Zoe Slater may be broken as she returns to EastEnders, but she's 'back for good'
Actress Michelle Ryan has turned down the chance to return to the BBC soap several times and even insisted the 'door was closed', but after 20 years away she's changed her mind
She was last seen leaving Albert Square for Ibiza in 2005, convinced that she'd actually killed her former lover Den Watts - and Zoe Slater has not set foot in Walford since.
But tonight, after an absence of 20 years, viewers were shocked to see Kat Moon's daughter back on screen in EastEnders for the first time in two decades. And boy, was she in a bad way.
In the storyline Zoe, played by Michelle Ryan, had reached out to her cousin Stacey for help. But when viewers caught up with the pair, Zoe was seen looking hungover and worse for wear, having stolen Stacey's credit card and gone on a bit of a bender. Stacey (Lacey Turner) then called for help in the form of Alfie Moon (Shane Richie) - now Zoe's step-dad again after remarrying Kat last week. 'Hello Zoe,' he said, before the duff-duff ending.
Actress Michelle, now 41, said she was 'so excited" to be back. 'When I read the scripts, I knew it was the right decision. It feels like coming home. After doing my first few scenes, it was like I'd never been away.'
Long-term viewers will know that when Michelle was first in the soap as Zoe, from 2000, the character thought that Kat was her big sister, along with Little Mo (Kacey Ainsworth) and Lynne (Elaine Lordan). That all changed the following year with the iconic 'You ain't my mother' scene in which it was revealed that Kat was, in fact, just that. And the news kickstarted a 24-year cycle of resentment that the pair have never been able to get past.
Michelle promised 'a lot of drama to come' and explained: 'Zoe is a mess. She's not the girl that left Walford twenty years ago, and she's been really struggling on her own. She has her defences up, but this week you will see that she needs help, but whether she is willing to accept it is another story.'
The actress will appear as Zoe in episodes across this week before the character goes off to sort herself out. She will then return as a permanent cast member later this summer.
One insider said: 'It's pretty clear she's not in a good place and has got herself in a real bit of bother. Viewers will know it must be pretty bad for her to have reached out to her family, because she hasn't spoken to them for 20 years. But right now she's in a sorry state - she's broken - and that's why she's back.'
Zoe had a string of countless failed romances during her time in Albert Square, including with Dennis Rickman and her mother's ex Dr Anthony Trueman, to whom she was engaged. Her last relationship led to her being embroiled in Den's murder along with 'Witches of Walford' accomplices Chrissie Watts (Tracy-Ann Oberman) and Sam Mitchell (Kim Medcalf), after her affair with Den and resulting pregnancy came to light.
She fled Albert Square for Ibiza in 2005 after first admitting the truth to Kat (Jessie Wallace) about Den's murder, but soon afterwards their relationship broke down and they have been estranged ever since. She now has twenty years of deep-rooted resentment towards her mum - plus siblings she has never met.
The biggest shock over Zoe's true parentage came when Kat revealed the identity of her father in scenes which left viewers - and her screen grandad Charlie Slater (Derek Martin) - heartbroken.
It was to stop Zoe from going off with her 'uncle' Harry - played by Michael Elphick - that Kat revealed the horrifying truth.
Kat's Uncle Harry had raped her when she was 13 years old and when Kat fell pregnant with Zoe, her parents covered up the teen pregnancy by pretending Zoe was theirs. Kat had not told them who the baby's father was.
In another shock twist it was later revealed that Zoe was actually a twin, with Kat having given birth to a baby boy (which she did not know about).
Actress Michelle was just 16 when she took on the role of Zoe and quit the BBC soap five years later in order to try new acting roles. She moved to the US to star in the TV reboot of 70s classic Bionic Woman, which lasted just one series, and later appeared in movies including Frankenstein: Legacy and Cockneys Vs Zombies. Other TV guest roles have included BBC dramas Merlin, Doctor Who and Death in Paradise.
On her decision to leave Zoe and EastEnders behind, Michelle once explained that she'd become 'quite bored' with playing the character. "Doing the same thing day in, day out- it's just so boring. I like to jump from different things,' she said. "I've always taken chances. I think that's how you progress by stepping out and doing different things. I really do like my freedom and jumping from job to job'
And asked if she'd ever return to Albert Square, she insisted: 'I always saw EastEnders as an apprenticeship. I always wanted to go on and do different things. I have some really good friends from that show but the door is closed.' Many years on however, her position has clearly shifted.
Michelle has been invited to reprise her role as Zoe several times since 2005, but until now has always turned down the offer.
This time it seems the chance of being reunited with family members including Big Mo (Laila Morse) and Jean Slater (Gillian Wright) arrived at the perfect moment. 'It all happened at the right time,' she agreed. 'I'd already been thinking about a return because I'd met up with Kacey Ainsworth and Kim Medcalf and we were reminiscing our fond memories of the show, and I'd also joined social media and saw that there was still a lot of love for the character.'
Her return last night came in the debut episode for new executive producer Ben Wadey, who was thrilled with his big entrance as show runner.
Ben said: 'Before I even stepped into the role, Zoe Slater was on my wish-list of returnees as although we haven't seen her on screen for twenty years, her character has transcended time due to her popular storylines.
'I was absolutely delighted when Michelle agreed to return, and I'm thrilled to welcome her back to Walford.'
He hinted that there may be other faces from yesteryear on their way back. "Whilst I can't say too much at this stage, Zoe's return is just one of the many exciting storylines we have planned.'
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