EastEnders actress Jessie Wallace showcased a dramatic transformation from her iconic on-screen persona during a rare night out in London with her fellow soap stars. The 54-year-old, famed for playing leopard-print-loving Kat Slater for over 25 years, traded her character's signature style for a glamorous sparkly top.
A Quartet of Soap Legends
The star was all smiles as she posed for a sweet snap shared to Instagram by her co-star, Jacqueline Jossa. The picture, casually captioned "Girlies," featured the quartet of television talent. Alongside Wallace and Jossa, who plays Lauren Branning, were Heather Pearce, known for her role as Eve Unwin, and Michelle Collins.
Collins made a shock return to the serial just over a year ago when it was revealed her character, Cindy Beale, had not died in prison in the late 1990s but had been in witness protection. A second post to Jessie's Story, a video from inside a nightclub, was captioned enthusiastically: "Girls night aaaaaattt!"
From 'Little Mo' to Major Storylines
Jessie Wallace first appeared as Kat Slater in September 2000. She was immediately thrust into one of the soap's most memorable storylines, where she revealed to Zoe Slater, initially introduced as her sister, that she was, in fact, her mother. The character of Zoe, still played by Michelle Ryan, also recently made a comeback to the programme after two decades away.
Kat is also renowned for her turbulent marriage to Alfie Moon, played by Shane Richie. Their relationship was so popular it spawned its own spin-off drama, Redwater, in 2016. During her breaks from Walford, Wallace has tested her skills on Strictly Come Dancing and portrayed Pat Phoenix in the 2010 drama The Road to Coronation Street.
Cindy Beale's Dramatic Return
It has been an equally dramatic time for Michelle Collins since her character's resurrection. Cindy Beale was originally jailed in 1999 for hiring a hitman to kill her husband and was said to have died in childbirth. Her return storyline revealed she had been living under witness protection and returned to Albert Square to reconnect with her family.
Despite the plot's success, Collins admitted she initially felt uncertain about reprising the role after 25 years. Speaking at the TRIC Awards in London, she said, "I didn't know if people would be happy that she was back. I really didn't know, you have to take that risk! But I think she's gone down quite well."
She also noted that audiences have fully embraced the character's villainous nature, confirming, "People don’t want to see nice Cindy... I promise you, they don't."
