EastEnders fans hoping to see another familiar face return to Walford for Zoe Slater’s funeral have had their dreams firmly dashed, with Kacey Ainsworth confirming she will not be reprising her role as Little Mo.
The actress, 57, has addressed a flurry of speculation suggesting that the much-loved Slater family character could be heading back to Albert Square following the news that Zoe, played by Michelle Ryan, is set to be killed off.
While Kacey admitted that the fan demand for her return was ‘very flattering’, she was quick to make it clear that there is currently no truth to the rumours.
Taking to Instagram, the former soap star shared a screenshot of the claims and gave fans a very straightforward response.
‘Very flattering that a character I created 20+ years ago is still held in folks’ hearts… but this is FAKE NEWS,’ she wrote.
Kacey then added: ‘This is not a conversation I have had with the powers that be.’
So, unfortunately for fans hoping for a Little Mo comeback, it doesn’t look like she’ll be among those gathering to say goodbye to Zoe.
The actress even joked about the number of familiar Slaters currently making their way back to Walford, adding: ‘I came out of my recording, and my phone was on fire – #slaters you’ve already got @therobkazinsky c’mon don’t be greedy’.
And she’s certainly got a point, with EastEnders already preparing for a major Slater reunion.
Zoe’s death is set to bring plenty of familiar faces back together as the soap prepares to say goodbye to one of its most recognisable characters.
Michelle Ryan made a surprise return to the BBC One soap last year, more than two decades after she originally left the Square.
Her comeback was a huge moment for long-standing viewers, particularly as Zoe had been at the centre of some of the show’s most memorable storylines during her original stint.
She was famously involved in the ‘You ain’t my mother!’ revelation involving Kat Slater (Jessie Wallace), which exposed the truth about their relationship and became one of the show’s most iconic moments.
Zoe’s return also gave viewers the chance to catch up with the character after 20 years away from Walford, with her life having taken plenty of twists and turns.
However, Michelle later took time away from filming, and it was subsequently confirmed that she had left the soap.
Rather than simply writing Zoe out, bosses have now opted for a much more permanent exit, with the character being killed off.
Michelle filmed her final scenes in June, meaning viewers will eventually see Zoe’s death and funeral unfold on screen in the coming months.
Her funeral is expected to be a huge event for the Slater family, particularly given the number of connections Zoe has built up over the years.
There has already been plenty of speculation about which former characters could make an appearance, with fans naturally hoping that as many familiar faces as possible will return to Walford.
Kacey’s character remains one of EastEnders’ most beloved former residents, having been introduced in 2000 and remaining on the show until 2006.
Little Mo was at the centre of an incredibly powerful domestic abuse storyline involving her violent husband Trevor Morgan, played by Alex Ferns.
The storyline became one of the soap’s most memorable and hard-hitting plots, eventually seeing Mo attack Trevor with an iron and face the consequences of what she had done.
Kacey’s performance earned her the 2002 National Television Award for Most Popular Actress, as well as two British Soap Awards for Best Actress.
Little Mo eventually left Walford in 2006, and Kacey has previously been reluctant to revisit the role.
For now, fans will have to accept that Zoe’s funeral won’t be the Slater reunion some had been hoping for.
With Rob Kazinsky also returning as Sean Slater, however, there are still plenty of familiar faces heading back to Walford, and Zoe’s final storyline looks set to be one of the soap’s biggest events in years.
