S Club 7 star Jon Lee is reprising his role as Josh Saunders on EastEnders, nearly three decades after his first appearance. The 44-year-old originally played the character in 1997 across 20 episodes.
Lee's return is part of an emotional storyline marking the death of Nigel Bates, played by Paul Bradley, who died after a battle with dementia. Josh is the son of Nigel's former wife Julie, making his comeback a key element of the farewell episodes.
Reflecting on his return, Lee said: 'It was quite surreal stepping back on to Albert Square after so many years as it's so familiar to so many of us. It was lovely to see my onscreen family again.' The funeral scenes have already been filmed and are expected to air soon.
Lee originally joined S Club 7 as a teenager shortly after his first EastEnders stint. The band, formed in 1998, scored four UK No1 singles, a UK No1 album, won three Brit Awards, and sold over 10 million records worldwide. Bandmate Tina Barrett recently confirmed the group are working on new projects amid rumours of a 2026 comeback tour.
