Honey on EastEnders on November 14, 2025 / BBC
Emma Barton will take a short sabbatical from her role as Honey Mitchell in EastEnders later this year, it has been revealed.
The actress, who has played Honey on and off since 2005, will take time off at the end of the year in order to perform in a Christmas panto in Torquay.
Barton is slated to play the part of wicked witch Carabosse in a version of Sleeping Beauty at the seaside town’s Princess Theatre which runs from December 12 to January 3, 2026.
Although she will require at least a month off from the soap, the annual filming break over Christmas means that her absence will not be noticeable to viewers.
A spokesperson for the panto told The Sun: “Emma is delighted to be back on stage, working with Jordan Productions again, in Sleeping Beauty.
“With live music, stunning sets, slick choreography, sensational costumes and special effects, Sleeping Beauty promises to be Torquay’s most spectacular Pantomime ever.”
Barton’s co-star Ellie Dadd – aka Amy Mitchell – will also be part of Panto season this year, performing the role of Belle in Beauty and the Beast at Croydon’s Fairfield Halls from December 12 to January 4, 2026.
