EastEnders star Lorraine Stanley shows off her sensational weight loss as her character Karen Taylor prepares for shock exit from the BBC soap

EastEnders actress Lorraine Stanley showed off her astonishing weight loss on Instagram on Monday after revealing she will be leaving the soap.

The 47-year-old BBC star, who plays Karen Taylor, will leave Walford at the end of this year, but her exit storyline is currently unknown.

However, she looked a far cry from her character’s scruffy oversized shirts and sweatpants as she showcased her body transformation in a figure-hugging black Nike sleeveless workout top and matching leggings.

Lorraine looked forward as she flexed her muscles for a mirror selfie before turning to the side for a second photo.

She wrote: ‘I feel fantastic!!! #fitat40something #strengthtrainingforwomen #igotthis.’

Character: The 47-year-old BBC star, who plays Karen Taylor, will leave Walford at the end of this year, but her exit storyline is currently unknown (2021 photo)

The actress told fans last year that she almost lost a stone in six weeks by cutting down on sweet treats and increasing her protein intake.

Lorraine also revealed on ITV’s Lorraine that she had cut out carbs, saying: ‘I’ve lost 12 pounds in six weeks. My buddy Louisa is my fitness guru, I have her to thank for that.

‘She talks about nutrition. I ate a lot of boiled eggs, fish and chicken. No carbs, no chips and chocolate. I enjoy it and it makes me feel better.’

It comes after Lorraine broke her silence last month after being forced to leave Albert Square.

She played matriarch Karen Taylor for seven years and is being written out of the BBC soap as part of a shock cast shake-up.

Speaking to The Sun, Lorraine revealed she was sad to leave the EastEnders family, but was excited to see what opportunities would come next.

And the actress may get a role in a rival soap, as she revealed: ‘I think it should be Corrie and I should be the new landlady.

‘I would be Gemma’s [Winter] aunt, Bernie’s sister. I would become part of their family and take over The Rovers.”

Wow: She looked a world away from her character’s frumpy oversized shirts and sweatpants though as she showed off her body transformation in a figure-hugging Nike top and leggings

Drama: It comes after Lorraine broke her silence after being forced to leave Albert Square as she was brutally axed from the soap (pictured in June)

Legacy: She has played matriarch Karen Taylor on the soap for seven years and is written out of the BBC soap as part of a shock cast shake-up (pictured in scenes in March 2022)

She shared the shock moment of finding out she was being suspended, explaining that while she was sad to leave, it gave her the opportunity to push herself outside her comfort zone.

Speaking about her character’s legacy, she said: ‘I just want people to remember her as the best mother on the block, a heart of gold, she gives you her last fiver and would do anything for her children – a bit like me. ‘

The actress will leave the soap at the end of this year and Lorraine admitted she would be furious if her character was killed off.

‘I hope the door remains open for Karen. I can’t say too much, but if they killed me I would never watch EastEnders again.’

Since joining the soap in 2017, Lorraine has played the single mother launderette who arrives in Walford with her brood Keanu (Danny Walters), Keegan Baker (Zack Morris), Bernadette (Clair Norris), Riley and Chatham – played by real-life brothers Tom and Alfie Jacobs.

Lorraine won’t be the only character to leave the soap in the coming months after the soap made history in February with their epic ending to a regular Monday episode in which they teased a flash-forward of a Christmas murder.

In the shocking scenes, Denise (Diane Parish), Kathy (Gillian Taylforth), Linda (Kellie Bright), Sharon (Letitia Dean), Stacey (Lacey Turner) and Suki (Balvinder Sopal) were seen surrounding a dead body, but the identity of the body and the murderer were kept secret.

While discussing the who-dunnit storyline, she revealed that her character Phil Mitchell would like to see his end come Christmas, but confirmed that the legendary character isn’t going anywhere.

She then teased who the potential victims could be, introducing Theo, Nish or Ravi.

End of an era: The actress is leaving the soap at the end of the year and Lorraine confessed she would be furious if her character was killed off