EastEnders guest star Laila Rouass has proved the soap should be looking forward not backwards

EASTENDERS has pulled off a blinder with casting Laila Rouass - and exposed a big problem with the soap.

Actress Laila has confirmed she’s finished her stint on the soap but if there’s any justice in soapland - she’ll be back soon.

Her performance as Ayesha has shown the soap that it needs to be looking forwards and creating new and exciting characters as well as bringing back legends from the past.

And while it’s very exciting the likes of Chrissie Watts, Bianca Jackson and David Wicks are all returning ahead of the 40th anniversary - the soap should be careful of relying on its long history for excitement.

Look back too much while trying to move forward and you’ll end up flat on your face.

Laila’s character Ayesha was exactly the injection of freshness that the show needed.

And let’s be clear - the show isn’t in a bad way. 

But Ayesha slipped into Albert Square like she belonged - and Laila made quite the impression on viewers while playing her.

Brief mentions about her and Suki’s affair and her tragic backstory with her husband being murdered by Nish laid the groundwork for a tragic figure.

The Ayesha who arrived was nothing of the sort - she was more than a match for Nish - and actually Suki.

The toxic twosome have been trading blows and displaying their battle scars long enough that it’s getting tiresome.

It’s bogged down Suki’s relationship with Eve - and is slowly destroying Eve as a character in her own right.

Ayesha wouldn’t have found herself in a car boot about to be beaten to death and buried by Nish’s henchmen son Ravi.

And nor would the Eve we first met.

But Ayesha is something that just fits into Walford like so many others - she’s a ready made matriarch who’s strong and knows who she is.

And best of all - she’s not hiding major secrets, she didn’t have skeletons in her closet and she’s not ‘set to ruffle feathers’. Though she probably could.

Frankly she had more vitality and character growth in less than a fortnight than some Walford residents have had in 30 years.

If bosses have any sense they’ll be rushing through a deal to bring her in full-time - give her a couple of kids to deal with and let the drama unfold.

It's what we all deserve...