So the departures (so far?) are:

Buster
Les
Pam
Ronnie
Roxy
Lee
Masood
Claudette
Kyle

Who, if any, would you have kept?

Les, Pam and Claudette. Big mistake getting rid of them.

Claudette, Ronnie, Kyle and Pam - All have further stories to tell, haven't had enough chance or are just interesting characters and are such a loss.

Masood, even though it was Nitin's choice to leave.

Lee-it would be nice to see more of his relationship with Whitney.

Claudette Hubbard,
Masood Ahmed.
Ronnie Mitchell.

Claudette for her knockers, Les, Pam, Kyle and Masood, as i like them, Roxy as shes fit

Pam's been her best since Paul's death.

I'd have kept Lee, Kyle and Claudette.

I see no reason to write out Lee and Kyle. There are more interesting people on EE of course, but they're good when written well. No matter what we say about the Carters writing out one of their younger characters is a bad move. Babe is the one who should be going imo. She's schemed and been exposed to the family several times now for her antics. As for Kyle, why introduce a whole new branch of Slaters if this is what's happening?

Claudette has grown on me so much (no pun intended LOL). But the mistake was making her this gangster mum who's more ruthless than Vincent. I suppose efforts to soften her character recently might keep the door open for a future, as the reports suggest. Also, Ellen is one of those actresses who seems to find work quite easily. Been seeing her on TV for years now.

I really like Masood but it was Nitin's decision and with no Masood family left I think the time is right. I was a long-time fan of Ronnie, but the writers have ruined her beyond belief. A very bold decision IMO. I'll miss her, but I won't miss Roxy as I've never been much of a fan.

Literally none of them.

I really like Claudette but they've completely written her into a corner.

Lee and Kyle are harmless but uninteresting.

Masood, Ronnie, Roxy ran out of steam years ago.

The Cokers are the real tragedy on that list, IMO. It just seems ridiculous to axe such an interesting, complex couple, especially when they're capable of carrying big storylines.

I'd also personally have kept Roxy, Lee and Kyle but I'm not QUITE as annoyed about them as I am the Cokers.

Masood wasn't axed so shouldn't really be on the list. Though I do wonder if the crappy storylines they've given him this year have been a not so subtle way of pushing Nitin out of the door. I imagine they'll do the same thing with Danny Dyer and Kellie Bright after axing all of their family around them.

I would have kept Masood and Kyle.

I'm so glad Ronnie is going, they have ruined her character.

I see DS have basically taken this thread and made it into something similar for an article on their main site.