in a great mood. It's a very cathartic experience being a misery-guts for a living." She continues: "I don't know if she'll forgive him but I doubt she'll throw Ian out. Laura has shifted from being this naïve and soft person into a much harder and more manipulative character. That's what happens when you live with Ian Beale for too long." Talking about how Laura manipulated Ian, Waterman commented: "I wouldn't be surprised if she uses Ian's guilt to get her way," she says. "She desperately wants a baby. Now she may be in a position to demand she gets her way. Laura's love for Ian has been tested lately. Her love for him is far less than her desire to have a baby and that's going to be a problem for Ian." Departure and death On 25 February 2004, it was announced Waterman was to leave EastEnders, and her character was killed off after falling down the stairs, shortly after a fight with Janine Butcher. A spokeswoman for the show said Laura's exit would spark "a succession of devastating events throughout Walford." Waterman revealed she was glad Laura was going to be killed off and that she has to move on from EastEnders. She explained "These are my last scenes, but they're so dramatic. Though I've had a fabulous time, I've got to move on." Waterman also stated that she could not wait for Laura to be killed off. She expressed that she wanted to do other work, particularly with her father, Dennis Waterman, saying "I've never worked with him before. And he's not unhappy I'm leaving. EastEnders has been a fantastic learning curve but I can't play that character any more." Reception Laura's departure was listed as one of EastEnders best exits by Virgin Media. However, other critics described the character as a "loser" and "dreary", and that Ian and Laura were the "most miserable married couple in Albert Square". See also List of EastEnders characters (2000) References External links EastEnders characters Fictional nannies Television characters introduced in 2000 Fictional female businesspeople Female characters in television Beale family (EastEnders)