Michelle Ryan’s Zoe Slater is yet to be reunited with her mum Kat in Abert Square following her return

Kat Slater actress Jesse Wallace opened up about a huge moment on EastEnders(Image: BBC)

EastEnders legend Jesse Wallace has revealed that ‘she cried’ upon learning her ‘daughter’ Michelle Ryan was returning to the soap.

Fans of the BBC soap across the nation were delighted this week as Zoe Slater appeared for the first time in two decades following 20 years of fans’ demands.

Zoe is best known for her turbulent relationship with Kat Slater, who she initially thought was her sister until one iconic scene changed everything for the Slater family.

Still talked about to this day, the 2001 ‘you ain’t my mother scene’ is regularly ranked as one of EastEnders best ever moments from its 40 year history.

Despite Zoe appearing in three episodes this week, Jesse and Michelle are yet to share any scenes together. Zoe has insisted that she wants nothing to do with Kat, with viewers fearing for her mental wellbeing following a number of worrying moments.

On top of having empty drink bottles scattered around the flat she’s staying in with Stacey Slater, Zoe faked a story that she was in debt to Spanish gangsters in an attempt to get money off her and Alfie Moon.

In a new behind-the-scenes video of Michelle’s return, which was shared on the official EastEnders Instagram page, Jesse revealed the emotions she felt when she was told the plan last month.

“So, Michelle is back after 20 years. I’ve missed her tremendously, I’ve missed her, working with her, the whole Kat and Zoe thing, you know, going back to, ‘You ain’t my mother,’ ‘Yes I am’.

Michelle Ryan and Jesse Wallace are yet to share a scene together(Image: BBC)

“And when I found out Michelle was coming back, I cried. And then when we met up, I cried because I’ve missed you,” she said.

Having not worked together for two decades, an emotional Jesse compared Michelle being back to a parent being reunited with their child.

She explained: “Michelle’s gone off and done great things, and I’ve gone off and done other things, but I always come back because I love it here.

“I feel like it’s my home. And now Michelle’s back it’s like having my daughter back again.”

Zoe was last seen fleeing Ibiza to distance herself from the murder of Den Watts, who got her pregnant, which was committed by his wife Chrissie Watts.

Admitting she was nervous about whether she could remember her lines, Michelle said in the video: “I wasn’t sure if I was going to be able to retain all the dialogue, and then after like the first day, I was like, ‘This is easy, it just feels comfortable’.”

In a separate interview with the BBC, Michelle said that going back to where she became a household name felt like ‘coming home’.

“It all happened at the right time. I’d already been thinking about a return because I’d met up with Kacey Ainsworth (Little Mo) and Kim Medcalf (Sam Mitchell) and we were reminiscing our fond memories of the show, and I’d also joined social media and saw that there was still a lot of love for the character.

“It just so happened that at the same time, EastEnders had announced a new Exec who was keen to explore the potential of a return as he was such a massive fan of Zoe and the Slaters, so both of our worlds aligned at the right time, and I’m so excited to be back.

“When Ben pitched me the storylines, and when I read the scripts, I knew it was the right decision. It feels like coming home. After doing my first few scenes, it was like I’d never been away,” she noted.