EastEnders airs emotional character exit in early iPlayer release – will they be back?

Jade Masood (Elizabeth Green) prepared to leave for Pakistan, and was thrown a farewell party in The Vic. But after receiving a visiting request from her incarcerated father, Dean Wicks (Matt Di Angelo), Jade persuaded a reluctant Jean Slater (Gillian Wright) to accompany her.

The teen demanded the truth from Dean, who is accused of murdering Keanu Taylor (Danny Walters) – the one crime that he didn't commit. Dean insisted that he was innocent, while Jean urged Jade not to fall for her evil father's lies.

Just when it looked like Jade might be taken in, she managed to get Dean to confess to tampering with her medication. Devastated and furious, Jade told him to rot in hell, spitting and walking out of the prison.

She was heartbroken that she had previously believed Jean was in the wrong over her antibiotics, but Jean insisted that Jade was now free of Dean and could go and join beloved mum Shabnam Masood (Rakhee Thakrar) in Pakistan.

Back at The Vic, Jade spoke with Linda Carter (Kellie Bright), telling her that she hoped she could get some closure over what rapist Dean did to her. Of course, Linda also happens to be the true killer of Keanu.

Jean, Stacey Slater (Lacey Turner) and Harvey Monroe (Ross Boatman), as well some of the local teens, gathered to say goodbye to Jade, just as Keanu's grieving sister Bernie Taylor (Clair Norris) returned from abroad. Jade and Bernie shared a kind exchange, and Jade was driven out of the Square as she shouted a joyous farewell.

In his cell, Dean felt alone and rejected, which is exactly what he deserves. But what does this mean for Jade – will she be back, or is this the last we've seen of her?

Will Jade Masood return to EastEnders?

While there has been no word from the BBC on whether Jade will ever return to EastEnders, RadioTimes.com understands that the character's move to Pakistan is, indeed, official. So, it's perhaps safe to say that we won't be seeing her back any time soon.

However, with Dean still appearing on-screen, and friends like Avani Nandra-Hart (Aaliyah James) having grown close to her, we surely can't rule out the possibility that Jade could be drawn back to Walford one way or another.

She'll always have the Slaters there to welcome her for a visit, with Jean having grown particularly fond of Jade in the absence of her best friend, Jade's paternal grandmother Shirley Carter (Linda Henry) – another face we'd love to see back on-screen some day soon.

There was also that warm moment with Linda, which could lead to a bond between aunt and niece. Or could Jade return to find out that Dean isn't a murderer after all – Linda is?

Perhaps Jade could surprise us by heading back alongside a relative like grandfather Masood Ahmed (Nitin Ganatra), just one member of the much-missed clan.

For now, though, it's goodbye to Jade, with star Green's final powerful performance leaving us hoping we'll see her again one day.

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EastEnders airs Monday to Thursday on BBC One and BBC iPlayer. Visit our dedicated EastEnders page for all the latest news, interviews and spoilers.

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