EastEnders star Clair Norris has taken to social media to pay tribute to her onscreen family, after her character Bernie Taylor left the BBC soap with best friend Felix Baker
EastEnders star Clair Norris has paid an emotional tribute to her on-screen family, marking ‘the end of an era’ on social media. Clair joined the show in 2017 alongside the Taylor family, with her character Bernie quickly becoming a fan favourite on the BBC soap.
However, Bernie faced her fair share of hardships in Albert Square, including the tragic loss of her half-sister Chantelle at the hands of Gray Atkins in 2020 and her mum Karen’s decision to leave Walford in 2023.
Bernie’s world was further shattered by Keanu’s murder on Christmas Day 2023, a storyline that was teased in a dramatic flashforward scene. Keanu’s fatal stabbing at the hands of Linda Carter on his wedding day marked the beginning of the gripping ‘The Six’ storyline.
After discovering the truth behind her brother’s death, Bernie made the difficult decision not to take action, choosing instead to prevent further lives from being ruined, reports the Manchester Evening News.
Following a brief period out of the spotlight, it was revealed that Bernie had been stealing thousands from the Panesar family. In a dramatic twist, she convinced The Six to let her leave in a taxi, fleeing to Spain with her best friend Felix Baker to start anew on Tuesday (July 1).
With the Taylor family now gone from EastEnders, Clair took to Instagram to share a heartfelt post featuring photos with her TV family members from over the years. She captioned the emotional tribute: “The end of an era last night. My onscreen family, I love YA ALL!!
“From the very first day I was blessed to work and learn from the very best and be supported by the most loving people! I struck gold with this lot !!!
“Thank you @bbceastenders for having me and @daranlittle for creating trouble… The Taylors.”
Clair’s announcement sparked an outpouring of well-wishes from her EastEnders co-stars and fans, who flocked to the comments section to congratulate her on her time on the soap.
Ricky Champ, who plays Stuart Highway, wrote: “Congratulations Clair … you smashed it. You should be very proud.”
Maisie Smith, who portrayed Tiffany Fowler, chimed in with: “Berniff 4 lyf.”
Ashley Byam, who plays Finlay Baker, posted: “Love ya cuz!!!” Stevie Basaula, aka Isaac Baptiste, added: “Big love Clair.”
Meanwhile one fan commented: “Enders won’t be the same without the Taylors, especially Bernie but I am REALLY excited to see what you do next!” And another stated: “I just loved the Taylors/Bakers. Wish you all the luck in the world.”
