Michelle Ryan to exit EastEnders as Zoe Slater

Actress Michelle Ryan will depart the BBC soap opera "EastEnders" later this year, ending her return as the character Zoe Slater after approximately one year. A spokesperson for the program confirmed the departure, stating the character will leave the show in the coming months and wishing Ryan well for the future.

Ryan, 42, originally played Zoe Slater from 2000 to 2005. She made a highly publicized return to the series in June 2025, marking her first appearance in two decades. Her comeback storyline saw her character, Zoe, secretly return to Walford and reconnect with her cousin Stacey Slater. The narrative quickly centered on Zoe's search for her twin son and daughter, Josh and Jasmine, whom she had given birth to and believed she had lost years earlier.

The character's recent arc involved significant drama, including being wrongfully imprisoned after being accused of murdering her ex-boyfriend, Anthony Trueman. It was later revealed that Anthony was the father of Zoe's twins and that he was killed by their daughter, Jasmine, in an act of self-defense. Zoe had attempted to take the blame to protect her daughter before the truth emerged.

While the show's spokesperson declined to...