Yolande Trueman

Infobox EastEnders character 2


character_name=Yolande Trueman
actor_name=Angela Wynter
introducer=Louise Berridge
years=2003–2008
first=16 September 2003
last=3 October 2008
classification=Former; regular
dob=25 March 1954
status=Separated
home=Birmingham
occupation=Shopkeeper
husband=Victor Duke
Patrick Trueman (2004—)

Yolande Trueman (previously Duke) was a fictional character in the popular BBC soap opera "EastEnders". She was played by Angela Wynter. The character made her final appearance on 3 October 2008.cite news|url=http://www.voice-online.co.uk/content.php?show=13767|title=EastEnders actress says goodbye to Albert Square|author=Jasmine Dotiwala|publisher=The Voice|date=29 June 2008|accessdate=2008-06-30]

Development

Departure

On 29 June 2008, it was announced that Wynter would leave "EastEnders" later in the year, after the show's producers claimed to have "run out of storyline ideas" for her character. Wynter said of the decision: "I’m not unhappy to leave "EastEnders" because life is about changes and new beginnings, but I am unhappy about the producers reasoning in how they came to their decision because you can always write stories for people to act" She stated that her character would not be killed off, and her hope that Rudolph Walker as her husband Patrick Trueman would not reignite his romance with Pat Evans after her departure, as; "Patrick and Yolande’s marriage is the only representation of a black union on British TV, which I am very proud to have played." Wynter also suggested that the decision to write out her character may have come because the soap was currently exceeding its 'quota' for black and Asian characters, surmising: "If this is true, I am not hurt because I accept that fact that I live in England and it is not ‘our’ TV station where we can be over-weighted with black or Asian actors and have guest appearances from Caucasian actors – because ‘we’ are the guest".

torylines

Yolande arrived in Albert Square on 16 September 2003, as Patrick Trueman's holiday romance. They had met during Patrick's visit to his homeland of Trinidad, where the middle-aged couple enjoyed a steamy affair, much the contrary to Yolande's boring marriage to a strict, uptight, and religious Victor, whose traditional customs included viewing women as objects to bear and raise. Before long, Yolande realised that all Patrick wanted was a fun fling, and prepared to leave England, but Patrick talked her into staying at their bed and breakfast after admitting he had fallen for her. Her husband arrived to take Yolande home, and gave a tempted Patrick £10,000 to allow him to do so. After refusing, Yolande caught Patrick with the money in his hand (he was about to return it to Victor), and she got the wrong end of the stick, believing that he had accepted this payment, and left, taking the money with her. After Victor returned to Trinidad, Yolande returned to Walford, sharing the money with Patrick.

They eventually settled down and married in 2004, helped run the bed and breakfast and tried fostering a little girl. Yolande currently co-runs Albert Square's shop, the Minute Mart, with Patrick, which he bought as an expansion to their little empire.The Truemans met grief when Patrick's stepson Paul went missing at Christmas 2004 after being involved in drug dealing as part of Andy Hunter's scheme. After several weeks of searching, Paul's body was discovered, although the causes and circumstances of his murder were uncertain. Patrick realised that Andy was involved in this, and set about attempting to avenge the dodgy businessman/gangster, although his prayers were answered when Andy was thrown off a bridge (to his death) by Johnny Allen, whom he'd tried to rip off.

Yolande was involved in a very minor storyline when she thought her husband Patrick was cheating on her, which resulted in Honey Edwards' arrival in late November 2005 as a honey trapper to try and fool Patrick. However, Honey mistook Billy Mitchell for Patrick, so unfortunately for Yolande and Honey, the plan didn't work. The same night, Yolande drenched Patrick with his pint of beer, and then forgave him.

Yolande then struck up a feud with Pat Evans when she nosed in at Trueman's Motors. Their rivalry took the next step when Pat slept with Patrick, but Stacey Slater caught Pat and Patrick kissing, and told Yolande. This resulted in a brawl in The Queen Vic. Yolande has recently had a supposed drunken one-night-stand with Aubrey Valentine, one of Patrick's old friends.

On December 4, along with the Foxes/Wicks and Patrick, she went on a holiday to Dorset. She then helped Bert Atkinson look after his grandson Jay after they moved in with the Truemans. Eventually Bert's lazy ways and Jay's trouble making caused her to announce in fury that she was kicking the pair out. She forgave them but still insisted they were moving out and when they did she helped them settle into their new home.

In September 2008 Patrick accidentally turned off the chiller cabinet at the Minute Mart and then sold unchilled food to customers which gave Dot Branning (amongst others) food poisoning. The resulting complaints meant a visit from an inspector from the Minute Mart head office, who was so impressed with Yolande's efforts to clean up the shop that she was subsequently offered a new job at the Minute Mart HQ in Birmingham. Yolande accepted with delight and busily prepared for the move, however Patrick was less keen, and when confronted by Yolande about the move Patrick indicted that he wanted to stay in Walford.

On 3rd October 2008, Yolande departed Albert Square for a new life in Birmingham. She surprised everone at her leaving party by announcing that she was leaving without her husband Patrick. But as Denise and Patrick waved Yolande off at the tube station, Patrick told Yolande that once he sold their house he would follow her to Birmingham.

References

External links

*EEcharlink|yolande_d