EastEnders' Michelle Ryan reveals her dream cast member return for reunion with Zoe

Michelle Ryan has shared who she would most like to reunite with in EastEnders, ahead of her permanent return as Zoe Slater after 20 years away.

In an exclusive chat and photoshoot with Radio Times magazine, Ryan was joined by co-star Jessie Wallace, who plays Zoe's estranged mum Kat Moon.

Asked what her next dream return would be for the soap, the actress replied: "I would like Kim [Medcalf] to come back, who played Sam."

Wallace added: "Oh yeah, she came back. Yeah, she's brilliant."

"Yeah," Ryan agreed, standing by her answer: "So, Kim."

Kim Medcalf as Sam Mitchell. BBC/Jack Barnes/Kieron McCarron

In recent years, Medcalf made two memorable comebacks as Sam, but was last seen in 2024, bowing out of Albert Square shortly after airing big brother Phil's (Steve McFadden) dirty laundry.

Sam and Zoe have huge history, as they helped to cover up the murder of Den Watts (Leslie Grantham).

Zoe initially believed that she had delivered the killer blow, but Sam witnessed Den's scorned wife Chrissie (Tracy-Ann Oberman, who made her own brief return last year) finishing him off and eventually filled Zoe in.

With Zoe starting a new life abroad soon after, she and Sam haven't seen each other since 2005, but could their past ever be revisited?

Whatever happens, and with Kat and Zoe yet to come face-to-face on-screen, we can't wait to see how this infamous mother and daughter reconnect.

Meanwhile, on which other Slater she would have chosen to play, Wallace laughed that she'd pick Kat's wild grandmother Mo Harris (played by Laila Morse).

Teasing the future of the Slaters now they're in charge of The Queen Vic, Wallace promised: "It's gonna be mayhem."

With Mo herself having already been arrested on Kat's first day as landlady, we can't say we're surprised!