Michelle Ryan is reportedly set to reprise her iconic role as Zoe Slater on EastEnders after a 20-year absence. The 41-year-old actress played the character from 2000 to 2005, appearing in 559 episodes and featuring in one of the soap's most explosive moments when Kat Slater famously revealed she was Zoe's mother.
Zoe departed Walford in June 2005 after being wrongly led to believe she had killed Den Watts. Now, sources claim the BBC has persuaded Ryan to return, with a script that she found too exciting to turn down. A source told The Sun: 'Bosses have repeatedly reached out to Michelle over the years, but the timing has never been quite right. People are still talking about her character, so it’s a real coup to bring her back.'
Rumours of a return have been circulating since November 2024, when former co-star Kacey Ainsworth (Little Mo Slater) posted a photo with Ryan, sparking speculation. Ryan herself had said 'never say never' about a comeback, adding that it was up to producers. The BBC declined to comment on the reports.
Zoe's return is expected to air at some point in 2025, following the soap's dramatic 40th anniversary events earlier this year, which saw Martin Fowler killed off and Angie Watts appear as a hallucination. Ryan has continued acting since EastEnders, with roles in Doctor Who, Death in Paradise, and the upcoming film Finding My Voice.
