While EastEnders fans are yet to discover what the soap has in store over Christmas and New Year, there’s another blockbuster set of episodes just around the corner with the 40th anniversary in three months’ time.
With the countdown to the huge milestone now officially on, a returning EastEnders legend has dropped some clues about the much-anticipated episodes.
Next week sees Louisa Lytton reprise her role as Ruby Allen, as the character makes a comeback after three years – much to the shock of her ex-husband Martin Fowler (James Bye).
Louisa is returning for an extended guest stint, which she has revealed will include the soap’s 40th anniversary in February.
Teasing the drama ahead for both Christmas and the anniversary, Louisa admitted the ‘stakes are high’.
She said: ‘I feel like I’ve come back at a really good time because I’ve literally come back for the build-up to Christmas and then the 40th anniversary.
‘It’s a really busy time to be on the show. It’s going to be talked about, it’s going to be everywhere.
‘The stakes are so high and that’s when this show is at its best. It’s a really good time to be back.’
EastEnders bosses have already confirmed that one element of the 40th will be interactive, with viewers getting to vote on the outcome of a romantic storyline and the actors having to play that out in a special live episode.
Many fans have already predicted that the plot could involve Ruby, Martin and Martin’s other ex-wife Stacey Slater (Lacey Turner).
As viewers will remember, Ruby had her former best friend locked up when she falsely accused Stacey of pushing her down the stairs and causing her to miscarry her child.
As revenge, Stacey’s mum Jean Slater (Gillian Wright) framed Ruby for growing a cannabis farm in the Slaters’ garage, and she was last seen being carted off by police in 2021.
While Louisa did not confirm any love triangle ahead for Ruby, Martin and Stacey, she did admit the two women will have a tense dynamic upon Ruby’s return to Albert Square.
‘It’s so heartbreaking because I feel like so much has happened and I don’t know how they could ever come back from that,’ she explained. ‘But the sad thing about them is in another world they would have been like sisters.
‘It’s lovely for us to play this love/hate relationship because you don’t tend to get that on soaps. It’s usually one or the other whereas with us every scene is like a struggle because Ruby would love them to be friends and Stacey just hates that she’s ruined it.’
Speaking about her future on the soap, Louisa – who originally appeared on the show between 2005 to 2006 before returning in 2018 for a three-year stint – revealed her hopes to keep ‘coming in and out’ – much like Charlie Brooks’ Janine Butcher.
She said: ‘Like Charlie, I would love Ruby to be a character that could potentially come in and out and always have a reason to come back to the show, so selfishly as an actor I’ve always got a job to come home to but also I get to do other things.
‘I think it’s nice that she’s lasted that long, there’s 20 years worth of legacy almost and it’s nice to keep being asked back.’
EastEnders airs Ruby’s return from Monday 18 November at 7.30pm on BBC One, and from 6am on iPlayer.
