Lacey Turner – EastEnders Star on Miscarriage and Strictly

Lacey Turner is best known as Stacey Slater, the EastEnders character she has played since 2004. In September 2026 she returned to the headlines after speaking candidly about the two miscarriages she experienced before becoming a mother, including one that happened while she was on the soap’s set.

Her latest interview cycle came during a significant career moment. Turner was confirmed as a contestant on Strictly Come Dancing 2026, a show she said felt especially exposing because she was appearing as herself rather than behind a character.

The combination of a long-running soap role and a new competitive television appearance renewed public interest in her life, her family and her reasons for speaking openly.

What is Lacey Turner’s role in EastEnders?

Turner’s public profile is anchored by EastEnders. She first took on the role of Stacey Slater in 2004, and coverage from 2026 still introduces her first and foremost as the actress behind one of the soap’s most recognisable characters.

Several points stand out across the 2026 interviews and the reporting they generated:

• Turner has said she experienced two miscarriages before becoming a mother, one of which happened during work on the EastEnders set.
• She said she “just carried on” at the time, and later described that reaction as “quite sad” to look back on.
• Strictly Come Dancing 2026 marks a deliberate personal challenge, with Turner reportedly nervous about appearing as herself.
• She marked 22 years as Stacey Slater in 2026, a milestone she acknowledged publicly.
• In 2021 she called for better miscarriage support in the UK, and the 2026 coverage returned to that theme.
• The 2026 interview did not report a new pregnancy loss; it revisited a chapter she had already described in earlier interviews.

Turner is one of several current EastEnders actors whose off-screen lives attract regular attention. A separate profile of Shona McGarty – Age, Relationship and EastEnders Career covers another long-serving cast member from the same show.

Did Lacey Turner have a miscarriage while filming EastEnders?

Yes. Turner has confirmed that she had two miscarriages before becoming a mother, and that one of them happened while she was working on the EastEnders set. Multiple outlets reported the account in late September 2026.

How many miscarriages has Lacey Turner had?

Turner has spoken of two miscarriages. Earlier interviews in 2020 and 2023 described both losses as occurring around seven weeks into pregnancy, and she also talked about struggling to enjoy her later pregnancies because of anxiety. Those interviews, including her conversation with ITV’s Loose Women, match the account repeated in the 2026 coverage.

What did Lacey Turner say about her response at the time?

Turner said she “just carried on” with work after the miscarriage on set. Looking back, she described that reaction as “quite sad”, because she now believes she should have given herself more space to process what had happened. She has since said she learned to speak up and to be more in tune with her feelings.

Why did Lacey Turner share her story?

The 2026 interview was tied to her Strictly Come Dancing appearance, and coverage presented it as a return to a difficult subject rather than as a new event. Turner has also explained that the silence surrounding her experience was one reason she later wanted to speak openly. In an interview with the BBC in 2021, she called for better miscarriage support in the UK and argued for reforms to help women feel less alone after pregnancy loss.

Is Lacey Turner taking part in Strictly Come Dancing 2026?

Yes. Turner’s name appeared in coverage of the 2026 Strictly Come Dancing lineup in mid-September, with reports describing her as stepping away from EastEnders temporarily for the show.

What has Lacey Turner said about Strictly?

Turner described the experience as the “hardest thing ever done.” The Independent reported that she joined the series as a personal challenge and was nervous about appearing as herself rather than as Stacey Slater. For an actress used to performing as a character, the prospect of bringing no role to the ballroom was a marked shift.

Who is Lacey Turner’s Strictly partner?

Her professional dance partner had not been named in coverage published before late September 2026.

When does Strictly Come Dancing 2026 start?

The series was due to begin on September 19, 2026, according to the Ipswich Star, which listed Turner, 38, among the fifteen celebrities taking part.

Coverage by GB News described Turner as stepping away from EastEnders while she took part in the show. Female First reported that she was hopeful of returning to the soap after the competition ended.

Strictly has often drawn contestants from British television drama. Another actress who made the same move, Helen George – Biography, Call the Midwife, and Strictly, joined the show after becoming known for a leading television role.

How old is Lacey Turner and what is her background?

Who is Lacey Turner?

Turner is a British actress whose public identity is closely tied to EastEnders. She has been widely identified in the press as the EastEnders actress who plays Stacey Slater, a description that has followed her for most of her career.

How old is Lacey Turner?

Coverage from September 2026 gives her age as 38. The Ipswich Star used the same figure when announcing her place in the Strictly lineup, and other reports followed the same description.

What else is known about her background?

Full biographical details are limited. Her exact birth date, birthplace and full birth name have not been confirmed in the coverage around her 2026 appearances, and early-life information was not part of the interviews she gave to the press.

What is Lacey Turner’s personal life like?

Turner’s personal life entered her public story through interviews about motherhood. She is married to Matt Kay, and the couple have three children, according to current coverage.

Who is Lacey Turner married to?

The Mirror and other outlets identify Matt Kay as her husband. The wedding date and Kay’s profession are not included in that reporting.

How many children does Lacey Turner have?

Three children, according to Hello!, which included the family detail in coverage of her miscarriage comments. The children’s names and ages have not appeared in the 2026 coverage.

What is Lacey Turner’s Instagram?

Turner’s public Instagram handle is @laceyturner. She used the account in 2026 to mark 22 years since her first appearance on Albert Square.

How has Lacey Turner’s career and public story unfolded?

Turner’s time in the public eye can be traced through a series of documented moments, from her first appearance on Albert Square to the coverage of September 2026.

1. 2004 — Turner first appears as Stacey Slater in EastEnders. The role remains the anchor of her career in 2026 coverage.
2. 2007 — She posed at the National Television Awards in London, where Reuters photographed her.
3. By 2020 — Turner had already spoken publicly about two early miscarriages and her emotional path to motherhood in interviews with Hello! and ITV’s Loose Women.
4. 2021 — She called for better miscarriage support in the UK during a BBC interview.
5. 15 September 2026 — The Ipswich Star reported that Turner, 38, was among the fifteen celebrities in the new Strictly series and quoted her calling it the “hardest thing ever done.”
6. 23 September 2026 — Regional outlets reported her account of the miscarriage that happened while she was on the EastEnders set; the story was also aggregated by Ground News.
7. 2026 — Turner marked 22 years since her first appearance on Albert Square with a post on Instagram.

What is confirmed about Lacey Turner and what remains unclear?

The public record on Turner contains a clear set of established facts, but several personal details have not been confirmed in the 2026 coverage.

Why has Lacey Turner’s story gained attention in 2026?

Turner’s 2026 interviews bring together two very different audiences. EastEnders viewers have followed Stacey Slater for more than two decades, while Strictly Come Dancing reaches a much wider national audience through the autumn season. Her participation placed a familiar soap actress in an unfamiliar setting, and she has said that exposure was part of the challenge.

The miscarriage disclosure adds a separate dimension. Turner was already on the record about pregnancy loss before 2026, having used a 2021 BBC interview to argue for better support. Revisiting the subject during her Strictly publicity gave the story a broader platform and reinforced the image of an actress willing to talk about grief and motherhood in a very public format.

The timing matters too. Strictly runs weekly from late September through December, keeping every contestant in the public conversation throughout the season.

What have Lacey Turner and the press said?

A small number of direct quotes has anchored the coverage of Turner in September 2026.

The EastEnders actress, 38, is among the fifteen celebrities taking part in the new series of the BBC show which begins on September 19.

Ipswich Star, 15 September 2026

An EastEnders star has shared that she had two miscarriages before having her children, with one of them happening while she was on set.

EADT, 23 September 2026

22 years ago, @laceyturner stepped onto Albert Square for the very first time ❤️ Countless unforgettable storylines, extraordinary women…

Instagram, September 2026

What is the key takeaway from Lacey Turner’s 2026 coverage?

Turner’s 2026 coverage re-introduced her to a broad audience as both a long-serving EastEnders actress and a woman who has navigated significant personal loss. Her account of two miscarriages, one on set, was not new, but her decision to revisit it during her Strictly run brought renewed attention to the subject. Reports describe her as hopeful of returning to EastEnders once the competition ends, with the series itself running through December.

What else do readers commonly ask about Lacey Turner?