Former EastEnders star Shona McGarty has revealed that she’s ‘not saying sorry’ as she provided an update following her major career change.

The 33-year-old actress made her exit from the BBC soap last year after 16 years playing the role of Whitney Dean.

Joining EastEnders when she was a teenager in 2008, the adopted daughter of Patsy Palmer’s Bianca Jackson was involved in a number of major storylines.

Whitney is best known for a complex story that saw her exploited by Bianca’s fiancé Tony King when she was a teenager, as well as later having an affair with Danny Dyer’s Mick Carter.

The character’s exit storyline saw her moving to Wakefield, daughters Britney and Dolly, along with her to live with her brother Ryan.

Devastated to learn of her husband Zack Hudson’s infidelity, Whitney received the Julia’s theme outro as she and her kids departed Walford on the bus.

Since leaving EastEnders, Shona has made her West End debut, playing the iconic model Bettie Page in Queen of the Pin-Ups – The Musical.

Following weeks of teasing she was eying up a music career, Shona took to Instagram on Thursday (October 16) to share that new music single Unapologetically Me was arriving on Thursday (October 30).

With the single already proving a hit with her fans, Shona shared a lengthy post to explain what the song’s message means to her.

“It’s taken me a long time to stop apologising, for my voice, my feelings, my choices, my laugh, my dreams, my boundaries… all of it.

“For so long, I thought being accepted meant shrinking myself to fit what others were comfortable with. But somewhere along the way, I realised the only person I was really hurting was me.

Now, I’ve learned that being unapologetically myself isn’t about being loud or defiant , it’s about being free,” she said.

Shona continued: “It’s about standing in my truth without guilt. It’s about knowing I’m allowed to take up space, to shine, to change, to grow, and to be loved for who I truly am.

“So here’s to no longer saying ‘sorry’ for simply being. Here’s to showing up as we are , imperfect, evolving, and utterly real.”

Meanwhile Shona recently said that she isn’t ruling out making a return to the programme that made her a household name.

Asked if she had any regrets about leaving, Shona told The Sun: “No. But only because I toyed with the idea of leaving for a little while. My character had done so much. She really did have a hard life.

“I thought, ‘Well, I need a break’. I wanted to explore other avenues. I felt like Whitney needed a break, too. But when I watched the live episode [to celebrate the show’s 40th anniversary in February] I cried, especially watching Lacey Turner, who plays Stacey Slater.

“She was so amazing. I felt like, ‘Oh, I wish I was part of that’. I remember doing it for the 30th and that feeling of teamwork. I was so proud, so I was gutted not to be there for that.”

She added: “But the door is open. People are already asking me when am I going back. But I don’t think I’m ready yet. I’d like to go back when it’s time for Whitney to return.”