Michelle Ryan has reportedly left the BBC soap EastEnders, with her character Zoe Slater set to be killed off just a year after returning to Walford. The actress, who reprised her role in 2025 after a 20-year absence, is said to have quit after producers were unable to accommodate her request for time off.
Departure Confirmed
A spokesperson for EastEnders told the Mirror: "We can confirm Zoe Slater will be departing EastEnders later this year. We wish Michelle Ryan all the best for the future. However, we never comment on future storylines as we don't want to spoil it for the viewers." Reports from The Sun indicate that Zoe will meet her end, and Ryan filmed her final scenes last month.
Behind the Scenes
A source claimed: "When she asked for time off so soon after she was written back in as a full-time cast member, it proved difficult to schedule." The source added that she "threw in the towel." Ryan's return in 2025 marked her first appearance since 2005, when Zoe famously discovered that Kat Slater (Jessie Wallace) was her mother, not her sister.
Iconic Storylines
Zoe's revelation of her true parentage remains one of EastEnders' most memorable moments, with Zoe's line "You can't tell me what to do, you ain't my mother" and Kat's retort "Yes I am" often quoted. Upon her 2025 return, Zoe revealed she had given birth to twins but abandoned them after believing her daughter had died. The twins later appeared on the show: Jasmine Fisher (Indeyarna Donaldson-Holness) and Josh Goodwin (Joshua Vaughn).
Recent Plot Developments
Zoe's storyline also involved harassment from former rival Chrissy Watts (Tracy-Ann Oberman) and her child. This preceded Jasmine fatally wounding her father, Anthony Trueman (Nicholas Bailey), in self-defense, temporarily allowing Zoe to take the blame.
EastEnders continues tomorrow at 7.30pm on BBC One and BBC iPlayer.
