Sacked Eastenders actor Jamie Borthwick issues New Year message after Blackpool slur
Former EastEnders star Jamie Borthwick who was sacked from the soap earlier this year has issued a message for 2026.
The 31-year-old actor, who was best known for playing Jay Brown on the BBC show, competed in Strictly Come Dancing 2024 but was suspended in June and then sacked in September after he allegedly used a disabled slur on the Strictly set.
A video emerged of the actor using the term to describe the people of Blackpool, the town where the show was being filmed.
It was said that Borthwick made the offensive remark on a phone video while the Strictly cast were at Blackpool Tower Ballroom last November.
A BBC Studios spokesperson said at the time: “We can confirm that Jamie Borthwick will not be returning to EastEnders.
“We do not comment on individual matters.”
In a social media post at the time, Jamie said: “I am deeply sorry for any offence and upset my words and actions have caused. It is no excuse, but I did not fully understand the derogatory term I used and its meaning.
"That is on me completely. Now I am aware, I am deeply embarrassed to have used the term and directed it in the way I did. It was wrong."
This month Borthwick returned to social media to share a black-and-white picture of himself looking downcast in a paper Christmas hat.
The accompanying message read: "Wishing everybody a very merry Christmas and let's hope for a slightly better 2026 for us all xx".
He also included a peering face emoji and a giggling face emoji.
Borthwick won the best actor gong at the Inside Soap Awards in 2023 with the show also being recognised with the best storyline for Loving And Losing Lola, about character Lola Pearce-Brown’s brain tumour diagnosis.
The actor also won the 2023 Strictly Christmas special with Nancy Xu.