Zoe Slater’s EastEnders Journey: From Dramatic Exit to Surprising Return

Original Departure from Albert Square

Michelle Ryan’s original departure from EastEnders was announced in January 2005, with Zoe’s final scenes airing on June 24, 2005. Her exit storyline saw her leaving for Ibiza after an emotional farewell with Kat, following revelations about Den fathering her baby and her subsequent termination.

At the time of her departure, Ryan explained that she had grown tired of the role, describing it as ‘boring’ to do the same thing daily. She viewed EastEnders as an apprenticeship and wanted to pursue different opportunities, expressing her desire to work with people she admired regardless of the project’s scale or her role’s size.

Dramatic Return in 2025

EastEnders has officially confirmed Michelle Ryan’s return as Zoe Slater, with her first appearance occurring on June 16, 2025 – marking an epic and highly anticipated return after 20 years away from the show.

The return marks the first episodes under new executive producer Ben Wadey’s leadership, kicking off a new era with a bang. While her initial appearance has created waves, Ryan will be back in Walford permanently later this summer.

Character Evolution and Future Storylines

Speaking about her character’s return storylines, Ryan revealed: ‘Zoe is a mess. She’s not the girl that left Walford 20 years ago, and she’s been really struggling on her own’. As the story unfolds, while Kat is desperate to speak with Zoe, it becomes apparent that she isn’t the same young girl who once left Walford, leading to a rocky start in their reunion.

Executive Producer Ben Wadey has teased that ‘more than one secret in her past will come to light as we look to explore the reasons behind her return, and what has happened in the past twenty years to make her the person she is today’.