Jamie Borthwick will not return to EastEnders after 19 years following suspension

BBC Studios confirmed Friday that actor Jamie Borthwick will not return to the BBC soap EastEnders after 19 years with the programme.

The decision follows the suspension of the 31-year-old earlier this year after a video emerged showing him using a derogatory term for disabled people during rehearsals for Strictly Come Dancing last year. A BBC Studios spokesperson said, "We can confirm that Jamie Borthwick will not be returning to EastEnders. We do not comment on individual matters."

Borthwick, who has portrayed the character Jay Brown on the long-running soap for almost two decades, was filmed during backstage rehearsals on the Strictly set, according to media reports. The footage, which was publicly shared earlier this year, included an exchange in which another person, reported to be baritone and broadcaster Wynne Evans, can be heard reacting with "Oh my God" when the remark was made.

The emergence of the clip prompted EastEnders producers to suspend Borthwick while they reviewed the circumstances. Reports that he might be reinstated circulated in recent weeks, but the statement from BBC Studios confirms he will not be returning to Albert Square.

The Daily Mail, which first reported the outcome, stated that representatives for Borthwick and the show had been contacted. BBC Studios declined to elaborate beyond its confirmation that he will not come back to the series.

Borthwick joined EastEnders as a teenager and became a familiar face on the soap, which has been a mainstay of British television for decades. Strictly Come Dancing, the BBC's celebrity ballroom showcase, has previously disciplined participants and staff for breaches of expected conduct when incidents have come to light.

The departure marks the end of a long-running role for Borthwick on one of Britain's most-watched dramas. EastEnders producers and the BBC will now proceed without the actor as they continue current and future storylines involving the character he portrayed. Further comment or details regarding casting decisions were not provided by BBC Studios.