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Gillian Wright keen on Jean Slater’s return to EastEnders amid new exec concerns

Or is she going to be bumped off?

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EastEnders Jean Slater could be set for a big return to the soap if her alter ego, Gillian Wright, has anything to do with it.

The actress, who has played Jean on and off since 2004, has confessed that she would like to return for a bit, but that she really enjoys coming and going.

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However, she also revealed she was worried her character might be killed off by the new boss.

“I like bobbing in and out,” she told the Eastern Daily Press.

“At Easter I was in one episode and I’m really lucky to do that, and I’d like to go back.

“But with a new executive coming in, I’m crossing my fingers they don’t kill me off!”

That new exec is John Yorke, who was brought in as a temporary replacement following the shock departure (some reports suggest sacking) of Sean O’Connor.

They wouldn’t kill off Jean – surely not, especially when her daughter, Stacey, needs her so much…

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Pregnant with her third child, her first with husband Martin Fowler, Stacey has a history of post-partum psychosis, so Jean could be called upon at any time to help out with her daughter’s care.

Jean pops up every now and then to visit Stace and her grandchildren, Arthur and Lily, but we’d secretly love to see her back on the Square full time.

Like her daughter, Jean also suffers from bipolar and some of her more memorable moments on the show have involved a relapse as she deals with the condition.

She currently lives in Brighton with her husband Ollie, probably cooking him plenty of her famous sausage surprise dishes!


Carena Crawford
Associate Editor (Soaps)