The actress, who plays Stacey Slater on the BBC One soap, returned to work on in February for the special 40th anniv

This was a temporary return to the show during her maternity leave.

Lacey filmed emotional scenes alongside James Bye, as Martin Fowler d.i.e.d in Stacey’s arms in the closing seconds of the final live episode, having been crushed under a falling steel beam in the Queen Vic pub after an explosion.

Lacey, 37, has now opened up about her love for her job and how she will be back playing soap favourite Stacey.

Speaking exclusively to The Sun, Lacey said: “For now I’m really happy [being in EastEnders], and it works. I just sort of take each day as it comes.”

The soap star has teamed up with baby formula brand Bonya, to challenge the stigma surrounding infant formula use and frugality in the UK during the ongoing cost of living crisis.

Lacey admitted that she won’t be leaving EastEnders anytime soon especially as she spoke about job security and being frugal amid the cost of living crisis.

“I think as any working person, you weigh up your options and I do what is best for us really,” she continued.

“That may change as they change, as they grow. If something doesn’t work, then you change it.

“I personally do my best and we do our best and that works.

“All people are different and you’ve got to do what works best for you.”

“I really love my job, I will always do.

“As you get older you get a bit braver and a bit bolder and I’m at an age now where I will do what is right for us.”

Lacey admitted the soap is a good place to work if you’re a parent, she said: “I love my job and I wouldn’t work if I didn’t, it works for us.

“I’m still a mum even when I’m at work, parenting it doesn’t ever end, even when they’re at school, you’re thinking what they’re going to have for dinner, what they’ve got to do when they get in, it’s constant, it doesn’t stop being a parent.”

The TV favourite admitted that there is still misconceptions around how much soap star’s make – but in reality they still have financial struggles and also made economical cuts to her household.

She told us: “Being a parent is expensive.

“I remember even before I had Dusty, when I wasn’t a parent, there’s a list that’s as long as your arm of things that you need to be a parent but really, how much of that do you really need, you probably don’t.

“I think it’s the same with anybody, you can be an actress, a broker, a hairdresser or whatever it is – this is the problem with the world we live in today, everybody is so judgemental, everybody is quick to shame you.

“I think that’s what we need to try not to do, life is hard enough without making it harder, especially as parents, you don’t know someone else’s situation, you shouldn’t judge.

“You might think you know because the world we live in, your life is there for people to see, but unless you know someone how can you.”

Lacey also admitted that being a mother comes with its challenges – especially with the increase in social media and conflicting parenting advice as she insisted you don’t need to buy your kids “designer clothes” to show how much you love them.

She said: “The world today leads you to believe that the most expensive option is the best option, but that’s not the case.

“I want people to know that being frugal is nothing to be ashamed of, it’s a skill.

“We don’t dress our children in designer clothes, it’s perfectly okay to dress your children in high street clothes.

“It’s crazy in the world we’re living that people are saving up to be parents.

“Being a parent is one of the most amazing things that can happen that are lucky enough to be parents, it’s natural thing for most people to want to be a parent, so why aren’t we making it normal, easy and open and honest as possible.”

The actress, who is also mum to children, Dusty and Trilby with husband Matt Kay, discussed her biggest pressure as a mum as she revealed a sweet piece of advice her nan gave her about parenting.

The telly star said: “You make decisions daily as a parent, it changes with age, the older they get there’s different decisions to make.

“You want what is best for them, you want them to have the best nutrients they can have, you want them to watch the programmes they are going to learn from and not a load of rubbish.

“There’s daily pressures.

“I try and remind myself of the most, I talk about my nan a lot but my nan always used to say to me, she’s very old school… she used to say ‘as long as they have a full belly, clean clothes and they’re loved, that’s all that matters’, as long as you’re doing your best, then that’s good enough.

“Sometimes when life gets crazy and it does, the work for people never ends now, it used to end on a Friday, it doesn’t.

“The world moves at 100mph, as a nation we don’t get that chance to stop, which we used to do.

“Add being a parent into that, it’s hard, it’s so much harder than it should be – being a parent should be enjoyable and it should be made as simple and easy as possible and it shouldn’t cost you a fortune.”

Bonya aims to reduce this stigma, reduce the pressure and the shame of the choices that you make as a parent.

Lacey agreed that the increase in influencers content creators have put a strain on the everyday parent, as she insisted that good parenting shouldn’t be measured on how much your spend.

She continued: “They call it the formula fog – it’s that overwhelming amount of information on products and marketing, that leaves you as a parent confused.

“You could watch 10 different videos on Instagram on what you should be feeding your baby – that’s the problem, we’re so swamped and overwhelmed with the marketing, it leaves you going ‘oh my goodness’, it leaves you questioning if you’re doing it right.

“We should be supporting each other as a nation.”

Lacey said she has luckily not been the victim of mum-shamers, but said the only opinion that counts is her family and friends.

The Walford icon said she’s currently happy with her three kids as she admitted that she’s not prepared for more just yet.

“Children are unpredictable, they change daily, but we just sort of manage, we’re a good team,” Lacey said.

“Whatever they do, I will be happy.”

“I do really enjoy being a mum, I love it, I’ve always wanted to be a mum – it comes with it’s challenges, as it does with any mother or father.

“It’s a learning curve and you continue to learn which I enjoy.

“You make decisions, you may not get it right all the time, you’re learning from them and they’re learning from you.

“Their little personality traits are starting to come.”

Asking if she wants more kids, Lacey replied: “Not as it stands today.”

Lacey’s character Stacey left fans in tears as she said an emotional goodbye to Martin in February.

In heartbreaking scenes he proposed and planned the next 40 years of their lives before the paramedics told Stacey that he would likely not survive his injuries.

Stacey couldn’t bring herself to tell Martin what was happening, but he realised and then tragically d.i.e.d in her arms.