You would think that Tanya wouldn’t go within a mile of love-rat hubby Max Branning, played by actor Jake Wood, especially after everything he’s put her and his children through.

Sadly it appears that the couple can’t live with or without each other.

Now they have decided to put an end to their secret love-tryst by coming clean about their illicit love affair and hopefully make a successful go of their relationship.

But just when you think that it can’t get much worse for the mum-of-three, Tanya receives news that will blow everyone’s lives apart.

The results of her smear-test come back and it indicates that she may have cancer:

“Her immediate reaction is to spiral into despair.

“She starts wondering if it is right to stay with a man that she doesn’t love who might nurse her, or turn to Max who would end up sleeping with the nurses”, said talented actress Joy Joyner, 34, who plays love-torn Tanya.

Yet again, the brilliant writers of the nations best-loved British soap EastEnders lives up to its reputation by setting its cast another huge challenging storyline which thankfully has been given the thumbs-up from Cancer Charities, and Jo’s Cervial Cancer Trust.

“It is a huge responsibility to the women I’m representing.

“I met up with a woman who works for Jo’s cancer Trust and has cervical cancer.

“I had a lot of questions for her which were personal and quite intimate and she was great and really patient with me.

“But Tanya is a fighter, but having seen her mum nurse her dad through the illness, her first reaction is to keep it a secret.

“She watched her father die a slow and painful death and saw her mums love turn to pity.

“She doesn’t want anyone to look at her with pity”, said the star.

When Jo Joyner isn’t busy working tireless on the set in Albert Square she’s a busy mum to her 20-month-old twins Freddie and Eddie and very happily married to her husband and fellow actor, Neil Madden.

EastEnders BBC1 Mondays Tuesday Thursday & Friday Evenings