EastEnders icon Michelle Fowler returns – but bosses cast new actress after Susan Tully refused chance to return
The Walford original was a show regular for 10 years from the first episode in 1985, and will now be played by Jenna Russell
ICONIC Eastenders character Michelle Fowler is set to make a sensational return, The Sun can reveal.
The Walford original was played by actress Susan Tully for ten years from the very first episode in 1985 until her exit in October 1995.
After trying to tempt her back for two decades, show bosses have now recast the role.
Replacing Susan, who is now a successful TV director, is Olivier Award-winning actress Jenna Russell.
It’s thought she could make her shock appearance as soon in the show’s Christmas Eve episode.
A source said: “Eastenders have been trying to convince Susan to come back for more than 20 years but they agreed enough was enough and have decided to recast the role.
“They thought Jenna was a great fit and think she will do a great job as Michelle who is one of the most popular characters in the show’s history.
“The show has faced accusations of being boring lately, but curveballs like this shows it still keeps viewers on the edge of their seats.”
Susan, who started her career on Grange Hill gave up acting and is now a director, whose credits include drama Lark Rise To Candleford.
And Jenna is best known for her role of Dot in Sunday in the Park with George in the West End and on Broadway, receiving the Tony Award nomination and the 2006 Olivier Award for Best Actress in a Musical.
Michelle was involved in some huge storylines in her decade on the BBC1 soap. She had two children on the show from one-night stands - the first of which was Vicki, who she had with Dirty Den, played by Leslie Grantham.
Her second was Martin, who made his return to the show earlier this year came from a fling with arch nemesis Grant Mitchell, played by Ross Kemp.
She has been continuously mentioned on screen by her family and friends, but has not appeared since she moved to Alabama, in America, in October 1995.
She missed funerals for father Arthur, mother Pauline and brother Mark, and was mentioned by Ian Beale when his daughter Lucy died.
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Ian later went to stay with Michelle after he ended his relationship with his partner Denise Fox and used him being unwell as an excuse to miss best friend Sharon’s invite to be her maid of honour when she married Phil.
Earlier this year, Sharon called Michelle and told her that Peggy Mitchell - played by Barbara Windsor - was dying from cancer.
Michelle then sends a letter to Peggy but it arrives after she dies. However, Sharon reads the letter and immediately visits Michelle. When Sharon returned to Walford in August, Phil founded the letter and discovered that Mark Jnr was his brother Grant’s son.
An Eastenders spokeswoman said: “Viewers can expect a lot of surprises this Christmas, but we don’t comment on future storylines as this will spoil the enjoyment.”