Pierre Counihan-Moullier is reportedly set to exit his role as Oscar Branning on EastEnders after joining the BBC One soap in 2025, according to reporting by The Sun. The actor’s departure is anticipated for next year, though producers are reportedly keeping the door open for a potential future return, as noted by Digital Spy. The BBC declined to comment when contacted by Digital Spy and Radio Times.
Oscar Branning’s Walford Journey
Counihan-Moullier took over the role of Oscar Branning in July 2025, succeeding Charlee Hall. During his time in Walford, Oscar has rebuilt relationships with family members including Max Branning and Lauren Beale, while also interacting with Ian Beale and Patrick Trueman, whom he accidentally injured during a robbery.
Cast Exits and Changes on EastEnders
The reported departure of Counihan-Moullier aligns with a broader wave of cast changes on the BBC soap. Kellie Bright has also announced her departure after 13 years playing Linda Carter, though she agreed to stay longer for an upcoming storyline, alongside her on-screen son Johnny Carter played by Charlie Suff. Additionally, Aaron Thiara’s reported exit as Ravi Gulati follows a string of departures, while actors such as Sean Slater, played by Rob Kazinsky, are heading back to the Square.
The 2027 Flashforward Mystery
Viewers can expect to see Oscar on screen into 2027 due to his involvement in the show’s New Year’s Day flashforward episode that aired in January 2026. That special episode was set a year ahead on New Year’s Day 2027, focusing on Max Branning and setting up a series of unfolding mysteries. That flashforward showed Max in a wedding suit with a blood-splattered flower and later being led away by police, establishing a year-long storytelling arc for 2026 that connects directly to the Branning family dynamics.
Did you know? The January 2026 flashforward episode marked the first time in EastEnders’ four-decade history that the soap built an entire year of storytelling around a single forward-set special, according to the article.
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