Michelle Ryan doesn’t want to return to ‘EastEnders’.
The 32-year-old actress bowed out of the long-running soap as Zoe Slater – a role she portrayed for five years – in 2005 and has admitted she’d turn down the offer if bosses approached her about a return because she thinks she should be recast.
Speaking exclusively to BANG Showbiz, she said: "It was my decision to leave. I spent five years there, and I wouldn’t have stayed beyond that time. I think that was very much my choice, I know they’re probably thinking ‘well would you like to come back’ but I think the best thing would be if they recast the role.
"I had such a good time doing it, and it was such an incredible opportunity and I feel like there’s another actress out there who’s yet to have her break, it’s such an untapped character, but since I’ve left there’s so much for me to play and different things, and I won’t be going back but if they’re waiting on that character, I know she’s very popular, I think give that unknown actress a break, because its such a great thing to be part of ‘EastEnders’.
"It’s not part of my life anymore but I feel it would be be the right thing to recast the role. Zoe is such a great character and there’s such untapped territory there and there will be some actress out there that’s desperate for that break and I would say give that actress that break because its just the best learning curve working there."
Although she doesn’t want to go back to Albert Square, Michelle has admitted she does get feelings of nostalgia from time to time but doesn’t watch it religiously.
She explained: "I miss some of the people. I still see quite a few people. I think everyone’s got busy lives, but we catch up on emails. I occasionally watch it – I’ve seen a couple episodes recently in hotels."
Michelle stars alongside Anna Friel, Bill Hope, Alexander Siddig and Colin Salmon in Audible’s Alien: River Of Pain. Available to preorder now at Audible.co.uk/riverofpain
Michelle Ryan won’t return to EastEnders
