HOME

TheInfoList



OR:

Kyle Slater is a fictional character from the
BBC The British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) is a British public service broadcaster headquartered at Broadcasting House in London, England. Originally established in 1922 as the British Broadcasting Company, it evolved into its current sta ...
soap opera A soap opera (also called a daytime drama or soap) is a genre of a long-running radio or television Serial (radio and television), serial, frequently characterized by melodrama, ensemble casts, and sentimentality. The term ''soap opera'' originat ...
''
EastEnders ''EastEnders'' is a British television soap opera created by Julia Smith (producer), Julia Smith and Tony Holland which has been broadcast on BBC One since February 1985. Set in the fictional borough of Walford in the East End of London, the ...
'', played by
Riley Carter Millington Riley Carter Millington (born 1993/1994) is an English actor known for playing Kyle Slater in the BBC soap opera ''EastEnders'' in 2015–2016. He was the first trans man to play a regular transgender character in British soap history. ''The I ...
. He made his first appearance on 30 October 2015. ''EastEnders'' executive producer
Dominic Treadwell-Collins Dominic Treadwell-Collins (born 26 August 1977) is a British television producer, known for his work on the soap operas ''Family Affairs'' and ''EastEnders'', creating the ''EastEnders'' spin-off series '' Kat & Alfie: Redwater'' and Executive P ...
had previously announced in February of that year that he wanted to cast a
transgender A transgender (often shortened to trans) person has a gender identity different from that typically associated with the sex they were sex assignment, assigned at birth. The opposite of ''transgender'' is ''cisgender'', which describes perso ...
actor to play a transgender character on the soap. When Millington heard this, he wrote to ''EastEnders'' telling them about his acting and transition. He was then invited to audition for the role and received the part, with Treadwell-Collins revealing that he had believed that Millington was right for the role since his first audition. Millington's casting was announced in October 2015. Millington was happy to be cast in the role and initially signed a six-month contract, which was later doubled. Kyle was characterised as being fresh, relatable and having a big heart. He was introduced as the mysterious man who
Stacey Slater Stacey Slater (also Branning and Fowler) is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera ''EastEnders'', played by Lacey Turner. She first appears in episode 2826, originally broadcast on 1 November 2004. The character is introduced as a feis ...
(
Lacey Turner Lacey Amelia Turner (born 28 March 1988) is an English actress. She gained prominence in the BBC One, BBC soap opera ''EastEnders'' for her portrayal of Stacey Slater, a role she initially played between 2004 and 2010 before returning in 2014 an ...
) initially believes is stalking her and was part of the mystery surrounding a key. It is later revealed that Kyle is Stacey's half-brother, as her father, Brian Slater, had a secret family. Stacey's family struggle to believe Kyle's claim due to the belief that Brian did not have another son, and Kyle is blamed for Stacey's mental health issues, which leads Kyle to reveal that he is transgender and was originally called Sarah. Stacey is accepting of Kyle and they bond, with Kyle moving into her house. Kyle gets a job as a chef and briefly has a feud with
Andy Flynn Andy Flynn may refer to: * Andy Flynn (footballer) (1895–?), English professional footballer * Andy Flynn (''EastEnders''), fictional character from ''EastEnders'' * Andy Flynn (''The Closer''), fictional character from ''The Closer'' {{hndi ...
(
Jack Derges Jack Derges is a British actor known for portraying the role of Andy Flynn (EastEnders), Andy Flynn in the BBC One, BBC soap opera ''EastEnders''. Career Derges made his acting debut in the 2007 ''Casualty (TV series), Casualty'' episode "Core ...
). Producers cast
Denise Welch Jacqueline Denise Welch (born 22 May 1958) is an English actress, television personality, writer and broadcaster. Her roles include Natalie Barnes in the ITV soap opera ''Coronation Street'' (1997–2000), Steph Haydock in '' Waterloo Road' ...
as Alison Slater, Kyle's mother, for an emotional episode where Alison tells her son that she cannot accept his gender identity. Another storyline saw Kyle confront
Steven Beale Steven Beale is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera ''EastEnders'', played by Edward Farrell from 1989 to 1990, Stuart Stevens from 1992 to 1998, Edward Savage from 1998 to 2002, and Aaron Sidwell from 2007 to 2008 and again from 20 ...
( Aaron Sidwell) after discovering that he robbed his own restaurant. In September 2016, it was announced that Kyle would be one of several characters to depart the soap and Millington made his last appearance on 25 November of that year. The announcement of Millington's casting received praise from critics and viewers, including transgender journalist
Paris Lees Paris Lees is an English author, journalist, presenter and campaigner. She topped ''The Independent on Sunday''s 2013 Pink List, came second in the 2014 Rainbow List, and was awarded the Positive Role Model Award for LGBT in the 2012 National ...
, who called it the biggest thing to happen for the transgender community that decade. The casting of a transgender actor as a transgender character made ''EastEnders'' history and prompted ''
Hollyoaks ''Hollyoaks'' is a British soap opera which originally began airing on Channel 4 on 23 October 1995. It was created by Phil Redmond, who had previously conceived the soap opera ''Brookside (TV series), Brookside''. From 2005 to 2023, episodes h ...
'' to announce their own casting of a transgender actress less than a day later. However, one newspaper reported the news of Kyle's character in a mocking tone, which was criticised by politician and former ''EastEnders'' actor
Michael Cashman Colin Michael Maurice Cashman, Baron Cashman, (born 17 December 1950) is a British actor, dancer, politician, and LGBT rights activist. A member of the Labour Party, he served as a Member of the European Parliament for the West Midlands from 1 ...
. Kyle's character received praise and Millington was nominated for several awards, including Best Newcomer at the 2016
TV Choice ''TV Choice'' is a British weekly TV listings magazine published by H. Bauer Publishing, the UK subsidiary of family-run German company Bauer Media Group. A double issue is released to cover the Christmas & New Year period at a higher price. ...
awards. The scenes where Kyle is rejected by his mother were considered emotional and praised by critics. Millington praised fans for their positive support and revealed that Kyle's storyline with Alison had managed to reconcile a viewer with her transgender son. Kyle's departure was criticised by fans and critics, with Millington himself expressing disappointment at the way that Kyle did not have further development after he came out as trans.


Casting and creation

In February 2015, ''
EastEnders ''EastEnders'' is a British television soap opera created by Julia Smith (producer), Julia Smith and Tony Holland which has been broadcast on BBC One since February 1985. Set in the fictional borough of Walford in the East End of London, the ...
'' executive producer
Dominic Treadwell-Collins Dominic Treadwell-Collins (born 26 August 1977) is a British television producer, known for his work on the soap operas ''Family Affairs'' and ''EastEnders'', creating the ''EastEnders'' spin-off series '' Kat & Alfie: Redwater'' and Executive P ...
announced at National Student Pride that ''EastEnders'' was looking to cast a transgender actor for a "transgender storyline". He explained that he wanted to do research on the subject in order to tell the story "properly", which he said he "always" likes to do for the soap. At the time of his announcement, rival soap operas ''
Coronation Street ''Coronation Street'' (colloquially referred to as ''Corrie'') is a British television soap opera created by ITV Granada, Granada Television and shown on ITV (TV network), ITV since 9 December 1960. The programme centres on a cobbled, terraced ...
'' and ''
Hollyoaks ''Hollyoaks'' is a British soap opera which originally began airing on Channel 4 on 23 October 1995. It was created by Phil Redmond, who had previously conceived the soap opera ''Brookside (TV series), Brookside''. From 2005 to 2023, episodes h ...
'' had had transgender characters played by non-transgender actors. Treadwell-Collins spoke about wanting to cast a transgender actor, explaining, "you have to cast a trans actor, but you also don't want to mess up the story because ''EastEnders'' reaches so many people and a lot of our audience are quite traditional. The power of ''EastEnders'' is we can change the world a little. You can change it gently and influence people who would be maybe quite bigoted". ''EastEnders'' worked with groups in the transgender community and held workshops to find an actor for the role before creating and developing the character. On 9 October of that year, it was announced that 21-year-old transgender actor
Riley Carter Millington Riley Carter Millington (born 1993/1994) is an English actor known for playing Kyle Slater in the BBC soap opera ''EastEnders'' in 2015–2016. He was the first trans man to play a regular transgender character in British soap history. ''The I ...
had been cast in the role of Kyle. It was Carter Millington's first acting role, and he was excited to be joining the soap, saying, "I can honestly say that I have now fulfilled my two biggest dreams - to be living my life as a man and to be an actor". He added that he could not wait to "get stuck in with filming" and was looking forward to what was in store for Kyle. Not much was revealed about the character, but it was reported that he would move in briefly later that month and then be a "new permanent resident" by the end of 2015. It was also revealed that Kyle has "secrets" and would be " thrown right into one of he soap'sbiggest stories". Speaking of the casting, Treadwell-Collins revealed that he made sure to cast the right actor for the role after being very moved by the life stories of the transgender actors who auditioned. He explained, "The people we met showed us a strength and bravery that took our breath away. To go through as much as they have while maintaining humour and a positive view on the world is testament to what special people we met". He also believed that ''EastEnders'' was well-known for "pushing boundaries with stories", such as the
HIV The human immunodeficiency viruses (HIV) are two species of '' Lentivirus'' (a subgroup of retrovirus) that infect humans. Over time, they cause acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS), a condition in which progressive failure of the im ...
diagnosis of
Mark Fowler Mark Fowler is a fictional character in the BBC soap opera ''EastEnders''. Mark, an original regular character when the series started in February 1985, became a semi-regular after his original actor David Scarboro was written out of the role ...
(
Todd Carty Todd Carty, also known as Todd John Jennings (born Todd Robert Carty; 31 August 1963), is an actor and director who has grown up on television screens in a variety of roles. His stage appearances have ranged from serious drama to pantomime, an ...
) and the first gay kiss on a British soap opera, adding that the soap has "always led the way in changing audience perceptions about 'difference'". He believed that it was the "duty" big shows like ''EastEnders'' to tell stories about transgender people, saying, "I think people aren't as forward-thinking as we'd like to think they are. The more we can show the trans community on the television, the more people will understand." Treadwell-Collins revealed that the ''EastEnders'' story team had worked with Millington to make Kyle "fresh and relatable" and hoped that fans would quickly take him "to their hearts". The producer also stressed that casting Millington was not an act of
tokenism In sociology, tokenism is the social practice of making a perfunctory and symbolic effort towards the equitable inclusion of members of a minority group, especially by recruiting people from under-represented social-minority groups in order for th ...
, calling the actor an "inspirational young man whose warmth immediately comes through the screen" in addition to a "talented" actor. ''EastEnders'' casting a transgender actor to play a transgender character made British soap opera history, and ''EastEnders'' bosses described it as a landmark moment. One of Millington's former tutors at
Eccles College Eccles Sixth Form College is a further education college in Eccles, Greater Manchester, England. It was opened in 1972. The site provides a range of Vocational courses, across a variety of specialisms. Students are also able to retake their GCS ...
told ''
Manchester Evening News The ''Manchester Evening News'' (''MEN'') is a regional daily newspaper covering Greater Manchester in North West England, founded in 1868. It is published Monday–Saturday; a Sunday edition, the ''MEN on Sunday'', was launched in February 20 ...
'' that she always knew that Millington was "very talented" and would succeed, adding, "Everyone one at Eccles Sixth Form Centre is very proud of him". Days after the announcement, Millington was pictured filming with
Lacey Turner Lacey Amelia Turner (born 28 March 1988) is an English actress. She gained prominence in the BBC One, BBC soap opera ''EastEnders'' for her portrayal of Stacey Slater, a role she initially played between 2004 and 2010 before returning in 2014 an ...
, who portrays
Stacey Slater Stacey Slater (also Branning and Fowler) is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera ''EastEnders'', played by Lacey Turner. She first appears in episode 2826, originally broadcast on 1 November 2004. The character is introduced as a feis ...
, in what was thought to be a
Christmas Christmas is an annual festival commemorating Nativity of Jesus, the birth of Jesus Christ, observed primarily on December 25 as a Religion, religious and Culture, cultural celebration among billions of people Observance of Christmas by coun ...
episode, which suggested that Kyle and Stacey would strike up a friendship. Millington initially signed a six month contract, and this was later extended to twelve. Kyle made his appearance on 30 October 2015. Kyle's official
BBC The British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) is a British public service broadcaster headquartered at Broadcasting House in London, England. Originally established in 1922 as the British Broadcasting Company, it evolved into its current sta ...
profile called Kyle a "big-hearted optimist finding his way in the world", and questioned whether Walford would force him to "toughen up". It also revealed that Kyle's struggle to live as the person he felt he was inside "has given him a determination to achieve his dreams and make his life a happy one that was worth the fight". At the same time that Kyle's character was announced,
Channel 4 Channel 4 is a British free-to-air public broadcast television channel owned and operated by Channel Four Television Corporation. It is state-owned enterprise, publicly owned but, unlike the BBC, it receives no public funding and is funded en ...
soap opera A soap opera (also called a daytime drama or soap) is a genre of a long-running radio or television Serial (radio and television), serial, frequently characterized by melodrama, ensemble casts, and sentimentality. The term ''soap opera'' originat ...
''
Hollyoaks ''Hollyoaks'' is a British soap opera which originally began airing on Channel 4 on 23 October 1995. It was created by Phil Redmond, who had previously conceived the soap opera ''Brookside (TV series), Brookside''. From 2005 to 2023, episodes h ...
'' had already cast transgender actress
Annie Wallace Annie Wallace (born 6 May 1965) is a Scottish actress, best known for portraying the role of Sally St. Claire in the Channel 4 soap opera ''Hollyoaks'' for nine years from 2015 - 2024. She was the first transgender person to portray a regular ...
as Sally St. Claire, which was announced less than a day after Millington's casting announcement. Wallace revealed that the announcement of Kyle changed the announcement of her casting, explaining, "''Hollyoaks'' originally wanted to just bring me in as a teacher and let people go, 'Is she trans or isn't she?', because I look a certain way and it's fine. But what happened was that ''EastEnders'' put out their big press release about Riley Millington. It was the week before my press release was about to be released, so our press office went, 'We better make sure people know about Annie as well'. We announced it within 24 hours of each other". As Sally debuted before Kyle, Wallace became the first transgender person to play a transgender character in a British soap opera. Millington told Sarah Morris from ''
The Independent ''The Independent'' is a British online newspaper. It was established in 1986 as a national morning printed paper. Nicknamed the ''Indy'', it began as a broadsheet and changed to tabloid format in 2003. The last printed edition was publis ...
'' that he had read about Treadwell-Collins's intention to introduce a transgender actor and character in an ''
OK! ''OK!'' is a British weekly magazine that primarily specialises in royal and celebrity news. Originally launched as a monthly magazine, its first issue was published in April 1993. In September 2004, ''OK''! launched in Australia as a monthly ...
'' magazine, which prompted him to write to the soap opera telling him that he was transgender and training to be an actor and at university, in addition to briefly outlining his transition. Millington then "completely forgot" about it, but that June he was invited to the ''EastEnders'' studio. Treadwell-Collins revealed that he knew from the first audition that Millington was the right actor for the role, explaining, "We saw Riley and we said that's him. One, because he was a brilliant actor. And two, there's a warmth in him that just comes through. I defy someone not to fall in love a little bit with Riley." Reflecting on the role in 2022, Carter Millington explained that he had initially lived a stealth life until he joined the soap, explaining, "When I got the role on ''EastEnders'' people knew, suddenly, who I was, my identity. They had those questions in their mind regarding my body. It was, at times, quite intrusive."


Development


Introduction and family

Kyle is introduced in mysterious circumstances and is connected to the mystery of
Stacey Slater Stacey Slater (also Branning and Fowler) is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera ''EastEnders'', played by Lacey Turner. She first appears in episode 2826, originally broadcast on 1 November 2004. The character is introduced as a feis ...
(
Lacey Turner Lacey Amelia Turner (born 28 March 1988) is an English actress. She gained prominence in the BBC One, BBC soap opera ''EastEnders'' for her portrayal of Stacey Slater, a role she initially played between 2004 and 2010 before returning in 2014 an ...
)'s secret key, which had been a mystery on ''EastEnders'' since March 2014. Kyle begins stalking and reveals to her that he is her paternal half-brother, but Stacey's dying great uncle,
Charlie Slater Charlie Slater is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera ''EastEnders'', played by Derek Martin. Charlie's first appearance is in the episode first broadcast in the United Kingdom on 4 September 2000. He was played by Jason McGregor in ...
(
Derek Martin Derek Martin (born Derek William Rapp; 11 April 1933) is a retired English actor. Beginning his career as a stuntman, he moved into acting and played many roles on UK television. One of his most widely known roles is Charlie Slater on the BBC ...
) says that Stacey's father, Brian Slater, only had daughters (in addition to
Sean Slater Sean Slater is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera ''EastEnders'', played by Robert Kazinsky, he made his first appearance on 22 August 2006. Sean's existence was revealed on 9 December 2005 when his sister Stacey Slater (Lacey Turner) ...
(
Robert Kazinsky Robert John Appleby (born 18 November 1983), known professionally as Robert Kazinsky, is an English actor. He is known for his roles as Casper Rose in the Sky One drama '' Dream Team'' (2005–2006) and Sean Slater in the BBC soap opera ''East ...
)). However, ''EastEnders'' bosses confirmed that Kyle is Stacey's brother and was assigned female at birth. Kyle is thought to be Stacey's stalker and is blamed for the deterioration of her mental health. Kyle repeatedly tries to get Stacey to believe that they have the same father and tells her that she does need to be scared of him. He then
comes out Coming out of the closet, often shortened to coming out, is a metaphor used to describe LGBTQ people's self-disclosure of their sexual orientation, romantic orientation, or gender identity. This is often framed and debated as a privacy issue, ...
to her as transgender, revealing that he used to be called Sarah. Stacey is accepting of Kyle and they begin to bond, and Kyle later moves in with Stacey and her family. Kyle reveals to Stacey that his mother never accepted him as a man and he struggled to live as the person he had always felt he was on the inside. In March 2016, it was announced that
Denise Welch Jacqueline Denise Welch (born 22 May 1958) is an English actress, television personality, writer and broadcaster. Her roles include Natalie Barnes in the ITV soap opera ''Coronation Street'' (1997–2000), Steph Haydock in '' Waterloo Road' ...
had been cast as Kyle's mother, Alison Slater, who would debut later that year for a short stint in an episode that would focus on the character. Welch was excited to join the soap and called the role "powerful", and it was reported that she had dyed her hair brown for the role. Welch's stint revealed Alison's struggle to accept her son's transition, and the episode dealt with "very sensitive issues" as Alison meets Kyle for the first time since he has transitioned. Welch had previously starred in the sitcom '' Boy Meets Girl'' and had spoken about how she was overjoyed that the show had helped people in the transgender community. In the episode, Stacey attempts to get Alison and Kyle to reconcile, but is unsuccessful. Alison is depicted as struggling to accept that Kyle is transgender and has transitioned. In the episode, Stacey invites Alison over and tries to get her to reconcile with her son, but her efforts backfire when Alison says she cannot accept her son as he is not her "Sarah" anymore, though she says that she is happy that he is not alone. Alison's firm refusal to spend more time getting to know Kyle leaves him "distraught and wishing she'd never visited at all", but Stacey suggests that there is hope as Alison had taken the flowers that Kyle bought for her. Alison's stint aired in Episode 5276, originally broadcast on 3 May 2016. Welch later said that she would not rule out a return as it was possible that Alison could come back if Kyle stayed on the soap. Months later, Alison (offscreen) acknowledges Kyle as a man. Millington praised ''EastEnders'' fans for the "overwhelmingly positive" reception that they have given him and spoke about how his life had changed since joining the soap, commenting that it is "weird to have people following me around in shops!" Millington commented on how the role was increasing understanding about the transgender community; he told ''
Radio Times ''Radio Times'' is a British weekly listings magazine devoted to television and radio programme schedules, with other features such as interviews, film reviews and lifestyle items. Founded in September 1923 by John Reith, then general manage ...
'' that he had received a letter from a trans man telling him that he had been disowned by his mother, but they had known reconciled due to seeing the similar storyline regarding Kyle. Millington added that he was very happy being on ''EastEnders'' and that his character's story "has a lot to give". Millington revealed that people asked him if Kyle would get together with gay character Ben Mitchell (
Harry Reid Harry Mason Reid Jr. (; December 2, 1939 – December 28, 2021) was an American lawyer and politician who served as a United States Senate, United States senator from Nevada from 1987 to 2017. He led the Senate Democratic Caucus from 2005 to 2 ...
), commenting, "People think gender is the same as sexuality ..but Kyle's not gay". Millington believed that it would be interesting to see Kyle dating women. Many of Kyle's storylines have revolved around his and Stacey's family connections. Kyle begins working as a chef for
Ian Beale Ian Beale is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera ''EastEnders'', played by Adam Woodyatt. He is one of four remaining original characters, the others being his mother, Kathy Beale ( Gillian Taylforth), his long standing best friend an ...
(
Adam Woodyatt Adam Brinley Woodyatt (born 28 June 1968) is an English actor. He is known for his role as Ian Beale in the BBC One, BBC soap opera ''EastEnders'', a role he has portrayed since the show's inception in 1985, making him one of the shows longest ...
). Kyle's official
BBC The British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) is a British public service broadcaster headquartered at Broadcasting House in London, England. Originally established in 1922 as the British Broadcasting Company, it evolved into its current sta ...
character profile revealed that Kyle's aspiration is to be a "top chef", having previously run the kitchen at Alison's
Bed and breakfast A bed and breakfast (typically shortened to B&B or BnB) is a small lodging establishment that offers overnight accommodation and breakfast. In addition, a B&B sometimes has the hosts living in the house. ''Bed and breakfast'' is also used to ...
in Blackpool. The profile revealed that kitchen is "Kyle's domain – he can express himself creatively and control his environment."


Andy and Steven's secrets

Another storyline involved Kyle in the mystery of new character
Andy Flynn Andy Flynn may refer to: * Andy Flynn (footballer) (1895–?), English professional footballer * Andy Flynn (''EastEnders''), fictional character from ''EastEnders'' * Andy Flynn (''The Closer''), fictional character from ''The Closer'' {{hndi ...
(
Jack Derges Jack Derges is a British actor known for portraying the role of Andy Flynn (EastEnders), Andy Flynn in the BBC One, BBC soap opera ''EastEnders''. Career Derges made his acting debut in the 2007 ''Casualty (TV series), Casualty'' episode "Core ...
) after Kyle finds a picture of Andy with Danielle Jones (
Lauren Crace Lauren Rose Crace (born 25 May 1986) is an English actress and radio presenter, known for her portrayal of Danielle Jones in the BBC soap opera ''EastEnders'' from 2008 to 2009. Early life The daughter of contemporary writer Jim Crace and Pam ...
), who was close friends with Stacey before her death. Kyle finds "incriminating evidence" of Andy's "dark" secret – a folder full of pictures of Danielle and her mother,
Ronnie Mitchell Ronnie Mitchell (also Branning) is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera ''EastEnders'', played by Samantha Womack. She and her younger sister Roxy Mitchell (Rita Simons) were introduced by executive producer Diederick Santer in July 200 ...
(
Samantha Womack Samantha Zoe Womack (''née'' Janus; born 2 November 1972) is an English actress, singer, model and director who has worked in film, television and stage. Womack initially planned a career in singing and she represented the United Kingdom in ...
) – and asks later Andy about it, who snaps at Kyle and shuts him down, which takes Kyle aback. Kyle later reluctantly tells Ronnie about the concerning folders that he found of Danielle, which leads to Ronnie finding out Andy's true identity. Kyle later finds out that
Steven Beale Steven Beale is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera ''EastEnders'', played by Edward Farrell from 1989 to 1990, Stuart Stevens from 1992 to 1998, Edward Savage from 1998 to 2002, and Aaron Sidwell from 2007 to 2008 and again from 20 ...
( Aaron Sidwell) was behind the robbery at their restaurant when someone arrives to complain about the kitchen equipment that Steven had sold them. Kyle confronts Steven about it, who manages to buy his "silence" by sending Kyle off to an expensive cooking course with a celebrity chef. Life for Kyle becomes "unbearable" at his house due to overcrowding and financial issues and he becomes uncomfortable that Stacey is struggling to make ends meet, so he asks Steven for a pay rise. Steven rejects him due to his family's own financial difficulties, so Kyle "bites back" and blackmails him, implying that he reveal the truth about the robbery if Steven does not reconsider, leaving Steven "firmly on the back foot". Daniel Kilkelly from ''
Digital Spy Digital Spy (DS) is a British-based entertainment, television and film website and brand and is the largest digital property at Hearst UK. Since its initial launch in 1999, Digital Spy has focused on entertainment news related to television pro ...
'' teased the storyline by writing "No more Mr Nice Guy..." and questioned whether Steven had met his match or if Kyle would be forced to back down.


Departure

On 14 September 2016, it was announced that Millington would be departing ''EastEnders'' as Kyle, having been let go by new producer Sean O'Connor. Speaking about his exit, Millington said, "When I landed a 6 month contract at 'EastEnders' it was a dream come true. For that to be extended to a year was something I never expected. However, as the time comes for Kyle to depart Walford I am looking forward to taking on new roles and who knows, Kyle may find his way back to Walford one day." Kyle's exit was announced at the same time that a number of other characters were also announced to depart, including
Ronnie Mitchell Ronnie Mitchell (also Branning) is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera ''EastEnders'', played by Samantha Womack. She and her younger sister Roxy Mitchell (Rita Simons) were introduced by executive producer Diederick Santer in July 200 ...
(
Samantha Womack Samantha Zoe Womack (''née'' Janus; born 2 November 1972) is an English actress, singer, model and director who has worked in film, television and stage. Womack initially planned a career in singing and she represented the United Kingdom in ...
),
Roxy Mitchell Roxy Mitchell (also Slater) is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera ''EastEnders'', played by Rita Simons.Rita Simons Rita Joanne Simons (born 10 March 1977) is an English actress and singer. After beginning her career as a member of the short-lived girl group Girls@Play, she became best known for portraying the role of Roxy Mitchell in the BBC soap opera ''Ea ...
),
Pam Coker ''EastEnders'' is a BBC soap opera that first aired on 19 February 1985. The following is a list of characters that first appeared in 2019, in order of first appearance. All new characters in 2014 were introduced by executive producer Dominic ...
(
Lin Blakley Linda E. Blakley (née Stevens; born 1 July 1947) is an English actress, known for her roles as Pam Coker in the BBC One, BBC soap opera ''EastEnders'' and as Georgia Sharma in the ITV (TV network), ITV soap opera ''Emmerdale''. Career In 2004, ...
),
Les Coker The following are characters who first appeared in the BBC soap opera ''EastEnders'' during 2012 listed by order of first appearance. New characters were introduced by Bryan Kirkwood, executive producer. He stepped down from the role in April ...
(
Roger Sloman Roger Sloman (born 19 May 1946) is an English actor known for his work in theatre, film and television. Early life and education He grew up and was educated in South East London. He trained to be a teacher and then went to East 15 acting scho ...
),
Babe Smith Babe Smith (also known as Aunt Babe) is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera ''EastEnders'', played by Annette Badland. She first appeared in episode 4796 of the show, originally broadcast in the United Kingdom on 31 January 2014, and ...
(
Annette Badland Annette Badland is a British actress known for a wide range of roles on television, radio, stage, and film. She is best known for her roles as Charlotte in the BBC crime drama series '' Bergerac'', Margaret Blaine in the BBC science fiction se ...
) and
Claudette Hubbard Claudette Hubbard is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera ''EastEnders'', played by Ellen Thomas. She made her first appearance on 12 March 2015. Claudette is introduced as a friend of Les ( Roger Sloman) and Pam Coker (Lin Blakley), ...
(
Ellen Thomas Ellen Thomas (born January 24, 1947) is an American peace activist. She first became involved with the White House Peace Vigil on April 13, 1984. The daughter of a US Marine, Thomas was born in Brooklyn and grew up in California. She became oppo ...
), among others. An ''EastEnders'' inside told ''
Metro Metro may refer to: Geography * Metro City (Indonesia), a city in Indonesia * A metropolitan area, the populated region including and surrounding an urban center Public transport * Rapid transit, a passenger railway in an urban area with high ...
'' that "Kyle's storylines on the show came to a natural end for now", whilst an ''EastEnders'' spokesperson confirmed that Millington would be departing and wished him "all the best for the future". Kyle's exit storyline was not revealed, but it was expected that the door would remain "open" for the character to return. Duncan Lindsay from ''Metro'' teased that Kyle was "armed with the knowledge" of Steven being behind the robbery, but did not confirm if that would lead to his departure. In Kyle's final months on the soap, he looks out for Stacey as she does her best to look out for her family. Kyle considers moving out when Martin's daughter,
Bex Fowler Rebecca "Bex" Fowler (also Miller, originially known as Chloe Jackson) is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera ''EastEnders''. Bex is the daughter of Martin ( James Alexandrou/ James Bye) and Sonia Fowler (Natalie Cassidy). She was born ...
(
Jasmine Armfield Jasmine Armfield (born 17 December 1998) is an English actress, known for playing Bex Fowler in the BBC soap opera ''EastEnders'' from 2014 to 2020, with a brief stint in 2025. Following her leaving the soap, she has made appearances in fellow ...
), moves in and there is not enough room for everyone, but Stacey stops him as it is the "last thing she wants" and she decides to get a bigger house for them. Kyle is later offered a job abroad, but due to the household struggling financially, he tells Stacey that he will be turning it down. Due to Millington's departure, a writer from ''
Soaplife ''Soaplife'' was a soap opera magazine published in the United Kingdom by TI Media (formerly IPC Media and Time Inc. UK). The magazine was first published in 1999 and focused on British and Australian soap operas. It was originally published mont ...
'' speculated that Kyle would change his mind and questioned how Stacey's family would be able to afford the rent after his departure. Kyle cooks a lasagne for his family and then leaves for
Marseille Marseille (; ; see #Name, below) is a city in southern France, the Prefectures in France, prefecture of the Departments of France, department of Bouches-du-Rhône and of the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur Regions of France, region. Situated in the ...
, France. Millington's last episode as Kyle aired on 25 November 2016. In 2017, Millington criticised ''EastEnders'' for writing him out, and said that he was disappointed that Kyle was not shown as having a normal life. Millington added that Kyle "had the big coming-out story and it was dramatic and emotional, but we didn't get to see a happy ending, like a relationship of any sort other than the reunion with his half-sister, Stacey. It was frustrating". Millington felt that he had let himself and fans doing for not "pushing" for something better, commenting that it a "shame to have gay characters and then you have to say goodbye". Millington also criticised creators for not expanding on Kyle's character after he came out.


Storylines

Kyle arrives in
Walford Walford is a fictional borough of East London in the BBC soap opera ''EastEnders''. It is the primary setting for the soap. ''EastEnders'' is filmed at Borehamwood in Hertfordshire, towards the north-west of London. Much of the location wor ...
and watches
Stacey Slater Stacey Slater (also Branning and Fowler) is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera ''EastEnders'', played by Lacey Turner. She first appears in episode 2826, originally broadcast on 1 November 2004. The character is introduced as a feis ...
(
Lacey Turner Lacey Amelia Turner (born 28 March 1988) is an English actress. She gained prominence in the BBC One, BBC soap opera ''EastEnders'' for her portrayal of Stacey Slater, a role she initially played between 2004 and 2010 before returning in 2014 an ...
) from afar. He briefly attends her Halloween party, and when he leaves it is revealed that he has a similar key around his neck that Stacey used to have. Kyle sits behind Stacey at a Church service and she asks him if she knows him, but he leaves when she notices him. Stacey tells her boyfriend Martin Fowler (
James Bye James Edward Bye (born 23 February 1984) is an English actor who played Martin Fowler in ''EastEnders'' from 2014 to 2025. He also competed in series 20 of ''Strictly Come Dancing'' in 2022. Early life James Edward Bye was born on 23 Febru ...
) and her mother
Jean Slater Jean Slater (also Walters) is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera ''EastEnders'', played by Gillian Wright. Her first appearance is in the episode first broadcast in the United Kingdom on 16 December 2004. Having only been introduced f ...
(
Gillian Wright Gillian Wright (born 7 December 1959) is an English actress, known for portraying the role of Jean Slater on the BBC soap opera ''EastEnders'' since 2004, for which she has won numerous awards. She previously worked as a drama teacher and a th ...
) that she is being stalked, and Jean discloses that she was visited by someone. Jean eventually reveals that Stacey's father, Brian Slater, had another family, and Stacey realises that Kyle is her half-brother. Kyle tries to reveal himself to Stacey and comes to Walford with his close friends
Sophie Dodd ''EastEnders'' is a BBC soap opera that first aired on 19 February 1985. The following is a list of characters that first appeared in 2019, in order of first appearance. All characters are introduced by the show's executive producer Dominic Tr ...
(
Poppy Rush Poppy Elizabeth Rush (born 10 October 1991) is a British television actress. Early life Poppy Rush was born 10 October 1991. She is the daughter of actress Debbie Rush and sister of actor William Rush. Career In 2016, Rush appeared in ''East ...
) and Ricksy Hicks (Joel Phillimore) as support. Kyle tells Stacey that he is her half-brother and they talk about their father. Kyle tells Stacey about his sisters, Siobhan and Shannon, and gives Stacey envelopes that were in Brian's
safety deposit box A safe deposit box, sometimes referred to as a safety deposit box, is an individually secured container, usually held within a larger safe or bank vault. Safe deposit boxes are generally located in banks, post offices or other institutions. S ...
for her and her brother
Sean Sean, also spelled Seán or Séan in Hiberno-English, is a male given name of Irish origin. It comes from the Irish versions of the Biblical Hebrew name '' Yohanan'' (), Seán ( anglicized as '' Shaun/ Shawn/ Shon'') and Séan (Ulster variant; a ...
(
Robert Kazinsky Robert John Appleby (born 18 November 1983), known professionally as Robert Kazinsky, is an English actor. He is known for his roles as Casper Rose in the Sky One drama '' Dream Team'' (2005–2006) and Sean Slater in the BBC soap opera ''East ...
). Stacey realises that Kyle is the only one of Brian's children whose name does not begin with an S. They agree to stay in touch, and Kyle tells Sophie that he does not want Stacey to know his secret. When Stacey has a mental breakdown, she runs away from Walford with her baby
Arthur Fowler Arthur Fowler is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera ''EastEnders'', played by Bill Treacher from 1985 to 1996. Arthur featured in archive footage in 2025 to celebrate the show's 40th anniversary. The father of the Fowler family, ...
and calls Kyle, feeling he is the only one she can trust. Kyle takes Stacey to a café and calls Martin, who calls Kyle a fraud due to finding out that Brian only had daughters with his other family. When Martin tells Stacey that Kyle is not her brother, she believes that he is the
Devil A devil is the mythical personification of evil as it is conceived in various cultures and religious traditions. It is seen as the objectification of a hostile and destructive force. Jeffrey Burton Russell states that the different conce ...
and runs away. Kyle is warned off by Martin and Kush Kazemi (
Davood Ghadami Davood Ghadami (; born 13 June 1982) is a British actor. Following his appearances in ''Taggart'' in 2010, he appeared in the BBC medical programmes ''Doctors'' and ''Casualty'' in recurring roles. In 2014, he began portraying the role of Kush ...
). Kyle then returns at
Charlie Slater Charlie Slater is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera ''EastEnders'', played by Derek Martin. Charlie's first appearance is in the episode first broadcast in the United Kingdom on 4 September 2000. He was played by Jason McGregor in ...
's (
Derek Martin Derek Martin (born Derek William Rapp; 11 April 1933) is a retired English actor. Beginning his career as a stuntman, he moved into acting and played many roles on UK television. One of his most widely known roles is Charlie Slater on the BBC ...
) funeral, which causes Stacey to freak out and flee with Arthur. Kyle returns a month later to give Stacey a box from Brian's safety deposit box. Martin blames Kyle for Stacey's
Postpartum psychosis Postpartum psychosis (PPP), also known as puerperal psychosis or peripartum psychosis, involves the abrupt onset of psychotic symptoms shortly following childbirth, typically within two weeks of delivery but less than 4 weeks postpartum. PPP is ...
and being sectioned and warns him away from Walford. Kyle later visits Stacey during her home visit and explains to her that he is
transgender A transgender (often shortened to trans) person has a gender identity different from that typically associated with the sex they were sex assignment, assigned at birth. The opposite of ''transgender'' is ''cisgender'', which describes perso ...
and used to be called Sarah. Stacey is accepting and allows Kyle to move in. Stacey arranges a lunch with Kyle and her family, where Kyle reveals that he is trans after Jean refuses to believe him. Stacey is angry at Jean for her prejudice towards Kyle. Kyle later gets a job as a chef in
Ian Beale Ian Beale is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera ''EastEnders'', played by Adam Woodyatt. He is one of four remaining original characters, the others being his mother, Kathy Beale ( Gillian Taylforth), his long standing best friend an ...
's (
Adam Woodyatt Adam Brinley Woodyatt (born 28 June 1968) is an English actor. He is known for his role as Ian Beale in the BBC One, BBC soap opera ''EastEnders'', a role he has portrayed since the show's inception in 1985, making him one of the shows longest ...
) restaurant. Kyle briefly feuds with
Andy Flynn Andy Flynn may refer to: * Andy Flynn (footballer) (1895–?), English professional footballer * Andy Flynn (''EastEnders''), fictional character from ''EastEnders'' * Andy Flynn (''The Closer''), fictional character from ''The Closer'' {{hndi ...
(
Jack Derges Jack Derges is a British actor known for portraying the role of Andy Flynn (EastEnders), Andy Flynn in the BBC One, BBC soap opera ''EastEnders''. Career Derges made his acting debut in the 2007 ''Casualty (TV series), Casualty'' episode "Core ...
) when he appears to be flirting with Stacey despite her engagement to Martin. Kyle tries to shake Andy off the ladder but stops after Stacey reminds him that that is how Brian died. Kyle is disappointed when Walford residents start to realise that he is trans but they are accepting. Stacey, having been told by Kyle that his mother, Alison Slater (
Denise Welch Jacqueline Denise Welch (born 22 May 1958) is an English actress, television personality, writer and broadcaster. Her roles include Natalie Barnes in the ITV soap opera ''Coronation Street'' (1997–2000), Steph Haydock in '' Waterloo Road' ...
), never accepted him as a man, invites Alison over and tries to get them to reconcile. Alison tells Kyle that she cannot accept him as he is not Sarah and leaves, though she tells him that she is glad that he is not alone. This devastates Kyle, but Stacey tells him that there is hope. Kyle is happy when Stacey and Martin get married. Kyle finds Andy's file filled with photos and newspaper clips of
Ronnie Mitchell Ronnie Mitchell (also Branning) is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera ''EastEnders'', played by Samantha Womack. She and her younger sister Roxy Mitchell (Rita Simons) were introduced by executive producer Diederick Santer in July 200 ...
(
Samantha Womack Samantha Zoe Womack (''née'' Janus; born 2 November 1972) is an English actress, singer, model and director who has worked in film, television and stage. Womack initially planned a career in singing and she represented the United Kingdom in ...
), and when he asks Andy he tells him that it is not his business. The restaurant that Kyle is working at is robbed, and Kyle later finds out that
Steven Beale Steven Beale is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera ''EastEnders'', played by Edward Farrell from 1989 to 1990, Stuart Stevens from 1992 to 1998, Edward Savage from 1998 to 2002, and Aaron Sidwell from 2007 to 2008 and again from 20 ...
( Aaron Sidwell) was behind the robbery when someone arrives to complain about the dodgy kitchen equipment Steven sold them. Kyle keeps quiet after Steven pays for Kyle to attend an expensive cooking course with a celebrity chef. The
Slater A slater, or slate mason, is a tradesperson who covers buildings with slate. Tools used The various tools of the slater's trade are all drop-forged. The slater's hammer is forged in one single piece, from crucible-cast steel, and has a lea ...
household begins to get crowded and the bills become worse, so Kyle asks Steven for a pay rise. When Steven says no, Kyle threatens to tell the truth about the robbery. Following the cooking course, Kyle is featured in a magazine and is headhunted for a job in France. Kyle wants to take the job but does not want to worsen Stacey and Martin's financial problems. However, Stacey, Martin and Ian encourage Kyle to take the job and follow his dreams. Kyle's confidence is boosted when Alison phones him and calls him Kyle for the first time. Kyle then cooks a final time for his family and leaves.


Reception

Following the news of Millington's casting, transgender actress
Bethany Black Bethany Black (born 24 December 1978) is an English stand up comedian, actress and writer. As a comedian, Black is described as "managing to balance dark-tinged comedy with being warm and chatty". As an actress, she is the first trans person t ...
, who had previously auditioned for ''EastEnders'', praised the decision to introduce a transgender actor, saying, "It's about time we saw more trans roles on television. Being trans is like being gay was in the late 90s - it's a cool thing, so people are saying, 'Let's go and do this as a storyline'. As we progress we're going to see more of these roles. It's democratising the whole process." Transgender journalist and presenter
Paris Lees Paris Lees is an English author, journalist, presenter and campaigner. She topped ''The Independent on Sunday''s 2013 Pink List, came second in the 2014 Rainbow List, and was awarded the Positive Role Model Award for LGBT in the 2012 National ...
also praised the decision to introduce Kyle, calling it the "biggest thing to happen" for the transgender community in Britain that decade. She added, "I didn't think Dominic Treadwell-Collins could top bringing
Kathy Kathy is a feminine given name. It is a pet form of Katherine, Kathleen and their related forms. Kathy may refer to: People In sports * Kathy Bald (Born 1963), Canadian freestyle swimmer * Kathy May (Born 1956), American tennis player * K ...
back - but he's managed it! As a pop culture moment this is massive and a sign of the times." The reception was not all positive; Meka Beresford from ''
PinkNews ''PinkNews'' is a UK-based online newspaper marketed to the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, and questioning community (LGBTQ+) in the UK and worldwide. It was founded by Benjamin Cohen in July 2005, initially released in print, b ...
'' reported how the soap was "barraged with transphobic abuse" when Kyle's character was announced. ''
The Yorkshire Post ''The Yorkshire Post'' is a daily broadsheet newspaper, published in Leeds, Yorkshire, England. It primarily covers stories from Yorkshire, although its masthead carries the slogan "Yorkshire's National Newspaper". It was previously owned by ...
'' reported mocked the character by reporting the announcement of his character with the headline "It's a gender-bender EastEnder!" Responding to this,
LGBT LGBTQ people are individuals who are lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, or questioning. Many variants of the initialism are used; LGBTQIA+ people incorporates intersex, asexual, aromantic, agender, and other individuals. The gro ...
politician Lord
Michael Cashman Colin Michael Maurice Cashman, Baron Cashman, (born 17 December 1950) is a British actor, dancer, politician, and LGBT rights activist. A member of the Labour Party, he served as a Member of the European Parliament for the West Midlands from 1 ...
, who had appeared in ''EastEnders'' as Colin Russell and took part in the soap's first same sex kiss, told ''PinkNews'', "The BBC's courage and determination in reflecting the world in which we live honestly is to be applauded. The negative headlines of 'gender bender' and the negative backlash on some aspects of social media, should encourage the BBC that they are doing absolutely the right thing to tackle homophobia and transphobia by showing the lives of people within our communities, who would otherwise be overlooked and misrepresented." The headline was later amended without mention of the original title. For his role as Kyle, Millington was nominated for "Best Soap Newcomer" at the 2016
TV Choice ''TV Choice'' is a British weekly TV listings magazine published by H. Bauer Publishing, the UK subsidiary of family-run German company Bauer Media Group. A double issue is released to cover the Christmas & New Year period at a higher price. ...
awards. Kyle's debut was nominated for "LGBT+ Media moment" at the 2016
British LGBT Awards The British LGBT Awards are a British award show that aim to "recognise individuals and organizations that display outstanding commitment to the LGBTQ community". The awards were founded in 2014 by Sarah Garrett . LGBT celebrities and straigh ...
. For his role as Kyle, Millington was placed first on the 2015
Rainbow List The Rainbow List (called the Pink List until 2014) is a list of the most influential openly LGBTQ individuals in the United Kingdom, published annually in the British national newspaper ''The Independent on Sunday''. The list was started in 200 ...
, with Sarah Morrison writing "The 21-year-old is the first trans man to top the Rainbow List. After decades of directors arguing that there were not any transgender actors to cast in high-profile roles, Millington is proving them wrong. Our judges felt his decision to play the character Kyle in EastEnders could help trans people – even save lives – and represents a landmark cultural moment." Morrison also called the decision to introduce Kyle a "trailblazing move". Millington was also nominated for "Inspirational Role Model Of The Year" at the 2016 European Diversity Awards. Daniel Kilkelly from ''
Digital Spy Digital Spy (DS) is a British-based entertainment, television and film website and brand and is the largest digital property at Hearst UK. Since its initial launch in 1999, Digital Spy has focused on entertainment news related to television pro ...
'' called Kyle "Stacey's kind-hearted" brother. He questioned whether Kyle would expose Steven and hoped that he would not make the same mistake that he did with Andy by not telling people for weeks. Kilkelly wrote "hurrah!" when it was suggested that Kyle would show his "no-nonsense Slater side" and called blackmailing Steven a "bold" move. The writer also described the scenes where Alison rejects Kyle as "tear-jerking" and " artbreaking", adding that whilst he knew that Alison would "cause a stir" in the soap, but her scenes "packed a real emotional punch" when she "harshly" rejected Kyle. Kilkelly also placed Millington on his list of the top 10 "rising stars" in British and Australian soap operas, writing:
"Let's be honest – after nearly two years of hype surrounding Stacey's mystery key, the 'big reveal' that it unlocked the secret of a long-lost brother could have been a real dud on paper. (To be honest, we were hoping it would somehow unlock a Sean Slater return – never mind!). But we'll forgive ''EastEnders'' for dragging out the secret, as the arrival of down-to-earth Kyle has been a welcome move for his on-screen family this year. With Kyle, Stacey, Martin,
Lily ''Lilium'' ( ) is a genus of herbaceous flowering plants growing from bulbs, all with large and often prominent flowers. Lilies are a group of flowering plants which are important in culture and literature in much of the world. Most species are ...
and
Belinda Belinda is a feminine given name of unknown origin, apparently coined from Italian ''bella'', meaning "beautiful". Alternatively it may be derived from the Old High German name ''Betlinde'', which possibly meant "bright serpent" or "bright lind ...
now a strong unit, there's a new family group on the Square that we can really root for. We also saw that new recruit Riley can excel in the emotional scenes too, when Kyle was rejected by his mum Alison for being transgender. Things have maybe been a little too quiet for Kyle since then, so let's hope he gets another chance to shine again soon."
A writer from
BBC Bitesize BBC Bitesize, also abbreviated to ''Bitesize'', is the BBC's free online study support resource for school-age people in the United Kingdom. It is designed to aid people in both schoolwork and, for older people, exams. History ''GCSE Bitesi ...
included Kyle joining the soap as one of ''EastEnders''s "Memorable LGBTQ moments" in its history, calling Kyle a "historic role" and a "landmark moment" for ''EastEnders''. A writer from ''
Irish Independent The ''Irish Independent'' is an Irish daily newspaper A newspaper is a Periodical literature, periodical publication containing written News, information about current events and is often typed in black ink with a white or gray backgrou ...
'' believed that "Transgender actors are beginning to make an impact on television", citing Millington,
Rebecca Root Rebecca Root is an English actress, comedian and voice coach. She is most well-known for playing the leading role in the 2015 BBC Two sitcom '' Boy Meets Girl''. She has performed the role of Siobhan in the National Theatre's touring production ...
and
Annie Wallace Annie Wallace (born 6 May 1965) is a Scottish actress, best known for portraying the role of Sally St. Claire in the Channel 4 soap opera ''Hollyoaks'' for nine years from 2015 - 2024. She was the first transgender person to portray a regular ...
. The ''
Daily Mirror The ''Daily Mirror'' is a British national daily Tabloid journalism, tabloid newspaper. Founded in 1903, it is part of Mirror Group Newspapers (MGN), which is owned by parent company Reach plc. From 1985 to 1987, and from 1997 to 2002, the tit ...
'' called Kyle a "mystery newbie" and reported how fans were "baffled" when Kyle told Stacey that he was her brother despite Charlie saying that Brian did not another son, with some questioning who Kyle was. Danny Walker from the same website called the scenes where Kyle comes as transgender to Stacey as "emotional" and reported how it had shocked some viewers, but also noted how some fans had already predicted it. Francescsa Battson from '' Closer Online'' reported how Kyle had "acclaim from fans and critics alike", particularly in the scenes with Alison. Battson also congratulated Millington for his TV Choice Awards nomination and wrote, "We've loved seeing Kyle's story develop since his arrival on Albert Square and can’t wait to see what else is in store for the character". Battson also noted how viewers had seen Kyle's "battle" for acceptance from some characters. Speaking about the announcement of Kyle's exit, Rachel McGrath from ''
HuffPost ''HuffPost'' (''The Huffington Post'' until 2017, itself often abbreviated as ''HPo'') is an American progressive news website, with localized and international editions. The site offers news, satire, blogs, and original content, and covers p ...
'' wrote that "mass exodus is continuing" and joked that "
Albert Square Walford is a fictional borough of East London in the BBC soap opera ''EastEnders''. It is the primary setting for the soap. ''EastEnders'' is filmed at Borehamwood in Hertfordshire, towards the north-west of London. Much of the location work i ...
is going to be pretty empty at this rate". A writer from '' Hello!'' reported how fans were left "baffled" and shocked by the news of Kyle's departure after the announcement of several other upcoming exits, with fans writing their shock and disappointment over the "countless" cast departures. The writer observed that there "must be something in the water" at ''EastEnders'' due to "yet another cast member" announcing their exit. Duncan Lindsay from ''
Metro Metro may refer to: Geography * Metro City (Indonesia), a city in Indonesia * A metropolitan area, the populated region including and surrounding an urban center Public transport * Rapid transit, a passenger railway in an urban area with high ...
'' wrote that Kyle was introduced in "mysterious circumstances" but had since "put roots down in Albert Square". Lindsay reported how viewers had praised the episode which introduced Kyle's mother and that Millington had "won acclaim" from fans for his performance as Kyle on the soap. Angie Quinn from ''
MyLondon MyLondon is a British news website operated by Reach plc, publishers of the ''Daily Mirror'', covering the wider London London is the Capital city, capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of both England and the ...
'' wrote that despite building a relationship with Stacey, "life in Walford wasn't meant to be for Kyle" due to his departure. A writer from ''
Soaplife ''Soaplife'' was a soap opera magazine published in the United Kingdom by TI Media (formerly IPC Media and Time Inc. UK). The magazine was first published in 1999 and focused on British and Australian soap operas. It was originally published mont ...
'' worried that Kyle's exit could cause Stacey "a lot of grief" due to Stacey having come to depend on Kyle "for his cool head – and his hot stuff in the kitchen". Laura-Jayne Tyler from ''
Inside Soap ''Inside Soap'' is a weekly soap opera and television listings magazine published in the United Kingdom. The magazine is currently released every Tuesday. It covers storylines featured in British and Australian soap operas that are broadcast in t ...
'' thought that it was a shame that Kyle would no longer be appearing. Áine Toner ''Women's Way'' from believed that Kyle "deserved better" in reference to his exit and Millington's 2017 comments over his disappointment over how the character was written out. In 2018, Kerry Barrett from ''Soaplife'' wrote about Kyle possibly returning, explaining that "Kyle left the Square just as we were getting to know him, but we liked him a lot", and suggested that Kyle could return with his sisters Shannon and Siobhan "in tow".


See also

*
List of LGBT characters in soap operas This is a list of soap opera characters who are lesbian, gay, bisexual, or transgender, and the live action television and radio soap operas which feature them. Characters who are pansexual, asexual, non-binary and intersex are also included. ...
*
List of transgender characters in television This is a list of live action transgender characters in television (includes terrestrial, cable, streaming series and TV movies). The orientation can be portrayed on-screen, described in the dialogue or mentioned. Roles include lead, main, rec ...


References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Slater, Kyle EastEnders characters Television characters introduced in 2015 Slater family (EastEnders) Fictional chefs in soap operas Fictional transgender men Fictional LGBTQ characters in soap operas British male characters in soap operas Fictional blackmailers