5 More EastEnders Characters Who Should Make A Comeback
- Angel Noire
- Aug 20
- 10 min read
Updated: Nov 17
There was much speculation about actress Michell Ryan reprising her role as EastEnders' fan favourite Zoe Slater - and reprise she did after a whopping twenty years! Although her return was brief, we know that Zoe will indeed be heading back to Walford soon for the forseeable future, for what will no doubt be an emotional, highly-charged reunion with her estranged mum, Kat.
Fans had always hoped that Michelle Ryan, who began playing Zoe in the London-based soap from 2001 when the soon-to-be legendary Slater family made their grand entrance into Walford until 2005, would make a comeback one day. Those of us who follow Michelle on Instagram suspected she was making a return as she kept schtoom about the rumours on her return - a tactic used by the show's other Michelle, Michelle Collins, when rumours first started circulating about Cindy Beale's return from the dead after a twenty-five year absence.
Zoe's return is a surprise for many EastEnders fans because over the course of the last twenty years, Michelle has insisted that she would never return to EastEnders, in what she called her 'apprenticeship' role and had no problems with a character recast for Zoe. Goes to show you should never say never but needless to say we're thrilled that Zoe - and Michelle are back!
And while Michelle has been relatively out of the public eye since quitting EastEnders, she has worked steadily over the years and even had a taste of Hollywood fame after being cast as Jaime Sommers in the short-lived Bionic Woman reboot. Is it any wonder Michelle strongly believed she'd never head back to EastEnders again!
During her five years on the Square, Zoe had been involved in some of the soap's most dramatic storylines including her fling with Jamie Mitchell; her romance with her mum's ex Dr. Anthony Trueman (where the pair almost made it to the altar) her kiss with best friend Kelly; the Zoe-Dennis-Sharon love triangle; her part in Den Watts's murder, and the revelation that her sister Kat was actually her real mother in what has to be one of EastEnders most classic scenes: "You can't tell me what to do. You ain't my muvver!" "YES I AM!!!"
We look forward to learn more about Zoe's story, and can't wait for her to come face-to-face with her mum, Kat, as well as Den's daughters, Vicki - her former friend - and Sharon - her former love rival. Oh and Dr. Anthony Trueman will also be heading back to Walford. It's all happening!
We Love To See a Familiar Face, We Do!
As with our other favourite soap opera, the soon-to-be-departed Neighbours, EastEnders understands the influence of nostalgia and how fans love seeing a familiar face. To mark the soap's fortieth anniversary celebrations, EastEnders brought back a whole host of past characters, and some - like Jake Moon and Joe Wicks - were a complete surprise. Nostalgia Pie made no secret of the fact that we'd love to see Chrissie Watts again - and we got our wish!
And recently actor Ross Kemp got Easties' fans excited when he said he wouldn't rule out another return to the show to play the legendary Grant Mitchell again. We've previously mentioned which former characters we'd love to see back in EastEnders again, so here's a few more who we'd love to see strolling down Bridge Street or ordering a drink at the Vic once again...
1. Rachel Kominski (Jaquetta May) 1991-1993
After a rather acrimonious break-up, straight-talking lecturer Rachel Kominski sought refuge in wonderfully welcoming Walford after purchasing number 55 on Victoria Road. Initially prickly and stand-offish, the residents soon warmed to her, with Rachel striking up a friendship with lodger, Michelle Fowler, and even began a relationship with Mark Fowler, Michelle's brother. Rachel proved to be a huge support to Mark whose life had been turned upside-down with his HIV diagnosis, and even though the relationship didn't last, the two remained friends. After losing her university job, Rachel worked on a bric-a-brac stall, and also at Kathy's cafe where she soon forged a strong bond with her boss and Mark and Michelle's aunt, Kathy Beale, with the two women supporting each other through testing times.
Then Rachel left the Square to take up a post in Leeds - and was promptly forgotten by everyone! Does she even know that her old mate Kathy is back from the dead??? And it's partly because of Kathy that we'd love to see Rachel back again. Kathy hasn't had much of a bestie since she resurfaced back in 2015. We thought that she and Elaine were going to be the new Kathy and Angie but it looks as though scriptwriters have forgotten about that idea!
Much of the time Rachel wasn't the character who was the cause of or central to a lot of the drama, which might explain why she's been overlooked. She was usually the one who was trying to resolve problems (eat your heart out, Vanilla Ice!) and proving support. So it seems like a good idea to have Rachel back again, in order to help out the troubled residents of Albert Square and their drama-riddled lives.
Since leaving the soap, Jacquetta May who played Rachel has worked steadily as an actress - both of stage and screen - as well as a writer, director, and producer. With such a busy schedule, we wonder if Jacquetta will be able to find time to head back to Walford to reprise her famous role...
2. Steve (Mark Monero) 1991-1996
You’d be forgiven for thinking that Steve Elliot was a bit of a cad and a wide boy. (Goodness, cad! That’s one we haven’t heard in a while!) He definitely wasn't boyfriend material - just ask his long-suffering girlfriend, Hattie Tavernier. Dumped by Hattie for being a player, when he did manage to win her back, Steve let her down yet again by ditching her to take a job on an ocean liner - leaving Hattie devastated and unbeknownst to Steve, pregnant with a baby she sadly later miscarried. Upon his return, Steve was shunned by most of the Square, who were appalled at his treatment of Hattie who had since moved away. Discovering the truth turned out to be the making of a remorseful Steve who decided to turn his life around and prove himself to everyone in Walford.
With a talent for cooking and hospitality, the new-and-improved Steve took on a job as a live-in barman at The Queen Vic. He soon became smitten with Walford newcomer, hairdresser Della Alexander, and the two embarked on a hair salon business venture. Although their relationship was purely platonic, Della moved into the Vic with Steve when she needed a place to stay, getting Steve's hopes up. However when Steve came home unexpectedly one day and found Della in bed with her best friend, Binnie, it was pretty much game over. Steve handled the truth about Della’s sexuality badly but they made things work for the sake of the salon, with the two parting as friends when Della and Binnie headed off for a new life in Ibiza.
But Steve wasn’t nursing a broken heart for long and soon started dating bubbly, kind-hearted stall-holder Lydia. It was his relationship with Lydia that led to the couple leaving Walford after Steve unwittingly got involved in a feud with local crooks who viciously attacking Lydia as an act of revenge. But before leaving, Steve bid an emotional farewell to his good friend, Mark Fowler who at this point was still keeping his HIV diagnosis a secret from most of the Square, promising Mark that he would be there for him if ever he needed him.
For someone who was considered a bit of a heartbreaker, Steve definitely had a heart. He fell hard for Della; stood up to Grant when he was tormenting his wife Sharon post-Sharongate; gave up everything to protect Lydia, and before the term 'bromance' was ever coined... there was Mark and Steve's friendship.
3. Gita Kapoor (Shobu Kapoor) 1993-1998
Now that her best friend, Cindy Beale is back from the dead (a common occurrence in soapland!) we've heard Gita Kapoor's name thrown around a few times, and it was to Gita's house that Cindy escaped following the disastrous chain of events after her affair with her former stepson, Junior, had been exposed.
Back in the nineties, stallholder Gita was the only friend Cindy had. Fast forward more than twenty five years on, Gita is still the only friend Cindy has! Too bad for Cindy that Gita no longer lives on Albert Square.
Gita was quite easily the most irritating woman in Walford. (actually on second thoughts, there was Auntie Nellie, so maybe it was a tie!) Gossiping, prying, interfering, always putting her foot in it, it's no wonder she didn't have many friends herself, which explains how she gravitated towards Mrs. Beale - the only other woman on the Square who hardly had any friends. But Gita's heart, if not her mouth, was usually in the right place. She was a great wife and mum, and a very kind and loyal friend to Cindy - which was more than Cindy deserved! Gita genuinely cared about Cindy and saw themselves as besties. And while Cindy could be a good friend when she wanted to be, most of the time, she put herself first and found Gita came in handy when it came to looking after the kids; having someone to hang out with when she was bored, or covering up for her so husband Ian didn't find out what she was really getting up to - or with whom!
During her time on the show, Gita was embroiled in storylines involving racial harassment (during a time when support for the BNP were very high in East London) secondary infertility, as well as her husband and sister's shocking affair. Then there was Gita's disappearance for several months, after which she reappeared with a baby boy that wasn't Sanjay's! Despite being a meddling busybody, Gita couldn't handle it when the truth about son's paternity was revealed via the local paper, and the family made a hasty exit from the Square, never to be heard of again... until Cindy reappeared.
Nobody ever thought that years later, Cindy and Gita would even make it to 'Facebook friends.' And now here they are - besties! Well seeing as they're such bezzie mates, is a visit to Walford from Gita on the cards?
4. Kate Morton (Jill Halfpenny, 2002-2005)
Every so often, a character from 'oop narth' finds their way 'daahn saarf' to Albert Square and in 2002 it was the turn of Geordie and possible Toon Army supporter, Kate Morton. At the time though, she was calling herself Kate Tyler and posing as a nail technician, impressing Peggy Mitchell with her knowledge of nail colours and impressing Peggy's son, Phil, with a lot more than that! However Kate's true colours and intentions were made known when Kate was revealed to be an undercover police officer sent to honeytrap Phil while investigating the disappearance of Lisa Fowler, Phil's former partner and the mother of his baby daughter, Louise.
Unfortunately for the police, feisty, driven Kate did her job a little too well and ended up falling in love with Phil for real. But Phil was far from amused when he discovered Kate's true identity and motives. A Mitchell with a copper - never! But after rescuing Kate when another undercover job went wrong, Kate quit the force so that she could be with Phil and the copper-turned-salon-owner became the third Mrs. Phil Mitchell - although she had to suffer the indignation of Lisa catching her wedding bouquet after unexpectedly turning up at the reception. But at least that proved Phil hadn't done away with Lisa after all!
Lisa's reappearance was clearly a bad omen and the marriage didn't last. Kate then went on to have flings with Dennis Rickman (lucky girl!) his dad, Den Watts, and even Ian Beale thought he had a chance with the stunning beautician. Dream on, Beale! She was also awarded with one of Peggy's legendary slaps after Kate allowed Lisa to run off with little Louise after Phil was sent to prison for his part in a robbery, and we think her fight with Chrissie Watts is one of EastEnders most underrated scenes - Chrissie definitely hinted at what she was capable of!
Despite run-ins with quite a few of the Walford residents, Kate was a warm, big-hearted character: a loving stepmum to Louise; a good friend to Sharon Watts, and she even made her peace with Chrissie. She was also very supportive and a tower of strength to Little Mo Slater after she was assaulted. Although actress Jill Halfpenny has had a long and successful career and continues to do so, we'd love for her to reprise her role as Kate. She was a great addition to the Square and reminds us of a time when EastEnders was absolutely unmissable.
5. Little Mo Slater (Kacey Ainsworth 2000-2006)
When Freddie Slater rocked up in Walford looking for his dad, who he mistakenly thought was his mum's ex-husband Billy Mitchell, we did wonder if Freddie's mum Maureen 'Little Mo' Slater was close behind...
Little Mo - the gentlest and kindest of all the Slater girls. The one who never shouted, waited her turn and did as she was told. But life wasn't always kind to the sweet-natured Slater sister. Her first marriage was to bully Trevor Morgan who physically and mentally tortured Little Mo, in scenes that many found disturbing. An extremely powerful storyline saw Little Mo go to prison for attacking Trevor, in a combination of self-defence and being emotionally pushed too far. But that didn't stop Trevor from hounding Little Mo and the Slater clan, with his reign of terror only ending when he perished in a house fire - deliberately started by him.
After Trevor's death, Little Mo went on to marry Billy Mitchell, who proved to be her rock. But in true soap fashion, Billy and Little Mo weren't allowed to live happily ever after, and their marriage came to an end after Little Mo refused to have a termination after being violently assaulted. After leaving Walford and returning after Freddie's birth, Billy and Little Mo tried to give their marriage another go, but realizing that Billy could never be a dad to Freddie, the couple broke up for good. Little Mo then went on to shock everyone by beginning a romance with her sister Kat's estranged husband, Alfie Moon. Cue much screaming and shouting when Kat found out!
After her attempt to win back Billy - who was now in a relationship with Honey Edwards - fell humiliatingly flat, Little Mo soon began seeing the Square's dashing new doctor, Dr. Oliver Cousins, although she soon decided to leave Walford with Freddie for a new life in Barnstaple, Devon.
As there are still quite a few Slaters on the Square, we feel a visit from Little Mo is long overdue!
So EastEnders, if you still want to bring some past characters back to Walford, this little lot would be great for starters! Now sort it aaht!
Bring back Clyde Tavernier! I always thought he was too cool for school and had the loveliest smile. He could be the new boxing instructor at the gym!
Now that Vicky's back, it makes sense for her mum Michelle to return as well. But only if it's Susan Tully. But let's face it - that's not likely to happen!
There's been a lot of fanfare about Zoe Slater returning to Eastenders but I really hope that the writers don't ruin the character like they did with Mel and Cindy.