| Joyce Murray | |||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| EastEnders character | |||||||||||
&sq=Google&lang=en&file=File:Joyce_Murray_EastEnders.jpeg) | |||||||||||
| Portrayed by | Maggie Steed | ||||||||||
| Duration | 2017–18 | ||||||||||
| First appearance | Episode 5500 26 May 2017 | ||||||||||
| Last appearance | Episode 5681 30 March 2018 | ||||||||||
| Classification | Former; regular | ||||||||||
| Introduced by | Sean O'Connor | ||||||||||
| |||||||||||
Joyce Murray is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders, played by Maggie Steed. Joyce was introduced alongside her husband, Ted Murray (Christopher Timothy), with the characters and castings being announced in April 2017 and Ted and Joyce making their first appearance on 26 May of that year. Both Steed and Timothy were excited to join the soap opera and were excited to be working together. Steed characterised Joyce as being a good and determined woman who adores Ted. Joyce's initial storyline revolved around her move to Albert Square, which she is not happy about, and her interactions with other characters, such as Dot Cotton (June Brown) and the new Taylor family. Joyce and Ted's backstories were explored when it was revealed that Ted is keeping a gun in the house, which Joyce does not approve of. When a traumatised Ted accidentally shoots Johnny Carter (Ted Reilly), Joyce tries to protect Ted by taking the blame and she is arrested, although the truth later comes out. It was later announced that Steed had been written out of EastEnders and Joyce made her final appearance on 30 March 2018, when the character was killed-off in her sleep. The aftermath of her death included the exploration of Ted's grief and the introduction of their daughter, Judith Thompson (Emma Fielding). Joyce received a mixed reception from viewers and critics, and the character's decision to take the blame for Johnny's shooting was criticised. Joyce's death and the storyline's aftermath were considered emotional and devastating.