doormouse1doormouse1 Posts: 5,431
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    I think she asked for time off for a holiday, but instead of her character being written out for a while, she was killed off.

    Very shabby treatment IMO - considering the breaks that Jo Joyner and Patsy Palmer were allowed to take.
  • Seanieb1983Seanieb1983 Posts: 1,127
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    Yeah, according to Barbra Windsor, she asked for time off and they decided to kill her off.


    I thought her final scenes were some of the best ever on Eastenders, but the overall cancer storyline was rushed.
  • CardioCortezCardioCortez Posts: 11,201
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    Yeah, according to Barbra Windsor, she asked for time off and they decided to kill her off.


    I thought her final scenes were some of the best ever on Eastenders, but the overall cancer storyline was rushed.

    Not really.

    Unfortunately, it can be that quick in real life.
  • dd68dd68 Posts: 17,828
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    I do't think that the stars should dictate their exit
  • KieranDSKieranDS Posts: 16,545
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    Yeah, according to Barbra Windsor, she asked for time off and they decided to kill her off.


    I thought her final scenes were some of the best ever on Eastenders, but the overall cancer storyline was rushed.

    Pam said herself on This Morning that she told the producers she wanted a have a break/leave and then Simon Ashdown pitched her death story to her. She said she loved it, thought it would stretch her as an actress and agreed to do it.
  • dee123dee123 Posts: 46,165
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    dd68 wrote: »
    I do't think that the stars should dictate their exit

    Agree. No one is bigger than the show they are on.
  • jimbo23jimbo23 Posts: 1,509
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    I think it's hard dig the older stars, there all want to work part time, and corrie seem to be ok bout it. Dragging Rita out once every 3 months, poor pam if it's true that she was axed shows the state of the management at the time
  • jimbo23jimbo23 Posts: 1,509
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    dd68 wrote: »
    I do't think that the stars should dictate their exit

    Only the very long term ones
  • dee123dee123 Posts: 46,165
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    jimbo23 wrote: »
    Only the very long term ones

    Nope. Nobody.
  • wizardtwizardt Posts: 2,125
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    dee123 wrote: »
    Nope. Nobody.

    Why not? Pam St Clement was in EastEnders for 25 years..
  • ScrabblerScrabbler Posts: 50,826
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    Pam said she needed time out but wanted to return at some point. I don't really see that being a huge ask, give her a break and she can come back refreshed.

    Killing Pat off was the biggest mistake that they have ever made. We are still seeing the affects now.
  • Check it outCheck it out Posts: 1,231
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    I think everyone is being so over dramatic.

    I took it as Pam wanted to leave. Not take a break. Quit. But she said she didn't want Pat killed off because the show was low on that history, which was true. She was upset when they killed her off, but she was hardly axed. She was leaving the show when her contract ended. Even if she said she would be open to a return in the future, she was making a permanent exit from the show.

    Killing her off was a misfire and I miss her an awful lot, but she wasn't axed and she obviously didn't ask for a break. She quit, and BK in all his idiocy killed her off.
  • dee123dee123 Posts: 46,165
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    wizardt wrote: »
    Why not? Pam St Clement was in EastEnders for 25 years..

    And? She got paid every week didn't she? No actor or character is bigger than the show itself.
  • valdvald Posts: 46,057
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    She said she was leaving....hanging up her earrings. There was no mention of a break. As far as I can remember she already had a show lined up on ITV, something to do with dogs. She also popped up an a couple of chat shows. It was only when her show flopped that Barbara Windsor came out with the version that she only wanted a break, I don't remember Pam backing her up on this.

    I miss Pam (as Pat) but it's a risk actors take when they decide to leave. It's just a shame we have lost Janine and David as well.
  • james_killroyjames_killroy Posts: 1,210
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    I think everyone is being so over dramatic.

    I took it as Pam wanted to leave. Not take a break. Quit. But she said she didn't want Pat killed off because the show was low on that history, which was true. She was upset when they killed her off, but she was hardly axed. She was leaving the show when her contract ended. Even if she said she would be open to a return in the future, she was making a permanent exit from the show.

    Killing her off was a misfire and I miss her an awful lot, but she wasn't axed and she obviously didn't ask for a break. She quit, and BK in all his idiocy killed her off.

    How do you know any of this? do you know her?

    I'm sorry but Babs does and Babs let it slip on live TV

    Here from 8 mins

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ojtaw0qJT1I

    She clearly states what happened and reveals 'I hope Pam is ok with me saying this' so she knows the whole story.
  • BumbleSquatBumbleSquat Posts: 7,176
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    jimbo23 wrote: »
    Only the very long term ones

    I kind of agree with this to an extent. Keep in mind that an actress like Pam had been playing Pat for 25 years. I think it's safe to assume that she probably understood the character a little better than a writer who arrived on the show later on - so I'd believe they'd be well within reason to kick up a fuss if they feel the character is written wrong. When it comes to getting killed off with cancer then you can't argue with that because you can't say it's out-of-character to ''get cancer''.

    When it comes to Pat/Pam, you can't say she was ever given the extreme Wendy Richard/Pauline's acting out-of-character treatment where Pat became so unrecognisable. I know there were scenes before her death where she actually showed fear when coming face to face with Derek Branning - who was essentially just some chubby small-time crook, when Pat was at ease with even the deadliest of gangsters in the past. That was probably the only time I feel the writers sold her character down the river just for the purpose of boosting a new character they felt should be at the forefront.

    The people behind the scenes shouldn't take their issues with an actor out on the character they play also - because that actually damages the credibility of the show overall.

    People may criticise Bryan Kirkwood for signing off on the decision to kill Pat but the episode itself was good. Brilliantly held together by Pat's interactions with Janine, Ricky and David. Those scenes were strong enough because of the rich history. The only thing that spoiled it for me was Simon Ashdown's not-so-subtle attempt to shoehorn Brannings in there. How contrived and out of place did Tanya, Max and Derek seem when they were in her bedroom with her? Tanya and Max were nothing to Pat and barely had any interaction with her. Just an excuse to remind viewers that the Brannings must be important if they are plonked right into an iconic character's final scenes.
  • Broken_ArrowBroken_Arrow Posts: 10,637
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    I don't agree no character is bigger than the show. Pat was a huge part of EastEnders for 25 years and is still missed. Ditto Pauline. I agree to an extent that the show shouldn't be littered with sacred cows but it's not like long term characters with roots to the past are growing on trees lately. It's the reason I wouldn't axe Ian even though I hate him. Killing Pat was a bloody stupid mistake.
  • Check it outCheck it out Posts: 1,231
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    How do you know any of this? do you know her?

    I'm sorry but Babs does and Babs let it slip on live TV

    Here from 8 mins

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ojtaw0qJT1I

    She clearly states what happened and reveals 'I hope Pam is ok with me saying this' so she knows the whole story.

    And what does break mean? Pam said herself she quit. So by break she meant she was leaving and she could see herself going back in the future at some point. You are all talking as if Pam said "Can I have a few months off" and they killed her off. She might have personally saw herself going back in the future, but how do you know she told BK that? Pam said herself she didn't want to stand in the way of TPTB's creativity.

    Pam quit. They decided to give her a big finale while they still could. Babs was pissed because she knew Pam would have been open for a return at some point. Not that Pam requested a break and they axed her for it.
  • Check it outCheck it out Posts: 1,231
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    I don't agree no character is bigger than the show. Pat was a huge part of EastEnders for 25 years and is still missed. Ditto Pauline. I agree to an extent that the show shouldn't be littered with sacred cows but it's not like long term characters with roots to the past are growing on trees lately. It's the reason I wouldn't axe Ian even though I hate him. Killing Pat was a bloody stupid mistake.

    Completely agree. They could have just packed her off to New Zealand.
  • Hound of LoveHound of Love Posts: 79,797
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    jimbo23 wrote: »
    Only the very long term ones

    Disagree.

    I don't see why certain soap cast members should be exempt from getting written out (killed off, or having the door left open), purely because they have been in a show for so many years.
  • Sorcha_27Sorcha_27 Posts: 138,229
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    To be fair to Kirkwood (:o:o:o)her exit was brilliantly written and acted but I still can't believe they killed her off. It was a massive mistake, regardless of whether she quit or was axed and the repercussions are still felt to this day

    >:(
  • Hit Em Up StyleHit Em Up Style Posts: 12,141
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    And what does break mean? Pam said herself she quit. So by break she meant she was leaving and she could see herself going back in the future at some point. You are all talking as if Pam said "Can I have a few months off" and they killed her off. She might have personally saw herself going back in the future, but how do you know she told BK that? Pam said herself she didn't want to stand in the way of TPTB's creativity.

    Pam quit. They decided to give her a big finale while they still could. Babs was pissed because she knew Pam would have been open for a return at some point. Not that Pam requested a break and they axed her for it.

    You do realise how offensive this sounds? Pam was 70 years old when she quit and is several years younger than Barbara Windsor. You make it sound like the poor woman is about to pop her clogs.

    As for the topic at hand. I would sooner believe Bab's version of events than anything written on a web site. She after all knows Pam and told the story of how upset she, Pam, was. That is good enough for me.
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