EastEnders’ George Michael superfan ‘Fat Hev’ made surprise return to soap on Christmas Eve episode, saying ‘We can’t have Christmas without a bit of George…’
Actress played Heather 'Fat Hev' Trott - a George superfan - for years
EASTENDERS star Cheryl Fergison paid an emotional tribute to tragic George Michael last night - hours after her character came back from the dead to speak about him on-screen.
The 51-year-old resurrected her beloved Heather Trott alter-ego for one night only, gushing about how Christmas wasn't Christmas "without a bit of George"... hours later he was dead.
For four years Cheryl played TV's biggest super fan of the Too Funky singer, with one storyline even seeing her try to break in to his house for a glimpse of him.
And last night, after EastEnders' eerie twist, the actress tweeted a photo of her and George together.
She wrote: "Oh no not George ! don't believe it so saddened by this news ..we were mutual fans of each other's work he was a huge talent RIP George."
Launderette worked Dot Cotton found a festive mixtape made for her by the larger than life cheese-lover and her best friend, boozer Shirley Carter - and the first song was Wham's Last Christmas.
Speaking from beyond the grave, viewers heard Heather introduce the track - after explaining that the reason the launderette legend wasn't getting a present was as she and Shirl had "spent all their cash on woo woos."
She said: "We can't have Christmas without a bit of George can we? So let's start with Wham's last Christmas from 1984."
The festive favourite then kicked in, bringing a smile to Dot's face as she threw away all the fish paste sandwiches she had prepared for her disastrous retirement party.
Despite being bludgeoned to death by troubled Ben Mitchell in 2012, Heather's love for George lived on through the surprise cassette.
During her five years as a regular character on the show, Hev's love for the former Wham! singer became as much a part of her character as her cheese-munching, penchant for karaoke and unrequited love for mechanic Minty.
She even named her son George Michael - who she conceived after a drunken romp with teenager Darren Miller after the handsome crooner.
One storyline also featured Shirley helping Heather 'break in to' George's lush Hampstead home in a bid to cheer her up - unaware they'd got the address wrong.
Fans of the soap even took to Twitter to ask how Heather would have coped with the news, sharing gifs of the loveable lady collapsing on the ground in grief.
The Wham! singer had a successful solo career and sold more than 100 million records worldwide.
Thames Valley Police said an ambulance attended a property in Goring, Oxfordshire, at 1,42pm today adding that his death was being treated as "unexplained but not suspicious".
It is understood paramedics had been called after Michael was discovered by a friend.
In a statement, the star's publicist said: "It is with great sadness that we can confirm our beloved son, brother and friend George passed away peacefully at home over the Christmas period.
"The family would ask that their privacy be respected at this difficult and emotional time.
"There will be no further comment at this stage."
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