EastEnders viewers have been stunned after discovering the actual age difference between the stars who portray Patrick and Yolande Trueman.

Patrick (Rudolph Walker) has remained a cornerstone of the BBC One drama since making his first appearance back in 2001. It wasn’t long before he captured the hearts of audiences nationwide.

The cherished character has featured in numerous major plotlines as well. From family conflicts to losing his son Paul (Gary Beadle), Patrick’s journey in Walford has been packed with emotional moments.

Likewise, Yolande (Angela Wynter) has won over supporters since her initial debut in 2003. Two years prior, Yolande made her comeback to the programme and reignited her romance with Patrick.

This month saw the couple exchange vows once more following several turbulent weeks. During touching sequences, Yolande and Patrick declared their love before their closest family and friends, reports Plymouth Live.

Yet, beyond the BBC One drama, supporters are astounded by the actual ages of Rudolph and Angela, who portray Patrick and Yolande respectively.

“The actress that plays Yolande is 68 she looks amazing”, commented one viewer on an EastEnders Facebook fan page. Another responded: “What about Patrick! ! He’s 86 this year I believe.”

A third person remarked: “I found this out the other day and it blew my mind! She’s so beautiful! And Rudolph Walker is 86 this month, I think! I want what they’re drinking! Haha.”

Angela entered the world on 14 July 1957, making her 68. In contrast, Rudolph arrived on 28 September 1939, which means he reaches 86 this year.

Earlier this year, Rudolph, who plays Patrick on EastEnders, shared his thoughts about the future of the soap with Best of British magazine. He said: “We have a new executive producer, Ben Wadey, who is fantastic.

“In fact, the last executive producer was also fantastic, Chris Clenshaw, and he’s built EastEnders up to a quality that is just unbelievable, using all the actors.

“Ben is great. He’s come in. He’s very positive about the future of EastEnders. And I have very high hopes that we are going to see things that maybe we’ve never seen on television before. Or if we did, it hasn’t been highlighted. I think we’re going to see a lot more of that. There are lots of surprises and more to come from EastEnders over the months and years.”