Michelle Ryan has renewed hopes she could return to EastEnders as Zoe Slater.
The actress originally played the character on the BBC soap between 2000 and 2005, but has not been seen on screen since.
Back in 2001, it was famously revealed that Zoe’s sister Kat Slater (Jessie Wallace) was actually her mother in an episode watched by 19 million viewers.
Michelle threw back to her soap heyday with a post on Instagram on Wednesday, which got fans excited about a possible Walford comeback.
Sharing some character headshots, she wrote: ‘I was just sent these two photos from the square that were taken when I was 17/18, that’s early 2000’s! They were actually never used for cards to be signed (although I’m being told that some people have them, I didn’t realise).
‘Wishing everyone on the square a very Happy 40th Birthday! What an achievement for a show to run for that long!
‘Many great memories. Congratulations to everyone.’
Soundtracking the post with Blondie’s Call Me, she added: ‘Don’t read into the song chosen, it’s playing in the cafe.’
However, in the comments section, she referenced recent remarks from on-screen mum Jessie Wallce, who plays Kat, calling for Zoe to return.
Speaking on co-star Lacey Turner’s new BBC podcast We Started Here earlier this week, Jessie said: ‘I’d love it if she came back,’ she said. ‘I think it would be great for Kat and Zoe.
I think it would be brilliant if she just turned up and went, “Hello, Mum!”‘
One fan commented on Michelle’s post, writing: ‘Definitely manifesting a Zoe return. Even Jessie Wallace has said she would love you to come back on Lacey Turner’s podcast.’
She replied: ‘It came up on a feed, very proud of Lacey having her own podcast. Lovely of Jessie to say.’
Another said: ‘I know you said for a long time you didn’t want to ever go back but you still appreciate that people do want you back and thought you were great in it right?’ to which Michelle wrote back: ‘Of course.’
Michelle recently hinted she was ready for a Walford comeback.
After reuniting with her on-screen aunt Kasey Ainsworth, who played Little Mo, she reflected on some EastEnders memories as she shared a picture on Instagram.
When one fan in the comments asked if she would consider a return, she said: ‘Never say never!’
She also said: ‘That’s for the producers to decide,’ in response to a comment that stated her return would be ‘epic’.
