EastEnders 2010: Kat and Lynne catfight
Lynne Slater (played by Elaine Lordan) who would soon become Lynne Hobbs, arrived in Walford in 2000 with her sisters, Kat (Jessie Wallace), Little Mo (Kacey Ainsworth), niece Zoe (Michelle Ryan), father Charlie (Derek Martin) and nan Big Mo (Laila Morse).
Lynne was the first of the popular family to exit the Square after a tragedy destroyed her marriage to Garry Hobbs (Ricky Groves).
The couple lost their unborn daughter after an accident in Walford and, unable to carry on living in the Square, Lynne decided to split from Garry and leave for good.
While she hasn’t returned to the soap in the 19 years since leaving, Lynne has been mentioned a few times.
In 2007, the family find out Lynne is happily engaged to someone else, and when Charlie died, she attended his funeral in January 2016 off-screen.
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EastEnders: Lynne left the show in 2004 (Image: BBC YouTube)
Where is EastEnders’ Lynne Hobbs now?
Elaine became a household name during her time on the soap, but has so far never returned to the character of Lynne.
Elaine was back on screen a year after her EastEnders exit when she joined I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here! in 2005.
Unfortunately, she didn’t make it past one day, with health issues causing her to collapse twice within 24 hours.
She also competed in Soapstar Superstar in 2007, becoming the first person to be voted off.
EastEnders: Elaine hasn’t been in the soap for 19 years (Image: Getty)
Sadly, her own life has seen similar tragedy to that of her soap alter ego.
Heartbreakingly, Elaine lost her son James in 2005, two days after his first birthday.
The tragedy came just nine months after Elaine’s mother, Bernie, died of suicide.
Horrifically, Elaine suffered a miscarriage in 2007, and a year later her father died from a degenerative condition.
EastEnders: Elaine played Lynne from 2000 to 2004 (Image: Getty)
The star was pictured drinking a bottle of wine in the street in the middle of the day back in 2018 in an article which sparked concern for her welfare.
However, newer snaps of the actress have provided more hope that the now-56-year-old is doing much better.
In 2021, she was pictured enjoying a jog with her husband, Peter Manuel and looking healthy.
Elaine’s relationship with Peter wasn’t far off a soap plot line either, with the two meeting and falling for each other when Peter was already married.
They began an affair after meeting on the EastEnders set, with Peter working as a resource manager for the soap, and the relationship ultimately saw her being sacked from the soap.
EastEnders: Elaine played feisty Lynne Slater (Image: BBC YouTube)
In a This Morning interview in 2007, Fern Britton told Elaine: “You found love on the set with someone who unfortunately not free.”
“And I wasn’t at the time either, but we’re very happy now together,” Elaine explained.
“You have to go through the minefield of a difficult relationship, not wanting to hurt other people but naturally you’re going to.
“You try to keep it a secret but the press find out about it and you’re suddenly… EastEnders sex scandal was the front page.”
Elaine and Peter married in 2005 and remain together.
Following the spate of tragedies she faced, she stepped away from the public eye in 2008.
Her last TV appearance was her 2007 stint on Soapstar Superstar, and she has stayed away from the small screen ever since.
While it seems unlikely Elaine will ever reprise her role as the no-nonsense Lynne, there is still potential for the EastEnders character to make a comeback with a recast.
Many of the Slaters have come and gone from the Square, with Kat, Stacey Slater (Lacey Turner), Jean Slater (Gillian Wright) and Freddie Slater (Bobby Brazier) still currently living in Walford.