After EastEnders recast Ben Mitchell for the gazillionth time to great fanfare, the powers that be have decided that it's time for the *checks notes* seventh actor to play the character so he could reclaim the crown of Most Recast EastEnders Character.
Okay, that wasn't the only reason the character has come back now, as soap boss Kate Oates explained to Digital Spy and other media outlets.
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"I've always felt that in this genre – in this kind of drama – that the clans are really important," she said. "If you've got a Beale out there then it makes sense to explore what they've been up to and what drama they can bring to the Square.
"For me – with any character, with any person who has got that history, that link with a clan – it's wonderful to bring them back but you've got to have story for them, they've got to earn their stripes.
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"We've done it recently as well with Dotty – you want people with those classic surnames still inhabiting the Square, it's really important for the future of the show, but they have to bring something fresh, they have to bring something new.
"Jon Sen is brilliant with casting, and he's found Dayle and he's awesome, and we're looking forward to playing good Beale drama with him, and Bobby and Ian. There's lots to play out there."
EastEnders airs on BBC One.
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