Jo Joyner hasn’t been approached about a return to ‘EastEnders’.
The 40-year-old actress was rumoured to be reprising her role as Tanya Branning in the soap after her on-screen daughter Lauren Branning – portrayed by Jacqueline Jossa – mentioned her numerous times in recent months but, despite the excitement from fans, she’s now poured cold water on the speculation.
She explained: "I had comments from my mum about that yesterday on the family WhatsApp chat. The really great thing about soap is that it’s useful to get people in a bit of a whizz about a storyline but, no, I haven’t been approached."
And, although she bowed out of the programme four years ago and has gone on to star in numerous other series, the blonde beauty is still regularly referred to as Tanya when she’s out in public and has people coming up to her asking her for autographs.
She said: "All the time! It’s like tinnitus, you can hear the whispers: ‘Is that Tanya?’ it’s been four years since I was in ‘EastEnders’, so kids aged 16 and under don’t know who I am, which is great."
She may have been a big part of the show after starring on it for seven years but Jo has admitted she hasn’t seen the rest of the cast for over a year because it’s so hard to work around their schedules.
She added to OK! magazine: "I haven’t seen anybody from ‘EastEnders’ for more than a year. It’s such a tight place, they work you so hard and I understand. It’s not like you couldn’t slot straight back in if someone gives you a ring and say: ‘Let’s go out and you’re like: ‘Great, let’s work around you and your diary.’ "
Jo Joyner won’t return to EastEnders
