Patsy Palmer and Sid Owen have sparked speculation they could make an ‘EastEnders’ return.
The 45-year-old star has played Bianca Jackson on and off on the BBC One soap since 1993 before her alter-ego quit Albert Square for Milton Keynes in 2014, but Walford superfans have been left praying she will be heading down the M1 soon with Sid, who played her on-screen ex Ricky Butcher.
Patsy posted a throwback picture of the pair on Instagram and added the caption: "Looking forward to seeing this lunatic next week @sidowen .. friends for 30 years .. long time (sic)"
This prompted fans of Ricky and Bianca – who was known for constantly screaming "Rickaaaaaaay" after her hapless hubby during the 90s – to plead with the pair to return to the soap.
One Instagram user wrote: "You two should make a visit to eastenders. Half your family are still there (sic)"
Referring to Bianca’s daughter Tiffany (Maisie Smith), another shared: "They are gonna go and get tiffany lol (sic)"
One former ‘EastEnders’ fan insisted the show hasn’t been the same since the pair left, and another called for Patsy and Sid to star in a Ricky and Bianca spin-off.
One wrote: "Rickaaaaaaay!!. …Just takes me right back to watching EastEnders years ago. Don’t watch it anymore. its not the same now x (sic)"
Another posted: "Ever thought of doing a spin off with the two of you? (sic)"
This wouldn’t be the first time such a spin-off has been made as the former on-screen couple starred in two hour-long specials of ‘EastEnders: Ricky & Bianca’ – which featured Craig Charles as Bianca’s drug-dealing boss Vince – in May 2002, with more than 10 million viewers tuning in.
While details of their reunion are unknown, both stars now reside in California, with Sid working as a DJ, and Patsy lives in Malibu with her husband Richard Merkell, and her children Fenton, 17, Emilia, 16 and Bertie, seven, after relocating Stateside in 2014.
Last year, Patsy – who also has ‘Dunkirk’ star son Charley, 26 – hinted she might return to ‘EastEnders’ one day, but ruled out going back long-term.
She said: "Never say never. I don’t really want to… there’s so much you don’t do when you’re in Elstree for 20 years."
Sid recently admitted June Brown – who plays Dot Cotton in the soap – was keen for him to return to Walford.
He said: "I’ve known her since I was 16 so that’s 30 years.
"I still see her about and we’ve always got on well.
"She was trying to convince me to come back to ‘EastEnders’. She was like, ‘I’m going to have a word and get you back.’ "
Patsy Palmer and Sid Owen spark EastEnders speculation
