EastEnders' Alice Haig reveals previous Vicki Fowler actress reached out after recast
The original actress previously revealed that she was approached to reprise the role but turned it down.
EastEnders newcomer Alice Haig has revealed what original Vicki Fowler actress Scarlett Alice Johnson said to her following the recasting.
The character, who is the daughter of Michelle Fowler (Susan Tully) and Dirty Den Watts (Leslie Grantham), recently returned to the BBC One soap after two decades away, with Haig now portraying the role.
Speaking to The Sun at the British Soap Awards, Haig revealed that her predecessor Johnson, who played Vicki between 2003 and 2004, reached out ahead of her debut on the show.
"Scarlett sent me a beautiful email wishing me luck and being incredibly kind," Haig said. "It was a lovely thing to get. She said it's great fun playing Vicki Fowler and I couldn't agree more."
Johnson previously confirmed that she was approached to reprise the role but decided to turn it down.
Her spokesman said in a statement: "Scarlett was approached and was flattered to be asked to return, but the timing wasn’t right for her to step back into the role."
Fowler returned to the Square back in March to attend her uncle Martin’s funeral after he passed away following the explosion at The Vic.
The recasting was announced back in February, with Haig saying in a statement at the time: "I am so excited. I have always watched the show, and I was born in February 1985, so I’m the same age as EastEnders!"
She continued: "It’s so cool to be playing a character like Vicki – we think we know her, but a lot has changed. I can’t wait for all the Albert Square drama ahead."
Read more:
- EastEnders star confirms upcoming exit scenes following dramatic return last year
- EastEnders at 40: Best ever scandals from Pat and Frank to Sharongate
- EastEnders at 40: Best ever villains from Nick Cotton to Nish Panesar
- EastEnders at 40: Best ever whodunnits – From who shot Phil to who killed Archie?
EastEnders airs Monday to Thursday at 7:30pm on BBC One and from 6am on BBC iPlayer.
Visit our dedicated Soaps page for all the latest news, interviews and spoilers. If you’re looking for more to watch, check out our TV Guide and Streaming Guide.
Authors
Molly Moss is a Trends Writer for Radio Times, covering the latest trends across TV, film and more. She has an MA in Newspaper Journalism and has previously written for publications including The Guardian, The Times and The Sun Online.
