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It’s one of the most unforgettable moments in EastEnders history, the explosive 2001 scene where Zoe Slater screamed, “You ain’t my mother!” only for Kat to roar back, “Yes I am!”
Now, more than two decades later, the soap’s most famous mother-daughter pairing is about to be reunited on screen. And Jessie Wallace, who has played Kat Slater for over 20 years, admits she was moved to tears when she found out Michelle Ryan, the original Zoe, would be returning to Walford.
Speaking in an emotional interview with the Radio Times, Jessie revealed the touching moment she was reunited with Michelle after so many years apart.
“I burst out crying… When I saw Michelle, I cried – we were all very emotional. It was nostalgic and lovely,” Jessie confessed.
The reunion was kept tightly under wraps, with the two actresses meeting at a secret dinner arranged by the EastEnders executive producers. Jessie said she knew immediately that no one else could play Zoe.
“I said to Ben, executive producer, ‘It has to be Michelle. It won’t feel right if Zoe is recast.’ I wouldn’t be able to give my best performance. The audience would feel completely conned.”
Protective Bond
The bond between Jessie and Michelle goes far beyond their on-screen relationship. Jessie says she’s always felt a protective instinct over Michelle, something that’s only grown since she became a mother herself.
“I love Michelle and have always been protective over her. Perhaps that’s natural having played her mum. I’m a mother myself now, which I wasn’t when we worked together before, and I’m very protective over my daughter.”
One of EastEnders’ biggest bombshells, Michelle was at the heart of the storyline that revealed Kat Slater was Zoe’s mum – not her sister!
Why Now?
Michelle Ryan’s return has been something EastEnders bosses have been hoping for for years. She’s been approached several times about reprising Zoe, but until now, she’s always declined.
This time, however, she felt it was the right moment. The soap’s recent 40th anniversary sparked a wave of nostalgia among fans, and Michelle says she was genuinely moved by the outpouring of love for her character on social media.
What to Expect
Details about Zoe’s comeback storyline are being kept tightly under wraps, but given the pair’s turbulent past, viewers can expect fireworks. Will Zoe’s return heal old wounds or reopen them? And how will the rest of the Slater clan react?
