Hello and a sad goodbye (updated)

But, but, but… Didn’t Patsy Palmer tell The Stage quite categorically back in 2005 that she wouldn’t go back to the show?

I have absolutely no desire to return to EastEnders. Not at all. In fact, I think that brief spin-off of a storyline for Ricky and Bianca was a double-edged sword. On one hand, I don’t think we should ever have done it, it was a mistake on my behalf. But on the other, it convinced me that Bianca was someone that I did not want to see again. She was past history as far as I was concerned, I certainly learned that. Don’t get me wrong, I had the time of my life when I was in EastEnders in the middle and late nineties and I worked with some terrific people both in front of and behind the camera. But that was then and this is now - the cast has nearly all changed and going back would be worse than foolish.

Who can blame the flame haired actress? She also told the audience of This Morning that she thought ’Enders was rubbish — just what the rest of the viewing public was thinking at the time. Who can blame her for not wanting to go back?

But, 18 months is a long-time in television, and the great EastEnders slump has been averted somewhat, and the decision to bring these much-loved character back (well, Bianca anyway) is very welcome. After the disaster that was Den Watts and the damp-squib that was Ross Kemp, it seems that ‘Enders is finally starting to realise that the chase for ratings is ultimately a hiding to nothing. Previous returns have been all about the numbers and not about the story, which is the cardinal sin in this game.

While there is, of course, the resultant publicity that comes with any new or returning soap character being announced, the storyline possibilities for Ricky and Bianca arriving back in the Square are good.

Bianca is turning up with a brood of kids in tow, all belonging to different fathers (how many of them can we expect to see over the next couple of years?). Like it! Ricky arrives with a glamorous WAG wife on his arm (although that makes her a wife and girlfriend wife, which just sounds wrong). I sense friction along the way, especially when Ricky realises he never got over Bianca (how could he?)

All very well thought through and positive. This sounds like a soap getting back in touch with its roots, much like Coronation Street has always done – see the return of Ray Langton and the resulting storyline. And with Bianca arriving in Walford, is too much for this soap fan to hope that we might see Carol Jackson not far behind her? Please, please, please, please…

But there’s sad news over in Weatherfield as one of our best loved soap actresses/characters departs the soap that’s been her home for 30-odd years. Details of how Liz Dawn will leave the role of Vera Duckworth have been revealed, with producers confirming that Vera will be killed off in the new year. Dawn announced she would be leaving the show earlier this year following her battle with Emphysema, but it was hoped the actress would continue to make occasional guest appearances. Producer Steve Frost has said:

“After discussions with Liz Dawn we have settled on a heart-breaking exit story which will see Vera leave Coronation Street in 2008”

with Dawn adding:

“Steve Frost and Kieran Roberts were very respectful about how I would feel about Vera dying and we talked about it at length before we made the final decision”

While this leaves me feeling very sad, I also think this is a decision that best serves Coronation Street, the storylines and characters, including William Tarmey, who remains with the show as Jack.

But if there’s one thing we know from the example of Ena Sharples and Hilda Ogden – great characters come and go in the soaps, but they are never, ever forgotten.