Former EastEnders star Jacqueline Jossa has seemingly shut down rumours of a rough patch in her marriage.

Jossa, who played Lauren Branning on the BBC soap, and The Only Way Is Essex's Dan Osborne tied the knot in 2017 and share two daughters, Ella and Mia.

For her 30th birthday last year, the couple went to the Maldives for a holiday, though Jossa denies the luxury break was an attempt to deal with their rumoured crisis.

london, england january 28 dan osborne and jacqueline jossa attend the national television awards 2020 at the o2 arena on january 28, 2020 in london, england photo by karwai tangwireimage
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"This is a holiday that my husband has been saving up for, like most people would have to save up for, saving up to treat me on my 30th birthday," the actress said on podcast Soap From The Box.

"For over a year saving up to try and take me there," she added.

"Then it gets turned into a make or break. Who has that sort of money to just go, 'Right. Babe, we're struggling. I'm going to whisk you off to the Maldives.'"

lauren and sonia in eastenders
BBC

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Jossa recently reprised the role of Lauren on EastEnders during a special episode paying homage to late soap icon June Brown. The actress's death was written into the series, with her character Dot Branning (Lauren's step-grandmother) being given a send-off in some emotional funeral scenes.

Though Jossa only returned for a cameo, it seems she would be down to go back to Walford in a more permanent capacity.

"I loved being back, and was so happy with you lot in my DMs, maybe one day," she said during a Q&A with fans on her Instagram in December.

EastEnders airs on Mondays - Thursdays at 7.30pm on BBC One. The show also streams on BBC iPlayer.


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Stefania is a freelance writer specialising in TV and movies. After graduating from City University, London, she covered LGBTQ+ news and pursued a career in entertainment journalism, with her work appearing in outlets including Little White Lies, The Skinny, Radio Times and Digital Spy

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