EastEnders viewers will get a blast from the past next week when Walford original Mary 'The Punk' Smith returns after more than 30 years.
Actress Linda Davidson is coming back to the BBC One soap alongside fellow original cast member Tom Watt as Lofty Holloway for the funeral of Doctor Legg (Leonard Fenton), in scenes reuniting them with former co-stars Letitia Dean (aka Sharon Mitchell) and June Brown (aka Dot Branning).
Since leaving the soap, Davidson has veered away from acting to work in digital media for the BBC and Jamie Oliver — so she thought twice about reprising Mary the Punk all these years later.
"I said no at first because I always do! I had lunch with [EastEnders executive consultant John Yorke], who's been a mate for years," she told Digital Spy and other media.
"They told me about Len's storyline and asked me to be in the congregation when Dr Legg dies and then I said yes. Then John said they'd given Mary a few lines and it went from there."
The episode will introduce Mary's now-grown daughter Annie (Marilyn O'Brien), and filming it was so much fun that Davidson said she'd now at least consider returning once again if the opportunity arises.
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"I can’t say that I haven’t fantasised about what it would be like to return [to EastEnders]," she admitted. "I don’t think the answer's yes or no. It might be in the future, but not certain."
EastEnders airs Lofty and Mary the Punk's return on Tuesday, February 19 at 7.30pm on BBC One.
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Digital Spy Soap Scoop video - hit play below for all the latest EastEnders spoilers, as familiar faces return for Doctor Legg's funeral and two new characters arrive.
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